Category: Entertainment

Chhaava director Laxman Utekar on Monday said he would delete a dance sequence from the film, following protests and objections from several Maharashtra ministers. He mentioned in a detailed official statement that he imagined the Maratha warrior and king Smabhaji Maharaj as a 20-year-old boy in his film, and therefore, included a sequence showing him celebrating with the ‘Lezim dance’ after winning a battle. However, something about the same dance sequence didn’t go down well with many politicians.

On Sunday, Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis talked to the media in Mumbai and mentioned that the film shouldn’t hamper with the legacy of the reverred Maratha king, Sambhaji Maharaj. He talked about the ‘distorted history’ and said a film made on Chhatrapati should be both ‘creative and sensitive’.

“Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj’s history should be shown correctly. It is not right to distort history. Everyone has a lot of love and respect for Sambhaji Maharaj. This respect and honour should not be hurt. There should be creativity (in filmmaking) but we believe that there should be sensitivity along with it,” he said.

His statement came after several ministers, including former Rajya Sabha MP Sambhjiraje Chhatrapati, who’s also a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, suggested that the makers consult historians to avoid ‘inaccuracies’ in the film. His argument followed the release of the trailer, which featured a glimpse of Vicky and Rashmika Mandanna (who plays the role of Maharani Yesubai) performing the Lezmi dance.

The glimpse was from a song which was shot to capture the celebratory mood in the kingdom of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj following his successful attack on Burhanpur, a wealthy Mughal city in Madhya Pradesh, in 1681.

What the descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj said about the song:

In his statement to the media, the former MP revealed that he had expressed his wish to watch the entire film when the makers went to show him the trailer. Sambhajiraje said, “I told them I would like to watch the entire movie before its release. I also offered to connect them with historians to address inaccuracies to ensure this significant story is presented authentically to audiences worldwide.”

He was one of the first people who talked about the media, objecting to the dance sequence in Chhaava. He mentioned the Lezim dance in his statement and said, “While the Lezim is an important part of our cultural heritage, it is necessary to discuss whether taking such cinematic liberties aligns with the dignity and historical portrayal of Sambhaji Maharaj,” adding that the makers should consult historians to get their green signal before the release of the film.

A few hours before Sambhajiraje’s interview, a few Maratha outfits protested in Pune against the same dance sequence in the film. The protestors demanded what the former MP said: show the film to the historians or face consequences.

What minister Uday Samant said against the song in Chhava:

Former Vice President Kamala Harris dined at West Hollywood celeb magnet Craig’s on Saturday night with husband Doug Emhoff and what appeared to be a crowd of power producers.

Though another insider said Harris was just dining with some pals.

One source told Page Six the couple was “with some Hollywood people,” adding, “It was a table full of producer and director types; definitely entertainment development.”

Another witness who saw Harris, 60, at the showbiz watering hole told us: “She was sitting in the booth that faces the wall, and it was about six people in the booth.”

The source added: “No paparazzi in front. Her husband was there. It looked like they were there with couples.”

The source said that Harris and Emhoff, also 60, were at the meal for over two hours, and “it didn’t look like a lot of security was there. No one was swarming her or anything. It was a lot of people in her booth. She looked happy.”

A different source familiar with the veep told us she was just having a night out with friends, and that the meeting was not about any new projects.

There has been speculation over Harris’ next move after her loss to Donald Trump. She has returned to her home state of California, though we reported that Emhoff recently toured a $20,000-a-month luxury condo on the Upper West Side.

Harris previously said, “It is not my nature to go quietly into the night. So, don’t worry about that.” She could run for California governor in next year’s election.

Then again, political and public figures have had a recent history of inking deals in Hollywood after leaving their posts.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/01/27/gossip/kamala-harris-spotted-dining-at-a-list-hollywood-haunt-craigs-after-losing-election-to-donald-trump/

Super-slim waists, thin arms, hollow cheeks and visible collar bones were in the spotlight on the Golden Globes red carpet earlier this month, with A-listers looking thinner than they have in decades.

Insiders say the popularity of GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro have made curves on the red carpet passe, marking the return of the ultra-skinny bobblehead body of the 1990s and early-aughts.

Dr. Michael Hakimi, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, estimated that in recent years, most stars ranged in size from a 2 to an 8. Fans typically saw slim-but-somewhat womanly bodies on red carpets.

“Now,” he said, “we’re seeing between a 0 and Size 2 — even from the people we’re used to seeing with fuller figures.”

The new class of weight-loss meds has become so popular in Hollywood, Hakimi told Page Six that celebrity and high profile clients are having GLP-1 “parties” of sorts where deep-pocketed hosts hire nurse prescribers to introduce guests to the weight loss medications, and get them prescribed.

“I hear it’s becoming as prevalent as Botox parties,” he said.

While A-Listers such as Oprah, Kathy Bates, Rebel Wilson and Elon Musk have been open about experimenting with the trendy meds, insiders say many more celebs — even those who have never seemed to struggle with their weight — are using them.

“Even really skinny people like to be on Ozempic, especially these people in Hollywood because they don’t get hungry. It makes them less hungry,” Dr. Jennifer Levine, a plastic surgeon based on the Upper East Side, told Page Six. “Even people that are super, super thin might be on micro doses because they’re able to maintain their weight and don’t feel like they’re starving themselves.”

And, once stars get to a goal weight, doctors say many are likely to stay on a GLP-1 to curb hunger and maintain the weight loss.

“They can’t get off it — they want to maintain their weight which they can’t do without the drug so they have to be on a smaller dose,” Levine said.

She also suspects some are taking too much of the medications, which were initially used to treat diabetes and work by lowering blood sugar, increasing insulin secretion and making you feel full longer.

“Not everybody needs to be on such high doses — there’s a way to safely use the drug without making people look scary thin,” Levine said.

Off the red carpet, Hakimi noted that political powerhouses are also looking slimmer as of late.

“Hillary Clinton looked like she was on it. The people in the cabinet — Mike Pompeo looks like he’s getting skinny,” Hakimi said.

The dramatic, often rapid weight loss from GLP-1s can result in a host of cosmetic complications that, for the Hollywood set, require surgical intervention.

“You can lose too much too fast and you end up with sinking skin,” said Hakimi, who’s been doing more and more liposuction — to contour the body after weight loss — with 20- and 30-something patients who have used the drugs.

Skin sagging can become such an issue for GLP-1 users that many are opting for facelifts at a youngish age.

“With weight-loss patients, they have that laxity and jowling that can’t be effectively addressed with fillers,” Dr. Daniel Barrett, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, told Page Six. “If you try to fix laxity with fillers, you’d have to overfill the face, which would create an unnatural look that appears really strange — an example of this might be what Madonna currently looks like.”

What’s more, Barrett said, wealthy celebrity patients in their 40s and early 50s — whether they’ve used GLP-1 medication or not — are eschewing filler in favor of facelifts to better correct drooping skin and to avoid the distorted, puffed-up look of injectables gone wrong.

If you can afford a facelift — the average costs range from $10,000 for a minimally invasive one to upwards of $100,000 — Barrett said they “offer a better long-term result.”

“Getting filler when you need a facelift is really just wasting your money,” the plastic surgeon emphasized. “You’re not really addressing the fundamental problems and you’re making it more challenging to later do what’s actually needed.”

Hakimi says his facelift patients are skewing younger. He recently performed one on a star who was just 38 years old.

“It was to treat the hanging skin and laxity under the chin,” he said of the musician who had lost a significant amount of weight with GLP-1 meds.

Power players are also wanting to add volume back to their butts and boobs after dropping significant pounds.

“I’m seeing a lot of high profile individuals ask for breast and butt lifts. They lose the weight then they come to my office asking for a Brazilian butt lift and breast augmentation,” said Hakimi, who has seen an uptick in requests for subtle silicone breast implants.

Dramatic weight-loss and the cosmetic procedures that follow are having an effect on the logistics of shooting film and TV shows. Facelifts require far more scheduling considerations than simple fillers for stars given the recovery time.

Barrett notes that the immediate downtime is 10 days, but it takes at least two months to be camera-ready. Even that can be far too soon. A star doesn’t want to start shooting and look drastically different.

“[You see] optimal results at six months,” he said.

For those not looking to go under the knife, savvy makeup artists can help.

“What I will advise [for clients with extreme weight-loss in their face] is ‘let’s lift the look of the brows so people don’t focus on your cheekbones,’ ” said Rachael Weingarten, a celebrity makeup artist who has worked on film and TV shows. “I’ll build up the cheeks with a bit of bronzer underneath and then fill them in with blush.”

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/01/26/celebrity-news/hollywoods-ozempic-craze-spikes-demand-for-early-facelifes/

Rapper DJ Unk, who is best known for his 2006 hit song “Walk It Out,” has died at 43 years old, his wife Sherkita Long-Platt announced on Friday.

“Please respect me and my family. I just lost my husband and my kids just lost their father. Our life will never be the same,” Platt shared on Facebook. “I LOVE YOU ANTHONY FOREVER”

The Atlanta based rapper’s cause of death has not yet been revealed.

In a statement given to the NY Post, Korey “Big Oomp” Roberson — who founded the record label that signed Unk (real name Anthony Leonard Platt) in 2000 — reflected on the rapper’s death, calling him “a true ATL legend.”

“We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and the countless fans who were touched by his artistry and spirit,” the message reads. “DJ Unk was not just a legendary DJ, rapper and producer, but a true cornerstone of our label and the imprint that he left globally will be cherished forever.”

“Hit songs such as ‘Walk It Out’ and ‘2 Step’ have left an indelible mark on the industry, and his legacy will continue to inspire artists, DJs, and fans alike for years to come. His energy, creativity, and commitment to the craft will never be forgotten.”

“We ask that you keep his family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. We also want to thank everyone who has supported DJ Unk and the Oomp Camp over the years,” the statement continued.

Roberson added, “Rest in peace, Unk. You will forever be missed.”

“Now walk it out!” he finished.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/01/24/celebrity-news/walk-it-out-rapper-dj-unk-dead-at-43/

Triptii Dimri has cemented herself as a reigning queen of the box office, going beyond 1,510 crores worth of collection with the past four films including ‘Animal’, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’, ‘Bad Newz’ and ‘Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video’. With back-to-back hits, Triptii Dimri has emerged as a force to be reckoned with. Her consecutive hits not only shed light on her global box office prowess, star power, and enduring appeal, but her achievements make for an unprecedented feat for an Indian actress. Triptii’s box office feats are not just the achievement of numbers but they bring the spotlight on her global mass appeal, her ability to make careful choices of films, and the audience’s trust in her projects.

Each of Triptii Dimri’s films has earned critical acclaim and has also received positive reviews from the audience, emphasising that the actress not only picks roles that connect with the masses but also wins over the critics. In today’s fierce competition in Bollywood, crossing the mark of a whopping 1,510 crore is a remarkable milestone that very few actresses can achieve. This phenomenal achievement highlights Triptii Dimri’s ability to generate excitement among the masses, ensuring that every project is eagerly anticipated among her established fanbase.

Throughout the years, Triptii Dimri has crafted an illustrious career in Bollywood and has explored various genres including thriller, romance, comedy, and horror. Her unwavering commitment to her craft and her ability to pull off complex roles with utmost ease has earned her the moniker of one of the biggest actresses of Indian cinema. With past successes, Triptii Dimri has broken the conventionality of filmmaking and has shattered box office records. But, that’s not it for the ‘Bulbbul’ actress!

Source : https://www.spotboye.com/bollywood/news/triptii-dimri-s-last-four-films-minting-over-rs-1-510-crore-spotlights-her-reign-with-whopping-global-box-office-numbers-for-an-indian-actress/6790cd2ae4cc4f51c19853b4

Saif Ali Khan was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, days after he was attacked at his Bandra residence. In a number of videos shared by the paparazzi, the actor showcased a heroic spirit by ditching his wheelchair and walking by himself. Most recently, Pooja Bhatt gave a savage reply to trolls passing judgment on the actor for walking on his own and also lauded his ‘grit.’

While speaking with ETimes, Pooja Bhatt addressed social media trolling that Saif Ali Khan has been subjected to after his hospital discharge. Addressing the speculation on the internet, the actress emphasized the strength that it takes for one to seek help in a vulnerable state and praised his determination to recover.

She noted that the graphic details of the stabbing that surfaced in the media created an image in the people’s minds about Saif’s physical state. According to her, that image perhaps didn’t align with the visuals of seeing the actor walking out of the hospital by himself. She further addressed the notorious trolls with her savage response.

She said, “But don’t these very people forget that they lauded him for walking himself into the hospital as well? A man who checks himself into hospital in a wounded, traumatized condition surely has the grit to walk out of the hospital on his own. We should be applauding this instead of resorting to being conspiracy theorists.”

Following his discharge, dressed in a white shirt, denim pants, and black eyeshades, the actor ditched his wheelchair or any other help. He presented a fighter spirit and walked by himself with a cast in his hand and bandages on his neck that were clearly visible in the pap videos.

The 54-year-old was accompanied by a heavy security force during his return and was received with a warm welcome by his fans and paps stationed outside his home. The actor acknowledged them with a smile, flashed a thumbs-up, and waved at them.

Source : https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/news/pooja-bhatt-lauds-saif-ali-khans-grit-to-walk-out-of-hospital-on-his-own-after-attack-incident-gives-befitting-response-to-internet-users-passing-judgments-1368850

Comedian-actor Kapil Sharma, actor Rajpal Yadav, choreographer-director Remo D’Souza and singer-comedian Sugandha Mishra received threat emails, police said.

“We have been monitoring your recent activities, and we believe it is imperative that we bring a sensitive matter to your attention. This is not a publicity stunt or an attempt to harass you,” the email stated.

It further stated that they should “treat this message with the utmost seriousness and confidentiality”.

“Failure to do so may result in severe consequences that could impact your professional and personal life,” it stated.

The email, which was signed by one Bishnu, further stated that if they don’t respond to it within the next eight hours, “we will take necessary actions”.

Based on complaints from the celebrities, a case was registered at Amboli and Oshiwara police stations.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/comedian-actor-kapil-sharma-3-other-celebrities-get-threat-mail-says-this-is-not-a-publicity-stunt-2668864-2025-01-23

Dsena said he is not disheartened by losing the trophy to Mehra as he won many hearts during his stint on the show that requires contestants to be holed up in a special house for three months without much contact from the world outside.

Mumbai: Popular television actor Karan Veer Mehra beat rival Vivian Dsena to lift the “Big Boss 18” trophy here at a ceremony, hosted by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan.

Show host Salman presented the trophy and the prize money of Rs 50 lakh to Mehra on late Sunday night.

Mehra, known for his roles in shows such as “Shanno Ki Shaadi”, “Virrudh”, “Amrit Manthan”, “TV Biwi Aur Main” and “Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 14”, credited his family and fans for supporting him.

“I would like to give credit to a lot of people starting from my family — my mom, my sister, her children, my-brother-in-law and my dad. It is my dad’s birthday today. And the Big Boss audience who watched the show and supported me,” Mehra told PTI after his win.

Asked how he plans to spend the winning amount, the actor said, “I will support the education of the kids of my staff.”

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/karan-veer-mehra-beats-vivian-dsena-to-win-bigg-boss-18-3363142

The accused had roamed the actor’s residence area with friends. His friends informed him that wealthy people, including industrialists, lived there. He needed money and was willing to do anything to get it, the officer said.

Since the very first day of the incident, everyone has been pondering the question: How did the accused enter the actor’s building, Sat Guru Sharan, in Bandra West? The police have revealed some details after arresting the accused.

A police officer involved in the investigation from day one stated, “The accused scaled the building’s compound wall from the nearby road and jumped inside. The guard in the compound was fast asleep. The accused then climbed part of the building wall using a drainpipe, took the stairs, and used the duct to reach Saif’s bathroom. He most likely carried tools to open the bathroom window. When he jumped into the bathroom, the noise woke up the nurse, who was asleep in Saif’s son Jehangir’s bedroom. She raised an alarm, which brought Saif to the scene. He was then stabbed, after which the assailant took the same route to escape.”

The officer added that the building’s security was inadequate. The CCTV system was outdated, and the police needed to access the footage, but no one knew the password. Almost two to three hours were wasted trying to recover it.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/saif-ali-khan-stabbing-case-lapse-in-security-as-accused-scales-wall-to-enter-actors-building-attacks-after-alarm-raised

From asking what ‘Jai Shri Ram’ means to giving a tongue-in-cheek shout-out to cricketer Jasprit Bumrah, Coldplay’s first concert in India in nine years was nothing short of a cultural celebration where the band’s frontman Chris Martin captivated the audience with his humour and curiosity.

There were plenty of unforgettable moments that resonated deeply with fans at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium where Coldplay kick-started their ‘Music of the Spheres World Tour’ in India.

For two hours at the packed stadium, Martin belted out chartbuster tracks like Paradise, Viva La Vida, Adventure of a Lifetime, Yellow, Fix You, and A Sky Full of Stars, among others.

One of the evening’s most stand moments came when Martin noticed a fan holding a placard that read “Jai Shri Ram.” Curious, he uttered the phrase, igniting thunderous cheers from the crowd.

He then said, “What does Jai Shri Ram mean? Must be something good.” Martin’s innocent inquiry about the meaning of the phrase only heightened the audience’s excitement.

Throughout the evening, Martin made a concerted effort to connect with the audience in their native tongues. His attempts to speak Hindi and Marathi were met with overwhelming warmth.

At the beginning of the concert, he interacted with the crowd in Marathi, Hindi, and English.

He began by saying in Marathi, “Tumhee saghre aaj chaan distat’ (You all look beautiful today).

He then said in Hindi, “Aap sab ka bahut swagat hai humare show pe. Mumbai mein aakar hume bahut khushi ho rahi hai. (You’re all very welcome to our show. We feel happy after coming to Mumbai.) “Sorry, my Hindi and Marathi are bad but I tried my best,” he said, before switching to English.

The British musician thanked Indian fans for giving him the chance to play in one of “our favourite places in the whole world”.

“This is our fourth visit to India, the second time playing, and the first time played our show, and we couldn’t have asked for a better audience. It’s amazing you welcome us,” Martin said.

The singer-songwriter frequently checked on the crowd and made a point to ensure that they were well taken care of, asking about their well-being and hydration.

Looking at the various placards held by fans, he said, now is the good time to read some of the signs.

While reading placards by fans, such as ‘Happy Birthday to you’, ‘Love to mom she is fighting cancer’, ‘I love Coldplay’, ‘Welcome from Calcutta’, and ‘I remember you from the Temple’, Martin responded, ‘Yes, I think so. I remember you. I went to some amazing places.’ He later invited a 15-year-old boy whose message read: ‘Aum, I manifested this moment. I am ready for it. Can I sing Everglow with you?’ Martin fulfilled the boy’s wish as the two sang the track together. A few minutes later, while performing the song Alien, Martin even invited a male security guard on stage, who danced his heart out.

The D Y Patil sports stadium, which is primarily a cricket stadium, though it is sometimes used for football, music concerts and other events, was glowing amidst the colourful lights courtesy of the recyclable light wristbands that all the attendees were wearing and the great firework displayed at the end of the concert.

At one point the fireworks didn’t light up at the opportune time, and Martin said, ‘It’s taking a bit of time for it to get lit up. Can we all make firework sounds?’. The crowd followed him in unison till the skies were lit.

Towards the end of the concert, Martin stopped crooning and teased fans saying he needed to wrap it soon since it was time for Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah to play cricket at the stadium.

“We got to finish the show because Jasprit Bumrah wants to come and play cricket backstage. Thank you very much, everybody, good night. He says he needs to ball at me,” he said leaving the crowd craving for some more songs.

“We love you Jasprit. So, we are going to ask him to wait for 15 minutes. So, we would like to play the song one more time, this time with four of us and the 60,000 of you all in the same breath,” Martin added.

As part of their ‘Music of the Spheres World Tour’, the British band has two more shows at the DY Patil Stadium on Sunday and Monday. A fourth show will be held at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on January 25.

As the big day approached, fans started flocking from noon to attend the Coldplay concert, for which the gates opened at 3:30 pm and the band began at 8:00 pm.

One of the lady security guards said, “We have been here since 10:00 am. We’ve been told to make sure everything goes smoothly since it’s the biggest concert of the century.” Indore-based Shivani Agarwal, who was seen wearing a sash with ‘Bride To Be’ printed on it, was thrilled to bits attending the concert.

“I’ve my bridesmaid here, I wanted it to be a concert theme. This concert seemed like the perfect treat for me and my friends,” Agarwal told PTI.

Coldplay had earlier performed in the country in 2016 at the Global Citizen Festival in Mumbai.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/jai-shri-ram-and-jasprit-bumrah-coldplays-mumbai-concert-was-a-celebration-of-music-and-culture-3362493

As Bigg Boss 18 speeds toward its grand finale, the suspense is finally ending. The reality show, which is renowned for its ferocious disputes, intense confrontations, and unrestrained drama, has effectively reduced the number of contestants to the top 6.

These 6 talented people are now on the verge of finishing, and only one of them will soon claim the prestigious Bigg Boss 18 winner as the competition gets more intense and emotions reach a fever pitch.

Fans are surely curious to find out how they can help their favourite contestant win as the excitement increases. Voting is the solution, and here is a thorough explanation of how to do it to have your voice heard and possibly help your favourite contestant win the prestigious BB 18 trophy.

Bigg Boss 18: Top 6 Finalists

• Vivian Desena
• Rajat Dalal
• Karanveer Mehra
• Chum Darang
• Avinash Mishra
• Eisha Singh.

Bigg Boss 18 Latest Voting Trends Result:

• Rajat Dalal- 41% (62,419 Votes) 
• Vivian Dsena- 29% (43,833 Votes) 
• Karanveer Mehra- 15% (23,041 Votes) 
• Avinash Mishra- 6% (9,552 Votes) 
• Chum Darang-5% (7,815 Votes)
• Eisha Singh– 2% (3,299 Votes)  

Bigg Boss 18: How to vote (step-by-step guide)

Mumbai Police sources are now saying that the intruder who attacked Saif Ali Khan in his Bandra home late Wednesday night may have conducted a recce of Mannat, the residence of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, just days earlier. According to the sources, on January 14, a person of the same height and build as the person caught on CCTV in the Saif stabbing case, reportedly tried to look into Shah Rukh Khan’s residence using a 6-8 feet long iron ladder. The ladder was found placed behind a retreat house next to Mannat, the sources claim.
Police suspect that the individual conducting the recce could be the same person captured on CCTV footage at Saif’s apartment. “The person’s height and build closely resemble the suspect seen in footage obtained from Saif’s flat,” a police official said, according to an India Today report.
Investigators also have reason to suspect that more than one person could be behind this. “The iron ladder placed at Shah Rukh Khan’s residence is believed to be too heavy for a single person to handle, suggesting the involvement of at least two to three people,” sources stated.

While Shah Rukh Khan has not filed a complaint, police are treating the matter with urgency. They are also investigating whether the ladder was stolen.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/was-shah-rukh-khan-a-target-too-iron-ladder-found-outside-mannat-before-saif-stabbing-article-117330038

Actor Kartik Aaryan congratulated paralympic Gold medalist Murlikant Petkar as he received the Arjuna Award on Friday. Kartik shared a video on Instagram featuring a scene from the film Chandu Champion and Murlikant Petkar receiving the award in real.

He wrote a long note that read, “From living your incredible life on the big screen to witnessing you receive, Arjuna Lifetime Achievement Award, at Rashtrapati Bhawan today, It felt surreal.”

“Every moment was like a dream. Now our film #ChanduChampion, seems to have found its perfect ending (it started with you fighting for The Arjuna award) but knowing you, an unstoppable champion, this can’t be the climax… Keep inspiring Sir,” he added.

He also felt proud and wrote, “Feeling so proud to be present in this moment framed in history with you and the honourable president of India…. Salute to you and congratulations to all the Arjuna awardees…”

As soon as the actor dropped the post, fans reacted in the comment section with congratulatory messages. A user wrote, “Congratulations sir god bless u…” Another fan commented, “More power to Murli Sir and to you too Kartik..”

Murlikant Petkar has received his award from President Droupadi Murmu at a special function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday. Kartik was present at the event with filmmaker Kabir Khan.

Earlier, Murlikant Petkar on Thursday expressed his feelings about getting recognition after the release of the film Chandu Champion.

As he is all set to receive the Arjuna Award, the legendary sportsperson gave full credit to producer Sajid Nadiadwala

“These awards are declared due to Sajid Nadiadwala because no one gives such a big honour to handicaps. I am getting recognised in the world because of Sajid Nadiadwala,” Murlikant Petkar told ANI.

He also shared that it’s recognition that he “longed for throughout his journey as an Olympic gold medalist and a proud member of the Indian Army.”

“This award is a testament to the support I received from the Government of India, Maharashtra State, Rotary Clubs and many others who believed in me and helped me elevate the recognition of athletes with disabilities. The film about my journey, directed by Kabir Khan and starring Kartik Aaryan, is the first of its kind to highlight the life of a handicapped athlete, and I am deeply grateful for their efforts. This movie has brought recognition to the struggles and achievements of athletes with disabilities, making it a milestone in raising awareness,” Murlikant Petkar told ANI.

Earlier, filmmaker Kabir Khan, who directed Chandu Champion, expressed happiness over the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports’ decision to award the Arjuna Award (Lifetime) to para-swimmer Murlikant Rajaram Petkar.

Speaking to ANI, Kabir Khan, who brought Murlikant Petkar’s story to the big screen with the film Chandu Champion, said he is glad for the recognition of the athlete.

“I am just really, really happy that this is happening with Murlikant Petkar because the one thing that I did feel which in a certain way I also represented at the beginning of the film is that he kinda felt let down by the country. You know, when I met him, he was not the kind of person who would complain. But you could make out that there’s a man who’s feeling why didn’t I get the recognition that was due to me? And I’m so glad that after over 50 years he’s getting that recognition which he deserved,” Kabir Khan said

During the 1965 war with Pakistan, Murlikant Petkar suffered nine bullet wounds. However, he opted not to give up once his injuries healed and began participating in swimming and other sports again. Despite setbacks, he never quit and always remained focused on achieving his goals and making India proud. In 1972, he created history by becoming India’s first Paralympic gold medalist.

The ‘never give up’ attitude of Murlikant Petkar, which resonated with the viewers of Chandu Champion, has added to the popularity of the para-swimmer.

Kartik Aaryan, who played the role of Murlikant Petkar in the film Chandu Champion, also expressed his happiness about the para-swimmer being conferred the Arjuna Award.

“So, so, so happy to hear this news! While working on his biopic, I came to know about his life in such great detail and up close and personal that his win feels deeply personal. He has remained unbreakable and solid throughout his life, despite all the challenges destiny threw at him,” the actor said.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/kartik-aaryan-feels-surreal-as-murlikant-petkar-receives-arjuna-award-feeling-so-proud-to-be-present-in-this-moment-101737168251932.html

Kim Kardashian might be coupled up.

The Skims founder, 44, teased a secret relationship with a mystery man in the Season 6 trailer for “The Kardashians” that dropped Friday.

“I had the intention of staying single. I was fully lying to you guys,” she admitted in a confessional with the camera.

“Me not dating and not wanting love and attention?” she playfully added. “I don’t think you know me.”

The trailer hinted that Kardashian’s relationship is serious as she discussed adding an addition to her house to make a “his closet.”

“He’ll be happy,” she replied after her mom, Kris Jenner noted, “You must really like him.”

The reality star told Jimmy Fallon in August 2024 that dating was “not what I want right now.”

Her last public relationship was with Pete Davidson, whom she dated between the fall of 2021 and the summer of 2022 following her divorce from Kanye West.

She was then linked to NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. in early 2024, though they never went public with their relationship.

Page Six exclusively reported in December 2024 that Kardashian — who shares kids North, 11, Saint, 9, Chicago, 7, and Psalm, 5, with West — was seeing a real estate investor who “isn’t in the public eye.”

However, we were informed the relationship wasn’t serious because she was “dating a few people” at the time.

She was not photographed with a date at her family’s Christmas party in December and it’s unclear if she is currently seeing anyone.

Khloé Kardashian also opened up about her love life in the dramatic new trailer as fans saw her ex-husband, Lamar Odom, walk into view with a bouquet of roses.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/01/17/entertainment/kim-kardashian-teases-relationship-with-mystery-man-in-kardashians-trailer/

Title: Emergency

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhary, Vishak Nair

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Where to watch: In theatres

“Conclave” and “Emilia Pérez” lead this year’s BAFTA Film Awards nominations, heading up a diverse mix of talent and titles in a competition where, for the first time in years, there’s no clear favorite in any of the major categories.

“The Brutalist,” “Anora,” “Dune: Part Two” “Wicked” and “A Complete Unknown” are also very much in contention, while the likes of Demi Moore (“The Substance”), Cynthia Erivo (“Wicked”), Jeremy Strong (“The Apprentice”), Ariana Grande (“Wicked”), Selena Gomez (“Emilia Pérez”), Mikey Madison (“Anora”), Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”), Yura Borisov (“Anora”), Isabella Rossellini (“Conclave”), Zoe Saldaña (“Emilia Pérez”) and Guy Pearce (“The Brutalist”) are among the 12 of 24 nominated performers — both established and rising — getting their very first BAFTA nod.

Elsewhere, there’s space for BAFTA regulars, such as Saoirse Ronan (“The Outrun”), Hugh Grant (“Heretic”) and Jamie Lee Curtis (“The Last Showgirl”), yet the ongoing quest for BAFTA to finally recognize one of cinema’s most acclaimed actors in Denzel Washington (“Gladiator 2”) is still ongoing.

“Conclave,” Edward Berger’s Vatican-set Papal mystery-thriller, earned 12 nominations, including best film, director, leading actor for Ralph Fiennes and supporting actress for Rossellini. Meanwhile “Emilia Pérez,” Jacques Audiard Spanish-language musical-thriller about a trans Mexican cartel boss, received 11, including best film, director, leading actress for Karla Sofía Gascón and supporting actress for Gomez and Saldaña.

Both “Conclave” and “Emilia Pérez” led the pack following the longlists, although they’ve traded places at the top (“Emilia Perez” had 15 longlists slots to “Conclave’s’” 14).

Further down, Brady Corbet’s American epic “The Brutalist” landed nine nominations, followed by seven for “Anora,” “Dune: Part Two” and “Wicked” and six for “A Complete Unknown” and “Kneecap,” the low-budget Irish-language comedy biopic still managing to keep up with the major studio titles.

The seven nominations earned by “Wicked” may have included nods for both Erivo and Grande but the hit musical — as may shock some — didn’t find space among the five vying for best film (alongside “Conclave” and “Emilia Perez,” “Anora,” “The Brutalist” and “A Complete Unknown” round out the category). This omission will likely be one of several where the BAFTAs don’t overlap with the Oscars.

Alongside “Wicked” in the best film category, the lack of a nomination — again — for Washington from BAFTA voters will likely be considered among the biggest snubs, as will Nicole Kidman for “Babygirl.” There’s also nothing for Luca Guadagnino’s steamy tennis romp “Challengers” (or the director’s other recent film “Queer,” with Daniel Craig’s first major post-007 role failing to make the BAFTA grade).

But there are numerous surprises too, including Strong’s nomination for his supporting turn in Ali Abassi’s Donald Trump biopic “The Apprentice” (which will see the actor go up against his “Succession” brother Culkin). There’ll also likely be delight that Coralie Fargeat made the director list for her wild body-horror “The Substance,” the only female director in contention (although many might have been hoping Payal Kapadia had joined her for “All We Imagine as Light”).

Meanwhile, the party in Ireland doesn’t look it’s going to end anytime soon, with Rich Peppiatt’s “Kneecap” dropping just one of its longlists slots (unsurprisingly, for best film) to land six nominations. While outstanding British film, outstanding debut and film not in the English language may have been expected, it’s no small feat for an indie film of this stature — which first premiered in Sundance 2024 — to be recognized for original screenplay, casting and editing.

Of course, given the devastation in Los Angeles due to the ongoing wildfires, for many in the industry, awards and nominations couldn’t be further from their minds. Speaking to Variety, BAFTA film chair Sara Putt said the British Academy’s thoughts were “very, very much” with everyone in California who had been impacted. “It’s a dreadful, dreadful time,” she said, adding that BAFTA hadn’t made “any specific decisions” about whether it would move the dates for the final round of voting. However, she did note that, as per general BAFTA policy, those who weren’t able to vote in the second round could still come back to vote for the final winner.

The BAFTA Film Awards ceremony will take place Feb. 16 from London’s Royal Festival Hall with “Doctor Who” star David Tennant returning as host.

See the full list of nominations below:

BEST FILM

“Anora” — Alex Coco, Samantha Quan, Sean Baker

“The Brutalist”

“A Complete Unknown” — Fred Berger, Alex Heineman, James Mangold

“Conclave” — Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, Michael A. Jackman

“Emilia Pérez”

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

“Bird” — Andrea Arnold, Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, Lee Groombridge

“Blitz” — Steve McQueen, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Anita Overland

 “Conclave” — Edward Berger, Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, Michael A. Jackman, Peter Straughan

 “Gladiator II” — Ridley Scott, Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher, Michael Pruss, David Scarpa, Peter Craig

“Hard Truths” — Mike Leigh, Georgina Lowe

 “Kneecap” — Rich Peppiatt, Trevor Birney, Jack Tarling, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, JJ Ó Dochartaigh

 “Lee” — Ellen Kuras, Kate Solomon, Kate Winslet, Liz Hannah, Marion Hume, John Collee, Lem Dobbs

 “Love Lies Bleeding” — Rose Glass, Andrea Cornwell, Oliver Kassman, Wereonika Tofilska

 “The Outrun” — Nora Fingscheidt, Sarah Brocklehurst, Dominic Norris, Jack Lowden, Saoirse Ronan, Amy Liptrot

 “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” — Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham, Richard Beek, Mark Burton

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

 “Hoard” — Luna Carmoon (Director, writer)

 “Kneecap” — Rich Peppiatt (Director, writer)

“Monkey Man” — Dev Patel (Director)

“Santosh” — Sandhya Suri (Director, writer), James Bowsher (Producer), Balthazar de Ganay (Producer), also produced by Alan McAlex, Mike Goodridge

“Sister Midnight” — Karan Kandhari (Director, writer)

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

 “All We Imagine as Light” — Payal Kapadia, Thomas Hakim

 “Emilia Pérez” — Jacques Audiard

“I’m Still Here” (“Ainda Estou Aqui”) — Walter Salles

 “Kneecap” — Rich Peppiatt, Trevor Birney

 “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” — Mohammad Rasoulof, Amin Sadraei

DOCUMENTARY

 “Black Box Diaries” — Shiori Ito, Hanna Aqvilin, Eric Nyari

 “Daughters” — Natalie Rae, Angela Patton

 “No Other Land” — Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Rachel Szor

 “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” — Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui, Lizzie Gilliett, Robert Ford

“Will & Harper” — Josh Greenbaum, Rafael Marmor, Christopher Leggett, Will Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum

ANIMATED FILM

 “Flow” — Gints Siibalodis, Matīss Kaža

 “Inside Out 2” — Kelsey Mann, Mark Nielsen

 “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” — Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham, Richard Beek

 “The Wild Robot” — Chris Sanders, Jeff Hermann

CHILDREN’S & FAMILY FILM

 “Flow” — Gints Siibalodis, Matīss Kaža

 “Kensuke’s Kingdom” — Kirk Hendry, Neil Boyle, Camilla Deakin

 “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” — Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham, Richard Beek

 “The Wild Robot” — Chris Sanders, Jeff Hermann

DIRECTOR

 “Anora” — Sean Baker

 “The Brutalist” — Brady Corbet

 “Conclave” — Edward Berger

 “Dune: Part Two” — Denis Villeneuve

 “Emilia Pérez” — Jacques Audiard

 “The Substance” — Coralie Fargeat

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

 “Anora” — written by Sean Baker

 “The Brutalist” — written by Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold

 “Kneecap” — written by Rich Peppiatt, story by Rich Peppiatt, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, JJ Ó Dochartaigh

 “A Real Pain” — written by Jesse Eisenberg

 “The Substance” — written by Coralie Fargeat

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

 “A Complete Unknown” — screenplay by James Mangold and Jay Cocks

 “Conclave” — screenplay by Peter Straughan

“Emilia Pérez” — screenplay by Jacques Audiard

“Nickel Boys” — screenplay by RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes

LEADING ACTRESS

Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked”

Karla Sofía Gascón, “Emilia Pérez”

Marianne Jean-Baptiste, “Hard Truths”

Mikey Madison, “Anora”

Demi Moore, “The Substance”

Saoirse Ronan, “The Outrun”

LEADING ACTOR

 Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist”

Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown”

Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing”

Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave”

Hugh Grant, “Heretic”

 Sebastian Stan, “The Apprentice”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

 Selena Gomez, “Emilia Pérez”

 Ariana Grande, “Wicked”

Felicity Jones, “The Brutalist”

Jamie Lee Curtis, “The Last Showgirl”

 Isabella Rossellini, “Conclave”

Zoe Saldaña, “Emilia Pérez”

SUPPORTING ACTOR

 Yura Borisov, “Anora”

Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain”

Clarence Maclin, “Sing Sing”

Edward Norton, “A Complete Unknown”

Guy Pearce, “The Brutalist”

Jeremy Strong, “The Apprentice”

CASTING

 “Anora” — Sean Baker, Samantha Quan

 “The Apprentice” — Stephanie Gorin, Carmen Cuba

 “A Complete Unknown” — Yesi Ramirez

 “Conclave” — Nina Gold, Martin Ware

 “Kneecap” — Carla Stronge

CINEMATOGRAPHY

 “The Brutalist” — Lol Crawley

 “Conclave” — Stéphane Fontaine

“Dune: Part Two” — Greig Fraser

 “Emilia Pérez” — Paul Guilhaume

 “Nosferatu” — Jarin Blaschke

EDITING

 “Anora” — Sean Baker

 “Conclave” — Nick Emerson

“Dune: Part Two” — Joe Walker

 “Emilia Pérez”– Juliette Welfling

 “Kneecap” — Julian Ulrichs, Chris Gill

COSTUME DESIGN

 “Blitz” — Jacqueline Durran

 “A Complete Unknown” — Arianne Phillips

 “Conclave” — Lisy Christl

 “Nosferatu” — Linda Muir

 “Wicked” — Paul Tazewell

MAKE UP & HAIR

 “Dune: Part Two” — Love Larson, Eva Von Bahr

 “Emilia Pérez” — Julia Floch Carbonel, Emmanuel Janvier, Jean-Christophe Spadaccini, Romain Marietti

 “Nosferatu” — David White, Traci Loader, Suzanne Stokes-Munton

“The Substance” — Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, Frédérique Arguello, Marilyne Scarselli

“Wicked” — Frances Hannon, Laura Blount, Sarah Nuth

ORIGINAL SCORE

 “The Brutalist” — Daniel Blumberg

 “Conclave” — Volker Bertelmann

 “Emilia Pérez” — Camille, Clément Ducol

 “Nosferatu” — Robin Carolan

 “The Wild Robot” —  Kris Bowers

Source : https://variety.com/2025/awards/awards/bafta-film-awards-nominations-2025-1236273459/

TikTok could be outlawed in the U.S. as soon as Jan. 19 over concerns about its Chinese ownership, unless it gets a reprieve from the Supreme Court or if Beijing-based parent company ByteDance complies with a federal law forcing it to sell its stake in the app.

With that sword dangling over TikTok’s head, thousands of the app’s American users have been downloading a potential alternative: Xiaohongshu, also called “Red Note,” a social app that lets users share content in a variety of formats including photos, text, videos and livestreaming.

The kicker? Red Note is owned by a Chinese-based company, Xingin Information Technology (Shanghai) — and many TikTok “refugees” have been delighting in the irony that the U.S.’s potential ban of one Chinese app over national security fears is driving the adoption of another one.

Over the past two days, Xiaohongshu has been the No. 1 downloaded free iPhone app on Apple’s App Store in the U.S. During that period, more than 700,000 new users joined Red Note, per a Reuters report. TikTok users creating accounts on Red Note have added hashtags such as #tiktokrefugee or #tiktok to their posts.

On Tuesday, more than 100,000 people had joined a live group-chat on Red Note hosted by a user with the handle “TikTok Refugee Club,” where “people from around the world chatted with Chinese users about urban safety,” while in another forum participants “discussed censorship and shared tips in the comments on how to avoid being banned from the platform for bringing up politically sensitive topics,” per the New York Times.

Xiaohongshu, founded in 2013, was valued at $17 billion after raising funding last year from investors including Boyu Capital and HongShan Capital Group (formerly Sequoia Capital’s Chinese investment arm), according to financial database PitchBook. The company has raised more than $900 million in total funding to date and has more than 2,000 employees, per PitchBook.

Despite its viral moment, Red Note could also be targeted by the U.S. divest-or-ban law. In addition to specifying that TikTok and ByteDance are subject to the law, the restrictions imposed by the legislation apply to any company that is “controlled by a foreign adversary,” meaning any Chinese-based company would fall under the same provisions. As a Reddit commenter on the r/TikTok subreddit put it, “Nobody thinks rednote is a viable long-term replacement. This is just a form of protest; a big middle finger to the US government and their billionaire masters.”

Source: https://variety.com/2025/digital/news/tiktok-red-note-us-ban-app-1236274259/

Pooja Hegde is gearing up for the release of her upcoming theatrical extravaganza ‘Deva’. Throughout her illustrious film career, the actress has added depth to biggies in Bollywood as well as South films and has established a dedicated fanbase. Beyond delivering impactful films, Pooja has also got the nation grooving with multiple chartbusters that continue to rule the audience’s music libraries across languages!

Take a look:

– Arabic Kuthu: Arabic Kuthu is one of the most watched and grooved-upon songs of Pooja Hegde from ‘Beast’. The actress shook her leg with South superstar Thalapathy Vijay in the banger, sung by Anirudh Ravichander and Jonita Gandhi. With infectious dance steps, Pooja Hegde amplified the song’s appeal, instantly becoming the audience’s favorite.

– Bhasad Macha: Bhasad Macha is the recently released song from Pooja Hegde and Shahid Kapoor starrer upcoming mass entertainer ‘Deva’. While the song carries an upbeat and infectious energy, Pooja Hegde’s presence and smooth-as-butter dance moves elevate the feel of the song.

– Yentamma: Pooja Hegde steals the show with her unmatched swag and charm in the Yentamma song from ‘Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan’. In the song, the actress adds peppiness with her uber-cool dance moves, making for a perfect party track!

– Butta Bomma: Pooja Hegde showcased her dancing mettle in the viral chartbuster song Butta Bomma. The actress shook her leg with South superstar Allu Arjun and created an infectious track that continues to rule the music libraries of netizens.

Source : https://www.spotboye.com/bollywood/news/pooja-hegde-s-top-5-dance-tracks-that-stole-the-show/6784af3fe4cc4f51c1984f87

Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan has clocked 25 years in the industry and the actor surprised his fans on Tuesday morning by sharing photos of his personal handwritten notes which he scribbled 27 years ago. Counting his blessings for the love that he has received since his debut film, Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, the actor penned a heartfelt note for everyone who has been a part of his journey.

Hrithik took to his X handle in the early hours of Tuesday and took a trip down memory lane as he shared photos of the pages from his notebook in which he had scribbled everything from acting lessons to motivational messages to tidbits about Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai.

“One life, that’s it – only one life, one chance, don’t f**k it up — don’t give a sh*t about small failures, little mistakes. Just keep going – don’t break – don’t give a sh*t! Do it the way you want it! Cause that’s the best way! One day, just believe! (sic),” a page from his notebook read.

In the other pages, a young Hrithik also wrote about how he must build his body, focus on his walk, and not get conscious if he stammered while delivering a dialogue.

Along with the photos of the notes, Hrithik wrote, “My notes from 27 years ago. Prepping as an ACTOR for my first movie Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, I remember how nervous I was. Still am when starting a movie. I’d be embarrassed sharing these, but after 25 years of being in the industry I guess I can handle it (sic).”

He went on to say, “Then to now, what’s changed? I see these pages and realise – absolutely nothing. Good thing? Bad thing? It’s just how it is. Only process remains. So much to be thankful for. So much to be grateful for. So much left to do (sic).”

“It’s the 25th anniversary of Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai. And the ONLY thing I want to celebrate are these scribbles in my rough book. Only thing I am relieved about is the proof of resilience. The first page says ‘one day’ at the bottom. No such day happened, it never came. Or maybe it did but I missed it cause I was in prep (sic),” the actor concluded.

Soon after Hrithik shared the post, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri reacted to it and wished the actor all the best. “Dear

@iHrithik, I am delighted to have read your notes. People don’t realize what goes into achieving true success. I will show them to all the young actors who come to meet me as an example of great work. Keep shining. Keep smiling. Best always (sic),” he wrote on X.

“By the way, I learned a lot of good filmmaking habits from your father @RakeshRoshan_N, when I started my career while editing at his studio. I still write my scripts by hand (sic),” he added.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/dont-fk-it-up-be-genuine-hrithik-roshan-shares-handwritten-notes-from-27-years-ago-as-kaho-naa-pyaar-hai-turns-25

Tyler Perry called out insurance companies for canceling “millions of policies” for Los Angeles homeowners ahead of the disastrous wildfires.

The filmmaker took to Instagram Sunday to share that he saw a woman using a garden hose to protect her 90-year-old parents’ home “because their insurance was canceled.”

“Does anyone else find it appalling that insurance companies can take billions of dollars out of communities for years and then, all of a sudden, be allowed to cancel millions of policies for the very people they became rich on?” he wrote in a lengthy statement.

“People who have paid premiums all of their lives are left with nothing because of pure greed,” Perry, 55, added.

“As I am in the process of trying to figure out what steps to take to do all I can to help as many as I can, I am keeping everyone in my prayers.”

The actor-director shared his support as numerous Angelenos — many without insurance coverage — have lost their homes in the devastating Palisades and Eaton wildfires raging across the city.

According to the Los Angeles Times, State Farm General Insurance revealed in March 2024 that they would not be renewing 30,000 home and condominium policies once they expired.

More than 1,600 of the policies were in Pacific Palisades.

The outlet reported that Chubb Insurance also refused to approve new polices for high-value properties in fire risk areas.

Allstate also halted politicies, while Tokio Marine America Insurance Co. and Trans Pacific Insurance Co. stopped providing policies in California, per the Times.

Mercury Insurance, however, made themselves available to take the companies’ former customers.

According to Cal Fire, the Palisades Fire has burned nearly 24,000 acres as of Sunday, while the Eaton Fire in northeast Los Angeles has scorched more than 14,000 acres.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/01/12/celebrity-news/tyler-perry-calls-out-insurance-companies-for-canceling-millions-of-policies-before-la-fires/

Kim Kardashian called on California Governor Gavin Newsom to increase the pay of incarcerated firefighters battling the devastating LA fires.

“On all 5 fires in Los Angeles, there are hundreds of incarcerated firefighters, risking their lives to save us,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories late Saturday night.

“They are on the Palisades fire and Eaton fire in Pasadena working 24 hour shifts. They get paid almost nothing, risk their lives, some have died, to prove to the community that they have changed and are now first responders. I see them as heroes.”

The “Kardashians” star said the incarcerated firefighters are being paid $1 an hour to “risk their lives” and that pay has been the same since 1984.

“It has never been raised with inflation. It’s never been raised when fires got worse and many died,” she wrote.

Kardashian, 44, said there was a recent agreement to raise incarcerated firefighters’ pay to $5 an hour “but it got shot down last minute.”

“I am urging [Newsom] to do what no Governor has done in 4 decades, and raise the incarcerated firefighter pay to a rate [that] honors a human being risking their life to save our lives and homes,” the mom of four continued.

Kardashian also thanked the firefighters from the Ventura Training Center, which offers formerly incarcerated firefighters additional rehabilitation and job training skills to help them become qualified to apply for entry-level firefighting jobs.

“Due to bills passed by @antirecidivismcoalition, these guys can now get their sentences reduced, expunging the felonies from their records for their fire service,” she wrote.

“And when they come home can get six figure jobs working for the fire departments.”

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/01/12/celebrity-news/kim-kardashian-calls-for-incarcerated-firefighters-to-receive-higher-pay-amid-la-fires/

Khloé Kardashian was slammed by liberals for calling Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass a “joke” after the Democratic politician allegedly cut the city fire department’s budget months before the disastrous wildfires.

Several critics took to X to call out the “Kardashians” star’s quick judgment against Bass, though she has not addressed other controversial politicians and public figures.

“It’s interesting how Khloe Elon Musk Kardashian has been very quick to call Mayor Karen Bass ‘A JOKE’ but had no smoke for [Donald] Trump, JD Vance or Elon [Musk] during this past [presidential] election,” one person wrote.

“It’s something about the way Khloe Kardashian has been on IG reposting nothing but right-wing MAGA influencers’ content denigrating Mayor Bass in light of these devastating fires that don’t sit right with me.

“I never once saw her call out former Mayor [Eric] Garcetti similarly…,” another critic added, referring to the retired mayor, who was in office in LA from 2013 to 2022.

“I’m tired of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass getting demolished out here,” a commentator chimed in. “Let’s get something clear. If you are from LA, you know Los Angeles is a specific area. Khloe K needs to talk to HER own Mayor Alicia Weintraub. Yeah the Mayor of Calabasas.”

“Khloe got some nerve calling the mayor of LA a joke when she literally has Tristan Thompson as a [baby dadd]. girl,” a fourth wrote, referring to the TV personality’s on-again, off-again romance with the father of her two children: True, 6, and Tatum, 2.

Kardashian, 40, also received some support from fans, with one writing, “What Khloé Kardashian said about the mayor is so right.

“I don’t know why y’all are hitting on. The woman [and] the Kardashians out of touch, yes, however, we need to stick together and have Bass and other California officials to resign because our city is mostly gone.”

Another praised the Good American co-founder for “saying the truth” about Bass, 71.

Reps for Kardashian weren’t immediately available to Page Six for comment.

Meanwhile, several critics wrongly called out Kardashian for allegedly going over her water usage by 101,000 gallons in June 2022 amid the ongoing state drought.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the “Keeping Up With the Kardashian” star’s sister Kourtney Kardashian went over her water usage by 101,000 gallons, while her other sister Kim Kardashian exceeded 232,000 gallons.

Khloé was not named in the article.

On Friday, she took to Instagram to share a clip of Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley calling out Bass’ alleged budget cuts for the department ahead of the fires.

During the interview with Fox11, Crowley alleged she asked Bass for more money to repair fire engines and hydrants around the city, but ultimately, no aid was received.

“I stand by YOU Chief Crowley!!!! You spoke the truth and you had tears in your eyes because I can tell you didn’t even want to say that but it was THE TRUTH!!!!” Khloé captioned the video.

“Thank you for being honest,” she continued. “Mayor Bass you are a joke!!!!”

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/01/12/celebrity-news/khloe-kardashian-slammed-for-calling-out-mayor-karen-bass-over-response-to-la-fires/

Within one week of this millennium, the face of Indian television changed beyond recognition. Nobody—not even the enterprising, far-sighted Star Plus boss Sameer Nair, who surreptitiously initiated moves to import Who Wants To Be A Millionaire into this country—could have guessed what was in store for and on Indian television in and from July 2000 onwards.

The other channels were left looking like honorary denizens of the idiot box (with the stress on “idiot”). From being a distant third, Star Plus simply swept past the competition to emerge way ahead of Zee and Sony Entertainment, who didn’t know what hit them until it was too late.

Who would have thought that Kaun Banega Crorepati would change us into a nation of knowledge-thirsty gamblers? Now, children in their free time no longer play—or watch—Antakshari. They play Kaun Banega Crorepati, and everyone wants to be Amitabh Bachchan. An unprecedented GK wave took over the country. Kids were on the prowl with questions like: What was Kunti’s real name in the Mahabharat? Is there life on the battlefield of Kurukshetra beyond Mahesh Manjrekar?

Ah, there went our favourite soaps! Kids flicked the switch to Star Plus promptly at 9:00 p.m. Many cities rescheduled their night shows to 10:30 p.m. after registering steep drops in the 9:00 p.m. collections of cinema shows.

Then came the counter-attack. Through what else? A game show! Sawaal Dus Crore became a sawaal sau crore ka in no time at all. Within a few weeks, the show to countermand the Crorepati competition had flopped. You cannot fight Dilip Kumar with his clone Mukesh Khanna. The sets, attitude, and even the lingo from KBC had been transposed to Sawaal Dus Crore Ka. Rumours in Mumbai insisted Manisha Koirala dumped Malayalam director Upendra, who was waiting on the sets with his cast, crew, and leading man, to co-host Sawaal Dus Crore Ka. When you’re getting 5 crores for smiling vacuously in a game show, why should you strain yourself over 75 lakhs? Zee tried hard to get Shabana Azmi to host their Sawaal. But she had other plans in 2000.

Laughs Sameer Nair, “Before the year 2000, Star Plus had an elitist image. After we did a hi-tech game show called KBC, the home-viewing medium was turned upside down.” Star Plus also had unexpected success with the two post-Crorepati daily soaps Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and Kyunki… Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, both produced by the phenomenally successful mother-daughter pair of Shobha and Ektaa Kapoor. Both the gharelu home-viewing versions of Sooraj Barjatya’s cinema piggybacked to success on KBC. After KBC, viewers simply kept watching the two new daily-cacies on Star Plus, forcing Zee to invent their own version of that Kahani thing called Babul Ki Duwayen Leti Jaa, written by television maverick Vipul Shah. Needless to say, no one’s duwayen saved the wannabes.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/revisiting-the-impact-of-kaun-banega-crorepati-as-it-completes-25-years

Actor Rashmika Mandanna has shared a post giving an update on her health after she sustained a leg injury at her gym. Taking to Instagram on Saturday, she also posted pictures of herself. The actor also apologised to the directors of her upcoming films Sikandar, Thama and Kubera for the delay. She assured all that she would be back soon.

Rashmika shares pics of her injured feet

In the pictures, she sat in a chair and propped up her injured feet on a cushion resting on a table in front of her. The actor gave different expressions as she posed for the camera. Rashmika was seen wearing a shirt and trousers in the photos.

Rashmika pens note

Sharing the photos, the actor said, “Well… happy New Year to me I guess! (Woman facepalming emoji) Injured myself in my sacred gym shrine (smiling face with tear and smiling face with tear emojis). Now I’m in ‘hop mode’ for the next few weeks or months or god only knows, so seems like I’ll be hopping my way back to sets for Thama, Sikandar, and Kubera! (Heart with an arrow and smiling face with hearts emojis).”

“To my directors, sorry for the delay…I’ll be back soon enough just making sure my legs are fit for action (or at least fit for hopping) (rabbit face, collision emoji and monkey emojis). In the meantime, if you need me…I’ll be the one in the corner doing a highly advanced bunny hop workout. HOP HOP HOP… (rabbit and sparkles emoji),” she added.

What happened to Rashmika

Recently, a source close to Rashmika told Hindustan Times, “Rashmika recently sustained an injury in the gym and has been recovering well by resting. However, this has caused a temporary halt to the filming of her upcoming projects. Nevertheless, she’s already feeling much better and will resume work on set very soon!”

Rashmika’s films

Rashmika is currently basking in the success of her film Pushpa 2: The Rule, which also stars Allu Arjun in the lead role. Directed by Sukumar, the film stars Arjun, Rashmika, and Fahadh Faasil, reprising their roles as Pushpa Raj, Srivalli, and Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat.

Rashmika will next be seen opposite Salman Khan in Sikandar, directed by AR Murugadoss and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. The film features Salman Khan in dual roles alongside Kajal Aggarwal, Rashmika, Sathyaraj, Sharman Joshi, and Prateik Babbar. This film is scheduled to release in theatres on Eid 2025.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/telugu-cinema/rashmika-mandanna-shares-health-update-after-sustaining-leg-injury-apologises-to-her-film-directors-for-delay-see-post-101736645371946.html

Manisha Koirala, one of the most celebrated actresses in the Indian film industry, has delivered numerous critical and commercial hits over the years. Known for her exceptional performances, she recently spoke candidly in an exclusive interview with Pinkvilla. Addressing the double standards in the male-dominated industry, she revealed that heroes often had the final say. She shared how she began rebelling against these norms and the industry’s unjust practices.

In a recent interview with Pinkvilla, Manisha Koirala shared the challenges she faced as a feminist entering a male-dominated industry. Reflecting on the difficult journey, she expressed, “It was very difficult. I hated the double standards, and I wanted to rebel. My rebellion streak came because of that. I was just not happy with that.”

She also recalled how she initiated change during the making of Mann by hiring a female makeup artist and said, “It was me who changed that when I got a female makeup artist in the film Mann. There used to be this union where the male only used to be the makeup artist. And the hairdresser has to be female. In the ad films, it wasn’t the case. I met a lady who could do makeup very well. So I called. I said, ‘why shouldn’t she?’”

The Heeramandi actress highlighted that change was possible when someone took the first step. “Soon after that, things are changing. They just need initially somebody to push that. It just didn’t feel right. It just didn’t feel that always the heroes would call the shot or the pay gap. One has to be nice to the hero. I just started rebelling against all that,” she added.

Recalling the industry’s double standards, Manisha mentioned how smoking and drinking were considered ‘hero stuff’, while a woman indulging in it was criticized. She said, “I started doing many things which were not really great. Those days, smoking and drinking was only hero stuff. If they did, nobody would blink an eye. But if a woman did, they will call out her names and all.”

Source : https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/exclusives/exclusive-manisha-koirala-opens-up-on-double-standards-in-male-dominated-industry-and-says-heroes-would-call-the-shot-started-rebelling-1366838

The Kardashian-Jenner family has evacuated their homes in Los Angeles wildfires continue to spread, Page Six can confirm.

Sources told TMZ on Friday that Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Rob Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner and Kris Jenner have all left their homes.

The “Kardashians” stars reportedly fled after receiving an evacuation order as the Kenneth Fire began burning across 1,000 acres northeast of Calabasas, Calif., on Thursday.

As of Friday morning, the order has been lifted, since the Kenneth Fire is 35 percent contained, according to the LAFD. It’s unclear where they stayed in the meantime or if they have since returned to their homes.

Despite leaving the area, the Kardashians still gave back to their community by donating meals from the famous Carousel Restaurant to “several fire stations” across Los Angeles.

“My family and I wanted to feed a few fire houses today and we couldn’t think of a better restaurant to reach out to other than @carouselrestaurant,” Khloé wrote on her Instagram Story on Thursday. “Our favorite Armenian restaurant! They whipped up hundreds of individual meals for so many firefighters, volunteers, first responders, and we could not be more thankful! Thank you for putting your lives on the line for all of us!”

The restaurant posted photos of the firefighters holding the meals and thanked the family for their “generosity” and “dedication to [their] communities.”

The Kardashian-Jenner kids grew up in Calabasas and have all stayed fairly close to the community as they all raise their own kids.

Kris and Khloé live next door to each other in the Hidden Hills community, while Kim and Kylie only live a short distance away in the same neighborhood.

Meanwhile, Kourtney’s 11,500-square-foot $9 million home in Calabasas is also nearby, but Kendall’s $8.5 million property is slightly further away in Mulholland Estates in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Kim –– who lives in her $60 million home with her four kids –– dealt with another scare, since her new $70 million vacation home in Malibu, Calif., sat in the evacuation zone of the Palisades Fires.

As of Friday morning, Kim’s Malibu house has not been damaged by the devastating fires, per photos obtained by Page Six.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/01/10/celebrity-news/kardashian-jenner-family-evacuates-la-homes-as-they-donate-meals-to-firefighters/

Tom Holland’s dad is spilling the beans.

Dominic Holland confirmed in his latest Patreon blog post, “That engagement,” that his eldest son proposed to Zendaya.

“I expect amongst my Patrons are journalists,” Dominic — who is an English comedian, author, actor and broadcaster — observed.

“It amuses me that each week they hope for a morsel on Tom as they wade through my ramblings.”

He continued, “The big news this week is a good example of just such an opportunity for me — are they/aren’t they engaged? Zendaya wearing a ring and Tom nowhere to be seen adding to the intrigue.”

The 57-year-old acknowledged that “the engagement has now been confirmed” but made sure to note that he would not be “adding anything new and juicy like a date, venue, guest list…”

Instead, he chose to contrast “the different approaches of father and son to proposing marriage” to their girlfriends.

“Tom, as you know by now was very incredibly well prepared. He had purchased a ring. He had spoken with her father and gained permission to propose to his daughter,” Dominic shared.

“Tom had everything planned out… When, where, how, what to say, what to wear…”

Dominic recalled how he proposed to the “Spider-Man” franchise star’s mom, Nikki Holland, admitting that it was “nothing like my eldest son who has obviously watched all the slushy movies because growing up I never saw him reading a book.”

The proud papa went on, “For most blokes, the stress of purchasing an engagement ring is being able to afford it. I suspect that this was the least of Tom’s worries, more concerned with the stone, it’s [sic] size and clarity, its housing, which jeweller [sic]…”

Dominic later wrote that he doesn’t “envy those who are gawped at wherever they go, which brings me to the newly engaged couple.

“I do fret that their combined stardom will amplify their spotlight and the commensurate demands on them and yet they continually confound me by handling everything with aplomb,” he marveled.

“And even though show-business is a messy place for relationships and particularly so for famous couples as they crash and burn in public and are too numerous to mention … I am completely confident they will make a successful union.”

Zendaya, 28, flashed what looked like an engagement ring while attending the 2025 Golden Globe Awards last weekend, going on to do “a sort of jazz-fingers motion” when a reporter asked whether she was a fiancée.

Page Six confirmed the couple’s betrothment the next day, with sources telling TMZ that Tom, also 28, “popped the question between Christmas and New Year’s” 2024 in a “very intimate setting” at one of Zendaya’s homes.

According to the outlet, the actor met with the actress’ father, Kazembe Ajamu Coleman, “months ago” to ask for her hand in marriage.

Zendaya’s family is reportedly very excited and thinks Tom is a “class act.”

The “Captain America: Civil War” star appears to have presented his bride-to-be with a 5.02-carat Jessica McCormack design featuring a cushion-cut center stone set in an east-west style on the designer’s signature button backing.

Though “Tom and Zendaya had discussed marriage over the years,” insiders told us the “Dune” franchise star “had no idea he was planning to propose.”

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/01/10/celebrity-news/tom-hollands-dad-confirms-zendaya-engagement-spills-secrets-about-proposal/

Bollywood actress and dancer Nora Fatehi recently shared that she and her team were asked to vacate their hotel due to the Los Angeles wildfires. Presumably in the USA for work, Nora took to her Instagram stories on Thursday (January 9) to share a glimpse of the wildfire and recount her experience with fans and followers.

In the video, Nora is heard saying, “I am in LA and the wildfires are crazy. I have never seen anything like that. This is insane, we just got an evacuation order five minutes ago. So I quickly packed all my stuff and I am evacuating out of here. I am gonna go near the airport and chill there because I have a flight today and I really hope I can catch it.”

She added, “I hope it doesn’t get cancelled because this s**t is scary. I am going to keep you guys updated. I hope people are safe, I have never seen anything before like this.”

However, Nora did not reveal why she is in Los Angeles.

The massive wildfires in Los Angeles have gutted hundreds of homes, and those also include the luxurious abodes of some of the biggest Hollywood celebrities like Jamie Lee Curtis, Mandy Moore, Paris Hilton, Adam Brody, Eugene Levy, Anthony Hopkins, Billy Crystal, Miles Teller, Keleigh Teller and Anna Faris.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/this-is-sht-scary-nora-fatehi-her-team-evacuated-from-los-angeles-hotel-due-to-wildfire-actress-shares-shocking-video

Kangana Ranaut has opened up about the controversies plaguing her first solo directorial venture, Emergency. In a new interview, the actor has listed the many ‘wrong choices’ she made while making this film, including choosing to direct it herself and opting for a theatrical release instead of going straight to streaming.

Kangana on delay in Emergency release

In a conversation with News18, Kangana said she was ‘scared’ by the delay in the film’s release when the CBFC refused to certify it for months. “I felt that it was a wrong decision to release it in theatres. I thought I could have gotten a better deal on OTT. I also wouldn’t have had to go through censorship then and my film wouldn’t have been dissected. I didn’t know what all they (the CBFC) would remove and let us keep,” she said.

The Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) is a body that certifies all films releasing in India, deeming them fit for public consumption. It reports to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

The Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) is a body that certifies all films releasing in India, deeming them fit for public consumption. It reports to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

Kangana on directing Emergency

The actor-turned-filmmaker added that she made many other ‘wrong choices’during the film’s production. She explained, “I felt that I made the wrong choices on many levels: firstly, wanting to direct this film. I took it for granted that even though we don’t have a Congress government… I previously talked about the movie Kissa Kursi Ka. Nobody has seen that film to date and back then, they burnt all the prints. Also, nobody made films about Mrs Gandhi. Upon watching Emergency, today’s generation will be surprised to think how she became like that; after all, she became PM three times. I underestimated things and thought that I would be able to get away by making a film on Emergency.”

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/kangana-ranaut-says-it-was-mistake-directing-emergency-choosing-theatrical-release-thought-i-would-be-able-to-get-away-101736393652444.html

Rajpal Yadav has revealed if Varun Dhawan is ‘depressed’ due to the failure of his recently released movie, Baby John. In the movie, Yadav played the role of constable Ram Sevak, a deputy to Varun’s character, DCP Satya Verma. In a recent interview, Rajpal Yadav talked about Baby John’s debacle at the box office and claimed that the film could have worked better if people had not watched the original Tamil movie Theri.

“If this wasn’t a remake, then this would have been the most well-made film of my 25-year career. But since Vijay had done it, the audience had already seen it and because it was a remake, it affected the box office of the film,” he told Bollywood Bubble.

Asked if Varun is ‘depressed’ after Baby John’s failure, Rajpal Yadav added, “Varun is such a sweet boy, very hardworking. He has always tried to do something different, and his attempts must be appreciated because it’s a big deal to take risks.”

Released on December 25, 2024, Baby John also starred Keerthy Suresh, Wamiqa Gabbi, and Jackie Shroff in key roles. The story of the movie revolves around Inspector Satya Verma (Dhawan), aka Baby John, leading a peaceful life with his daughter Khushi and an old friend, Ram Sevak (Rajpal Yadav). However, his past secrets bring turmoil to his life over his dangerous battle with Babar Sher (Jackie Shroff), exploring his fight to avenge his wife’s fate and exploitation of women.

Source : https://www.news18.com/movies/varun-dhawan-depressed-after-baby-john-failure-rajpal-yadav-reveals-his-attempts-9182564.html

The much-anticipated film Loveyapa, starring debutants Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor, is winning hearts with its newly released title track. In just 24 hours, the song has taken the internet by storm, amassing an impressive 15 million views across platforms. While everyone is eyeing on the film, Aamir Khan has taken a Mannat to quit smoking if his son Junaid Khan’s upcoming film Loveyapa performs well at the box office.

A source close to the development revealed that Aamir Khan has taken a mannat (vow) to quit smoking if his son’s upcoming film Loveyapa performs well at the box office. It indeed a father’s selfless love for his son, and his hopes to see him succeed in his career.

During a recent conversation Aamir Khan also praised the film, saying “I liked this film. It is very entertaining. The way our lives have turned out these days due to mobile phones, and the interesting things that happen in our lives because of technology, are shown in the film. All the actors have done a good job,”.

Source :https://www.spotboye.com/bollywood/news/aamir-khan-has-taken-a-mannat-to-quit-smoking-for-junaid-khan-s-upcoming-film-loveyapa-success/677dff99e4cc4f51c1984bf2

Stephen “tWitch” Boss’ family and friends are blasting his wife, Allison Holker, for airing out his alleged drug use — and for allegedly making them sign NDAs in order to attend the dancer’s funeral.

Shortly after Holker’s new interview with People dropped on Tuesday, in which she addressed her husband’s tragic death in 2022, one of Boss’ cousins, Elle, took to X to defend her late family member.

“He wasn’t an addict. He smoked weed and was actively trying to quit. He wasn’t some junkie,” she tweeted, adding that Holker has allegedly kept Boss’ three kids — Weslie, 16 (whom Boss adopted), Maddox, 8, and Zaia, 5 — from seeing his relatives.

“I’m so tired of keeping my f–king mouth shut bro. You did our family so mf dirty,” she added in a separate tweet, before alleging that Holker made Boss’ family and friends sign NDAs to attend his funeral.

“Yeah idgaf about an NDA. This crazy woman made me and his actual family including his mother sign an NDA just to even attend the funeral,” Elle claimed.

“She’s been trying to tarnish his legacy and refuses to let the Boss family see the children. Only to exploit and LIE on my cousin. Hell no.”

Courtney Ann Platt, a close friend of the former “Ellen DeGeneres Show” DJ/dancer, echoed Elle’s comments in a lengthy Instagram post.

“This is by far the most tacky, classless, opportunistic act I have ever seen in my entire life,” she wrote on Instagram, referring to Holker’s latest interview with People, in which she promoted her forthcoming memoir, “This Far.”

“We all had to sign some weird NDA to attend his funeral (even his own mother who you’ve treated like garbage this entire time and let’s just remember you wouldn’t have even had a husband if it wasn’t for her) not to share anything or ruin his name as if that was on anyone’s mind in the first place and here you go and write a book with all the dirty laundry smearing his name and attempting to dim the bright loyal, loving, light that was your husband, my friend.”

Platt — who claimed Holker dropped Boss’ last name from her “social media platforms 48 hours after he passed” — went on to slam the professional dancer for publishing a book “shamelessly sharing the pages” of Boss’ journal.

“What a joke. Yes, he took his own life which is a fact all of us still can’t fathom and he was clearly having mental health issues, hurting so deeply and this is your example of empathy? Of your love?” the former New York Knicks City dancer, 36, added.

“This smear campaign for a buck is absolutely not what he would have ever wanted. No matter how bad he was hurting. Not for second. You’re a living, breathing bulldozer. Stick to your own demons. Shame on you Allison, shame on your money hungry team. Let my friend Rest in Peace not your PR.”

Boss’ brothers re-shared Platt’s post on their Instagram Stories.

Boss’ cousin Zachary Boss Silas also said he had to sign an NDA to attend the late star’s funeral because Holker claimed it would “protect his legacy.”

Ryan Guzman, who co-starred in “Step Up Revolution” with Boss, also reacted to Holker’s interview, writing on his Instagram Stories that it made him “sick to his stomach” and that he felt “the same way” as Platt described in her lengthy caption.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/01/07/celebrity-news/stephen-twitch-boss-family-blasts-allison-holker-for-airing-out-his-alleged-drug-use-issuing-ndas/

Did Demi Moore snub Kylie Jenner at the 2025 Golden Globes?

Social media users called out the actress on Sunday for “blatantly ignoring” the reality star in an awkward awards ceremony video.

In the viral footage, the “Substance” star — who won her first Golden Globe for her role in the film — approached Elle Fanning at her table.

@goldenglobes
Spotted 👀 Demi Moore celebrating her win at the GoldenGlobes!

Jenner, seated beside the sisters, interjected with a “congratulations” for Moore.

The Emmy nominee, 62, thanked Jenner before turning back to Fanning.

Jenner, 27, watched as the duo chatted for a moment before turning away — and did the same when Moore spoke to her boyfriend, Timothée Chalamet.

The “Kardashians” star pulled out her phone as the A-lister retreated.

“That was so messed up,” one X user wrote of the exchange, while another added, “Lmfao Demi gave her 5 fingaz to the face.”

While a third wrote that Jenner “felt left behind,” many defended Moore’s behavior.

“Idk I don’t think it’s that deep, I think she was just talking to the *actors* and she acknowledged kylie,” one pointed out to combat the “baseless narrative.”

Reps for Jenner and Moore have yet to respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.

Notably, the “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” alum channeled Moore in “Striptease” for a Halloween post — and Moore “liked” and twice re-posted the October 2024 upload.

Sunday’s ceremony marked Jenner’s second time at the Golden Globes with Chalamet, 29, whom she began dating in 2023.

On both occasions, the makeup mogul skipped the red carpet but sat with her partner inside the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Not only were the notoriously private couple were caught on camera sharing rare PDA this year, but Jenner sweetly snapped a photo of the “A Complete Unknown” actor.

The Kylie Cosmetics creator stunned in a slinky metallic dress designed by Versace.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/01/06/celebrity-news/demi-moore-seemingly-snubs-kylie-jenner-in-awkward-interaction-at-2025-golden-globes/

Bollywood star Kiara Advani has been advised to rest following an excessive work schedule, her representative said on Saturday, dismissing reports that the actor has been hospitalised.

Reports of her hospitalisation surfaced after Advani skipped the trailer launch event of her upcoming film Game Changer on Saturday.

“Kiara Advani has not been hospitalised, she’s been advised to rest due to exertion as she’s been working non stop,” the representative told PTI.

Advani was last seen in 2023’s Satyaprem Ki Katha where she starred alongside Kartik Aaryan.

Game Changer , a political action thriller directed by S Shankar, reunites her with Telugu star Ram Charan after their appearance in the 2019 movie Vinaya Vidheya Rama

Source :https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/kiara-advani-not-hospitalised-advised-to-rest-actors-representative-3341486

India has the potential to host music festivals that are bigger in scale than renowned global events like Coachella, Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh said during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on New Year’s Day.

The globally popular singer met the prime minister at his residence on Wednesday where they discussed music, culture, and India’s artistic legacy.

During the meeting, PM Modi asked Dosanjh about his experience of travelling outside of India and performing at various global festivals like the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2023.

“I feel that they have made festivals like Coachella or any other very big. And I believe we can make it much bigger. People travel from all over the world for such festivals,” said the 40-year-old singer.

Dosanjh said music is embedded in India’s cultural fabric and noted how people who are not trained professionally can often display impeccable talent.

“Whether we are eating food in a dhaba or someone is singing in Rajasthani, the song we listen to is so melodious that I feel like I should stop singing. He is singing such a good song. And I sing professionally, this person is not even singing professionally. And he is singing better than me. He has so much art in him.

“If such a development happens here, people from all over the world will come,” Diljit said.

The prime minister told the singer that he had been thinking about the same for many years.

“Now I am doing it through Waves,” Modi said, referring to the upcoming World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit.

The summit, to be held from February 5 to 9, is being touted as a global platform for creative talents, fostering collaborations and showcasing the country’s potential as a hub for world-class content creation.

“My idea is that we are such a big country, and most of the world’s films are made here. The biggest creative industry in the world is here. So I’m trying to start a big movement here through Waves. Now India will be the centre of the creative world,” he said.

The prime minister also recalled a discussion about music with Angela Merkel, the former Chancellor of Germany.

“She asked me about music. I told her that in my country, the music before sunrise is different, and the music after sunrise is different. I told her that there are different types of music in India,” he said.

“Then I said whether it is a sad situation or happy situation, there are different types of music. She was very interested,” he added.

Dosanjh also spoke about his successful “Dil-Luminati India Tour”, which began in New Delhi on October 26 and ended in Ludhiana on December 31.During the two-month tour, Diljit also performed in cities, including Mumbai, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Indore, Bengaluru, and Guwahati.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/india-can-host-music-festivals-bigger-than-coachella-diljit-dosanjh-in-meeting-with-pm-modi-3341467

Uorfi Javed, known for her bold and unapologetic fashion sense, has once again captured the spotlight. With a stunning dress made entirely of chia seeds, Uorfi Javed has showcased her flair for extraordinary style and eco-friendly fashion. While the dress has grabbed attention from all sides, it’s the appreciation from the OG Jackie Shroff that has truly set social media on fire. Known for his candid personality, the ‘Baby John’ actor praised Uorfi’s creativity and fearless approach to fashion.

Uorfi Javed took to her social media handle to share the video, and the making of the dress, which earned praise from Jackie Shroff. The actor labelled it as “Ek number”, and lauded Uorfi’s innovative effort. Along with the video, Uorfi captioned the post with, “Chia seeds 🌱 = new dress @apnabhidu thank you for this idea”

Source : https://www.spotboye.com/trending/trending-news/uorfi-javed-s-unique-chia-seed-dress-receives-appreciation-from-jackie-shroff/67777cbfe4cc4f51c1984a1a 

Actor-couple Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan made a rare appearance together at the Mumbai airport, putting all divorce rumours to rest. They were spotted with their daughter, Aaradhya Bachchan, as they returned from their New Year vacation.

Aishwarya, Abhishek return from vacation together

In a video shared by a paparazzo on Instagram, Abhishek Bachchan was seen exiting the airport as Aishwarya and Aaradhya walked behind him. As he walked towards the car, the paparazzi asked Abhishek to stop to click pictures with Aishwarya, but he kept walking. Aishwarya wished everyone a ‘Happy New Year’.

Abhishek, Aishwarya leave airport together

Aaradhya suddenly jumped while walking next to Aishwarya. Her mother asked her, “Did someone push you?” She simply smiled. Abhishek waited near the car, making sure Aishwarya and Aaradhya got inside before closing the door. He then sat in the front seat of the vehicle. Before leaving in her car, Aishwarya told the paparazzi, “Happy New Year. God bless.”

What the Bachchan family wore for their travel

For the travel, Abhishek wore a swetashirt, black pants and white shoes. Aishwarya was seen in a black sweatshirt, matching tights and sneakers. Aaradhya wore a black sweastshirt, denims and shoes.

About Aishwarya, Abhishek

Last month, they attended the annual day event at Aaradhya Bachchan’s school, Dhirubhai Ambani School, together. Abhishek and Aishwarya tied the knot in 2007. They welcomed Aaradhya in November 2011.

Rumours about tension between Aishwarya and Abhishek began in July last year when the former and her daughter arrived for Anant Ambani’s wedding separately from the rest of the family, including Amitabh, Jaya, Abhishek, Shweta, Agastya Nanda, and Navya Nanda. It led to speculation about their separation.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/aishwarya-rai-abhishek-bachchan-return-to-mumbai-together-after-vacation-putting-all-divorce-rumours-to-rest-watch-101735953891390.html

What happens when the two biggest musical superstars fall in love and get married? They make the first couple, the power couple of Bollywood. That is exactly what happened when the genius Rahul Dev Burman tied the knot with the legendary Asha Bhosle. The collaboration between RD Burman and Asha Bhosle was more than just a professional partnership; it was a musical love story that shaped the landscape of Indian music. Their relationship was filled with the beauty of creativity, admiration, and personal connection, cementing their legacy as one of Bollywood’s most iconic duos.

MADONNA has sparked speculation that she is engaged after showing off a huge diamond band on her ring finger.

The Queen of Pop, 66, jetted to Tokyo for New Year with her boyfriend, former footballer Akeem Morris, 28, and shared photos — including the eye-popping jewellery.

The couple have been dating for just six months, having gone public with their romance last July.

They were joined on the holiday by her children Lourdes, 28, Rocco, 24, David, 19, Mercy, 18, and twins Estere and Stella, 12.

A source said: “Madonna is happier than she has been in a long time.

“Her romance with Akeem has been a real whirlwind but they are so in love.

“She’s not back from her trip yet but her pals wouldn’t be surprised if it really is an engagement ring.”

The ring is from the brand ­Bijules, which offers bespoke bridal bands among its jewellery.

Madonna was married to actor Sean Penn, 64, from 1985 to 1989, and then director Guy Ritchie, 56, from 2000 to 2008.

Asked during a Q&A in 2022 about a life decision which “wasn’t the best idea,” she said: “Getting married. Both times.”

She met Jamaican-born Akeem on a photoshoot for Paper magazine in August 2022, after she split from boyfriend of three years, dancer Ahlamalik Williams, 30.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/13214523/madonna-engagement-rumours-akeem-morris/

Singer Armaan Malik ties knot with girlfriend Aashna Shroff.Credit: X/@ArmaanMalik22

Popular singer Armaan Malik and his longtime girlfriend Aashna Shroff are now married, the couple announced on Thursday.

Malik, 29, and Shroff tied the knot in a private ceremony and shared the news in a joint post on Instagram.

“Tu hi mera ghar,” they wrote in the post, alongside pictures from the wedding, showing Malik in a peach-coloured attire and Shroff in an orange lehenga.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com//entertainment/singer-armaan-malik-ties-knot-with-girlfriend-aashna-shroff-3339128 

Diljit Dosanjh Meets PM Modi: Diljit Dosanjh wrapped his Dil-Luminati tour in India with a spectacular show in Ludhiana on New Year’s Eve. After completing the tour, the singer-actor met India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi today (January 1). He further mentioned in his tweet that music was one of the discussion points during the interaction.

Diljit Dosanjh Meets PM Modi: Diljit Dosanjh enthralled his fans with live concerts across the country for two months. Dil-Luminati’s India leg wrapped on New Year’s Eve in Ludhiana with a spectacular show. Soon after concluding the tour, the actor-singer visited India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi today (January 1).

Pushpa 2: The Rule continues its box office dominance, earning a staggering ₹1700 crore in just 25 days. Fans and industry insiders are celebrating this monumental success, with theaters witnessing massive turnouts. Allu Arjun’s electrifying performance, along with the cast and crew’s stellar efforts, has set new benchmarks for Indian cinema. Congratulations have been pouring in, including a heartfelt message from Aamir Khan via his official instagram page, Aamir Khan Productions. He extended warm wishes to Allu Arjun and the entire team for their incredible achievement.

The message read, “Huge congratulations from AKP to the entire team of PUSHPA 2: THE RULE (9) for the blockbuster success of the film! Wishing you continued success onwards and upwards. Love. Team AKP @mythriofficial @alluarjunonline @aryasukku @rashmika_mandanna #Fahadh Faasil”

In response, the makers of Pushpa 2, Mythri Movie Makers shared, Thank you,
@AKPPL_Official
❤‍🔥The success of #Pushpa2TheRule is a true reflection of our Indian Cinema’s potential. Wishing you all at AKP a Happy New Year

Pushpa 2: The Rule has shattered records, achieving ₹1000 crore within just 7 days of release and cementing its position as the highest-grossing Indian film of 2024. In just 21 days, it amassed ₹1705 crore worldwide, becoming the fastest Indian film to reach this milestone. With its phenomenal success, Pushpa 2 has redefined box office benchmarks, establishing itself as the biggest Indian film ever made.

Source : https://www.spotboye.com/trending/trending-news/aamir-khan-productions-congratulates-allu-arjun-and-team-on-creating-history-with-pushpa-2/6773bdb6e4cc4f51c19849b2

The Kapoor and the Razdan families welcomed the New Year at an undisclosed location, amid fireworks. They celebrated on a huge lawn next to a swimming pool.

Actor couple Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor welcomed the New Year with their daughter Raha Kapoor on Tuesday night. Their family members, Soni Razdan, Neetu Kapoor, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Bharat Sahni, and Samara Sahni, were also part of the bash.

Ranbir, Alia, Neetu, Raha, Soni pose for family photo
Taking to Instagram, Neetu posted a bunch of photos from their evening. In a photo, Ranbir Kapoor held Raha in his arms as she wrapped her hands around him. Raha was seen with her back to the camera.

Alia stood next to him and kept her hand on Ranbir’s. They twinned in black outfits–she wore a dress, and he opted for a sweatshirt and trousers. Soni stood next to Alia, wearing a red dress. Neetu Kapoor was seen in a black dress with a knee-high slit. Riddhima wore a white top and black trousers.

Raha Kapoor was seen in a red and white dress. Bharat opted for a black shirt and olive green pants. Samara was seen in a T-shirt and denims. Neetu also posted several selfies she clicked with her children. Sharing the photos, Neetu captioned it, “Happy 2025 (two hearts and cherry blossom emojis).”

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/ranbir-kapoor-gives-alia-bhatt-a-tight-hug-raha-kapoor-snuggles-with-dad-welcome-new-year-with-neetu-kapoor-soni-razdan-101735699736036.html

KGF star Yash on Monday urged fans to avoid grand gestures and gatherings on his birthday on January 8, saying it was time to “change our language of love”.

In a post on Instagram, the 38-year-old actor wished fans ahead of the New Year and said it is also a time for reflection, resolution and charting a new course.

“The love you all have showered on me over the years has been nothing short of phenomenal. But there have been some unfortunate incidents too.”

“It’s time for us to change our language of love, especially when it comes to the celebration of my birthday. The expression of your love should not be in grand gestures and gatherings. The greatest gift for me is knowing you are safe, setting positive examples, achieving your goals, and spreading joy,” the actor said, adding that he will be busy and not be in town on his birthday.

In a tragic incident earlier this year, three of Yash’s fans lost their lives while erecting a large cutout of the star. At that time also, the actor had asked fans his to avoid grand celebrations and stay safe.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/ahead-of-birthday-kgf-star-yash-appeals-to-fans-to-prioritise-safety-avoid-grand-gatherings-3336438

If you’re like a lot of us, this past year might be one you’re not unhappy to see go. (Maybe you’d even like to see the swinging door slap 2024’s ass on the way out.) But then, also like some of us, perhaps you look back on the wealth of phenomenal songs the year gave us, and suddenly it’s: Come back, ’24, all is forgiven. Whether it was an unusually great year for you or an annus horribilis, chances are you needed music to help see you through.

Here are 50 of the songs that did the trick for the Variety music staff — representing the realms of superwoman super-pop (Chappell, Charli, Taylor and Ariana), hip-hop (Kendrick Lamar, Doechii), Latin music (Karol G, Kali Uchis), country (Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney), rock (Jack White, Vampire Weekend), R&B (Ella Mai, Tinashe), club sounds (Jamie XX), Americana (Waxahatchee, Gillian Welch), show tunes (Cynthia Erivo) and, not least of all, the great, genre-defying mischief that Beyoncé got up to this year. (Note: These aren’t in any particular order of preference… and of course we adhere to a one-song-per-artist policy, with apologies to the multiple hits of Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, etc.) Relive some favorites and pick up a few new discoveries to take with you on the yellow brick road into 2025. —Chris Willman

The entry that’s furthest into the future that we have on this list is “Andor,” the second season of which will premiere on Disney+ on April 22 — and that’s emblematic of how few series dates have been announced as of yet for next year. There are, of course, many popular shows returning in 2025, with none more massive than the fifth and final season of “Stranger Things” on Netflix, which will likely premiere in the fourth quarter of next year, having just wrapped production earlier this month.

“Stranger Things” is one of many Netflix shows that hasn’t been dated yet. The streamer will also drop the final seasons of “You” and “Squid Game,” Season 2 of “Wednesday,” Season 3 of “Monster” (featuring Charlie Hunnam as serial killer Ed Gein) among other returning shows. Amid Netflix’s typical four billion other series will be the debuts of “The Four Seasons” (starring Tina Fey and Steve Carell, in a series remake of Alan Alda’s 1981 movie of the same name) and the limited series “Sirens,” with an all-star cast led by Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, Meghann Fahy, Milly Alcock and many more.

Among the undated offerings from HBO and Max are Seasons 2 of “The Last of Us,” “Peacemaker” and “The Rehearsal,” Seasons 3 of “And Just Like That” and “The Gilded Age,” Seasons 4 of “The Righteous Gemstones” and the Emmy-winning comedy “Hacks” — all of these shows are heading our way. We’ll also soon see the premieres of the limited series “Task” (from “Mare of Easttown” creator Brad Inglesby), “Duster” (from J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan), the latest “Game of Thrones” offshoot, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” and the “It” prequel series “Welcome to Derry” (which we’re already scared of based on a sneak peak!).

Over on Hulu, the sixth and final season of the Emmy-winning “The Handmaid’s Tale” will premiere sometime in the spring, and will reveal what June (Elisabeth Moss) and Serena Joy (Yvonne Strahovski) can do now that they’ve joined forces to take down Gilead. The Ellen Pompeo limited series “Good American Family” (loosely based on the story of Natalia Grace) and “Mid-Century Modern” — from Max Mutchnick, David Kohan and Ryan Murphy, about older gay men living together in Palm Springs (Golden Gays?) — will also make their debuts. Hulu viewers will also get to see the comedy “Chad Powers” (Glen Powell, a co-creator of the series, as a football player in need of a second chance), “All’s Fair” (Ryan Murphy’s legal drama starring Kim Kardashian) and Season 2 of “Nine Perfect Strangers” (with Nicole Kidman returning).

In addition to the new and returning series that we’ve included below, Amazon’s Prime Video service will feature several shows based on best-selling books, including the thriller “The Better Sister” (starring Elizabeth Banks and Jessica Biel), the YA adaptation “We Were Liars” from Julie Plec and Carina Adly MacKenzie and “The Girlfriend” (starring Robin Wright, who also directs). The reunion of “What Not to Wear” stars Stacy London and Clinton Kelly will also premiere on Amazon in the form of “Wear Whatever the F You Want,” as will Season 2 of “Gen V,” the brilliant spinoff of “The Boys,” and the third season of “The Summer I Turned Pretty.”

Peacock will offer the second season of the very fun Natasha Lyonne howcatchem mystery “Poker Face,” as well as the debuts of “Long Bright River” (a thriller starring Amanda Seyfried based on a terrific Liz Moore book of the same name), and (speaking of Emmy winners) “All Her Fault,” a mystery starring Sarah Snook. Also, Peacock has the new series from “The Office” universe — starring Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore — which is rumored to be titled “The Paper,” from co-creators Greg Daniels and Michael Koman.

Last but not least, we come to FX. Beyond the returns of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “Welcome to Wrexham” and, of course, Season 4 of “The Bear,” the Emmy-winning network has the highly anticipated series “Dying for Sex,” which stars Michelle Williams as a woman diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer who leaves her husband. It’s based on a 2020 podcast, and Liz Meriwether and Kim Rosenstock are the showrunners. Oh, and one more show from FX: Noah Hawley’s “Alien: Earth,” which was first announced in December 2020, will at last be unveiled, and will likely be one of the biggest shows of the year.

And then there are these 41 shows below, which we hope provide us all with entertainment, laughs and comfort — things we’re going to need in 2025!

Jan. 1, Netflix

No one creates a mystery thriller quite like Harlan Coben. This limited series, based on the novel, tells the story of Detective Kat Donovan, who comes across the love of her life via dating app, 11 years after he disappeared. Per the official description, “Josh’s reappearance will force her to dive back into the mystery surrounding her father’s murder and uncover long-buried secrets from her past.”

Cast: Rosalind Eleazar, Jessica Plummer, Richard Armitage, Ashley Walters, Sir Lenny Henry,
Steve Pemberton, James Nesbitt, Samantha Spiro, Lisa Faulkner, Mary Malone

With Anuja shortlisted for the 2025 Oscars, executive producer Guneet Monga on how she is raising funds to ensure that the short film makes it to the nominations.

Guneet Monga Kapoor couldn’t have asked for a more perfect conclusion to 2024. Just last week, Anuja, a short film for which she is the executive producer, was shortlisted for the 2025 Oscars in the Best Live Action Short Film category. Directed by Adam J Graves, the film sheds light on the grim reality of child labor in New Delhi. In a recent interview, Monga shared that the fundraising was more than the film’s budget, and she is working hard, making calls for funds to ensure the film advances to the next round.

In a recent conversation with Mid Day, Guneet Monga discussed the efforts of the executive producers and the team behind Anuja in raising funds and managing the publicity campaign. She revealed that the fundraising efforts were far greater than the film’s actual budget. However, Monga acknowledged that the real challenge lies ahead.

With two Academy Awards to her name, she explained how they are focusing on ensuring the short film secures a nomination. Monga shared that she has been dedicating her time to making calls, reaching out to people, pushing Anuja, and securing additional funding.

She is also working on distribution plans and deciding which platform would be best for the film. Drawing from years of experience, she emphasized the team’s commitment to advancing the project and hoped for a nomination, keeping their fingers crossed for the next stage in the journey.

Monga also shared that Kill and Gyaarah Gyaarah had been incredibly fulfilling projects for them this year. She explained that with Kill, their goal was to create an intense action film, despite receiving comments questioning its appeal and viability.

However, they remained committed to producing it in its most authentic form. She further reflected that, similar to previous successes like The Lunchbox (2013), Masaan (2015), and The Elephant Whisperers (2022), the focus has always been on telling the best story possible.

Source : https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/news/oscars-2025-guneet-monga-says-fundraising-was-more-than-shortlisted-film-anujas-budget-i-am-making-calls-1364817

Entrepreneur and Shark Tank India judge Aman Gupta has opened Pandora’s box with his recent statement about an unnamed Indian film star whom he labelled ‘an extremely egotistic man’. Aman spoke about this star on Dostcast, a podcast he appeared on alongside fellow ‘shark’ Anupam Mittal.

Aman Gupta on egoistic film star

Speaking on the podcast, the boAt founder recalled how his company hired a film star to be their brand ambassador, but he was surprised by his attitude. “We had this actor as our brand ambassador. He was an extremely egotistic man. In the news, I had always heard good things about him. People only wrote that he is ‘sweet’, ‘nice’, ‘kind’, and ‘humble’… They often mentioned his good behaviour with the paps and his fans, they also wrote that ‘he travels in economy class’, but his attitude was the extreme opposite when he worked with us. This experience taught me that people today have mastered the art of being humble,” Aman recalled.

The entrepreneur added that he was sure that this ‘facade’ would lift soon and the public would see the star’s ‘reality’ soon enough. “However, Indians are pretty smart. One day or the other, they will get to know the reality. They do understand the difference between a genuine person and a pretentious person. They quickly understand which hero has ego, attitude, style and rizz,” he added.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/shark-tank-indias-aman-gupta-spills-tea-on-extremely-egoistic-film-star-faking-humility-internet-wonders-if-it-is-101735446150158.html

Bollywood style icon Alia Bhatt, who never misses a chance to mesmerize us with her styling and fashion choices, has once again left us swooning over her. Her Christmas celebration look in white was something we didn’t know we needed. She seemed absolutely ethereal and effortlessly elegant in the classic white midi dress. Let’s take a dig deeper into her attire.

Celebrating Christmas with her family, Alia Bhatt shared a glimpse on her social media handle where she was seen rocking her appearance in the crystal feather one-shoulder midi dress from the iconic shelves of David Koma. The dress was worth Rs 1,41,100. Instead of straps or sleeves, the one-shoulder detail had a feather, perfectly settled on her shoulders. Also, the fitted bodice highlighted her well-maintained body.

For an easy-go movement, her dress had a slit cut on the back. Just like her, if you want to stand out looking effortlessly elegant, then this outfit is the right inspiration for you. The ensemble is not just a fit—it’s bold and unique.

She accessorized her white dress with matching-color pearl drop earrings and rings on her fingers, adding feminine appeal. Her accessories were minimal and subtle, perfect to provide the limelight her dress deserved.

Also, how can we miss that cute Christmas tree band on her head? The actress added a playful vibe with the cute headband settled beautifully on her open hair.

Adding the flawless glow to her skin, the Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani actress opted for a subtle base and enhanced it with defined brows and nude shade lipstick. Her makeup was, although natural, perfect to keep her appearance low-key obsessed.

Source : https://www.pinkvilla.com/fashion/CelebFashion/alia-bhatt-gives-everyone-christmas-treat-with-her-playful-look-in-rs-1-lakh-midi-dress-but-the-cute-headband-steals-show-1364351

Baby John movie review: If you think about it, all action films pretty much follow the same template: a wronged man/righteous cop gets into a tussle with someone powerful. His entire world is turned upside down, and he seeks revenge. It sees an end when the antagonist is defeated/ dies.

The art, then, lies in making your film stand out despite the predictability. One is reminded of how fun Rowdy Rathore was purely because its lead star, Akshay Kumar, infused his double role with his trademark quirks. When that happens, you seldom remember the film had its lows. Does the same happen with Baby John too?

What is Baby John about?

Varun Dhawan, the lead actor, finally gets his first full-blown actioner, a remake of Vijay’s 2016 Tamil film Theri. He’s been trying to break into the genre for some time now (Dishoom, 2016), but here he gets his massy introduction as ‘VD’. The story starts with Baby John, who lives with his young daughter Khushi (Zara Zyanna) in a quaint part of Kerala. He avoids getting into confrontations, but one day, a cop calls him by his name ‘Satya’- and you sense there’s a backstory. Flashback to six years ago. We are introduced to IPS Satya Varma, a righteous man who believes in ‘good vibes only’. He is devastated when a teenage girl is raped and killed by the son of a powerful man Nanaji (Jackie Shroff). What happens next is the rest of the story. Giving away anything more would rob you of discovering the film yourself, if you haven’t seen Theri already.

The hits and the misses

The film starts off on a very choppy note, and there’s no soul for about 40 minutes. There’s no sense of direction, and the cute girl bossing around her dad has no effect. Atlee, who has earlier delivered Jawan as a director and Theri as well, is responsible for the story here. The hero playing a double role seems to be his favourite. He did the same with Shah Rukh Khan in Jawan. Oh, another thing he loves is the pigeons. He loves using them to create a flutter, literally. Copy pasted from Jawan here. There’s also a social message thrown in for good measure. But it amounts to a mish-mash.

The fun begins only when the elevation sequence arrives towards the intermission. Varun, who is okay otherwise, finds his groove after a very long wait in Baby John. When he lands a punch, you believe it in the action designed by Sunil Rodrigues. What helps big time is the background score by Thaman S, and the atmospherics post intermission. What doesn’t is the dull music he composed.

The second half further lends the film its much-needed fun quotient. Watch out for Ramsevak/ Jackky’s (Rajpal Yadav) killer line about comedy- he makes you cheer! What keeps things interesting is Jackie’s turn as the villain here. He’s bang on. Antagonists are really important for such masala potboilers. Where’s the fun of watching the hero defeat him if the villain’s weak?

Wamiqa Gabbi as Tara, Khushi’s teacher/ a twist, is okay. But the character has no impact on the story. Keerthy Suresh, who makes her Hindi debut here as Meera, does her job well. She stars as Satya’s wife, who is introduced as a doctor- and her profession vanishes as she finds her perfect life in a ‘loving husband, mother-like MIL and a lovely kid’. Her words, not mine.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/baby-john-movie-review-varun-dhawans-turn-as-action-star-makes-this-headless-chicken-of-a-film-entertaining-101735098996166.html

Boney Kapoor mentioned that even today, filmmakers from the industry call him to praise Maidaan.

When Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan hit theatres in April this year, it failed to impress the audience. Despite earning praise from the critics, the film earned less than Rs 70 crore at the box office. Looking back at the film’s box office failure, producer Boney Kapoor shared with us, News18 Showsha, that Maidaan’s failure came as a shock to him. He added that he was also upset by the film’s box office reception.

“Naturally I was upset. I was very upset for a few days but then you’ve got to move on. Raj Kapoor was the most prolific filmmaker. He made several hits and blockbusters. But he too had films that didn’t meet his expectations, Boney Kapoor told us.

“Maidaan was a shocker because before the film was released, everybody was very, very vociferous in praising the film. We had several screenings for the people of the film industry and everybody used to be absolutely amazed and stunned by the film. Of course, some of them felt that the first half was a little slow, but the second was absolutely extraordinary,” he shared.

Boney Kapoor mentioned that even today, filmmakers from the industry call him to praise Maidaan and express their disappointment as the movie did not perform well at the box office. “Some of the filmmakers also called me up, appreciated the film and they also wondered why the film didn’t do well. But I think it could be one of the iconic films like Mr. India in times to come,” he said.

Boney Kapoor defended Maidaan and called it Ajay Devgn’s best performance ever. “It is Ajay Devgn’s best performance to date. Everybody performed very well. His wife, Gajraj (Rao) and the players, the whole team had performed very well. Amit Sharma (director) is almost like my son and Priyamani was extraordinary. There couldn’t have been a more perfect wife to that particular character. Every moment of the film seemed real, it looked like it was happening in front of you,” he stated.

Source : https://www.news18.com/movies/boney-kapoor-was-shocked-and-upset-after-maidaan-failure-i-am-proud-of-this-movie-exclusive-9164816.html

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan continues to reign as the undisputed queen of Bollywood. Her public appearances never fail to light up her fans’ faces with joy. Recently, she has been busy attending her daughter’s annual day event. Once again, she was spotted at Mumbai airport, accompanied by her constant travel companion, daughter Aaradhya Bachchan. The mother-daughter duo donned matching black outfits and flashed bright smiles, radiating charm and elegance.

In the video, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Aaradhya Bachchan looked as stunning as ever, effortlessly slaying in matching black outfits. As they headed towards the security check-in, they made sure to flash radiant smiles for the cameras, leaving fans delighted.

On December 20, 2024, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai attended the annual day event of their daughter Aaradhya to show their support. Aaradhya shared the stage with AbRam, Shah Rukh Khan’s youngest son, leaving fans awestruck by their captivating performances.

In one clip, Aishwarya and Abhishek were seen recording Aaradhya’s performance with pride, while Amitabh Bachchan, sitting beside them, looked visibly delighted. The annual day event at the Dhirubhai Ambani International School turned into a dazzling evening, bringing together Bollywood’s elite as they celebrated their children’s talents.

Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai’s joint presence at Aaradhya’s school event caught attention amid swirling divorce rumors. Speculation about their relationship had intensified earlier this year when the two attended Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s wedding festivities separately, with Aishwarya notably absent from family photographs.

Source : https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/news/aishwarya-rai-bachchan-and-daughter-aaradhya-bachchan-are-all-smiles-as-they-twin-in-black-at-airport-watch-1363927

When Charli XCX recorded her sixth album, Brat, she thought her prickly, abrasive dance anthems were “not going to appeal to a lot of people”.

In the end, the record topped the charts and became a cultural phenomenon. It was nominated for seven Grammys, referenced in the US presidential election, turned into a paint swatch, and named “word of the year” by Collins Dictionary.

Now the album has been named the best new release of 2024 in a “poll of polls” compiled by BBC News.

In multiple end of year lists, critics called Brat “brilliant from start to finish” and “pop music for the future”, praising the way its “painfully relatable” lyrics captured Charli’s insecurities, anxieties and obsessions.

In the star’s own words, the record is “chaos and emotional turmoil set to a club soundtrack”.

“The louder you play it, the more honest it gets,” said the Los Angeles Times.

The BBC’s poll is a “super-ranking” compiled from 30 year-end lists published by the world’s most influential music magazines – including the NME, Rolling Stone, Spain’s Mondo Sonoro and France’s Les Inrockuptibles.

Records were assigned points based on their position in each list – with the number one album getting 20 points, the number two album receiving 19 points, and so on.

Brat was the runaway winner with a score of 486 points, nearly twice as many as the number two album, Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter.

In total, the critics named 184 records among their favourites, from the The Cure’s long-awaited comeback, Songs Of A Lost World, to the kaleidoscopic rap of Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heal.

Chadha, who has backed the acclaimed film along with actor-husband Ali Fazal via their banner Pushing Buttons Studios, said one cannot think of shaking up the entire system right in their first film.

Mumbai: Actor-producer Richa Chadha says independent movies may often struggle to find their audiences in theatres in the presence of big-budget blockbusters supported by distribution and publicity channels but releasing her debut film production Girls Will Be Girls digitally was not a compromise.

Chadha, who has backed the acclaimed film along with actor-husband Ali Fazal via their banner Pushing Buttons Studios, said one cannot think of shaking up the entire system right in their first film.

Directed by Shuchi Talati, Girls Will Be Girls started streaming on Prime Video from December 18.

Asked if it would have been a wise decision to release the film in cinemas, the debutante producer said their primary goal with the movie was to reach as many viewers as possible.

“I want to nip this in the bud. When you tell a story, there are structures like exhibition, distribution, number of screens, publicity and advertising… How the big films work… The choice for us, as filmmakers, is whether to tell the story, make the story accessible and have more people see it, or change the structure.

“You can’t do everything in your first film. You can’t change the structure and tell the story. In (terms of) the big films that are hit films, none of them have changed the structure. They take the structure and they exploit the structure. We are not interested in changing the structure, we want to tell the story,” Chadha told PTI in an interview here.

Girls Will Be Girls, starring Preeti Panigrahi and Kani Kusruti, has garnered acclaim at several international festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival, Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, and MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024.

At the upcoming Independent Spirit Awards, the movie has received twin nominations: John Cassavetes Award and Kusruti for best supporting actor.

Sometimes films end up changing the “structure” but it’s not intentional, added Chadha.

“With this (film) being accessible to more and more people, via Amazon Prime is what we wanted, it’s not in any way a compromise. This is what we wanted, and this is what we were going for…

“We are very small fry right now. This is our first film, we can make tall statements here but the reality is that this was the best move for the film, and we have to do justice to the film.” Fazal said the decision to release a film in theatres or on streamers should stem after taking the interest of different stakeholders into account.

And that’s why, he said, he will stick by the collective “wise decision” they made together by releasing “Girls Will Be Girls” on Prime Video.

“There’s a lot of work that went into making this film. Not just from us, but from Shuchi, who is also a producer and the other co-producers. You have to start thinking about everybody else in terms of finances and everything.

“This was the best option for us to get it out to the maximum people have that conversation. We have received so much love, and continue to, with all the nominations coming in the Indie Spirit (awards)…

“We know there’s an audience for it… We know that’s a story that the audience is craving for right now, and not just in India, but the world over,” he added.

Set against the backdrop of the 1990s Dehradun, Girls Will Be Girls follows the journey of a 16-year-old girl, Mira (Panigrahi) whose rebellious awakening is intertwined with her mother Anila’s (Kusruti) unfulfilled coming-of-age experience.

But, what attracted them to Girls Will Be Girls? For Chadha, it was a “brilliant script”.

“This was my first, the script made a producer out of me. Shuchi needed a producer and there was no one, so we started from there. It went to script labs before it came to us, so the proof was in the pudding. We were delighted that this is going to be our first film.” Fazal was taken by Talati’s attention to detail, particularly the punctuation in the script, he added.

“The way she wrote it, I thought it was amazing. That was my buy. Later, it went through endless stages. Since we are also actors that (punctuation) is such a big hint, like the comma at the right spot, full stop and colon.” Up next for Fazal is a string of projects, including “Mirzapur The Film”, Mani Ratnam’s “Thug Life”, Anurag Basu’s “Metro… In Dino”, and “Lahore 1947” directed by Rajkumar Santoshi.

The “Mirzapur” star quipped until a year ago a couple of producers thought he left India, owing to his growing global footprint.

“I thought let’s go back to the drawing board and just (do it). I’m very excited about it (‘Mirzapur The Film’). I’ve got a little bun and I’ll have to shave off my hair for ‘Mirzapur’.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/cant-do-everything-in-your-first-film-richa-chadha-on-releasing-girls-will-be-girls-digitally-3328629

AP Dhillon-Diljit Dosanjh Beef: Singer AP Dhillon called out Diljit Dosanjh for faking his support to him and accused the Lover singer of blocking him on Instagram.

AP Dhillon-Diljit Dosanjh Controversy: Singer AP Dhillon has made shocking allegations against Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh. The singer was performing in Chandigarh as part of his tour when he took a jibe at Diljit Dosanjh. He called out the Lover hitmaker for one of his recent comments and accused him of blocking the artist on Instagram.

In a video gone viral from the Chandigarh show, Dhillon spoke to fans about Diljit’s recent comment in which he addressed the former as one of his ‘brothers’. At a recent concert, Diljit said “two of his brothers” have just begun touring and wished them all the luck. Referring to this, Dhillon said, “First unblock me on Instagram and then talk to me.”

This statement left the audience in shock. Dhillon’s jibe also came to Diljit’s attention and the singer reacted to it on his Instagram Stories. He shared a screenshot of Dhillon’s Instagram account and shared that he has not blocked him. “I never unblocked you because I never blocked you. My issues can be with governments, but not with artists,” Diljit clarified.

Source: https://www.news18.com/movies/ap-dhillon-reveals-beef-with-diljit-dosanjh-claims-singer-has-blocked-him-chamkila-star-slams-him-9164321.html

Meshram was on the run for 10 months and was eventually tracked down after police learnt about his interest in the recently-released film, an official from Pachpaoli police station said on Sunday.

Nagpur: Moviegoers watching a late-night show of Pushpa 2 at a multiplex in Maharashtra’s Nagpur witnessed a real-life action scene as police stormed the cinema hall and arrested a man wanted in murder and drug cases.

The dramatic arrest of Vishal Meshram shortly after midnight on Thursday left the packed audience stunned, but police assured them that they could continue enjoying the movie as they nabbed the accused and took him away.

Meshram was on the run for 10 months and was eventually tracked down after police learnt about his interest in the recently-released film, an official from Pachpaoli police station said on Sunday.

The gangster had 27 cases against him, including two of murder and drug trafficking, and was known for his violent tendencies, even attacking police in the past, he said.

Authorities had been pursuing him relentlessly, using cyber surveillance and tracking his movements in a new sports utility vehicle (SUV), the official said.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/from-reel-to-real-drug-smuggler-caught-from-theatre-during-pushpa-2-show-3328480

Q. So what was all that about you and Hrithik Roshan?

A. I read what he had to say in your interview. It was very well put. It was all so strange. I was out of the country. When I came back, everyone started questioning me about it. I was very shocked. Hrithik is committed elsewhere. He’s a very sensible boy. He’d never slip up. Please! Suzanne knows me too well. She knows exactly the kind of person I am. Why would I want another woman’s man, and that too a woman I like and respect? That way, I’m very selfish. I want a man I can keep for myself. And I won’t share my man with anybody.

Q. What was that about the two of you coochie-cooing in a plane?

A. Precisely. What was that? Do they think I’m so stupid to do something like this publicly? And the timing, on the day of Hrithik’s wedding, was in very bad taste. If it had come earlier, one could laugh it off as idle gossip.

Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan are two megastars who are loved and admired by many across the globe. However, Abhijeet Bhattacharya thinks the Tiger 3 actor is not worth having a conversation about. During an interview, the popular singer spoke about his relationship with both the Khans and stated that Salman doesn’t come to the place where he would talk about him. Read on to know more!

Abhijeet Bhattacharya was recently in a conversation with Shubhankar Mishra, wherein he spoke about his tiff with the likes of Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan. The playback singer, who has sung songs in nearly 1000 movies across languages, stated, “Salman abhi bhi unme nhi aata ke mai uske baare me charcha karu. (Salman doesn’t come in the place where I can talk about him.)” Hence, he requested the host to change the topic and not quiz him about the Tiger 3 star.

Further on, Abhijeet stated that Shah Rukh Khan is a man of a “different class,” and turbulence in their relationship is not because of any misunderstanding but because it’s professional. “Baaki inke baare me aap mujhse baat mat karo (Please don’t talk about him (Salman Khan) with me.)”

In an exclusive chat with Pinkvilla earlier this year, the prominent playback singer in Bollywood opened up about his collaboration with composer Anu Malik on the popular track Tan Tana Tan from Salman’s film Judwaa. He stated that he agreed to sing it with the belief that it would be performed by Govinda, not Khan.

Source : https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/news/shah-rukh-khan-has-different-class-than-salman-khan-opines-abhijeet-bhattacharya-salman-abhi-bhi-unme-nhi-aata-ke-mai-uske-baare-me-charcha-karu-1363742

Allu Arjun-starrer Pushpa 2: The Rule has grossed over Rs 1,500 crore in worldwide box office collection, making it the “fastest Indian film to reach the mark”, the makers said on Thursday.

Pushpa 2, a sequel to 2021’s blockbuster Telugu film Pushpa: The Rise, released in cinemas around the world on December 5.

Directed by Sukumar, the movie also stars Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil. It was also released in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali and Malayalam languages.

Mythri Movie Makers, the production house behind the movie, shared the latest box office update on its official X page.

“COMMERCIAL CINEMA REDEFINED. HISTORY MADE AT THE BOX OFFICE.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/pushpa-2-crosses-rs-1500-crore-mark-at-global-box-office-3325473 

New Delhi: Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna says he knew he was “antagonising” Sonakshi Sinha when he criticised the actor over her lack of knowledge about Ramayana, but emphasised there was “no malicious intent” behind his comments.

Khanna said he wanted to use a “Hi Fi case” like Sonakshi’s to teach the younger generation about the culture and history of India.

His remarks come after the “Heeramandi” star, daughter of veteran star and TMC MP Shatrughan Sinha, wrote an open letter to him slamming Khanna for his “distasteful statements” against her upbringing and family.

“Dear Sonakshi, I am surprised you took so much time to react. I knew I was antagonising you by taking your name from that incident in the famous Karodpati (KBC) show. But let me tell you I had no malicious intention to malign you or your father who is my senior and I have a very cordial relationship with him.

“My only intention was to react on today’s generation, which is called Gen-Z by elders, which has become slaves to today’s Google world and Mobile phones. Their knowledge is limited to Wikipedia and social interactions on Youtube. And here I had a Hi Fi case in front of me of yours which I thought I could use in order to teach others (sic)” Khanna wrote in an Instagram Story.

The actor, known for hit TV serials “Shaktimaan” and “Mahabharat”, said he “regrets” recounting the incident about Sonakshi during a recent interview.

“Point noted. It will not be repeated. Be assured. Take care,” he added.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/no-malicious-intention-to-malign-you-or-your-father-mukesh-khanna-responds-to-sonakshi-sinhas-post-3323041

The child, who was injured in the December 4 stamped at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre ahead of the premier show of Pushpa 2, remains critical and on ventilator support.
As per a health bulletin released on Tuesday by Hyderabad’s KIMS Cuddles Hospital, eight-year-old Sri Tej is under intensive care as his neurological condition shows no improvement.

According to doctors, he was on mechanical ventilation with minimal support of oxygen and pressures. Further a tracheostomy, a procedure where a pipe is inserted surgically into the windpipe to facilitate breathing, is being considered to wean him off ventilator. “His fever is reducing and on minimal inotropes, his vital parameters are stable. He is tolerating feeds well,” said a statement from the hospital.

The hospital statement said the child was brought with low oxygen saturation and irregular breathing on December 4. While his breathing support was removed on December 10, he had to be intubated again on December 12 amid respiratory distress.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad City Police Commissioner CV Anand, after visiting the hospital, said Sri Tej was brain-dead due to lack of breathing during the stampede and that it would take a long time to recover.

A stampede occurred at the Sandhya Theatre on December 4 during the premier show which was attended by Pushpa 2’s lead actor Allu Arjun. As large crowds descended on the theatre to catch a glimpse of the actor, 35-year-old Mogudampalli Revathi and her son Sri Tej were suffocated. Police performed CPR on them and rushed them to a hospital, where Revathi was declared dead.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/child-injured-in-pushpa-2-screening-stampede-critical-on-ventilator-support-7273840#pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

Atlee is reportedly trying to orchestrate a casting coup by bringing on board either Rajinikanth or Kamal Haasan to create one of Indian cinema’s biggest spectacles.

Following the historic success of Jawan, director Atlee is gearing up for his next major project, tentatively titled A6. The filmmaker has hinted at a “bang-on” announcement soon and confirmed that the film will be led by Salman Khan. Atlee is reportedly trying to orchestrate a casting coup by bringing on board either Rajinikanth or Kamal Haasan to create one of Indian cinema’s biggest spectacles.

Currently, Atlee is busy with his debut production Baby John, which is set to release during Christmas 2024. During a conversation with Pinkvilla at a masterclass, Atlee was joined by his producer partner Murad Khetani and the film’s leading star Varun Dhawan.

When asked for updates on A6, Atlee shared, “A6 is something that consumes a lot of time and energy. We have almost finished the script, and we are in the prep stage. Soon, a bang-on announcement will happen with God’s blessing.”

On Salman Khan’s involvement, Atlee offered a subtle confirmation. “Definitely, I am going to surprise everyone with the casting. What you are thinking, yes (that’s true). But you are going to really get surprised. And I’m not being pompous, but it’s going to be the proudest film of our country. We want a lot of blessings, just pray for us. The casting is on the edge, and it’s going to happen in a few weeks. We will have the best, best, best announcement coming soon to you all,” he added.

Varun Dhawan, who stars in Baby John, couldn’t contain his excitement about A6. He revealed, “It’s going to be out of this world; people don’t know what’s going to hit them. I have heard and seen a little bit of visualisation. It’s unbelievable what he is putting together. He is working relentlessly, quietly and humbly.”

Source : https://www.news18.com/movies/atlee-confirms-bang-on-collaboration-with-salman-khan-itll-be-the-proudest-film-of-our-country-9159802.html

Due to long traffic, the SUV, which was part of Badshah’s convoy, drove on the wrong side of the road, catching the attention of some passersby who filmed the act.

Gurugram Traffic Police has issued a challan of Rs 15,000 to popular rapper Badshah for driving on the wrong side of the road, playing loud music, and rash driving, officials said on Tuesday.

The incident took place on December 15 when Badshah came to the Airia Mall on Sohana Road for a special appearance in a concert by Punjabi singer Karan Aujla, police said.

The Mahindra Thar in which the singer was present is registered in the name of Deepender Malik, a resident of Panipat.

Due to long traffic, the SUV, which was part of Badshah’s convoy, drove on the wrong side of the road, catching the attention of some passersby who filmed the act.

As the clippings of the incident went viral on social media, the traffic police took note of it and issued a challan of Rs 15,000 to the rapper on Monday.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/haryana/rapper-badshah-fined-rs-15k-for-playing-loud-music-rash-driving-in-gurugram-3321102

Sonakshi Sinha responds to Mukesh Khanna’s remarks on her KBC appearance, calling his comments ‘distasteful’ and a disrespectful attack on her upbringing.

Sonakshi Sinha has sharply criticised Mukesh Khanna after his viral remarks about her upbringing and a past appearance on Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC). Khanna, best known for his role as Shaktimaan, had commented on an old KBC episode in which Sonakshi failed to answer a question about Lord Hanuman. Reflecting on the incident, Khanna blamed her father, veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha, for not imparting cultural knowledge, despite being a prominent figure in the entertainment industry.

In response, Sonakshi shared her thoughts via Instagram stories, expressing her displeasure with Khanna’s remarks. “I recently read a statement you made saying that it’s my father’s fault I did not answer a question about the Ramayana correctly on a show I attended many, many years back,” she wrote. “Firstly, let me remind you there were two women on the hot seat that day who did not know the answer to the same question, but you choose to keep taking my name, and only my name, for reasons which are quite obvious.”

Sonakshi clarified that her mistake on KBC was simply a “human tendency” to blank out, noting that she forgot who the Sanjeevani Booti was brought for. “But clearly, you have also forgotten some of the lessons of forgive and forget taught by Lord Ram himself,” she added. She drew a parallel to Lord Ram’s capacity to forgive even his adversaries, suggesting that Khanna should do the same regarding her harmless slip-up.

The actress further warned Khanna to stop bringing up the incident for attention, reminding him that she responded to his criticism respectfully due to the values instilled by her father. “The next time you decide to say anything about the values my father has instilled in me… please remember it’s because of those values that I have only said what I said, very respectfully,” Sonakshi asserted.

Source : https://www.news18.com/movies/sonakshi-sinha-slams-mukesh-khanna-for-distasteful-comment-on-her-upbringing-next-time-you-9158583.html

AR Rahman also shared pictures with Zakir Hussain on Instagram. Along with the photos, he added flower and prayer emojis to show his respect and grief.

The death of legendary tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain has shocked the entire country. People from all walks of life are mourning his loss and offering condolences to his family. Music composer AR Rahman also paid tribute to Zakir.

On Monday, Rahman shared a series of pictures with the tabla maestro on Instagram. Along with the photos, he added flower and prayer emojis to show his respect and grief.

Earlier on Monday, Rahman took to his X account and shared how much Ustad Zakir meant to the world of music. He described the loss as immeasurable and spoke about how Zakir inspired millions of people.

“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. Zakir Bhai was an inspiration, a towering personality who elevated the tabla to global acclaim. His loss is immeasurable for all of us,” read his X post.

Sharing that they had planned to work on an album together, further wrote, “I regret not being able to collaborate with him as much as we did decades ago, though we had planned an album together. You shall be truly missed. May his family and his countless students worldwide find the strength to bear this immense loss #ZakirHussain.”

Zakir, who had been battling idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease, was a towering figure in Indian classical music and one of the most recognized percussionists worldwide. He died in San Francisco and his death was confirmed by Jon Bleicher of Prospect PR, who spoke on behalf of the family.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, mourned the death of Zakir. Taking to X, PM Modi in a post described Zakir as a genius who revolutionised Indian classical music, bringing the tabla to global recognition.

“Deeply saddened by the passing of the legendary tabla maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain Ji. He will be remembered as a true genius who revolutionized the world of Indian classical music. He also brought the tabla to the global stage, captivating millions with his unparalleled rhythm. Through this, he seamlessly blended Indian classical traditions with global music, thus becoming an icon of cultural unity,” the post read.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/music/ar-rahman-shares-he-zakir-hussain-planned-an-album-together-i-regret-not-being-able-to-collaborate-with-him-as-much-101734398629279.html

One of Bollywood’s biggest stars says women are taking more of a leading role in global film and TV productions.

Tabu appears in the latest episode of Dune: Prophecy – the series inspired by Frank Herbert’s classic novels and recent films.

Originally titled Dune: Sisterhood, Tabu says women, including director Anna Foerster, played a prominent role in the show both in front of and behind the camera.

“Being surrounded, feeling empowered and a feeling that you’re the ones running the show… it’s really, really nice to see that happening,” she tells BBC Asian Network News.

It’s a trend Tabu, a household name in Hindi cinema, feels is not just limited to international projects, but something she has noticed in her native industry.

“There’s been a big change all over the world where women are taking centre stage in many places.”

‘I’m still learning so much’

Tabu points to her role in the commercially successful Hindi film Crew, with a female lead cast of herself, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon.

“It’s part of the big change and it was also because the woman that I was working with have accomplished so much in their fields,” Tabu, 53, says.

“They have a grip, they have control over their craft.

“They have a sense of how to deal with people because I feel everything is about people management.

“That comes with experience, maturity and putting in a lot of work in so many years of their respective careers. So that felt comforting, safe, and you felt like you were being understood.”

Dune: Prophecy is described by critics as “a bracingly different sci-fi dominated by women at every level”, with fans in India delighted by Tabu’s appearance in the show.

While she says schedules aligned to enable her to play the role of Sister Francesca, the chance to work in a different environment with an international cast was appealing.

“I always love these experiences. Because I don’t live in that world.”

She says there were people from Serbia, Spain, the UK, Ukraine and Germany involved, which helped her understand different people and cultures.

“It was very exciting, adding much more fun and drama on screen, of course, but off screen,” she says.

“I got to interact with people from so many different parts of the world.”

Tabu’s career in the industry spans several decades, with acting credits including other Western productions such as Life of Pi and A Suitable Boy.

But despite everything she’s achieved, the actor says she’s keen to not look backwards.

“Because I feel like I’ve stuttered [if I do].

“[Sometimes I feel like] I’m still new and I’m still learning so much.

“The one thing that I feel extremely grateful and overwhelmed by is I got a tremendous amount of love and respect from people or from my audiences.”

And she says she remains motivated by the types of roles she plays, like Francesca.

“That I should be able to experience this character in a completely new way.

“That I should be able to present this character in a completely new way [for the audience].

“Cinema is over 100 years old, they’ve been seeing stuff happening, actors and characters.”

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpdn4v7q60go

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan is known for some of India’s most popular films, including Lagaan and 3 Idiots.

So great is his appeal, he can barely walk down the street without getting mobbed by fans.

What’s less well known is that he secretly quit films during the Covid pandemic in order to spend more time with his loved ones.

“I told my family I’m done with acting and films,” he tells BBC News.

“I [didn’t] want to produce or direct or act. I just wanted to be with the family.”

You’d imagine a major star like Khan deciding to quit the industry would have sent shockwaves through India, a nation that is fully obsessed with films.

But, he explains, his decision went unnoticed at the time because so few movies were being made due to the pandemic.

“No-one knew about it,” he says.

Fans can breathe a sigh of relief, though.

Khan didn’t quit for long. And now he’s back and is promoting Laapataa Ladies – or Lost Ladies – a film he’s produced. It is India’s official pick for the Oscars in the best international feature film category.

Khan says it was his children who convinced him to go back to work.

“They were like, ‘But we can’t spend 24 hours with you. So get real and get a life.’ So they gently nudged me back into the films,” he says.

At 59, Khan has worked as an actor, director and producer for three decades.

He’s known as one of the three “Khans of Bollywood” – the others being fellow megastars Shah Rukh and Salman.

Known for tackling social issues, Aamir’s films are widely acclaimed as well as breaking box office records.

He is also no stranger to the Oscars. Lagaan, a film about cricket set in the 19th Century during the British Empire, was nominated for best foreign language film in 2002.

Khan is now trying to make history with Laapataa Ladies. If it succeeds, it would be the first Indian film to win the coveted international prize. He will find out whether it has made the shortlist on Tuesday.

Khan said he’s “not quite sure how seriously” to take awards. “Cinema is so subjective,” he says.

But he admits a win would mean a lot to India.

“I think Indians are so film crazy and we’ve been dying to win the Academy Award for an Indian film, which hasn’t happened till now. So the country will go ballistic. They’ll just go mad if we win,” he says.

“So just for the people of our country and for our country, I would be really happy if we win the award.”

Set in rural India, Laapataa Ladies tells the story of a young man bringing the wrong bride home. Meanwhile, his wife ends up lost, having to fend for herself.

It’s a satire looking at the treatment of women, including touching on the sensitive topic of domestic violence.

Khan describes the plot as “a bit Shakespearean”, with its focus on humour and mistaken identities.

But, he adds, it’s saying “a lot of important things about women’s issues, their independence, their right to decide for themselves what they want to do”.

It was these issues that drew him to the film in the first place, he explains.

“Every now and then you get an opportunity as a creative person to actually also sensitise people about certain issues that we face in society,” he says.

“Women all over the world have been subjected to a lot of challenges in their lives. Women have a raw deal in life. So I felt that here is a story which really brings that out well in such a nice way, which is why I wanted to produce it.”

Khan was also “very keen” that his ex-wife, Kiran Rao, should direct the film.

The pair, who married in 2005, announced their separation in 2021. But they have remained close, both professionally and personally.

“I think the reason I chose Kiran was because I knew that she would be very honest with it and that’s what I wanted,” he says.

“We get along really well. We really love each other, we respect each other.

“Our relationship may have changed slightly – but that doesn’t mean what we feel for each other has gone down or something.”

That’s not to say it’s all been plain sailing, however.

Khan admits there were arguments on set.

“We can’t make a film without an argument. So we argue every point and we have strong opinions,” he says.

“But our sensibilities are very similar. We are not talking about fundamental things. We are just trying to sometimes convince the other person a better way of conveying something.”

Raj Kapoor, fondly called the “greatest showman of Indian cinema”, was a leading filmmaker, producer and actor whose work continues to shape and inspire Indian films.

Today, almost four decades after his death in 1988, he remains one of India’s most-loved stars.

Kapoor began his film career in India’s post-independence era. His early work often carried a socialistic undertone, mirroring the country’s mood and aspirations of the time.

“Kapoor brought romance, sexuality, song and soul to Indian socialism,” said historian Sunil Khilnani, in Incarnations: India in 50 Lives, a 2015 BBC Radio 4 series on the men and women who made India.

So perhaps it isn’t surprising that celebrations to mark what would have been his 100th birthday on Saturday are taking place across the country, honouring his enduring legacy.

Among them is a retrospective showcasing 10 of his iconic films that will screen across 40 cities and 135 cinemas in India at the weekend.

Born as Shrishti Nath Kapoor to actors Prithviraj Kapoor and Ramsarni Kapoor, he later took the name of Ranbir Raj Kapoor and debuted as a child actor in Inquilab (1935).

Before making waves on screen, Kapoor honed his craft behind the scenes – assisting filmmaker Kidar Sharma, working as an art director at his father’s Prithvi Theatre, and appearing in smaller roles.

His breakout came with Neel Kamal (1947), launching a storied career that combined artistic ambition with mass appeal.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2ldjz1q700o

Please please please … may we have another year-in-music in 2025 as strong as this one? In coming up with 10 best album lists, each of Variety‘s staff music writers felt 2024 brought an embarrassment of riches from which to choose. You could already see that in how the upcoming 2025 Grammys are easily the most anticipated ceremony in many years. A lot of the top candidates there show up in our lists (albeit not Chappell Roan, whose album came out in late 2023). You’ll also find a lot of love here for a slew of great underdogs who didn’t catch the attention of the Recording Academy but already brought home the gold in our book.

Katy Perry may have been wrong about some things this year, but she was right about it being a woman’s world — in current music, anyway, if not all the other places it would benefit society most. Not coincidentally in keeping with the female dominance of the Grammy noms, all four of our listmakers picked an album by a woman or a female-fronted act for the No. 1 spot. Green meme queen Charli XCX was on top of the pops for executive music editor Jem Aswad (jump to his full list here). Associate music editor Thania Garcia went with a lesser-recognized band of worthies, the Marias (see her full ranking here). Senior music writer Steven J. Horowitz found godliness in the womanhood of Ariana Grande (you can leap to his list here). And reigning pop queen Taylor Swift made the year, if not the era, of chief music critic Chris Willman (jump to his rankings here).

The most-cited artists: Charli and Kendrick Lamar, who each made three of the four top 10s, and Beyoncé, Jamie XX, Jack White and Kali Uchis, who each appeared on two. Scroll through to see where your favorites landed or, better yet, discover a new one.

Taking to her Instagram handle, Kareena Kapoor shared a heartfelt tribute post by Amul India for her grandfather Raj Kapoor’s 100th birthday.

The Kapoor family celebrated Raj Kapoor’s 100th birthday on December 14, 2024. Recently, Kareena Kapoor, granddaughter of the legendary actor and filmmaker, shared a heartfelt tribute post by Amul India that honored Raj Kapoor on his birth centenary.

Taking to her Instagram handle, Kareena Kapoor shared the nostalgic graphic of Amul, customized as a tribute to the Barsaat actor. In the graphic, the iconic Amul girl was seen in three memorable characters Raj Kapoor played in films like Mera Naam Joker, Shree 420, and Sangam.

The post had a simple yet meaningful tagline, “Aaj bhi dilon pe Raj hai” (Raj is still in our hearts), that reflected the timeless legacy of the Showman of Indian Cinema. The Crew actress who was touched by the gesture captioned it, writing, “Forever in our hearts. The legacy continues.” with a rainbow and red heart emoji.

The post immediately gained the attention of her fans and family members alike. Another granddaughter of veteran actor Riddhima Kapoor Sahni also shared it on her Instagram handle. Likewise, Alia Bhatt also took to her Instagram stories and shared writing, “Forever, a legend.”

Source : https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/news/not-just-kareena-kapoor-even-we-are-in-awe-of-amuls-special-shoutout-on-raj-kapoors-100th-birth-anniversary-aaj-bhi-dilon-pe-1362806

Mukesh Khanna shared an incident when Kapil Sharma ignored him during an award function. Despite being seated next to each other, Sharma did not say hello to him. “In our industry, even if we have not worked with each other, we ask each other, ‘Kaise hai aap sir?’. He kept sitting next to me for 10 minutes. It’s not that I want him to say hello, but I say you have no courtesy,” added Khanna.

Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna recently slammed Kapil Sharma’s comedy show and called it “obscene.” He also shared an incident when the comedian ignored him during an award function; despite being seated next to each other, Sharma did not say hello to him.

Talking to Siddharth Kannan on his podcast, Mukesh stated that his first interaction with Kapil was when he was seated next to him at an award function. “I had bagged an award for best-supporting actor. He also appeared there, maybe he was shooting somewhere there in the film city. Now, in our industry, even if we have not worked with each other, we ask each other, ‘Kaise hai aap sir (how are you, sir) ?.’ It’s a gesture.”

Further, Mukesh Khanna shared that despite never working with Amitabh Bachchan, he always makes it a point to ask him how he is doing whenever they meet. “Forget my seniority, he (Kapil) kept sitting next to me for ten minutes but he didn’t even say ‘hello!’. It’s not that I want him to say hello but I say you have no courtesy,” added Khanna.

Sharing the reason for declining to be a part of Kapil Sharma’s show, Mukesh said that the comedian never contacted him, could be because of his “ego” and “shame.” He said that the show’s jokes are heavily based on “ashlilta” (indecency) and “below the belt jokes,” which he finds inappropriate.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/mukesh-khanna-recalls-being-ignored-by-kapil-sharma-at-award-function-he-sat-next-to-me-for-10-mins-no-courtesy

Actors Neha Joshi And Aayudh Bhanushali Celebrate First Anniversary Of Atal In Gwalior, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s Birthplace!

&TV’s Atal, which premiered in December last year, has earned widespread acclaim for portraying the formative years of one of India’s most iconic leaders, the late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Marking the show’s first anniversary, the lead actors Aayudh Bhanushali, who plays young Atal, and Neha Joshi, who essays the role of Krishna Devi Vajpayee, visited the legendary leader’s hometown, Gwalior. This remarkable initiative by &TV underscores its commitment to staying deeply connected to its audience. The initiative also reflects the channel’s focus on strengthening its position in the Hindi speaking markets, ensuring its stories resonate with audiences beyond metropolitan cities, and honouring the legacy of such iconic personalities. Aayudh Bhanushali, who portrays young Atal, talks about his experience of visiting Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. Aayudh says, “Celebrating the first anniversary of Atal in Gwalior, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birthplace, was a heartfelt tribute to the great leader. The timing could not have been more special, as December is also his birth month. During our visit, Neha Aai (Krishna Devi Vajpayee) and I explored his ancestral home, which includes a public library and a computer training institute named after his father, Krishna Bihari Vajpayee. We were also delighted to visit Bahadura Sweets, famous for his favourite boondi ladoos—they were delicious!” He added, “What made this visit even more special was meeting the people of Gwalior. They welcomed us with such warmth. Their feedback about how closely they follow the show, their appreciation for my portrayal of young Atal ji, and their love for the story motivates me further to engage and entertain the audience.”
Neha Joshi, who plays Krishna Devi Vajpayee, reflected on the journey, “Visiting Gwalior to celebrate our show’s anniversary was an unforgettable experience. Walking through the streets and landmarks connected to Shri Atal Ji’s life, especially during his birth month, was deeply moving. From visiting the library to his favourite sweet shop, every corner of this city carried his legacy. Playing Krishna Devi Vajpayee has allowed me explore the untold aspects of his childhood, and visiting where he was born and raised felt like a profound blessing.” She further added, “The people of Gwalior made this celebration even more meaningful. Hearing their feedback and realizing how deeply they connect with our show was heartening. Their love and detailed observations about the storyline and characters have motivated us to work even harder to honour Shri Atal ji’s legacy. The visit also highlighted &TV’s commitment to creating impactful and meaningful content that resonates with audiences.

Source : https://www.spotboye.com/television/television-news/actors-neha-joshi-and-aayudh-bhanushali-celebrate-first-anniversary-of-atal-in-gwalior-shri-atal-bihari-vajpayee-s-birthplace/675c1529e4cc4f51c1983e2f

Shraddha Kapoor attended the India Economic Conclave 2024 presented by IDFC FIRST Bank, with National Leaders and Global Experts, where she talked about her dad. While Shakti Kapoor is known for playing villains in several films, his off-screen persona is extremely cheerful, as said by his daughter Shraddha Kapoor herself.

Shraddha Kapoor attended the India Economic Conclave 2024 presented by IDFC FIRST Bank, with National Leaders and Global Experts. She opened up on portraying strong characters on the screen and encourages young girls to get into the industry. Shraddha Kapoor was all praises for her father actor Shakti Kapoorb during EIC 2024. The Stree 2 actress praised her dad profusely, especially his sense of humour.
Talking about Shakti Kapoor, Shraddha, a proud daughter said, “My dad is funnier in real life, he is very intelligent, he expresses his intelligence in a very casual manner, he is making everybody laugh”. While Shakti Kapoor is known for playing villains in several films, his off-screen persona is extremely cheerful, as said by Shraddha herself.
During the event, the actress also expressed her desire to portray strong characters in films. She encouraged young girls to join the industry and give their best, stating that it’s a fabulous time for aspiring talent. Reflecting on her film Haseena, Shraddha acknowledged its underperformance at the box office but emphasized her passion for taking on impactful roles, saying, “Even though Haseena didn’t do well, I wanted to play strong characters.”

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/bollywood/shraddha-kapoor-says-dad-shakti-kapoor-is-funnier-in-real-life-praises-his-casual-intelligence-iec-2024-exclusive-article-116295528

Laxman, aka Lucky, works at Chaman Medical Store in New Delhi, India. One day, the spoiled son of a local businessman calls the store asking for a box of condoms. Even though it’s pouring outside, his unkind boss demands that Lucky personally make the delivery to the rude customer. What Lucky sees when he shows up leaves him baffled. There she is, Dimple, Lucky’s girlfriend, in the arms of another man. Heartbroken, Lucky roams the streets of Delhi all night, until he receives another phone call, this time from a representative of the uber-rich Aggarwal family: “Congratulations! You’ve passed the poverty test. You’re now the sole inheritor of the entire Aggarwal empire.”

This rags-to-riches yarn, Insta Millionaire, is one of the most popular stories on Pocket FM, an Indian audio streaming app. It’s like Audible, but instead of polished audiobooks from professional authors, you listen to user-generated shows with titles like Hellbound With You, Lunatic in Love, and Rejected Billionaire.

Rags-to-riches stories on the platform like Insta Millionaire feel like a meta allegory of how Pocket FM functions. They promise their writers a light at the end of the tunnel — keep writing; your story could go viral, catapulting you to fame and wealth.

As of December 2024, the English version of Insta Millionaire has more than 1,300 episodes, which users have played over 235 million times. The series has grossed $15 million, according to SF Weekly. Another series, Saving Nora, a revenge saga featuring a woman whose family shuns her for becoming pregnant (without ever having sex, of course), has more than 2,300 episodes and has earned $18 million.

Pocket FM was originally created by Indian engineers for the Indian market. But in 2022, the company expanded to the US — a much more lucrative market. Now, the platform makes 70 percent of its revenue in the US, a representative of the company told The Verge. In March, Pocket FM raised $103 million in funding, at a valuation of $750 million.

But while Pocket FM’s valuation is booming, its vast network of writers often aren’t sharing in the success and have found the platform’s demands to be stifling.

Amina SB, 19, an aspiring novelist and cafe owner in Abuja, Nigeria, loves that by publishing audio novels on Pocket FM, she can reach many more people than she would with just text. In April of this year, Amina wrote 15,000 words on the platform and applied for a contract with the company. As she waited for a response, she kept “uploading, uploading, uploading” chapters. Finally, after a month, Pocket FM sent her an “exclusive” contract saying it would convert her novel into audio but that she couldn’t republish the story elsewhere. After writing 45,000 words under the novel title Bitter Rivals Bond by Fate, for which she earned a total of $229, Amina says Pocket FM refused to promote her book because she didn’t have enough listeners.

“Of course I wasn’t gonna get enough listeners. It had only been two months since my book came out, and they didn’t help me promote it,” Amina tells The Verge. She says she won’t keep writing for the platform and that it’s “not good for beginner writers” who might feel “heartbroken” and “think they’re failing.”

Beyond its flashy numbers, Pocket FM is essentially a content mill for audio fiction and an example of what happens when a tech company dives into story production at scale and across cultural lines. Already, the company publishes translated and original stories in English, Hindi, and several South Indian languages. Now, it’s also trying to penetrate German, Portuguese, and Spanish-language markets.

To produce the massive amount of content it does, Pocket FM uses an extensive network of full-time and contract editors and writers from around the world. A writer can publish on Pocket FM by clicking the “write” button on the app. Once you write 15,000 words, the company sends you a contract detailing your rights and payment. You then record audio / sound for the story yourself or, as of early 2024, use AI to convert text into speech. If your story becomes popular among listeners, Pocket FM may hire voice actors for your show as well as invest in marketing it.

“What I’m fundamentally against is having a gatekeeper… when someone decides whether a story is good enough or not,” says Rohan Nayak, one of three cofounders of Pocket FM. Nayak says that while Pocket FM is an entertainment platform, his vision was always to create a space where writers from across the world can publish their stories. “So it’s pretty much like a democratic platform,” he adds.

Pocket FM tells The Verge that most of its writers are based in India and the US. But there also appears to be a sizable contingent in Nigeria, where Pocket FM writers spend time trading tips and concerns in Facebook groups and Reddit threads.

Miracle Ubah, 26, also Nigerian, first learned of Pocket FM through a writing course. But after writing 9,000 words for the platform, he experienced writer’s block. Ubah’s solution: contract out the writing to someone else, pay them a share of what Pocket FM pays Ubah, and keep the rest for himself.

Ubah’s contract with Pocket FM promises him $375 per month, with the stipulation that the novel get at least 2,000 listeners, of whom 38 percent classify as “active” listeners, i.e., people who listen to the show daily. For a new user, attracting so many regular listeners is monumentally challenging — Ubah is struggling, too. The contractor has written about 50,000 words, but Ubah says he isn’t earning enough money and he’s going to unpublish the novel.

Source : https://www.theverge.com/24317729/pocket-fm-audio-stories-creators-insta-millionaire

As part of the grand celebration, R.K. Films, the Film Heritage Foundation, and NFDC-National Film Archive of India are presenting Raj Kapoor 100—Celebrating the Centenary of the Greatest Showman.

‘Mayanagari’ Mumbai to shine bright from December 13 as the Indian cinema along with the Kapoor family members join hands together to celebrate Raj Kapoor’s centenary celebrations. Organised at the PVR Infinity Mall in Andheri, the event will witness a dazzling evening with several celebrities gathering under one roof to honour the legacy of Raj Kapoor, a pioneer of the golden era.

This gala event will bring together the Kapoor clan, including stalwarts like Randhir Kapoor and younger stars such as Ranbir Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Alia Bhatt. Their participation highlights their deep pride in carrying forward Raj Kapoor’s extraordinary legacy.

Apart from the Kapoors, the event will see some of the biggest names in showbiz. The guest list includes industry veterans like Rekha and Jeetendra, celebrated filmmakers like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rajkumar Hirani and Karan Johar, as superstars like Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Anil Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Kartik Aaryan, Sunny Deol, and Bobby Deol.

As part of the grand celebration, R.K. Films, the Film Heritage Foundation, and NFDC-National Film Archive of India are presenting Raj Kapoor 100 – Celebrating the Centenary of the Greatest Showman. This festival will feature curated screenings of ten iconic Raj Kapoor films across 40 cities and 135 cinemas, including PVR-Inox and Cinepolis theaters. Tickets are priced at an accessible ₹100, reflecting Raj Kapoor’s belief in inclusivity and his vision to make cinema a universal experience.

The festival will spotlight Raj Kapoor’s most celebrated works, spanning nearly four decades:

● Aag (1948)

● Barsaat (1949)

● Awaara (1951)

● Shree 420 (1955)

● Jagte Raho (1956)

● Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1960)

● Sangam (1964)

● Mera Naam Joker (1970)

● Bobby (1973)

● Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985)

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/raj-kapoor100-a-centenary-celebration-in-grand-style-3315692

The 40-year-old Punjabi singer-actor dethroned last year’s topper — Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan — from the list.

London: Popular singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh has topped the UK list of the ‘Top 50 Asian Celebrities in the World’ previewed in London on Wednesday, following his mega live tour and box-office success.

The 40-year-old Punjabi star dethroned last year’s topper, Shah Rukh Khan, and ranked ahead of international talent from the world of cinema, television, music, arts and literature celebrated in the 2024 edition of the list published by UK weekly ‘Eastern Eye’ on Friday.

Dosanjh has been recognised not only for delivering hit songs, including top tracks for films, but also for making his mark with major international collaborations during the course of the year.

“The singing superstar delivered the most successful world tour undertaken by any South Asian celebrity in history with his blockbuster ‘Dil-Luminati’ show,” said ‘Eastern Eye’ Entertainment Editor Asjad Nazir, who compiles the list annually.

“His history-making performance on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ broke new ground for Indian music. In between all the musical magic, the multi-talented star showed off his impressive acting ability in films and proudly promoted his Punjabi culture. Everybody was talking about him in what turned out to be a dream year,” he said.

Indian heritage pop superstar Charli XCX came in second, narrowly missing out on the top spot, for an incredible year that included sold out live performances, seven Grammy nominations and her now iconic ‘Brat’ album, which spawned a huge global movement.

While third-placed Allu Arjun smashed box-office records with the year’s most successful Indian film Pushpa: The Rule and significantly changed the cinema landscape in his country, fourth-placed Dev Patel confirmed his place as a Hollywood power player by remarkably writing, directing, producing and starring in the hit film.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas came in fifth for balancing high-profile projects that ranged from movies to starting work on season two of mega-budget series ‘Citadel’; actor Vijay, who starred in the year’s most successful Tamil movie and started a political party, is ranked sixth; and singer Arijit Singh seventh.

Australian actress Geraldine Viswanathan, Pakistani actress Hania Aamir and British actress Simone Ashley complete the top 10 for the year. The oldest star in the list is once again 82-year-old Amitabh Bachchan (26th) and the youngest, aged 17, is actress Nitanshi Goel (42nd) for her impressive performance in India’s official Oscar entry ‘Laapataa Ladies’.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/diljit-dosanjh-tops-uks-2024-south-asian-celebrity-list-3313720

Nayanthara wrote an open letter to Dhanush last month over him suing her over the unauthorised use of a clip from his production in her documentary.

Nayanthara chose to remain silent after writing a scathing open letter to former co-star and producer Dhanush over his lawsuit for the unauthorised use of a clip from his 2015 production, Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, in her recent Netflix India documentary, Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale. Now, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Nayanthara has explained her actions.

‘Not a publicity stunt’

“Courage only comes from the truth. I only have to be scared when I’m fabricating something. If I’m not doing that, I don’t have to be scared. If I didn’t speak out now, when things had already gone too far, I don’t think anyone would have the courage to stand up for themselves ever again,” Nayanthara said. “Why should I be scared of doing something which I feel is right? I should be scared only if I’m doing something wrong. I’m not someone who would want to tarnish someone’s image just for the sake of publicity,” she added.

Nayanthara said her open letter was never intended to be a publicity stunt for her documentary. She says Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale “is not about whether the film is a hit or a flop,” but about knowing a person more, if you like them. She then explained that the only part of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan she wanted were four lines which “summed up our life, our love, our kids.” The 2015 film was helmed by Nayanthara’s now-husband Vignesh Shivan and produced by Dhanush’s Wunderbar Films.

Nayanthara tried to speak to Dhanush

Nayanthara also revealed that although she never does that, she contacted Dhanush’s manager, requesting them to get her on a call with him. She said she doesn’t want to get into what went wrong in the last 10 years, but wanted to clear the air with Dhanush so that they are at least able to say ‘hi’ to each other in case they cross paths in the future. The two famously ignored each other at a wedding days after Nayanthara’s open letter.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tamil-cinema/nayanthara-explains-why-she-wrote-savage-open-letter-to-dhanush-only-have-to-be-scared-when-i-am-fabricating-something-101733967469303.html

From Ananya Panday In Call Me Bae To Anushka Sen In Dil Dosti Dilemma: A Look At Best And Refreshing, Young OTT Performances of 2024

This year, OTT platforms delivered a treasure trove of remarkable performances by leading ladies across genres. Samantha Ruth Prabhu in Citadel, Ananya Panday in Call Me Bae, and Anushka Sen captivated audiences in Dil Dosti Dilemma, a heartfelt coming-of-age drama about friendship and love. We witnessed some of the best and finest performances on OTT by some of these talented ladies. Let’s take a look at 5 best performances on OTT in 2024.

Ananya Panday- Call Me Bae

Directed by Colin D’Cunha, Call Me Bae stars Ananya Panday as Bae, aka Bella, a fallen heiress turned hustler. Stripped of her wealth, Bella discovers her true assets—resilience and street-smart style. Set against Mumbai’s dynamic newsroom backdrop, she navigates challenges. Her performance in the show was loved by the audience and considered as one of her finest.

Anushka Sen- Dil Dosti Dilemma

Anushka Sen mesmerized audiences and critics alike with her portrayal of Asmara in the widely acclaimed web series Dil Dosti Dilemma. With her impeccable talent, charisma, and commanding screen presence, she brought depth and charm to the character. Carrying the series with grace and poise, Sen’s performance highlighted her emotional range and acting prowess. Her nuanced portrayal not only captivated viewers but also established her as a rising star, marking a significant milestone in her career.

Sharvari Wagh – Maharaj

Sharvari Wagh impressed as Viraaj in YRF’s period drama Maharaj, starring alongside Junaid Khan. Playing a spirited and deeply devoted character, she transitions seamlessly from a bubbly, love-struck girl to a steadfast supporter of Karsan in his battle against JJ. Her authentic Gujarati accent and heartfelt performance resonated with audiences.

Tripti Dimri- Bad Newz

Bad Newz featured Triptii Dimri as Saloni Bagga, starring alongside Vicky Kaushal. Playing a chef with the rare condition of heteropaternal superfecundation, Triptii’s transformation from a confident, sultry persona to an emotionally complex pregnant mother was deeply impactful.

Source : https://www.spotboye.com/trending/trending-news/from-ananya-panday-in-call-me-bae-to-anushka-sen-in-dil-dosti-dilemma-a-look-at-best-and-refreshing-young-ott-performances-of-2024/67597553e4cc4f51c1983bb6

14 Years Of Ranveer Singh: From Bittoo Sharma’s Charm To Simmba’s Swag, Bollywood’s Powerhouse Shines Bright

Over the past 14 years, Ranveer Singh has emerged as one of Bollywood’s most versatile and dynamic actors, captivating audiences with his boundless energy and transformative performances. From his breakout role as the charming and carefree Bittoo Sharma in Band Baaja Baaraat to the loved and fearless cop Sangram ‘Simmba’ Bhalerao in Rohit Shetty’s Cop Universe, Ranveer has delivered a range of memorable characters that showcase his incredible range. His journey is a testament to his dedication, as he seamlessly transitions between intense roles like Alauddin Khilji in Padmaavat and heartfelt performances in films like Lootera. With his infectious charisma and ability to dominate both mainstream and offbeat cinema, Ranveer continues to redefine the boundaries of stardom, proving himself as Bollywood’s powerhouse.

1. Bittoo Sharma from Band Baaja Baaraat

Ranveer Singh stepped into Bollywood playing the flamboyant Delhi boy Bittoo Sharma in Band Baaja Baarat. Ranveer played the role with utmost perfection that didn’t seem like his debut but one promising one, the quintessential hero of the love story. He truly immersed himself in the character of a funny, young-spirited Delhi guy and effortlessly portraying various emotions.

2. Kabir Mehra from Dil Dhadakne Do

Kabir is the only son of a self-made man who rose to build an empire. He dares to dream differently and opposes taking his family business forward. His character was not only loved by audiences worldwide but also became popular among the youth because of its relatability, vulnerability and the sensitivity Ranveer brought to the screens, something that not many can pull off. Kabir was any one of us and all of us.

3. Peshwa Bajirao from Bajirao Mastani

As Peshwa Bajirao, Ranveer showcased a transformation every actor would aspire to achieve. From inhabiting the Marathi dialect with most perfection to his portrayal of a brave warrior and a charismatic leader in love, Ranveer played the character in a way that made it clear there couldn’t have been a better actor than him.

4. Alauddin Khilji from Padmaavat

With Alauddin Khilji, Ranveer demonstrated his versatile talent on screen. He delved into a challenging and violent character with perfection, proving his mettle as an actor. Not only did the superstar receive massive appreciation for this menacing, cruel anti-hero portrayal but he truly showed why he is one of the best actors we have!

5. Murad Ahmed from Gully Boy

There couldn’t have been a better Murad than Ranveer. Period. As a Gully rapper, he flawlessly brought his hidden rap talent to the forefront and won the hearts of the audience. With every moment on screen, not only a community but the whole nation related, bringing the nuances of a talented boy and a star. The superstar’s rendition of Murad transcended mere acting; it breathed life into a character that resonated with audiences across the nation. Much like Ranveer’s star power itself, his characterisation was so personal that his raps echoed in the streets, in every playlist, each party & became a sensation!

6. Rocky Randhawa from Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani

Rocky Randhawa, or as you might call him, the ultimate heartthrob. The character is very much Ranveer’s personality on screen – lively, loving, comic, expressive, emotional, and at times, vulnerable but he stays the powerhouse of energy. As Rocky Randhawa, Ranveer played a charismatic guy on screen who won the audiences’ hearts. He indeed is and will stay not only Bollywood’s but a real-life green flag for life, to audiences!

7. Ram from Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela

Ranveer Singh delivered a career-defining performance in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, a modern-day adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Paired opposite Deepika Padukone, Ranveer portrayed the fiery and passionate Ram, a man caught in the throes of love amidst a violent family feud. The film was celebrated for its opulent sets, soulful music, and high-voltage drama.

8. Varun Shrivastav from Lootera

In Vikramaditya Motwane’s poignant period drama Lootera, Ranveer Singh showcased a restrained and nuanced side of his acting prowess. He played Varun, an enigmatic conman who finds himself entangled in a tender yet tragic love story with Sonakshi Sinha’s Pakhi. Set in the 1950s, the film was a visual and emotional masterpiece, with Ranveer’s subtle performance standing out.

Source : https://www.spotboye.com/bollywood/news/14-years-of-ranveer-singh-from-bittoo-sharma-s-charm-to-simmba-s-swag-bollywood-s-powerhouse-shines-bright/6757f59ce4cc4f51c1983ad6

There’s a downside to our ocean-of-content culture: It can be overwhelming. Scanning all those titles, all those options, you feel at moments like you’re drowning in possibility. Yet there’s a serious upside as well. In cinema, it’s not just that the endless options are enticing in their multiplicity — it’s that a great movie can come from almost anywhere. It can come from the heart of the megaplex, as several of our best movies of the year, like “Inside Out 2” or “Dune: Part Two,” attest. It can come from the indie world, the world of international cinema, the world of documentary, the streaming world. It can bubble up from the underground, as “The People’s Joker” did. It can come from an audacious filmmaker taking his most radical leap yet (“Kinds of Kindness”) or from an audacious filmmaker who has settled into a revelatory new classicism (“The Room Next Door”). We like to think of our lists as excitingly eclectic. What unites and defines every film on them is simply ­— always — the passion that got poured into making it.

The film, which scripted history by becoming the first Indian movie to win the Grand Prix award at the Cannes in May, has been registering wins and nominations as Hollywood gears up for its annual awards season that culminates with Oscars.

New Delhi: Filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light, a Mumbai-set story about three women and their friendship, on Monday received two nominations at the 82nd Golden Globes in Best Motion Picture Non-English Language and the Best Direction – Motion Picture categories.

The film, which scripted history by becoming the first Indian movie to win the Grand Prix award at the Cannes in May, has been registering wins and nominations as Hollywood gears up for its annual awards season that culminates with Oscars.

At the Golden Globes, All We Imagine As Light will compete with Emilia Perez (France), The Girl With the Needle (Poland), I’m Still Here (Brazil), The Seed of the Sacred Fig (US) and the Vermiglio (Italy) in the Best Non-English Language Motion Picture category.

In the Best Director category at the 82nd Golden Globes, Kapadia will compete with The Brutalist director Brady Corbet, Coralie Fargeat of , Edward Berger of ConclaveEmilia Perez director Jacques Audiard and Sean Baker for Anora.

“I’m deeply honoured by this nomination and grateful to the HFPA for this recognition. This is a celebration of everyone who worked so passionately on the film. To everyone in India, All We Imagine as Light is still in theaters—please go watch it and support us,” Kapadia said in a statement.

Kapadia’s feature debut has received a lot of international acclaim since it premiered at Cannes where it not only registered the second best award but was also one of the best reviewed movies.

The director, a graduate from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), has previously directed acclaimed short film Afternoon Clouds and docu-feature A Night of Knowing Nothing.

Though the movie was not selected as India’s official entry for the Academy Awards in the International Feature Film category, it is expected to fetch nominations at the Oscars in general categories. Kiran Rao’s Laapata Ladies will represent India in the category.

The movie was named the Best International Film by New York Film Critics Circle and won an award in the same category at the Gotham Awards recently.

All We Imagine As Light claimed the top spot at the Sight and Sound magazine’s annual list of 50 best movies of the year.

The Malayalam-Hindi feature is being distributed in the US by Janus Films and Sideshow. Rana Daggubati’s Spirit Media released the film across India in November.

Starring Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha and Chhaya Kadam, Kapadia’s film explores love and friendship in the bustling city of Mumbai through three women, two Malayali nurses — Prabha and Anu — and their friend Parvati.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/payal-kapadias-all-we-imagine-as-light-receives-two-golden-globe-nominations-3310382

Rekha Recalls Lata Mangeshkar Called Her ‘Mumma’: ‘I Prayed To God For A Daughter Like Lata Didi’

Rekha, a celebrated actress, recently opened up about her cherished memories with the legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar. She shared an emotional anecdote highlighting the depth of their bond, recounting how Lata once affectionately called her “Mumma.” This touching exchange originated when Rekha expressed her heartfelt wish to have a daughter like Lata. Their relationship, as described by Rekha, went beyond professional admiration and reflected a unique familial affection that both cherished.

Rekha reminisced about the profound impression Lata left on her life, not only as a musical genius but as a warm and nurturing individual. Despite her unparalleled accomplishments, Lata’s humility and ability to connect personally made her stand out. Rekha vividly recalled Lata’s voice and its comforting resonance, emphasizing how that memory continues to live within her, symbolizing their enduring bond. To Rekha, Lata was more than just an artist—she was an embodiment of grace, talent, and kindness.

The anecdote underscores the mutual respect and admiration shared between two icons of Indian entertainment, offering a glimpse into their personal connection. Rekha’s words reflect the immense love and reverence she holds for Lata, whose legacy remains unparalleled in Indian music. Through her voice and persona, Lata touched countless lives, including Rekha’s, leaving behind an indelible mark.

Source : https://www.spotboye.com/bollywood/news/rekha-recalls-lata-mangeshkar-called-her-mumma-i-prayed-to-god-for-a-daughter-like-lata-didi/67565f5de4cc4f51c198372e

The past week has been an epic one in B-town. But if you’ve missed catching up on them, then fret not. Here are the top 7 Bollywood Newsmakers of the Week.

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of death and death threats.

We are all set to start a new week. But before that, let’s take a look at some of the B-town biggies who made the news in the past week. A fan illegally entered the set of Salman Khan and threatened to call Lawrence Bishnoi. On the other hand, Deepika Padukone made her first public appearance at Diljit Dosanjh’s concert after welcoming her first child with Ranveer Singh. Read on!

Here are the top Bollywood Newsmakers of the Week:

1. Salman Khan faces new threat as intruder illegally enters his shooting site

While Salman Khan was shooting in Mumbai amid heavy security, a fan forcefully entered the location. When a fight broke out between him and the security personnel, he threatened to call Lawrence Bishnoi. The person was immediately taken into custody and was questioned at Shivaji Park police station.

2. Deepika Padukone makes first appearance after delivery

Deepika Padukone made her fans go gaga when she arrived on stage at Diljit Dosanjh’s concert in Bangalore. This was the first time the actress made a public appearance after delivering her daughter Dua in September 2024. The celebs also greeted each other with folded hands and had fun on stage.

3. Court finds nothing against cops after accused in Salman Khan firing case died in custody

Anuj Thapan, who was allegedly involved in a shooting near Salman Khan’s residence in Bandra, passed away while in police custody. While it was alleged that there was some police wrongdoing that resulted in the death of the accused, the Bombay High Court ruled otherwise.

As per PTI, a court order from October 25 revealed that a magistrate had submitted a report following a judicial inquiry under section 176 (1-A) of the CrPC. After reviewing the findings, the bench observed that there was no indication that Anuj Thapan’s death in custody resulted from police actions.

4. Ranbir Kapoor spills beans about Animal Park and Brahmastra Part 2

Ranbir Kapoor recently revealed that Animal will be made across three parts, adding that they would start with Animal Park by 2027. He also stated that Brahmastra Part 2 is currently in the writing stage and it will definitely star his wife, Alia Bhatt.

5. Saira Banu develops two clots in her calf after being diagnosed with pneumonia

Reports suggested that legendary actress Saira Banu, who is facing health issues, has developed two clots in her calf. As per a recent Instagram post by Vickey Lalwani, the senior star was hospitalized in October 2024 due to a severe pneumonia bout and has since developed two clots in her calf. It was also reported that she is being able to move around her home, but with difficulty.

6. Karan Johar’s mother, Hiroo Johar, hospitalized

Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar’s mother, Hiroo Yash Johar, was recently hospitalized at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. However, it was reported that the 81-year-old celebrity is now out of danger and there is nothing to worry about.

Source : https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/news/bollywood-newsmakers-of-the-week-salman-khan-faces-new-threats-deepika-padukone-makes-1st-public-appearance-post-delivery-more-1361841

Diljit Dosanjh’s Indore concert didn’t offer meat and alcohol to attendees after Bajrang Dal voiced protest against the above provisions.

A day after Bajrang Dal voiced protest against the scheduled sale of meat and liquor at Diljit Dosanjh’s Indore concert, the singer performed in the city on Sunday. A part of his ongoing Dil-Luminati Tour, the Indore gig didn’t served any alcohol or meat at the venue. An attendee informed us that there was “no non-veg, no alcohol” at Diljit’s Indore concert.

Bajrang Dal’s protest

Bajrang Dal on Saturday carried out protests in Indore against the Diljit Dosanjh’s concert in the city. Yash Bachani, a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) member, said that the Bajrang Dal could come out on the streets to protest against the concert and oppose serving meat and liquor.

“Bajrang Dal got information about a concert happening in the city where there would be open liquor, and meat would be served. We have come here to inspect the same and to ensure whether there are arrangements being made for women’s safety by the police administration. We are also alert about any Love Jihad incident happening here. We oppose the open liquor and serving of meat to protect the culture in the city. Bajrang Dal can come out on the streets to protest against the concert tomorrow. We will let you know about our decision,” Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) member Yash Bachani told reporters.

Meanwhile, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Zone 2 said that Indore police consider the matter related to the law and order situation seriously. “Indore police consider the matter of law and order situation, women’s security and drug abuse seriously. We have not permitted serving alcohol and its consumption in the open here. We are taking everything into cognizance…” Amrendra Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Zone 2 told reporters.

No alcohol in Pune concert

Earlier, the state excise department cancelled the permit for serving liquor at Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh’s musical concert in the Kothrud area of Pune last month. The decision came after strong protests from the youth wing of the NCP party and senior BJP leader Chandrakant Patil, along with some local residents and organisations, against serving liquor at the event.

This followed the controversial Hyderabad concert, in which the Telangana government banned Diljit from singing songs with lyrics on alcohol. Diljit bypassed that hurdle creatively, replacing alcohol terms with ‘softer’ substitutes like Coca Cola. He also addressed this controversy at the concert and claimed that several of his hit songs don’t have mentions of alcohol at all.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/music/no-non-veg-no-alcohol-diljit-dosanjh-indore-concert-meets-bajrang-dal-demands-dil-luminati-tour-101733713738727.html

“Every girl or woman – or for that matter, a man – should be free to decide how they would like to lead their lives,” the star tells Sky News.

Khan says society often pushes men to be breadwinners even when their instincts might be differentAamir Khan, often hailed as Bollywood’s Tom Cruise, has built a reputation not just as an actor, director and producer but as a true change-maker in Indian cinema.

Known for tackling pressing social issues, his films have long been a catalyst for shifting perspectives in Bollywood.

His latest project, The Lost Ladies, is no exception, with a comedic twist that’s earned a spot in the BAFTA race and been selected for the Oscars’ international category.

The film, directed by his ex-wife Kiran Rao, tells the story of two men who mistakenly bring home the wrong brides – a funny story underscored by powerful themes of patriarchy’s impact on both genders.

Khan’s humour and Rao’s directorial finesse craft a story that’s both entertaining and thought-provoking.

“Women have been working on themselves for quite a while and struggling with that,” says Khan. “Men have done nothing.”

“We’ve alluded to violence against women in the film,” adds director Rao. “The deeper themes of how patriarchy affects women are central to the story.”

‘Men are the big losers’

For Khan, the film is as much about men as it is women. He describes how societal expectations can strip men of their ability to connect emotionally.

“They can’t hold their son and give him a hug because it’s not such a manly thing to do,” says the actor.

“What men don’t realise is that what they are losing because of patriarchy is a big loss to a lot of men.”

The 59-year-old says society often pushes men to be breadwinners, even when their instincts might lead them toward homemaking.

“I think men are the big losers,” he adds, challenging patriarchal norms. “If they fail to fully develop themselves… they fail to develop their sensitive side.”

Khan believes change begins with emotional connection, saying you can “convince a person logically, but it doesn’t help – it’s when you emotionally convince someone that change begins”.

His work also raises questions about freedom of choice.

“Every girl or woman – or for that matter, a man – should be free to decide how they would like to lead their lives,” he tells Sky News.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/aamir-khan-a-bollywood-icon-redefining-what-it-means-to-be-a-star-13268020

Nana Patekar Turns Singer For Anil Sharma’s Vanvaas, Read To Know More!

The makers of the highly anticipated Vanvaas unveiled the trailer of the film at an event. Offering a poignant glimpse into an emotional journey that delves into the intricacies of human relationships, the trailer promises a tale of vulnerability, resilience, and the universal quest for belonging. While the trailer launch witnessed the presence of the iconic Nana Patekar alongside the talented Utkarsh Sharma and Simrat Kaur, it has indeed heightened excitement for the film’s release while it has also been revealed that Nana Patekar has sung a song in the film.

At the trailer launch event, the entire team came together, and the highlight of the evening was Nana Patekar singing on stage with singer Shaan. During the performance, Shaan revealed that Nana Patekar has lent his voice to a song in the film. This is undoubtedly an exciting aspect to look forward to in Vanvaas.

Directed, produced, and written by Anil Sharma, the film reimagines the concept of family, showing that true connections are built not just by blood but by love and acceptance.

A Zee Studios Worldwide release, Vanvaas hits the theatres on 20th December. Mark your calendars for this unforgettable story brought to life by Anil Sharma!

Source: https://www.spotboye.com/bollywood/news/nana-patekar-turns-singer-for-anil-sharma-s-vanvaas-read-to-know-more/6750095ee4cc4f51c1983403

The film, a sequel to 2021’s Telugu blockbuster ‘Pushpa: The Rise’, was released in theatres across the country and in the overseas markets on December 4.

Hyderabad: Actor Allu Arjun starrer Pushpa 2 : The Rule has grossed over Rs 500 crore during the first three day, making it the first ever Indian film to achieve that feat, said Naveen Yerneni of Mythri Movie Makers, the producers of the flick on Saturday.

Addressing the “success meet” of the movie, Naveen said the film is doing extremely well with one lakh tickets being booked on BookMyShow.

The film, a sequel to 2021’s Telugu blockbuster Pushpa: The Rise, was released in theatres across the country and in the overseas markets on December 4.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/pushpa-2-fastest-indian-movie-to-cross-rs-500-cr-mark-says-producer-naveen-yerneni-3308234

Quentin Tarantino made headlines for defending “Joker: Folie à Deux” earlier this year against the onslaught of critical pans, and now another filmmaker is joining him by naming the maligned sequel one of the best movies of 2024. “Pink Flamingos” and “Hairspray” icon John Waters published his annual top 10 list on Vulture and “Joker: Folie à Deux” is in the sixth spot.

“Finally, a love story I can relate to,” Waters writes. “So insane, so well thought out, so well directed, so much smoking! It’s ‘Jailhouse Rock’ meets Busby Berkeley with a 9/11 ‘That’s Entertainment!’ ending that will make you shake your head in cinematic astonishment. Stupid critics. Gaga so good. Joker so right. Die, dumbbells, die!”

Waters’ list is topped by Kristen Stewart’s lesbian thriller “Love Lies Bleeding” and includes several Oscar contenders such as “The Brutalist,” “Emilia Perez,” “Hard Truths” and “Queer.” The “Joker” sequel is easily the most divisive film on the director’s list. The film earned mostly negative reviews and flopped at the box office with $58 million domestically and $206 million worldwide, a far cry from the 2019 original’s $1 billion gross.

During an October interview on the “The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast,” Tarantino raved about “Joker: Folie à Deux” and said Joaquin Phoenix “gives one of the best performances I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“The Joker directed the movie,” Tarantino said about the film’s helmer Todd Phillips. “The entire concept, even him spending the studio’s money — he’s spending it like the Joker would spend it, all right? And then his big surprise gift — haha! — the jack-in-the-box, when he offers you his hand for a handshake and you get a buzzer with 10,000 volts shooting you — is the comic book geeks. He’s saying fuck you to all of them. He’s saying fuck you to the movie audience. He’s saying fuck you to Hollywood. He’s saying fuck you to anybody who owns any stock at DC and Warner Brothers […] And Todd Phillips is the Joker. Un film de Joker, all right, is what it is. He is the Joker.”

These defenses of the “Joker” sequel are few and far between. Even actors who appeared in the movie have spoken out against it. Comedian Tim Dillon, who had a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role in the movie as an Arkham Asylum security guard, went viral last month for trashing “Joker: Folie à Deux” as “the worst film that has ever been made.”

Source : https://variety.com/2024/film/news/john-waters-joker-2-best-movies-2024-stupid-critics-1236238777/

In the Salman Khan house firing case, the Bombay High Court finds no basis for allegations against police in the custodial death of Anuj Thapan, questioning why they would target an 18-year-old.

Picture Courtesy: Salman Khan/InstagramAnuj Thapan, who was allegedly involved in the April 14 shooting near Salman Khan’s residence in Bandra, passed away while in police custody. On Friday, the Bombay High Court concluded that there was no evidence to support claims of police wrongdoing related to his death.

As per PTI, a court order from October 25 revealed that a magistrate had submitted a report following a judicial inquiry under section 176 (1-A) of the CrPC. After reviewing the findings, the bench observed that there was no indication that Anuj Thapan’s death in custody resulted from police actions, as previously alleged.

After reviewing the report, the bench questioned the petitioner’s advocate, Nishant Rana, about the reasoning behind the claim that the police would target someone who was not even the main accused. They pointed out that the 18-year-old, who was not the shooter and had gone to the bathroom alone, posed no threat. The bench emphasized the need to consider the circumstances, acknowledging the mother’s emotions while also focusing on the situation at hand.

When the lawyer argued that the deceased was in good health, the judges responded by highlighting that physical strength doesn’t equate to mental strength. They noted that no one could fully understand the circumstances that may have led him to take such a drastic step.

The judges pointed out that many factors could contribute to such actions, including financial stress, such as the burden of lawyers’ fees, especially considering he was from outside Maharashtra. They emphasized that there are often unknown factors at play in such situations.

Justice Chavan informed Rana that the CCTV footage showed no indication of anyone accompanying the deceased to the toilet, ruling out that possibility. He further remarked that, under normal circumstances, the individual would have likely struggled or resisted if there had been any external force involved.

Justice Mohite-Dere advised not to be swayed by emotions, acknowledging that a mother will always have suspicions after losing her son. He emphasized the importance of addressing those emotions while recognizing the understandable anxiety and grief a mother experiences in such a tragic situation.

The judge further stated that they could not understand any reason why the police would target an 18-year-old in the Salman Khan house firing case who was not even the main accused.

Source: https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/news/salman-khan-house-firing-case-bombay-high-court-finds-no-basis-against-police-after-anuj-thapans-custodial-death-1361663

Allu Arjun released a video on his social media, responding to the death of a fan at the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule. Here’s what he said.

Allu Arjun posted a video on X (formerly Twitter), responding to the death of a fan during the premiere of his latest film Pushpa 2: The Rule. When the actor visited Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad on December 4 with his family to watch the film with fans, it resulted in a stampede, leaving one female fan dead and her son hospitalised.

Allu Arjun responds to fan’s death

Arjun posted a 3-minute-47-seconds long video talking about the fan’s death, captioning it, “Deeply heartbroken by the tragic incident at Sandhya Theatre. My heartfelt condolences go out to the grieving family during this unimaginably difficult time. I want to assure them they are not alone in this pain and will meet the family personally. While respecting their need for space to grieve, I stand committed to extend every possible assistance to help them navigate through this challenging journey.”

In an alarming incident, the audience at the iconic Gaiety Galaxy theatre in Bandra, Mumbai, fell sick during the screening of Pushpa 2 on Thursday after an unidentified person sprayed a mysterious substance during the interval. The people inside the theatre experienced cough, itchy throat and vomiting post the film’s interval, and the show was halted for 15-20 minutes.

In an alarming incident, the audience at the iconic Gaiety Galaxy theatre in Bandra, Mumbai, fell sick during the screening of Pushpa 2 on Thursday after an unidentified person sprayed a mysterious substance during the interval. The Mumbai Police has now launched an investigation in the case.

The incident happened during the night show of Pushpa 2 at Gaiety Galaxy theatre, which is a favourite amongst the locals. According to ANI, the audience claimed that they experienced coughing, vomiting and discomfort during the second half of the film after someone allegedly sprayed some toxic substance inside the theatre.

The show was then halted for 15-20 minutes as people struggled inside, and the doors were opened to let the toxic gas out. It was only after the effect of the spray subsided that the film was resumed.

“We came out during the interval. After going back in, it seemed that someone had sprayed something causing coughing among the audience,” one of the viewers inside the theatre told ANI.

“As soon as we went back after the interval, we started coughing. We went to the bathroom and vomited. The smell stayed for 10-15 minutes. The smell faded away after the doors were opened. The movie resumed after that,” another audience member said.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/mumbai-fans-vomit-fall-sick-after-man-sprays-mysterious-substance-at-bandras-gaiety-galaxy-during-pushpa-2-screening

Indian creators and fans on YouTube didn’t just break the internet, but rebuilt it with their unique voice and brand of creativity, YouTube said in its India blog on Thursday, which revealed the top trending takeaways of the year.

New Delhi: The big fat Indian wedding of Radhika-Anant Ambani, cricket lovers’ festival IPL, gamer Ajju bhai — whose amusing commentary entertained audiences — and ‘moye moye’, a catchy melody by a Serbian artist that internet users widely used to take a funny take on adversities, grabbed spots in the chart of most-trending topics on YouTube in 2024.

Indian creators and fans on YouTube didn’t just break the internet, but rebuilt it with their unique voice and brand of creativity, YouTube said in its India blog on Thursday, which revealed the top trending takeaways of the year.

Videos featuring “Ambani” and “wedding” in their titles amassed over 6.5 billion views in India, as fans analysed every aspect of the event, including international performances, stunning outfits, and a guest list filled with celebrities, according to the blog.

“From armchair fashion critics to wedding planners offering their hot takes, this year, the after-party was online, and everyone had a VIP pass,” YouTube wrote.

Ajju bhai, known as Total Gaming, who commands an impressive subscriber count of 43.9 million, also grabbed a spot on the charts.

The song “moye moye,” which quickly gained popularity for its entertaining tone and catchy melody, has been featured in numerous videos, garnering over 4.5 billion views, it said.

The cricket fever in India did not fail to surprise, with 7 billion views generated by content related to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and the 2024 Indian Premier League.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/anant-radhika-wedding-ipl-moye-moye-ajju-bhai-most-trending-topics-in-youtube-2024-wrap-up-3305471

At the opening night of the prestigious Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia, actor Kareena Kapoor Khan made a stunning entrance on the red carpet in an Oscar de la Renta appliqued strapless gown.

The tonal orchid-inspired blooms beautifully wrap around the cotton-velvet gown, accentuating the column silhouette and complementing Kareena’s frame with elan. The actor completed her red carpet look with a sleek bun accessorised with a purple fishnet face fascinator. Styled by celebrity hairstylist Mike Desir, the fascinator added vintage glam to Kareena’s overall look.

Celebrating femininity, craftsmanship and timeless style, Kareena was styled by celebrity fashion stylist Rhea Kapoor along with Sanya Kapoor and Shereen. The blush tones on her flawless skin, berry lips and iconic winged eyeliner was creatively done by celebrity makeup artist Savleen Manchanda. Kareena’s opulent style was further enhanced with some sparkling chandelier earrings encrusted with diamonds and rubies.

Sharing her excitement about being a part of the Red Sea International Film Festival, Kareena expressed, “I think it is brilliant. I have just walked the red carpet. I think this [year] is larger, it has more movies. I am excited about that. Last year was a tribute to women in cinema. And this time there are films from so many different places. I am so looking forward to that.”

Kareena took to Instagram to take a series of images of her stylish look from the opening night and captioned it as: “Red Sea International Film Festival opening night.” The photographs were beautifully captured by photographer Apeksha Maker.

The Red Sea International Film Festival kicked off on December 5, 2024, and the opening night was attended by an array of personalities from across the globe. The red carpet was graced by Aamir Khan, Will Smith, Michelle Yeoh, Eva Longoria, Emily Blunt, Cynthia Erivo, Minnie Driver, Spike Lee, and Daniel Dae Kim, among others.

Source: https://www.news18.com/lifestyle/kareena-kapoor-stuns-in-an-orchid-inspired-gown-at-red-sea-international-film-festival-9146788.html

Nagarjuna, in a note, thanked the media for their “understanding and for giving us the space to cherish this beautiful moment”. See his post here.

Nagarjuna has shared new pictures from his son Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala’s wedding ceremony. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Nagarjuna shared the photos. Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala recently exchanged vows in an intimate wedding in the presence of close friends and family members at the iconic Annapurna Studios, Hyderabad.

New pics of Chaitanya, Sobhita
In the first photo, Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala smiled as they looked at each other. Both of them wore traditional white outfits. Chaitanya was seen in a kurta and dhoti. Sobhita opted for a red and white saree. She also wore traditional jewellery. The next picture showed the newly wedded couple posing with their family members, including Nagarjuna.

Nagarjuna pens gratitude note
Sharing the photos, Nagarjuna expressed his gratitude with a note. He wrote, “My heart is overflowing with gratitude (folded hands emoji). To the media, thank you for your understanding and for giving us the space to cherish this beautiful moment. Your thoughtful respect and kind wishes have added to our joy.”

“To our dear friends, family, and fans, your love and blessings have truly made this occasion unforgettable. My son’s wedding was not just a family celebration—it became a cherished memory because of the warmth and support you all shared with us. From the bottom of our hearts, the Akkineni family thanks you all for the countless blessings you have showered upon us,” he added.

About Chaitanya, Sobhita’s wedding
The wedding was a stunning display of Telugu traditions, with rituals performed under the guidance of elders. The festive atmosphere was enriched by heartfelt blessings from family and friends, who gathered to witness this significant moment. Apart from family and close friends, the event also saw the presence of many celebrities.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/telugu-cinema/naga-chaitanya-and-sobhita-dhulipala-cant-stop-smiling-at-each-other-in-new-pics-from-wedding-see-post-101733447448893.html