Rani Mukerji has shared her thoughts on the Hindi film industry and the changing power dynamics, as recently suggested by musician AR Rahman. The Oscar-winning composer sparked a debate after hinting at the presence of communal bias in the industry. However, Rani Mukerji, who has been a part of the film industry for nearly 30 years, strongly disagreed with the claim. Rani Mukerji says Bollywood is secular In a new interview with DD News, the actress, who is currently promoting her film Mardaani 3, said that she has never experienced any form of discrimination. “Bollywood is the most secular place, and I truly believe that. There is no discrimination based on caste or religion. In my 30 years in the industry, I have never experienced anything like this. I love this industry—it made me who I am today,” she said. Rani further stated that the industry functions on merit and remains an inclusive space. “I’m saying this from the bottom of my heart—here, merit matters. Your work speaks for you, and ultimately, the person the audience connects with is the one who survives and succeeds. For me, Bollywood remains the most secular and one of the most amazing places to be,” she added. What did Rahman say? For the uninitiated, during a recent interaction with BBC Asian Network, Rahman had spoken about getting limited work offers in Bollywood. He said, "People who are not creative have the power now to decide things, and this might have been a communal thing also, but not in my face. It comes to me as Chinese whispers that they booked you, but the music company went ahead and hired their five composers. I said, 'Oh, that's great, rest for me, I can chill out with my family." The music composer had faced a lot of backlash for his remark on 'communal' bias in the Hindi film industry. Post criticism, the music composer apologised through a video on his social media account. About Mardaani 3 Talking about her latest release, Mardaani 3 is directed by Abhiraj Minawala and produced by Aditya Chopra. While Mardaani exposed the grim realities of human trafficking and Mardaani 2 explored the disturbing psyche of a serial rapist who challenged the system, the third installment delves into another dark and brutal social reality, further strengthening the franchise’s legacy of impactful, issue-driven storytelling. Actress Janaki Bodiwala, known for Shaitaan, joins the Mardaani franchise in a pivotal role. The film has been written by The Railway Men writer Aayush Gupta and is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on January 30. The first Mardaani film was released in 2014 and starred Rani Mukerji alongside Jisshu Sengupta, Tahir Raj Bhasin, and Anant Vidhaat Sharma. The sequel, released in 2019, was directed by Gopi Puthran and featured Vishal Jethwa.
30 January,2026 01:23 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActor Rani Mukerji has found herself at the centre of an online debate following a recent interview in which she spoke about respect within households and how parental behaviour shapes children. While promoting her upcoming film Mardaani 3, Rani shared her views on family dynamics, a section of which did not go down well with many on social media. Rani Mukerji talks about the influence parents have on their kids Speaking about the influence parents have on young minds, Rani said, “I think respect starts at home. Very easily, when you see your mother being ill treated, it empowers boys to think that if my mother can be treated like this, every other girl can be treated the same way.” She further added, “Fathers need to be responsible for how they treat their wives at home, because that’s what a boy grows up seeing.” However, her next statement sparked criticism online. “Even a small thing like a father raising his voice at the mother shouldn’t happen. The mother should raise her voice at the father, that’s how it should be,” she said, prompting mixed reactions. Rani also made a light hearted remark while recalling her younger days, jokingly bringing her husband Aditya Chopra into the conversation. “Only one boy I slapped, and the rest of the boys were my friends. And just don’t go and ask my husband what happens to him every day at home,” she said with a laugh. Netizens react to Rani Mukerji's statement While some viewers felt her comments were made in jest, others questioned the idea of normalising raised voices in relationships. Several social media users expressed discomfort with the statement, with one comment reading, “Why would anyone raise their voice at anyone? Communication should be about calm conversation, not shouting.” Another wrote, “Normalising shouting in a relationship, regardless of who does it, is problematic.” Despite the backlash, Rani remains focused on her professional commitments and is set to reprise her role as fearless cop Shivani Shivaji Roy in Mardaani 3. The actor has consistently used her platform to speak about women’s safety and empowerment, though her latest comments have clearly divided opinion online.
30 January,2026 01:04 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn 2021, actress Parineeti Chopra received praise for her performance in Saina. The biopic on ace badminton player Saina Nehwal saw Parineeti step into the shoes of the athlete and portray her journey to becoming a world champion. While the film did not perform well at the box office, social media users later noticed that Parineeti did not follow Saina on Instagram. During the making of the film, Parineeti and Saina worked closely so that the actor could understand the athlete’s mannerisms and life better. Saina on bond with Parineeti In a recent conversation with Subhojit Ghosh on his YouTube channel, Saina addressed the Instagram controversy and clarified that their association was purely professional and that they never became friends. Reacting to users noticing that Parineeti does not follow her on social media, Saina Nehwal said, “Actually, I did not notice this and kabhi dhyaan bhi nahi gaya ispe, because life has been so busy with training, tournaments, and events. Jitni bhi baatein hui hain, it’s not like we became friends. In a few sessions, I was like a professional telling her about my life and journey. It was never about forming a friendship.” She further explained that they met only for work-related purposes and did not bond beyond that. “It was completely professional. I was busy with my training, so I couldn’t give much time. We never went out for dinners or lunches. We met for an hour or two once every few weeks, mostly in the presence of the director, and spoke about my journey. We never spent enough time together to become friends or worry about following or unfollowing each other,” she added. Currently, neither Saina Nehwal nor Parineeti Chopra follows the other on social media. About Saina Saina was released in March 2021 and opened to mixed reviews. The film was released amid the COVID-19 pandemic and theatres were not fully functional at that point owing to the virus. It impacted the box office performance of the film. Directed by Amole Gupte, the film traces the personal and professional journey of the badminton champion and is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
30 January,2026 12:39 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentPrime Video announced its upcoming Original movie, Don’t Be Shy, written and directed by Sreeti Mukerji. It is produced by Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt under the banner of Eternal Sunshine Productions and co-produced by Grishma Shah and Vikesh Bhutani. Don’t Be Shy follows the story of Shyamili ‘Shy’ Das, a 20-year-old girl who thinks she has everything figured out until her perfectly planned life takes an unpredictable turn, and things begin to spiral out of her control. Alia Bhatt announces Don't Be Shy In the hilarious video, Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt are seen struggling with the chaos of production. Alia finds out the team has lost an actor, frustratedly exclaiming, 'Actors!' Meanwhile, Shaheen is especially irked by Alia's insistence on including a turtle in the movie, which ends up eating the script. They discuss why they chose this script among the hundreds they read. Alia launches into a long reply, "This story has everything. Romance, heartbreak, girls, boys, teachers, turtle -" only to be cut off by her sister Shaheen, who encapsulates the essence of the script in one phrase, "It's a story you grow up with." View this post on Instagram A post shared by prime video IN (@primevideoin) Alia Bhatt on producing Don't Be Shy “At Eternal Sunshine, we’ve always wanted to back stories that feel honest and voices that feel their own,” says Alia Bhatt, co-founder of Eternal Sunshine Productions. “This film immediately spoke to us because of its sincerity and coming-of-age lens, and Sreeti’s passion and energy naturally fed into the spirit of the story. It’s an incredibly special project for me and for Eternal Sunshine," she said. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt on this extremely fun yet warm romantic comedy, with a remarkable character like Shy Das at its heart. Alia’s innate instinct for stories that are emotionally rich, deeply relatable, and immensely entertaining shines through in this young adult story about friendship, love, and growing up,” said Nikhil Madhok, Director & Head of Originals, Prime Video, India. "With a strong female-forward narrative, writing that’s fresh, relatable and humorous, and earnest characters, complemented by infectious music from Ram Sampath, Don’t Be Shy promises to be a delightful experience for audiences around the world," Nikhil concluded.
30 January,2026 12:12 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentOscar-winning composer AR Rahman is set to attend the premiere a new documentary based on Melania Trump, at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC on January 29 (ET). Titled, Melania, the documentary gives a behind-the-scenes look at the First Lady during political moments. AR Rahman on the guest list for the Melania Documentary AR Rahman's presence at the premiere is one of the evening's most notable international highlights. The composer, who has earned global acclaim across cinema and music, through his work. He is expected to attend the premiere alongside figures such as FIFA president Gianni Infantino, hip-hop artist Waka Flocka Flame, and Jordan Belfort, whose life inspired The Wolf of Wall Street. Similarly, noteworthy political figures are also expected at the premiere in large numbers. These could include former New York City mayor Eric Adams, US Second Lady Usha Vance, and several members of Donald Trump's cabinet. According to USA Today, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will also be present at the Melania documentary premiere. The Melania Documentary In the documentary, Melania is seen in the 20 days leading up to Donald Trump's second presidential inauguration. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at the First Lady during a pivotal political moment. Notably, earlier, the documentary had a private screening at the White House on January 24, wgich was attended by Donald Trump, Melania Trump and their son Barron. A select group of prominent guests also accompanied them. The documentary film is helmed by Brett Ratner and produced by Fernando Sulichin and Marc Beckman. Melania Trump herself serves as one of the producers and is being released by Amazon MGM Studios. Interestingly, the excitement is high for the US premiere of the documentary. However, the UK premiere witnesses a muted reception. Nevertheless, Melania is set to be released in over 100 cinemas across the country on January 30, 2026. The advance ticket sales have reportedly been lagging. Tim Richards, CEO of Vue, earlier revealed that only one ticket had been sold for the 3:10 pm show at their main Islington theatre, and just two tickets booked for the 6 pm screening.
30 January,2026 12:05 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActress Rasha Thadani has shared a deeply personal and spiritual note on her social media account, where she has expressed how her devotion to Lord Shiva continues to guide her through life and art. The young actress, in her post, spoke about how “Shiva’s dumroo beats and the rhythm stay forever in her heart,” as she further offered her music and faith to the cosmic dancer, Nataraja. Sharing a series of pictures from her spiritual visit, Rasha wrote, “Shiva has always been so important to me. Chaap Tilak is a song so close to my heart. Offering my art and my tilak to Nataraja, the cosmic dancer. His universe surrounds me always. Shiva’s dumroo beats and the rhythm stay forever in my heart. Grateful. Om namah shivay.” In the pictures, Rasha is seen standing knee-deep in water with folded hands, draped in a saffron shawl, offering prayers to the divine and water. In other pictures, she is seen at a historic temple complex, dressed in a beautiful white ethnic ensemble. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rasha Thadani (@rashathadani) According to Rasha’s post, her sacred trip holds special significance as the actress has made her singing debut with the song Chaap Tilak, which features in her upcoming film Laikey Laika. The song marks her debut in playback singing. For the uninitiated, Rasha Thadani is the daughter of Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon and film distributor Anil Thadani. The young girl is geared up for her upcoming movie Laikey Laika opposite Abhay Verma. She made her Bollywood debut with Azaad, where her dance number Uuyi Amma had taken the internet by storm, and she was appreciated for her dancing skills. A few days ago, the actress was feeling nostalgic as her film Azaad completed one year since its release. Marking the milestone, the actress shared a heartfelt note reflecting on the memories, friendships, and experiences she gained during the film's journey. Rasha took to her social media account to share a series of behind-the-scenes pictures from the sets of Azaad, where she is seen dressed as her character, Janaki. “1 year of Azaad heart so full, memories can never forget, friends made for life pragyakapoor mohitmalik1113. Through the magic and the madness, partner in crime aamandevgan (sic),” she wrote as the caption. The actress added, “Forever grateful for everything and more gattukapoor , you are the coolest person we all know. Thankyou all for the support and kindness. Love, Janaki (sic).” Directed by Abhishek Kapoor, the period drama stars Ajay Devgn and Diana Penty alongside debutants Aaman Devgan and Rasha. 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
30 January,2026 11:31 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSBollywood star Akshay Kumar had a playful twist up his sleeve for director Priyadarshan on his 69th birthday. The actor surprised the veteran filmmaker with actress Vidya Balan in his video wish for the filmmaker. Akshay and Priyadarshan recently worked together on the films Bhoot Bangla and Haiwaan. Akshay Kumar's surprise birthday wish for Priyadarshan Akshay took to Instagram, where he shared a video of himself sitting on a wooden rocking horse and saying, “Many, many happy returns of the day Priyan sir. You are turning 69, a great age sir, great age sir and lots of love and luck and great films and sir good health.” He then said, “Also a friend of mine wants to wish you sir.” Vidya, who has worked with Priyadarshan and Akshay in the first installment of Bhool Bhulaiyaa in 2007, peeps out of a toy house and is heard saying: “Happy birthday Priyan sir and all the best for Bhoot Bangla.” For the caption, Akshay wrote, "Here’s wishing the best birthday to one of the best human beings I know. Have a blessed year Priyan Sir, Janamdin ki bhooth bhooth badhai.” The video reminded fans of Bhool Bhulaiyaa as Akshay and Vidya were seen sharing screen in the film with the latter playing a character possessed by a spirit. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) About Bhoot Bangla “Bhoot Bangla” is by Priyadarshan. The film brings the iconic trio of Priyadarshan, Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal. The project will also see Wamiqa Gabbi, Tabu, Rajpal Yadav and Mithila Palkar in crucial roles, along with others. The Priyadarshan's directorial has been produced by Shobha Kapoor and Ektaa R Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms in collaboration with Akshay Kumar's production house, Cape of Good Films. The film is co-produced by Faara Sheikh and Vedant Baali. The story of the movie has been written by Akash A Kaushik and the screenplay by Rohan Shankar, Abilash Nair, and Priyadarshan. The dialogues have been penned by Rohan Shankar. Bhooth Bangla is slated for a theatrical release on April 2, 2026. Talking about Priyadarshan, he has worked primarily in Malayalam and Hindi cinema since 1982, directing over 98 films in multiple Indian languages, with notable works in Tamil and Telugu. Most of his Hindi films are remakes of Malayalam films, some of which Priyadarshan helmed both versions.
30 January,2026 11:28 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentSunny Deol’s latest release Border 2 has performed exceedingly well at the box office in its first week. The film was released on January 23, coinciding with the Republic Day weekend. Backed by nostalgia and a strong sense of patriotism, the film collected impressive numbers during its opening weekend and maintained steady performance on regular weekdays. Border 2 has ended its first week with a total collection of Rs 244.97 crore. Border 2 box office week 1 At the end of week one, Anurag Singh’s directorial earned Rs 244.97 crore. With this, the film has outperformed Ranveer Singh’s box office blockbuster Dhurandhar in its first week. For the uninitiated, Dhurandhar earned Rs 27 crore on its seventh day, taking its week-one total to Rs 207.25 crore. After a bumper holiday opening, the film showed remarkable consistency through the weekdays, holding steady occupancy across major centres. Despite new releases this week, this sustained performance has ensured that Border 2 is expected to dominate the box office again this weekend, driven by strong word of mouth. Day-wise collections (NBOC): Day 1 – Rs 32.10 crore Day 2 – Rs 40.59 crore Day 3 – Rs 57.20 crore Day 4 – Rs 63.59 crore Day 5 – Rs 23.31 crore Day 6 – Rs 15.04 crore Day 7 – Rs 13.14 crore Total – Rs 244.97 crore Built on a deep emotional connect, Border 2 has demonstrated rare staying power beyond the holiday window. Its ability to sustain footfalls across both mass belts and urban markets during weekdays underlines its broad appeal and repeat value. About Border 2 The film also stars Varun Dhawan, Ahan Shetty, and Diljit Dosanjh in pivotal roles and is a sequel to JP Dutta’s 1997 war classic Border. While the original film was based on the Battle of Longewala during the 1971 India-Pakistan war, Border 2 is also set against the backdrop of the same conflict. The movie reportedly did not secure a release in six Gulf countries—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE—due to its alleged anti-Pakistan narrative. A response from the makers is awaited. It is the second Indian film in recent times to be denied theatrical clearance in the Gulf after Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar. Border 2 is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, JP Dutta, and Nidhi Dutta, and also features Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh, and Medha Rana in key roles.
30 January,2026 11:00 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFilmmaker-actor Randeep Hooda has been seen sporting a distinct new look, a thick moustache paired with a noticeably bulked-up physique. As per sources, it is for his upcoming period drama biopic Eetha. The actor was spotted last night, post his shoot in Mumbai, sporting the same look. The new look has become a talking point. According to sources, Randeep’s new look is for his upcoming period biopic drama Eetha, which is currently under production. The film stars Randeep Hooda opposite Shraddha Kapoor and is believed to be shot in various parts of Maharashtra. Directed by filmmaker Laxman Utekar, Eetha is based on the life of one of India’s earliest Tamasha/Lavni dancers, bringing to the forefront a powerful and culturally rooted story. While there has been no official confirmation yet, Randeep’s moustached and bulked-up appearance aligns with the period and tone of Eetha. In other news, Randeep and his wife Lin Laishram are all set to welcome their first bundle of joy. They took to Instagram on November 29 when they made the announcement. In a joint post, they wrote: "Two years of love, adventure, and now… a little wild one on the way (Tiger Face, red heart and infinity emojis)." Randeep and Lin first met at veteran star Naseeruddin Shah’s theatre group Motley. Eventually, having fallen for one another, the lovebirds started living together during the lockdown. They made their relationship Instagram official back in 2022. The couple finally tied the knot on November 29, 2023, in a traditional Meitei ceremony in Manipur. Randeep will also be seen in the epic war drama Operation Khukri. Randeep has secured the official movie rights to “Operation Khukri: The Untold Story of the Indian Army’s Bravest Peacekeeping Mission Abroad” by Major General Rajpal Punia, and Damini Punia. The film Operation Khukri will bring to screen the harrowing real-life events from 2000, when 233 Indian soldiers were held hostage by rebel forces in Sierra Leone, West Africa, and the subsequent high-risk rescue mission that followed. The actor will portray Major General Raj Pal Punia (then a young Company Commander of the 14th Mechanised Infantry), who navigated both the tense standoff and the extraordinary rescue operation amid challenging jungle warfare conditions. 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
30 January,2026 10:53 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSArijit Singh recently left everyone shocked by announcing his retirement from playback singing. Ever since he made the shocking announcement, the internet has been buzzing with speculation regarding the reason for his decision. Now, new reports suggest that the singer has reportedly taken a break from singing to start his political career. Arijit Singh to join politics? A report by NDTV recently claimed that Arijit Singh is considering launching a political party and is also considering contesting elections. A Bengali film industry insider reportedly told the news portal that Arijit could consider fighting the elections at a grassroots level initially, followed by launching his political party. As a result, he will not immediately be a part of the upcoming 2026 Bengal Assembly Elections. Notably, the 38-year-old, who hails from Jiaganj, Murshidabad, in West Bengal, has not yet issued any official statement about his entry into the world of politics. Arijit Singh announces retirement On Tuesday, Singh announced his decision to retire as a playback singer after a 15-year-long career in the music industry. He shared a note on social media stating that he will no longer take up new assignments as a playback vocalist, but will complete his pending commitments. The note read, “Hello, Happy New Year to all. I want to thank you all for giving me so much love all these years as listeners. I am happy to announce that I am not going to be taking any new assignments as a playback vocalist from now on. I am calling it off. It was a wonderful journey." Later, in a post on his private X (formerly Twitter) account, Arijit explained that he gets “bored” quickly and hence now wishes to explore other forms of music. “There is not one reason behind this, there are several reasons plus I have been trying to do this since a long time. Finally, I have gathered the right courage. One of the reasons were simple, I get bored pretty quick, thats why I keep changing arrangements of the same songs and perform them on stage. So here is the thing, I got bored. I need to do some other music to live,” he said.
30 January,2026 10:34 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentSunaina Roshan, sister of Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan, recently shared a video on her social media account where has opened up about her personal battle with addiction and struggle with alcohol, junk food and sweets. She stated how admitting the problem and accepting it became very tough was a life-changing moment. Reflecting on her journey, Sunaina in the video said, “The hardest thing I ever did was admit that I had a problem, but it changed everything.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sunaina Roshan (@roshansunaina) She highlighted how addiction often goes unnoticed, adding, “Addiction can take many forms, food, alcohol, even habits we don’t realise we’re clinging to.” Sharing details of her experience, she revealed that she battled alcoholism along with an unhealthy relationship with sweets and junk food. “I struggled with alcoholism and at one point an unhealthy relationship with sweets and junk food. It wasn’t easy,” admitted Hrithik's sister. However, Sunaina further stressed that the right approach and a solid support system played a crucial role in her recovery. “With the right mindset, support and the courage to talk about it, I was able to pull myself out,” she said. Sunaina further, while emphasising that addiction should not become one’s identity, said, “Addiction does not define you, but it does demand that you face it.” Encouraging others who may be dealing with similar struggles, Sunaina emphasized on the importance of seeking help and being patient with oneself during the tough journey. “You don’t have to do it alone. It’s not about perfection, it’s about progress,” she said. She concluded her message with a note of strength and urged people to take the process smoothly and slowly, with recovery being one step at a time. “Don’t be afraid to reach out for support. You are unbreakable,” she added. To this, Hrithik Roshan, Rakesh Roshan and Pinkie Roshan took to the comments section of the video and commended Sunaina’s strength and spirit. For the uninitiated, Sunaina Roshan, daughter of Bollywood star Rakesh Roshan, has often opened up about her long and difficult health journey over the years. She has previously battled serious medical issues, including cancer and a brain condition, emerging victorious and healthy. 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
30 January,2026 10:11 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSADVERTISEMENT
