Dilip Kumar, the "Tragedy King" of Indian cinema, remains an enduring icon in Bollywood for his extraordinary performances and transformative impact on the film industry. On his 102nd birth anniversary, veteran actor Dharmendra shared a throwback photo of the actor. Taking to Instagram, Dharmendra wished Dilip Kumar 'happy birthday' and called him his 'loving brother.' In the throwback photo, the 'Yaadon Ki Baaraat' actor was seen hugging Diilip Kumar as they shared a happy moment. "Dalip saheb, Happy Birthday to you. I miss you my loving brother. You are the Best," wrote Dharmendra. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dharmendra Deol (@aapkadharam) On the 102nd birth anniversary of Dilip Kumar, the film fraternity took to social media to wish the actor 'happy birthday.' His beloved wife, veteran actress Saira Banu, paid a heartfelt tribute to the actor, recalling the special moments they shared. While the world recognized Dilip Kumar for his larger-than-life persona and unmatched acting skills, Saira fondly remembered the simpler, carefree side of him that he reserved for their personal moments. Taking to social media, Saira shared a touching video montage of the unforgettable times she spent with her late husband. Dilip Kumar, who passed away in 2021 at the age of 98, had left an indelible mark on Indian cinema, but for Saira, he was much more than a c In her Instagram post, Saira reflected on how Dilip Kumar's presence transformed her life. "A few people walk into your life to stay, becoming a part of you in every possible way. That's what happened when Dilip Sahib entered my life to stay with me forever. We are one in our thoughts and being," she wrote, capturing the depth of their bond. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Saira Banu Khan (@sairabanu) Dilip Kumar's career spanned over five decades and he played the lead role in about 60 films. He is not only remembered for his stellar performances but also for the grace and dignity with which he carried himself both on and off the screen. The Tragedy King's cinematic legacy continues to influence and inspire generations of actors and filmmakers. From his groundbreaking roles in tragedy to his versatility across genres, he made huge contribution to Indian cinema.
12 December,2024 07:51 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIThe Kapoor family met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday in Delhi, for a special meeting related to the upcoming Raj Kapoor 100 Film Festival. Members of the Kapoor family, including Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, were present during the interaction. A video shared by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) also showed the Kapoor family sharing their experiences after meeting the PM. During the meeting, a light-hearted conversation between actor Alia Bhatt and PM Modi turned into a delightful moment when the 'Jigra' actress asked if the Prime Minister listens to music. "Kya aap gaane sun paate hain?" (Do you get time to listen to music?), Alia inquired. PM Modi responded with a simple yet adorable answer, "Main sun pata hoon kyunki mujhe achha lagta hai. Kabhi mauka mil jata hai toh main zaroor sun leta hoon." (I do listen because I enjoy it. Whenever I get the chance, I listen). The 'Jigra' actress also told PM Narendra Modi that she had recently seen a clip of him in Africa, standing with a soldier, who was singing her song. "I think aap Africa gaye the. Maine wahan pe bhi ek clip dekha tha kuch jawan ke sath khade the aur vo uss time mera gana gaa rahe the. But maine vo clip dekha tha. Kafi logo ne mujhe bheja tha aur sab log bahut khush ho gaye." (Recently, I think you went to Africa. I saw a clip where some soldiers were singing my song. Many people sent me that clip, and everyone felt so happy)," said Alia. Meanwhile, the festival will celebrate the centenary of Raj Kapoor, one of the most iconic figures in Indian cinema, who passed away in 1988. It showcases 10 iconic Raj Kapoor films across 40 cities and 135 cinemas, with a ticket price of Rs 100. The announcement of the film festival, which will include screenings of classics such as Aag, Barsaat, Awaara, Shree 420, and Mera Naam Joker, has sparked excitement among cinema lovers. Raj Kapoor's films are renowned for their storytelling, timeless music, and social relevance. His legacy continues to influence generations of filmmakers and audiences. Known as "India's Greatest Showman," Raj Kapoor's career spanned several decades, from his early days as a child actor to his later success as a director and producer. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 December,2024 07:47 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIActor Shraddha Kapoor created a buzz at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. On Wednesday, Shraddha shared a video on Instagram, capturing moments from her experience in Jeddah. From interacting with locals to gracing the red carpet, the video highlights her eventful time at the festival. Expressing her gratitude for the warm reception and love from fans, she wrote: "New country, new people, new experiences, and a fabulous time for my one true love - FILMS!!! Thank you so much, Red Sea Film Festival and the people of Jeddah, for such a warm welcome and a beautiful time." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shraddha ✶ (@shraddhakapoor) On the fifth day of the festival's fourth edition, Shraddha turned heads with her stunning red-carpet appearance at the gala screening for the MENA premiere of the film We Live in Time. The event featured a star-studded lineup, including Hollywood actors Andrew Garfield, Benedict Cumberbatch, Adam Ackland, and Jeremy Renner. Representing India on this global platform, Shraddha made a lasting impression with her glamorous look. Draped in a dazzling, multi-coloured gown with a shimmering train, she exuded elegance and grace. The gown featured a single net sleeve and an embellished belt, perfectly complemented by minimal makeup. Her eyes and lips were enhanced with subtle pops of colour, while her open, flowing hair added to her effortless chic appeal. Shraddha opted for minimal jewellery, allowing her outfit to take centrestage. She also posed with Andrew Garfield, further capturing the essence of charm and elegance on the red carpet. The Red Sea Film Festival has already seen the presence of several Bollywood stars, including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Aamir Khan, and Ranbir Kapoor. On the professional front, Shraddha is celebrating the tremendous success of Stree 2, a horror-comedy that released on August 15, 2024. The film, which stars Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee, and Aparshakti Khurana, has shattered box office records. Directed by Amar Kaushik, Stree 2 has captivated audiences with its engaging storyline and star-studded cameos from Varun Dhawan and Akshay Kumar, both of whom have received praise for their performances. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 December,2024 07:46 AM IST | Saudi Arabia | ANIIn a world where weddings are often marked by grand gestures and picture-perfect moments, actress Shefali Shah took a simpler and personal approach when she married director and producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah. The actress recently shared a heartwarming post on the occasion of their 24th wedding anniversary. Taking to Instagram, the 'Three of Us' actress shared a throwback photo from her wedding with Vipul Amrutlal Shah. It is her second marriage. In the throwback photo shared by the actress, Vipul Amrutlal Shah is seen applying vermillion on Shefali's head as she bows in gratitude. Shefali is adorned in a red saree, while Vipul wears a white kurta paired with a red dupatta. In her heartfelt caption, Shefali described her relationship with Vipul as "solid, rooted, persistent, and forever." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shefali Shah (@shefalishahofficial) The actress reflected on the preparations for her wedding, which, unlike many modern-day celebrations, did not involve event planners, dress designers, florists, choreographers, videographers, or even a makeup artist. Instead, the couple took charge and planned everything themselves. "We had no such hashtags for our union. We didn't have an event planner, dress designer, florist, dance choreographer, or videographer (which I regret to this day). I didn't even have a makeup artist. We planned and executed everything on our own," she wrote. "We picked a location, decided on the menu, searched for and designed the mandap decor, made our own clothes, and got married. Bas, as simple as that," she added. Shefali also shared a humorous anecdote, confessing that they nearly considered postponing the wedding due to exhaustion after a fun-filled sangeet ceremony. "We don't have perfect pictures; we didn't look like a prince and princess. Yes, the horse was milky white with long silky tresses, absolutely magnificent, but it belonged to the next-door baraat. And we had danced so much at our sangeet that we almost considered postponing our wedding to the day after. But it was too late--food for 100 people (thanks to our parents) was already cooked. By the end of the evening, we weren't jumping with joy, overflowing with romance, or desperate to lay hands on each other. We were just exhausted, tired, and dying to sleep. And that's exactly what we did," she continued. While the couple has celebrated their marriage in numerous ways over the years, this year they opted for a quiet celebration at home. "We planned surprises for each other, gave gifts, flowers, and letters (that's me), and cooked or ordered his favourite food. Music, friends, parties--we've done it all. But today, we chose to chill at home, just us. It may not be the best way to celebrate an #anniversary, but it is a celebration of life, which is solid, rooted, persistent, and forever." Fans and celebrities filled the comment section with warm wishes for the couple. "Happy anniversary," wrote Saba Ali Khan Pataudi. Shefali Shah was last seen in the critically acclaimed film 'Three of Us' alongside Jaideep Ahlawat, and continues to receive immense love and admiration from her fans. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 December,2024 07:43 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIWhat does a feel-good film about young love need? A special dance number. That’s exactly what director Advait Chandan has envisioned for his yet-untitled next, starring Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor. mid-day has learnt that Farah Khan has been roped in to choreograph a special song, which will be filmed in Karjat on December 19. Aamir and Junaid Khan A source reveals, “It will be a two-day shoot. Advait felt that Farah would be the right person to design the peppy number that fits seamlessly in the breezy romantic comedy. The prep will start early next week before Junaid and Khushi face the camera next Thursday.” Working with Junaid will be a special experience for Farah, considering she had kicked off her career as a choreographer with Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar’s (1992) Pehla nasha that featured his superstar-father Aamir Khan. Khushi Kapoor The upcoming film, set to release in February 2025, marks the second outing of Khushi as well as Junaid after their respective debuts in The Archies (2023) and Maharaj. It is said to be an adaptation of the Tamil hit, Love Today (2022), which revolved around a young couple who are compelled to swap their phones for a day to test their love.
12 December,2024 07:29 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuCelebrating a colleague Alia Bhatt was among the first to congratulate Golden Globe nominee Payal Kapadia after her movie, All We Imagine as Light, earned two nods for the upcoming gala. Kapadia, who has become the first Indian to be nominated in the Best Director category for the film, will also vie for a win in the Best Motion Picture (Non-English Language) category. Bhatt shared a video clip of Hollywood star Mindy Kaling announcing the nominations, and tagged Kapadia in the caption while sharing, “History is yours!” The India-French co-production charted history by becoming the first title from India to win the Grand Prix Award at the Cannes Film Festival in May. The Malayalam-Hindi film, which marks Kapadia’s feature directorial debut, follows two nurses from Kerala as they navigate life and love in Mumbai. Joke’s on you Twinkle Khanna shared that when it comes to humour, “you can’t buy it, or cultivate it.” The writer, who was felicitated at the Crossword Book Awards, where her book Welcome to Paradise won the Popular Fiction title, attributes her sense of comedy to the experiences she had while growing up. “It was my defence mechanism. I had a strange name, and was a strange size. So, either I would make jokes about myself, or other people would. I decided to do it first, and then, no one else would.”
12 December,2024 07:28 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamFormer actress and celebrated author Twinkle Khanna was recently felicitated at the Crossword Book Awards 2024 where her book Welcome to Paradise won in the Popular Fiction category. Twinkle, who left the movies and cemented herself in the world of words, is known to be candid with her penmanship. Earlier this year, she received a master's degree in fiction writing from the Goldsmiths, University of London. Twinkle speaks exclusively to Mid-day about returning to college, trying not to offend people with her writings, and the source of her incredible sense of humour. Twinkle Khanna on returning to college Twinkle Khanna, who gave a second shot at learning, says that her decision to become a student once again stemmed from the COVID-19 pandemic. She states, “It was an opportunity to live a completely different life and most people don't get that, especially when they come to this stage, when you are in your late 40s. My life was going in one direction and suddenly I could leap. The only thing that bothered me was everyone else running down the stairs in the university, my knees aren't as good as they used to be (laughs).” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Twinkle Khanna (@twinklerkhanna) Twinkle took up two online courses at Oxford in writing for six months when she completely immersed herself in the literary world. “There were no distractions because I had to submit my assignments and so I thought that if I was going to do six months online and love it so much then I should give myself this opportunity and go back to university, go to class, do that for a year and do my master's,” she adds. Twinkle Khanna has become more careful with her words Once an active Twitter (now X) user, Twinkle wouldn’t shy away from speaking her mind. From current affairs to social causes, she came forth as an extremely straightforward personality sans a filter. That being said, she has limited herself from taking potshots to avoid any trouble. She explains, “I’ve become a little bit more careful than what I used to be. I would get into a lot of trouble. I don't know whether it's bravado or it is foolishness but I've always said things the way that they should have been said and I hope that I continue being able to put it like that. I've just gotten a little bit better at framing it so that I do not offend 80% of people, just 20%.” Twinkle Khanna on her incredible sense of humour Fondly known as Mrs Funnybones, courtesy of her bestseller, Twinkle asserts that when it comes to humour, “You can't buy it and you can't cultivate it.” She adds, “It's just the way you grow up. it was my defense mechanism when I was growing up. I had a strange name, I was a strange size so either I would make the joke about myself or then other people would so I decided that I would do it first, and then no one else would.” Twinkle believes that accolades such as the Crossword Book Awards 2024 are a way of bringing the community together. “I think it is a way of celebrating literature and writing. I'm just one little spoke in this wheel but collectively I think that it is almost sending a beacon of light up there saying that we are celebrating the world of words,” she concludes.
12 December,2024 07:21 AM IST | Mumbai | Oshin FernandesAnanth Mahadevan’s first feature film, Ghunghat Ke Pat Khol (1999), is getting a new lease of life. In May, the Joy Sengupta and Sucheta Khanna-starrer came into focus when Mahadevan claimed that Kiran Rao’s acclaimed work, Laapataa Ladies, borrowed heavily from it (‘Mix-up in train and station straight from my film’, May 10). Now, the digital rights of Ghunghat Ke Pat Khol have been bought by Shemaroo, and the movie will stream on ShemarooMe from January. Ghunghat Ke Pat Khol Mahadevan says there has been renewed interest in the film ever since he pointed out that Laapataa Ladies—which revolves around two brides getting switched mistakenly, owing to their veiled faces—was inspired from his movie that had the same premise. “It’s a pity that Ghunghat… had a two-time telecast on Doordarshan in 1999. As soon as [the officials at Doordarshan] got to know that Laapataa Ladies was similar to Ghunghat, they immediately called me and took rights for a three-time telecast. Now, [the OTT release] will ensure a wider reach,” says the director. Ananth Mahadevan Laapataa Ladies has been selected as India’s official entry to the 2025 Oscars. As Rao takes the Sparsh Shrivastava, Pratibha Ranta, Nitanshi Goel and Ravi Kishen-starrer to the global stage, Mahadevan says, “Nobody will ever admit to it or prove that Laapataa Ladies was inspired. Though nothing can be done about it, the coincidences are too strong. When people call and tell me that it has been selected as India’s entry for the Oscars, I tell them, ‘That’s great. It’s the first time one of my films is going to the Academy Awards.’” Meanwhile, Ketan Maroo, who bought the digital rights of Ghunghat Ke Pat Khol, is confident that the 25-year-old film has an eager audience. “People are saying that another movie is inspired by it, so there will be curiosity,” he states.
12 December,2024 07:06 AM IST | Mumbai | Upala KBRIn a space of two weeks, the Indian audience was treated to two different releases. Cannes Grand Prix winner All We Imagine as Light made history by making Payal Kapadia the first Indian to score the Best Director nomination at the 2025 Golden Globe Awards, while Pushpa 2: The Rule rewrote history at the Indian box office with its stupendous collections. Yet, only one of them finds a place in theatres. On Tuesday, filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane called out the Allu Arjun-starrer for dominating screens across multiplexes, leaving no room for Kapadia’s gem to “breathe” or “find an audience”. With All We Imagine as Light set to be re-released in select theatres, Motwane’s post has brought the question out in the open: Do mainstream entertainers sideline independent films, making it difficult for them to survive? Allu Arjun in Pushpa 2: The Rule Trade expert Girish Wankhede strongly disagrees with Motwane. “All We Imagine… released on November 22 and had a two-week run. One understands that such a film needs institutional push, but any film needs to show 40 per cent occupancy for it to be carried forward. It couldn’t fill the occupancy requirement; its lack of screens has no connection with Pushpa 2. Since Pushpa 2 is showing 80 per cent occupancy, it is preferred,” reasons Wankhede. Payal Kapadia, Onir and Vikramaditya Motwane. Pics/AFP, Yogen Shah, Instagram If one looks at the screen count, it is skewed. Pushpa 2 is running in 4,500 screens across the country; in contrast, All We Imagine… is expected to be re-released in 200 screens on Friday. But trade expert Akshaye Rathi says that films like the Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha and Chhaya Kadam-starrer require alignment of all channels, especially in today’s unpredictable market. Rathi says, “The makers of Pushpa 2 were in discussion with cinema owners for eight months before the film was released. All We Imagine’s distributors should’ve engaged with the exhibition sector and figured a way to make it reach the masses. For instance, Cinepolis is doing a week-long Japanese anime film festival in January, and it will be robustly promoted. We need to engage to make space for each other. No one wants to kill independent cinema because for theatre owners, people who appreciate such cinema are also [a source of income].” Weighing in on the debate, filmmaker Onir says that indie films have been shortchanged for long in this country. He, however, asserts that the onus is not on exhibitors alone; he believes everyone, from the media to the audience, should do their part to support small films. “All We Imagine... didn’t get funding in India. Even the media didn’t talk about it. Not enough viewers watch indie cinema whereas the masses make sure that the [mainstream] films work,” he notes. Onir says that change must begin from the top. “Has All We Imagine... been made tax free? Why are ministers not watching it? There has to be government support. Multiplexes have bled during the pandemic. So, now they are trying to recover money. Every producer will want their film to make money. So, whom do you blame? It’s a vicious cycle.”
12 December,2024 07:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu | Priyanka SharmaRajinikanth is arguably the first pan-Indian star whose popularity spans across from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. From flipping and rolling glasses several times before putting them on to rolling cigarettes in air and catching them with lips, Rajinikanth does everything in his own style and his fans totally love it! His on-screen shenanigans, powerful dialogue delivery, charismatic persona and his mannerism is what makes him larger than life. Addressed as ‘Thalaiva’ by his ardent fans, Rajinikanth is the only undisputed superstar whose mere screen presence is enough to pull crowds to the cinema halls. The actor who has been a part of Indian cinema for over five decades, Rajinikanth is being worshipped as God among his fans and his giant-sized cutouts and hoardings are put up before every release of his films. As today marks the 74th birthday of the legendary superstar, here are some interesting facts about the actor that every Rajini fan must know! Also Read: Rajinikanth praises 'Kantara'; Rishab Shetty responds, 'You inspire me to do more local stories' Born in a Maratha family in Bangalore, Rajinikanth’s real name is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad. The superstar was named after the great Maratha warrior king, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. At home, he was brought up speaking Marathi and Kannada. He learnt Tamil while pursuing diploma in acting from Madras Film Institute. While this is no secret that Rajinikanth worked as a bus conductor before becoming an actor, very few know that he also worked as coolie and carpenter to make ends meet. One of the biggest celebrated superstar, before starting-off as an hero, Rajinikanth began his acting career by essaying villainous characters on the silver screen. From playing abusive husband to a womanizer, Rajini has done it all. In 1977, he got a chance to play a positive character with the film, ‘Bhuvana Oru Kelvikuri’. The actor who is an inspiration for millions of people and budding actors across the country, for him, Bollywood’s living legend, Amitabh Bachchan is his inspiration. So much so that he acted in around 11 Tamil remakes of Amitabh’s films. In his career spanning over 50 years, the Thalaiva has acted in 170 plus movies approximately. A proud recipient of Padma Vibhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the superstar was named by Forbes India as the ‘most influential Indian’ in 2010. For the unversed, Rajinikanth happens to be the only Indian actor who has featured in the Central Board of Secondary (CBSE) syllabus in a lesson titled as, ‘From Bus Conductor to Superstar’. 'For the Love of A Man’, a film based on Rajinikanth’s fandom was premiered at the 71st Venice Film Festival in 2015. In 2010, his sci-fi film, ‘Enthiran’ became the only Tamil film to make it into IMDb’s Top 50 films from around the globe. The Rajinikanth-starrer sci-fi drama has apparently been included as a case study in an IIM-A PG elective course. Also Read: Superstar Rajinikanth to make a cameo appearance in daughter Aishwarya's 'Lal Salaam'
11 December,2024 10:34 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Kapoor family met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to invite him to the celebration of legendary actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor's 100th birth anniversary. The family is organizing nationwide screenings of Raj Kapoor's iconic films as part of the tribute. PM Modi had a warm interaction with the Kapoor family which he shared on Instagram. In the caption, he wrote, “Raj Kapoor Ji was a legend whose performances captivated everyone. Met the Kapoor family as we mark 100 years of his legacy.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) PM Modi asks about Taimur and Jeh’s absence In the video shared by PM Modi, Ranbir Kapoor begins by sharing how the family decided to address him for the meeting. It then shows Rima Jain struggling to say 'Adarniya Pradhan Mantri' while Modi says “cut”. He then proceeds to strike up a conversation with Saif Ali Khan and recalls meeting his father Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. He expresses his desire to meet three generations of the Pataudi clan and asks about Taimur and Jeh, to which Kareena explains that her boys wanted to come. When PM Modi watched Raj Kapoor’s film Phir Subah Hogi During the brief conversation with the Kapoor family, PM Modi shared his admiration for Raj Kapoor's lasting influence on Indian cinema and spoke about the power of films in their era. He recalled an incident involving veteran leader LK Advani and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee: "I remember the impact of films in those days. It was during the Jana Sangh era, and there was an election in Delhi. After the party lost, Advaniji and Atalji said, 'What should we do now?' Then they decided, 'Let's watch a movie.' They went to watch Raj Kapoor's 'Phir Subah Hogi.'" #WATCH | Delhi: Members of the Kapoor family yesterday extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the 100th birth anniversary of legendary actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor on December 14Actor Ranbir Kapoor says, "This is a special day for us. We enjoyed the… pic.twitter.com/fOBVlfLFYK — ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2024 Members of the Kapoor family, including Karisma Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, were also present during the interaction. Meanwhile, the festival will celebrate the centenary of Raj Kapoor, one of the most iconic figures in Indian cinema, who passed away in 1988. It showcases 10 iconic Raj Kapoor films across 40 cities and 135 cinemas, with a ticket price of Rs 100. The announcement of the film festival, which will include screenings of classics such as Aag, Barsaat, Awaara, Shree 420, and Mera Naam Joker, has sparked excitement among cinema lovers.
11 December,2024 10:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
