Have you heard? Shilpa wishes hubby for screen debut

Shilpa Shetty Kundra

Shilpa Shetty's husband Raj Kundra has decided to make his screen debut with a film, UT69, based on his life. The film depicts Kundra's experiences in jail on charges of producing pornographic content. Congratulating her husband for the November 3 release, she wrote: "All the best, Cookie. You're a brave man. That's what I admire the most about you! Here's to your gumption and positivity!" Speaking at the trailer launch, he said, "[Enduring what I did] was painful, especially when you haven't done anything wrong. It was painful for my family. Don't point fingers at my wife and kids."

Wrapping up the story

The second volume of Scam 2003: The Telgi Story will start streaming on SonyLIV from November 3, the platform announced yesterday. Hansal Mehta serves as a showrunner on the series, which is directed by Tushar Hiranandani and stars Gagan Dev Riar in the title role of the infamous counterfeiter. SonyLIV shared the premiere date and the trailer for the second part on social media.

On the Gaza attacks

Bade Achhe Lagte Hain actor Nakuul Mehta has spoken against the bombing of a hospital in Gaza that took the lives of 500 individuals, amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine war. "The visuals of the bombing in Gaza are far too disturbing. If what happened in Israel earlier was terror, then this is outright genocide," wrote the actor on social media. While Hamas blamed an Israeli airstrike for the bombing, the Israeli military blamed a rocket misfired by other Palestinian militants.

New venture

Malayalam actor Nivin Pauly will make his OTT debut with the upcoming Disney+ Hotstar series Pharma, the streaming service announced yesterday. "Excited to be part of Pharma, and with the universe it creates. It's a story that must be told and shared," Pauly said.

Nachke dikha

Former choreographer Arshad Warsi will serve as the judge of the dance-based reality show, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, which returns to the screen this year. "I am thrilled to be joining the judging panel this year. Dance has always been one of my greatest passions and I have loved watching the fabulous performances on this stage over the years. I have tremendous respect for the contestants who will step out of their comfort zone to take up this challenge, and pour their heart and soul into perfecting each performance.

It takes courage to put yourself out there, and I hope my feedback and encouragement will help them become better performers over the course of this journey. My goal is to inspire them to dance from the heart and have fun while they're at it. And of course, I am looking forward to being entertained and inspired by their talent and creativity," he shared.

Choosing the words

Sultan of Delhi actor Mehreen Pirzada is saddened that a sequence in her debut OTT series depicting marital rape has been labelled as a sex scene, in sections of the mainstream media and social media.

This kind of description "trivialises a serious issue that many women the world over are currently dealing with", Pirzada, who has worked across Hindi, Tamil and Telugu film industries, said in a lengthy social media post. "It disturbs me that a certain section of the media has picked on this. These people should understand that they have sisters and daughters, and I pray they never have to go through such trauma," she wrote.

Skip the girls? Bwoys go again?

Even as the guessing game around the making of Jee Le Zaraa - touted as the ‘female-version' of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara - continues, Farhan Akhtar appears to have teased his fans on social media. Sharing a dishevelled image of himself, he wrote: "The Imraan look comes full circle. What say @zoieakhtar? Should the Bwoys head on another road trip (sic)." His co-star Abhay Deol was among the first few actors to respond stating, "I've had my #bagwati packed since 2012, what's keeping you guys?" Hrithik Roshan, who completed the trio that led the film, also shared, "Let's go." Director Zoya Akhtar also shared her excitement around the possibility of a second version. Fans of the actor were only too happy with their banter. "Wait, what!!? Farhan, getting our hopes high and then not making this movie, is not funny," wrote one fan, in reference to a well-remembered dialogue from the film.