Veteran filmmaker Ramesh Sippy and actress Hema Malini have shared fascinating anecdotes from the sets of Sholay, recalling how Dharmendra once walked nearly 50 kilometres from his hotel to the shooting location and even added a dash of vodka to coconut water to get into the right spirit. The two were recently present at the magazine cover launch commemorating 50 years of Sholay. Recalling the incident, Ramesh Sippy exclusively told IANS, “One day, Dharmendra decided that he wanted to walk all the way from the hotel to the shooting spot, which was almost 50 kilometres away. He started walking around two or three in the morning, stopped briefly in between, and continued till he reached the location at around seven in the morning. After resting for an hour, he came out and was ready to shoot. It was unbelievable, but he was completely determined.” Hema Malini added, “He would walk miles and miles.” Sippy further highlighted the actor’s fun-loving side and said, “That was one side of Dharmendra. The other side was his playful nature. Sometimes there would be a little vodka mixed into coconut water, a small wink, and the message would pass through. It gave him a certain spirit.” The filmmaker then went on to describe Dharmendra’s personality and said, “There was a childlike innocence in him that came through very often, and within moments, he would turn into a strong, serious man. That quality was very winning. He could get angry, but he would be absolutely fine again within moments.” For the uninitiated, Dharmendra essayed the role of Veeru in the iconic movie Sholay that released in 1975. It went onto become a cult classic and one of the finest movies of Indian cinema. The movie, along with Dharmendra, also starred Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, AK Hangal, Sachin Pilgaonkar, 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
28 January,2026 11:47 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSArijit Singh, one of the most celebrated voices in Indian music today, once revealed that his now-iconic singing style was not always welcomed. In a candid conversation about his early years, the singer spoke honestly about how audiences initially rejected his natural voice, forcing him to consciously reshape it over time. When Arijit Singh spoke about his voice Opening up about his journey, Arijit admitted that the voice listeners associate with him today is the result of intense effort and deliberate transformation. He said, “Maine toh apne voice ko toda hai, mera voice thodi aisa tha pehle. Mera voice alag hi tha.” The singer explained that his original voice sounded very different and lacked the texture that later became his signature. Reflecting on that phase, Arijit revealed that people were openly critical of how he sounded back then. “To get that old voice back, I would have to stop everything for two to three months, but people hated that voice,” he shared, underlining how strongly audiences reacted against his natural tone. According to him, this reaction pushed him to rethink how he approached singing. Arijit further explained how the feedback affected his choices as a musician. “Maine jab uss voice mein gaana shuru kiya tha, people didn’t like that voice at all. So I had to change my voice, to kind of cut through,” he said. The singer noted that adapting was not a creative whim but a necessity to survive and grow in the competitive music industry. Arijit Singh recalls torturing himself for the voice Describing the physical and emotional effort involved, Arijit used a striking phrase that stayed with fans. “Gale ko tod tod ke textures banaya hai maine. It’s almost like sculpting your voice,” he said, comparing the process to molding raw material into something refined. He emphasized that developing a unique sound required discipline, endurance, and constant self-correction. Talking about how demanding the process was, Arijit added, “Bohot torture kiya hai apne aap ko ek tarike se taaki voice ka projection alag ho jaye, basically voice ka muscle banne jaisa.” He explained that just like building physical strength, shaping a voice involves training, stress, and repetition. Today, Arijit Singh’s voice is considered timeless, but his journey serves as a reminder that even the most admired talents are often born out of struggle, rejection, and relentless self-belief.
28 January,2026 11:33 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai Police have initiated the process to cancel the pistol licence of actor and social media personality Kamaal R. Khan, popularly known as KRK, following his arrest in connection with the Oshiwara firing case. The move comes after an Andheri metropolitan magistrate’s court remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody, with investigators citing serious concerns over the alleged misuse of a licensed firearm. KRK's gun licence to get cancelled According to police officials, the Versova police station has sent the necessary documents to the office of the Mumbai Police Commissioner to begin proceedings to revoke KRK’s licence for his 7.76 mm German-made Mauser pistol. Police informed the court that KRK allegedly admitted to firing shots from his licensed weapon during questioning. The incident reportedly took place on the night of January 18, when two rounds were allegedly fired. However, investigators have so far recovered only one empty cartridge from the scene. Police told the court that the weapon is capable of holding up to seven bullets, and several rounds are yet to be accounted for. Officials also stated that KRK claimed the remaining ammunition was with his brother in Uttar Pradesh and that he would hand it over once he secured bail. During the court proceedings, the magistrate questioned police on whether anyone had been injured in the incident. Investigators confirmed that no injuries were reported. The court also sought clarification on the distance between the firing location and the complainants’ residence. Police estimated the distance to be around 400 to 500 metres, while the defence argued it was closer to one kilometre, casting doubt on whether a bullet could travel that far. Police maintained that such a distance was possible. All about the case KRK’s lawyer, Sana Raees Khan, has strongly opposed the allegations and applied for bail, describing the case as fabricated. The defence argued that there was no concrete evidence to suggest criminal intent and claimed procedural lapses, including the absence of prior notice before KRK’s arrest. The legal team also stated that the matter largely pertained to technical violations under the Arms Act rather than any act of violence. After the completion of his police custody, KRK was sent to judicial custody as investigations continue. Authorities are now focused on tracing the missing ammunition, examining forensic evidence, and determining whether the firearm was discharged in violation of licence conditions. The case remains under judicial scrutiny, with further hearings expected as police proceed with both the criminal investigation and administrative action regarding the firearm licence.
28 January,2026 10:50 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActress Priyanka Chopra celebrated her little bundle of joy, Malti Marie's 4th birthday, on January 15. PeeCee took to her official Insta handle and treated the netizens with a January photo dump, which included several adorable moments of Priyanka with her daughter and husband Nick Jonas. The Barfi actress shared a couple of snaps and videos from her daughter's Mermaid-Themed birthday celebration with mermaid tail balloons, seashells, starfish, and net detailing. From kids having a blast to Malti adorably feeding a rabbit, to the little one just relaxing on the boat, to her running through the corridors without a care in the world, to making bathtime a little more fun, the post had some fun moments of the little munchkin during the first month of 2026. One of the photos from the album also had PeeCee smiling from ear to ear as Malti wrote her name in a drawing book. "Random January.. you’ve been good so far", Priyanka wrote the caption. Previously, Priyanka took to her Instagram Stories to share a glimpse from Malti’s birthday bash, along with the words, “She’s 4.” Nick also uploaded a stunning picture of Malti, but decided to cover her face with a birthday cake emoji. “I can’t believe it. Our little angel is four,” the singer and actor penned. Meanwhile, PeeCee also made quite a splash during her red carpet appearance at the Golden Globes with hubby Nick Jonas. Her recent social media post included some glimpses of the Global couple from the special evening as well. Priyanka had presented the award for 'Best Actor (Male) in a TV Series – Drama' during the Golden Globes. She was accompanied by Lalisa Manobal, better known as Lisa, a member of the popular Korean girl group BLACKPINK. Welcoming the two ladies on stage, host Nikki Glaser made a witty comment saying, “One was in The White Lotus and one wed the white Nick Jonas.” Priyanka and Lisa announced Noah Wyle as the winner for his performance in the show The Pitt. 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 January,2026 10:21 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSActress Genelia D'Souza has taken to her social media account to express her pride in her ‘baby boys’, Azai and Ivaar, for starring alongside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan in the song Maatrubhumi from his upcoming movie Battle of Galwan. Genelia, sharing the video of the song on her social media account, expressed her happiness as Azai and Ivaar, sons of her best friends and television power couple Shabbir Ahluwalia and Kanchi Kaul, make their Bollywood debut alongside Salman Khan. Genelia, who considers both the boys as her own kids, wrote, “My Darling Azai and Ivarr – Nothing makes me happier than seeing my baby boys and Ofcourse was fully teary-eyed – kanchikaul shabirahluwalia you did well guys – proudbeyondwords.” On Monday, Azai and Ivaar’s mother, Kanchi, took to her social media account to share the video that featured her darling sons along with Salman Khan and Chitrangada Singh from their song Maatrubhumi from Battle of Galwan. She wrote, “What an incredible experience to enhance the adventures of AZAI and IVARR ....with the best team lakhiaapoorva and ofcourse the one and only, beingsalmankhan battleofgalwan.” On the occasion of Republic Day, Bollywood superstar Salman Khan had shared a message for his ‘chota chota nanna munna desh bhakts’. The actor, through an adorable video featuring himself with his niece Ayat and nephew Ahil, asked his little fans to love their Maatrubhumi. He wrote, “This is for all the chota chota nanna munna desh bhakts and patriots . Happy Republic Day love your Maatrubhumi... Jai Hind salmankhanfilmsmusic.” The actor in the video shared by him on his social media account can be seen listening to the song Maatrubhoomi along with little Ayat and Ahil from their Mama's upcoming movie, Battle of Galwan. In the video, Ayat and Ahil were seen elated as the video featured their real-life friends Azai and Ivaar. Arpita Khan, the mother of Ayat and Ahil and sister of Salman Khan, had also taken to her social media account to share how her kids were excited to see their best friends Azai and Ivaar in the movie alongside their ‘Mama’. Talking about Maatrubhumi, the song serves as the emotional and patriotic anchor of Battle of Galwan. The makers of Battle of Galwan had dropped the video of Maatrubhumi a few days ago, making it the first song from the movie album. The song features Salman Khan as an Indian Army officer alongside actress Chitrangada Singh, with their on-screen pairing appearing refreshingly organic and instantly relatable. Portrayed as a family with Azai and Ivaar as their children, the visuals move seamlessly between moments of warmth within their home and stark, stirring glimpses of the Galwan battlefield. Battle of Galwan is produced by Salma Khan under the banner of Salman Khan Films, with Apoorva Lakhia at the helm as director. 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 January,2026 10:11 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSFilmmaker Anil Sharma reflected on the making of his superhit film Gadar 2, saying that there was constant pressure on him to make the sequel, but he waited for a worthy script to commence the project. In an interview with ANI, Anil Sharma said that after the success of Gadar 1, there was huge demand for its sequel. Despite the numerous requests from the fans, he decided to wait for a strong script for the sequel, which could turn into a blockbuster at the box office. "After Gadar 1, I used to go anywhere in the world. In the country, abroad, anywhere in the world, people used to ask me to bring Gadar 2. I used to laugh at myself. I used to say, if I get a good story like Gadar 1, I'll bring it." "Gradually, Utkarsh grew up and became an actor. He did the movie Genius. Now, people were after me, saying that Jeete (Utkarsh Sharma's character in Gadar) has also grown up, make a story with Jeete. I wanted to make Gadar 2, but when I get a great story, when I feel that this is really a sixer outside the stadium, then I will do it," added Anil Sharma. After waiting for over two decades, the director was finally impressed by a story from the scriptwriter Shaktimaan Talwar, which highlighted the father-son relationship of Sunny Deol and Utkarsh Sharma in the film. He realised that focusing on this bond would make the story meaningful and strong, rather than just copying the formula of the first film. "Finally, I got the story. Shaktimaan ji came one day with the story. He gave us a little idea of the story. Then we both sat down and a great script was made. Preparations were done. It was decided. I knew Tara Singh. I concentrated on the father and son and decided to show the bond between them. That is where the story was born," said Anil Sharma. Despite critics doubting Sunny Deol, the filmmaker's abilities or even Utkarsh's acting capabilities, Anil Sharma was confident in the story. "People used to think that my movie Genius did not work in the theatre, though it worked on OTT. So people had a minus for me. People had a minus for Utkarsh. People had a minus for Sunny. People had a minus for Gadar subject. People had their own perception, but I knew that people would like the story," said Anil Sharma. The director is currently working on Gadar 3. Apart from Utkarsh and Sunny Deol, Gadar 2 starred Ameesha Patel who reprised her role from the first instalment of the film released in 2001. Sunny Deol had played the role of Tara, a truck driver, while Ameesha Patel played Sakina in the film that was set during the partition of India in 1947. Gadar 2 (2023) follows Tara Singh as he ventures across the border in a daring attempt to rescue his son, portrayed by Utkarsh Sharma, who has been captured in Pakistan. The film was a box-office blockbuster. 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 January,2026 09:41 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIMoving on without you It took eons for Suvinder Vicky to bag a project like Kohrra (2023) and earn love and popularity for his breakout performance. However, he will not be seen in the second instalment of the police procedural. With the new season set to drop on Netflix on February 11, creator Sudip Sharma says moving on from the character was a “difficult decision”. “The character was very close to me personally. After you spend so much time with a person, there is a friendship too. You want to relive that experience.” Claiming that the character’s storyline ended in the first season, he adds, “All his emotional arcs were closed, his personal track was also satisfying. It felt like it came to an end. So, there was no other way to keep that character in the show.” Created and written by Gunjit Chopra, Diggi Sisodia, and Sudip, the sequel brings a fresh case and a new pairing, once again rooted in Punjab’s bleak terrain.
28 January,2026 09:04 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamWith their maiden production Girls Will Be Girls (2024), Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal showed that they are here to tell meaningful stories. But their storytelling doesn’t have to be restricted to the fiction space. The duo’s next production will be a yet-untitled non-fiction series that will explore different regions, communities, and traditions across India. A source revealed, “The series will focus on everyday stories, local histories, and cultural practices, offering a well-rounded look at the country.” So far, the crew has shot in parts of Mumbai, and will soon move to other cities and towns. Although Chadha remained tight-lipped about the format and platform, she said the idea of the series was born from the couple’s curiosity about the country and the world at large. She shared, “I’ve always believed that stories exist everywhere — in people, places, and cultures we’ve never paused to understand. With this series, I want to explore that world with curiosity and compassion. As an artiste, it’s important to keep experimenting. Girls Will Be Girls was my first step in that direction as a producer, and this new series is another leap into a space that excites me. I’m eager to bring real stories of travel, heritage, and human connection to life.”
28 January,2026 08:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuBollywood actress Sara Ali Khan and social media influencer Orry’s fallout has been making a buzz on social media platforms and among Bollywood fan communities. While Sara has maintained a dignified silence on the matter, Orry has used his platform to make his feelings towards Sara Ali Khan quite clear. The two, who were once old friends, have now unfollowed each other on social media. Orry has now revealed that his equation with Sara and Ibrahim Ali Khan’s mother, Amrita Singh, is the reason for the feud. Orry on reason for feud with Sara Ali Khan Talking to Hindustan Times about unfollowing Sara Ali Khan, Orry said, "I unfollowed Sara a while ago.. and I haven’t followed Ibrahim in years." He adds, “Pretending to be friends with Sara means pretending to be ok with the trauma her mother put me through and I just don't think I can do that anymore.” "If Amrita Singh were to apologize I could maybe see myself letting it go in the future," said Orry. Orry on taking a dig at Sara'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.” "I don’t really think I said anything wrong about her. I just made a small joke taking a dig at her career. I highly doubt she even felt bad about it; the whole internet makes fun of Sara’s movies all the time. Her biggest body of work is a series of memes that she’s delivered via movies. People make fun of me being jobless all the time. It’s not that deep," he says. When Orry's chat with Palak was leaked Back in 2024, Orry’s chat with Ibrahim Ali Khan’s rumoured girlfriend and actress Palak Tiwari was leaked. The content of the chat indicated a fallout between the two, with Palak apologising. Orry took to Reddit to react to the social media frenzy that followed. He said, “Why is no one asking what she’s apologising for? Think about it. You all are grilling me for not happily accepting her apology, but she’s obviously apologising for something she did wrong — wrong enough that a third party had to get involved and make her see it correctly.” He added, “Do you think 1) she would apologise, 2) I would post it like that, or 3) others would tell her to apologise if she wasn’t very, very wrong and hadn’t crossed a line? I have friends across all departments — not just young actors — and I have never behaved like this because I’ve never heard such nonsense before.”
27 January,2026 10:16 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentVeteran actor Archana Puran Singh has opened up about some of the toughest years of her life and career, candidly reflecting on the financial struggles she faced, the choices she made to survive in the industry, and the emotional journey behind those decisions. In a heartfelt conversation with her husband Parmeet Sethi on her YouTube channel, Archana revealed a phase when she was the family’s main breadwinner and took on every project that came her way — including some she now calls her “worst work.” Archana Puran Singh talks about her struggling days Archana admitted that being the primary earner early in her marriage came with emotional complexities she didn’t fully recognize at the time. “When I married you, I was like, ‘Yes, I am the one who is earning,’” she said, recalling her feelings of pride and responsibility. But she also acknowledged a deeper internal conflict: “Somewhere I had repressed my feminine side, which wanted someone to provide, which wanted me to lean on someone and look up to him, just like my mother looked up to my father.” She confessed that this left her sending mixed signals to Parmeet as she navigated her dual roles as provider and partner. Archana was unapologetically honest about the professional decisions she made in that period. “Another mantra of mine is, I never say no to work. Now I have started saying no to some work,” she said, explaining how necessity often overrode artistic choice. “The result of that was that I did very bad films. I did C‑grade films. Because my mindset was to put bread and butter on the table.” She added that at times she felt frustrated, thinking, “At that time, I felt like if you had stepped up, I wouldn’t have had to do that work.” Parmeet Sethi shares his perspective Parmeet, sharing his perspective, explained that he was younger and still finding his footing in the industry. “At that time, my point of view was that your career had already played out, but my career was forming, and I thought that if I take one misstep, then I would be completely out of the industry. I was trying to become the hero for the longest time,” he said. To this, Archana responded playfully but poignantly, “I also wanted to become a heroine,” highlighting how both had aspirations shaped by their different career stages. “But you were seven years elder to me and ahead of me in career,” Parmeet added. Looking back, Archana said she learned to adapt rather than resent her choices. “I diversified. I became an anchor, a comic lady, I did side roles, bad films, C‑grade films, cheap films, but I retained my dignity,” she reflected. “In all of that, if I would not have maintained my dignity, I would not have been where I am today.” Archana and Parmeet, married for over three decades and parents to two sons, now seem to find strength and humor in the shared memories of their early years, embracing both the struggles and the lessons they brought.
27 January,2026 09:53 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe upcoming film Battle of Galwan is an extremely special one for actor Shabir Ahluwalia. Without being a part of the film, it has become one of the most special in his life. His and his wife Kanchi Kaul's kids Azai and Ivaar make their acting debut with the film. They made their first appearance with the song Maatrubhumi which was recently released. Shabir Ahluwali cheers for his kids Sharing the song on his Instagram feed, proud father wrote, "What an incredible experience to enhance the adventures of AZAI and IVARR ….with the best team lakhiaapoorva and ofcourse the one and only, beingsalmankhan". View this post on Instagram A post shared by kanchikaul (@kanchikaul) Actress Genelia Deshmukh also sharing the video of the song on her social media account, expressing her happiness as Azai and Ivaar, sons of her best friends and television power couple Shabir Ahluwalia and Kanchi Kaul, make their Bollywood debut. Genelia, who considers both the boys as her own kids, wrote, “My Darling Azai and Ivarr – Nothing makes me happier than seeing my baby boys and Ofcourse was fully teary-eyed – kanchikaul shabirahluwalia you did well guys – proudbeyondwords.” Salman Khan's message for his chota fans On the occasion of Republic Day, Bollywood superstar Salman Khan shared a message for his ‘chota chota nanna munna desh bhakts’. The actor, through an adorable video featuring himself with his niece Ayat and nephew Ahil, asked his little fans to love their ‘Maatrubhumi.’ He wrote, “This is for all the chota chota nanna munna desh bhakts and patriots. Happy Republic Day love your Maatrubhumi... Jai Hind @salmankhanfilmsmusic.” The actor in the video shared by him on his social media account, can seen listening to the song Maatrubhumi along with little Ayat and Ahil from their Mama's upcoming movie Battle of Galwan. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Salman Khan (@beingsalmankhan) In the video, Ayat and Ahil were seen elated as the video featured their real-life friends Azai and Ivaar. Arpita Khan, the mother of Ayat and Ahil and sister of Salman Khan, had also taken to her social media account to share how her kids were excited to see their best friends Azai and Ivaar in the movie alongside their ‘Mama’. About the new song Talking about Maatrubhumi, the song serves as the emotional and patriotic anchor of Battle of Galwan. The makers of Battle of Galwan had dropped the video of Maatrubhumi a few days ago, making it the first song from the movie album. The song features Salman Khan as an Indian Army officer alongside actress Chitrangada Singh, with their on-screen pairing appearing refreshingly organic and instantly relatable. Portrayed as a family with Azai and Ivaar as their children, the visuals move seamlessly between moments of warmth within their home and stark, stirring glimpses of the Galwan battlefield. Battle of Galwan is produced by Salma Khan under the banner of Salman Khan Films, with Apoorva Lakhia at the helm as director.
27 January,2026 09:49 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
