Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan recently reunited for Bhooth Bangla, sparking excitement among fans. Their collaboration hinted at the possible making of the much-awaited Hera Pheri 3, co-starring Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty. However, the film continues to remain in limbo due to legal issues. Amid this, Akshay Kumar has confirmed that the film is not happening anytime soon. Akshay Kumar on Hera Pheri 3 In an interaction with Subhankar Mishra, Akshay Kumar commented on whether Hera Pheri 3 is in the making amid disputes. He shared, “Hera Pheri 3 abhi filhaal toh nahi ban rahi (The film is not happening as of now),” said the actor. When the host said he was in shock after hearing this, the actor replied, “Mujhe khud jhatka laga tha. Koi baat nahi, Welcome bana li. Thoda kuch mantra padna padega ki sab theek ho jaaye. Abhi ek saal toh nahi hai. Uske bohot saare issues hain. Aisa nahi hai ki hum teeno [actors] saath nahi hain. (I am myself in shock. But that's okay. I think we need some good mantras to make it happen. For the next year, the film is not on track. There are many issues, but not with us three actors.) We are working on Welcome to the Jungle. There are some things that I cannot speak about on camera. There are agreements that take the project backwards.” He added, “It will come in its own time. When the time is right, the film will be made. I hope we are not old by that time.” About Hera Pheri 3 controversies The highly awaited comedy Hera Pheri 3 has encountered a major legal hurdle after a South Indian production house moved the Madras High Court, claiming that it holds the copyright to the franchise, not producer Firoz Nadiadwala. The dispute has cast uncertainty over the future of the film. Speaking about the legal issue, Priyadarshan confirmed that the matter is not resolved. He said, “We are trying to sort it out. Once that is sorted, then we’ll go ahead with that film.” At one point, Paresh Rawal had exited the film, following which Akshay Kumar reportedly moved court against him, seeking Rs 25 crore in damages. However, the matter was resolved quickly, with Akshay later withdrawing the case.
18 April,2026 10:18 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActor Pulkit Samrat ended up creating history during the trailer launch event of his upcoming sports drama Glory. He became the first Indian actor to step into the ring with a professional boxer and the third to achieve this feat globally. Before him, only Tom Hardy and Jake Gyllenhaal have dared to box with a professional. On Friday, Pulkit participated in a powerful and unprecedented live boxing match against professional boxer Neeraj Goyat at the trailer launch of Glory. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Netflix India (@netflix_in) Not just a promotional gimmick, it was a full-fledged, high-impact bout, demonstrating intense preparation, discipline, and grit from Pulkit's side for his next. In a display of sportsmanship and mutual respect, Neeraj spoke highly of Pulkit after the match — applauding his dedication, courage, and the sheer effort it takes for an actor to step into a real combat scenario. Earlier, Pulkit revealed what made him say yes to Glory. He said, "What pulled me into Glory was the truth of that world, it’s tough, it’s unforgiving, and that’s what makes it beautiful, because every win matters and every step is earned. Ravi doesn’t react, he absorbs, calm on the outside, the fire within, and that space between control and breaking is where real strength is built. Playing him reminded me that greatness is about showing up again and again, even when it hurts, because champions are made in everything they survive. Grateful for this journey, this is just a glimpse”. Created by Karan Anshuman and Karmanya Ahuja, Glory also stars Divyenndu, Suvinder Vicky, Jannat Zubair, Ashutosh Rana, Sikandar Kher, Kunal Thakur, Sayani Gupta, Yashpal Sharma, and Kashmira Pardeshi in pivotal roles, along with others. Produced by Mohit Shah and Anshuman under the Atomic Films banner, the series has been written by Anshuman, Ahuja, and Vaibhav Vishal. Directed by Karan Anshuman and Kanishk Varma, Glory is expected to premiere on May 1. 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
18 April,2026 10:13 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSActor-producer Richa Chadha has questioned why independent filmmakers continue to cast “commercial” actors who, she says, bring neither box-office pull to stories that don't need such faces nor festival credibility to benefit the indie film. “If an actor isn’t opening a film theatrically for you on a Friday and doesn’t add any real weight at festivals either, then what exactly is the advantage of casting them in an independent film?” Richa said in a statement. The actress said that she is not suggesting anything, but “at least with trained actors you have the assurance that the performance quality will be maintained.” “There's a commerce behind Indie films too, some stories don't need that big a face always to pull the crowds. It's a more economical thought to hire an actor who brings credibility without having to create a huge hole in the budget.” She added, “Not taking away from any actor's ability or worth, the idea is for Indie films to survive in 2026, truly, we have to know and learn that audiences want to see quality stories, with credible actors who won't dent the budget because the entourage has to be accommodated as well." Richa highlighted that independent cinema was historically built on risk-taking, authenticity, and strong storytelling. "Indie films are meant to discover new voices, actors, writers, and technicians who bring freshness and honesty. When filmmakers compromise on casting for the illusion of ‘commercial value,’ the film loses its soul,” she said. The actress added that in the 1980s, “we had a thriving indie cinema movement and legendary actors like Faroque Sheikh, Amol Palekar, Shabana Azmi were all stars in their own right.” “That space has disappeared today. If the whole industry is going to sit around waiting for a nod from 5 top male actors, who are very tired and busy, on whose shoulders you want to mount the films, all the best to you, meaning there won't be enough output,” she added. 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
18 April,2026 10:05 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSThe buzz is that after Sitaare Zameen Par (2025), Aamir Khan may be gearing up to headline a biopic on Ashneer Grover, best known for Shark Tank India. The project, reportedly in pre-production, will be directed by Rahul Mody. “Aamir has read the script and loved it; he is doing this film. It’s highly relatable, given Ashneer’s popularity today,” a source told Pinkvilla. An official confirmation is awaited from the actor’s team. Aamir’s full kitty Aamir Khan has a film with Lokesh Kanagrajan, which is apparently a major superhero film. He has yet another movie with Rajkumar Hirani, a biopic on Dadasaheb Phalke. The actor is reportedly also working on the sequel of ‘3 Idiots’ (2009).
18 April,2026 08:40 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamAdding Aamir Khan’s production, the tentatively titled Batwara 1947, to his filmography has been a moment of pride for Ali Fazal. But being part of an intense Partition drama takes a toll. The actor admitted that it wasn’t easy to leave the story behind after wrapping the film. “It’s not something you can switch off from easily at the end of the day. The role stayed [with me] as it’s heavy, internal, and required sustained emotional investment,” he said. In ‘Lust Stories 3’, Ali Fazal stars in the segment directed by Shakun Batra. Pic/Yogen Shah Fortunately, he found a light-hearted offering in Lust Stories 3, giving him just the right contrast after the intense movie. To Fazal, director Shakun Batra’s segment with Radhikka Madan offered a different creative rhythm, allowing him to explore more personal shades. Speaking about the contrast, the actor added, “You should constantly put yourself in uncomfortable spaces, and this year was [just that]. What excites me is this constant shift in energy. I’m enjoying that directors are making us see ourselves in a different light.” Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta. Pics/Yogen Shah, Instagram Aug 13When the Partition drama, led by Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta, is expected to release
18 April,2026 08:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuPriyadarshan is nearing a career milestone few filmmakers do — his 100th film. Now that Bhooth Bangla has released and Haiwaan is in post-production, it’s time for the director to focus on the project that will team him up with his long-time friend and frequent collaborator Mohanlal. What will the duo give us this time around? A musical drama revolving around a father and his son, Priyadarshan revealed to mid-day. “I will start my film with Mohanlal sir in November. It’s a complicated film because it’s a musical and will take me a lot of time to put together,” the director said. A clash of egos and conflicting ideologies on music between the father and son, both renowned Carnatic singers, will form the backbone of the Malayalam movie. Revealing that Mohanlal will portray the son, Priyadarshan added, “It’s a commercial entertainer with action, 12 songs, and a family drama at its heart. Both are Carnatic singers, and I would want the father to be a newcomer, an elderly person with a background in Carnatic and Hindustani music, and Kathakali. Usually Kathakali performers are actors and singers. It’s a challenge to cast the father. If SP Balasubrahmanyam was alive, I would have requested him to play the father’s role. Mohanlal sir sings very well. He has sung for movies before, but I won’t make him sing in this film as it involves classical singing on a high [octave].” The yet-untitled movie, also written by Priyadarshan, will be shot in Palakkad, Kerala. 40+Number of films Mohanlal and Priyadarshan have collaborated on Rs 3.5crReported collection from paid previews of Priyadarshan’s ‘Bhooth Bangla’
18 April,2026 08:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Upala KBRThree’s already a crowd with Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur, and Pooja Hegde featuring in Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai. What if we told you that another stunner has joined the mix? mid-day has exclusively learnt that Dhawan’s Bhediya (2022) co-star Kriti Sanon has a cameo in the upcoming comedy, featuring in a post-credit song. Apparently, the duo filmed the high-energy number — being described as the film’s “big celebratory finale” by insiders — at the Santacruz restaurant, Eve, on April 16. According to a source close to the production, the team had been planning a glamorous end-credit track, but Sanon’s involvement was a late addition. “It was meant to be a fun, youthful track that captures the film’s spirit. Getting Kriti on board was an inspired choice, given her crackling chemistry with Varun in Dilwale [2015] and Bhediya [2022],” said a source. ‘Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’ sees Varun Dhawan romance (L-R) Pooja Hegde and Mrunal Thakur The song is your classic party number with a packed dance floor, neon-lit visuals, and fast beats. The source added, “Director David Dhawan wanted it to feel like a celebration, not just for the characters, but also for the audience walking out of the theatre.”
18 April,2026 08:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu‘Bhooth Bangla’Dir: PriyadarshanActors: Akshay Kumar, Tabu, Wamiqa Gabbi, Paresh Rawal, Asrani, Rajpal YadavRating: 3/5 Did we need three hours to tell this story? That was my first thought after watching the sparsely funny, slightly lazy Bhooth Bangla. Going into it, we knew that director Priyadarshan has the knack to extract the best out of Akshay Kumar. But that’s the best bit of this film. He has aced the humour. It’s silly in parts, but effectively extracts chuckles. However, the fatal flaw of this film is that it suffers from a Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007) hangover. Given that the superstar-director jodi brought to Bollywood its recent favourite fad — horror-comedy — way back in 2007 with the Vidya Balan-starrer, the expectation of recreating the same has become their biggest burden. You see similar tropes — a beautiful, forbidden bangla, local lore, Ashtami, choreographed dance pieces, a million bats, a rat running through the piano’s keys, and Rajpal Yadav parroting lines from the original. There is far too much in here that reminds you of Bhool Bhulaiyaa, mixed with a strange subplot about ritual killing. Bhooth Bangla swells in its first half, but eventually falls short despite a brilliant mid-point. The tone shift post-interval takes the film downhill. It almost feels like another filmmaker directed it. Jokes vanish completely in the second hour, and this is where the writing by Rohan Shankar, Abhilash Nair, and Priyadarshan starts to give way. I wonder if they ever took a beat and asked — “Did we forget to connect these dots?” The film is funny, just not consistently. You get the occasional line that lands, a visual gag that clicks, a bit of physical comedy that reminds you why the combination of Priyadarshan and Kumar works so well in the first place. But these moments are scattered. The ensemble adds to this confusion. Because how do you critique a cast that is, individually, so watchable? Paresh Rawal leaves us in splits. Yadav matches his comic timing in every frame. The late Asrani is nothing short of brilliant onscreen. But the female characters, except Tabu, be it Mithila Palkar or the ever-so-watchable Wamiqa Gabbi, are left untended. Jisshu Sengupta, who is somehow cast as the father to a man (Kumar) a decade older than him, seems like one of those decisions that the film never acknowledges, but hopes that the audience just goes along with it. You try. You do. But every time they share a scene, you are slightly annoyed at how the makers are still getting the basics so wrong. To his credit, Kumar seems to be having a good time, which shows. His willingness to be silly without being desperate works in the film’s favour. In a tighter script, this performance could have had the chance to shine. The real issue is how uninventive and uninteresting the horror parts feel. It doesn’t scare and doesn’t parody superstitions enough. The horror bits feel like they are politely waiting for the comedy to finish before the jump scares.Which brings you back to the central problem with Bhooth Bangla. It keeps trying to redo the magic of Bhool Bhulaiyaa, but mostly to its own disadvantage. Not because it’s terrible, but because it feels familiar and never quite good enough on its own. It’s been 19 years since that film. It was unlike anything we had seen before, then, with smarts and laughs in equal measure. Bhooth Bangla tries to ape the brilliance of the bygones instead of trying to be its own movie. That’s the most Priyadarshan thing about this film — there’s chaos, comedy, and a bangla full of people running in and out of doors. But not all the doors lead somewhere interesting.
18 April,2026 07:43 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuAfter Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan are back with another haunted palace and another ghost. But when the first movie's lurking, unseen, mysterious entity is replaced by a poorly rendered CGI ghost, is there any comparison? The film introduces us to Arjun Acharya (Akshay Kumar), who lives in London. His younger sister Meera (Mithila Palkar) is about to get married, but cannot find an appropriate destination wedding location in India. Things fall in place miraculously when a lawyer shows up at their door, informing them that their grandfather is dead and has bequeathed all his wealth, which includes a haveli, to them. Grateful and befuddled (since he was unaware of the existence of his grandfather), Arjun heads to Mangalpur to survey the property and prepare it for the wedding. There, he encounters Shantaram (Asrani), the caretaker, who warns him that the haveli is a bhooth bangla. No marriage can take place within the city of Mangalpur, as in it resides a bat-like rakshas called Vadhusur, who abducts newly-wed brides. He launches into the lore of how Vadhusur was born and why he turned vengeful, while Arjun is disbelieving. He calls a wedding planner, Jagdish (Paresh Rawal), who arrives with his electrician nephew Sunder (Rajpal Yadav). While the reunion of this trio should have been a rollicking affair, all it elicits are the occasional chuckles. Odd (and supposedly comic) things happen: A ghostly entity grabs Rajpal Yadav by the legs while he's sleeping, Paresh Rawal's lungi catches fire, a mysterious recording of Kahin Deep Jale Kahin Dil reverberates in the long, shadowy passages, and the flames of lanterns suddenly dwindle. These episodes serve to give Jagdish and Sunder the jitters. Arjun, by now a bit worried, tells all his freaking-out employees that these are the machinations of Shantaram, who wants to drive him back to London. And so the wedding will take place, but what of Vadhusur? In the first half, Akshay Kumar succumbs to his need to bung in comedy by spouting loud dialogues at the top of his voice (I feel sorry for his throat) and raucously hitting everyone who gets in his way. In fact, Sunder is slapped so many times that Yadav gets to utter his famous ‘Main koi mandir ka ghanta hoon’ dialogue again. Priyadarshan's humour has always been heavy-handed, his plots hare-brained, his characters whackadoodles, but his previous films worked because he knew how to combine the crazy and dynamic energies to create a laugh riot. Here, the gags he resorts to make you want to pull your hair out - for instance, a series of misunderstandings leads Arjun to think Sunder is a lecher, ogling at a woman whose pallu conveniently keeps slipping. The joke, really, is on us. When the central figure of horror, Vadhusur, is just a man in a Batman-esque costume, how are you supposed to get scared? There are jump scares galore that don't catch you off guard, and they're punctuated with overbearing background music in a poor attempt to spook. I wish he had devoted more time to exploring Vadhusur's backstory, because that was by far the most interesting portion of the film. His Bhool Bhulaiyaa was novel in its idea because it rejected superstition and opted for a psychological framing; the cure wasn’t in faith but in medical science. Another horror-comedy, Stree, worked because of its subversion, allowing a woman to be a threat to all of mankind and confining men to their homes instead. So when Priyadarshan returns to the genre after almost 20 years, the last thing you expect is this outrageous attempt to cash in on the genre's popularity with a dated and hackneyed plot.
17 April,2026 10:21 PM IST | Mumbai | Nandini ShahActress Neha Dhupia has spoken in support of actress and producer Patralekhaa after she was subjected to body-shaming comments. The actress who recently gave birth to a baby girl hit back at trolls for commenting on her body. The actress, who is married to actor Rajkummar Rao, welcomed their child last year. Neha Dhupia supports Patralekhaa Hitting back at the trolls, Patralekhaa said that her body is naturally changing as a part of bringing a new life into this world. Reiterating the sentiment, Neha called out the unnecessary scrutiny faced by women every day regarding their appearance, especially new mothers. In her latest post, Neha said that instead of judging others, it would be more beneficial if one worked on improving their own mindset. Re-sharing Patralekhaa's post on her Instagram Stories, Neha wrote, “Commenting on someone’s body has to stop. Especially a new mom who’s grown a whole human being inside her and is nurturing life with everything she has. Before judging us fix your own thinking… Sending love Patra. (sic)” Patralekhaa slams body shamers Earlier today, Patralekhaa bashed social media pages for body-shaming her when she appeared for the special screening of her recently released film Toaster. The film marked her debut as a producer with Rajkummar. She said that she has recently given birth to her first child and is also working on two films simultaneously. Patralekhaa further stressed that changes in the body are a natural part of pregnancy. The CityLights actress urged all to show some empathy and kindness instead of passing judgment without thinking. She wrote on the photo-sharing app, “Pap pages! What's happened to me!? is that I have just given birth! Yes, I have gained the weight, which seems like an unnatural phenomenon to you all. I have not sat and eaten a mountain, I just delivered a baby and produced two films simultaneously which are not easy jobs". "If I could I would not be this way. But that's how my body has reacted to pregnancy. For God's sake please learn to be a little kind," added Patralekhaa. Rajkummar and Patralekhaa embraced parenthood on November 15, last year, as they welcomed their baby girl on their 4th wedding anniversary.
17 April,2026 08:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActress Zareen Khan's mother, Parveen Khan, died on April 8 after a prolonged illness. Now, almost 10 days after her mother's passing away, the Veer actress remembered her late mother with a heavy heart, calling her 'her first love'. Zarine Khan pens emotional note for mother Sharing a throwback picture with her mother from her childhood on Instagram, Zareen penned an emotional note which read, "linaa lillh wa'iinaa 'iilayh rajiewn (To Allah we belong and to him we shall return)." My Mother, my first love, my best friend, my baby, my world, my everything.... It's been 10 days that you are gone (sic)." Zareen added that ever since her mother left her, she had been feeling a constant ache and emptiness in her heart "I'm not gonna write some long caption for the world to read bcoz you know exactly what I'm going through right now without you. There's a constant ache and emptiness in my heart which is irreplaceable," the actress wrote. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zareen Khan 🦄🌈✨👼🏻 (@zareenkhan) She concluded the note by wishing her mother peace and love in heaven, saying, "Be the Chota baby you always were and enjoy your parents' love in Jannat... Until we meet again !" Zarine Khan's mother's death Zareen's mother, Parveen Khan, passed away in Mumbai at the age of 65 after suffering from a prolonged illness. Her last rites were held at the Versova Muslim Kabrastan in Andheri West, Mumbai. Confirming the unfortunate news, Zareen's team had shared a statement that read, "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return). This is to inform that our beloved Ms Parveen Khan, mother of Zareen Khan & Sana Khan, has departed peacefully to her heavenly abode on the 8th of April. May Allah grant her the highest place in Jannatul Firdaus. Ameen." Zareen Khan made her debut in 2010 with the film Veer alongside Salman Khan. She was later seen in movies like Housefull 2, Hate Story 3, Aksar 2, 1921, and others. Foe the past few years, Zareen has been away from the big screens, while her fans are eagerly waiting for her comeback. (With inputs from IANS)
17 April,2026 07:27 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
