Have you heard? Baby on the way

Yami Gautam with husband Aditya Dhar

During the trailer launch of their upcoming film, Article 370 yesterday, Yami Gautam Dhar and filmmaker-husband Aditya Dhar shared that they are expecting their first child. Calling it "a family affair," he said, "My brother [Lokesh Dhar, producer] was there, my wife was there, and there is a baby on its way. It was an amazing time; the way the film happened, the way we got to know of the baby." Jesting that she could write a thesis on her journey, the actor, who plays an intelligence officer with the NIA (National Investigative Agency) in this Aditya Suhas Jambhale-directed political thriller, shared, "I really don't know what I'd have done had Aditya not been there by my side, and Lokesh bhaiyya and everybody." Yami added, "You want to be cautious and careful. I'm thankful to all the doctors who were supervising this secretly. We were mostly left with the talking portions by the time I was expecting the baby, so we could manage. This feels surreal as the baby was also a part [of the movie]."

Another musical romance

It is known that Sanjay Leela Bhansali is gearing up for the release of his maiden web series Heeramandi, and prep for his next magnum opus, Love & War. But before that, the filmmaker will start his new production venture. To be helmed by Ravi Udyawar of Mom fame, the yet-untitled contemporary romance reportedly features Mrunal Thakur and Siddhant Chaturvedi in lead roles. Interestingly, both actors will play musicians in the movie that is slated to go on floors this April. Given that it is a musical romance backed by SLB, we hear soulful compositions are being created to add to the freshness of Mrunal and Siddhant's on-screen jodi.

Power for people's good

Over 20 years since Madhur Bhandarkar's Satta (2003), Sameer Dharmadhikari plays a politician in the Marathi film, Lokshahi. In the drama that also looks at dynasty politics, the actor plays the role of Yashwant Chitre. "His character undergoes a drastic transformation, from pushing for industrial development to turning a good samaritan who understands the importance of serving the common people," says a source.

Scaling new heights

Multi-platinum singer-songwriter and businessperson Ananya Birla has inked a new record deal with the international music company, BMG. As part of this major signing, she is premiering her first global crossover single of 2024, Cuffed (Jo Tha Mila), which arrives on all streaming platforms today, alongside an animated video. What makes the song interesting is that it also features superstar American rapper Offset, and marks his maiden collaboration with an artiste of Indian origin. It also establishes his first female-led collaboration post Freaky, featuring Cardi B. Ananya enthuses, "BMG's trust in my craft, coupled with Offset joining forces on the track, highlights their dedication in spotlighting Indian talent. I'm extremely grateful that I can continue to be a small part of propelling the South Asian narrative and fostering cross-cultural collaborative exchanges. It is great to have found an international partner who understands me as an artiste and doesn't want me to be anything other than who I am. It was an absolute pleasure to team up with Offset."

Three to thrill

Even as he is readying Special Ops 2 for a summer release, Neeraj Pandey is set to begin another thriller. The yet-untitled project sees the filmmaker reunite with actors of his previous projects. Khakee: The Bihar Chapter actor Avinash Tiwary, Special Ops actor Saiyami Kher, and Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha actor Jimmy Sheirgill are said to have been signed on to essay the lead roles in his new venture. While details about the plot are not known at this point in time, Neeraj is apparently planning to commence filming by February-end. The month-long shoot will kick off in Mumbai, after which the team will move to Agra and later Abu Dhabi. The new thriller is part of the multiple projects the filmmaker is committed to make for Netflix, having started their association with the web series, Khakee.

Shilpa's ‘eat right' mantra

Shilpa Shetty Kundra is known to be particular about her fitness and also cautious about what she eats. During the launch of Dr Hansaji Yogendra's book, The Sattvik Kitchen, the actor emphasised that 70 per cent of her wellness is because of her nutrition, while the remaining 30 per cent is due to the fitness regimen she follows. "There is need to value our heritage and culture and a book like this helps us to do just that," she said. A self-confessed believer of the adage that ‘we are what we eat', Shilpa maintained, "Food can be your medicine while ayurveda and yoga are a form of science for good health. This book reveals the rich legacy of our culture and invokes a sense of deep pride about being Indian."