Category: ENTERTAINMENT

Mumbai, Nov 5 (IANS) Orry penned a sweet birthday wish for actress and ‘BFF’ Khushi Kapoor as she turned 26 years old on Thursday.

Calling Khushi his ‘soul sister’, ‘muse’, ‘biggest cheerleader’ and ‘supporter’, Orry penned on his official Instagram handle, “Happy birthday to my bifff my muse ma sole sista me algorithm me spotlight muh princes muhhh angel ma shaiining starrrrrr my cheerleadaaaaa my biggest supporter (Pink heart and wing emoticons) (sic).”

Reacting to the post, Khushi returned the love in the comment section, saying, “I looooveeeeeee youuuuuu”.

Orry’s post also included some fun glimpses from Khushi and Orry’s Halloween celebration. While the ‘Nadaaniyan’ actress was seen dressed as Wonder Woman, Orry wore a big bee costume.

Orry and Khushi frequently appear together on social media and in paparazzi photos, showing their close bond. Orry is also believed to share a great rapport with Khushi’s sister, actress Janhvi Kapoor.

Treating the netizens during Halloween, Janhvi decided to recreate her late mother, Sridevi’s iconic look from her 1986 fantasy drama ‘Nagina’. With Janhvi posing as Sridevi, Orry reprised the character played by Rishi Kapoor.

Expressing her excitement, the ‘Mili’ actress penned on the photo-sharing app, “Happy Halloweeeeeny (Ghost emoji) had to recreate one of the most iconic movie moments everrrrr (Snake, white heart and sparkles emoticons).”

“So much of Halloween has become about dressing up as your favourite characters and pop culture moments. Sometimes they’re spooky, sometimes they’re funny, and sometimes it’s a tribute (red heart emoji)

And who could possibly be more iconic than Mumma, Rishi uncle and Amrish sir!! (Teary eyes and white heart emoji) Got a little help from (Shushing Face, Winking Face and lipstick emojis) for the lewk,” Janhvi added.

Kushi had reacted to the post with “You have won Halloween.”

The younger daughter of Sridevi and Boney Kapoor, Kushi made her Bollywood debut with ‘The Archies’ in 2023. She later starred in ‘Loveyapa’ and ‘Nadaaniyan’ in 2025.

–IANS

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Chennai, Nov 5 (IANS) The makers of director Vishal Venkat’s upcoming film, featuring actors Regina Cassandra, Nassar and Ramesh Thilak in the lead, have now announced that shooting for their film had been wrapped.

The film is being produced by ace director Lokesh Kanakaraj’s production house G Squad in association with popular Telugu production house Mythri Movie Makers.

Taking to its X timeline, Mythri Movie Makers wrote, “Shoot wrapped up for @MythriOfficial X @GSquadOffl film. Title announcement soon. Stay tuned! Starring @nasser_kameela, @ReginaCassandra & @thilak_ramesh.”

It may be recalled that the makers of the film, which is yet to be titled, had in October this year announced that the film had entered its final stage of production.

The makers, while making this announcement, had released a special video featuring BTS clips from the film.

Directed by Vishal Venkat, who is best known for the film, ‘Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal’ and the critically acclaimed ‘Bomb’, the untitled film features Nassar, Regina Cassandra, and Ramesh Thilak in the lead.

The film’s story has been penned by Hariharan Raju. It’s cinematography has been handled by talented cameraman S.K. Selvakumar. Music for the eagerly awaited film has been composed by popular Malayalam music director Hesham Abdul Wahab.

Art direction department for the project is being headed by K. Manoj Kumar while G.K. Prasanna is in charge of editing.

Sources say that the upcoming film, which will be a gripping drama-thriller, is being jointly produced by Lokesh Kanagaraj and Naveen Yerneni & Y Ravi Shankar.

For the unaware, the film’s launch ceremony had taken place in a traditional manner a couple of months ago. Sources close to the unit of the film had claimed that the unit of the film had shot at a brisk pace right from the word ‘go’ and had therefore been able to complete the film in a relatively short time. They also pointed out that the entire film has been shot within Chennai.

Expectations for the film have risen among fans and industry insiders, driven by the fact that ace director Lokesh Kanagaraj’s ‘G Squad’ is teaming up with popular production house Mythri Movie Makers.

–IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 5 (IANS) Actor Ahan Shetty penned a heartfelt birthday note for his sister Athiya Shetty.

He recalled how she stood by him through every phase of life and supported him during difficult times, ensuring he never felt alone. Taking to Instagram, the ‘Tadap’ actor described Athiya as one of the biggest blessings in his life and thanked her for being his constant source of strength. He also expressed gratitude for having her by his side, saying her love and support meant more to him than she realised.

Sharing his birthday wish, Ahan wrote: “Happy Birthday, Athiya! Some bonds are beyond words, and you are truly one of the biggest blessings in my life. Through every phase, every struggle, and all the moments when life felt difficult, you’ve always been there for me, standing by me and making sure I never felt alone.

“I don’t think you realise how much your love and support mean to me or how many times you’ve been my strength without even knowing it. I’m so grateful that I have you to lean on, laugh with, and count on, no matter what. I wish you all the happiness in the world because if anyone deserves it, it’s you. Love you always,” he added.

Ahan’s note highlighted the close bond he shares with Athiya.

He also shared a series of pictures with Athiya, offering a glimpse into their childhood memories and growing-up years. The first picture shows the siblings posing in a lift, with Athiya clicking a selfie. Another captures the actress tying a rakhi on Ahan’s wrist. One of the childhood pictures shows a young Athiya smiling at the camera while little Ahan is seated on a couch.

Athiya Shetty also received heartfelt birthday wishes from her husband, Indian cricketer KL Rahul, and her father, actor Suniel Shetty.

Rahul took to Instagram to share a romantic birthday message for his wife, calling her his “biggest blessing”. He wrote, “Happy birthday wifey You fill my heart with love and my life with meaning. You’re my biggest blessing. Love you @athiyashetty.”

Along with the note, Rahul shared a series of pictures featuring Athiya. One of the photographs showed the couple sharing a romantic moment, with Athiya sitting on his lap as they looked into each other’s eyes. He also posted a few solo pictures of the actress.

Athiya and Rahul tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in January 2023 at Suniel Shetty’s farmhouse in Khandala, Maharashtra.

Her father, Suniel Shetty, also shared an emotional birthday wish, saying that no matter how old Athiya grows, he will always see her as the little girl he could never say no to. The ‘Hera Pheri’ actor posted two childhood pictures of his daughter and reflected on watching her build her own little world.

He wrote, “No matter how old you get, a part of me will always see that little girl I could never say no to. And now watching you build your own little world, I realise some things never change…Happy birthday my baby. Love you more than I could ever put into words. @athiyashetty.”

–IANS

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Chennai, Nov 5 (IANS) Showering praise on producer Namit Malhotra’s just released magnum opus ‘Ramayana’, popular Tamil film director Atlee has said that the film was Indian cinema standing tall on the global stage.

Taking to his social media timelines to share a statement in which he had penned his thoughts on the film, the director said that Ramayana was not just a film but an experience.

“What a vision! What an execution! What an extraordinary cinematic experience! Ramayana is Indian cinema standing tall on the global stage!

So grand in its vision, yet beautifully rooted in our culture and emotions. I truly believe Ramayana will be a timeless cinematic experience cherished for generations. A film I want to watch with my son and daughter,

celebrate with my family, and preserve in my personal library forever!,” he wrote.

The Tamil film director, who has delivered several blockbusters himself, further went onto praise the cast of the film for their impressive performances.

He said, “Absolutely loved the performances of Ranbir bro, Yash bro,

Sai Pallavi, Rakul, Kajal, Shobana ma’am, and the entire cast! Special love to A.R. Rahman sir and Hans Zimmer sir for their musical magic, and huge applause to DNEG and the entire technical team for the spectacular visuals!”

Atlee went on to add, “Namit Malhotra sir, what an extraordinary vision! A Nitesh Tiwari sir, immense respect! Your hard work, humility, and incredible execution have brought tremendous pride to Indian cinema. Way to go, sir! Special appreciation to Mr. Sridhar Raghavan for the beautifully adapted screenplay.”

He concluded the note, saying, “This is what Indian cinema is capable of! Our stories, our culture, our emotions – presented to the world on a magnificent scale! Ramayana is an Indian film and the world is going to celebrate it! Truly loved every bit of it. A cinematic experience that will stay in my heart forever. Can’t wait for PART TWO!”

–IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 5 (IANS) Writer-director Milap Zaveri remembered filmmaker Sanjay Gupta with an emotional note.

He recalled how he would feel “petrified” while narrating his dialogues to him because he wanted him to love every line he wrote. Taking to Instagram, Milap shared a memory with Sanjay and called him his “Guruji”. He said that the filmmaker’s approval meant a great deal to him and that he would often surprise him with punchlines whenever they met.

Sharing the memory, Milap wrote: “My Guruji. The only man i used to be petrified of while narrating to. Coz i wanted him to love every single dialogue i ever wrote for him. That’s how much his validation mattered to me. And i used to ambush him with punchlines whenever we met whatever the occasion. This also must have been one such time! And his laughter shows that i did something right!

“Every dialogue i will ever write again I’ll still wait for your validation. If you hear it in heaven please give me a sign if you like it,” he added. In the picture, Sanjay Gupta is seen smiling as Milap Zaveri engages him in a light-hearted conversation.

Milap also added actor Sanjay Dutt and Sanjay Gupta’s wife Anuradha Maripoza to the post.

Recently, Milap Zaveri became emotional while paying tribute to his mentor and father figure, late filmmaker Sanjay Gupta, at his prayer meet. Remembering their close association, Milap recalled how Sanjay gave him his first major break at the age of 21 by trusting him with the writing of ‘Kaante’. He spoke about the special place the filmmaker held in his life and said that he would always remain alive in their hearts.

Milap was visibly moved and teary-eyed as he remembered the filmmaker and spoke about the support and faith Sanjay had shown in him early in his career.

He stated, “Guruji, he was always Guruji for me. I was 21 years old and he gave me ‘Kaante’. Anu, for 25 years, you always told me, ‘You write the corniest lines for my husband. You write the cheesiest lines for him.’ Anu, today I have to say something.”

“Jo kisi ke aage nahi jhukta tha, jo mohabbat dene se nahi rukta tha, woh Sanjay Gupta tha.’ He was my father. He was my godfather, my father. I loved him to bits. And yeh Baadshah tha. Aur Baadshah ki gali mein aake uska pata nahi poochte. Gulabo ke chuke woh sir, khud patthar rasta bata dete. “He’s here, he’s not anywhere. Yeh zinda hai hum sabke dil mein. I love you, Gups. I love you, Anu. All of you. Love all of you. I love you. I love you, Anu. Sorry,” he added.

Veteran filmmaker Sanjay Gupta passed away on October 30, 2026, aged 59, after suffering an accidental fall at his residence in Mumbai.

–IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 5 (IANS) Actress Vidya Malavade recently stepped into the world of microdrama with ‘Scam 2024 – The Digital Arrest Story.’ While speaking exclusively to IANS, Vidya recalled the time when her house help became a victim of cybercrime, as shown in the show.

Sharing the incident, Vidya told IANS, “My house help, who has been working with me for 15 years, was the victim. This happened around a year and a half to two years ago. One day, she went to an ATM and returned home saying that she could not withdraw any money, even though she had money in her bank account. She had also brought her passbook.”

Initially, they believed that she might have forgotten something or there must have been an issue with her ATM card. However, when the ‘Chak De! India’ actress went through the passbook, she realised that the entire balance had been wiped out. The scammers had withdrawn all her money in two instalments.

Vidya added that her househelp was absolutely unaware of what was happening as the transaction had taken place 10 to 15 days earlier.

“She may have overlooked the bank’s messages. By the time we discovered it, her entire account was empty. It was a shocking experience,” the ‘Kidnap’ actress added.

Talking about ‘Scam 2024 – The Digital Arrest Story’, the cast of the drama also includes, Sandeep Aurora as Anand, along with Priyanshi Tripathi, Puja Jha, Ayushi Tyagi, Shital Tejwani, Ashok K. Jha, and Yogesh Pawar in pivotal roles.

During the conversation, Vidya also shared what made her say yes to the project.

She shared, “I felt the story was extremely relevant, and my character, Priya, was very well written. We hear about people getting scammed almost every day, so this is truly the need of the hour. Something similar has happened in my own home, which made the subject even more relatable to me.”

–IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 5 (IANS) Hollywood star Vin Diesel penned an emotional birthday wish for his goddaughter Meadow Walker and shared a heartfelt message.

Diesel took to Instagram, where he shared a monochrome image of himself with Meadow, daughter of his friend and late star Paul Walker. Calling her an angel, the actor wished that she continues to bring light to the world, adding that he is “proud of you beyond words”.

“Proud of you beyond words…Happy Birthday angel… May you continue to bring light to this world,” Diesel wrote in the caption section.

Meadow is the daughter of actor Paul Walker, who died in 2013. Paul Walker was best known for his role as Brian O’Conner in the Fast & Furious franchise. He began his career as a child actor in the 1980s, gaining recognition in the 1990s after appearing in the television soap opera The Young and the Restless.

He was then seen in teen comedy She’s All That and the comedy-drama Varsity Blues and rose to international fame by starring in The Fast and the Furious, Joy Ride, Into the Blue, Running Scared.

However, Walker earned praise for his performance in the survival drama Eight Below and for his portrayal of Hank Hansen in Flags of Our Fathers. The actor largely appeared in low-budget action films, but starred in the commercially successful heist film Takers. Walker died in a single-vehicle collision on November 30, 2013, as a passenger in a speeding Porsche Carrera GT.

Talking about Diesel, he gained prominence for portraying Dominic “Dom” Toretto in the Fast & Furious franchise. Diesel got the spotlight in the late 1990s and first became known for appearing in Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan in 1998.

He was then seen in Boiler Room, The Pacifier XXX, and The Chronicles of Riddick. Diesel’s voice acting work includes The Iron Giant, the video games The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay and The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, and the voices of Groot I and Groot II.

Diesel was last seen in Fast X, the sequel to F9. It stars Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto, alongside Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, John Cena, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Scott Eastwood, Daniela Melchior, Alan Ritchson, Helen Mirren, Brie Larson, Rita Moreno, Jason Statham, Jason Momoa, and Charlize Theron.

–IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 5 (IANS) Music composer and singer Himesh Reshammiya revisited a memorable chapter of his musical journey on the sets of the singing reality show ‘Indian Idol Legends Return’.

The singer recalled his first film as a solo music composer, the 2000 romantic comedy ‘Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge,’ which featured actress Karisma Kapoor. Sharing the memorable milestone of his debut film as a composer with Karisma, Himesh expressed his excitement and said, “Main aap logo ko bata dena chahta hoon, woh baat jo aap log soch bhi nahi sakte ki mere sath hui hai. Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge, meri first film hai as a solo composer… aur usme thi Karisma Kapoor…” (I want to tell all of you something that you would never even imagine happened with me. ‘Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge’ was my first film as a solo composer… and Karisma Kapoor was in it)

He also complimented the actress on her timeless appearance. Himesha said, “You are looking the same… aapka ek bahut favorite gaana hai, Pardesi-Pardesi ka ek line mein zaroor gaunga..” (You are looking the same. There is a song that is one of your favourites; I will definitely sing a line from ‘Pardesi Pardesi’)

Himesh also sang a few lines from ‘Pardesi Pardesi’, the popular song from the film ‘Raja Hindustani,’ which featured Karisma Kapoor.

On a related note, “Indian Idol Legends Return” airs on Sony Entertainment Television and streams on Sony LIV.

Himesh Reshammiya has returned to the judges’ panel, while Aditya Narayan has taken on the role of host for the latest season of ‘Indian Idol Legends Return.’

The show premiered on October 17. The new season features 24 contestants from previous editions of the show, competing in pairs as 12 duos.

Talking about the show, Himesh Reshammiya said in a statement, “With a new competitive format, every performance becomes an opportunity to push boundaries, win hearts and prove their mettle once more.”

“This season is not just about celebrating the voices that have shaped Indian Idol’s legacy, but also about witnessing their determination to win and their ability to surprise us all over again.”

–IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 5 (IANS) National Award winner Saurabh Shukla, whose thriller play “Barff” iss set to arrive in Pune at Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Hall on 29 November 2026, says his upcoming project is an edge-of-the-seat thriller with deeper questions.

Set in the heart of Kashmir in deep winter, Barff follows Dr Kaul (Saurabh Shukla), who stumbles upon a mysterious village and into a story that unravels over a single, haunting night.

The stage is transformed into a snow-covered Kashmir valley, and as the suspense builds, snow begins to fall on stage, making the audience feel they are right there in the valley with the characters.

“Barff is an edge-of-the-seat thriller with deeper questions about life,” says Shukla, whose own bond with the play runs deep.

“It is a very special play for me. The story lived with me for more than seven years before I actually started writing it. I wrote it almost ten years back, and we have been running this show since then. We have done hundreds of shows all over the world, and it’s really, really beautiful.”

Joining Shukla on stage are Sunil Palwal, an FTII Pune alumnus and Sangeet Natak Akademi Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar winner known for the TV series 24, Jolly LLB and his turn as Prince Salim in the landmark stage production Mughal-e-Azam, and Aanchal Chauhan, seen in Kabir Singh, Netflix’s Brij Mohan Amar Rahe and Amazon Prime’s The Pick-Up Artist, who played Paro in AGP World’s Devdas – The Musical.

“It was written as a film, and I still have that film script,” Shukla reveals, adding that he still wants to make it.

He shared: “Film is a much more visual medium, so the challenge was how to translate that visual quality into theatre. That became the USP of this play.”

With every new city and venue, the production has grown visually, its design reshaped for each stage while its heart stays untouched.

“The soul of the script remains the same. Barff has been running for so long because we still find it fresh,” he said.

“We still search within the play for what is new that we are discovering. It is almost like a journey where we are searching and exploring, and the play itself is evolving.”

For AGP World, Barff followed a hugely successful partnership with Shukla on the comedy 2 to Tango 3 to Jive, which crossed 100 shows.

“His next one was one of passion,” says Gidwani.

“He narrated the story and we loved it. It’s a very unique genre, and the hardest part is getting the message out without revealing the plot. But once you get people into the theatre, the experience is surreal. We have taken it to the USA, Hong Kong, Dubai and across Indian cities, and every show has had a standing ovation. We are grateful.”

–IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 5 (IANS) Veteran actor Anupam Kher spoke about his film ‘Ramayana’ as it released in theatres worldwide. He expressed pride in seeing Indian cinema and culture being showcased on a global platform.

Taking to Instagram, the ‘Special 26 actor’ shared a video message from Stockholm, Sweden, where he attended the film’s premiere. He congratulated the entire team and wished them success as the film reached audiences across the world. He captioned the post, “Jai Shri Ram! Today, Ramayana is releasing across the world. Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to all the actors, producers, technicians and the entire team associated with this grand film. May the hard work put in by all of you, and by me as well, receive the love and blessings of audiences across the world. Jai Shri Ram! #Ramayana @iamnamitmalhotra @ramayanamovie.”

In the video, Anupam began by saying, “Jai Shri Ram. Today, Ramayana is being released in cinemas all over the world. The director of this film, Namit Malhotra, who is a world-renowned filmmaker, It is my good fortune that this evening, I am attending the Ramayana premiere in Stockholm, Sweden.”

Sharing his excitement over the initial audience response, the actor said he had been receiving encouraging messages from people across India, including some who had not contacted him in many years. He added that viewers were appreciating the film’s scale, subject and the performances of its cast. “It makes me very happy to see that Indian cinema and our culture is being presented on such a big stage all over the world. I am especially proud to know that my character Jatayu is one of the main highlights of the film,” he said.

Anupam further expressed happiness over the portrayal of Lord Rama and Ravana, saying that their stories were being presented in a way that touched the hearts of audiences.

“It makes me very happy to see that Indian cinema and our culture is being presented on such a big stage all over the world. I am especially proud to know that my character Jatayu is one of the main highlights of the film. The way the characters of Ramji and Ravan are being told to touch the hearts of the audience, that also makes me very happy.”

Concluding his message, the ‘Tanvi the Great’ actor stated, “I would like to congratulate all the artists, technicians, producers, distributors, and all those people associated with Ramayana, who have contributed to the success of this great film. Today, our film is being released all over the world. I wish you all a very happy Ramayana. Jai Shri Ram Siyavar Ramchandra Ki Jai! Jai! Jai!.”

Anupam Kher lent his voice to Jatayu, the noble vulture king and divine demigod, in Nitesh Tiwari’s film, ‘Ramayana: Part 1.’ The much-awaited mythological epic is scheduled to release in Indian theatres on November 5 while its international release will take place on November 5 and 6.

–IANS

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