As the coming-of-age political action film Rang De Basanti clocked 20 years since its release, actor Sharman Joshi said that Hindi cinema will remember the Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra directorial forever. “Time flies,” said Sharman as the film turned 20-years-old. Rang De Basanti follows a British film student traveling to India to document the story of five freedom fighters of the Indian revolutionary movement. She befriends and casts five young men in the film, which inspires them to fight against the evils of their own present-day government. It also stars Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan along with names such as Siddharth, Atul Kulkarni, Kunal Kapoor, British actress Alice Patten, Waheeda Rehman, and Soha Ali Khan. “Rang De Basanti is a memorable film, a cult film and a film that Hindi cinema will remember forever. I was fortunate and blessed enough to be a part of a rare cinema that continues to touch people from across generations.” For Sharman, Rang De Basanti, and 3 Idiots stand at the top throughout his work. “And I feel so fortunate that I was given the opportunity by the Almighty, the directors and producers, to be part of such wonderful films,” he expressed. Further, the actor looks back at the shooting days, recalling memories where shooting the film didn’t feel like work. “I had the most fun shooting the film, it never felt like work - but every scene, every laugh , every shot, and every emotion added to my experience that I will cherish forever,” he added. The film was honoured with a National Film Award for Best Popular Film and was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2007 BAFTA Awards. Additionally, the film was also chosen as India’s official entry for the Golden Globe Awards and Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category. 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
27 January,2026 09:35 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSActor Varun Dhawan was subjected to heavy critism before the release of Border 2. Now that the film has released and is enjoying a significant run at the box office, Varun has seemingly taken a dig at trolls who had been making comments against him. Although earlier he had reacted to the trolling, noting that online noise does not affect his mindset. Varun Dhawan hits back at trolls The actor recently took to his Instagram Story to share a picture of himself surrounded by fans. On the occasion of Republic Day, the actor wished his fans while also expressing gratitude and wrote, Border 2 (National Flag emoji). Love will always triumph hate. Thank you (folded hands emoji)." When Varun Dhawan reacted to the backlash Earlier, Varun had reacted to the criticism while speaking at the Braves Of The Soil tribute trailer launch for Border 2. At the event, he highlighted that he believes in letting his work do the talking rather than responding to negativity. “I believe that you shut down the noise and just let your work do the talking. Yeh sab cheezein chalti rehti hai (All these keep happening). It doesn’t really matter. Main iske liye kaam karta hoon. Main jis cheeze k liye kaam karta hoon woh iss Friday ko pata chalega (I don’t work for this. What I work for, you will get to know this Friday)," Varun shared. The Border 2 actor further stressed, “Mujhe film pe bharosa hai. Ek achi film banana bohut important hai. Obviously, numbers yeh sab cheezein mera kuch lena dena nahi hai isse. But I believe ki humne ek achi film banayi hai (I believe in the film. It’s very important to make a good film. I’m not concerned with numbers. I believe we made a good film). That’s the most important thing," he said. He added that audiences eventually cares about entertainment when they step into theatres. “Log jab theatre mein jaate hai, sab bhool jaate hai (When people go to theatres, they forget everything). They want to be entertained, that’s it. Aur kuch maine nahi rakhta hai. Main use school se aata hoon jaaha aapka kaam bolta hai (Nothing else matters. I come from the school where a person’s work speaks)," he said.
27 January,2026 09:22 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFilmmaker Karan Johar recently announced a digital detox, stating that he will be away from doomscrolling and also from direct messages (DMs) on social media platforms for a week. Karan Johar takes a break from social media Taking to his Instagram stories, Karan announced, "Digital Detox for a week! No doom scrolling! No DMs! No posts! May the universe give me the strength to stay away!!!!" Notably, the filmmaker, who is highly active on platforms, has often spoken about the negative sides of social media. Earlier in July 2025, he had shared that he was considering a digital detox, admitting to feeling overwhelmed by the barrage of distressing updates. Voicing his anxiety over the constant stream of negative news, he had asked his followers if they were feeling the same. .On his Instagram, he had shared, "Is everyone else getting anxious seeing only bad news on the gram??? Have seriously considered a detox!" Karan Johar's recent posts Before going on a digital detox, Karan's last post featured Bollywood superstar Alia Bhatt in a video still wishing everybody a Happy Republic Day. The filmmaker had also taken to his social media account to celebrate the success of the recent Bollywood releases, Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar and Sunny Deol's Border 2. Johar has shared that the box office results of both these movies hint that Bollywood is here to stay. He also added that people are willing to go to cinema halls, provided that they are able to connect with the film, something which was evident with Dhurandhar and Border 2. Karan Johar maker took to his social media account to pen his thoughts. He wrote, "The mega success of the two recent back-to-back mega Hindi film successes proves one thing... Bollywood (yes, incorrect terminology, but here to stay) is back. Naysayers can fly a kite. All Dhurandhars will cross borders of excellence when the films strike emotional chords with a paying audience (sic)". A few days ago, Karan Johar was seen hosting the grand session celebrating his dear friend and Bollywood star Rani Mukerji's 30 years in Bollywood, organised by Yash Raj Films. (With inputs from IANS)
27 January,2026 08:40 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentOscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman recently found himself at the centre of a heated debate following remarks he made during an interview. While he has apologized, many celebs are still condemning his stance on the reason for the dearth of work in the industry. Now, Waheeda Rehman has come forward and weighed in on his statement. Waheeda Rehman on AR Rahman’s remark While speaking to The Indian Express, she said, "Yes, I read about it, but I try to dig less into it. I prefer not to pay attention to it when everything is going fine. These small things happen in every country." "So, what to believe and how much to believe? If it’s even true or not. Why should we get involved? At least at my age, I don’t want to get involved with anything or anybody. Apni shaanti se raho, yeh mulk hai humaara, bas khush raho, that’s what I can say (this is our country, live in peace and stay happy)," Waheeda Rehman went on. "Kaam toh upar neeche hota hi rehta hai (work opportunities keep fluctuating). Ek umar ke baad, log kehte hain ki bring somebody new or different (your ability to get work changes after a certain age). All this can lead to a few people staying behind," she highlighted. "Agar vo bahut oonchaai par pahuche hain aur vo vahin rahenge, unhi ko lenge, aisa bhi toh nahi hota na. Upar neeche hota hi rehta hai, aisi koi nayi baat nahi hai (It is nothing new; this fluctuation keeps happening)," Waheeda added. About AR Rahman’s communal remark During an interview with BBC Asian Network, Rahman was asked whether he ever felt prejudice in Bollywood as a Tamil composer. He said, “Maybe I never got to know of this, maybe it was concealed by God, but I didn’t feel any of this. The past eight years, maybe, because a power shift has happened, and people who are not creative have the power now. It might be a communal thing also, but it is not in my face.” He added, "It comes to me as Chinese whispers that they booked you, but the music company went ahead and hired their five composers. I said, 'Oh, that's great, rest for me, I can chill out with my family.'" This statement has now gone down well with several actors and musicians. Javed Akhtar, Kangana Ranaut, Manoj Muntashir, and several others are slamming him.
26 January,2026 07:03 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentDisha Patani’s personal life has grabbed attention again. The actress is rumoured to be dating popular singer Talwiinder after they were spotted together at Nupur Sanon’s wedding. While they have not reacted to the claims, their appearances have left everyone gawking. On Lollapalooza Day 2, the rumoured couple was seen walking hand-in-hand as they exited the venue. Disha Patani, Talwiinder walk hand-in-hand Talwiinder and Disha were seen entering the venue separately. At one point, Disha was seen turning to look at Talwiinder, who stood a short distance away. While exiting the venue, they were seen walking hand-in-hand, openly strolling together in front of the crowd. Videos of the moment quickly went viral on social media, with fans calling it their “official debut” as a couple. This was after Talwiinder performed on stage with Kehlani, making the audience go gaga with his music. Later, the singer and Disha were snapped exiting the venue together in the same car, accompanied by friends. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Disha's Faheem (@dishu.myworld) About Disha and Talwiinder During Nupur Sanon’s Udaipur wedding, a viral video surfaced, sparking dating rumours between Disha and Punjabi singer Talwiinder. In the video, they are seen holding hands and were later spotted at the Mumbai airport. They were also seen at Nupur’s reception. As of now, neither Disha nor Talwiinder has commented on the rumours. Prior to this, Disha was rumoured to be in a high-profile relationship with actor Tiger Shroff. They began dating in 2018 and parted ways in 2022. The ex-couple maintain a cordial relationship, with Disha being close to Tiger’s sister, Krishna Shroff. While it is not yet known whether Talwiinder was in a relationship earlier, a few days ago there were reports that he was dating a model named Soni Kaur. However, Soni shared a long post on Instagram clarifying that she is not the singer's ex-girlfriend and had only met him socially. On the work front, Disha has some interesting films lined up, including O Romeo, Awarapan 2, and Welcome to the Jungle. She has reportedly been roped in for Anees Bazmee’s next, which also stars Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan.
26 January,2026 06:01 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentSunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty are beaming with pride as their Republic Day release, Border 2, is striking gold at the box office. It was yet another proud moment for the Deol family as late actor Dharmendra was honoured with the second-highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan award. To celebrate the milestones, Esha Deol took to social media and turned cheerleader for brother Sunny. Esha Deol hails Border 2 and remembers Dharmendra Esha shared pictures showing her posing with her sister Ahana and brother Sunny at the screening of his film Border 2. They all shared smiles, with Sunny standing between the two sisters, his hands resting gently on their shoulders. This marked their first public appearance together since their father, veteran actor Dharmendra, passed away last year. Taking to her Instagram handle, Esha Deol wrote, “Happy Republic Day. Really happy that our papa is being conferred with the prestigious Padma Vibhushan Award.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by ESHA DHARMENDRA DEOL (@imeshadeol) Further in the post, Esha also hailed her elder brother Sunny Deol's performance in Border 2. “Definitely watch Border 2 with your family and friends. We watched the film last night. iamsunnydeol you are the best. Shout out to @ahan.shetty @varundvn @diljitdosanjh @nidhiduttaofficial. Fantastic. Salute,” she added. Dharmendra conferred with Padma Award On the eve of Republic Day, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) unveiled the official list of Padma awardees for 2026. Dharmendra, who passed away on November 24, 2025, has been conferred with the Padma Vibhushan posthumously. Reacting to the announcement, veteran actor-politician Hema Malini expressed pride and gratitude, saying, “So, so proud that the government has recognised Dharam ji's immense contribution to the film industry by bestowing on him the prestigious Padma Vibhushan award.” Dharmendra is widely regarded as one of the most iconic actors of his time. Apart from him, actors like Satish Shah, R. Madhavan, Mammootty, and Prosenjit Chatterjee, among others, have also been honoured. About Border 2 Directed by Anurag Singh and backed by T-Series and J P Films, the film was released on January 23. It is a sequel to the 1997 film Border and revolves around the strength of the Army, Navy, and Air Force during the 1971 Battle of Longewala. The film also features Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anyaa Singh, and Medha Rana in pivotal roles.
26 January,2026 05:04 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentT-Series' Bhushan Kumar is currently basking in the success of the latest film under his banner, Border 2. His recent production has already earned Rs 167 crore gross worldwide within just the first three days. Notably, the film marks the first collaboration between Bhushan Kumar and director Anurag Singh. Amid the staggering success of Border 2, the two are already planning of more collaborations in the future. In fact, the two are already planning a third Border film. Bhushan Kumar confirms Border 2 In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Anurag Singh and Bhushan Kumar revealed they were initially collaborating on a different film before Border 2 happened. Now that Border 2 has released, they will get the project back on track. Bhushan added that the Border franchise is not the first thing he and Anurag will work on. “But before that, we will continue what we were discussing even before Border 2 came into the picture. Now is the time for that. The next film will be on those lines. Then, we will return to Border,” he said. Confirming Border 3, he shared, “We are doing a joint venture with his company and my company. He’ll be directing, and it will be something new. Border 3 will happen in due course." He further reiterated, “Obviously, it is such a big franchise,” before adding “Anurag has worked so hard to rebuild it. If you bring something back after almost 30 years and it is getting so much love, we will definitely take it forward.” About Border 2 Border 2 is directed by Anurag Singh. It marks a spiritual sequel to JP Dutta’s 1997 hit Border. The film features Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty. It also stars Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh and Medha Rana in pivotal roles. Border 2 released in theatres on January 23, 206, coinciding with the Republic Day weekend. So far, it has been doing very well at the box office. After a strong opening of Rs 32.1 crore at the domestic box office, the film has registered a massive number of Rs 57.2 crore on Sunday in India. With this, the film has collected Rs 129 crore in its first weekend.
26 January,2026 03:59 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentSiddharth Anand’s directorial Fighter completed two years on January 25. On the occasion, the filmmaker penned a note looking back at the film’s journey and described it as his best work so far. He also said that he plans to raise the bar with his upcoming film King, starring Shah Rukh Khan and his daughter Suhana Khan. Siddharth Anand on Fighter On Republic Day, Siddharth Anand took to X to share a note celebrating the second anniversary of Fighter, which starred Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor in lead roles. “Two years of my best work. Fighter. The film I’m so proud of. Seeing so many scenes on my timeline reminded me how beautiful those moments were. The scene between Patty and Saachi at the cemetery, and the scene with Minni and her father — both are the most emotional scenes I’ve ever shot. They will remain timeless for me,” he wrote. Looking ahead, Siddharth teased his next project, calling it one of the most anticipated films. “Thank you for the love. Now, time to better it. King,” he added. 2 years of my best work. FIGHTER. The film I’m so proud of. Seeing so many scenes on my timeline reminded how beautiful those 2 scenes were. The scene between Patty and Saachi at the cemetery. And the scene with Minni and her father. Both the most emotional scenes I’ve ever shot.… — Siddharth Anand (@justSidAnand) January 25, 2026 Inspired by a story written by Siddharth Anand, along with Ramon Chibb, the movie stars Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone as the lead, along with Karan Singh Grover, Akshay Oberoi, Rishabh Sawhney, and Sanjeeda Sheikh in supporting roles. Backed by Viacom18 Studios in collaboration with Marflix Pictures, the flick marks the primary instalment in the planned aerial action franchise. Fighter saw camera work by Satchith Paulose, with Aarif Sheikha as the head of the editing department. Composer duo Vishal–Shekhar have scored the music for the drama. King release date announcement After days of teasing, the makers of Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming film King have officially announced its release window. The film is set to hit theatres during the Christmas weekend, positioning it as a year-end blockbuster that will carry momentum into 2027. The announcement was made by Shah Rukh Khan and Siddharth Anand on the eve of Pathaan’s third anniversary, further amplifying excitement around their reunion. Along with the release update, the makers also unveiled striking visuals offering a glimpse into the world of King. Shah Rukh Khan is seen in a bold and fierce new avatar, set against dramatic landscapes, with the powerful imagery heightening anticipation for the film’s release later this year.
26 January,2026 03:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentOrry is a social media influencer who is well-connected with influential figures from the film industry, business, and politics. His rise in popularity is largely attributed to his high-profile connections and extravagant lifestyle. Recently, rumours surfaced about a fallout between Orry and his old friend, actress Sara Ali Khan. The two have reportedly unfollowed each other on social media. Amid this, Orry took a dig at Sara’s film career, drawing sharp criticism from netizens who are now calling him a bully. Orry takes a dig at Sara Ali Khan's career On Monday, Orry shared a reel in which he gave his own twist to the trending ‘no civic sense’ videos. In the clip, he is seen recording himself while two people argue loudly in the background, disrupting his shoot. In the video, Orry was dressed in a blue mesh top featuring a printed dotted outline resembling a bra. A curious social media user commented, “Genuine question: What exactly is that bra holding together?” To this, Orry replied, “Sara Ali Khan’s hits.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Orhan Awatramani (@orry) Netizens call Orry a bully The remark did not go down well with social media users, and the discussion soon spilled over to Reddit. Reacting to the comment, one user wrote, “Y’all need to stop giving him attention. He’s a pick-me and now a bully.” Another person wrote, "The best thing to do is to not post abt him. Like genuinely ignore him, that is way more powerful that canceling him or negative PR". Another person wrote, "A horrible human being that useless people made famous!" "I can't believe he is speaking trash so openly," commented another person on Reddit. A user said, "Sara ali khan can be wrong in many ways but whatever orry is doing is next level pathetic!! Imagine a grown up person is behaving like this. Problem of having everything in their life so that they don't have to worry about anything other than throwing shade on others!! Sorry this isn't cool anymore". More shade at Sara Ali Khan from Orry.byu/thetrollslayer1508 inBollyBlindsNGossip About Sara and Orry's fallout Recently, Orry had posted a video where he listed '3 worst names' and added the names Sara, Amrita and Palak as examples without mentioning their surnames. The internet assumed he was referring to Sara Ali Khan, her mother Amrita Singh and actress Palak Tiwari who is rumoured to be dating Ibrahim Ali Khan. Following this, Sara and Ibrahim unfollowed Orry on Instagram.
26 January,2026 03:03 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai Police have successfully cracked a mysterious shooting incident in Lokhandwala by using artificial intelligence, leading to the arrest of actor and filmmaker Kamaal Rashid Khan, popularly known as KRK. The case had initially baffled investigators due to the absence of eyewitnesses, CCTV footage, or audible gunshot reports from residents. Kamaal R Khan gets arrested The incident came to light on January 18 when residents of Nalanda Society in Lokhandwala noticed bullet marks inside two separate apartments. One flat belonged to writer Neeraj Mishra, while the other was owned by model Prateek Baid. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the unexplained damage caused panic among residents and prompted an immediate police investigation. With conventional methods yielding no leads, the Oshiwara police turned to advanced AI-based forensic reconstruction. Using the exact impact points of the bullets, along with environmental data and spatial mapping, investigators digitally recreated the trajectory of the shots. The AI model helped determine the firing angle, distance, and direction, ultimately tracing the origin of the bullets to a nearby bungalow owned by KRK. All about the case Further forensic analysis confirmed that the bullets matched a licensed 7.65 mm Mauser pistol registered in KRK’s name. When questioned, the actor admitted that the shots were fired from his weapon but claimed the incident was accidental. According to his statement, the firearm discharged while he was checking the pistol after it allegedly jammed, and the bullets unintentionally travelled towards the residential complex. Police officials noted that the use of artificial intelligence proved crucial in solving the case, especially in the absence of physical evidence like surveillance footage or eyewitness testimony. The digital reconstruction allowed investigators to piece together the sequence of events with precision and confidence, strengthening the case against the accused. KRK was subsequently arrested and taken into custody as authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the firing. Police are examining whether proper firearm safety protocols were followed and if negligence played a role in the incident. Charges related to negligent discharge and endangering public safety are being considered. The case marks a significant step forward in the use of technology-driven policing in Mumbai. Law enforcement officials believe the successful application of AI in this investigation could pave the way for broader use of digital tools in solving complex cases, especially those lacking traditional forms of evidence.
26 January,2026 02:48 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBorder 2 is enjoying its explosive run at the box office. The film is a spiritual sequel of the 1997 hit, in which Sunny Deol, played Lt Col Fateh Singh Kaler this time. The film also featured Akshaye Khanna, Suniel Shetty and Sudesh Berry, who attained martyrdom in the first time. However, the makers have brought the trio back for cameos for nostalgia. Bhushan Kumar on adding Akshaye Khanna to Border 2 post Dhurandhar success Akshaye Khanna, who is riding high on the super success of Dhurandhar, was also seen in a cameo in Border 2. Amid his hype, many on the internet claimed that the makers of Border 2 deliberately added Akshaye to the film following the current frenzy surrounding him. Bhushan Kumar, the head of T-Series, has now rubbished the claims, stating that they didn’t milk the Khanna euphoria for Border 2. He shared, "You can’t make a film like that. It was already scripted. In fact, we shot his portion after Dhurandhar released. The hysteria of the film and Akshaye was already there but we never thought of [profiting from] it. It was never required in the script. It’s not like we added him after Dhurandhar released." He further pointed out, “The same can be said for Suniel Shetty. It’s not like we decided to bring them in and seeded them in the script later. They were always supposed to be a part of Border 2 as cameo appearances. I would like to urge everyone to not miss the end credits of the film. That scene featuring the cameos is very emotional." Akshaye Khanna shot Border 2 after Dhurandhar release On a similar note, director Anurag Singh added, “We shot his part on December 10-11. Akshaye is in Border 2 as a tribute to Border. He was a part of the story from the very beginning. And those who stay back after the film ends will get the golden nugget." Further talking about the staggering box office collection of Border 2, Kumar says, “It’s very encouraging because it was a non-holiday release." “I think the last film to open to such big numbers was Chhaava that released last year. I don’t remember anything else. This film is growing because of positive word-of-mouth. A good film usually grows by 10-15% on day two but we could anticipate a 30-40% jump on Saturday. I know this film will have a long run, maybe up to two months. We were very confident about the film. It’s nice to hear from people that we’ve lived up to Border, a film that JP sir created," he added.
26 January,2026 02:34 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
