Bollywood debutant director Aryan Khan, also known for being megastar Shah Rukh Khan’s son, is currently riding high on the humongous success of his debut show, The Ba***ds of Bollywood. The series, released in September, continues to be the talk of the town. Aryan was honoured with the Best Debutant Director of the Year award at the NDTV Indian of the Year event held in New Delhi on Friday. In his winning speech, he dedicated the win to his mom while sharing how he loves accolades like his dad. Aryan Khan on winning the award In his speech, he thanked the cast, crew and the streaming platform for their belief in his capability as a first-time director. His gratitude extended to everyone who contributed to the series. Expressing joy about his win, Aryan said, “First, I would like to thank the cast, crew and Netflix for believing in a first-time director. Congratulations to all the winners tonight—this is my first award. I hope to win more. Mere dad ke tarah, mujhe bhi awards bohot pasand hai, but yeh award unke liye nahi, meri mom ke liye hai (Like my dad, I also love awards a lot, but this award isn’t for him, it’s for my mum).” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Red Chillies Entertainment (@redchilliesent) About The Ba***ds of Bollywood For the uninitiated, The Ba***ds of Bollywood, which was released in September this year, became one of the most loved OTT shows of 2025 because of its gripping story. The show gave a glimpse into the chaos and drama that go on behind the world of Bollywood and won over viewers instantly. Talking about its storyline, The Ba***ds of Bollywood followed the journey of Aasmaan Singh (played by Lakshya), an ambitious outsider navigating the ruthless maze of glamour and power struggles in Bollywood. Blending sharp satire with gripping drama, the show peeled back the curtain on the lesser-known truths of the film industry. Aryan Khan successfully managed to rope in surprising cameos by icons like Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Karan Johar and many more, adding an extra dose of star appeal to the series. The series, along with Lakshya, also featured Bobby Deol, Mona Singh, Raghav Juyal, Anya Singh, Manoj Pahwa, Manish Chaudhari, Sahher Bambba, Gautami Kapoor, Rajat Bedi and others.
20 December,2025 12:19 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBollywood actress Pooja Ruparel has shared an inside video of the birthday celebration of veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha and son-in-law Zaheer Iqbal. In the video shared by Pooja, Sonakshi Sinha is seen seated in the middle of both the birthday boys and cutting the cake with them. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pooja Ruparel (@poojaruparel) With her father Shatrughan on one side and husband Zaheer on the other, Sonakshi looked extremely happy. In another glimpse, you can see legendary director Ramesh Sippy also in the video enjoying the birthday party of his good friend Shatrughan. Sonakshi's mother, Poonam, is also seen smiling from ear to ear, looking at her family having a good time. Shatrughan Sinha's and Zaheer Iqbal's birthdays fall a day apart from one another. While Shatrughan celebrates his birthday on the 9th of December, Zaheer celebrates on the 10th. On account of her father's and husband's birthdays, Sonakshi had taken to her social media to share heartfelt birthday wishes for the two most important men in her life. She had shared a picture of the three of them together, smiling ear to ear, “The only men that matter. Ilysm. Happy birthday! So lucky you were born,” with three heart emoticons. Her caption had reflected the deep love she has for her father and husband. 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
20 December,2025 12:17 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSAnupam Kher met the superstar Kamal Haasan at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on Friday. On Instagram, Anupam Kher expressed his happiness at meeting Kamal Haasan, calling the artist one of the "Finest actors" of Indian cinema. "Was delighted to meet one of the FINEST actors of Indian Cinema, Kamal Hassan ji at the Delhi Airport! Have been an admirer of his craft and varied performances for years. Have learnt so much from him as an actor. His list of great performances is countless!" wrote Anupam Kher. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anupam Kher (@anupampkher) The Tanvi The Great director shared that they conversed for almost an hour at the Delhi airport, talking about cinema, favourite books, K Balachander, Rajinikanth and others. "We sat in the airport lounge for almost an hour. In that one hour it seemed we spoke about a lifetime! So many topics- world cinema, K. Balachander sir, life lessons, favourite books and of course the great RajniKanth sir! It was a RICH conversation! Thank you sir for your wisdom, warmth and appreciation! Love, respect and prayers always!" concluded Anupam Kher. Director Anupam Kher recently extended his best wishes to the makers of Homebound after they were shortlisted for a nomination in the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards. While talking to ANI, Anupam Kher referred to Neeraj Ghaywan's Homebound and said, "I hope it reaches the final stage as well." The actor also gave a shoutout to Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar, which has been receiving an overwhelming response from audiences in theatres. The actor called it his "favourite film of the year." "Dhurandhar is my favourite film of the year. I would like more and more people to go and watch it in large numbers," said Anupam Kher. In 2025, Anupam Kher directed the film Tanvi The Great, which starred debutant Shubhangi Dutt in the lead role. The film was screened at the International Film Festival of India 2025. 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
20 December,2025 10:30 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIRadhika Apte recently featured in the Zee5 series Saali Mohabbat. The actress has been vocal about her journey and struggles during her career. From the work hour debate to being ill-treated on sets, she has revealed it all. In a recent interview, she reflected on her experience of working in the South and shared that she was traumatized by sexist behaviour there. Radhika Apte on sexist behaviour down south In a recent conversation on Creator X Creator by SCREEN, Radhika revealed some of her most disturbing incidents. “I didn’t do many big Hindi films where this happened, but there were some offers that came my way. When I met them and realised who they were, I decided I would never work with them," she said. She then recalled moving down south as she was not getting exciting work in Hindi cinema. She shared, “Then I did some South films because I really needed money. Some of the films that I did, I had a really difficult time on those sets. I remember there was this one time where I was the only woman on set. We were shooting in a small town. They wanted to add more padding on my bum and breasts. They were like, ‘Amma, more padding!’ I said, ‘How much more padding?’ (laughs). How much rounder would you make somebody?” “I was the only woman! I had no manager. I had no agent. My team was all men because they’d given me the role. They said, ‘No, you’re not allowed to get your own team,’” recalled Radhika. “I never, ever want to be put in that situation again because I’ll cry. It was actually traumatic. I wouldn’t want any woman to be in that position,” she added. Radhika Apte upcoming movies Radhika Apte was most recently seen in Saali Mohabbat, directed by Tisca Chopra, alongside Divyenndu. She also has Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders in her kitty. The crime thriller has been directed by Honey Trehan and written by Smita Singh. The movie, along with Chitrangda Singh, also stars a stellar ensemble featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Deepti Naval, Ila Arun Bajpai, Revathy Asha Kelluni, Rajat Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, Priyanka Setia, Shridhar Dubey, and Akhilendra Mishra.
20 December,2025 10:17 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent2025 has been a life-changing year for actor Vicky Kaushal. He not only delivered the highest-grossing film with Chhaava, but also embraced parenthood for the first time. The actor is currently enjoying this new phase of his life, as he shared that he is now better at changing diapers than acting. He also calls fatherhood a magical feeling. Vicky Kaushal on embracing fatherhood Vicky was honoured with the Actor of the Year award for his stint in Chhaava at the NDTV Indian of the Year 2025, held in Delhi on Friday. “Thank you, this is for my family and my little one, who has come in as a blessing… Yeh pehli baar hai jo main shehar chhodhke aaya hoon after becoming a father, and it was very tough (This is the first time I’ve left the city after becoming a father, and it was very tough). But I'm sure when he grows up and watches this, he'll be proud of his dad.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Katrina Kaif (@katrinakaif) Talking about whether the role of being a father came as a challenge, Vicky shared, “It is too new to feel any challenges. It's all magical right now. It's all very blissful right now… I don’t know, main shabdon mein nahi baiyan kar sakta ke kya feeling hai (I can’t describe the feeling in words). There are all sorts of objectives that I can mention, but it's just a very special feeling, and truly God has been very kind. The family is very happy, and this one is for my entire family and especially for him.” Vicky even admitted that he is now “better at changing diapers than acting.” About Vicky Kaushal 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 posted an announcement on social media. They wrote, “Our bundle of joy has arrived. With immense love and gratitude, we welcome our baby boy. 7th November, 2025. Katrina and Vicky.” The couple had tied the knot in 2021 in a private ceremony in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan. On the work front, Vicky Kaushal is keeping busy with multiple film projects, including Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love and War, which also stars Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor. He also has Maddock Films’ Mahavatar in his kitty. As per reports, Deepika Padukone is roped in alongside him for the film.
20 December,2025 09:16 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAkshay Oberoi can hardly wait for 2026, as he will be seen in two big-budget movies — Shah Rukh Khan’s King and Yash’s Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups. The actor points out that his third offering, a yet-untitled thriller led by Manoj Bajpayee, has him equally excited. After all, it gave him the opportunity to work with Neeraj Pandey, who has produced it. “Neeraj sir’s understanding of this [genre] is incredible. I’ve come away from this project feeling like I’ve grown, not just as an actor, but as someone who understands storytelling better,” he said of the thriller that marks screenwriter Ritesh Shah’s directorial debut. Sharing screen space with Bajpayee was the cherry on top. “Manoj sir is an institution in himself. Just watching the way he prepares and the intensity with which he approaches his work is inspiring. Being around that kind of focus pushes you to be better,” said Oberoi.
20 December,2025 07:56 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuWhen Ikkis opens on January 1, it will, among other things, remind us of what Hindi cinema lost in 2025. Sriram Raghavan’s directorial venture, led by Agastya Nanda, will mark the final on-screen appearance of Dharmendra, who passed away on November 24. In the swansong, we’ll also see the superstar’s last dance, in a qawwali track. (Left) Dharmendra with Vijay Ganguly (extreme right) during the shoot Featuring Dharmendra and Jaideep Ahlawat, the song was shot in Pune in May 2024. It apparently sees the veteran actor’s character going to his college reunion. A source from the unit said, “Initially, it plays in the background as Dharmendra’s character catches up with his friends. Then it moves to the foreground as his friends get him to the dance floor and he shakes a leg. It’s a fantastic moment! While the college is shown to be in Lahore in the narrative, producer Dinesh Vijan and Sriram filmed it in a Pune college.” Agastya Nanda leads the January 1 release In Ikkis, Dharmendra portrayed the father of Nanda’s character, Param Vir Chakra awardee Arun Khetarpal. Working with him on the number was a moment of pride for choreographer Vijay Ganguly. Remembering the 89-year-old actor as being “full of life”, Ganguly told mid-day, “Shooting with Dharmendra was amazing as he was vibrant and full of life. He was awake till we completed the song at 4 am.” What made the collaboration sweeter was the fact that their association went way back. The choreographer, who has designed two songs in the biopic, added, “It was a moment of nostalgia for both of us. Dharamji had done a film earlier with my father [filmmaker Anil Ganguly] called Dushman Devta [1991]. During the shoot, he remembered my father fondly. He told me he was a kind man and that he enjoyed working with him.” Sriram Raghavan. Pic/Yogen Shah ‘Ikkis’ was Dharmendra’s second collaboration with Sriram Raghavan. The superstar had also featured in the director’s ‘Johnny Gaddaar’ (2007)
20 December,2025 07:30 AM IST | Mumbai | Upala KBRThe makers of Ikkis have dropped the final trailer for the upcoming film featuring newcomer Agastya Nanda in the lead role. The final trailer comes weeks before its theatrical release on January 1, 2026. The trailer gives another glimpse of the biographical drama based on the life of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, who was posthumously honoured for his bravery in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. Ikkis final trailer The new trailer introduces viewers to Arun Khetarpal's journey through military training, personal challenges, and moments with his family. It reveals a mix of military action and personal stories, focusing on Arun Khetarpal’s sense of duty and his relationships with family members, who shape his outlook on service and sacrifice. Featuring Agastya Nanda and Dharmendra in significant roles, the 2-minute-11-second trailer is loaded with gripping battlefield action, dramatic tank encounters, heartfelt family moments, and a powerful real-life story of bravery. Towards the end of the trailer, Dharmendra delivers a moving performance as Arun's father, with his impactful line, "Yeh meri family hai, chota beta Mukesh 50 saal ka hai aur yeh bada beta Arun yeh hamesha ikkis ka hi rahega." Sunny Deol pens an emotional note Actor Sunny Deol has expressed his undying love and admiration for his late father, Dharmendra, after watching the veteran actor's powerful appearance in Ikkis.Clearly moved by the glimpse, the 'Border' actor expressed his heartfelt love and admiration for his father. On Friday, Sunny took to his Instagram handle and shared the new trailer of the movie and captioned it as, "Love you, papa. Witness the true story of the youngest Param Vir Chakra awardee, a hero who was only 21 and became eternal -Second Lt. Arun Khetarpal. Ikkis In cinemas on 1st Jan 2026 ExperienceCourageOn1 Jan." Ikkis will mark Dharmendra's final appearance on the big screen. The legendary actor passed away on the very day the makers released his character poster. They captioned the post, "Fathers raise sons. Legends raise nations. Dharmendra ji, an emotional powerhouse as the father of a 21-year-old immortal soldier. One timeless legend brings us the story of another. Ikkis TrailerOutNow Ikkis in cinemas worldwide on 25th December 2025." (With inputs from IANS)
19 December,2025 07:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA video claiming to show a leaked romantic song featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone from the upcoming film King has gone viral on social media, sending fans into a frenzy. The short clip, widely shared across platforms, shows the much-loved on-screen pair in an intense romantic moment, complete with a close embrace and a soulful track playing in the background. However, the excitement surrounding the clip has now been tempered by the truth behind it. Fact check: Was the video real or AI? Despite appearing convincing at first glance, the viral video is not an actual scene from King. It has been revealed to be a fan-made edit created using artificial intelligence tools. The clip stitches together manipulated visuals that resemble Shah Rukh Khan’s reported look for the film, paired with Deepika Padukone styled in glamorous outfits, giving the illusion of an official song sequence. The addition of romantic lyrics and dramatic visuals further fuelled speculation that a song from the film had been leaked online. KING SONG LEAKED Who tf made this 😭 pic.twitter.com/6piFMvgSj7 — Sameer (@sameerahmadx) December 18, 2025 As the video gained traction, several social media users began questioning its authenticity. Many pointed out the unnatural transitions, visual inconsistencies, and overly polished appearance that hinted at AI involvement. Soon after, it became clear that no official footage, song, or teaser from King had been released by the makers, confirming that the clip was purely fictional. The viral edit once again highlights how advanced AI technology has become, making it increasingly difficult for viewers to distinguish between real and fabricated content. While some fans praised the creativity behind the video, others expressed concern over how easily such edits can be mistaken for official material and spread misinformation. Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone reunite Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone’s pairing continues to generate immense excitement, thanks to their iconic collaborations in films like Om Shanti Om, Chennai Express, and Pathaan. Their reunion in King is already one of the most anticipated aspects of the film, which perhaps explains why even a fake clip managed to attract so much attention. The makers of King have not issued any statement regarding the viral video, maintaining silence as anticipation around the film continues to build. Until official visuals or music are released, fans are advised to treat such viral content with caution. While the AI-generated clip may not be real, it serves as proof of the audience’s eagerness to see Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone together again on the big screen, a reunion that continues to spark excitement, even through unofficial fan creations.
19 December,2025 07:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentNeeraj Ghaywan’s directorial Homebound is India’s official entry for the Oscars and has been shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film category. The film, which stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, narrates the tale of friendship during a trying and testing time. Recently, Khatter revealed that his character had a beautiful love story in the film, which the team had also shot. However, the portion never made it to the final edit. Ishaan Khatter on his edited love track in Homebound In conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Ishaan revealed that his character had a love track in the film, and the role of his partner was essayed by Reem Shaikh. While the scenes were shot, they did not make it to the final cut. The actor revealed that the first edit of the film was 3.5 hours long, but it was eventually cut down to nearly two hours to meet Oscar eligibility criteria. Talking about the love track, Ishaan said, “It was a beautifully written track and was quite personal to Neeraj as well. We shot it. Reem Shaikh played the character and she is incredible and everybody loved it. But in the interest of the final film and what it needed, sometimes decisions need to be taken. I have learnt this quite early that sometimes you have to kill the darlings.” Homebound gets shortlisted for Oscars 2026 Homebound will be competing in the Best International Feature Film category with Argentina’s Belen, Brazil’s The Secret Agent, France’s It Was Just an Accident, Germany’s Sound of Falling, Iraq’s The President’s Cake, Japan’s Kokuho, Jordan’s All That’s Left of You, Norway’s Sentimental Value, Palestine’s Palestine 36, South Korea’s No Other Choice, Spain’s Sirat, Switzerland’s Late Shift, Taiwan’s Left-Handed Girl, and Tunisia’s The Voice of Hind Rajab. The final nominees in all categories are expected to be announced on January 22, 2026. The 98th Academy Awards are scheduled to take place on March 15, 2026, with comedian Conan O’Brien returning as the host. Filmmaker Karan Johar expressed his joy after the film was shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. Thanking director Neeraj Ghaywan for making his dream come true, KJo penned an emotional note on social media saying, “I am not sure I can articulate how proud, elated and over the moon I am with the journey of HOMEBOUND… all of us dharmamovies are privileged to have this proud and important film in our filmography … (sic).” “Thank you, Neeraj Ghaywan for making so many dreams of ours come true… from Cannes to being on the Oscar shortlist, this has been such an overwhelming journey! Love to the entire cast and crew and teams of this special special film! Upwards and onwards…….. HOMEBOUND streaming now on Netflix_in,” the Dharma head added.
19 December,2025 06:52 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent'Mann Bhareya' singer B Praak has been blessed with a baby boy. An excited singer took to his social media handle to share the happy news with all his followers. He revealed that the baby was born earlier this month and also shared the name of the baby. B Praak announces baby's birth Sharing a post featuring the image of Bal Kanha along with cows, B Praak announced that he has embraced fatherhood yet again on December 1 and also revealed his baby’s name as ‘Dvijj Bachan’. The announcement note read, “DVIIJ BACHAN. Twice Born – A Spiritual Rebirth. By the divine grace of RadheShyam. We are blessed with a baby boy on December 1, 2025. Our hearts overflow with gratitude and joy. The sun rises again, bringing light, hope, and new beginnings into our lives.” For the social media caption, B Praak wrote, “Sab Radhe Radhe Hai. Jay Shree Krishna.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by B PRAAK (@bpraak) For the uninitiated, B Praak and his wife, Meera, first embraced parenthood in 2020 and are parents to a 5-year-old baby boy. In 2022, the singer and his wife, Meera, had tragically lost their second son at the time of birth, an incident that B Praak considers as 'extremely heavy and emotional'. B Praak's work front On the professional front, B Praak has lent his voice to soul-stirring songs like Mann Bharryaa, Teri Mitti, Filhall, and Ranjha. Earlier, while talking to mid-day, the singer picked his favourite song from his career that best represents India. He picked Maaye from Sky Force and explained, “It beautifully reflects the courage and sacrifices of our soldiers. The lyrics carry pride, love, and respect for the nation, and the music has a purity that connects instantly. It’s a fresh yet timeless expression of our unity and resilience. " A few days ago, B Praak came up with a spiritual spectacular with Sounds of Hari, an immersive journey designed to awaken devotion, emotion, and inner stillness. The singer-composer highlighted that it wasn't about entertainment but was more about surrender. Speaking about what makes Sounds of Hari different, B Praak said, “I have performed on countless stages, but ‘Sounds of Hari’ is special. It comes from a sacred place inside me. This is not about entertainment; this is about surrender.” He added, “I want people to walk in with the weight of the world and walk out feeling light, healed, and connected. Even if one moment of this experience brings someone peace, that will be my true achievement.” (with inputs from IANS)
19 December,2025 06:46 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
