Have you heard? Ayushmann Khurrana, Vikramaditya Motwane to finally team up

. Ayushmann, who had been in talks for about a year, is said to have recently signed on for the Sourav Ganguly biopic. Motwane has been roped in to direct the project

It appears that Ayushmann Khurrana and Vikramaditya Motwane were meant to collaborate on the biopic of former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly. Reportedly, when producers Luv Ranjan and Ankur Garg first planned the movie with the Dreamgirl 2 actor, they wanted the Udaan and Lootera maker to helm it. Back then, he was preoccupied with his other project, Jubilee. So, the producers had initiated discussions with Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth. However, things didn’t pan out with her, and eventually, the producers managed to get Motwane back to helm the Ganguly biopic. Ayushmann, who had been in talks for about a year, is said to have recently signed on for the ambitious project. What makes him an apt choice to play the iconic cricketer is that, like Ganguly, he too is a left-handed batsman. While the shooting schedules are yet to be finalised, we hear that the actor will soon begin extensive prep to step into Dada’s shoes.

Progress on track

Of late, there has been a buzz about a possible delay in Pushpa 2: The Rule. However, sources maintain that director Sukumar is on track with the Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna-starrer. The team will be shooting extensively over the next few months and is looking to wrap it up by May-end. The director is known to edit while filming, so the schedule continues as planned. Apparently, the VFX portions have already been shot, so Sukumar doesn’t have to rush through it near the delivery date. The songs will be picturised in the last few schedules, as the makers are aiming to launch the promotional blitzkrieg in July. Reportedly, they are certain of releasing the action drama on August 15 to make the most of Independence Day weekend and festive holidays, including Raksha Bandhan and Janmasthami. “They have decided the release date after a lot of thought. Hence, that is non-negotiable for them,” says a source.

Déjà vu, anyone? 

It looks like netizens are not too impressed with Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon’s song, Laal peeli ankhiyaan, from their upcoming film Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. Several social media users were quick to point out that it reminded them of Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone’s Badtameez dil from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (YJHD). “Doesn’t it look like Badtameez dil song season 2?” wondered a user, while another commented, “Kriti’s look is similar to Deepika from the Badtameez dil song.” One netizen even alleged plagiarism, saying, “The song feels like a copy of Badtameez dil.” On the other hand, Sasha’s brother, Ishaan Khatter, was all praise for bade bhaiyya’s new track. Sharing it on social media, he wrote, “Hell yes! I don’t remember the last time I had so much fun watching a song.”

The big fat wedding reception 

The wedding festivities of Aamir Khan and Reena Dutta’s daughter, Ira, and groom, Nupur Shikhare, culminated last night with a grand reception at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Bandra Kurla Complex. Considering Aamir’s equations across different industries, over 2,500 guests had been invited to bless the newlyweds. We hear that the actor-filmmaker had an expansive spread for the dinner, comprising specialties from nine states across India. Popular picks from Maharashtrian, Gujarati, and Lucknowi cuisines were laid out for the guests, and a good mix of music ensured that the party mood was maintained till the wee hours of the next day. 

Why Sriram cast Agastya?

Sriram Raghavan recently opened up about casting Agastya Nanda for his next film, Ikkis, based on the life of Param Vir Chakra awardee Arun Khetarpal. The director shared that the actor reminded him of a younger Amitabh Bachchan from his films like Saat Hindustani (1969) and Anand (1971). Having seen Agastya’s debut, The Archies, Sriram reportedly said, “He’s a guy who is refreshingly normal, and there are no bells. I know he knows the process of the film, and now I am looking at diving with him into more subjects.”

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