Actor Kunal Kemmu is all about good energy as he grooves to the beats of the track, Ramba Ho from Akshaye Khanna and Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar. He also urged everyone to make 2026 a “vibe.” Whether it’s at the gym, while chilling at home, or just soaking in the New Year spirit, the actor seems to have found the perfect mood. Sharing a glimpse of his perfectly chiselled body on Instagram, Kunal says it’s all about vibing. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kunal Kemmu (@kunalkemmu) He wrote: “Vibing with the track. Vibing with the new year. Vibing at workouts, Let’s make this year a Vibe.” In other news, Kunal is gearing up for the second season of his family comedy drama series Single Papa. The show also stars Prajakta Koli, Manoj Pahwa, Ayesha Raza, Neha Dhupia, Suhail Nayyar, Dayanand Shetty, Aisha Ahmed, Dhruv Rathee and Isha Talwar. The series follows Gaurav Gehlot, a lovable man-child whose emotional age can best be described as “work in progress.” His sudden decision to adopt a baby right after his divorce, leaves his family so shocked they briefly consider rebooting him. What follows is unprecedented kalesh as the Gehlots scramble to understand how a man who still misplaces his socks plans to raise a whole human. Talking about Kunal, he made his directorial debut in 2024 with Madgaon Express. It stars an ensemble cast of Divyenndu, Pratik Gandhi, Avinash Tiwary, Nora Fatehi, Upendra Limaye and Chhaya Kadam. As an actor, his last appearance was in the film Kanjoos Makhichoos, directed by Vipul Mehta. The film is based on the famous Gujarati play Sajan Re Jhooth Mat Bolo. The film also stars Shweta Tripathi, Piyush Mishra, Alka Amin, Rajeev Gupta and Raju Srivastava. Known for his perfect comic timing, Kunal’s popular work includes films such as the Golmaal series, Kalyug, Dhol, Lootcase, Malang, Go Goa Gone, Traffic Signal and many others. 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
08 January,2026 11:53 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSThe makers of the upcoming film Bhooth Bangla have locked its release date. The film, which stars Akshay Kumar in the lead, is set to debut in theatres on May 15, 2026. The film marks the reunion of the king of horror comedies, director Priyadarshan, and actor Akshay Kumar after 14 years. Bringing the perfect blend of horror and comedy from the masters of the genre, Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar, the film is poised to recreate the cinematic magic audiences have been missing for a long time. On Wednesday, the makers of the film took to their social media, and shared the poster of the film. They wrote in the caption, "Bangle se ek khabar aayi hai! The doors open on 15th May 2026 See you in cinemas BhoothBangla". View this post on Instagram A post shared by Balaji Motion Pictures (@balajimotionpictures) The film also stars Tabu, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Jisshu Sengupta, Wamiqa Gabbi and marks the final film appearance of the late veteran actor Asrani. Some parts of the film have also been shot across Rajasthan, Jaipur, and Hyderabad, adding rich visual texture to the narrative. The story reportedly revolves around a mysterious haunted house and the chaos surrounding it. Bhooth Bangla aims to revive the classic slapstick-meets-horror tone associated with Priyadarshan’s earlier iconic films. Bhooth Bangla aims to balance light horror elements with accessible humour, steering clear of overt scares. With audience interest in horror-comedies growing in recent years, the film is positioned as a commercial entertainer rooted in old-school comic timing rather than genre experimentation. Directed by Priyadarshan, Bhooth Bangla is produced by Shobha Kapoor, Ektaa R Kapoor, and Akshay Kumar’s production house, Cape of Good Films. The film is co-produced by Faara Sheikh and Vedant Baali. The story is written by Akash A Kaushik andthe screenplay is by Rohan Shankar, Abilash Nair and Priyadarshan. The dialogues are by Rohan Shankar. The film is produced by Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms. 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
08 January,2026 11:38 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSBollywood diva Bipasha Basu turned a year older today, receiving heartfelt wishes and greetings from her friends, family, and well-wishers. Taking a moment, her husband, actor Karan Singh Grover, also extended a warm message to his "most favourite person", pouring out his heart on social media. "To my most favourite person in the whole wide world, my bestest friend in the whole wide world, the most patient person in the whole wide world, the one I love the most in the whole wide world, to the most beautiful girl in the whole wide world, to my whole world....wish you a very happy birthday my monkey," Karan wrote in the caption. View this post on Instagram A post shared by karan singh grover (@iamksgofficial) Celebrating his wife's special day, the actor expressed his love, "May you shine brighter with every passing year! I love you so much. monkeylove." In an adorable addition, Karan included a picture of Bipasha with their daughter, Devi. Reacting to the post, Bipasha wrote, "TUVU." Fans also joined to send birthday wishes to the actress. Bipasha and Karan's journey of love began on the set of Bhushan Patel's film Alone in 2015, where they first met and later tied the knot in April 2016, after a year of dating. The couple welcomed their daughter, Devi Basu Singh Grover, on November 12, 2022. The couple is set to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary this year, on April 30, 2026. On the work front, Bipasha Basu has been away from films for some time now. After her daughter's birth, she has since focused on her new role as a mother, dedicating her time to raising Devi. Karan Singh Grover was last seen in Siddharth Anand's Fighter, co-starring Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone, and Anil Kapoor, among others. 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
08 January,2026 11:16 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIActor Babil Khan recently opened a small window into the lighter, everyday moments he shared with his late father, Irrfan Khan, as he remembered how he would often jump on him by saying “sofa mode activated”. Babil took to Instagram, where he shared two images. The first was a nostalgic photograph showing a young Babii lying on the back of his father, the late Irrfan Khan. Both appear relaxed and comfortable on a striped floor mat, with simple pillows and a few household items around them. Another picture features Irrfan Khan and Babil standing face-to-face outdoors at night. The background is softly blurred, with streetlights and bokeh effects adding a dramatic effect. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Babil (@babil.i.k) For the caption, Babil wrote: “Pictures of you. Pictures of me. (I used to say “sofa mode activated” before I jumped on him and fell asleep on his back).” Babil last year had earlier shared a video (which was later deleted), where he appeared visibly upset and in tears as he spoke about feeling alienated in the film industry. In the video, Babil mentioned several names, including Shanaya Kapoor, Ananya Panday, Arjun Kapoor, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Raghav Juyal, Adarsh Gourav and even Arijit Singh. In October, the actor made a return to Instagram, as he posted pictures, in which he was seen wearing a brick red coloured sweater as the winter season makes quite inroads with monsoon withdrawal. He was last seen in Logout, a cyber thriller drama which also includes Rasika Dugal, Gandharv Dewan, and Nimisha Nair. Directed by Amit Golani, Logout explores the dark side of digital fame and the psychological toll of life lived online. Talking about the late acclaimed star Irrfan Khan, he was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer in 2018. In 2020, he started receiving treatment for a colon infection caused by the disease. The acclaimed actor died the next day of hospitalisation at 53 years old. His mother Saeeda Begum, aged 93, had died just four days prior in Jaipur. 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
08 January,2026 11:04 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSActress Parvathy Thiruvothu is remembering the late actor Irrfan Khan on his birth anniversary. On Wednesday, the actress took to the Stories section of her Instagram, and shared a throwback picture with Irrfan Khan. The unseen photograph is from 7 January 2017, a moment captured during the first table read of Qarib Qarib Singlle. The image shows Irrfan holding Parvathy in a warm embrace, a candid snapshot of ease, affection, and camaraderie that defined their time together on the film. She wrote on the picture, “This was 2017 January 7th, right after Irrfan cut his birthday cake that the whole team of Qarib Qarib Singlle got during our first table read”. Directed by Tanuja Chandra, Qarib Qarib Singlle marked Parvathy’s Hindi film debut, and sharing screen space with Irrfan made the experience especially formative. The 2017 romantic drama went on to earn praise for its gentle storytelling and lived-in performances, with Irrfan and Parvathy bringing rare warmth and authenticity to a story about love, second chances, and emotional rediscovery. As fans across the world remember Irrfan Khan today, Parvathy’s post stands out for its simplicity. No grand tribute, no elaborate words, just a moment frozen in time, reminding us of the quiet magic Irrfan brought not only to cinema, but to the lives he touched along the way. Irrfan Khan was one of India’s most respected actors, known for his naturalistic performances and global reach. Trained at the National School of Drama, he built his career through television and parallel cinema before gaining wider recognition with films like Maqbool, Haasil, The Lunchbox, and Paan Singh Tomar, for which he won a National Award. Internationally, he appeared in The Warrior, Slumdog Millionaire, Life of Pi, Jurassic World, and Inferno. Irrfan was admired for his understated style, emotional depth, and ability to bring quiet realism to complex characters. 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
08 January,2026 10:56 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSVicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif have finally revealed the name of their baby boy, introducing their son as Vihaan Kaushal, after welcoming him on November 7, 2025. As soon as the couple announced the name, fans couldn’t help but notice that the little one’s name is inspired by Vicky’s character from Uri: The Surgical Strike. The connection even caught the attention of Uri director Aditya Dhar, who reacted to it. Aditya Dhar reacts to Vicky Kaushal's son's name having a Uri connection On Wednesday, Vicky and Katrina shared a joint post on Instagram and revealed the name of their son. The announcement sparked conversation among fans, as many were quick to notice a connection between the child's name and Vicky’s role as Major Vihaan Singh Shergill in the 2019 blockbuster Uri: The Surgical Strike. Reacting to the post, Dhar admitted that life has truly come full circle for Vicky, from bringing Vihaan to life on the big screen to now naming his own son Vihaan in real life. Aditya commented on the couple’s Instagram post saying, "Vicky Katrina huge congratulations!! Mere Vikkuuu, from bringing Major Vihaan Shergill to life on screen to now holding little Vihaan in your arms, life really has come full circle." He added, “All my love and blessings to the three of you. You’re both going to be extraordinary parents.” Vicky’s fans also flooded the comment section, highlighting the link between the name and his on-screen character. One user wrote, “This one lifts the josh and melts our hearts,” while another shared, “Very unrelated but Vicky's first big break Uri had its protagonist name as Vihaan. Sweet.” Another user noted, “The character that won Vicky a National Award for being the Best Actor will now live on as his son." Vicky, Katrina reveal the name of their baby boy On Wednesday, Vicky and Katrina Kaif shared a joint post revealing the first glimpse of their baby boy. They also revealed his name. The couple introduced their son as Vihaan Kaushal, calling him their "ray of light." The couple shared an adorable first picture of their newborn. The photo showed the couple’s hands gently holding their son’s tiny hand. They captioned the post, “Our ray of light, Vihaan Kaushal. Prayers are answered. Life is beautiful. Our world is changed in an instant. Gratitude beyond words.” Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif welcomed their baby boy on November 7, 2025. They had announced the joyous news with a cute post that read, “Our bundle of joy has arrived. With immense love and gratitude, we welcome our baby boy.”
08 January,2026 10:52 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActress Neetu Kapoor used social media to relive a fond memory with her daughter, Riddhima Kapoor. The Jugjugg Jeeyo actress took to the Stories section of her official Instagram handle and dropped a throwback photo of the adorable mother and daughter duo. The photograph had Neetu lovingly holding little Riddhima in her arms. While the little one is flaunting her heart-melting smile at the camera, Neetu has her eyes fixed on her little bundle of joy. The still included the text overlay, "The cutest riddhimakapoorsahniofficial", followed by pink hearts and love-eyed emojis. From time to time, Neetu enjoys sharing such precious family moments with the Instagram users. In July last year, she posted an old photo of her late husband, Rishi Kapoor, with baby Riddhima. The pic showed Rishi Ji kissing Riddhima on the head, while Neetu sweetly adored the father and daughter duo. Neetu simply captioned the post, “Rare and nostalgic". In a more recent update, Riddhima revealed that she is thankful for stepping into 2026 with the two people she cherishes the most, her mother Neetu Kapoor and husband Bharat Sahni. Entering into the New Year with a heart full of gratitude, Riddhima shared a note on her Instagram that read, "As one year fades and another begins, I find myself exactly where I need to be — with the love that raised me and the love that stands beside me. Welcoming the new year with gratitude, grace, and family at the heart of it all! Happy New year to you— Wishing you and yours a year of peace, love, and beautiful moments ahead newyear 2026." During the New Year celebration, Riddhima entertained everyone with her rendition of the old Bollywood banger Aap Jaisa Koi. Riddhima sang her heart out while everyone else clapped for her in the video shared by her on social media. 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
08 January,2026 10:15 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSMain Smita Patil banna chaahti hoon Actor Chitrangda Singh says she would be “thrilled” to portray cinema legend Smita Patil if a biopic on the late star is ever made. In a recent interaction, Chitrangda spoke about frequently being compared to Patil and recalled a surreal moment involving her son, Prateik Babbar. “Prateik once shared my picture on Mother’s Day, thinking it was his mother. Someone pointed it out to me, and I realised it was actually my photograph,” she said, calling the moment shocking yet special. Chitrangda added that such incidents have made her reflect on the resemblance, saying she would “love” to play Patil on screen someday. Circus on celluloid Yash; (right) Kiara Advani in Toxic: A Fairy-Tale for Grown-Ups A visually ambitious sequence is expected to be one of the talking points of a major Indian release this year, with Kiara Advani playing a key role in it. According to reports, Toxic: A Fairy-Tale for Grown-Ups includes a Cirque du Soleil–inspired act that required months of preparation. The Geetu Mohandas–directed film reportedly sees the actor essay Nadia, a part that involved training with an international team to balance physical precision with emotional depth. Those associated with the film describe the character as intense and unguarded, contributing meaningfully to the narrative rather than just spectacle. The film has been shot in Kannada and English, with dubbed versions planned, and is slated for a March 19 theatrical release. Meanwhile, Yash, who recently turned 40, skipped his birthday fan meet as he is focusing on finishing the film. He has promised to meet his fans soon. Kya pata collab ho na ho Nikkhil Advani; (right) Shah Rukh Khan in Kal Ho Naa Ho Filmmaker Nikkhil Advani has opened up about wanting to collaborate with Shah Rukh Khan again, this time on a film centred on terrorism. Reflecting on his journey, Nikkhil said every storyteller evolves with time, noting that when he made Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), his priorities were different and rooted in romance and optimism. He shared that he and SRK had once discussed a terrorism-based story, adding that he’s now keen to tell films that leave behind a lasting legacy.
08 January,2026 10:09 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamThe race to the final nomination of the Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category has begun. Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, has made it to the top 15 shortlisted films, placing it in strong contention as voting progresses. Vishal Jethwa has flown to Los Angeles with co-actor Ishaan Khatter and Ghaywan to participate in a series of in-person screenings and post-screening discussions across the city. Beginning the year with the Oscar campaign, Jethwa describes it as a “surreal start to the New Year”. “Flying to Los Angeles for the Oscar run of Homebound feels like a dream I’m still processing.” A source says the itinerary has been designed around Academy-approved screening venues, enabling members from multiple branches to attend. “Each screening is followed by Q&A sessions, where the cast and filmmaker will discuss the film’s narrative choices, performances, and thematic concerns. Vishal is expected to talk about his character preparation and the emotional framework of his role,” the source adds. The campaign includes meetings with guild members and international film committees based in LA. The Homebound team will also engage in press conversations with international and US-based entertainment outlets. A still from ‘Homebound’ Grateful to Ghaywan for “the transformative experience”, Jethwa says, “This film has given me so much as an actor. Neeraj sir’s sensitivity, honesty, and vision pushed me to explore spaces I had never tapped into. Homebound is my first film to reach this level of international acknowledgement, and it is incredibly emotional for me. Standing here, representing our story, reminds me why I wanted to be an actor.” Other films in the running… . ‘The Secret Agent’ (Brazil). ‘It Was Just an Accident’ (France). ‘Sentimental Value’ (Norway). ‘No Other Choice’ (South Korea). ‘Sirât’ (Spain)
08 January,2026 10:06 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuIt has been more than six years since Mira Nair’s last outing, A Suitable Boy (2020); and the filmmaker is finally gearing up for her next — a biopic on modernist painter Amrita Sher-Gil. The large-scale international production will kick off in Amritsar this week with a recce. Nair will base her unit in the city to shoot key portions for two months, until March, before the project moves to Europe for its second schedule. Sources close to the production reveal that the international cast and crew will soon arrive in Punjab, while extensive logistical preparations are underway to recreate early 20th-century settings integral to Sher-Gil’s life. “Right now it’s just recce. The shoot begins a bit later. Punjab is central to Amrita Sher-Gil’s story, and Mira wanted to begin the film on that note,” explains a source, adding that the director has been closely involved in scouting locations and detailing the period. While casting details remain under wraps, industry buzz suggests the ensemble includes a mix of Indian and European actors. Our source shares, “The casting has been locked after months of research and auditions, but Mira is deliberately keeping it quiet until filming is well underway.” The film’s European schedule — expected to cover Hungary and France — will focus on Sher-Gil’s formative artistic years. An official announcement regarding the cast is expected later this year, once principal photography progresses. ‘Three Girls’ created by Amrita Sher-Gil in 1935 was the first major work she completed after returning to India. It won the Gold Medal at the annual exhibition of the Bombay Art Society in 1937, which catapulted her to fame Who was Amrita Sher-Gil? Amrita Sher-Gil is often referred to as the ‘Indian Frida Kahlo’. Born in Budapest to a Punjabi Sikh father and a Hungarian mother, she spent her early years in Hungary and India before moving to Paris at 16 to study at the École des Beaux-Arts. She revolutionised Indian art by choosing to paint the everyday reality of the Indian poor and the internal lives of women with deep empathy
08 January,2026 10:04 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuHorror-comedy has quietly turned into Hindi cinema’s most reliable crowd-pleaser these days. Everyone, it seems, wants in. So, why shouldn’t Yami Gautam have a piece of it, especially after her heavy-duty turn in the social courtroom drama, Haq (2025), which had an OTT release last week. mid-day has exclusively learnt that Gautam has been locked to headline a horror-comedy in Aanand L Rai’s next production. Titled Nayi Naveli, the film is set to go on floors in February. “It will mark Yami’s first collaboration with Colour Yellow [Rai’s production house]. It will be a new territory for Yami. It’s an ensemble film,” says a source. Aanand L Rai The horror-comedy rooted in Indian folklore and mythology is penned by Divy Nidhi Sharma, who previously wrote Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par (2025), Laapataa Ladies (2024), and Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar (2024), among others. This is Sharma’s second collaboration with Rai after the yet-unreleased romance Nakhrewaalii. “The humour is atypical of Aanand L Rai’s slice-of-life productions. After Haq, Yami was looking to do something in a lighter zone, but with substance. Nayi Naveli is that perfect combination because while it’s a funny film, it’s not without elements that offer intrigue and emotionality. It is being envisioned on a big scale,” says an insider. While the script is ready, the film is currently in pre-production, and the rest of the cast is still being locked, adds another insider. Nayi Naveli will reportedly be helmed by Tamil filmmaker Balaji Mohan, of Maari (2015) fame, marking his Hindi directorial debut. Also in the works Aanand L Rai is reportedly also planning his third film with South star Dhanush, after ‘Raanjhanaa’ (2013) and ‘Tere Ishk Mein’ (2025)
08 January,2026 10:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaADVERTISEMENT
