Former actress Somy Ali expressed deep concern after learning that veteran screenwriter Salim Khan has been hospitalised, saying the news made her “heart sink.” Somy took to Instagram, where she shared a picture featuring Salim Khan along with his wives Salma Khan and Helen. In an emotional note, Somy described Salim not just as a legendary writer but as a father figure in her life. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Somy Ali (@realsomyali) “Hearing that Salim Khan has been hospitalized made my heart sink. To the world, he is a legendary writer who helped shape icons like Amitabh Bachchan and co-created masterpieces like Sholay. To me, he was a father figure,” she wrote as the caption. She recalled living in his home and being treated like a daughter, included in family conversations and discussions that often revolved around faith and philosophy. “Living in his home, I was treated like a daughter, included at the table, engaged in deep conversations about faith, where all religions were respected and celebrated.” Somy shared that Salim Khan’s views on spirituality left a lasting impact on her. “He taught me that God is bigger than doctrine, and that storytelling must always carry truth beneath the drama.” Heaping praise on both his professional brilliance and personal integrity, Somy said: “His brilliance built cinematic history. His humanity built people. Praying for his strength and recovery. He means more to me than words can say.” Salim Khan was rushed to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai on February 17. His elder son, Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, and his daughters, Alvira Khan Agnihotri and Arpita Khan, along with her actor husband Aayush Sharma, were seen at the hospital. Salman left the shooting in Madh Island and went to meet his father. Reportedly, Salim Khan has complained of swelling. Salim Khan celebrated his 90th birthday in November last year, which coincided with the demise of Dharmendra. Salim Khan moved to Mumbai in the 1950s and initially worked as a film extra and supporting actor in Hindi cinema. His acting career was limited, but it led him to scriptwriting. In the late 1960s, Salim Khan partnered with Javed Akhtar to form Salim–Javed, one of the most influential screenwriting teams in Indian cinema. Between 1971 and 1982, they wrote a series of commercially successful and culturally influential films, including ‘Andaz’, ‘Seeta Aur Geeta’, ‘Zanjeer’, ‘Yaadon Ki Baaraat’, ‘Deewaar’, ‘Sholay’, ‘Trishul’, ‘Don’, and ‘Kaala Patthar’. Their work helped establish the template of the Hindi commercial film driven by strong narratives, dialogue, and a central male protagonist. 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
18 February,2026 10:51 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSVeteran actress Shabana Azmi took to her social media account to share a nostalgic throwback, further revealing that her ‘signature flower-in-the-hair look has been a constant over the years.’ Taking to her social media account, Shabana posted an old newspaper photograph featuring a younger version of herself straight from the year 1982. The portrait shows the actress in a classic look with a flower tucked into her hair. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shabana Azmi (@azmishabana18) Shabana looks gorgeous in the picture. She captioned the post as, “So the flower in my hair was always there .. just the position has changed …” Through the caption, the veteran star highlighted how certain style elements have remained a part of her throughout the decades, even though time and trends have changed. For the uninitiated, Shabana Azmi is touted as one of Indian cinema’s most respected performers. The actress is known for her powerful roles in parallel cinema as well as mainstream films. She made her debut with Shyam Benegal's Ankur in 1974, earning the National Film Award for Best Actress. She has delivered fine and acclaimed performances in films such as Arth, Paar, Khandhar, Masoom, Fire, Godmother and Neerja. The actress chose roles that were way ahead of their time and received great applause from the audience for the same. On the personal front, Shabana Azmi is married to noted lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar. A few weeks ago, Shabana celebrated the birth anniversary of her father, the celebrated poet Kaifi Azmi. The gathering saw her close friends Urmila Matondkar, Dia Mirza, Vidya Balan, Divya Dutta and many others in attendance, and were seen enjoying at the celebration. Videos from the evening showed the guests dancing to live music, while Shabana Azmi, along with Javed Akhtar, was also seen dancing enthusiastically. 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
18 February,2026 10:39 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSBeloved Bollywood couple Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal never fail to shell out couple goals. Sharing another example of their electrifying chemistry, Sonakshi uploaded a video of grooving in the car on a peppy number with hubby Zaheer. Sonakshi was seen enjoying the "V.I.P" track by Garry Sandhu and Shiva Choudhary, with Zaheer, who is driving the car. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sonakshi Sinha (@aslisona) "Our ghedi our ruleeeeezzzzz majormissing (sic)", Sonakshi captioned the post. Zaheer also reacted to the clip with laughing with tears emojis. Both Sonakshi and Zaheer leave no chance to express their love and admiration for one another. Recently, Zaheer confessed that his wife Sonakshi's laughter is ‘all that he ever wants to see’ in life. He posted a video of his better half laughing to her heart's content and giggling. In the caption, Zaheer shared that it is Sonakshi's smile and laughter that he wants to see all his life. Sonakshi also commented on the post with hearts and teary-eyed emoticons. To this, Zaheer replied, “Missing you a little more today.” Prior to this, Sonakshi and Zaheer flaunted chameleons playfully crawling on their bodies. Taking to her Instagram handle, Sonakshi posted a video of Zaheer allowing a red coloured chameleon to crawl over his hand to his shoulder, while Sonakshi was seen trying to hold a green chameleon in her hands. The clip ends with the 'Lootera' actress terming the experience as "amazing". For those who do not know, Sonakshi and Zaheer finally tied the knot on June 23, 2024, in a civil wedding after being in a relationship for seven years. The registered wedding at their home was attended by their family members and close friends. On the work front, Sonakshi last graced the screen with "Jatadhara", co-starring Sudheer Babu. The movie reached the audience in both Hindi and Telugu on November 7, 2025. 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
18 February,2026 10:24 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSGovinda and Sunita Ahuja relationship has been going through tough times. Sunita levelled cheating allegations against the actor in several interviews, even claiming he was in a relationship with a newcomer and was being blackmailed. Now, in her latest vlog, Sunita has once again opened up about her relationship with Govinda and revealed whether she would consider forgiving him. Sunita Ahuja on forgiving Govinda During a conversation on her YouTube channel, Sunita was asked if she would ever forgive her husband. To this, she said, “You never know. He’s my childhood love. Agar woh sudhar jaaye aur humare hisaab se rahe, toh main maaf kardungi usse. Mujhe yeh sab jo news mein aa raha hai, mujhe yeh sab nahi sunna hai (If he changes and lives according to our understanding, then I will forgive him. I don’t want to hear all that is coming out in the news).” She further stated, “This is not the age to go through all of this. I am going through menopause. At this time, every woman needs the support of her husband and children because our minds fluctuate. We need someone to love us and not give us stress.” Addressing whether she feels let down, Sunita acknowledged that perspectives can differ. “He must have his own thoughts too. I believe this can’t go on forever. Eventually, when age catches up, one’s wife and children are the ones who stand by you.” She also revealed whether she had ever confronted Govinda. “Woh toh haske taal dete hain na. Unka jawab toh humko samajh hi nahi aata” (He just laughs and brushes it off. We don’t even understand what his answer means), she said. About Sunita and Govinda In December last year, Sunita admitted that Govinda was having an affair and told Etimes, “I treat 2025 as a very bad year for me because I’ve been hearing about Govinda’s controversy that he is having an affair with a girl.” A few days ago, during an interview with ANI, Govinda opened up about the cheating allegations. He said, “When was I not accused? The one accusing me is my childhood love. In the matter of love, it never worked properly. The love that’s happening now, according to some, is about old age.”
18 February,2026 10:18 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActress Soha Ali Khan on Tuesday shared a fun and light-hearted glimpse from her kitchen where she was seen trying hard to make a perfect roti (Indian flatbread). The actress jokingly revealed that she makes roti “once every 12 months.” Posting a fun video on her social media account, Soha gave her fans a sneak peek into her culinary attempt. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Soha (@sakpataudi) She captioned the post as, “Masterchef Limited edition - airs once every 12 months” In the video, Soha is seen dressed in a pink traditional outfit, trying her best to roll out a roti into the shape of an accurate circle on the occasion of Mahashivratri. The actress is seen standing at her kitchen counter with flour dusted around, and carefully flattening the dough with a rolling pin. By the end of it, she appears pretty pleased with her efforts and self-made roti, radiating a warm smile. On the occasion of Mahashivratri a few days ago, the actress had shared a video montage that featured moments from her Mahashivratri celebrations at her in-laws’ home. In a video captioned “Happy Mahashivratri”, Soha Ali Khan’s father-in-law, mother-in-law and sister-in-law were seen conducting a Pooja at their residence. Soha Ali Khan, husband and actor Kunal Kemmu, and their daughter Inaaya were seen joining in, and offering prayers to Lord Shiva, chanting mantras and participating in the rituals. For the uninitiated, Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Kemmu, come from different religious backgrounds. While Soha comes from a Muslim family, Kunal is from a Hindu family. But despite that the are always seen celebrating festivals from all faiths with equal enthusiasm From Christmas and Eid to Diwali and Mahashivratri and other festivals, the couple is seen embracing every occasion with equal excitement, ensuring their daughter Inaaya experiences the beauty of them all. 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
18 February,2026 10:16 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSActress Shilpa Shirodkar on Tuesday shared glimpses from her visit to a Chinese temple in Mumbai, extending wishes on the occasion of Chinese New Year. Posting a carousel post featuring herself offering prayers in the Chinese temple, Shilpa wished everybody through her social media post. She captioned the post as, “The Chinese temple in the city I love and live in. Mumbai. Also, HappyChineseNewYear - portraitsatplaces ShilpaShirodkar ChineseTemple.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shilpa Shirodkar Ranjit (@shilpashirodkar73) In the pictures, Shilpa is seen dressed in a green printed shirt paired with brown trousers. The actress seated by a window inside the temple premises, is seen smiling warmly for the camera. Another picture captures her lighting incense sticks near red candles, offering prayers. In a different picture, she is seen observing a wall lined with pink prayer notes pinned in neat rows. Talking about her professional front, Shilpa Shirodkar made her Bollywood debut in the late 1980s and went on to feature in several popular films through the 90s era of Bollywood. She starred in movies such as Bhrashtachar (1989), Kishen Kanhaiya (1990), Hum (1991), Aankhen (1993) and Gopi Kishan (1994), among others. Shilpa took a sabbatical from work and stepped away from the industry following her marriage while at the peak of her career, choosing to focus on her personal life. The actress was last seen in Sonakshi Sinha starter Jatadhara. She had also participated in the reality show Bigg Boss season 18. For the uninitiated, Shilpa is the sister of actress and former Miss India Namrata Shirodkar, who is married to Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu, making him Shilpa’s brother-in-law. The sisters are often seen hanging out together and share pictures of their family time together. Recently Namrata had surprised Shilpa during a visit to Dubai, and shared fun images of their outing on social media. On the personal front, Shilpa married UK-based banker Aparesh Ranjit and the couple has a daughter, Anoushka. 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
18 February,2026 10:09 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSBollywood stars Shraddha Kapoor and Randeep Hooda have concluded the shoot for the Pune schedule of their upcoming film Eetha. The end of the Pune leg was marked with a celebratory cake-cutting on set, attended by the cast and crew. Director Laxman Utekar was present along with members of the production team as filming for this portion concluded. A video of the celebratory moment was captured on the sets of the film. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rahul patil🕊️/ Official Casting page (@heybunns.com_) The schedule wrapped earlier this week following an extended shoot across multiple locations in and around the city. This comes after the film completed its Mumbai schedule, where the shoot took place from late January to February. Eetha is based on the life of one of India’s earliest Tamasha/Lavni dancers, bringing to the fore a powerful, culturally rooted story. Randeep will also be seen in the epic war drama Operation Khukri. Randeep has secured the official movie rights to “Operation Khukri: The Untold Story of the Indian Army’s Bravest Peacekeeping Mission Abroad” by Major General Rajpal Punia, and Damini Punia. The film Operation Khukri will bring to the screen the harrowing real-life events from 2000, when 233 Indian soldiers were held hostage by rebel forces in Sierra Leone, West Africa, and the subsequent high-risk rescue mission that followed. The actor will portray Major General Raj Pal Punia (then a young Company Commander of the 14th Mechanised Infantry), who navigated both the tense standoff and the extraordinary rescue operation amid challenging jungle warfare conditions. In other news, Randeep and his wife Lin Laishram are all set to welcome their first bundle of joy. They announced on Instagram on November 29. In a joint post, they wrote: "Two years of love, adventure, and now… a little wild one on the way (Tiger Face, red heart and infinity emojis)." Randeep and Lin first met at veteran star Naseeruddin Shah’s theatre group Motley. Eventually, having fallen for one another, the lovebirds started living together during the lockdown. They made their relationship Instagram official back in 2022. The couple finally tied the knot on November 29, 2023, in a traditional Meitei ceremony in Manipur. 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
18 February,2026 09:48 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSSalim Khan, father of Salman Khan, was rushed to hospital on February 17 after his health deteriorated. He was reportedly diagnosed with a blood clot. Early reports suggested that he was stable but under observation. However, the latest reports reveal that he has now been put on a ventilator after his blood pressure spiked. Salim Khan on ventilator As per a report by The Indian Express, Dr Jalil Parkar from the hospital said, “He has undergone surgery and is now kept on a ventilator. He is stable but under close observation with regard to his clinical status.” Another report by News24 stated, “Salman Khan’s father’s blood pressure spiked recently, which caused internal bleeding on the right side of his brain. Following this, doctors highlighted that the bursting of blood vessels caused internal bleeding. Therefore, Salim Khan will undergo surgery.” Earlier, journalist Vickey Lalwani shared on Instagram that the veteran writer felt giddy before he was rushed to the hospital. He also mentioned that Salim Khan had been diagnosed with a blood clot. Doctors update on Salim Khan’s health As per a statement from Lilavati Hospital shared by Dr Jalil Parkar, “Salim Khan was admitted to Lilavati Hospital under Dr Jalil Parkar in the ICU at 8:30 am on Tuesday morning. He was brought into the emergency ward by the family doctor, prompting immediate care. Salim Khan was later shifted to the intensive care unit.” A team of doctors consisting of Dr Vinay Chavan (neurologist), Dr Ajit Menon (cardiologist), Dr Nitin Dange (neurosurgeon), and Dr Bineet Ahluwalia attended to the veteran screenwriter following his hospitalisation. For further updates on the 90-year-old Salim Khan’s health condition, a press briefing will be held on Wednesday, February 18, subject to the family’s consent, while strictly upholding patient confidentiality, the hospital informed. Salim Khan’s family at hospital Visuals from the hospital showed several family members, including his son Salman Khan, wife Salma Khan, producer Arbaaz Khan and his wife Shhura Khan, as well as daughters Alvira and Arpita, arriving to check on his health. Apart from family, friends from the industry, including actor Sanjay Dutt and veteran screenwriter Javed Akhtar, were also spotted at the hospital in the evening.
18 February,2026 09:40 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActor Rajpal Yadav was released from Delhi’s Tihar Jail on Tuesday after the Delhi High Court granted him interim bail in the Rs 9-crore cheque bounce case. The matter is scheduled for its next hearing on March 18. As the comedian received temporary relief, businessman Madhav Gopal Agrawal, who gave money to Yadav, revealed how he cried in front of Rajpal Yadav to repay the loan. Businessman on granting loan to Rajpal Yadav In a recent interview with News Pinch, businessman Madhav Gopal Agrawal of M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd claimed that, in the early stages of the dispute, he visited Yadav’s residence and “cried in front of him like a child”, saying he had lent the money from funds he had himself borrowed. Agrawal also opened up about his first meeting with Yadav, and said the actor told him the film was nearly complete and that, without immediate financial backing, “everything would go to waste.” Madhav Gopal Agrawal claimed a formal agreement was executed stating that, regardless of the outcome, Rajpal Yadav was obligated to return the full amount within the stipulated timeframe, and that he allegedly provided a personal guarantee as well. Emphasising that the transaction was a loan and not an investment in the film, Agrawal said he approached Yadav again when the repayment deadline passed. The actor reportedly cited a lack of funds, after which revised arrangements were made on three occasions and fresh cheques were issued. Agrawal added that when Amitabh Bachchan unveiled the film’s music at a public event, he realised that, under their agreement, the negatives and outstanding dues were to be transferred to him once the film was completed. He subsequently approached the court to seek a stay on its release. However, after Yadav reportedly said he couldn’t repay the amount before the release, the two parties reached a settlement and the stay was lifted. The film later failed to perform well at the box office. By 2013, with no resolution in sight, the businessman approached the court once again. After judicial intervention, a settlement amount of Rs 10.40 crore was agreed upon. Although Rajpal Yadav issued multiple cheques toward the payment, they were all dishonoured, causing the legal proceedings to continue. About the cheque bounce case Back in 2010, Rajpal Yadav reportedly borrowed Rs 5 crore from Delhi-based Murli Projects Pvt Ltd to fund his directorial debut, Ata Pata Laapata. The film failed at the box office, and as a result, the loan remained unpaid. Court records indicate that seven cheques issued later bounced. In 2024, the court directed the actor to show a sincere effort to repay the dues. However, in February 2026, the court ordered him to surrender due to multiple breaches of undertakings to repay the amount.
18 February,2026 09:03 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBeing King is about taking responsibility He is ‘King Khan’ to his fans and the industry and his next film quite coincidentally is called King too. Shah Rukh Khan, however, brushes off the power the title bestows on him, saying it’s less an identity and more “a reminder to live with heart, humility, and purpose”. “The word ‘king’ has never meant power to me. It has always been about responsibility — to the people who believe in you and the stories you choose to tell,” Shah Rukh told PTI. The superstar, first seen in the TV show Fauji (1989), has worn the ‘Bollywood king’ crown with ease over three decades, and continues to be called the Baadshah of Bollywood. Bullies of the past Siddhant Chaturvedi Actor Siddhant Chaturvedi has spoken about being bullied at school over his appearance, admitting it shook his confidence. He said his curly hair and mixed-language background made him feel out of place. “I was bullied for the way I looked. I used to try to straighten my hair,” he recalled. Over time, moving to Mumbai helped him embrace his individuality.
18 February,2026 08:00 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamJackie Shroff posing at events with a potted plant in his hands is a frequent sight. The senior actor has consistently used public appearances to reinforce his message of preserving the planet and building a greener tomorrow. Now, he is taking his environmental advocacy forward with Mitti Ki Awaaz, an initiative that encourages young people to take actionable measures around sustainability. Shroff, who has founded the initiative with JK Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, is clear that the youth need to be the driving force of change. Talking to mid-day, the actor said, “If the future belongs to the youth, they have to step in to shoulder the responsibility of a greener tomorrow. The planet must be shaped with them, and it’s our duty to clean up our mess.” And where do you speak to the youth if not at colleges? Shroff will host Mitti Ki Awaaz’s first on-ground initiative at PP Savani University in Surat, Gujarat, on February 21. On the third day of the university’s annual college festival, panel discussions, sapling plantation drive, and a concert will be held, all aimed at spotlighting the cause. The actor added, “Today’s generation has to be aware of what destruction is being left behind. Mitti Ki Awaaz [sparks a change] by actively involving the voices of today, not just by speaking to them.” Soft launch . Lucknow . Mysuru . Jodhpur Where sapling plantation drives were conducted in the run-up to the initiative’s official launch in Surat
18 February,2026 07:54 AM IST | Mumbai | Komal RJ PanchalADVERTISEMENT
