Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan received a warm welcome as he arrived at his Bandra residence after being discharged from Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital. The actor was admitted following a stabbing attack by an intruder last week. In the pictures and videos shared by the paparazzi, Saif’s home on the 11th and 12th floor of Satguru Sharan was decorated with fairy lights. Security tightened at Saif’s home As Saif reached his building premises he waved to the media. The 'Hum Tum' actor looked healthy as he greeted the paparazzi with a smile. Kareena Kapoor and Karisma Kapoor were also spotted. As per reports, security has been tightened at Saif’s home and CCTV cameras have been installed. He has hired personnel from actor Ronit Roy’s agency. The actor suffered stab wounds to his thoracic spine when an intruder, later identified as Mohd Shariful Islam Shehzad, who hails from Bangladesh, entered his home with the alleged intent of theft. Saif, attempting to intervene, was attacked, leading to a violent confrontation. The actor was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment after sustaining major injuries. Saif underwent surgery to treat serious injuries, including the removal of a 2.5-inch-long blade. Saif’s wife Kareena and their two kids Taimur and Jeh were staying at Karisma Kapoor’s home since the Mumbai police had secured the crime scene for investigation. The accused was also taken to their house to recreate the crime. A case has been registered under sections 311, 312, 331(4), 331(6), and 331(7) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). Saif Ali Khan's work projects Meanwhile, Saif Ali Khan was last seen in 'Devara Part 1', which hit theatres on September 27 last year. The film, which stars Saif alongside Jr NTR and Janhvi Kapoor, was released in multiple languages, including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi. The film's ensemble cast also includes Prakash Raj, Srikanth Meka, Tom Shine Chacko, and Narain. Saif will next be seen in the heist thriller 'Jewel Thief - The Red Sun Chapter', directed by Robbie Grewal. The film also features Jaideep Ahlawat in a prominent role. This project marks Robbie Grewal's first collaboration with Saif Ali Khan. The storyline will reportedly centre around a gripping battle between Saif Ali Khan's and Jaideep Ahlawat's characters.
22 January,2025 10:01 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, who is currently gearing up for back-to-back comedy releases opened up on not being a part of the cult franchise Bhool Bhulaiyaa for its second and third installment. Akshay also shared that he picked up movies on social causes in the past couple of years since his mind was in a state that pushed him to do so. Akshay Kumar was ‘removed’ from Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and 3 In an interview with Pinkvilla, a fan sitting in the audience asked Akshay Kumar why he wasn’t a part of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and 3, to which the actor replied, “Beta, mujhe nikaal diya tha (I was removed). That’s it.” The first part Bhool Bhulaiyaa, released in 2007, starred Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan in the lead roles. It was directed by Priyadarshan and was a remake of the 1993 Malayalam-language film Manichitrathazhu. The second part Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022) starred Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani, and Tabu in the lead roles. The third installment was released in 2024 and featured Kartik Aaryan with Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit, and Triptii Dimri. Akshay Kumar’s upcoming projects On the work front, Akshay Kumar will next be seen in Sky Force which is set to release on January 24. It features him as an Indian Air Force officer who embarks on a mission of vengeance after the death of several soldiers. The high-stakes thriller, directed by Sandeep Kewlani and Abhishek Kapur, promises breathtaking aerial combat, intense action sequences, and a gripping narrative that showcases the bravery of Indian soldiers. Akshay is joined by debutant Veer Pahariya, who plays another IAF officer, and Sara Ali Khan, who portrays Veer's wife. The film will also feature Nimrat Kaur in a pivotal role. He also has Bhooth Bangla with Priyadarshan. Tabu and Paresh Rawal are also a part of the horror-comedy. It marks the reunion of Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan after 14 years. The duo previously worked on hit films such as Hera Pheri, Garam Masala, Bhagam Bhag, and Bhool Bhulaiyaa. The film is slated for a theatrical release on April 2, 2026. Besides that, Akshay will be seen as Lord Shiva in the upcoming Telugu film Kannappa. It also stars Vishnu Manchu in the lead role and features a star-studded cast including Mohan Babu, R. Sarathkumar, Madhoo, Mukesh Rishi, Mohanlal, Prabhas, and Kajal Aggarwal. He also has Housefull 5 and Welcome to the Jungle.
22 January,2025 09:57 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentWatching Kennedy at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival with Vikramaditya Motwane, little did Rahul Bhat know it would pave the way for his next with the filmmaker. Today, as the actor is receiving wide praise for his performance in Motwane’s Black Warrant, he recalls how the filmmaker offered him the part. “When he saw Kennedy in Cannes, he really liked the film. On returning, he offered me Black Warrant. I believe the work I did with Anurag [Kashyap] influenced him,” says Bhat. Vikramaditya Motwane The actor worked with Kashyap on Ugly (2014) and Kennedy. Having teamed up with two of the finest filmmakers in the country, did he find any similarity in their vision? “They have unique voices, but they are creatively the same—from the way they treat their actors, to creating an atmosphere so that there is immense scope for creativity. Also, Vikram bohot mehnat karta hai! When I told this to Anurag, he was laughing. It doesn’t mean Anurag doesn’t work hard, but Vikram is always on his toes,” he grins. In a career spanning over two decades, Bhat has done only 10 films. Despite limited work and little social media presence, which unfortunately seems to influence casting today, he has Kashyap and Motwane projects on his résumé. “I want to tell the newcomers that they must stop being social media wannabes. These directors are passionate about their cinema. They don’t care if you are Shashi Kapoor’s grandson or Rahul Bhat. They want to know if you can be trusted to get the character right. You could be their brother or son, but they won’t cast you if you don’t suit the character. They don’t cast you looking at how many paps are clicking you.”
22 January,2025 08:21 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaAs Madhur Bhandarkar's award-winning film 'Page 3' turned 20 years old since its release, actress Konkona Sensharma took a trip down memory lane and recalled the experience of shooting her first film in Mumbai. Taking to her Instagram account on Tuesday, the actress shared a series of pictures from the sets of the film and added a note describing her "first experience" of shooting a movie in Bombay. "I can hardly believe PAGE 3 released 20 years ago! My first experience of filming in Bombay. This was 2005, the year of the flood and the year I moved to this city, which has now been my home for over two decades! At the time, I was young, full of abandon, and free of expectations, but today I look back with so much gratitude. Thank you @imbhandarkar for Madhvi Sharma, a character I received so much love for. Thank you @tarasharmasaluja and @sandymridul for the lifelong friendships," read her caption. Check out the post View this post on Instagram A post shared by Konkona Sensharma (@konkona) Helmed by Madhur, the film was released in 2005 and starred Konkona Sen Sharma, Atul Kulkarni, and Boman Irani in the lead roles. It was declared a hit. The drama film won three National Film Awards. Madhur Bhandarkar has given multiple hits, including 'Fashion', 'Heroine', 'Chandni Bar', 'Satta', 'Indu Sarkar', and many more. Meanwhile, on the work front, Konkona was last seen in the series 'Killer Soup', co-starring Manoj Bajpayee, which was released in January on Netflix. Directed by Abhishek Chaubey, the series revolves around Swathi Shetty (played by Konkona), a budding cook who wishes for the entire world to enjoy her soup. One mishap kicks off a chain reaction of accidents and frantic cover-ups that find her and her partner in hot water. Konkona will next be seen in 'Metro...In Dino', co-starring Sara Ali Khan and Aditya Roy Kapur. 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
22 January,2025 08:13 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIActor Shilpa Shetty has sent "dher saara pyaar" to her "darling" friend and Ayushmann Khurrana's wife, writer Tahira Kashyap on her birthday. The actress took to her Instagram to share an adorable selfie of the two posing together, Shilpa wrote a note for Tahira, calling her inspiring." "Happy Birthday, darling @tahirakashyap. May your day be as beautiful and inspiring as you are. Here's to great health and happiness always. Sending dher saara pyaar your way," Shilpa wrote. Meanwhile, Tahira made her directorial debut with 'Sharmajee Ki Beti' which featured actors Sakshi Tanwar, Divya Dutta, and Saiyami Kher in the lead roles, along with Vanshika Taparia, Arista Mehta, Sharib Hashmi and Parvin Dabas in pivotal roles. The film revolves around the aspirations, dreams, and coming-of-age moments within a multigenerational narrative of quintessentially middle-class women from diverse backgrounds. 'Sharmajee Ki Beti' was out on Prime Video on June 28 last year. On the work front, Shilpa was last seen in the web series 'Indian Police Force'. Directed by Rohit Shetty, the series also starred Sidharth Malhotra and Vivek Oberoi in lead roles. The show premiered earlier this year on Amazon Prime Video. Shilpa will next appear in the upcoming Kannada film 'KD: The Devil'. The film also stars Dhruva Sarja, V Ravichandran, Ramesh Aravind, Sanjay Dutt, Jisshu Sengupta and Nora Fatehi in lead roles. Directed by Prem, 'KD-The Devil', the Pan-India multilingual is set to release in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi. It is a period action entertainer based on true events from 1970s Bangalore. 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
22 January,2025 08:08 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIThe makers of Vicky Kaushal-starrer 'Chhaava' shared the first look poster of the actress Rashmika Mandanna who is set to play the role of Maharani Yesubai in the film. Vicky Kaushal's period drama 'Chhaava' is one of the highly anticipated movies of this year. After announcing the release date of the film a few days ago, the makers have now unveiled the first look of the 'Geetha Govindam' actress through Instagram. In heavy jewellery and a red saree, Rashmika looks royal in the poster. She will be playing the role of Maharani Yesubai in the film. The movie is set to release in the theatres on February 14. Maharani Yesubai was the wife of Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj referred to as Chatrapati Maharani of the Maratha Kingdom. In the series of photos, the actress showcased different expressions. In the primary photo, Rashmika is seen smiling while in another she seems angry and heartbroken. Taking to their Instagram handle, Maddock Films announced the trailer release date of the film. "Behind every great king, there stands a queen of unmatched strength. Introducing @rashmika_mandanna as Maharani Yesubai - the pride of Swarajya. #ChhaavaTrailer Out Tomorrow! Releasing in cinemas on 14th February 2025." wrote Maddock Films while sharing the poster. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maddock Films (@maddockfilms) Vicky will be seen in the role of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in the upcoming epic saga 'Chhaava'. Produced by Maddock Films and directed by Laxman Utekar, the film also stars Rashmika Mandanna and Akshaye Khanna. 'Chhaava' is touted to be a "stirring tale of the courageous warrior whose coronation on this day in 1681 marked the beginning of a legendary reign." On being associated with the film, Dinesh Vijay, founder of Maddock Films and producer of Chhaava, said, "I am immensely proud to tell the story of India's Chhaava through a film that honours the indomitable legacy of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. He was a true warrior and visionary leader whose story is long overdue for the big screen. This marks the first time Maddock Films is venturing into the historical epic genre, and it's truly an honour for us to be able to bring this powerful narrative to life." "Chhaava is more than just a film; it is a tribute to a legend whose courage, resilience, and leadership have inspired generations. Through this film, we aim to celebrate the incredible legacy of this iconic figure," he added. 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
22 January,2025 08:00 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIFilmmaker Shekhar Kapur, who is known for films like ‘Masoom’, ‘Mr. India’, ‘Bandit Queen’, had once said that his film ‘Masoom’ was his attempt to explore the fragility of human emotions. ‘Masoom’, which marked the directorial debut of Shekhar, is an adaptation of the 1980 Erich Segal novel ‘Man, Woman and Child’, which was also adapted into a Malayalam movie ‘Olangal’. Reflecting on the film, Shekhar Kapur once said, “‘Masoom’ was my attempt to explore the fragility of human emotions. It taught me that the greatest stories are the ones that come from truth, truth that can be uncomfortable, but also liberating”. The film is a poignant exploration of human relationships, love, and forgiveness. ‘Masoom’ beautifully delves into the life of a seemingly perfect family whose world is turned upside down by the revelation of an illegitimate child. The heart of the film lies in its raw emotions, stellar performances. The film boasts of R.D. Burman’s beautiful music and Gulzar's poignant lyrics including the iconic song ‘Tujhse Naraz Nahi Zindagi’. The film also introduced actors Jugal Hansraj and Urmila Matondkar as child artists. Earlier, Shekhar had shared a profound message on storytelling. Taking to his Instagram handle, he posted a captivating photo from his retreat in the Himalayas and shared his perspective on the art of storytelling. Shekhar wrote, “Love teaching storytelling and where better than in the Himalayas. Teaching is the art of exploring ourselves together. All of us are born storytellers. We just need not to be shy of expressing ourselves. Revealing ourselves. #storytelling @himalayanwriting @kaverikapur.” The filmmaker also tagged his daughter Kaveri. In his three-day retreat nestled in the serene Himalayas, Kapur guided his students on a journey of self-discovery through storytelling. In his next follow-up post, the director added, “You don’t teach story telling. Together with your students you explore the stories that lie inside them. After all all art starts with ‘who am I’. Who is that that’s telling story? What are the stories lying dormant inside you? Where are you in the stories you want to tell? Great 3 days teaching in the Himalayas #storytelling @HimalayanWrite”. 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
22 January,2025 07:45 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSIt has taken writer-director duo Garima Wahal and Siddharth Singh, better known as Garima-Siddharth, 10 years to bring Saale Aashiq from paper to the screen. But the duo, who was writing television shows at the time, knew they were on to something when they wondered why films about inter-caste romances ended with the couple paying the price for their love. “It used to anger us. If you see Sairat [2016] or any film on caste-based murders, the couple dies in the end. Instead, we decided that the couple has to win in the end. Cinema should depict what happens in real life. But then, what if somebody had a plan? That’s where fiction comes in,” says Wahal. With that thought, the two wrote and helmed the Tahir Raj Bhasin and Mithila Palkar-starrer that will première on Sony Max on February 1. Selling the film was tough. “COVID-19 came in the middle. Plus, Love Hostel [2022], a similar film, got in the way. But our pitch was distinct. Our couple goes after the families,” states Singh. Garima Wahal, Siddharth Singh Wahal recalls how OTT platforms as well as stars were skeptical about coming on board. It took them a long time to find their leads, but today, they can’t imagine anyone except Bhasin and Palkar as the fiery couple. “OTTs didn’t want to take this up. OTT platforms prefer an existing story. For instance, they adapted Black Warrant from a book. But they fear to take a punt on original stories. [In terms of actors], we met the A-listers, but they were wary of playing these characters. Tahir and Mithila were a breath of fresh air. Mithila picked up the accent required for the role. Actors today want to stay in their comfort zone. But Tahir and Mithila dared to be Shatru and Gudiya,” she says. After the film was made, the next step was the CBFC clearance. Singh says that despite Saale Aashiq tackling the theme of caste violence, they consciously steered away from making it gory so as to get the UA certificate. “The CBFC wanted to give it an A certificate. But, eventually, we convinced them [to grant a UA certificate], saying that more people have to watch this film. We want teenagers to know right from wrong. Some cuts were asked, some even ridiculous, but none that compromised the film,” smiles Singh.
22 January,2025 07:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuGoing international Randeep Hooda is Hollywood-bound again. On Tuesday, the actor reportedly flew to Budapest to begin shooting for an international film. This marks his second Hollywood outing after Extraction (2020), which was fronted by Chris Hemsworth. A source shared, “Randeep is excited about filming the project. While not much is known at this stage, he will be seen in a brand new avatar. The shoot is set to commence in Budapest later this week.” Next chapter in filmmaking Hansal Mehta is widening his horizon. After a two-decade career as a director, Hansal is turning producer with True Story Films, which he has formed with Sahil Saigal. The production house will create a slate of projects, from web series to films. “I’m driven by narratives that challenge the status quo, provoke conversations, challenge cinematic conventions and entertain at the deepest level,” said the Scam 1992 maker. Facing legal trouble The makers of Yash’s Toxic are facing trouble for illegally felling trees during the shoot in Bengaluru’s Peenya Plantation 1 and 2. The authorities have sent a show-cause notice to the makers. Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar B Khandre has said that a decision will be taken after reviewing the makers’ reply. Apparently, the land lost its forest status after a false Interlocutory Application was filed at the Supreme Court in 2020. However, in the last cabinet meeting, the government approved the withdrawal of the application. A divine experience Going from Berlin to Prayagraj, Avinash Tiwary sure is having a whirlwind trip. After attending the première of his next, The Mehta Boys, in Germany, the actor went to the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. For him, the experience was both divine and unforgettable. “Coming from Bihar, I’ve always known the cultural and traditional significance of this event, but witnessing it first-hand was on another level. What made it even more special was experiencing it with my friends. We explored the mela together. We also got to experience the Ganga Aarti in our trip, which was magical, and indulged in the local delicacies. The energy of the place was amazing, and I was blown away by how well-organised everything was,” said Avinash of the Maha Kumbh that occurs once every 144 years.
22 January,2025 07:07 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamUrvashi Rautela has been in the headlines for her controversial remarks that she made in the recent past. In 2024, a video of the actress was widely circulated on social media, showing her in a bathroom. Now, reacting to the viral video, she has shared that the clip was circulated online only after taking permission from her. She also stated that it was a clip from her film, and the producers had requested her to allow them to leak it. The reality of viral video In conversation with Bollywood Bubble, she revealed that the Ghuspaithiya makers approached her crying and explaining how their film lacked in several aspects and that they were in desperate need to create a buzz. She further revealed, "Unko kuch debt aa gaya tha, aur kuch udhari wagairah mein (They had some debt and were caught up in loans and such). They had to let go of their land and all. Woh sadak pe aane wale the (They were on the verge of being out on the streets). And so, they came and discussed it with my business manager, head, and all." She further continued and shared, "And then, they took our permission ki woh movie ka scene tha, kuch aisa special nahi kiya tha humne. Woh movie ka hi scene tha. Toh un makers ka yeh ek request thi ki kya hum isko pehle leak out kar sakte hain. And it was sort of awareness also ki ladkiyon ko have to be careful (It was a scene from the movie; it wasn’t something special we had done. It was part of the movie itself. The makers requested if they could release it early. It was also intended to create awareness, especially for girls to be cautious)." About Urvashi Rautela Urvashi Rautela has been a part of the industry for a long time now. The actress made her acting debut with the Hindi film Singh Saab the Great. Since then, Urvashi has appeared in several movies, including Hate Story 4, Sanam Re, Kaabil, Hate Story 4, and Pagalpanti, to name a few. Her recent film is JNU: Jahangir National University. She was recently in the news for her film Daku Maharaj.
21 January,2025 11:06 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentZeenat Aman recently took to her official Instagram and shared her ordeal of a near-death experience. The yesteryear diva nearly choked on her BP medication. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zeenat Aman (@thezeenataman) Dropping a stunning picture of herself on Instagram, Zeenat Aman wrote, "In the risk of sounding like an old lady suffocating on her tablets, allow me to share what happened last night. It was the end of a long day of shooting at a studio in Andheri East. I had returned home to an ecstatic Lily, and after giving her the attention she is entitled to, I swiftly went through my night rituals. My very last task before I could surrender to sleep was to take my blood pressure medication." Sharing how she struggled to swallow the pill, the diva wrote, "I popped the pill into my mouth, took a sip of water, and then felt my breath catch. There it was, this little pill lodged in my throat. Too far down to regurgitate and too far up to swallow. I could still breathe, but it was restricted. I took another drink of water, and then another, and another, until the glass was empty but the pill remained stuck." Zeenat Aman further added how her son, Zahaan Khan, came to her rescue: "There was nobody at home with me other than the dog and the five cats, and panic began to set in. The doctor’s number was busy, so I made frantic calls to @zanuski, who abandoned his plans to rush over. As I waited for him, the discomfort in my gullet grew. I could think of nothing but that deviant pharmaceutical robbing me of easy breath. There’s no dramatic ending to this story. Zahaan arrived, we finally got through to the doctor, who said it would dissolve in time, and I spent the next few hours sipping warm water and waiting." She concluded, "Sometimes it’s important to tackle an issue head-on. To confront, challenge, and change. But sometimes a situation requires those other softer acts of patience, restraint, and equanimity." In the meantime, Zeenat Aman will shortly be a part of Manish Malhotra's "Bun Tikki" and Netflix's "The Royals." 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
21 January,2025 09:22 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSADVERTISEMENT
