20 May,2025 08:38 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist Team
Akshay Kumar and Amit Rai
Akshay Kumar recently wrapped up two of his upcoming films - filmmaker Priyadarshan's Bhooth Bangla and the Telugu film, Kannappa (Akki can't stop, won't stop, May 19). Latest reports claim that while he is already shooting for Hera Pheri 3, he is also in talks for his next. Apparently, OMG 2 (2023) director Amit Rai and Akshay are brainstorming ideas for the third instalment in the OMG - Oh My God! franchise. We have learnt that scripting is set to start soon, and Amit has shared multiple ideas for the film, and they discussed even possible directions for the film. Once Amit drafts the script, they intend to finalise casting and take the film on floors in the second half of 2026. OMG 3, like it's previous editions, will likely be a social drama-comedy set in a courtroom. The first film saw Akshay playing the role of Lord Krishna, along with Paresh Rawal, in the second film Akki played the messenger of Lord Shiva, along with Pankaj Tripathi.
Ananya Panday and Ishaan Khatter have made it to the Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia list, a milestone in their careers in the entertainment industry. Ananya's citation highlighted her Bollywood debut in Student of the Year 2 (2019) and her partnership with Chanel as the brand's first Indian ambassador. Meanwhile, Ishaan was praised for his rapid rise to A-lister status, citing his critically acclaimed performances in films like Beyond the Clouds (2017) and The Perfect Couple (2024) alongside Nicole Kidman. Notably, Ishaan is now set to make his Cannes debut as his upcoming film, Homebound, which will be premièred at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
Naseeruddin Shah revealed that his parents wanted him to pursue a "respectable" profession like medicine. However, he chose acting because he wasn't good at anything else. In Aadyam Theatre's podcast, he shared, "I decided I would be an actor because I was not good at anything else." He opened up about how his father, a deputy collector, took him to theatres to get him out of the house, adding, "He just wanted to get us the hell out of the house (sic)." The veteran actor's interest in acting began when he watched his first play in school, which he found "absolutely magical." He started imitating film stars and eventually pursued acting despite his father's initial disapproval.
Ram Gopal Varma sparked controversy by comparing Indian filmmakers to their Hollywood counterparts. Praising Tom Cruise's franchise, Mission: Impossible, he wrote, "The difference between them and us is they assume the audience to be intelligent and push their intelligence further up. On the contrary, we assume the audience to be dumb and we push their dumbness further down." Varma's comments highlight the disparity in filmmaking approaches between Indian cinema and Hollywood, with the latter focusing on intelligent storytelling and complex narratives.
Theatre owners in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are threatening to shut down cinemas from June 1 if exhibitors and producers don't agree on a new revenue model. The exhibitors are pushing for a percentage-based model, while also requesting a longer gap between theatrical and digital releases. A meeting regarding this was held in Hyderabad on May 18, but some key distributors and producers were absent, hinting at internal disagreements. If the issue isn't resolved, upcoming releases like Kamal Haasan's Thug Life, Pawan Kalyan's Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1, among others may be affected. The exhibitors' association will submit a formal representation to the Film Chamber ahead of the June 1 deadline.
