Have you heard? Punjabi collaboration

Vicky Kaushal

Punjabi collaboration

Vicky Kaushal's love for Punjabi music is well known. Considering the reactions to videos of him grooving to Punjabi songs, like Karan Aujla's Softly, on social media, netizens have been wondering when the actor will be seen in a peppy number next. We hear that Vicky has collaborated with Karan for his upcoming release, Bad Newz. Said to be a party number, it marks the singer's Bollywood debut. The trailer of director Anand Tiwari's romcom, which also stars Triptii Dimri and Ammy Virk, was unveiled last week. The idea of Triptii's character discovering she is pregnant with twins from two different fathers, played by Vicky and Ammy, has piqued audience's curiosity. While the film arrives in cinemas on July 19, sources tell us that Karan's maiden Bollywood track with Vicky, the OG Punjabi munda, will be launched in the coming days.

Gurmeet goes RAW

Gurmeet Choudhary, who played an army officer in Paltan (2018), will soon be seen as a RAW (Research & Analysis Wing) agent in Commander Karan Saxena. Director Jatin Wagle's series revolves around the fearless protagonist who uses his skills to solve a political mystery and save the nation. Mincing no words in his admiration for the soldiers who serve our country, Gurmeet says the upcoming show is special for him. "Portraying a character inspired by these heroes is a tremendous honour for me. Karan embodies dedication, hard work, and courage - qualities I've always aspired to embody myself, and bringing him to life on screen has only strengthened these traits within me," he explains, adding that the protagonist is someone he has always wanted to be.

An understanding friendship

Ajay Devgn and Tabu's friendship traces back to their college days. As actors, they have collaborated on films like Vijaypath (1994), Drishyam (2015), Golmaal Again (2017), De De Pyaar De (2019), Drishyam 2 (2022), Bholaa (2023) over the years. During a recent promotional interaction for their upcoming film, Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha, Tabu shared, "We are very different as people, but there is a bond that goes beyond anything, and it's the awareness that we share or what we feel for each other [that is special]. We have similar tastes in a few things. We might not agree on a couple of things." She also revealed that since he is not too talkative, Ajay may never publicly praise her, but never fails to convey it in his own way. Revisiting an earlier interaction with her actor-buddy and producer Bhushan Kumar, she recalled, "Ajay suddenly said, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 toh Tabu ke wajah se chali [Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 worked because of Tabu], much to my surprise. That's how he is." Well, well, don't we know?

A musical museum exhibit

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's web series debut, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar has achieved a milestone. The song, Sakal ban, from the period drama, will be featured at the Royal College of Music Museum's exhibition, Awake: Sufi Music and Women of South Asia, in London, which will be on till October 3.

The kathak number from the Nexflix drama series joins films like Mughal-E-Azam and Zeenat at the exhibition that brings alive the stories of women's roles in the male-dominated musical landscape of Sufism. Musical instruments of Sufi women from India, Paskistan and Bangladesh, from the Mughal era to present day London, will be displayed at the exhibition.

Exploring Tamil cinema

Five years since her cameo in the Ajith-starrer Nerkonda Paarvai (2019), Kalki Koechlin is set to star in a Tamil film next. She plays a Portugal-based lawyer in director Vishnu Vardhan's Nesippaya. While plot details are being kept under wraps, we hear the romantic drama also stars Akash Murali and Aditi Shankar. Kalki is said to join the shoot after she wraps up her international film, Her Story, in which she plays a self-deprecating American writer. Vishnu was to begin shooting The Bull with Salman Khan earlier this summer. However, the Karan Johar production has been put on hold to re-work the screenplay and the logistics.

Fulfilling her commitment

Despite being under the weather, Shraddha Kapoor headed to Uttar Pradesh for a brand commitment over the weekend. She wore a mask as a precautionary measure. Alongside a picture, Stree 2 wrote in her Instagram stories, "Tabiyat down, lekin Lucknow aana hai toh aana hai [Health is a bit down, but since I had to come to Lucknow, I have to come] (sic)." Shraddha recently made news for making her relationship with Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar writer, Rahul Mody.

Daughter to the rescue

A few days after Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal celebrated their wedding, her actor-father Shatrughan Sinha was hospitalised. While speculations were rife as to what ails the veteran actor-politician, it is now learnt that he tripped over the corner of the carpet and hurt himself at his Juhu home. Fortunately, Sonakshi was present at home and was quick to help break his fall. Sinha senior complained of pain in his ribs and got himself admitted into Smt Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital at his doctor's behest. Shatru apparently underwent a minor surgery and is expected to be back home in a couple of days.