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Janhvi Kapoor in talks with Pa Ranjith for Tamil debut
Often, Janhvi Kapoor has expressed her desire to take forward her late mother Sridevi’s legacy by working in the Tamil film industry. Her wish may be materialising soon as rumours, over the past few weeks, have indicated that she is set to make her Tamil debut with Pa Ranjith. Now, mid-day has learnt that the project in question, backed by the filmmaker’s Neelam Productions, is a woman-centric web series. If things work out, it will also mark Kapoor’s web series debut. A source close to the project reveals, “Janhvi has been in discussion with Pa Ranjith for over three months. The dates weren’t working out. The series is right up the filmmaker’s alley as it explores social issues and oppression.” Kapoor is currently shooting for Param Sundari opposite Sidharth Malhotra. The Tushar Jalota-directed romantic comedy is expected to be wrapped up by early June. A production executive, on condition of anonymity, shares, “After completing Param Sundari, Janhvi will immediately fly to Chennai to begin prep for the Tamil series.” We’ve heard that shooting could commence as early as July.
23 April,2025 07:39 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu
Actor Balakrishna's 'Daaku Maharaj' accomplishes THIS milestone
Director Bobby Kolli's action entertainer ‘Daaku Maharaaj’, featuring Telugu star Balakrishna in the lead, has completed an impressive 100-day run in theatres. Music director Thaman S, whose music for the film played an important part in its success, shared a poster announcing the film's completion of a 100-day run in theatres on his X timeline. #DaakuMaharaaj 🙌🏿👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽#Jaibalayya 🦁 pic.twitter.com/FYzLjmAKSw — thaman S (@MusicThaman) April 21, 2025 The film, which released on January 12 for the festival of Sankranti, is the fourth consecutive film of actor Balakrishna to have completed 100 days in theatres. The three other films of the actor that completed a 100 days in theatres prior to 'Daaku Maharaj' are 'Akhanda', 'Veerasimha Reddy' and 'Bhagavanth Kesari'. 'Daaku Maharaj', which had cinematography by Vijay Kartik Kannan, was edited by Niranjan Devaramane and Ruben. Screenplay for the film was by K Chakravarthy Reddy while dialogues had been penned by Bhanu and Nandu. Stunts were choreographed by V Venkat. It may be recalled that the actor, pleased with the music that Thaman had been providing for his recent films, which had all emerged blockbusters, had recently presented a brand, new Porsche car to the ace music director. Thaman, who is currently scoring the music for actor Balakrishna's upcoming film Akhanda2, has become the actor's favourite music director ever since he composed music for Balakrishna's Akhanda 1. In fact, so Balakrishna was pleased with Thaman’s songs for all his films, that soon after ‘Daaku Maharaj’, he went to the extent of saying the music director was now considered like family during the course of an interview. “People don’t call him Thaman, they call him as Nandamuri Thaman,” he said during an interview to a media entity. Thaman is now scoring music for Balakrishna's 'Akhanda 2: Thandavam', which is to hit screens on September 25 this year for Dussehra. 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 April,2025 01:25 PM IST | Chennai | IANS
Parul Yadav recalls witnessing Pope Francis's final public appearance
Actress Parul Yadav was among the many faithful who stood at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City as Pope Francis delivered his Easter Sunday speech and blessing. Little did she or the others know that this would be his final public appearance. On Monday morning, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, announced the Pope’s passing from Casa Santa Marta with these words, “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.” Parul Yadav pens tribute to Pope Francis Following his demise, Parul took to her Instagram to share pictures from her visit to the Vatican. Along with the photos, she wrote, “Yesterday, on Easter Sunday, I stood at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City—unplanned, unprepared—just grateful to be there. Pope Francis, though unwell, surprised the world with his presence and addressed the crowd. None of us knew it would be his final blessing. Today, he’s gone. The moment now feels even more sacred, surreal, and deeply humbling. What a gift to have witnessed grace in motion. Rest in peace, Holy Father.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Parul Yadav (@theparulyadav) Despite being severely ill, Pope Francis appeared on Easter Sunday to greet the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square and deliver the Urbi et Orbi blessing—one of the most solemn blessings in the Catholic Church. One of his final messages, read aloud on his behalf, stated, “I appeal to all those in positions of political responsibility in our world not to yield to the logic of fear which only leads to isolation from others, but rather to use the resources available to help the needy, to fight hunger and to encourage initiatives that promote development.” Pope Francis to be buried at Basilica of St. Mary Major He will be buried on Saturday at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, a place of deep spiritual significance for him. This marks the first papal burial at the basilica since the 17th century. Pope Francis, known for his humility and simplicity, requested a modest tomb with only a simple inscription. The basilica is also home to the tombs of seven other popes, saints such as Matthew and Jerome, and artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. His body may be transferred temporarily to St. Peter’s Basilica on April 23 to allow the faithful to pay their last respects. The General Congregations for electing a new pope will begin on Tuesday, with the Conclave expected to be held between May 5 and May 10. World leaders are expected to attend the funeral, and both India and Italy have declared three days of national mourning. Just hours before his death, Pope Francis had met U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and participated in the Easter service, despite his frail condition.
22 April,2025 12:03 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
ED summons Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu in money laundering case
The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Telugu actor Mahesh Babu for questioning in a money laundering case linked to an alleged real estate fraud case perpetrated by some local groups, officials said Tuesday. Babu, 49, has been asked to depose on April 28 at the federal probe agency's office here and get his statement recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. The case pertains to Sai Surya Developers, a prominent real estate firm based in Vengal Rao Nagar, the Surana Group and some others. The ED had conducted searches in the case on April 16 at premises located in Secunderabad, Jubilee Hills and Bowenpally. Babu is not being investigated as an accused at present and may not be involved in the scam. He may have endorsed the realty projects of the accused companies not knowing about the alleged fraud, they said. The agency is looking to understand transactions worth Rs 5.9 crore which the actor received from the companies as endorsement fee via cheques and cash, they said. The actor could not be contacted for a comment. The ED case stems from a Telengana Police complaint against Sathish Chandra Gupta, proprietor of Sai Surya Developers and Narendra Surana, director of Bhagyanagar Properties Ltd. and others for "defrauding" and "cheating" gullible investors of their hard earned money in the name of advance for sale of plots involving huge amounts. The accused orchestrated "fraudulent" schemes involving unauthorised land layouts, selling same plots to different customers, accepting payments without proper agreements, and false assurances of plot registrations, the agency said in a statement issued post the searches. It said the actions of the accused caused financial losses to numerous investors. "By cheating the general public with predetermined and dishonest intention, they generated proceeds of crime which was diverted and laundered for wrongful gain to themselves and related entities," the ED had said. It said "incriminating" documents related to the deposit made by the investors and about "unaccounted" cash transactions worth around Rs 100 crore were recovered during the raids. "Unaccounted" cash of 74.50 lakh was seized from the premises of Narendra Surana and Surana group of companies, it said in the statement. 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 April,2025 10:27 AM IST | Mumbai | PTI
Allu Arjun begins work on Atlee's film with look test and concept photoshoot
How do you follow up Pushpa 2: The Rule’s (2024) thunderous success? By collaborating with a director who has a blockbuster on his résumé, believes Allu Arjun. The actor has begun work on his next with Atlee, the mind behind Jawan (2023). mid-day has learnt that on Sunday, the actor-director duo conducted a look test and concept photoshoot at Mehboob Studios in Bandra, Mumbai, thus setting the stage for their pan-India film that was announced earlier this month. Sources close to the project reveal that the look test kicked off at 1 pm. “They tried multiple styles and looks for Arjun’s character—from rugged to sleek. With the Pushpa franchise, he has created a strong image. Atlee wants to present him in a new avatar, far removed from how he was shown in the blockbuster. Arjun is known to be hands-on, and he was very involved in the look tests,” shares a crew member. While details regarding the film have been kept under wraps, rumours suggest it will be a high-concept action drama. The source adds, “The concept photoshoot happened as well. Some 12-year-olds were brought to be shortlisted for an important aspect of the look test.” If things go as planned, the project will roll by June-end. The title and cast will be announced soon.
21 April,2025 06:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu
Mahesh Babu pens emotional birthday wish for late mother Indira Devi: 'Miss you'
Tollywood heartthrob Mahesh Babu used social media to wish his late mother, Indira Devi, on her birth anniversary on Sunday. The 'Sarkaru Vaari Paata' actor took to his Instagram account and dropped a throwback picture flaunting a heart-melting smile while sitting next to his mother on the sets of his film. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mahesh Babu (@urstrulymahesh) His post was accompanied by a nostalgic note that read, "Happy Birthday Amma… Miss you more than words can say….," along with two heart emojis. Additionally, Mahesh Babu's better half Namrata Shirodkar also took to her Instagram stories to remember her mother-in-law on her birthday. The former beauty queen dropped a monochrome picture of Indira Devi, and penned, "Celebrating you in spirit, today and always." For the unversed, Indira Devi was the wife of late Tollywood actor Krishna Ghattamaneni, and the mother to five children including the late Ramesh Babu, Padmavathi, Manjula, and Priyadarshini, along with Mahesh Babu. She left for heavenly abode on September 28, 2022, at the age of 70. After suffering from age-related ailments for a long time, Indira Devi breathed her last at AIG Hospital in Hyderabad. Work-wise, Mahesh Babu is presently occupied with SS Rajamouli's next, titled "SSMB29" for now. This yet-to-be-titled drama marks the first professional association of the actor and director duo. Going by the reports, Mahesh Babu's role in the drama will be inspired by Lord Hanuman. Bollywood diva, Priyanka Chopra has been roped in as the leading lady of the much-hyped film. In addition to this, Prithviraj Sukumaran will also play an important role in the movie. According to the reports, the ambitious project will be made on a massive budget of Rs 900–Rs 1,000 crores. "SSMB29" is expected to be made in two parts. While the shoot is underway, further details about the cast and crew of the project have not been revealed till now. 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
20 April,2025 04:15 PM IST | Mumbai | IANS
Malayalam actor Shine Tom Chacko arrested for alleged drug use
Malayalam actor Shine Tom Chacko, who had fled from a Kochi hotel during a raid by the Narcotics Department, has now been arrested by the Kochi police. The actor, who had been evading authorities for three days, appeared at the North Ernakulam police station in Kerala on Saturday morning. He was interrogated for about four hours in connection with a drug case that surfaced following a complaint by actress Vincy Aloshious, who alleged that a co-star misbehaved with her on a film set. Shine Tom Chacko gets arrested Reportedly, he has been charged under Sections 27 (consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance) and 29 (abetment and criminal conspiracy) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Officials also stated that a medical examination and further legal procedures will be conducted soon. Investigators have requested CCTV footage from six Kochi hotels where Chacko is believed to have stayed recently, as well as his mobile call records for the past month. Shine accused of misbehaving with co-star on movie set The issue came to light after actress Vincy Aloshious accused Chacko of misbehaving with her during the shoot of the film Soothravakyam last year. Although she initially withheld his name, she later identified Chacko and alleged that he spat a white powdery substance. Aloshious had filed a complaint with the Kerala Film Chamber on the condition that the accused’s name remain confidential. However, Chamber General Secretary Saji Nandiyattu later revealed Chacko’s identity to the media and promised action would be taken. Following the disclosure, Aloshious expressed disappointment over the breach of trust and announced she would no longer cooperate with the inquiry. On Friday, her father told authorities that the family was not interested in pursuing the matter further, stating, “What happened on the film set can be settled within the film industry itself.” Interestingly, the families of Chacko and Aloshious have known each other for some time. While evading the police on Friday, Chacko took to social media to promote Soothravakyam, the very film at the center of the controversy. Raj Mohan, a retired senior Kerala police official and former NIA officer, stated that although Chacko fled earlier in the week, the investigation can still proceed, as there is no limitation period in such cases. Shine's past with drug accusations Earlier this month, Chacko’s name also surfaced during the interrogation of an arrested woman drug peddler, who claimed to have supplied narcotics to both Chacko and actor Sreenath Bhasi. The woman and her associates are currently in judicial custody. Following her arrest, the Excise Department announced that notices would be issued to both actors.
19 April,2025 04:33 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Jr NTR reveals he loves Sushi from Naga Chaitanya’s cloud kitchen
Jr NTR is all praises for Naga Chaitanya’s cloud kitchen brand "Shoyu". While promoting his film "Devara" in Japan, Jr NTR talked about his love for food, but not just any food, the kind Naga Chaitanya dishes out through his cloud kitchen. Talking about his love for Sushi, the 'RRR' actor said, “There’s this restaurant called Shoyu, it’s owned by a very dear friend of mine — actor Naga Chaitanya. And let me tell you, Shoyu makes the best Japanese food, hands down. Their Sushies are just next level. I love Unagi, and Shoyu makes one of the best Unagi Sushies I’ve ever had.” The video of Jr NTR praising Naga Chaitanya's band went viral on social media. Elated by this, the netizens flooded Chay’s timeline in celebration. Naga Chaitanya also returned the love saying, “Thank you for these lovely words Jr NTR. I admire how openly you show love. You made our day! Wishing you all the success for Japan. Keep rocking.” “My love for food comes from traveling the world and tasting its many flavors. Shoyu is my way of sharing that love. When my friends—and those who truly love good food—enjoy it and say something nice, it really touches my soul,” he added. Circling back to "Devera", the Koratala Siva's directorial stars Jr NTR in dual roles, along with Saif Ali Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, Prakash Raj, Srikanth, and Shine Tom Chacko in other key roles. The first part of a planned duology revolves around the life of Devara, chieftain of a coastal village, who feuds with his counterpart Bhaira over arms smuggling through the Red Sea. Up next, Jr NTR will begin working on director Prashanth Neel’s highly-anticipated drama, tentatively titled “NTRNeel". He is expected to commence the shoot on April 22. Produced by Mythri Movie Makers in association with NTR Arts, “NTRNeel” is poised to be a one-of-a-kind cinematic spectacle. 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
19 April,2025 08:24 AM IST | Mumbai | IANS
Samantha's first film as producer, 'Subham', to release on May 9
Actress Samantha, who has turned producer with the film ‘Subham’, on Friday announced that the film would hit screens worldwide on May 9 this year. Taking to her social media timelines to make the announcement, Samantha wrote, "May just got Subham-fied. See you at the movies on May 9th! @TralalaPictures #Subham." It may be recalled that the actress had only recently defined the unit of her film as a “small team with big dreams” and expressed gratitude for the journey of producing and creating this film along with her team. Taking to X to share the teaser of her first film, ‘Subham’, Samantha had said, “Presenting to you our little labour of love. A small team with big dreams! We’re incredibly grateful for this journey and what we’ve created together. We truly hope you enjoy our film… and may this be the start of something truly special! #Subham @TralalaPictures.” May just got Subham-fied. See you at the movies on May 9th!@TralalaPictures #Subham pic.twitter.com/pNGCQdaKOd — Samantha (@Samanthaprabhu2) April 18, 2025 The teaser of the film, which was released on the occasion of the festival of Ugadi, begins with a newly married couple having a conversation on their wedding night. The bridegroom tries to present himself as a tough alpha male and dispel the perception that has been fed to his wife of him being an innocent simpleton. However, as the clock strikes 12, the bride, who, until then, comes across as being a soft-spoken, gentle woman, shows a different side to her personality. The teaser also shows the man having a conversation with his friends subsequently. The friends tell him that there are two types of men. While the first is the common kind, the next is the alpha type. The new bridegroom asks what is the big deal if he is not the alpha male? To this, the friends reply that the girl will tolerate him for a day or two before eloping with an alpha male from the neighbourhood. The teaser gives the impression that it could be a horror-comedy but in reality, the dialogues in the teaser suggest the film could be on gender and relationship issues. Samantha's production house, Tralala Moving Pictures, has produced this film along with Kanakavalli Talkies. Samantha had, in a post earlier, had described this film as a “project embodies Tralala’s vision of unique, thought-provoking cinema that leaves you wanting more and hopefully over time will help audiences identify and highlight content coming out of our Tralala banner.” Penned by Vasanth Mariganti, "Subham" has been made under the direction of Praveen Kandregula. These two previously worked together on the acclaimed drama "Cinema Bandi". The film also serves as the debut platform for six promising upcoming talents - Harshith Reddy, Shriya Kontham, Charan Peri, Shalini Kondepudi, Gavireddy Srinivas, and Shravani. The film further boasts an impressive technical crew, including cinematographer Mridul Sujit Sen, production designer Ram Charan Tej, and editor Dharmendra Kakarla. 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
19 April,2025 08:22 AM IST | Chennai | IANS
Kamal Haasan apologises for reuniting with Mani Ratnam after 37 years
Tamil cinema legends Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam are reuniting after a staggering 37 years, making it quite iconic that their comeback project is titled Thug Life. The team recently held a grand event in Chennai to launch the film’s first song, Jinguchaa. The event was graced by Mani Ratnam, Kamal Haasan, Trisha, and Silambarasan. During the event, Kamal Haasan opened up about why it took so long for him to reunite with Mani Ratnam. Kamal Haasan apologises to fans Kamal and Mani last worked together on the classic Nayakan. Reflecting on the long gap, Kamal said, “Nothing has changed between Mani Ratnam and me even after all these years. It’s our fault for waiting this long to come together. We were in search of better scripts, and it took this long for us to collaborate. We are now working together again because of you, the audience, who wanted this reunion. We should have done it earlier. I’m sorry.” He went on to praise Mani Ratnam by comparing him to his own mentor, the legendary director K. Balachander. “I am reminded of K. Balachander when I see Mani Ratnam’s working style. He knows what a huge compliment this is. This is our mutual respect. I even have a nickname for him—‘Anju Ara’ Mani Ratnam (meaning 5:30 AM Mani Ratnam), because of how early he was on set every single day.” Mani Ratnam praises Kamal Director Mani Ratnam also sang in praise of his lead actor Kamal Haasan and spoke about his unmatched versatility and dedication. “He has this unique talent of balancing mainstream cinema with boundary-breaking storytelling,” Ratnam said. He further added, “When Kamal sir is part of a film, 50% of the director’s burden is lifted. He not only perfects his role but elevates everyone around him—actors and crew alike. It makes everything feel incredibly real.” About Thug Life It is worth noting that Mani Ratnam’s production house, Madras Talkies, described Thug Life as “an epic tale of power, rebellion, and triumph.” The film features music by A.R. Rahman and cinematography by Ravi K. Chandran. Edited by Ratnam’s long-time collaborator Sreekar Prasad and featuring stunts choreographed by Anbariv, Thug Life is scheduled to hit screens on June 5.
19 April,2025 08:18 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Mahesh Manjrekar on playing a lead role in Devmanus at 66
Villain or comedian—over the last many years, Mahesh Manjrekar has been approached with either of the two parts. It’s something he almost contented himself with. Until director Tejas Vijay Prabha Deoskar offered the actor, 66, the central role in Devmanus. “I have usually been typecast in negative or comic roles. So, when I got Devmanus, I jumped at the chance. The myth that I do only negative and comic roles needs to die down. I was pleasantly surprised when Tejas offered me the role as my on-screen image is not at all of a dev manus [a God-figure]. At this age, when you get to lead a project, it’s daunting but also heartening,” smiles Manjrekar, who balances his directing and acting careers. The thriller, also starring Renuka Shahane and Subodh Bhave, revolves around Manjrekar’s God-fearing man whose peaceful life comes undone after a moral transgression. Manjrekar notes that Devmanus carries a strong social message, something that is true of most Marathi movies. He believes that’s what separates Marathi cinema from its Hindi and south counterparts. In his signature candid style, he says, “All films want to make a statement as they reflect society. However, most of the south films don’t reflect anything. I believe 80 per cent of south films don’t require a director, as the action director does most of the work. Why does a director claim to have helmed the film? In Marathi cinema, we have a strong social message and a [powerful] storyline. In Hindi cinema today, it’s heartening to see content-driven films doing well and trashy films going to the trash bins. The star system has crashed. No star can ensure a great opening on Fridays today. OTT has made the audience more intelligent about its choices.”
19 April,2025 07:32 AM IST | Mumbai | Upala KBR