Actor Arjun Rampal congratulated the team of the forthcoming war drama, Border 2 after witnessing the adrenaline-filled teaser of the film. He praised Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty for bringing in new blood to the franchise, along with mentioning the solid presence of veteran Sunny Deol, who was also a part of the original flick. Resharing the teaser of Border 2 on his Insta, Rampal wrote, "Dearest JPDutta sir, nidhiduttaofficial congratulations on Border2 love the new energy these handsome and solid youngsters varundvn diljitdosanjh ahan.shetty are bringing, with the backing of the one and only iamsunnydeol i guess India is in good hands (sic)." "Look forward to see them in action under the direction of. anurag_singh_films all the best to the whole team.. Border2," the Dhurandhar actor added. During the teaser launch event of Border 2, Varun shared a fun anecdote. He revealed how he made sure that one dialogue from the film made it to the output with a little help from Sunny Deol. While shooting the sequel, Varun and the film’s unit heard a war cry from the aspirants at the academy, where a part of the film was filmed. He explained that a senior officer roared to awaken the aspirants, and asked, “Awaaz kahan tak jaani chaahiye? Lahore tak (Where shall the voice reach? It should reach Lahore)”. Varun felt that this must be included in the film. “I thought, we must include this bit. If they didn't write it, then they wouldn't have added it to the script. I then went to Sunny sir, and said in his ear, ‘Sir, please do this, this is a very big and real moment. Please use this’”, shared Varun. He added, “That's why I use it only in teaser. Okay, do it. Then I didn't know if it would work, so I went after Sunny paaji. I mean I can't tell you, I got goosebumps. The one who was the trainer, I mean, what a voice it must have actually reached Lahore, the way it was doing”. 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
19 December,2025 12:47 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSBollywood superstar Aamir Khan, who was last seen in a special appearance in Coolie, is taking a dig at himself. On Thursday, the actor’s production house took to their Instagram and shared a fun video of the superstar discussing the strategy around the trailer release of his upcoming production, Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos. In the video, the actor can be seen talking to the director of the film, Vir Das. As the two discuss the prospects of the trailer, the special shows the superstar’s side of creative obsession and control in his films. Picking up from the last video, which showed the superstar getting aggressive with Vir Das, in the new video, Aamir said, “I have changed completely. I have calmed down completely. I have become peaceful. And I am meditating completely. Happy times. Our film is going to be released. The trailer is also coming. I have a surprise for you. The trailer of Happy Patel. I have cut it. Responding to this, Vir Das said, “Sir, I have also made a trailer of our film”. The superstar then said, “You have made a trailer? Yes. Of my film?” Vir Das said, “Of our film, sir”. Vir then said that a film is a director’s vision. So, his version of trailer must be used. Aamir said, “You are right, you are right, you are right. Director? Captain of the ship? Whose ship is it? Yours. Who is the producer?” The director said, “You are”. Aamir went on, “Who is the marketing genius?” Vir Das said, “You are, sir”. The two go on with disagreements when Vir Das wrongly mentions Aamir’s age, which ticks off the latter, as he charges towards him to correct him. 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
19 December,2025 12:18 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSBollywood star Vicky Kaushal has been winning hearts on social media for making his young little fan extremely happy and excited by clicking a selfie with him. Recently, Vicky Kaushal shared a carousel post on his social media account to share photos of his latest event. In one video shared by Kaushal, the actor can be seen obliging to click a selfie with his young fan. You can see the little boy jumping with joy, flaunting his big wide smile upon clicking a selfie with the actor. Further in the video, Vicky is seen turning back to look at the child, as he notices the boy’s unfiltered excitement. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09) Along with the video, Vicky also shared a series of photos of himself, giving fans a glimpse of his recent appearances. In the pictures shared by Vicky, he can be seen dressed in a smart outfit, exuding effortless charm. In one of the pictures, the actor is seen seated comfortably, striking a relaxed pose, while in another, he is looking dapper and composed. On the work front, Vicky Kaushal is keeping busy with multiple film projects, including Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War, which also stars Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor. Meanwhile, his personal life has been equally eventful, as the actor recently embraced fatherhood just a month ago. For the uninitiated, Vicky Kaushal and superstar wife Katrina Kaif embraced parenthood on the 7th of November. Sharing the good news with their fans, the couple had posted an announcement of the same on their social media. They wrote, “Our bundle of joy has arrived. With immense love and gratitude, we welcome our baby boy. 7th November, 2025. Katrina & Vicky.” In the caption, they kept it simple and heartfelt, writing, “Blessed. Om (sic).” For the uninitiated, Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif tied the knot in 2021 in a private ceremony in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan. 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
19 December,2025 11:31 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSMadhuri Dixit was a top name in the country in the 1980s and 1990s. The Dhak Dhak girl was almost at the peak of her career when she made a rather gutsy decision to move to a city and a country where people were barely aware of her identity and fame. After marrying cardiovascular surgeon Dr Shriram Nene in 1999, Madhuri moved to the US and started living a simple family life, one she says she enjoyed. During her recent appearance on mid-day’s Sit With Hitlist, Madhuri spilt the beans on what it was like to live a life away from the spotlight. Madhuri Dixit opens up about Denver When asked about Denver, a city she spent almost 12 years living a simple family life, she shares, “It's not a very big city, and it's not a very small one. It's a city where health and sports are a top priority. Everybody's very aware, outdoorsy.” She added, “So people are skiing, there's Aspen, there's Vail, and all these mountains. People go there to ski. It's more like a resort place, which is very upscale.” Madhuri Dixit talks about her life in the US Madhuri shares how a family life was a dream for her. She shares, “I always thought I was going to get married and I'll have a house and I'll have children and all those kinds of things. And when it actually happened, for me, it was like a dream. So, I didn't even think twice. I said, ‘This is the man I want as a partner for life’, and I got married, and I went to the US, and I started living there.” She emphasised how life in the US wasn’t alien to her since she had often visited her siblings who were settled there. She said, “I had visited my siblings who have lived in the US. I knew what life is all about. You've got to do everything yourself, so nothing was a shock like, ‘Oh my god, what did I get myself into’ or anything.” She adds how she enjoyed her time living her kids childhood with them saying, “In fact, I quite enjoyed that quiet time that I had by myself doing my own things and, having my kids, taking them to the park without being recognised and just having fun with them, sitting on the jhoola (swing) with them and, taking them out, taking them for skiing and stuff like that.”
19 December,2025 11:29 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMadhuri Dixit has never shied away from reinventing herself, and Dedh Ishqiya marked one of the boldest chapters of that journey. In an exclusive conversation on mid-day’s Sit With Hitlist, the actress spoke at length about why she chose the film, how it challenged stereotypes around leading ladies, and why she believes an actor must fully surrender to the character, without worrying about perception. Opening up about her decision to say yes to the film, Madhuri said, “No, but I loved the script because I thought it was a strong woman’s character, who’s talking about women's empowerment and stuff. And I said, I want to do this movie. It was zidd se, main yeh film karungi.” Looking back, she added, “And I’m glad I did.” At the time, many questioned her decision. “People said, ‘Oh, you’re a commercial actress, there’ll be no makeup. And then you don’t know how people are going to react to you,” she recalled. But that didn’t deter her. “I thought it was something that I wanted to do, and I did it.” On doing Begum Para in Dedh Ishqiya The film, which saw Madhuri in a never-seen-before avatar, became what many now call “Madhuri 2.0.” The conversation also touched upon the film’s nuanced themes, including its subtle exploration of same-gender attraction inspired by Ismat Chughtai’s Lihaaf. When asked if she ever worried about how mainstream audiences would perceive her, Madhuri was clear: “Yes, I do. Because I think, as an actress, I shouldn’t be thinking of what the audience is going to think of me as a person. I’m playing a character.” “For me, I was Begum Para,” she explained. “And everything that comes with that, being Begum Para, that’s it, bring it on.” She added that fully embodying the role was key to her performance. “That’s how I played the Begum Para role.” Madhuri also praised the film’s clever storytelling. “I loved the tongue-in-cheek kind of stuff that they have done, where it’s hinting at something and yet people are not sure, the sexual undertone,” she said. When asked if she had to discuss boundaries with the director, she revealed, “I didn’t have to say anything. The way it was written was amazing. There was nothing unseeming or awkward. It was very smart and intelligent.” Madhuri Dixit's take on experimenting with characters Her appetite for experimentation didn’t stop there. Soon after, she took on another first with Gulab Gang. “That’s also something I hadn’t done before,” she said, referring to the high-octane action film. “There was a lot of action, and all the action was done by us. All the women were doing all the action.” From jumping onto trucks to fight sequences, Madhuri did it all herself. “Even the action where I jump on the truck and kick someone, that was done by me. No body double,” she said with a laugh. “It was so much fun. A lot of bruises and all that, but it was fun.” Through Dedh Ishqiya and Gulab Gang, Madhuri Dixit once again proved that reinvention, courage, and conviction are what keep an artist truly timeless.
19 December,2025 11:25 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActress and singer Iulia Vantur revealed that for her, singer and songwriter Ricky Martin serves as proof that dreams do, in fact, come true. Iulia recently got a chance to meet Martin for the second time during his performance in her home country, Romania, and the meeting reminded her of her first encounter with the singer, something she had manifested with her whole heart. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Iulia V Vantur (@vanturiulia) Sharing her experience with her InstaFam, Iulia penned on her IG, "If u know me u know I love ricky_martin...Ricky Martin is more than an artist for me, he is the proof that dreams come true when u want them with your whole heart, with sincerity and faith. I’ve visualised it, I felt it, I knew in my heart that ONE DAY I ll have the chance to meet him on the stage, through my music. I’ve written it in the sky, I’ve signed for it and it happened. ( swipe till the end to see) (sic)." She shared how her opening Martin's Dubai show last year gave her the confidence to trust her instincts and the immense power of manifestation. "Last year, when I sang in the opening of his show, in Dubai. That was an important moment for me personally, more than professionally. I felt the power of my manifestation. That gave me the confidence to trust my gut, that made me understand once again that we are indeed the creators of our own lives. Choose carefully what u manifest... And believe, believe in yourself, in the power of the Supreme Force", added Iulia. Shifting her focus to her latest meet with Martin, she went on to describe the experience as one of the most beautiful in her life. Lulia shared in her own words, "Exactly after one year i had the joy of meeting Ricky Martin again, in my own country- Romania, thanks to emagicromania lauracoroianu grateful...He burned the stage in Bucharest, he made people happy. That’s the mission of a true artist… to bring joy, to make people feel! Thank u Ricky Martin for one of the most beautiful experiences of my life... And u are (Fire emojis) And thank u emagic_romania what a show!" 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
19 December,2025 11:11 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSThe OG Dhak Dhak girl and evergreen diva of Indian cinema, Madhuri Dixit, sat down for an exclusive conversation on mid-day’s Sit With Hitlist, opening up about her fearless choices, evolving craft, and why she continues to surprise audiences even decades into her career. When asked if the headline-grabbing idea of her playing a serial killer in Mrs Deshpande was what drew her to the show, Madhuri was quick to clarify. “No, I mean, that was not the reason why,” she said candidly. Laughing at the thought of sensational headlines, she added, “It could have been. It’s exciting enough, right? She’s a killer, and she has a killer smile, and she kills with a smile.” Madhuri Dixit on what convinced her to do Mrs Deshpande What truly convinced her, however, was the depth of the character and the team behind the project. “I love the character. And also the fact that there was Nagesh Kukunoor, who’s the director, and Applause, who’s the producer. They came to me with the script. When they said it’s a serial killer, I’m like, why me?” she recalled. “But after I heard the whole script, I understood their vision. I thought this was something very out of the box for me to play.” Madhuri also highlighted how rare such roles are for women. “I don’t think anybody has ever played a woman like a serial killer on the screen,” she said, adding that it wasn’t just the label that intrigued her. “There’s the multilayered character. She’s so calm, so composed, and yet she can make people feel very uncomfortable with the silences. Those things were very attractive about the character.” Madhuri Dixit reflects on doing versatile as well as supporting roles in her career Reflecting on her long journey, the actress spoke about breaking myths that once dictated an actor’s career. “The funny thing is, when you say you cannot do this or that, I’ve done everything before I became popular,” she said. “I did play the sister to the lead actress. That’s the only thing I didn’t play,” she joked, before adding that she even worked on a TV pilot early on. For Madhuri, the idea that certain roles could end a career was always flawed. “There are no set rules. Rules can be broken,” she asserted. “You don’t have to say this is written in stone and it’s not going to change.” Citing examples, she pointed out how even Shah Rukh Khan began with television and later played unconventional roles. “That’s not what heroes used to do back then, right? So rules are made to be broken.” She stressed that constant reinvention is key. “What’s very important is that you have to keep working, keep doing different roles,” she said. Even at the height of her commercial success after Tezaab, Madhuri balanced mainstream cinema with experimental projects, such as Mrityudand, Aparna, and Dharavi. Her upbringing played a major role in shaping that mindset. “I was brought up on both influences—art cinema and commercial cinema,” she shared, recalling how her father would watch films with the best reviews. “I’ve seen a lot of Shabana ji’s movies, the parallel cinema of the ’80s. Saturdays and Sundays were movie weekends at home.” That rich cinematic exposure, Madhuri believes, gave her the confidence to take risks, something she continues to do, proving that even an icon can continue to evolve.
19 December,2025 11:11 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMadhuri Dixit has spent decades being one of Indian cinema’s most recognisable faces. Still, away from the arc lights and adulation, her life took a distinctly quieter turn when she moved to the United States in 1999 after marrying Dr Sriram Nene. For over a decade, the actor lived a largely low-key life in the West, raising her two sons far removed from the limelight of Bollywood. Madhuri on being an empty nester In a recent conversation on mid-day’s Sit With Hitlist, Madhuri reflected on how her children, Arin and Ryan, grew up with surprisingly little awareness of her cinematic legacy. “We lived there for a little over ten years,” she shared, adding that her sons’ exposure to her film career was minimal while growing up in the US. “They’ve actually seen more of my films after going to college than they ever did before.” Now aged 22 and 20, Arin and Ryan are firmly charting their own paths. Madhuri beams with pride as she talks about them. “The younger one is in college at USC, and the older one just graduated this year in May and is working at Apple,” she said. No Bollywood circus for Madhuri’s kids Despite being the children of one of Bollywood’s biggest stars, neither Arin nor Ryan has expressed an interest in entering the film industry. “They’ve never really been into the industry,” she said. “My kids are different. The younger one, especially, is not interested in this whole circus. He’s like, ‘Bye, mom.’ Neither of them has ever really been drawn to the industry,” she added. Arin, however, has found his creative calling in music. “Music is his passion,” Madhuri explained. “He produces his own music. Even in school, he did music as a minor and computer science engineering as his major.” That unique blend of creativity and technical expertise has served him well, she added, noting that at Apple, he is involved in projects related to noise cancellation. “He’s really enjoying himself, but music is something he truly loves.” Ryan, on the other hand, is firmly rooted in the world of science and technology. “He’s a STEM guy—into technology, engineering, and math,” Madhuri said. “He’s just amazing.” Interestingly, it was only after heading to college and meeting Indian friends that her sons began discovering her films. Classics like Devdas and Dil To Pagal Hai entered their lives much later than one might expect.
19 December,2025 11:03 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMadhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor’s Beta is still remembered by audiences, thanks to the iconic number Dhak Dhak Karne Laga. The song didn’t just cement Madhuri Dixit’s status as a pop culture legend but also earned her the nickname that still follows her—the “Dhak Dhak girl” of Bollywood. Sung by Anuradha Paudwal and Udit Narayan, with choreography by Saroj Khan, the song presented Madhuri in her most sensuous avatar yet. In an exclusive chat on Sit With Hitlist, the actress reveals how the song was shot at the last minute and included in the film. Madhuri Dixit on Dhak Dhak Karne Laga becoming iconic When asked if there had been a moment in her career where an unplanned thing became iconic, the actress instantly remembered the shoot of the legendary song. She shared, “Dhak Dhak Karne Laga was not there in Beta originally. At the last minute, Indra Kumar got hold of this song and insisted on having it in the movie. I had to go to Ooty to shoot. I was like, I am going for another outdoor shoot and I am not going to do it. And he was like, ‘You have to do it for me’.” She continued, “Then I said okay, I am shooting for a film, so I can do a double shift. Then we did it in Mumbai, and we shot from 7 pm to 2 am and completed it in three days. But Baba Azmi, the DOP, didn’t like the set, and it took some time to clear things off and make what he wanted. Then Saroj Khan said, I am going to finish this in three days, and her condition was that if I say okay, the shot is finalised, you won’t ask for another take. We all agreed, and that’s how we shot it.” For those unversed, the Central Board of Film Certification deemed the dance steps in the song to be inappropriate for audiences back then. The choreographer further shared that she gave a practical example to a lady who was among the board members sitting there and saved the song from cuts. Madhuri Dixit on the turning point in her career Talking about a life-changing phase in her career, she recalled, “The first turning point was me getting into films and working with Rajshri Productions in Abodh. It took a complete turn, as I was a science student and this came a long way, and I started doing it and enjoying it. The second was Tezaab, and then I just worked, and many films came my way.”
19 December,2025 10:37 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan’s mother, Pinkie Roshan, took to her social media account to remember her late friend Zarine Khan. Pinkie, in the post, mentioned how Zarine loved her daughter Sunaina as her own and also elaborated on how much she loved children. Sharing a picture featuring herself along with Zarine Khan, her husband Sanjay Khan, ex-son-in-law Hrithik Roshan and daughter Sussanne Khan, Pinkie wrote an emotional note. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pinkie Roshan (@pinkieroshan) “This picture popped up, Zarine. Thank you for loving Sunaina like your own daughter.” She wrote, “Zar, as always, I’ve known you for loving your children. I’m proud of each one of them too. ”Zayed, Simone, Farah, Sussanne… Things that are touching my heart are how each one of your children is recreating unforgettable memories for their dear mother they love so much…special mention for Malla.” Ever since Zarine Khan passed away 41 days ago, her children Sussanne Khan, Zayed Khan and Farah Khan Ali have been putting up photos of their dear mother on their social media accounts and sharing beautiful memories associated with her. The four children of Sanjay Khan and the late Zarine Khan have been grieving the loss of their mother in their own way. On Dec 17, Sussanne had taken to her social media account and posted a video compilation of some rare moments with her mother. Khan penned, "My Mummsy Angel.. Everything stops when I think of your face… today your soul is 40 days away from us… to our most Spectacular MotherShip… I am blessed coz you chose me to be yours… I remain yours in every way everyday…. Miss you All the time… and in between that too (red heart, raising hands, and raised fist emojis) your forever baby girl Suzi (red heart emoji) (sic)". She concluded her post on a heartfelt note that read, "P.S. Let’s dance together in my dreams through life’s every struggle. I know I will overcome because of you." Earlier too, Sussanne paid a heartfelt tribute to her mom, and shared, "Beyond the Silence… I hear your voice in my thoughts. I feel your love in Farah Simone Malaika and Zayed’s embrace, I hear your wisdom in my Hrehaan’s ideas, I see your excellence in Hridaan’s art, and I see your strength in Papa’s eyes. You are here in me and in all of us… We will keep the brilliance of your heart lit up in every action and every deed." In November, Zarine Khan’s son and actor Zayed Khan had visited the holy shrine of Sai Baba in Shirdi on account of his 20th wedding anniversary and mentioned how Shirdi was the favourite place of his mother, Zarine. He wrote on his social media account, “On our 20th anniversary, Malaika, my sisters Simone, Farah, Sussane and our very near and dear ones were blessed to be at the Shirdi Sai Baba temple, my mother’s favourite place to visit. We as a family wish everyone peace, prosperity and, most importantly, spread kindness and love. God bless you all, people! Om Sai Ram #blessings #prayers #gratitude,” with a prayer emoticon. For the uninitiated, Zarine Khan passed away on November 7 due to age-related complications. She was 81 at the time of her death. 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
19 December,2025 10:33 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSFan encounters can be scary for stars, and many actors have opened up about their most memorable ones. Madhuri Dixit, being the star and loved actor she was in the 1980s and 1990s, it's obvious that she would have had many. Interestingly, much to the shock of her fans and the audience, Madhuri Dixit left the country and settled in the US following her marriage, just when her career was at its peak. When the Mrs Deshpande actress appeared on the latest episode of Sit With Hitlist, she opened up about her most strange fan encounter in India and later in the US. Madhuri Dixit recalls her craziest fan encounter Recalling her most scarriest fan encounter, which she says forced her to relocate to Juhu from Andheri East over security concerns, she shares, "So I used to live in Andheri first, Tezaab had released, and I was still living there. One day, one man turned up. He came to my house and rang the doorbell. He had come with all his suitcases and everything. He was a big, elderly guy, and my mom opened the door. He says, 'Madhuri ji hai.' She says, 'Why?' He replied, 'Unhone bula hai mujhe adopt karnege.' She asked, 'Why? Kyun?' He answered, 'Woh mujhe aaj godh lene wale hai.'" "And he would not leave. So then we had to get our neighbours, and we said, please do something. Then they had to gently explain to him and somehow they got rid of him. They put him in a cab and told him to go back to where he came from." Madhuri Dixit about fan encounters in the US Recalling fan encounters she shares, “Of course, Denver also has Indians. So once in a while, I used to get spotted. And slowly, as the word spread that I'm living in Denver, people started coming in cars, passing my house, going slow, saying ‘This is the house?’ and trying to see if I'm there, if I'm doing something in the garage or if the garage is open and I'm there.” She shared a funny anecdote when her neighbours, unaware of her identity and stardom, offered to call the cops due to security reasons. Madhuri shared, “My neighbours didn't know who I was. We never told them. For them, he (Dr Shriram Nene) is a heart surgeon and a family with kids living in the house. My neighbour, who lives opposite me, called me and he said, ‘You know what, I think somebody's casing your house. I saw this car pass four or five times, and they're slowing down near your house. They're kind of keeping an eye on your house. Do you want me to call the cops because I'm very concerned? Somebody's trying to rob you.’” She then revealed that it was then that she had to reveal her identity. “I had to explain that this is what is going on and they just want to maybe meet me or just spot me in the house,” she told them. How Madhuri Dixit’s identity was busted They were naturally shocked and asked why she kept her identity hidden. Why didn't you tell us? They then insisted on watching her movies, enquiring about the kind of movies she starred in and more. Sharing how one of her neighbours got addicted to her movies, Madhuri revealed, “My neighbour just got addicted to the movies. He would keep asking, ‘Do you have another one?’ every weekend because he loved musicals. And so the word got around.”
19 December,2025 10:29 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
