Rashmika Mandanna is currently shooting for the highly-anticipated film, "Thama", alongside Ayushmann Khurrana. The 'Animal' actress took to her official IG and dropped a sneak peek into the night schedule of the flick. Rashmika shared two photos in the stories section of her Instagram. In one of the snaps, she was seen sleeping in the car. "Hmmmm...night shoots..how much I love night shoots..clearly ! @aditya_a_sarpatdar sir knows very well. #Thama.", the diva captioned the pic. In another still, Rashmika was seen in her vanity holding a travel cup that read, "Thama night shoot". On a different note, protagonist Ayushmann revealed that the shoot for "Thama" came to a momentary halt to celebrate India's win at the Champions trophy. Ayushmann took to his Instagram and posted a video of him and his crew members watching the India Vs New Zealand match on a phone. After India won the finals, the actor and his “Thama” crew started to cheer and clap. However, the team slowly proceeded towards the shoot location. “Shoot ruk jaati hai jab India jeet jaata hai! #championstrophy2025 #winners #worldchampions #Thama (The shoot comes to a halt when India wins!),” Ayushmann captioned the post. Touted to be a ‘bloody love story’, "Thama" is a part of Maddock’s blockbuster horror comedy universe. The film promises to be a gripping love story, set against a bloody backdrop. With Ayushmann and Rashmika as the lead pair, the project also features Paresh Rawal and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in significant roles. "Thama" has been made under the direction of Aditya Sarpotdar of ‘Munjya’ fame. The story of the drama has been written by Niren Bhatt, Suresh Mathew, and Arun Fulara. The film talks about a relentless historian who delves into ancient texts, unraveling chilling truths about local vampire legends, as supernatural forces awaken. This quest not only unearths history but also ignites a battle for the town's very soul. Produced by Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik, "Thama" is expected to be released by October 2025. 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
11 March,2025 10:33 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIBollywood actor Deepika Padukone made a stunning appearance at the Louis Vuitton show during Paris Fashion Week 2025. As the global brand ambassador for the luxury label, Deepika exuded elegance and sophistication in a bespoke outfit from the fashion house with the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower, as she donned a hat, scarf to tie up her hair and a dash of classic red lipstick with a white oversized coat and all back heels and gloves. View this post on Instagram A post shared by दीपिका पादुकोण (@deepikapadukone) Deepika Padukone at Paris Fashion Week 2025 Deepika is attending the Louis Vuitton show at the Cour Carrée du Louvre, a main courtyard of the Louvre Palace in Paris. By being the first ever Indian to be signed by global luxury fashion houses for Louis Vuitton and Cartier, she set the stage for the country’s growing influence globally and has further paved the way for other Indian celebrity faces to join the wave in subsequent years. Stunning in a timeless classic ensemble, reminiscent of the vintage charm, Deepika slays as she marks her appearance overseas yet again. Her actor-husband Ranveer Singh also reacted to the post and wrote, “Lord have mercy on me.” Ranveer and Deepika welcomed their first child in 2024 Deepika and Ranveer announced the birth of their baby in September 2024 with a heartfelt post, expressing their gratitude and excitement as they embraced the joys of parenthood. On Diwali, Deepika and Ranveer introduced their daughter to the world, revealing her name 'Dua Padukone Singh' with a meaningful message. The couple wrote, "Dua: meaning a prayer. Because she is the answer to our prayers. Our hearts are filled with love & gratitude." DeepVeer’s relationship The Bollywood power couple tied the knot on November 14, 2018, at Italy's Lake Como after dating for six long years and the duo never fails to shower love on each other on social media. Ranveer and Deepika first met on the sets of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's romantic drama film 'Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela' and later also starred in 'Bajirao Mastani' and 'Padmaavat'. The pair was last seen together on-screen in Rohit Shetty's cop drama, 'Singham Again', where Deepika played the fierce Shakti Shetty, aka Lady Singham and Ranveer reprised his role as Simmba. The film also stars a powerhouse ensemble including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Arjun Kapoor, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff, and Akshay Kumar.
11 March,2025 08:32 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFilmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj's eyes light up at the mention of Arjun Ustara, the period drama he is currently shooting. While he had initially planned the movie with the late Irrfan Khan, Shahid Kapoor has now stepped into the role, marking the actor-director’s fourth collaboration after Kaminey (2009), Haider (2014) and Rangoon (2017). “Both of us are excited to come back together. The shooting has been terrific,” says Bhardwaj. The director is equally impressed by Triptii Dimri in their maiden collaboration. “Triptii is so lovely, and such a fine actor. This is the first time I’m working with Nana Patekar and I’ve been thinking, ‘Why did I not work with him before?’” Vishal Bhardwaj Bhardwaj is also the composer on his films. He notes a renewed interest in the value that music brings to a movie today, saying, “There was a time when a film became a hit with a hit song. Then no matter how hit the songs were, a film didn’t work if it wasn’t good. Now, again, a film will work if the songs are a hit. Tauba tauba [Bad Newz , 2024] is cited as an example where the song and step worked, so the film worked. I don’t know if that’s true.”
11 March,2025 07:51 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaOne would assume that Abhishek Bachchan would mark his 25th year in the movies with a big-ticket film. Instead, the actor is kicking off the year with Prime Video’s Be Happy, director Remo D’Souza’s film about dance, rhythm, and joy. Today, he finds joy in fronting small films with a big heart. Does he know who he is as an artiste now more than ever before? “I don’t think any artiste ever knows who they are,” smiles Bachchan. His pursuit of heartfelt stories is evident in his last many offerings—from Manmarziyaan (2018) to I Want to Talk (2024). Reflecting on his choices, he says, “As human beings, we grow. What we liked doing 10 years ago may have changed today. The reason to do a film today is that you gravitate towards it. You might not, six months down the line. It’s important for an actor to continuously learn. I have a great example of an 83-year-old [Amitabh Bachchan] back home who is still learning. I’ve always worked from the heart. Sometimes, it worked for me, and other times, it didn’t. I’m proud of every film that I’ve done, whether it has been accepted or not because I’ve learnt from each.” Today, when the industry is going through a rough patch, actors say it’s a difficult time for movies. Bachchan, however, believes that the noise is the common people’s voice that must be heard. “You should not cut out that noise. As an actor, you’re public property because your films demand the audience to pay a price to come into the theatre, or to subscribe to a digital platform. What they think is of paramount importance. So, I don’t want to cut out the noise. It gets very loud at times. But if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” Tuning into what everyone is saying—from fans to trolls—can take a toll on mental health. How does he battle it? “If a [netizen] is being a bit aggressive, fair enough; social media gives everybody a platform to air their opinions. It’s up to you whether you want to listen. I’d love to indulge in discourse. But if they want to be nasty, then you learn to switch off. You can’t let that affect you.” 2000 The year Abhishek Bachchan made his debut with Refugee
11 March,2025 07:42 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuWith The Diplomat, actor-producer John Abraham and director Shivam Nair are bringing a political thriller inspired by the 2017 episode of Uzma Ahmed’s repatriation. It has been learnt that ahead of its March 14 release, the makers screened the movie for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in the first week of March. Following that, on March 6, the Abraham, Sadia Khateeb, and Revathy-starrer was cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with a mandate—the makers were instructed to add a disclaimer stating that they support maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries. In The Diplomat, Khateeb’s character is modelled on Ahmed, who, in May 2017, had escaped from her husband’s house in Pakistan, and knocked on the doors of the Indian Embassy in Islamabad for help, claiming that she was forced to marry him at gunpoint. Indian diplomat JP Singh, who had led her repatriation to India, is played by Abraham. Sources indicate that the MEA screening focused on ensuring that the film’s narrative did not adversely affect India’s diplomatic ties with Pakistan. The CBFC’s demand for the disclaimer was a step towards that. A source says, “Considering the film is centred on international diplomacy, a visual and an audio disclaimer was added to emphasise that while the core matter may be inspired by a true incident, its portrayal of geopolitical tensions is dramatised and does not reflect the Indian government’s stance. The film is set in Pakistan. It was important to highlight this aspect since the two countries’ relations are a sensitive matter.” The source adds that the CBFC has allowed many real names to be used, beginning with Khateeb’s character being named after Ahmed. “Sushma Swaraj [then Minister of External Affairs], JP Singh and Prashant Jadhav’s names have been used in portions after the makers submitted relevant documents. A scene of a young boy killing a woman has been reduced, and an expletive, muted,” states the source. From real to reel Revathy’s role is modelled on (left) late Sushma Swaraj Sadia Khateeb brings the story of (left) Uzma Ahmed to life
11 March,2025 07:39 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuDua always on my mind Deepika Padukone recently spoke about her concerns and experiences as a new mom to daughter Dua Padukone Singh at an event in Abu Dhabi. When asked about her recent Google search, she revealed, “Definitely some mommy question like ‘When will my baby stop spitting up’ or something to that effect.” The actor also shared how she plans to balance her career and motherhood, saying, “Dua is definitely on my mind all the time,” and added that she spends her off days catching up on sleep, getting massages, and spending time with Dua. Deepika and her husband, actor Ranveer Singh, embraced parenthood when Dua was born on September 8, last year. They have kept their baby away from the public eye, protecting her privacy. In talks with Hrithik and Vicky Hrithik Roshan, Kabir Khan and Vicky Kaushal Filmmaker Kabir Khan recently revealed that he is developing three different stories, but no actors are finalised yet. “I’m in the writing stage, and honestly, no actor is locked,” Kabir told PTI. “Lots of conversations are happening with Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, and Vicky Kaushal,” he added. However, he clarified that not all ideas may materialise into films. The director will take at least three months to decide on his next project and make an official announcement. Turning goddess Kajol and Roopkatha Chakraborty in Maa Kajol is all set to reappear on the big screen with her mythological horror film, Maa. The film explores the battle between good and evil. Directed by Vishal Furia, it also stars Ronit Roy, Indraneil Sengupta, and Kherin Sharma. The movie is slated to release in theatres on June 27, in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali. Besides Maa, Kajol will be seen in Sarzameen with Ibrahim Ali Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Going Punjab Karan Johar and Gippy Grewal Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions has ventured into Punjabi cinema with the pan-India historical epic Akaal, starring Gippy Grewal. The film will release in both Punjabi and Hindi. On this, Karan said, “Akaal is a powerful representation of Punjab’s history and culture... We are committed to bringing this story to a wider audience across India.” Helmed by Grewal, Akaal boasts an ensemble cast, including Nimrat Khaira and Gurpreet Ghuggi, and is slated to release around the festival of Baisakhi, on April 10. Receiving threats from Nana’s ‘goons’: Tanushree Tanushree Dutta and Nana Patekar We recently reported that a metropolitan magistrate’s court in Andheri dismissed Tanushree Dutta’s plea against Nana Patekar in an alleged #MeToo case, citing that the complaint was filed beyond the prescribed limitation period (Tanushree’s MeToo plea dismissed, March 9). However, Tanushree claims this as a victory, stating that a charge sheet will now be filed against Nana. She wrote on Instagram, “The court has cancelled the B-summary report... and now the Mumbai Police will have to file a charge sheet.” Tanushree alleged that Nana’s “goons and underworld liaisons” have threatened her witnesses, and a key witness recently testified against him. Bollywood is forgetting its roots Aamir Khan Aamir Khan has criticised Hindi filmmakers for “forgetting their roots”, leading to their struggles at the box office. At a film festival, celebrating his 60th birthday, Aamir said South Indian cinema’s success lies in its directors tapping into strong emotions. “Revenge is a strong emotion... So are anger and love. We [Bollywood] are not sticking to the broader strokes,” he said. The actor also believes that Hindi filmmakers focus on “finer emotions” instead of basic ones, to perhaps lure the multiplex-going audience, whereas “The South films are what we typically used to call single-screen films, mass, very hard-hitting, very broad strokes.”
11 March,2025 07:16 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamSinger Udit Narayan recently made news after he was seen kissing female fans who came to get selfies with him at his concert. While there was much heated discussion on the topic after the videos went viral on social media, the singer has now addressed it. Udit Narayan was attending the trailer launch of the upcoming film 'Pintu Ki Pappi' . Udit Narayan jokes about his kiss controversy The trailer launch of Pintu Ki Pappi was graced by the team of the film including renowned choreographer Ganesh Acharya who also played a pivotal role in the film apart from choreographing the songs. Talking at the event, Udit Narayan commented on the title of the film. "Khubsurat title hai aapki, Pintu Ki Pappi. Aur Udit ki Pappi toh nahi? (PIntu Ki Pappi is a beautiful title. It's not Udit Ki Pappi, right?)" He further said, "Ye bhi ek ittefaq hai ki abhi hi ye release hona tha...matlab music. Waise 2 saal pehle ka video hai Australia ka jo aap abhi dekh rahe hai (It's co-incidental that the music is releasing now. It's a 2 year old video that y'all are watching now from Australia). View this post on Instagram A post shared by Instant Bollywood (@instantbollywood) About Pintu Ki Pappi The story revolves around Pintu, a young man who seems to have a peculiar problem — every girl he kisses ends up marrying someone else. However, his life takes a dramatic turn when he meets a strong and fearless woman. The trailer, filled with fun, romance, and adrenaline-pumping moments, has already captivated audiences. Directed by Shiv Hare, the film introduces fresh talents like Sushant, Janya Joshi, and Vidhi, while seasoned actors like Vijay Raaz and Murali Sharma add depth to the project with their performances. About Udit Narayan's viral kiss controversy The 69-year-old came under fire for his behaviour while singing the song Tip Tip Barsa Paani from the 1994 film Mohra during a live gig. The clip shows Udit kissing on the cheek initially and later on the lips of one woman who was visibly shocked and confused. The singer asserts that he is a decent human being and controversies are created to malign his reputation. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Udit Narayan said, “Fans are so crazy, right? We are not like that; we are decent people. Some people encourage this and show their love through this. Why blow this thing out of proportion? There are so many people in the crowd, and we have bodyguards present too. But fans think they are getting a chance to meet, so someone extends their hands for a handshake, some kiss the hands...This is all just fan craze. One shouldn't pay too much attention to it.”
10 March,2025 10:42 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMultiple National award-winning singer Shreya Ghoshal is one of the finest singers in the country. Recently, she used her influence to talk about the lack of female artists in the Indian music industry. She also highlighted the need for women songwriters who can better understand and bring female perspective to stories on celluloid. Few films are female oriented: Shreya Shreya Ghoshal recently appeared on YouTuber Lilly Singh's podcast Shame Less where she addressed the problems in the music industry in India of which she has been a part for 25 years. Talking about the lack of female presence in music and films, she said, “There are a number of songs that should be female. The ratio is 90:10 — 90 being male voiced songs,10 female. It is that lopsided. Female presence in music or films has always been little secondary. The hero has a bigger importance and role. Very few films are female-oriented where the protagonist is a female, where she has the maximum part, and the storyline is mostly about her,” said Shreya. “Except Sanjay Leela Bhansali, there are very few filmmakers who take pride in showing the feminine side of stories. So there are a lot of doors that need to be broken with full force. The times will soon change hopefully,” she added. Shreya Ghoshal on need for more female songwriters Shreya also pointed out that sometimes a male song going in the even to use women's POV (point of view) in films. "In our music industry, I meet many people every day including lyricists, singers, composers. But very few are women. I can count them on my finger . There are very few female songwriter or technicians. There is just only male presence at all times. I find it very bewildering." Shreya added that if a female lyricist approaches her with a song, she takes it up on priority. “If I don’t even do that, I know she might not get another chance in the industry.” Shreya explained how love songs, expressing a woman’s feelings, are also often penned by male lyricists. “Even love songs are written by a man. It is very difficult for a man to think on a woman’s behalf. I understand love is universal emotion but Why can’t I hear her perspective of the story? It is always the man interpreting what she might be feeling or thinking. Let’s get a girl to write and compose. That needs to change,” Shreya added.
10 March,2025 10:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentSara Ali Khan has been over the moon this past weekend as her baby brother set foot into the film industry as an actor. Ibrahim Ali Khan, the second child of actors Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, made his debut with the Netflix film Nadaaniyan. While the film is being largely criticised on social media, Sara has been Ibrahim's constant cheerleader. On Monday, the Kedarnath actress took to her Instagram stories to share achievements of the film on the streaming platform. She then shared a clip from the film and asked her baby brother a very crucial question. Sara Ali Khan celebrates Ibrahim's debut film Dropping a glimpse of a song from'Nadaaniyan' on her Insta Stories, Sara wrote, "Brother when are you going to stop blowing up??? (I really hope never)". "I still remember I used to rag little Iggy who could be a drag..But now seriously Darshaks don't mean to brag but mera bhai ka alag hai swag...Fateh kar raja lehrakar flag," the actress added. Sara Ali Khan welcomes Ibrahim to the movies Earlier, Sara watched the film during a special screening in Mumbai and penned a heartfelt note for Ibrahim saying, “My Baby Brother! @iakpataudi I promise to forever have your back and be your loudest cheerleader. You were always a star in my eyes… and now, God willing the whole world will see you shine, glow, explode. Happiest Birthday and welcome to the movies, this is just the beginning…" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sara Ali Khan (@saraalikhan95) About Nadaaniyan The film, which has released on the streaming giant Netflix, is directed by debutant Shauna Gautam, and follows the journey of its protagonists, Arjun Mehta (played by Ibrahim Ali Khan) and Pia Jaisingh (played by Khushi Kapoor), as they navigate school life, friendships, family dynamics, and their roles in everything around them. The story kicks off with Pia finding herself in a rather awkward situation, she needs to prove she’s dating someone to convince her friends that she’s not in love with her best friend’s crush. To solve her dilemma, Pia ropes in Arjun, a new entrant and debate team scholar, offering him Rs 25, 000 crore per week to pretend to be her boyfriend, bringing back the good old ‘boyfriend for hire’ trope to commercial cinema. And just like that, their ‘Nadaaniyan’ begins. With veteran actors like Suniel Shetty, Mahima Chaudhry, Dia Mirza, and Jugal Hansraj playing pivotal roles, the film brings a wave of nostalgia. Seeing them on screen after so long is a treat, adding emotional depth to the story. ‘Nadaaniyan’ takes us back to that time, reminding us of the innocence, chaos, and beauty of growing up.
10 March,2025 09:30 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe third edition of Lollapalooza India was held on March 8 and 9 at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai, presenting a bouquet of Indian and international musical acts. BookMyShow Live, the live entertainment experiential division of BookMyShow, India’s leading entertainment destination has spearheaded Lollapalooza India as the promoter and co-producer for the festival’s Indian edition along with global producers, Perry Farrell and C3 Presents for the third year in a row. India's finest talents - Talwiinder, Dot., Dhanji, Spyryk, Sahil Vasudeva, Anushka, Sid Vashi, Frizzell D’Souza and Philtersoup - ensured that homegrown music took centre stage, delivering standout performances that showcased the country’s incredible talent. Ahead of the show, Mid-day caught up with composer Sahil Vasudeva about his expectations from the music festival. How excited are you to be a part of Lolla India? I am super-califragilisticexpialidocious-duper excited to perform at Lolla India! Initially, I was quite surprised I was included, since my music is quite different from the lineup, so a big thank you to the team at Lolla India and my manager, Anu George, for including me on this stellar lineup and pushing the boundaries on the typical music at a festival. Also being on a lineup with Green Day is really cool! What can the audience expect from your performance? We have put together a one-of-its-kind production - piano, beats, 30 foot set design, dance, theatre, visuals, lush synthesizers and sound design - an exclusive showcase for Lolla India. We are debuting a new show, R.Evolution, in collaboration with actor filmmaker, Tariq Vasudeva and dancer, Shivani Varma at the festival and it will be a very cinematic and evocative experience for the audience (well atleast we hope it will be :)) Which compositions are you going to perform? All the music that will be performed are my own, unreleased compositions. I will not be performing classical piano in case people are confused - audiences can expect a very modern outlook of the piano with a lot of produced, processed piano sounds, and lush synthesizers.
10 March,2025 07:25 PM IST | Mumbai | Bohni BandyopadhyayAamir Khan will be turning 60 on March 14. For his birthday, the actor officially announced a film festival dedicated to him. The announcement was made in Mumbai on Sunday at an event that was also graced by lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar. The two cinema icons spoke in length about movies, specially Aamir's career in length at the event. Aamir Khan reveals Lage Raho Munnabhai was initially written for him During the chat, Khan also recalled Rajkumar Hirani comin to him with the script of Lage Raho Munnabhai. He said that the film was originally written for him and had a different story than the one that exists. He said, “Originally, Raju had written a script where he wanted me to play that part. The day he came to narrate the script to me, he said that the script he was going to tell me about had changed and was called Munna Bhai 2 (Lage Raho Munna Bhai) and that he had nothing to narrate to me.” Aamir Khan further shared, “So I asked him what the original story was about, and he said it was about a young guy who is a freedom fighter in India before independence. He has been fighting during the Gandhian era, and during a lathi charge, he gets hit on the head and slips into a coma. He wakes up 40-45 years later. By then, India has gotten independence, but he still feels stuck in that era, which is why he talks to Gandhi and all. He doesn’t know that Gandhi has been killed; that was Raju’s original concept.” The film was eventually made with Sanjay Dutt in the lead along with Arshad Warsi and Vidya Balan in the lead. About the Aamir Khan film festival “Aamir Khan: Cinema Ka Jadugar” will be hosted across PVR INOX theatres nationwide, giving fans the opportunity to relive the magic of Aamir Khan’s most celebrated performances on the big screen. As India’s largest and most premium cinema exhibition company, PVR INOX remains committed to bringing the best of entertainment to audiences across the country. The festival is set to commence on March 14, Aamir Khan’s birthday, and will continue until March 27.
10 March,2025 05:53 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
