Sobhita Dhulipala is one of the much-loved actresses in the film industry. The ‘Monkey Man’ star always captivates audiences with her stunning screen presence. Despite having a fan base of five million followers, Sobhita is not very active on social media. She maintains her privacy and refrains from posting much. Now, in a recent conversation, she has reacted to what led her to stay a little private. In an interview with GQ India, Sobhita Dhulipala talks about spending less time on social media and said, “It’s because I’m very sensitive. If I said I don’t get affected by what people say, that’d be a lie. I do get affected by what people say, and I want to remain like that. I don’t want to be desensitized. I want to feel everything. I’d rather be broken a million times than be callous. So limiting exposure is one way to address that.” While reacting to facing objectification, she shared, “We’re very good at reducing people to keywords. This is a ‘hot person’, this is a ‘cute person’, this is a ‘funny person’. This endless desire to flatten out complexity and pool people into one bucket only serves a PR narrative. It’s actually quite oppressive for the person itself. I’ve been told so many times to be more ‘palatable’ or less ‘unpredictable’ and that continues to amuse me.” About Sobhita’s Hollywood debut with ‘Monkey Man’ Known for her stellar performances in acclaimed Indian series like Made in Heaven, The Night Manager, and Psycho Raman, Dhulipala brings a wealth of acting experience and versatility to her Hollywood debut. In Monkey Man, she portrays a character who exhibits resilience amidst adversity, a role that aligns with her ability to deliver nuanced performances. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sobhita (@sobhitad) Sobhita recently made her Hollywood debut with "Monkey Man". Directed by Dev Patel, the film was released on April 5th, 2024. The film, for which Patel also contributed to the screenplay alongside Paul Angunawela and John Cooley, promises to be a captivating cinematic experience. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sobhita (@sobhitad)
04 May,2024 08:23 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentYesterday's IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians was one of the memorable ones. While KKR won the game, MI is now out of the race to the finale. Apart from this, what's interesting happened in the match? It's Shah Rukh Khan's infamous fight at the Wankhede stadium that has resurfaced on the internet. This happened after a former KKR support staff took to social media and posted about the match, writing, “The last time KKR beat MI at the Wankhede, I was still a part of that dugout. It’s been a while, but today might just be the day!” Replying to which, a user wrote in a now-deleted post, “No, Joy! KKR has been cursed from the day SRK abused the Wankhede security guard.” This has now reminded everyone of SRK's big fight which led to getting banned from entering the stadium for 5 years. As soon as the user's comment got the attention of former staff member Joy, he was quick to react saying that SRK's daughter Suhana was “catcalled” after which SRK lost his calm and abused the security official. Joy wrote, "KKR won two championships after that incident. And he did not abuse, I was there. And the next time, stay calm when someone catcalls your young daughter." KKR won two championships after that incident. And he did not abuse, I was there. And the next time, stay calm when someone cat calls your young daughter. — Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) May 3, 2024 Another user also reacted, to the post calling SRK cursed, saying, “In 2012, Shah Rukh had a fight with a security guard at the Wankhede Stadium due to a misunderstanding in language. And said that sentence to the security guard there... . And Coincidence: KKR won the IPL trophy for the first time in the same year…” In 2012, Shah Rukh had a fight with a security guard at the Wankhede Stadium due to a misunderstanding in language. And said that sentence to the security guard there... .And Coincidence: KKR won the IPL trophy for the first time in the same year... ❤️😏😄 pic.twitter.com/Mmr1oAScNc — Aaraw 💥 (@AarawSosa1) March 27, 2023 About The match last Night Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Mumbai Indians in last night's match. Several celebrities went to watch the match together. While Neha Dhupia and Janhvi Kapoor were at the stadium to support MI. Suhana Khan, Shanaya Kapoor, and Ananya Panday were rooting for KKR. Meanwhile, in an old interview on Aap Ki Adalat, Shah Rukh had shared that he lost his calm after someone used a religiously wrong term. “Yes, I was very angry and upset. My kids were there and I thought someone… Maybe they had a rule, that hatao yaha se. I told him, these are our kids and we are taking them. I just said this. There was a person there who said a word which I, as a Delhi person, felt like it was an abusive word. Even though the same word in Marathi is also rude. Thoda sa religious, galat tha woh (It was religious, it was wrong). I then lost my cool, main pagal hogaya and I went to hit him,” the superstar had recalled.
04 May,2024 08:06 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentHuma Qureshi has wrapped up the shoot of Gulabi and moved on to her next, Jolly LLB 3. Bidding farewell to the set of Vipul Mehta’s directorial venture, which was filmed in and around Ahmedabad, wasn’t easy for the actor, especially since the last day was a fulfilling shoot. For the finale, the filmmaker had slotted a critical crowd sequence. A source from the unit reveals, “The shoot was on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, and the production team had gathered 300 people from nearby villages. One would think that managing such a crowd would be a nightmare, but it was an electric shoot. Huma and the extras filmed the sequence without any hiccup.” Led by Qureshi, Gulabi tells the story of an auto-rickshaw driver whose determination and courage inspire those around her to break free from society’s constraints. For the actor, it represents the kind of stories she wants to front. She says, “Working on Gulabi has been a joy. The powerful narrative resonated deeply with me. It’s a story that speaks to the heart and soul.”
04 May,2024 07:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuOn an upcoming chat show, Sunny Deol reflected on the recent fame that he and his brother Bobby Deol have received for their cinematic outings, Gadar 2: The Katha Continues, and Animal respectively. “Since the 1960s, my father has been here, and we have been in the limelight. After Drisha [Sunny’s daughter-in-law] came home, Gadar 2 released. I could not figure out what was happening after the release,” he said, reflecting on the film’s success. “I was crying and laughing, because I could not believe what was happening. I though, where did God manifest himself from? After Animal released, all records were broken. This is because of the audience’s love and support,” he said. Wisdom without words Young artistes may seek value in the knowledge of veteran artistes like Javed Akhtar, but the lyricist, at an inauguration event, revealed that he doesn’t believe in making inspirational speeches at such outings. “Sharing inspiring words is condescending and patronising. I don’t like doing it. I have great respect for young people. I think, they are finding their own ways. They can see what I can’t see. Painters are your eyes—they show you what you missed.” Being possessive? Parting with a project that is close to the heart requires a fair share of courage, as Fardeen Khan would agree. The actor, who starred in the 2005 film, No Entry, hopes the upcoming sequel, with a new cast, turns out to be as good as the original. Producer Boney Kapoor recently announced that the sequel is under active development and will feature Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and Arjun Kapoor. “I’ve heard the script; it’s absolutely hilarious. It’s a film that’s close to my heart. I wish we could have been part of it, but that wasn’t the intention. I have nothing but love [for them] and [extend] my best wishes. All I would like to say is, don’t screw it up,” he said. PeeCee backs another tale Priyanka Chopra Jonas feels inspired to be a part of the documentary Women of My Billion (WOMB), directed by Ajitesh Sharma, which she described as “stories of courage, strength, and resilience.” She shared a glimpse of the documentary on Instagram, highlighting its focus on the fight against all forms of violence faced by women in India. It showcases the journey of Srishti Bakshi as she walks from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, covering 3,800 km over 240 days to uncover and share stories about women. Captioning the post, Chopra wrote: “Very rarely do you come across people whose strength leaves you in awe and ignites a fire within you to tell a story that can truly make a difference.” Celebrating Dutt In tribute to Bengaluru-born legendary actor-director Guru Dutt, the city will host a two-day film festival and a musical evening featuring his hit songs this weekend. The event is being organised by Rotary Needy Heart Foundation (RNHF), said Rotarian Rajendra Rai. “The proceeds from ticket sales will go towards RNHF’s efforts in providing life-saving heart surgeries for underprivileged children across the country,” Rai said. Zeenat’s plea to industry Zeenat Aman urged the members of the film industry to avoid getting wild animals on shooting sets. Asserting that animals do not belong in captivity, she narrated a personal incident. “I was brought to tears recently when I arrived on set to find an elderly, domestic elephant on the scene. She was standing on the burning asphalt, bejewelled and bedecked, and she stayed there all day as the cameras rolled. I was bound by contract to do my job, but I am absolutely guilt-ridden that such a majestic animal suffered for my job and your entertainment. It is my sincere and urgent appeal to my colleagues and compatriots in the film industry to avoid bringing wild animals onto set at all costs,” she wrote on social media. Investigating a murder The makers of Murder in Mahim, starring Ashutosh Rana and Vijay Raaz, unveiled the trailer for the upcoming psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of human nature. It features Raaz as a cop and Rana as a journalist. The series serves as a social commentary, exploring a murder mystery and the underbelly of Mumbai, while also highlighting the reconciliation of a lost friendship between them.
04 May,2024 07:02 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamPowerful stories have a way of going beyond time and distance. Like Shyam Benegal’s Manthan (1976) that was made over 48 years ago, and is now headed to the Cannes Film Festival. Filmmaker-archivist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur is taking the restored print of the acclaimed movie, which depicted India’s White Revolution spearheaded by the late Dr Verghese Kurien, to the prestigious film gala that kicks off on May 14. Dungarpur Dungarpur says the restoration took nearly one-and-a-half years and perfectly coincided with dairy giant Amul’s golden jubilee. “Shyam babu used to tell the story of how the farmers turned producers with the film, with everyone giving Rs 2 each. The movie stayed in my mind since the FTII [Film & Television Institute of India] days. When the opportunity arose, Amul was happy to support us. The negative was suffering from colour fading, and the audio was almost completely destroyed. There was green moss [on the negative]. There was a lot of tedious work of restoring the film. When Shyam babu saw the restored print, he said it looked better than what he had shot,” he recalls. Manthan was fronted by acting stalwarts Naseeruddin Shah, the late Smita Patil, the late Girish Karnad, and Anant Nag. As the gem goes to the French Riviera, Dungarpur says he will attend the gala with Shah, Dr Kurien’s daughter Nirmala Kurien, and Benegal’s daughter Pia Benegal. “This will be Naseer saab’s first time at the festival. We will also be joined by Prateik Babbar, and Smita’s sisters.”
04 May,2024 07:02 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuShah Rukh Khan was busy all through 2023 and hasn't kicked off shooting for his next project this year. In an interview for Knight Club’s King Khan Rules on Star Sports, he talked about his plans to get back to filming after a break. He mentioned that last year, he had three movie releases (Pathaan, Jawan, and Dunki), which kept him very occupied. Shah Rukh Khan to start filming for next movie Given the physical demands of his roles, Shah Rukh Khan decided to take a breather and concentrate on his IPL cricket team, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He stated, “I just felt ki main thoda rest kar sakta hoon. Teen filmein kar chuka hoon, it took a lot of physical work also. So I said maybe I’ll take some time off. I told the whole team ki, main matches ko aaunga. Fortunately, meri shooting ab August main hain, ya July… we plan in June, to June se shuru hojayegi. So, I am absolutely free to come to all the matches. Main khushi se aata hoon. (I felt I could rest. I did three physically demanding films. I told the whole team I’ll come to their matches. Fortunately, I don’t shoot my next till August or June, we plan in June. It makes me happy to be here).” What else did Shah Rukh Khan say? Shah Rukh Khan is the superstar of the film industry, and Virat Kohli is the King of cricket. The two are exceptionally outstanding in their respective fields. They also share a very beautiful bond with each other. Shah Rukh Khan, who is a close friend of Anushka Sharma, called Virat Kohli the 'damad' of the film industry. The actor and Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner, in an interview with Star Sports, shared, “I spent a lot of time with him, I just love him. We say that he is our son-in-law, he is our fraternity’s ‘damad’.” Shah Rukh revealed that he has been friends with Virat since they were dating. He shared that he was shooting with Anushka and got to spend a lot of time with Virat. He said, “I have known him the most compared to other players. I have known Virat and Anushka for a long time, spent a lot of time with them. I know him since his dating period was going on, and I was shooting the film with Anushka. So, he spent many days with us and became very friendly."
03 May,2024 09:29 PM IST | MumbaiEvery year, May 3 is observed as International Leopard Day to create awareness about the big cats and the importance of their conservation. Here are some documentaries you must watch to understand better about the big wild cat: 72 cutest animals (2016) There are several animals that one finds cute and many that one find threatening. Have you ever found a leopard or an octopus cute? This mini TV series makes a case for the cuteness of many such animals and how their adorable meter actually helps them survive in difficult conditions. Living with Snow Leopards: As the title suggests this documentary-styled series takes you to Asia’s high mountains to experience the reality of living with this endangered big cat in your own backyard. The series shows how families in snow leopard range countries co-exist with the big cast and navigate through the challenges that comes along with it. Leopards of Dead Tree Island: Directed by Graeme Duane, the documentary is a dramatic, real-life tale of three leopards that is set in Botswana's Okavango Delta. This is prime territory for Africa's most secretive big cat. While the leopards avoid contact with each other, there is one island that becomes a common hunting ground for all three leopards. They are drawn together to the island by the changing seasons and the movement of their prey. The series follows their journey to dominate one of the Okavango's most prized leopard territories. Leopards in Sugarcane farms Maharashtra is home to the third largest populated state of leopards. This documentary set in Maharashtra follows a leopard who has made his home in a Sugarcane farm as their natural habitat shrinks. It shows the remarkable intelligence of these animals and highlights how important it is for us to conserve them. Wildlife Leopards- Dangerous Cat Predators A documentary by Nat Geo, it takes viewers on an enthralling journey deep into the rarely seen lives of leopards. It is a journey of birth life and death as a mother leopard and her first surviving cub of six fight off marauding baboons and elude scavenging hyenas in a constant struggle for survival. Jade Eyed Leopard: In Jade Eyed Leopard, follow Toto, a leopard with unusual aquamarine eyes, for the first years of her life as she learns fundamental survival skills.
03 May,2024 05:19 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe name Sanjay Leela Bhansali is now equated with grand sets and costumes. The filmmaker known for his larger-than-life filmmaking style has helmed films like 'Padmaavat', 'Devdas', 'Bajirao Mastani', 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' and now 'Heeramandi'. His debut series is set in the pre-independent era of India. Set in Lahore, the film focuses on 'Heeramandi', a place known for its rich courtesan and Nawab culture. The time period is set in the 1920s when the fight against British had entered a rebellious stage. But this is not the first time that Bhansali has dealt with the subject of courtesans in his film. Previously, 'Devdas' and 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' also had courtesans in central roles. In an old interview with Film Companion, the filmmaker revealed why he centers his projects around courtesans. "You’re sensitive to what you see as a child. How can a person’s rate be Rs 20? These were the things that stayed in my mind. But I could not tell them completely. I was finding them through Chandramukh... We are priceless for ourselves; we can’t be tagged. We can’t be sold for Rs 5 or Rs 20, or Rs 50. It is inhuman," he had said explaining his inclination for stories around courtesans. In an interview with TIME, Bhansali said that he wanted to reimagine the world of real-life courtesans of the walled city of Lahore, now situated in Pakistan. Bhansali considers them the unsung heroes of India's struggle for independence for the British. “These women were always looked upon as entertainers and seen with their diamond necklaces, but their eyes have a story to tell,” he told. Reflecting on the project's journey, Bhansali spoke at a recent event, "The script for Heeramandi was charming, vast, and epic. The story was too long for a film, and I had the concept 18 years ago, but there were no OTT platforms then. I finally saw an opportunity to do it properly on an OTT platform, where you can develop it and enjoy each character. This story has taken the longest—18 years of nurturing, cherishing, and living it.” Bhansali continued “Working with Netflix on my first series was a completely different experience. In 30 years of my career, I have never met producers as beautiful as them. They are tough, and relentless, and ask for honest directors to create content with the same passion. It's good karma as a filmmaker to meet such producers, and I'm grateful to them."
03 May,2024 04:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA few days back was the fourth anniversary of Irrfan Khan's death. He was a famous actor who starred in many well-received movies. He's survived by his wife, Sutapa Sikdar, and their sons, Babil Khan and Ayaan Khan. Irrfan Khan's favourite song was THIS touching ode Sutapa Sikdar recently posted a touching message on April 29, imagining a conversation with her late husband. And now, she's shared Irrfan's favorite song, which includes Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. Today, on May 3, Sutapa Sikdar expressed her thanks on Instagram Stories for the love she got on her recent post about Irrfan Khan's death anniversary. She wrote a note of gratitude, “Thank you everyone for loving my imaginary conversation with @irrfan. grief makes people come together forming a bond!! Let's be there for each other in need!!” Sutapa also played the song Agar Tum Saath Ho in the background of her story. She simply said, “Life is just #Tamasha let's live all the hues.. this song was irrfan’s, and is still a favorite of mine.” Sutapa's tribute to Irrfan Khan Just a day ago, Sutapa posted a tribute for her late husband. She wrote, "It’s 4 years three days since irrfan left me. Four years? A feeling of guilt sweeps through my body. 4 years we have LIVED without him added with sadness, fear, hopelessness and severe helplessness. And then I thought but still I lived with him more. I knew him since 1984 so that makes it 36 years of knowing him more and definitely till I die I would have spent more time with him then without him. And then I thought if he was with me physically in 2024 what would have been our conversation like? Because that’s the most I miss. He would be coming home mostly in 2024 straight from the shoot and would be petting our cat and reading." She began the conversation she thought they would have had and penned: Me: you have to see chamkilaHe would not have looked up immediately (never did while he was reading)Me : he is sooo good.. I loved his performance.He : Accha? Who?Me : Arre yaar Diljit Dosaanj .. he is so not structured and all heart.. he makes me feel.:He (now looking at me) Accha .. you think he is that good !!Me yes!!! You and he should work together it will be magic you should play a Sardar again after quissa and two brother kind of story ..He : hummm (his phone rings ) hey dinu (Dinesh Vijayan) yaar yeh sutapa Bol rahi hai Diljit dosanj bahut Accha hai ..:Me Accha nehi bahut Accha ..He. Haan yaar let’s do something .. let’s do something on punjabi sufi poets.. main dekhta hoon Aaj chamkila ORHe would be listening on his head phone as he enters .. Arre yaar sutup kya likha hai irshaad ne ..( he loved Irshad kamil) ufff khatarnaak..suna hai tumne vida karo .. what a song .. He and his manager manpreet are sitting and he is saying get me a Malayali film. I want to work with this director where Fahad Fasil is there. Yaar I am forgetting the name I am telling you if Bollywood doesn’t mend its way etc etc .. I will do a Malayali film! This is what mostly we will be talking in 2024 (sic.)
03 May,2024 03:36 PM IST | MumbaiVeteran actress Zeenat Aman is one of the most active celebs on Instagram. Her posts are keenly awaited by her followers as it comes with some lessons or trivia from the past. In her latest post, Zeenat Aman spoke about wildlife safety on sets of films. The post came after she recently witnessed an animal being ill treated on the sets of her film which left her guilt-ridden. Sharing a picture of herself, Zeenat wrote, "I was brought to tears recently when I arrived on set to find an elderly, domestic elephant on the scene. She was standing on the burning asphalt, bejewelled and bedecked… and she stayed there all day as the cameras rolled. I was bound by contract to do my job, but I am absolutely guilt-ridden that such a majestic animal suffered for my job and your entertainment." "The plight of animals, both domestic and wild, has always distressed me. I do not believe that any wild animal belongs in captivity, especially not an animal as perceptive, intelligent and emotional as an elephant. From the little I have learnt about this species, I know that they are highly sentient, social animals. To keep them in captivity is to willingly support cruelty," she added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zeenat Aman (@thezeenataman) She further made an appeal to her fellow colleagues to refrain from using animals for shoot. "It is my sincere and urgent appeal to my colleagues and compatriots in the film industry to avoid bringing wild animals onto set at all costs. We are so lucky that India hosts the majority of the Asian elephant population in the world, and that this species is our National Heritage Animal. We are also blessed to have numerous organisations in India that work towards the welfare and conservation of this incredible animal. I am sharing a few resources from such organisations on my stories. I will be elated if you peruse them," she wrote. Zeenat said that her concern and love for animals is not recent. She shared a newspaper clipping from 1974 featuring her and Dev Anand and wrote, "My concern for wildlife is an old story - please swipe to see a snippet from 1974 - but it is only now that I am in a position to make more concerted appeals on these matters. And since I could not bear to pose with the beautiful ele that was subject to the chaos of our set, here is a picture of me with ‘my’ elephants that I have collected over the years." "In honour of this sentiment, today I would like to hear about your favourite wildlife encounters! Please leave a comment, and remember that the operative word here is “wild”. No comments about captive wild animals please! This includes performing monkeys, bottle-feeding tigers, talking parrots and all the rest. Signing off with hope for a kinder world where non-human species are afforded the dignity they deserve.," she concluded.
03 May,2024 02:55 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBollywood actress Anushka Sharma turned a year older on May 1. The actress who recently welcomed her second child with cricketer Virat Kohli was flooded with wishes on social media from fans and colleagues from the film industry. Now an inside picture from Anushka's intimate birthday celebration has surfaced on social media. Chef Manu Chandra who organised dinner for Anushka's birthday took to Instagram to share a group picture from the celebration. In the picture, birthday girl Anushka can be seen flashing her infectious smile while wearing a sating lavender colour shirt and denim pants. She is also seen holding a small black purse. Posing beside her is her husband Virat Kohli. On Friday, Faf du Plessis who is the captain of the IPL team Royal Challengers Bengaluru, also took to his Instagram stories to share a group picture clicked at the party. Virat Kohli also took to his Instagram stories on Friday to share a picture of a register that read 'Celebrating Anushka. Along with the picture he wrote, "Thank you @manuchandra for an unbelievable dining experience the other night. Hands down one of the best food experiences of our lives". Virat Kohli drops romantic birthday wish for Anushka Sharma On May 1, Virat Kohli wished his wife a happy birthday on Instagram, sharing a series of images capturing Anushka Sharma at her happiest. In the first photo, she posed in white shorts, a black top, and quirky sunglasses. The second showcased her in a radiant, sun-kissed moment, while the last depicted the couple by a river. Virat Kohli is clearly a gifted photographer and does husband duties well! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli) Latest news about Virushka Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma have been dominating headlines since October 2023 after a report about the two expecting their second child surfaced. In February, the couple announced that they welcomed their second child, a boy whom they named Akaay Kohli. The couple have an elder daughter named Vamika. The actress took to her Instagram and shared the news of the arrival of their little bundle of joy 'Akaay'. While sharing the news with her fans, Anushka wrote, "With abundant happiness and our hearts full of love, we are pleased to inform everyone that on 15th February, we welcomed our baby boy Akaay and Vamika's little brother into this world! We seek your blessings and good wishes in
03 May,2024 02:15 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
