The Centre on Sunday announced the Padma Awards for 2026, approving 131 civilian honours across the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri categories. The list includes several prominent names from public life. Among the notable names, late actors Dharmendra and Satish Shah will be posthumously honoured with the Padma Awards. While Dharmendra will be conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, Satish Shah will be honoured with the Padma Shri. Dharmendra and Satish Shah to be conferred with Padma Awards The late actors Dharmendra and Satish Shah will be posthumously honoured with the Padma Awards. While Dharmendra will be conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, Satish Shah will be honoured with the Padma Shri. Malayalam cinema legend Mammootty will also be lionised with the Padma Bhushan. Veteran playback singer Alka Yagnik and the late advertising legend Piyush Pandey have also been selected for the Padma Bhushan. R. Madhavan and Bengali cinema legend Prosenjit Chatterjee have also been named Padma Shri awardees. #PadmaAwards 2026 announced: 131 awardees honoured, including 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri, recognising excellence and service across diverse fields.#PadmaAwards2026 #PeoplesPadma pic.twitter.com/iuhyldgeSE — DD News (@DDNewslive) January 25, 2026 Both Dharmendra and Satish Shah passed away last year. Dharmendra left for his heavenly abode in November, while Satish Shah departed a month prior to Dharmendra. Hema Malini on Dharmendra getting honoured Veteran actress Hema Malini has expressed her gratitude to the Government of India for conferring the Padma Vibhushan award to her late husband, Dharmendra. On Sunday, the veteran actress took to X, formerly Twitter, and wrote, “So so proud that the government has recognised Dharam ji’s immense contribution to the film industry by bestowing on him the prestigious Padma Vibhushan award.” Talking about the awards, they recognize excellence across various disciplines, including art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, and civil service. Announced annually on the occasion of Republic Day, the President has approved the conferment of 131 Padma Awards: 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri. Ninety awardees are women, and the list includes six persons from the category of foreigners, NRI, PIO, and OCI, and 16 posthumous awardees, it said. Tennis legend Vijay Amritraj has been awarded the Padma Bhushan; cricketer Rohit Sharma, women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur, and hockey player Savita Punia have been awarded the Padma Shri, the statement said.
25 January,2026 10:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActor Hrithik Roshan made an appearance at Goldie Behl’s birthday celebration on Saturday. However, he left his admirers concerned after he was seen walking on crutches while arriving at the celebration. Now, Hrithik decided to share the whole story on social media, revealing that his left knee suddenly decided to take two days off and how he has been irritated all day. Hrithik Roshan on health ordeal On Sunday, Hrithik took to his Instagram handle and wrote, “Each body part comes with its own ON/OFF button. My left leg uses this feature as a birthright. So does the left shoulder and right ankle. Just goes OFF. It’s a mood. This simple product feature has showered me with experiences not available to most humans.” “I find myself smugly walking around with a head full of neurons specialised in sudden hopelessness. A proud owner of a unique synapse system that has attained virtuoso levels in creating downward spirals of dark tunnels with warp-speed sinking abilities leading into many kinds of abyss. All of this confers upon me mental pathways unique to the rest of the species,” (sic) he added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hrithik Roshan (@hrithikroshan) Hrithik Roshan’s on-set anecdote Narrating a hilarious incident from his recent shoot diaries, the actor added, “Now imagine I am on a film set of a serious courtroom where my dialogue is ‘Would you like to come home for dinner?’ but my tongue has OFF’ed dinner, and so I end up ingeniously and decidedly and repeatedly inviting him over for ‘lunch’ instead, since lunch is still thankfully ON.” Hrithik shared that after multiple tries, the director finally gave up and decided to move on, perhaps attributing the situation to strange providence. Sharing his internal turmoil through this very serious business, he went on to write, “First, a sudden surprise at saying the wrong word. Then, hands thrown up at repeating the same mistake AGAIN. A deep frown between takes to demonstrate mock self-investigation into this grave situation (Joey style). An audacious flick of the nose (Salman style). And finally, the spouting of a genuine uncontrollable laughter at this private conspiracy with myself — disguised as ‘trying to hide embarrassment’ for the benefit of the now slightly concerned audience around me.” On the work front, Hrithik will next be seen making his directorial debut with Krrish 4. He is also co-producing Saba Azad’s Storm.
25 January,2026 09:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActor Arjun Kapoor's younger sister Anshula Kapoor recently indulged in an experience straight out of a royal fairytale as she embarked on a journey on the one of the most expensive and luxurious trains of India, Palace on Wheels. The actress highlighted that she indulged in a royal hair styling session in an hour salon built onboard of the luxury train. Sharing glimpses from her class and luxurious travel, Anshula offered a sneak peak into her expensive journey filled with lavishness and royalty. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anshula Kapoor (@anshulakapoor) Taking to her social media account, Anshula wrote, “Thursday, as seen through my camera roll. Felt like a princess the moment I stepped onto the Palace on Wheels. The energy, the music, the people, the moments - everything felt perfectly in sync. Impeccable hospitality, incredible food and a full hair styling salon created onboard (because luxury really is in the details), every element was thoughtfully curated. This was truly the kind of experience that doesn’t need exaggeration! She added, “Ending the day with dinner at the City Palace Jaipur was the perfect finale. Luxurious, indulgent, intentional. An experience so unique, truly one of those days I know I’ll always remember. #Hosted” Talking about Anshula Kapoor, the young girl is the daughter of renowned film producer Boney Kapoor and the late Mona Shourie Kapoor. She is the sister of Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor and also shares a close bond with her actress half-sisters Janhvi Kapoor and Khushi Kapoor, daughters of Boney Kapoor and legendary actress Sridevi. Anshula Kapoor is engaged to Rohan Thakkar, and their engagement ceremony was an intimate and elegant affair, attended by close family and friends in October last year. 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
25 January,2026 08:14 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSBollywood actress Bhagyashree calls her daughter Avantika Dassani as her breath and her sunshine in a beautiful birthday note that she penned on her social media account. The doting mother mentioned that her life and world changed when she held Avantika in her arms for the very first time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bhagyashree (@bhagyashree.online) Sharing many photos that reflect on the mother daughter adorable bond, Bhagyashree wrote, “From the time that I held you in my arms, I knew my world had changed. That piece of my heart that lived outside of me but forever will be mine. You were my child, but you mothered me, sometimes cradled me as I did too.” She added, “You are my breath, my sunshine, my oxytocin… and I can never have enough of you. I love you my honeybun, my chipmunk, my tomboy, my beautiful doll, my warrior, my friend n daughter all rolled into one. God bless you. avantikadassani” One picture shows the mother-daughter duo dressed in elegant traditional saris, smiling l as Avantika affectionately leans on her mother. Another picture shared is a throwback from Avantika’s childhood, capturing her innocence. Talking about Avantika, the daughter of Bhagyashree walking on her mother's career path, made her acting debut in 2022 with the psychological thriller-drama web series Mithya. Following this debut, she is set to appear in the theatrical film Inn Galiyon Mein. For the uninitiated, Bhagyashree was a popular actress during her prime era in Bollywood. Her movie Maine Pyaar Kiya is considered as a cult classic movie, which also starred Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. The actress is currently geared up for Raja Shivaji to release this year. 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
25 January,2026 07:55 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSAs her younger sister Riyaa Senn turned 45 on Saturday, her elder sister and actress Raima penned a birthday note for her “life long partner in crime.” Raima took to Instagram, where she shared a picture of her along with Riyaa. In the image, the two are seen hugging each other as they posed for the camera for a photograph. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Raima Sen Dev Varma (@raimasen) For the caption, Raima wrote: “riyasen happy day to my sister and lifelong partner in crime.” Talking about Riyaa, she began her acting career when she was five years old, playing her mother's daughter on screen for the first time. In 1991 she worked as a child actress in the film Vishkanya. Her first commercial success in her film career was with Style, a 2001 comedy directed by N. Chandra. She was first recognised as a model when she performed in Falguni Pathak's music video Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi at the age of seventeen in 1998. Riyaa was most recently seen in a cameo role in the teen romantic comedy film Nadaaniyan directed by Shauna Gautam. The film stars Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor, alongside Mahima Chaudhry, Suniel Shetty, Dia Mirza, and Jugal Hansraj. It tells the story of a privileged South Delhi school girl who gets a boyfriend-for-hire to get back at her family and classmates. Meanwhile, Raima is known for her roles in films like Chokher Bali, Parineeta, The Japanese Wife, and Baishe Srabon. She was recently seen in Big Girls Don't Cry, which also stars Pooja Bhatt, Mukul Chadda, Zoya Hussain, Avantika, Tenzin Lhakyila, Aneet Padda, Dalai, Vidushi, Afrah Sayed. In cinema, she was seen in Chaalchitro: The Frame Fatale, a psychological action thriller film written and directed by Pratim D. Gupta. The film delves into the lives of four cops from Kolkata Police, as they go about investigating a series of murders rocking the city. As the plot thickens, the personal lives of the men get stressed and squeezed by the ongoing turmoil. 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
25 January,2026 07:45 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSRani Mukerji and Aditya Chopra got married in a secret ceremony in 2014 in Italy. While their love story and pictures continue to remain a secret, the actress often speaks about how life changed after marriage. During her appearance on The Kapil Sharma Show, she rated Aditya Chopra’s romantic side and revealed why he stopped planning surprises for her. Rani Mukerji on why Aditya Chopra stopped surprising her During a fun banter on The Kapil Sharma Show, Rani ranked Aditya 15/10 as a romantic person. She shared, “The most important thing for all girls is how the person is. Love and other things are secondary, but when you get married, you should do it with someone who is a great human being. He is just amazing as a producer too." When questioned about whether he gives the actress a lot of surprises, Rani revealed, “In the beginning, he gave me a lot of surprises. Then he realised it’s better not to give. I cannot hide anything; it all shows on my face. A lot of times, while giving a surprise, he thought it would make me very happy, and I tried to pretend to be happy, but it didn’t show. Then he was like, ‘I cannot give you a surprise.’" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Netflix India (@netflix_in) Kapil Sharma also asked Rani if she ever visited Punjab with Aditya Chopra and celebrated Lohri there. In response, Rani said, “I have not gone to Punjab with Adi, but I went there with his father (Yash Chopra) for Veer Zaara. I celebrate Lohri every year. We celebrated Lohri every year until Adi’s mom was around. Now she is no more, but we follow the tradition. I love the festival. I like breaking sugarcanes with Adi. I love Punjabis a lot.” About Mardaani 3 Yash Raj Films unveiled the trailer of Mardaani 3 a couple of days back, and it has become the biggest talking point in the Hindi film industry. Unanimously positive appreciation has been pouring in from all quarters for Rani Mukerji, who returns to reprise her widely loved character of Shivani Shivaji Roy, a daredevil cop who risks her life to save 93 young missing girls in a race against time. With this film, Mukerji also clocks 30 years in the film industry. Mardaani is the only hit female-led franchise in India and is scheduled to release in theatres worldwide on January 30, 2026.
25 January,2026 04:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent2026 has kickstarted with a bang for cinema lovers, and Border 2’s thunderous response is proof of that. Sunny Deol's much-awaited military drama debuted on a solid note. After a thunderous Day 1 opening, Border 2 witnessed a strong upward surge on Day 2, reinforcing its commanding presence at the box office with a whopping Rs 40.59 cr NBOC, bringing the total box office collection to Rs 72.69 cr NOC in just two days. Border 2 box office collection On its second day, the film recorded a notable rise, clearly indicating growing word-of-mouth and the beginning of a blockbuster Republic Day weekend. Defying the odds of being released on a non-holiday, Border 2 has performed consistently well across metros and smaller centres. Day 1 – Rs 32.10 cr NBOC Day 2 – Rs 40.59 cr NBOC Total – Rs 72.69 cr NBOC View this post on Instagram A post shared by tseriesfilms (@tseriesfilms) With this collection, Border 2 has emerged as Sunny Deol’s fourth-highest-grossing film at the domestic box office. It left behind Border and Yamla Pagla Deewana to achieve this feat. His highest grossers now are Gadar 2 (Rs 525.50 cr), Jaat (Rs 89.50 cr), Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (Rs 76.88 cr), and Border 2** (Rs 72.69 cr). The film is now heading towards a big extended weekend, with Sunday and the Republic Day holiday on Monday expected to bring in even higher numbers. It is expected to cross the Rs 100 cr mark and is set to emerge as the biggest opening weekend of 2026. The war drama is currently drawing comparisons with Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar, which emerged as the highest-grossing Hindi film in a single language in 2025. The Ranveer Singh-led film had collected Rs 60 cr within its first two days. About Border 2 The film, which was released in theatres across the country on Friday, is a sequel to Deol's 1997 blockbuster Border, which was directed by J P Dutta. It revolved around a small battalion of Indian soldiers who go up against a 2,000-strong, well-armed Pakistani strike force. Border 2 is helmed by Anurag Singh and backed by T-Series and J P Films. It also stars Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty. The film is inspired by the true events of the 1971 India-Pakistan War and showcases how the Army, Navy, and Air Force fight together as one force. The film also features Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh, and Medha Rana in pivotal roles.
25 January,2026 02:54 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor's sister Riddhima Kapoor has successfully completed 2 decades of love, growth, and togetherness with her husband Bharat Sahni. Commemorating her special day when she stepped into a new life 20 years ago with the blessings of her parents, Rishi and Neetu Kapoor, Riddhima posted a throwback video from her wedding day on social media. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Riddhima Kapoor Sahni (RKS) (@riddhimakapoorsahniofficial) The clip showed Riddhima walking towards the mandap in the company of her brother, Ranbir. Putting her emotions into words, Riddhima wrote on her official Instagram handle, "Twenty years ago, my parents held my hand and sent me into a new life with their love, blessings and prayers. Everything I have today began with them. (Red heart emoji) (sic)". She also expressed gratitude towards her husband for being her constant pillar of strength and making their journey together meaningful. "And in you, Bharat, I found a partner who has stood beside me through every season-holding my hand, my heart, and our life together. Thank you for making our journey so meaningful and our home so full of love. Even now after all these years, the life we’ve built together still brings that same smile to my face. (Red heart emoji)," she added. "20 years of love, growth and togetherness. Still choosing you every single day. POV: The sehra said, “I’m not leaving.” Happy anniversary to us (red heart and hug emojis) 25/01/06," Riddhima's post concluded. For the unaware, Riddhima tied the knot with Delhi-based businessman Bharat Sahni back in 2006. The couple is blessed with a daughter, Samara Sahni, who came into this world in 2011. Meanwhile, Riddhima is all set to make her Bollywood debut with Ashish R. Mohan's "Dadi Ki Shaadi". She will be seen alongside her mother, Neetu Kapoor, and comedian Kapil Sharma in her first Bollywood drama. 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
25 January,2026 01:39 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSMusic composer and filmmaker Palaash Muchhal has issued a Rs 10 crore legal notice to Marathi actor and producer Vidnyan Mane over what he has termed as “highly defamatory” allegations related to an alleged Rs 40 lakh fraud case in Sangli. Palaash has strongly denied the claims and said the accusations were made with the intention of damaging his reputation. Sharing details on social media, Palaash revealed that the legal notice was sent by his lawyer Shreyansh Mithare. Making his stand clear, he wrote, “A legal notice for defamation of Rs 10 crore has been sent by my lawyer Shreyansh Mithare to Sangli-based Vidnyan Mane for his false, outrageous and highly defamatory accusations made against me.” He further asserted that the allegations were completely untrue and malicious in nature. Palaash also addressed the matter earlier when the accusations first surfaced online. Dismissing Mane’s claims, he stated, “In light of the allegations made by Sangli-based Vidnyan Mane on social media, I wish to state that these claims against me are entirely baseless and factually incorrect.” He added that such statements had caused serious harm to his personal and professional image. According to the allegations made by Mane, he had invested Rs 40 lakh in a film project associated with Palaash, which allegedly never took off. Mane claimed that he was promised returns on the investment but did not receive the money back. However, Palaash has categorically denied any wrongdoing and maintained that he has no involvement in any financial fraud. Reiterating his intent to fight the matter legally, Palaash said he would pursue all necessary legal remedies to protect his reputation. He emphasised that the accusations were not only damaging but also irresponsible. “These statements have been made with the sole intention to malign my image and character,” he stated, adding that the matter would now be handled strictly through legal channels. The controversy has drawn significant attention, especially as it surfaced amid heightened public scrutiny of Palaash’s personal life in recent months. With the defamation notice now served, the outcome will depend on the legal proceedings that follow. Palash has made it clear that he will not stay silent in the face of what he describes as false and damaging allegations.
25 January,2026 11:07 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAs Border 2 marches into theatres, its reworked anthem has ignited a familiar Bollywood debate: nostalgia versus originality. The updated version of Sandese Aate Hain, now titled Ghar Kab Aaoge, features new lyrics and is re-recorded by Sonu Nigam. The move comes amid Javed Akhtar’s sharp criticism of remakes as “intellectual and creative bankruptcy”. Responding with restraint and reverence, Sonu said, “If Border is a soldier, Sandese Aate Hain is his uniform. We can’t imagine Border without the song.” He further underlined the emotional weight of the franchise, adding that it tells “true stories of our soldiers and our victory”, making the song inseparable from its soul. Verdict? The melody stays — only the stitching changes. Sunny Deol, Diljit Dosanjh, Varun Dhawan, and Ahan Shetty in ‘Border 2’
25 January,2026 09:25 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamEarlier this week, actor Roshan Mathew saw the release of his Malayalam action comedy Chatha Pacha: The Ring of Rowdies. Now, he is gearing up for what comes next. Among the projects in his line-up, the actor tells mid-day that the one he is most hopeful about beginning soon is the second season of Kankhajura. The inaugural season of the SonyLIV thriller premièred in May last year. “We are all set for a second season with a story in place. We are super excited to go back because it’s such a lovely collection of actors — [Mohit Raina, Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju, and Sarah Jane-Dias]. I have also loved working with the crew,” he shares of the series directed by Chandan Arora. Mathew’s 11-year career is peppered with work across languages. He believes that moving between industries is essential to challenge stereotypes. “It’s a constant choice that you have to keep making,” he notes. Working across industries also exposes him to varied work cultures. If Malayalam film sets are intimate and largely non-hierarchical, Bollywood sets are often marked by large entourages and scale. Having experienced both, he feels comparisons are unfair. (L-R) Mohit Raina and Roshan Mathew in ‘Kankhajura’ “I’ve noticed that the sizes of entourages are bigger in Bollywood. But it’s also unfair to blindly compare the two because the kind of crowd that would gather when a Bollywood star is shooting in an exterior location in Mumbai cannot be compared to a star shooting in a location in Kochi. Crowd management itself requires more resources in [big cities]. Firstly, Kochi is not as crowded. Secondly, people here understand that they need to keep a distance with artistes when they’re working,” he says. While Malayalam cinema has traditionally been “grounded in a way that we can do the best with the resources at our disposal”, Mathew observes a clear budgetary shift. “There’s a gradual shift because the audience is demanding it, as it’s exposed to all kinds of cinema and the industry knows that it cannot retain the audience’s interest by only serving something frugal.” Case in point is director Geetu Mohandas — with whom he collaborated on Moothon (2019) — who is now helming the big-budget period actioner Toxic, starring Yash. When asked about its recent teaser getting mixed reactions with some criticising the director for objectifying women, Mathew says, “I have seen the teaser; it doesn’t reveal anything about the film’s story or the world. So, I can’t judge it. But I am not suprised by the audience’s reaction because Geethu is too brave to repeat herself.” Roshan Mathew’s Bollywood films
25 January,2026 08:46 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaADVERTISEMENT
