As Kennedy finally gears up for its much-awaited OTT release, the makers have dropped a jaw-dropping transformation video of Rahul Bhat, and it’s nothing short of electrifying. The video captures Bhat’s intense physical and emotional preparation for the role, offering a glimpse into the haunting world of Kennedy, a sleepless ex-cop navigating crime, corruption, and inner turmoil. Rahul Bhat's transformation for Kennedy Directed by Anurag Kashyap, the film first premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in 2023, where it received a roaring seven-minute standing ovation. The response was overwhelming, with international critics praising the film’s neo-noir texture, atmospheric storytelling, and Bhat’s deeply internal, brooding performance. Many called it one of Kashyap’s finest works in recent years, raw, restrained, and globally resonant. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ZEE5 (@zee5) However, despite the critical acclaim, Kennedy faced a long three-year wait before its commercial release. During this time, the film travelled across international festivals, steadily building a reputation as a modern cult classic among cinephiles. At the heart of this growing legend is Rahul Bhat’s career-defining performance. With minimal dialogue and piercing intensity, he embodies a man teetering between violence and vulnerability. The newly released transformation video reinforces what Cannes audiences already knew, that this is a performance forged in complete commitment. Kennedy trailer The trailer gives a gripping glimpse into Anurag Kashyap’s unmistakable noir universe that is categorically dark, moody, and razor-sharp. Rahul Bhat commands the screen with an intense, brooding performance as the titular character, proving why he remains one of the most compelling actors in contemporary cinema. His portrayal is layered, restrained, and deeply unsettling. Adding to the drama is Sunny Leone, who brings a striking charm and quiet strength to the narrative. Together, Rahul, Sunny and Anurag promise a cinematic experience that is raw, fearless, and unapologetically Kashyap. With the trailer setting the tone, Kennedy’s homecoming to the Indian audience feels fitting When Kennedy received a 7-minute-long standing ovation at Cannes Kennedy is a police noir film, which received a 7-minute standing ovation at The Grand Lumiere Theatre, where it was screened under the midnight screening section at 12:15 a.m. on Thursday (France local time), at the prestigious Cannes film Festival. It follows the story of an insomniac cop who dwells in different circumstances while looking for redemption. The filmmaker was seen along with his friend and frequent collaborator Vikramaditya Motwane as well as his actors Rahul Bhat, Sunny Leone, Shariq Patel, Ranjan Singh, Kabir Ahuja, Bhumika Tewari, Neeraj Joshi, and Ashima Awasthi at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. The film is all set to release on Zee5 on February 20, 2026.
18 February,2026 05:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentHere’s an interesting behind-the-scenes nugget about the much-anticipated romantic film Do Deewane Seher Mein, starring Mrunal Thakur and Siddhant Chaturvedi. The much-talked-about track ‘Do Deewane Shaher Mein,’ featured prominently in the film’s teaser and trailer, was not originally conceptualised as part of the project. Do Deewane Shaher Mein music history A source close to the production revealed, “Originally, the iconic song ‘Do Deewane Shaher Mein,’ which is heard in the teaser and trailer of Do Deewane Seher Mein, was not conceptualised for the film. However, Sanjay Leela Bhansali watched the film, recognised it as a gem of a story with strong appeal for the current generation, and decided to incorporate it. He gave full creative freedom to director Ravi Udyawar and guided him throughout the process. The makers felt that the original song was the best choice, and since the vocals were so pure, they retained the original track while slightly reprising it to suit contemporary sensibilities. It is not a remix.” The song entered the narrative much later, after Bhansali watched the completed cut of the film. Deeply moved by the storytelling, he reportedly identified the film as a gem with a strong emotional core and a theme that would resonate with today’s audience. Recognising its potential, he suggested incorporating the iconic track to elevate the film’s romantic and nostalgic tonality. What makes this development even more significant is that Bhansali extended full creative freedom to director Ravi Udyawar while guiding him through the integration process. Mrunal Thakur on her role in Do Deewane Seher Mein Mrunal has shed light on her character, and her thought-process in the film, and how similar some of these things were for her personally. The actress said that she realised during the narration that her character of Roshni in the film, is someone who hides behind the glasses. The actress told IANS, “When Abhiruchi was narrating the story in Ravi sir's other office, I was just sitting there and she said something very beautiful. She said that Roshni always tries to hide behind the glasses. And there were such moments in my life also, maybe there were times where even if I knew the answer, I would just stay quiet. That was something that I resonated the most with Roshni, even Shashank's character in that case, because a lot of people don't have that confidence. What they look like from outside, they are not like that inside”. She further mentioned, “And I just feel like I had to be a part of this movie because there are so many people like Roshni and Shashank who are dealing with their own troubles and their own securities and they're just not able to break those barriers. Because they have the talent, they have the ability, but they have this seed in their mind that they are not good enough or they are not better than their sister or they’re less. So in these comparisons, we always forget ourselves. We don't want to go out there”.
18 February,2026 04:55 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActor Harshvardhan Rane on Wednesday shared a video on his social media account where he was seen braving sub-zero temperatures while indulging in wildlife photography. Sharing a video montage on social media, the actor wrote, “Clicking in, minus temperature is tough but beautiful,” along with hashtags Montana Coyote YellowStone. The video shows Harshvardhan standing amid vast and heavily snow-covered mountains, dressed in heavy winter clothing, as he clicked the wildlife. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Harshvardhan Rane (@harshvardhanrane) One of the clips captures a lone coyote standing still against the icy backdrop, and another picture clicked by Rane shows the animal walking gracefully across the snow-laden terrain of Yellowstone. Furthermore, surprising fans, Harshvardhan is also seen lying flat on the freezing snow to capture photographs with his camera, showcasing sheer dedication. On the work front, Harshvardhan made his Bollywood debut with the romantic drama Sanam Teri Kasam in 2016. The film, back then, did not emerge as a box office success, but it gradually gained popularity and went on to become a cult favourite, especially among young audiences, for its emotional storyline and music, when aired on television and OTT. It was re-released in 2025 due to fan demand and grossed over INR 40 crores at the box office. Harshvardhan Rane has also featured in films such as Paltan, Taish and Haseen Dillruba. His recent release, Ek Deewana Ek Deewaniyat, co-starring Sonam Bajwa, turned out to be a hit. Ahead of its release, the actor, in a surprising turn of events, was seen stepping out in public and personally appealing to audiences to watch the film in theatres. 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 February,2026 04:27 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSActress Sunny Leone, who is gearing up for the release of her upcoming streaming film Kennedy, has shared that she was in disbelief about being part of the film until the day she walked into the set. The actress shared that despite attending the trials and the workshops for the Anurag Kashyap directorial, she felt that she wasn’t going to be a part of the film. The actress said, “My first reaction was disbelief that I had been offered the role. I didn’t 1,000 percent believe I was part of the film until I actually got on set." "Even though I did the trials and the workshops, and everything happened, we all know entertainment is very volatile and things can change at the drop of a dime. I was so happy when the first shot was taken and we moved on to the next. That’s when I felt, ‘Alright, now they won’t replace me, I think I did a good job'”. When asked about that scene that emotionally stayed with her long after pack-up, Sunny said, “I think the scene that stayed with me is when Charlie is in a hotel room waiting for the officer. She’s scared, upset, and doesn’t want to be there, but she knows what’s going to happen. That transition from her in the bathroom to putting that Charlie smile on her face is something I believe a lot of us can relate to. Sometimes we have to go through situations where we put on a smile just to move on with the day, night, or moment and that’s not always easy”. “I love this type of film. There are so many different layers to it. It makes you think and is provocative in a thoughtful way. It really makes you listen to the words and the dialogues in the film - what people are talking about and how that relates to my world. That’s what’s so amazing about shooting in this noir universe”, she added. Directed by Anurag Kashyap, Kennedy also stars Rahul Bhat. The film is set to stream on ZEE5 from February 20, 2026. 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 February,2026 04:14 PM IST | Mumbai | IANST-Series began the year with the successful film Border 2, starring Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty in pivotal roles. Now, the production house headed by Bhushan Kumar has teamed up with filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri to bring the story of Operation Sindoor to the big screen. Vivek Agnihotri joins hands with T-Series A source close to the development confirmed, “Bhushan Kumar and Vivek Agnihotri have come together for their next film on ‘Operation Sindoor’. It will be produced under T-Series and I Am Buddha Productions, and the film will be directed by Vivek Agnihotri.” Operation Sindoor refers to a significant military action undertaken by India on May 6, 2025, in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, including one Nepali national. The Indian government attributed the attack to Pakistan-based terrorist organisations. The source further said, “The film is based on the codename of India’s targeted military strikes on terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. It draws from the developments that followed the tragic massacre of innocent civilians, most of them tourists, in Pahalgam.” Meanwhile, Vivek Agnihotri’s last release was The Bengal Files, which hit theatres in September last year but failed to make a mark at the box office. The film is based on Direct Action Day and aims to shed light on one of the darkest chapters of modern Indian history. The Bengal Files starred Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, and Darshan Kumar. It was written and directed by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri and produced by Abhishek Agarwal, Pallavi Joshi, and Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri. About Operation Sindoor Operation Sindoor was a military mission launched by the Indian Armed Forces in response to escalating cross-border tensions and security threats. The operation aimed to neutralise terror infrastructure and dismantle networks operating against India’s national interests. Conducted with strategic precision, it involved coordinated intelligence inputs and targeted strikes to minimise collateral damage. Officials described it as a necessary step to safeguard civilians and maintain regional stability. The mission reinforced India’s commitment to national security and its zero-tolerance stance against terrorism.
18 February,2026 04:14 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAs actor Sharib Hashmi turned a year older on Sunday, actress Divya Dutta wished him with a fun video of the two bringing the house down with their dance moves. Divya and Sharib were seen entertaining everyone with their thumkas during what seemed like the birthday celebration of the Tarla actor. In the caption, Divya wished for the two of them to continue to have fun like this. "Ye mastiyan yun hi chalti rahein..yun hi tum khushiyan bikherte raho aas paas.. happy bday mrfilmistaani .lots of love (sic)," she wrote. Reacting to the post, Sharib Hashmi commented, "Ayyyoooo divyadutta25 bahut bahut shukriyaaaa meri dosst", followed by red heart emojis. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Divya Dutta (@divyadutta25)= For the unaware, Divya and Sharib were seen together in Kangana Ranaut's 2022 action entertainer, Dhaakad. Along with Divya, actor Sunny Hinduja also wished Sharib on his special day. He took to social media and posted a video of some hilarious moments with his The Family Man co-star. Sunny added the Do Mastane Chale Zindagi Banane track from Andaz Apna Apna as the background score. The text overlay on the clip read, "Mera bhai dikhta hain sola (16) Paar aaj ho gaya hain pura pachaas tola". "Happy happy birthday mera bhai. Love you hamesha (red heart emoji) mrfilmistaani", Sunny captioned the post. Sharib expressed his gratitude for all the love in the comment section. He penned, "Arrey Arrey mera bhaiiiiiii hindujasunny thankooo soo much", along with red heart, and kiss emojis. Work-wise, Sharib will next be seen in Ribhu Dasgupta's forthcoming drama Section 84. He will share screen space with Amitabh Bachchan, Riya Vij, Nimrat Kaur, and Abhishek Banerjee in his next. The project shares the tale of a retired politician who is attempting to get back the glory he once enjoyed. The drama has been set against the backdrop of a strategic plot and high-stakes decision-making. Along with directing the film, Ribhu Dasgupta has also worked on the script. 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 February,2026 03:17 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSNational Award-winning lyricist-singer Swanand Kirkire says what concerns him most about the current music landscape is the rapidly shrinking shelf life of songs, even as technological shifts and the rise of artificial intelligence begin to redefine the speed of production. Asked whether the pace of production or the fleeting lifespan of songs troubles him more, Kirkire told IANS: “What worries me is the shrinking shelf life of songs. Yes, definitely." "Also, the speed of production basically, now the speed of production is going to change more and more. You know, with AI coming in, you really don't know what's going to happen next.” He pointed out that artificial intelligence is already being used across departments in music-making. “People have already started using AI for music production songs, also for lyrics, you know, everything. So we really don't know how fast it's going to become. But see, exciting times are ahead." However, the lyricist maintained that the changing times also bring new possibilities. "Let's see where it takes us. And it's not just our challenge; the whole world is facing it. The entire music world, the entire world, is facing the challenge from AI. So we'll see where it takes us." Kirkire struck a note of cautious optimism, saying that technological evolution could open new creative avenues. “Yeah, it’s going to be exciting,” he said. Kirkire’s latest is the series Bandwaale. The show is streaming on Prime Video. It is created by Swanand Kirkire along with Ankur Tewari, marking a significant new chapter in his storytelling career. Kirkire won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics twice: first in 2006 for the song Bande Me Tha Dum...Vande Mataram from the film Lage Raho Munna Bhai, and then in 2009 for the song Behti Hawa Sa Tha Woh from the film 3 Idiots. In 2018, at the 66th National Film Awards, he won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for the Marathi film Chumbak. He made cameo appearances as Sansad ji in Panchayat 3 and as Mansoor Khan Sahab in Qala, for which he also contributed as a lyricist and singer. 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 February,2026 03:15 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAfter spending more than a week in Tihar Jail, actor Rajpal Yadav walked out following interim bail granted by the Delhi High Court in a cheque bounce case. Speaking to the media after his release, the actor expressed gratitude for the support he received and made an emotional appeal to the film industry for work. Rajpal Yadav's desperate plea Addressing the public, Rajpal said, “Thank you so much for your support. From children to people across generations, I have received immense love throughout my journey in Indian cinema, and I am deeply thankful to everyone for it.” He acknowledged both supporters and critics, adding, “I have grown because of every blessing. I thank those who supported me on social media, and I also thank those who analysed or criticised.” Making a heartfelt request to filmmakers and colleagues, he said, “Jinhone madad ki hai wo ek aur madad kar dein, character meri marzi ka and paisa unki marzi ka.” He clarified that he hopes to be offered meaningful roles, while remuneration can be decided by the producers. All about the case Rajpal also stated that he would soon hold a press conference to speak in detail about the case. “All legal matters are before the High Court. As the case is sub judice, I do not wish to comment and I fully respect the court’s decisions. Within the next few days, we will hold a press conference and answer all questions honestly. Thank you to the media and to everyone across the country and Indian cinema for their love and support,” he said. Reflecting on his time inside jail, he shared, “It’s a system in jail. I had to live within it and survive with positivity.” He also suggested that inmates who have completed their sentences should be given lawful opportunities to reintegrate into society. His interim bail came after depositing part of the disputed amount, with the next hearing scheduled soon. Recently, Rajpal Yadav's lawyer revealed that the complainant wanted Rajpal to be jailed despite the actor offering a property worth Rs 40 crore. Due to which the case reached such a serious turn.
18 February,2026 03:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentCelebrated screenwriter Salim Khan was hospitalized on Tuesday, February 17, after his health deteriorated. He was rushed to the hospital on the advice of his family doctor. As per earlier reports, the writer was put on a ventilator after his blood pressure shot up. The doctors have now shared his health update and confirmed that he suffered a brain haemorrhage, which has been tackled, is on ventilator support as a safeguard, and is stable. Salim Khan undergoes angiography Speaking to the media outside the hospital on Wednesday afternoon, the doctor said, “He was having jerks, and his blood pressure was high. We treated him. We had to put him on a ventilator so that he does not worsen. It wasn’t because he was critical. We did the investigations that were required. Today, we have done a small procedure on him; I will not go into the details.” The doctor added, “The procedure done is called DSA (digital subtraction angiography). The procedure has been accomplished, he is fine and stable, and shifted back to ICU. By tomorrow, we hope to get him off the ventilator. All in all, he is doing quite well.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) Asked whether he suffered a brain haemorrhage, the doctor said, "Unko thoda haemorrhage hua tha, which we've tackled. No surgery is required.” Salim Khan’s family at hospital As concern over Khan's health mounted, his children, including superstar Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan, daughter Alvira, and sons-in-law Atul Agnihotri and Aayush Sharma, were seen outside the hospital along with other well-wishers. His long-time partner Javed Akhtar and several politicians were also seen coming out of the hospital. The entire industry is quite concerned for the Khan family and is praying for Salim Khan’s speedy recovery. More about Salim Khan Salim Khan moved to Mumbai in the 1950s and initially worked as a film extra and supporting actor in Hindi cinema. His acting career was limited, but it led him to scriptwriting. In the late 1960s, Salim Khan partnered with Javed Akhtar, forming Salim-Javed, one of the most influential screenwriting teams in Indian cinema. Between 1971 and 1982, they wrote a series of commercially successful and culturally influential films, including Andaz, Seeta Aur Geeta, Zanjeer, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Deewaar, Sholay, Trishul, Don, and Kaala Patthar. (With inputs from PTI)
18 February,2026 03:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActress Divya Dutta on Wednesday recalled how there was “no vanity, no staff” on the sets of the hit movie Stanley Ka Dabba, and that her script was simply a Class 5 English textbook. She further called the film one of the projects closest to her heart. Taking to her social media account, Divya reminisced about the making of the 2011 kids’ film and the fun atmosphere on set. She revealed that for her character Rosy Miss, the script was a mere 5th standard English textbook, and said that a lot of the film’s magic unfolded naturally in the classroom setting. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Divya Dutta (@divyadutta25) She captioned the post as, “A film so close to my heart…where my maverick director amoleguptacinema, offered me Stanleykadabba while we were standing together in an overcrowded theatre seeing the end credits of a childrens film. What followed was an amazing journey, with the most raw n rockstar coactors..the 10 year old kids…and the magical partho who played stanley. i didnt know what these kids would throw at me, i just had to react!!” She added, “The script was the 5th std english textbook fr Rosy miss. The rest was magic created on the set..the tiffins were shared amongst all of us in the classroom..no vanity.no staff..just amazing quality time ..with everyone..and yes the handsome Vidyut Jammwal opp me!! I remember i watched this film with my dear sonunigam and the audience stood up for a standing ovation when the film ended.. So proud i belonged to it..throwback.memories. (sic)” Talking about the movie, directed by Amole Gupte, Stanley Ka Dabba also starred Partho Gupte and Vidyut Jammwal in pivotal roles. The film revolved around a schoolboy who never brings a lunchbox, and the story that unfolds ahead. Talking about Divya Dutta, the actress has been part of the Indian film industry for over three decades. She has proven her acting prowess with powerful performances in films such as Veer-Zaara, Delhi-6, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Special 26, Chaava and others. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 February,2026 02:57 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSFilmmaker Anurag Kashyap is no stranger to his films being shelved, delayed, or banned. However, when his Netflix project was shelved over a year after being greenlit, it took a severe toll on his mental and physical well-being. Anurag Kashyap on impact of shelved project Following the controversy around Saif Ali Khan’s Prime Video show Tandav, OTT platforms reportedly became more cautious about approving potentially sensitive scripts. At the time, Kashyap was working on an adaptation of Suketu Mehta’s Maximum City. Owing to the prevailing situation in the country then, Netflix eventually backed out of the project. Anurag recently opened up about how deeply it affected him. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, he said the project had been officially greenlit and that he had written a 900-page script. “It was greenlit by Netflix. I told them, ‘Please read the book.’ Nobody except one person on the team read the book… There was silence for one-and-a-half years, and no one came and told me ‘it’s not happening.’ That was even more triggering.” The filmmaker said he didn’t realise he was grieving the film until he sought therapy. “When you invest so much time, it becomes your baby. It was a miscarriage,” he said. He revealed that the grief severely impacted his health. “In that grieving, I had a heart attack. I was on blood thinners, a vaccine reacted badly, I got asthma, so I was on steroids… My mind was buzzing… I started drinking and ordering from Zomato all the time. My drinking got very bad.” Kashyap eventually checked himself into rehab to recover. How he returned to work Recalling how he returned to work, he shared that filmmaker Zoya Akhtar reached out to him. “Luckily, Zoya Akhtar called me. She said, ‘Will you play yourself in Made in Heaven?’ I said, ‘I’m lying in bed, my leg is gone, I’m in a wheelchair.’” Zoya reportedly insisted, saying, “We’ll put the wheelchair in the scene.” Kashyap said that call helped him step out of isolation and get back to work. In another interview, Anurag said Netflix did not provide a specific reason for backing out. However, he speculated that either the script was too sensitive for the political climate at the time or the platform did not want to be associated with him then. For the unversed, Maximum City is a non-fiction book that explores multiple perspectives on life in Mumbai. The book was also a Pulitzer Prize finalist.
18 February,2026 02:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
