Vikram Bhatt and his wife, Shwetambari Bhatt, were taken into custody by the Rajasthan Police in Mumbai on December 7, 2025. The couple faced imprisonment in connection with a Rs 30 crore cheating case, following which they were granted bail in February 2026. Months later, after his bail, the filmmaker has recalled his time in jail, revealing that he fell seriously ill in jail while spending three weeks at Udaipur Central Jail during the biting January cold. Vikram Bhatt recalls falling ill in jail Vikram Bhatt took to his Instagram handle on Tuesday, April 14, to reveal that he woke up one night in Barrack No. 10 shaking uncontrollably with fever. He says despite being under four blankets, he continued to shiver, as fellow inmates found extra blankets for him while he took a paracetamol and hoped the fever would go away, but it did not. The Raaz Reboot director added, "The next morning, I went to the prison hospital. They had no thermometer. They checked my oxygen and said I was fine. I told them they must be joking. I suffer from axial spondyloarthritis, an autoimmune condition, and high fever can be dangerous for me. The doctor finally wrote a note allowing me to be taken to a hospital. But no one came." He further shared, "First, the police were busy protecting a VIP. Then they were busy managing a tribal fair. Day after day, I waited in the barracks. My days were filled with pain. My nights with fever." Vikram Bhatt says prayer saved him Vikram recalled that after a point, he realised he wasn’t going anywhere. Hence, he did the only thing that was in his control, stopped consuming oil and salt and drank as much water as possible. He also added that he sat before a large painting of the Devi in the barracks to pray. "I said, 'If you exist… if my prayers to you have ever meant anything… show me a miracle. I don’t want to die here. My children need me. My wife needs me. My 90-year-old father needs me'," Bhatt recalls. He added that after praying every day, things slowly began to change. The fever began to reduce, the pain gradually eased, and he began to recover. He recalls one morning, he looked at the Devi and said, "Thank you for giving me my life." He added that fifteen days later, a few policemen finally arrived to take him to the hospital. He concluded the post, adding, "Later, I asked an officer what they would have done if it had been an emergency. He said casually, 'Oh, then we would have sent you with the prison guards.' So they could have sent me all along. Maybe they chose not to. Or maybe God wanted me to learn something first. So when people say there is no God, I don’t argue. I simply smile. Because some miracles are only visible to the person who needed them."
14 April,2026 08:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentRanveer Singh and Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar saga has become the country's first franchise to earn Rs 3,000 crore worldwide. The first part, Dhurandhar, which released in December 2025, grossed Rs 1,300 crore, while its sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, went on to mint Rs 1,700 crore after it released in theatres in March 2026 and is still going strong. However, filmmaker Kunal Kohli recently made shocking revelations about how the industry reacted to the film, claiming that "the biggest directors" in Bollywood wanted the film to flop at the box office. Kunal Kohli on the industry's lack of support for Dhurandhar Talking to Indian Express Screen, Kunal said, "Even when the industry doesn’t support a film, the film still works. Nobody supported Dhurandhar. The biggest directors I spoke to on the phone, they said, 'Monday ko baith jayegi.' Monday ko aur chal gayi." The Fanaa director shared that the industry did not even expect Sunny Deol's Border 2 to succeed. He added, "Nobody supported Border 2. People said second week mei thoda baith gayi. It’s done Rs 300 crore plus! What are you saying?! That’s a blockbuster. End of discussion. It doesn’t matter if the industry supports you or not." Kunal Kohli on Hum Tum Kunal recalled that people in the industry had the same reaction to his 2004 romantic comedy Hum Tum, which starred Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji. "It was exactly the same two decades ago. Hum Tum had a preview show on Thursday night. Adi (Aditya Chopra, producer) told me not to go because the industry people going for it wouldn't get the film. But I still went for it, and the people there didn't like the film. I was so depressed I called up Adi. He said, 'I asked you to not go because I know it's not their type of film.' So, 99% of the people in the industry don’t want you to succeed", the filmmaker recalled. Notably, Kohli made his directorial debut with Mujhse Dosti Karoge! starring Rakesh Roshan's son Hrithik Roshan, which unfortunately flopped. The director shared how Rakesh was the first one to inform him that Hum Tum had turned out to be a hit later. He added, "It took time for the film to settle down and get accepted. On Monday at 1 pm, Adi, I, and Rani were sitting in the office, still wondering if it’s going to drop or hold on Monday. Mr. Rakesh Roshan called me and said, 'Kunal, your film is houseful in the 12:30 pm show on Monday in Indore! The biggest of big films fail to do that. Congratulations, your film is a big hit'."
14 April,2026 07:32 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAmid the buzz around Varun Dhawan's upcoming film Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, an Instagram influencer named Simran Bhat recently posted a reel on Tuesday, in which she accused Varun Dhawan of faking reviews for the film's first look. She went on to explain how two individuals approached her at the metro station for a review, and insisted on her review even though she hadn't watched the teaser. Varun responded to her claim by commenting on her reel. Influencer shares her experience Simran shared a video explaining that she and her friend were approached by two individuals at Rajiv Chowk Metro. She said, “Two people stopped us and said a Varun Dhawan film teaser had been released. Can you please review it? I told them I hadn’t watched it yet. The guy said, it’s okay, we’ll tell you what to say. I questioned how it could be a review if they tell us what to say? The girl tried to reason that it’s because I hadn’t watched it yet. But if you want a genuine review, take it from those who have watched it.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by simran Bhat (kp kakyn) (@kakyn_rocks) She further claimed that the woman who had approached her insisted that she watch the teaser then. “The girl insisted that I watch it then. I said it was getting late and I needed to be somewhere. Accha niklo niklo! Jao jao. (Okay, fine, just leave) I was like, bhai, Varun Dhawan ke itne bure din aagaye kya ki usko fake reviews lene pad rahe hai? (Is Varun Dhawan going through such bad times that he needs to fake reviews?) What the hell?” Simran added. Varun Dhawan reacts Surprisingly, the video reached Varun Dhawan, and he commented under her Reel, writing, “Hope you get the views you really want with this video (claps emoji).” Simran responded to him comment saying, “varundvn Sir with due respect I don't need to do these kinds of things for views. I already am satisfied with my numbers…” (sic) She further re-shared his comment on her Instagram Stories, reiterating, “With due respect I'm already getting good views and Tbh I'm satisfied with my numbers.”(sic) She went on to add, “Secondly if I needed attention I should have posted it on my feed but it was a trial reel. And this actually happened with us. Also you should definitely once check with your pr team kyuki isse aapki hi image p farak padd rha h. (because it’s affecting your image).” (sic) In one of the stories, she also posted a screenshot of another comment by the Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai actor which he seems to have deleted. The second comment by Varun read, “First of all ma'am u have convinced urself that someone who has come and asked u has asked u because I sent them to u all this for views.” Sharing the screenshot, she wrote, “Woh sab toh thik h lekin aapne comment delete kyu kiya (All this is fine but why did you delete this comment?)”(sic)
14 April,2026 06:30 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentLegendary singer Asha Bhosle's granddaughter Zanai Bhosle was visibly devastated by the passing of her grandmother on Sunday, April 12. A day after the legendary singer's funeral, Zanai has now shared an emotional note, urging fans to celebrate her life and expressing how deeply she misses her grandmother. For the unversed, Asha passed away at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai on April 12 due to multiple organ failure. Zanai Bhosle says Asha Bhosle will come back to her Taking to her Instagram handle on Tuesday, April 14, Zanai posted a video of Asha singing her iconic track Dil Cheez Kya Hai to her. The video captured a light-hearted moment, wherein both are seen laughing and enjoying their playful bond. In the caption, Zanai wrote, "As I wake up this morning, I realise I have lost my partner in crime, my bestfriend, a person who completed my entire world and the first person to hold me when I was born. What do I do now? Who am I supposed to wake up and give a hug to in the morning and have chai with? Who’s going to be waiting for me everyday when I come home or who am I supposed to crack lame jokes with.." Zanai further added, "She’s looking down on us all, especially her family and I believe she’s going to comeback to me very soon, because that is what she promised me and told me always!! I have lost the love of my life and there is no bigger grief in the world so I urge you guys to live life to your fullest and celebrate her that way and celebrate her life!! I love you ashaai, and goodbye for now my love.. I know you are always going to be with me no matter what, just waiting for you to come back to me and hug me once again." Zanai's emotional note Earlier on April 14, Zanai Bhosle, took to her Instagram stories to express gratitude for the love and respect shown to her late grandmother. Zanai wrote, “So overwhelmed with emotions. I’ll write something when I can, but I have to say that there were so many people who respected her, honoured her today and beyond, and showed her so much love.” She added, “I thank you from the bottom of my heart. She deserved every bit of it. I realise that she lives on in every one of us, in our hearts forever, and she has seen it all from above. RIP, legend. asha tai.”
14 April,2026 05:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe US show Wheel of Fortune holds the Guinness World Records title as the World’s Most Popular TV Game Show, has won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show, and has been recognised by Variety Magazine as the Most-Watched Entertainment Show on American Television. In January 2026, Akshay Kumar made his return to television by stepping in as the host of Wheel of Fortune India. He brought the game show to India in a high-energy avatar, combining quick thinking, banter, high-stakes gameplay, and non-stop entertainment. Is Wheel Of Fortune going off-air? However, since its inception, the show has remained an entertaining attraction among viewers. Now, there are reports that Wheel of Fortune may soon go off-air, raising questions about whether low TRPs are to blame. An article by Telly Express reported that Akshay Kumar’s hosted show is set to go off-air later this month due to its inability to generate the expected traction. Despite featuring several celebrity guests, Wheel of Fortune reportedly managed to garner only around 0.5–0.7 TRP. However, the truth is that the show is going off air as the season comes to an end. Following the season finale, Akshay's game show will reportedly be replaced by a different reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, which will be hosted by Rajeev Khandelwal. Tum Ho Naa to replace Wheel of Fortune Earlier, mid-day had reported that actor Rajeev Khandelwal would be making his television comeback with Tum Ho Naa, 14 years after he hosted Sachh ka Saamna. Now, the latest reports suggest that Tum Ho Naa is slated to premiere from April 28 onwards and will air at 9 pm on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV, replacing Wheel of Fortune. Speaking about hosting Tum Ho Naa, Rajeev Khandelwal said, “Over the years, I’ve been offered so many kinds of roles, some experimental, some quite unconventional. But I’ve always chosen to follow my heart and be part of something that genuinely feels meaningful to me. With the show Tum Ho Naa, I am happy to return to television with Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV and bring a beautiful show that is really close to my heart.”
14 April,2026 05:03 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAs tributes poured in for legendary singer Asha Bhosle, actor-singer-director Farhan Akhtar had his own way of remembering the late singer. He paid a heartfelt tribute to the legendary singer during a recent show in Punjab at Lovely Professional University (LPU), where he performed her iconic song Dum Maro Dum, which drew loud cheers from the audience. Farhan Akhtar pays tribute to Asha Bhosle Farhan took to Instagram to share a glimpse from the event, where he also praised the younger students for showing deep respect and admiration for the veteran singer. Farhan wrote, "In memory of the legend herself. A glimpse from last night at lpuuniversity when all of us came together to pay Asha ji a tribute. Unfortunately, the audio recording isn’t the best, but it was incredible to see young students in the thousands show their love and respect for her music. To celebrate her is the best way to remember her." Earlier, Farhan had mourned the loss of Asha on social media with a long note in which he said it was impossible to talk about playback singing without mentioning Asha Bhosle. He added that her pitch-perfect voice, joy of singing, and fiery energy were, and will always remain, irreplaceable. Farhan wrote, "Every industry is founded on and built around pillars.. those giants who set the gold standard through their talent, their work ethic and their accomplishments. People who unconsciously create legacies and in turn, inspire innumerable others to follow their dreams. Thank you for the decades upon decades of music and memories Asha ji. Rest in peace. Deepest condolences to the family." Asha Bhosle death Asha Bhosle was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai on Saturday, April 11, 2026, after complaining of chest infection and severe exhaustion. She was critical and was undergoing treatment there. She died on Sunday, April 12, after suffering from multiple organ failure, the doctors treating her confirmed. She breathed her last at the age of 92. Her mortal remains were kept open for public viewing at her home in Lower Parel on Monday morning, following which she was cremated with full state honours at Shivaji Park on April 13.
14 April,2026 04:23 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe wait ends. The madness begins. Marking the grand return of one of Hindi cinema’s most iconic entertainers, David Dhawan is bringing his 46th directorial to the big screen. This time, he returns with producer Ramesh Taurani, Tips Films, with Hai Jawaani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, with more entertainment than ever. Hai Jawaani Toh Ishq Hona Hai first look View this post on Instagram A post shared by VarunDhawan (@varundvn) It begins with a quirky twist, unfolding from the point of view of two toddlers, setting the stage for the exhilarating ride ahead, while seamlessly revealing the lead cast and the colourful, larger-than-life world of the film. Featuring Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur, and Pooja Hegde, the first look gives a vibrant glimpse into a high-energy, feel-good entertainer. It introduces Varun as Jass, Mrunal as Banni and Pooja as Preeti. The first look also drops the pulsating title track, which promises to once again deliver a chartbuster music album by the hit Jodi of David Dhawan and Tips Music. At a time when audiences are looking for pure joy in cinemas, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai promises exactly that — a full-blown Bollywood entertainer designed for the big screen experience. This is just the beginning. More about Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai Last week, Varun Dhawan shared a still from the film, which shows him and Pooja Hegde in swimwear, striking a sultry and romantic pose against the backdrop of azure waters. Last week, Mrunal Thakur also shared a photo of herself from the dubbing studio and shared that she had finished dubbing for the film. Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai was previously scheduled to release on June 5, and was originally slated for April 10, before being rescheduled earlier this year. The makers confirmed the latest change through an official statement shared on Instagram. In the statement, the team clarified that the decision was made after reviewing recent developments and the broader industry situation. Produced by Tips Films Ltd and Co- Produced by Maximillian Films (UK), the upcoming entertainer promises a lively blend of romance and comedy It will be in cinemas near you on 22nd May 2026.
14 April,2026 01:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAyan Mukerji's Brahmastra, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Amitabh Bachchan, was released in 2022. The film was planned as a trilogy, and an update on Part 2 is awaited. While Ranbir Kapoor confirmed that the film is in the works, Namit Malhotra has now revealed that he will work on Brahmastra 2 once he wraps up Ramayana. Namit Malhotra confirms Brahmastra 2 The Ramayana team has begun promoting the film, and recently Malhotra and actor Yash gave a few interviews at CinemaCon 2026 in Las Vegas. According to an X post by The Climax India, at CinemaCon, Malhotra confirmed that he will take the Astraverse forward with Brahmastra 2. However, there is no confirmation yet. Ayan Mukerji’s second part of the Astraverse film is about the love story of Dev and Amrita, which was teased in Part 1’s climax. In October 2025, Ayan Mukerji had shared some pictures from a getaway in the mountains. Fans saw a script with him and guessed that he might be working on “Brahmastra 2”. While he did not explicitly mention the movie, the hashtags of Part 2 and Om left fans intrigued. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michael Dequina (@twotrey23) On Alia Bhatt’s birthday, Ranbir dropped a big hint about Brahmastra 2 and said, “It is something that Ayan has been nurturing as a dream for a very long time. He is currently working on War 2. Once this releases, he will start pre-production of Brahmastra 2. It is definitely happening. We haven’t really announced much of it, but then some really interesting announcements (will be made soon) regarding Brahmastra 2,” Ranbir said. About CinemaCon 2026 Producer Namit Malhotra and actor Yash have officially kicked off the global promotional campaign for their ambitious film Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor, at CinemaCon 2026 in Las Vegas, USA. They will unveil early footage and promotional material for the movie. When asked how he would describe the experience of working on Ramayana, Malhotra said it feels like an “Avatar meets Gladiator moment.” Apart from Ramayana, Yash’s Toxic has also made its way to CinemaCon. Alongside Ranbir Kapoor, the film stars Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Ravi Dubey as Lakshman. The film also stars Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh, Arun Govil, Kunal Kapoor, Adinath Kothare, Sheeba Chaddha, and Indira Krishnan.
14 April,2026 12:47 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBollywood actress Huma Qureshi, known for her incredible versatility and range, revealed that Ed Sheeran had watched her debut film Gangs of Wasseypur and praised it. Huma made the revelation in a recent podcast with Prakhar Gupta. Ed Sheeran praised Gangs of Wasseypur In the podcast, Huma recounted meeting Ed Sheeran at a party Farah Khan hosted in his honour. "Ultimate flex tha jab main Ed Sheeran se mili aur usne Gangs of Wasseypur dekhi thi (It was the ultimate flex when I met Ed Sheeran and he had watched Gangs of Wasseypur). And I was like, what? 'You have watched Gangs of Wasseypur?' Farah Khan had hosted a party for Ed Sheeran when he was in Mumbai, and everyone met him there. I was trying to have a conversation with him, and he was very sweet. He said, I love your country, and I would love to do music here." She then went on to teach Ed a few "interesting" Hindi words to show him the 'flavour' of India. "So, he was being called away, and I said, if you want to learn some more interesting, colourful language, you must watch this film of ours, Gangs Of Wasseypur. He stopped and asked, 'You were in that movie?' I said, 'Yes'. He said, 'We just saw that movie,' and then he called his manager and then Farah was like, 'What have you said to him? Why is he calling his manager?' And Ed said, 'We just watched the film, and we really loved it. It's such a cool film.' And I was like this is quite a cool moment." Huma Qureshi's work front Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups stars Yash, Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth, and Tara Sutaria in pivotal roles. Huma's character is called Elizabeth in the film. According to Phars Film's website, Toxic is set in Goa and spans from pre-Independence India to the post-Independence era. The narrative begins in the early 1940s and continues until the 1970s. The film is written by Yash and directed by Geetu Mohandas, and has been shot simultaneously in Kannada and English, with dubbed versions in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam.
14 April,2026 11:52 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBollywood actress Karisma Kapoor revealed her favourite song of the late legendary singer Asha Bhosle. Through her latest social media post, Karisma shared that her most beloved track of Asha ji is "Tu Tu Hai Wahi" from the 1982 movie "Yeh Vaada Raha" jointly crooned by Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar. Penned by Gulshan Bawra, this evergreen number has been scored by R. D. Burman. "Tu Tu Hai Wahi" is picturized on Rishi Kapoor and Poonam Dhillon. Taking to her official Instagram handle, the 'Biwi No. 1' actress dropped a photo and video of herself posing by the sea with "Tu Tu Hai Wahi" playing as the background score. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karisma Kapoor (@therealkarismakapoor) Sharing the fond memory on social media, Karisma penned on the photo-sharing app, "One of my favourite songs of Ashaji, grew up listening to this..", followed by the blue heart emoji. Asha Bhosle passed away in Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital on Sunday at the age of 92. Her last rites took place in Mumbai's Shivaji Park on Monday. Many big names from both the music and film industries attended her last rites. Bollywood actors such as Aamir Khan, Vicky Kaushal, Padmini Kolhapure, and Vivek Oberoi, singers Anup Jalota and Shaan, and filmmaker Ramesh Sippy arrived at Shivaji Park to pay their last respects to the legend. Political leaders, including Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde, Uddhav Thackeray, the Member of Legislative Council of Maharashtra, and the MNS supremo Raj Thackeray, also offered their condolences. The mortal remains of Asha Bhosle were taken from her Lower Parel residence to Shivaji Park crematorium in Dadar. Her mortal remains were draped in the tricolour, as she was laid to rest with full state honours. During her glorious career, spanning 8 decades, Asha Bhosle received numerous awards, such as the Dadasaheb Phalke Award back in 2000, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008. 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
14 April,2026 09:54 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSAsha Bhosle passed away on April 12 following multi-organ failure. As soon as the news of the legendary singer’s demise broke, many Bollywood personalities paid tribute to her legacy. The funeral procession, which took place on April 13, saw Bollywood personalities like Aamir Khan, Tabu, Jackie Shroff, Vicky Kaushal, and others pay their last respects. Overwhelmed by the love and respect the singer received, her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle penned an emotional note. Zanai Bhosle pens emotional note Legendary singer Asha Bhosle’s granddaughter, Zanai Bhosle, took to her social media account to express gratitude for the love and respect shown to her late grandmother. Zanai wrote, “So overwhelmed with emotions. I’ll write something when I can, but I have to say that there were so many people who respected her, honoured her today and beyond, and showed her so much love.” She added, “I thank you from the bottom of my heart. She deserved every bit of it. I realise that she lives on in every one of us, in our hearts forever, and she has seen it all from above. RIP, legend. #asha tai.” Alongside the caption, Zanai shared a picture from the funeral procession of Asha Bhosle. In the picture, Asha Bhosle’s mortal remains can be seen draped in the Indian tricolour and placed on a bier decorated with flowers. About Asha Bhosle’s demise The legend was admitted to the hospital on April 11 due to severe exhaustion and a chest infection. Later, her family confirmed that she had passed away. The legendary singer, who was 92 years old at the time of her passing, had been a part of the entertainment industry for 83 years. She was cremated with full state honours on Monday at the Shivaji Park Crematorium in Mumbai. Asha Bhosle is widely regarded as one of the most versatile voices in Indian music. Her songs covered many styles, including classical, ghazals, cabaret numbers, and pop music. She also holds a Guinness World Record for the most studio recordings. Bhosle carved a distinct identity for herself in the music industry. Her demise marks the end of an era in Indian music, leaving behind an unparalleled legacy that will continue to inspire generations.
14 April,2026 09:49 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
-1776162949859_d.png "Asha Bhosle and Farhan Akhtar")
