Ever since Dhurandhar released, audiences have been raving about Akshaye Khanna’s menacing act as Rehman Dakait. While his character ended in part 2, he has commenced shooting for his next big project, Mahakali. Filmmaker Prasanth Varma, on Saturday, penned a heartfelt birthday wish for Akshaye Khanna, in which he pointed out that it was an absolute honour to work with the Bollywood star and that he couldn't wait to show the world what they had created together. Prasanth Varma’s birthday wish for Akshaye Khanna Taking to his social media timelines to pen a birthday wish for Akshaye Khanna, Prasanth Varma wrote, "Happy Birthday #AkshayeKhanna sir, a true actor who proves that real talent doesn't need noise. Effortless screen presence, powerful performances, and unmatched class always stand out. It's an absolute honour working with you. Can’t wait to show the world what we’ve created together! Updates coming soon! #Mahakali #Adhira #JaiHanuman." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Prasanth Varma (@prasanthvarmaofficial) He also confirmed that the actor has wrapped his entire portion of the shoot. With 100 days of filming already completed, the team has now moved into an intensive final 40-day schedule in Hyderabad. Akshaye Khanna’s role in Mahakali For the unaware, Akshaye Khanna is playing the character of Asura guru Shukracharya in director Puja Kolluru's upcoming film Mahakali, which is a part of director Prasanth Varma's Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe (PVCU). He will be seen in a striking new avatar, donning the saintly persona of a revered guru for the first time on screen. It may be recalled that Prasanth Varma, who is the showrunner for the film, had taken to his social media timelines to share the first look of Akshaye Khanna's character in the film several months ago. Mahakali not only marks the next big chapter of the Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe (PVCU) but also Akshaye Khanna’s grand debut in Telugu cinema. The film is being awaited with keen interest, as it will be the superhero story of a woman. Akshaye Khanna upcoming movies Apart from this, the actor will next be seen in Siddharth P. Malhotra’s Ikka, co-starring Sunny Deol. Khanna is likely to play the main antagonist against Deol in the film. It also stars Dia Mirza, Tillotama Shome, and Sanjeeda Shaikh in pivotal roles. The movie will be a direct-to-OTT release on Netflix.
28 March,2026 05:31 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentKriti Sanon has been on a roll with back-to-back projects in her kitty. While she has grabbed the limelight for her professional endeavours, she has also been in the news for her personal life. Recently, Kriti’s younger sister, actress Nupur Sanon, married her longtime beau, singer Stebin Ben, in January 2026. Amid that, rumours were afloat that she would also tie the knot before the year ends. Kriti has now spilled the beans about her marriage plans. Kriti Sanon on wedding plans At the Times Now Summit 2026, Kriti Sanon was indirectly asked about her wedding plans, now that her sister Nupur Sanon is married. “Can we expect your sister’s videos from another event going viral soon?” asked the host. Kriti appeared visibly irritated by the question and joked, “Are you this chachi ji asking when I am getting married? Come on guys, there is so much more to life than marriage.” Kriti further denied plans to get married anytime soon. “I don’t know. I will get married whenever I feel like getting married. I don’t think I am in a hurry,” she added. Kriti Sanon, Kabir Bahia dating rumours The rumours about love blooming between Kriti and Kabir started after the actress celebrated her 34th birthday with him in Greece. Several photos and videos of them getting cosy during the vacation had surfaced online. Additionally, Kabir was also seen actively participating in Kriti's sister Nupur’s wedding with Stebin Ben recently. Notably, Kriti and Kabir have a nine-year age gap. Kriti Sanon upcoming movies On the work front, Kriti was last seen in Tere Ishk Mein. Next, she has Cocktail 2 in her pipeline, alongside Rashmika Mandanna and Shahid Kapoor in the lead. Talking about her camaraderie with them, she shared at the summit, “Shahid and I share amazing chemistry, even in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. I’ve really enjoyed working with Rashmika too—she’s a wonderful person.” She also revealed if the film is a remake or a sequel. “There are two girls and one boy. The language and vibe are in a similar zone, a similar world—but a very different story and very different characters. There’s absolutely no relation to Cocktail otherwise, except that it has a mix—a cocktail—of emotions, friendship, drama, music, and amazing locations,” shared the actress.
28 March,2026 04:40 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentDhurandhar 2 is currently on a box office rampage. After rewriting records with its massive opening weekend, the film has continued its strong momentum in its second week as well. While the casting of the film is being called the real hero, rumours were rife that Aamir Khan was approached for Ajit Doval’s role in the film. The role of the intelligence officer is played by R Madhavan. His team has now dismissed the claims. Aamir Khan was not approached for Dhurandhar 2 Amid various casting rumours, one claim suggested that Aamir Khan was offered the role of Ajay Sanyal in the film. However, reports that casting director Mukesh Chhabra approached him have been dismissed. A source close to the actor told Instant Bollywood, "The news of Aamir Khan being approached for Ajit Doval’s character in Dhurandhar or Aamir reaching out to casting director Mukesh Chhabra is absolutely untrue and baseless." Speaking about the Ranveer Singh-starrer at a recent event, Aamir said, “I believe it is doing really well. I have not seen the film yet, but I hear only praises. Dhurandhar 1 and now Dhurandhar 2—both films have done exceptionally well, and my very best wishes to them.” About Dhurandhar 2 The film also stars Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi, who are reprising their roles. Set in Lyari town of Karachi, an area known for its history of gang wars and violent turf battles, Dhurandhar revolves around covert intelligence operations against the backdrop of geopolitical and terror events like the Kandahar plane hijack, the 2001 Parliament attack, demonetization, and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. The sequel charts the rise of Ranveer Singh's character, Hamza Ali Mazari, in the Karachi underworld while also delving into his origins as Jaskirat Singh Rangi, tracing the journey of the young man who eventually transforms into a covert operative. The film is produced by Jyoti Deshpande and Lokesh Dhar and released in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam. A few days back, the film found itself in hot water after the Sikh community sought to lodge an FIR for hurting religious sentiments. Filmmaker Aditya Dhar has strongly condemned the circulation of AI-generated and morphed visuals related to his latest film, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, calling them “false, misleading, and malicious.”
28 March,2026 03:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentSpiritual leader Sadhguru recently sat down for a conversation with Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt at The Leela Palace in Chennai. He shared a series of images from their meeting on his social media account, which show the two talking and praying, while the audience members look on attentively. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sadhguru (@sadhguru) Alia Bhatt asks Sadhguru for parenting advice A social media user shared a snippet from their conversation, which shows the Jigra actress asking Sadhguru a very pertinent and relatable question. The video has since gone viral. Truly excited to see Sadhguru ji and alia Bhat’s full conversation pic.twitter.com/mCJF3pm0r9 — SgInclusive (@SgInclusivess) March 27, 2026 In the video, Alia is seen asking him for parenting advice for her 3-year-old toddler, Raha Kapoor, whom she shares with husband Ranbir Kapoor. In response, Sadhguru explains to her why she shouldn’t worry as a parent. Alia asks, "Your one advice to a parent who's worried if they're being a good parent would be?” An amused Sadhguru chuckles and replies, “A worried parent is not a good parent.” As the audience laughs, Alia tilts her head back and responds, “I don't think you can take worry out of it. I think you would admit.” The delightful session between the two was hosted by JITO Chennai Plus (Jain International Trade Organization). Fans have circulated the pictures and videos Sadhguru posted on social media, writing that they cannot wait for the full conversation to be released. Alia Bhatt reveals her favourite scene from Dhurandhar 2 Alia Bhatt is the latest in a long list of celebrities to congratulate the makers of Dhurandhar 2 for their phenomenal success at the box office. Taking to her Instagram stories, Alia Bhatt shared a still from Dhurandhar: The Revenge. It featured Ranveer Singh as Jaskirat Singh Rangi in his emotional homecoming scene in the movie. While sharing the picture, the actress wrote, "Jaskirat Singh Rangi and this moment..is everything. The magic of the director and the actor in complete sync!" Further extending her wishes to the team, she wrote, "Congratulations, Team Dhurandhar, for this historic run at the movies."
28 March,2026 03:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentSanjay Dutt, who is gaining widespread acclaim for his role as SP Choudhary Aslam in Dhurandhar 2, was recently seen stepping out in the city with his family amid the roaring success of the film. During his outing with his wife, Maanayata Dutt, and their twins, Shahraan Dutt and Iqra Dutt, he was seen losing his cool at paparazzi. Sanjay Dutt loses cool at paps Videos of his heated interaction with the paps surfaced online, in which Sanjay Dutt is seen wearing a white printed shirt, walking hand in hand with his wife, who appears relaxed as she steps out of the car. However, things took a turn when paparazzi gathered around the family and began recording them. Visibly irritated by the attention and the cameras, the actor asked photographers to stop. “Bas karna bey” (Stop it now), he said to them before entering the restaurant. Later, as the family exited the restaurant after dinner, the cameras once again followed them. Sanjay once again seemed to be frustrated with the paps as he firmly said, “Arey bhai, 2 minute band kar do, ho gaya abhi” (Oh brother, stop it for two minutes, it’s enough now). Sanjay Dutt's work front Sanjay was most recently seen in Dhurandhar: The Revenge, helmed by Aditya Dhar. The film continues to dominate the box office with record-breaking success. The film also stars Ranveer Singh, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, and others. Sanjay Dutt played the role of SSP Chaudhary Aslam, a fierce officer of the Lyari Task Force, who has emerged as one of the standout elements of the film. After Dhurandhar: The Revenge, Sanjay Dutt has a busy schedule of upcoming projects in the pipeline. These include Aakhri Sawal, Raja Shivaji, Baap, and KD – The Devil. Sanjay continues to explore diverse roles across multiple genres, maintaining his strong presence in both Hindi and regional cinema. Meanwhile, one of his recent projects, KD – The Devil, has already sparked controversy after a song featuring Dutt and Nora Fatehi, Sarke Chunar, faced backlash. Several individuals and film bodies criticised its lyrics as vulgar. The song also attracted legal trouble, leading to the song being taken down.
28 March,2026 01:53 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentEktaa Kapoor has pledged to give the amount Rs. 1,66,000 she won on the reality show Wheel Of Fortune to actor Rajpal Yadav as a gesture of support. When the team of Bhooth Bangla, including Ektaa Kapoor, Wamiqa Gabbi, and Rajpal Yadav, appeared on Wheel of Fortune, it turned out to be a truly memorable moment. When the team was playing a game, Ektaa chose to offer the winning amount to Rajpal Yadav as a gesture of help and support. This was indeed a very thoughtful gesture by her, and it touched everybody's hearts. About Rajpal Yadav's cheque bounce case For the uninitiated, the actor was accused by Murli Projects Pvt Ltd of default in repayment. 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. The dispute took a legal turn, and in April 2018, a magisterial court convicted Rajpal Yadav and his wife, Radha. The actor was sentenced to six months of simple imprisonment. In 2024, the court directed the actor to show a sincere effort to repay the dues. However, in February 2026, the court found him guilty over non-payment and ordered him to surrender, and he was in Tihar Jail. He was later granted bail as he wanted to attend a family wedding, which was extended until the next hearing on April 1. According to the report submitted by the counsel, the actor has paid Rs 4.5 crore to Murli Projects Private Limited, and a further Rs 25 lakh was handed over through a demand draft on the day of the hearing. About Bhooth Bangla Talking about Bhooth Bangla, the film is by Priyadarshan. It brings the iconic trio of Priyadarshan, Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal. The film will also see Tabu, Mithila Palkar, and Jisshu Sengupta in crucial roles, along with others. Priyadarshan's directorial has been produced by Shobha Kapoor and Ektaa R Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms in collaboration with Akshay Kumar's production house, Cape of Good Films. The film is co-produced by Faara Sheikh and Vedant Baali. It marks Priyadarshan's second Hindi-language horror comedy film following Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007), both of which star Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Asrani, and Manoj Joshi. The story of the movie has been written by Akash A Kaushik, and the screenplay by Rohan Shankar, Abilash Nair, and Priyadarshan. The dialogues have been penned by Rohan Shankar. The film is releasing in theatres on April 10.
28 March,2026 01:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActor Akshay Kumar is all for raw, real action films, unlike the prevalent picture-perfect versions being made with the help of VFX and AI in the film industry. One of the original action stars in Hindi cinema and skilled in martial art forms such as Karate, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, and Kudo, Kumar is not happy with the shift towards technology when it comes to shooting action sequences. Akshay Kumar unhappy with AI and VFX use in action films "There is a huge difference in the way action films are being made today. Earlier, the action would be real; now, everything is done in VFX. It's not fun as it feels fake. I want to make a film, which is real." "For instance, if I'm jumping, then I'm jumping for real and not using VFX for it, or if I'm kicking, then I'm kicking for real, not like 15 people are helping me kick people. I want to make an action film without the use of VFX," Kumar told PTI in an interview. Akshay Kumar is not a fan of the film industry's growing reliance on Artificial Intelligence (AI) as he believes it is easy to spot a difference between the actual action sequences versus the one generated with the help of a computer. "I'm saying this in the era of AI and people may think what they wish to, but I want to do an action film that is a real action film. The audience can feel how much effort is being put in, unlike the efforts taken with the help of AI or computer," he said giving the analogy of a painting and its print version. "There's a difference between real, hand-made and printed (digital) painting. The printed painting may look perfect, and the real painting may have some flaws. Now, it depends on you, what you want to see. I want to make a real painting." The actor started his journey in Hindi cinema as an action star delivering hits through the Khiladi franchise, Mohra, Suhaag, Elaan and Jaanwar before making a shift towards drama, comedy and movies with socially relevant themes. Akshay Kumar on doing franchise films Beyond action, Kumar said he is delighted to be joining successful cinematic universes like Stree and Golmaal. He played a small and yet significant role in Stree 2 (2024). The actor recently joined the cast of the fifth movie in the comedy franchise, Golmaal, helmed by Rohit Shetty. He joins the primary cast including Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Sharman Joshi, Kunal Kemmu and Shreyas Talpade. "Ajay Devgn said, 'I get into every franchise.' But if I'm getting to do Stree why will I not do it? I do franchise films because I'm offered, as they think I'm capable of doing it. It's good to be part of franchise films, and Golmaal is a big franchise," the actor said. Kumar is currently awaiting the release of his film, Bhooth Bangla, directed by Priyadarshan. It is set to release on April 10.
28 March,2026 12:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe latest edition of the Cadence Music Festival, founded by renowned filmmaker Subhash Ghai, will take place from March 30th to April 1st this year. As part of the tradition, the festival will help bridge the gap between industry maestros and the aspiring talent. The three-day event, which will turn the Whistling Woods International campus into a music hub, will also celebrate the profound impact of music on the cinematic arts. The festival is slated to kick off on March 30th at 4:30 PM with a grand Inaugural Ceremony headlined by singer and composer Kailash Kher. Continuing the momentum, on March 31st at 4:30 PM, the festival will feature a stellar lineup, with the dynamic composer duo Salim–Sulaiman alongside the celebrated singer Sonu Nigam. Reflecting on the significance of this year's lineup, Ghai said that the festival focuses on providing a space where the next generation is able to find their own rhythm and take forward the glorious legacy of Indian music. The Taal maker said, "At Whistling Woods, we have always believed that music is the heartbeat of the creative arts. The Cadence Music Festival 2026 is not just a celebration of melodies; it is a platform where the wisdom of legends meets the fire of young ambition. Our mission remains to provide a space where the next generation can find their own rhythm and carry forward the rich legacy of Indian music." The music festival will conclude on April 1st. The day full of musical diversity will commence at 12:00 PM with Ameya Dabli. This will be followed by an evocative session at 4:00 PM with the renowned flutist Naveen Kumar. The evening will conclude on a high note with a closing ceremony at 4:30 PM featuring another musical legend, Sukhwinder Singh. 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
28 March,2026 11:25 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSFilmmaker Karan Johar said that the recent blockbuster Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge reminded him of the 70s solid Hindi cinema, which used to be watched on single screens. Karan shared in his latest Instagram post that watching those movies inspired him to be a part of this fraternity, and watching Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge made him realize how grateful he is for living that dream today. Praising the storytelling style of Aditya Dhar, the Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani maker penned on the photo-sharing app, "The discussions on Testosterone, hyper alpha energy and deep rooted patriotism will continue as it must… BUT DHURANDHAR2 is so much more than that … the heart wrenching back story of Jaskirat… the heartbreaking sacrifices made for our motherland…. The humanisation and layered back story even of the antagonist… the impeccable craft… the soundscape and the all round cinematic prowess proves the brilliance and directorial command of ADITYA DHAR … what an absloutely astounding and outstanding filmmaker he is… he not only raises the mainstream bar but also creates a new one… yeh naya director hai!!! Box office records todke ghusega bhi aur har record maarega bhi!! (sic)" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) Congratulating protagonist Ranveer Singh on the best work of his career to date, KJo added, "Aur aur aur ranveersingh tu kya hua yaar?!?????? Your career BEST work and every tear of yours, every quiet stare, each time you walk with undeniable swag you prove you are one of the greats!!! You are and will always be an artist of huge calibre for the ages…. True DHURANDHAR MOVIE STAR!!! …." Reminiscing about the good old days, the Dharma head concluded saying, "I went back to the days I watched pure solid Hindi cinema in single screens in the 70s… and came out satiated and dreamt of being a part of this business… today I am a part of the fraternity and Dhurandhar reminded me of how proud and grateful I am to be here today… adityadharfilms officialjiostudios". 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
28 March,2026 11:12 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSRapper Badshah has been making headlines in the past few weeks. Recently, he became a topic of discussion for the objectionable lyrics and suggestive visuals of his song, Tateeree. After facing a lot of backlash, Badshah even apologised through a social media post. After that, the alleged wedding photos of the rapper and singer with the Punjabi actress Isha Rikhi surfaced online. Now, Badshah has published a long note on his Instagram Stories after a concert in London, saying that he is ready for the next phase. He claimed that the last couple of weeks have been extremely challenging for him. Badshah wrote on the photo-sharing app, "I’ll be honest with you, these past few weeks tested me in ways I wasn’t fully prepared for. There’s a version of this life that looks perfect from the outside, and then there’s the reality of what you actually carry when the cameras are off. I’ve been sitting with a lot. (sic)" He expressed gratitude to his fans for making his London concert such a massive success. Badshah added that being on that stage reminded him who he is and what this journey has been all about. "But London reminded me of something I needed to be reminded of. When I walked out on that O2 stage, the energy hit me before the sound did. The faces, the voices, the warmth in that arena. You flew in from different cities, different countries, different lives, and you showed up for this music, for me, like it meant something to you. That night I remembered who I am and what this is all for," he went on to add. Badshah concluded the post on a positive note, saying that he is ready to step into the next phase of life with some new music. "I think I’m ready for the next phase. New music is on its way and I’m pouring everything into it. Thank you for holding me down even when I couldn’t say why I needed it," he concluded. 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
28 March,2026 11:09 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSMusic composer and singer Vishal Dadlani is being boycotted on social media over his recent video with a Pakistani journalist. Many users have also demanded his ousting from the singing reality show Indian Idol. The composer serves as one of the judges on the singing reality show. On Friday, users took to their X, formerly Twitter, and spoke about how the composer has spoken with the journalist of a rogue nation which is India’s arch-nemesis. One social media user wrote, “Remove Vishal Dadlani From Indian Idol SonyTV”. Another wrote, “Vishal Dadlani has questioned our sovereignty and our right to exist as a nation by aligning with Pakistani terrorists. This clearly constitutes an act of terrorism as per new Bhartiya definition Please get him booked under UAPA”. A third user wrote, “He is the biggest anti-Indian I have ever seen and is getting repetitive opportunities”. Another user wrote, “The best way to teach them a lesson is to not watch. Sony is known not to give a damn about such issues”. The recent controversy involving Vishal Dadlani stems from a viral video showing him interacting with Pakistani journalist Safina Khan in London, the latter is known for harbouring anti-India views. The clip quickly gained traction across social media platforms. The interaction appeared informal, with both seen conversing casually at what reports describe as a public or event setting. The video triggered strong online reactions, largely due to Safina Khan’s controversial public image and alleged political positions, which have been debated. As of now, the composer has not issued a detailed public clarification regarding the interaction. India and Pakistan share a long history of conflicts and war exchanges. The two nations have fought 3 major wars in 1965, 1971, and 1999, with India comprehensively winning all of them.
28 March,2026 10:57 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSADVERTISEMENT
