As NTR Jr turned 41 on Monday his 'War 2' co-star Hrithik Roshan shared a special post to wish him. Taking to his X handle, Hrithik wrote, "A very Happy Birthday to you @tarak9999! Here's to another incredible spin around the sun. This time we spin together! I hope by the end of it the master is proud of the student in the kitchen ! Haha ! Stay healthy. Stay blessed." A very Happy Birthday to you @tarak9999 ! Here's to another incredible spin around the sun. This time we spin together! I hope by the end of it the master is proud of the student in the kitchen ! Haha ! Stay healthy. Stay blessed. 👊🏻 — Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) May 20, 2024 Reacting to Hrithik's post, Jr NTR posted, "Hahaha... Thank you so much Sir. Had a congenial War on sets with you. Can't wait to be back with you and spin around the Sun together... As they say when the student is ready the teacher will appear and you are ready." Hahaha… Thank you so much Sir. Had a congenial War on sets with you. Can’t wait to be back with you and spin around the Sun together… As they say when the student is ready the teacher will appear and you are ready 🤗 — Jr NTR (@tarak9999) May 20, 2024 The actors have recently wrapped the first schedule for the film in Mumbai. Directed by Ayan Mukerji, the film is a sequel to the 2019 action-thriller film War, which starred Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff and Vaani Kapoor. 'War 2' has been in the limelight more ever since NTR Jr joined Hrithik Roshan in the action drama. The film had its first schedule being shot in Mumbai. And NTR Jr has timely finished his first schedule. 'War 2' is being directed by Ayan Mukerji, who is best known for his films 'Wake Up Sid', 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani' and 'Brahmastra'. Reportedly, the film also features Kiara Advani and is slated to release next year. However, an official announcement regarding the film's entire cast and release date is awaited. The film is a sequel to the 2019 action thriller film 'War' which starred Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff and Vani Kapoor in the lead roles. Directed by Siddarth Anand, this high-octane action drama minted Rs 200 crores within seven days of its release in 2019. It's touted to be one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of that year. Hrithik, on the sidelines of IIFA Awards 2023, expressed his happiness about sharing screen space with the 'RRR' star."I am very excited," exclaimed Hrithik on being asked about 'War 2' with Jr NTR. Apart from this, NTR Jr is gearing up for the release of 'Devara', which also stars Saif Ali Khan and Janhvi Kapoor. 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
21 May,2024 08:37 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIThe change of production hands on Nitesh Tiwari’s directorial venture, based on the Ramayana, hasn’t particularly cleared obstacles in the filmmaking process. Following previous co-producer Madhu Mantena’s departure, it was supposed that the film would find a new direction; however, Mantena has reportedly asked for a pause in the filming process until he is appropriately compensated. A source reveals that the shoot of Tiwari’s mythological offering has stalled after the copyright infringement case. “The shooting continued for a few days after the notice, but has been on hold since last week. The matter has to be resolved legally, and filming will only resume when a consensus on the matter is reached,” says the source associated with the film, which, apart from Kapoor as Lord Ram, also stars Sunny Deol, Yash, and Sai Pallavi. Nitesh Tiwari and Madhu Mantena While work on the offering isn’t currently underway, sources from the production house assert that the film has not been canned. Shooting, they say, is likely to commence in three weeks. “There are date-related issues that need to be addressed since Ranbir is expected to start [Sanjay Leela] Bhansali’s project later this year, and Sunny will move on to filming Border 2. Shooting will be scheduled in such a way that their absence doesn’t hamper the project. It will be shot in two parts, with the second edition eyeing a release date six months after the first part hits screens.” mid-day reached out to Tiwari, who did not respond till press time.
21 May,2024 06:38 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuSeated in a packed auditorium where cine-watchers turn up to watch her film, Mita Vashisht is evidently celebrating a milestone in her career—her offering, The Shameless, is competing at the coveted 77th Cannes Film Festival. This opportunity, however, may have well evaded the actor, who was a “last-minute addition” to the cast of the film based on two young women hoping to free themselves from the shackles of sex work. “Whatever is meant for you, will find you,” says Vashisht, who plays the matriarch in the poignant drama, directed by Bulgarian filmmaker Konstantin Bojanov. “I came on board two days before the shoot began because the director wasn’t satisfied with the casting for the character that I eventually played. When my name was recommended, we connected over a Zoom call, and he said I had a strong identity and would hence be apt for the role. I was told that while not a lengthy one, the role was critical.” Ironically, Vashisht was initially unimpressed with Bojanov’s script. Addressing questions about her decision to initially turn down the role, she says, “I told him that whatever he said about the role was in his vision alone, and was not reflected in the script. He was taken aback. I said, sir, first of all, you haven’t named the character. You have only addressed her as ‘the grandmother’. Until you give her a name, how do I know what kind of woman she is? He said, ‘This is exactly the kind of input I was looking for. We will rewrite the portions and connect them to the rest of the characters.’” Vashisht was finally on board. The offering, also starring Anasuya Sengupta and Omara Shetty, received a standing ovation at its Cannes premiere. It is one of the many reasons for celebration, as several Indian offerings, including Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light, and Shyam Benegal’s 1969 drama Manthan, are being featured at the festival. Vashisht says she is hopeful that impactful narratives will finally receive their due. “The Cannes Film Festival is not a place where you can [boast] about your project’s box-office collections. Here, the value is only in the craft and vision. It’s reassuring to know that we have so many Indian films here, because it implies that Indians are making films that do not only cater to box-office demands.”
21 May,2024 06:32 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaKiran Rao and Aamir Khan; Prem Chopra and Sharman Joshi; Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh; Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan Emraan Hashmi; Sonakshi Sinha with mom Poonam Sinha; Isha Koppikar; Sara Ali Khan with mom Amrita Singh Esha Deol with mom Hema Malini; Sunny Deol; Dharmendra; Bobby Deol Suniel Shetty; Ranbir Kapoor; Sanjay Dutt; Anil Kapoor On the other side Back at the Cannes Film Festival, Kiara Advani looked chic in a pink and black corset gown before returning to Mumbai to cast her vote. Jacqueliene Fernandez made a stunning debut at the festival in a rose gold gown
21 May,2024 05:58 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamYami Gautam Dhar and Aditya Dhar yesterday announced on social media the beginning of the new chapter of their lives, as parents. The Article 370 actor and her filmmaker husband broke the news with a picture of Lord Krishna and a baby, captioned, “We are thrilled to announce the arrival of our beloved son, Vedavid, who graced us with his birth on the auspicious day of Akshay Tritiya [May 10]. Please shower him with all your kind blessings and love.” Expressing heartfelt gratitude to the doctors, Yami and Aditya added, “As we embark on this beautiful journey of parenthood, we eagerly anticipate the bright future that awaits our son. With every milestone he achieves, we are filled with the hope and belief that he will grow to become a beacon of pride for our entire family as well as our beloved nation.” Our congratulations to the couple and blessings for their bundle of joy. KJo to Tiger’s rescue It appears that Karan Johar has come to Tiger Shroff’s rescue. The actor’s film, Rambo, was recently shelved as it was deemed unviable after his hat-trick of flops. Now, we hear that KJo is backing a complete entertainer with Tiger in the lead. The filmmaker and the actor, who first worked together on Student of the Year (2019), were to reunite for an actioner, Screw Dheela. However, the film was put on the backburner owing to logistical issues. They are planning to begin the new film in early 2025. To august beginnings An actor’s birthday is incomplete without any update of his next release. RRR actor NTR Junior is no exception. After teasing audiences with a teaser of the song Fear from his upcoming offering Devara Part 1, the makers released the Anirudh Ravichander composition from Koratala Siva’s directorial venture. That’s not all. The producers of his next with director Prashanth Neel also shared an update. Besides wishing Jr NTR aka Man of Masses, a ‘Happy Birthday’, the producers announced that the film, hashtagged #NTRNeel, will go on the floors this August. While recent reports indicated that the movie will be called Dragon, after Karan Johar gave away the title to them, it appears that the producers of NTR Jr and Prashanth’s collaboration will announce it closer to the commencement of the shoot. Sanya, Saba join Bobby’s next Bobby Deol recently began filming his next with director Anurag Kashyap. Sanya Malhotra and Saba Azad are the latest additions to the cast of the yet-untitled film. While the plot is being closely guarded, insiders claim the gritty thriller is inspired by a real-life incident that made national headlines. Interestingly, the movie also marks the Hindi debut of renowned Malayalam actor, Joju George. A major chunk of the film will be shot in Mumbai and Anurag is planning to wrap it up by June-end. Producer Nikhil Dwivedi is said to be keen to release the movie by this year-end. A four-cornered clash After deferring the release of Kamal Haasan and director S Shankar’s Indian 2 from June 14, the producers have declared that the vigilante actioner will now arrive in cinemas on July 12. Consequently, the film, which also stars Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh, Siddharth and SJ Suryah, will have a four-way clash. Akshay Kumar’s Sarfira, director Sudha Kongara’s adaptation of her National Award-winning film, Soorarai Pottru, and John Abraham’s Vedaa with director Nikkhil Advani are also releasing on the same date. If that’s not enough, Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum’s Hollywood film, Fly Me to the Moon, also opens in theatres on July 12. It remains to be seen in the coming weeks how the distributors of the four releases share screens, if none of the films opts out of the face-off. Action in Kashmir Ajay Devgn was conspicuous by his absence at the polling centre yesterday. Reason: he is in Kashmir for the shoot of Rohit Shetty’s Singham Again. They were shooting an intense action sequence with Jackie Shroff, who reprises his character as the antagonist, Omar Hafeez. Ajay, who has sported a bearded look in his recent outings like Drishyam 2, Bholaa and Shaitaan, is back in his mustachioed super cop avatar. Rohit is set to wrap up the shoot by this month-end. The action drama will reportedly release on Diwali.
21 May,2024 05:53 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamBhumi Pednekar has taken a step further in her endeavour to promote her not for profit advocacy platform, Climate Warrior—she is now a national advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals by the United Nations Development Programme, India, and was among five individuals who were honoured as Young Global Leaders in Geneva as part of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders Community: The Class of 2024. Interestingly, Pednekar is the first Indian film actor who has been invited to attend the 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, set to be held in January 2025 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. “It will be an honour to represent my country with the hope that I can have enough impact to bring about large-scale change. [Over a three-day induction event this month], we discussed climate change, gender equality, and the means to [build] an organisation as an entrepreneur. Being in the company of people from diverse cultures, backgrounds and experiences, who have impacted lives with their passion, felt good. I am excited about my journey because I will be in the company of high achievers.” The prestigious event is attended by over 3,000 leaders belonging to governments, businesses and civil societies.” The Annual Meeting 2025 is expected to address global and regional challenges, including analysing responses to geopolitical shocks, and improve living standards. 3,000Number of dignitaries expected at the event
21 May,2024 05:35 AM IST | Mumbai | Upala KBRAhead of their film ‘Mr & Mrs Mahi’ release, Bollywood actors Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor attended the auspicious Ganga Aarti at the Dashaswamedh Ghat in Varanasi, on Monday evening. Janhvi wore a blue saree while Rajkummar donned a white shirt with ivory trousers. Dharma Productions’ Instagram handle shared the pictures of the two and wrote, “Our #MrAndMrsMahi were showered with love & blessings in the euphoric city of #Varanasi.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dharma Productions (@dharmamovies) The film seems to be high on cricket, drama, and love. The trailer shows in flashback scenes that Rajkummar Rao's dream of getting selected for the national team is shattered and he is grappling to come to terms with it. When Mr. Mahi (Rajkummar Rao) discovers Mrs Mahi (Janhvi) can play cricket, he decides to coach her. Despite being occupied with the promotional activities of their upcoming film, Rajkummar and Janhvi did not forget their duties as responsible citizens. The duo turned up at their respective polling stations in Mumbai to cast their vote for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections. After casting his vote at his designated polling booth in Mumbai, Rajkummar talked about the role of a responsible citizen while speaking to the media. "It is a big responsibility towards our country, we should vote. Through us, if people can get influenced then of course that's the biggest thing that we can do to make people aware of the importance of voting. So I'm very happy that the Election Commission chose me to be the national icon and I appeal to all to please come out and cast your vote... We all want our nation to grow, to shine. It's already shining. I'm sure it's going to shine even more," he said. 'Mr & Mrs Mahi' is directed by Sharan Sharma, who is known for his directorial debut Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl. Mr & Mrs Mahi marks the second collaboration between Janhvi and Sharan. It also marks the second collaboration between Janhvi and RajKummar. The duo was earlier seen in 'Roohi'. The film is backed by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions. It will hit the theatres on May 31. (With inputs from ANI)
20 May,2024 10:16 PM IST | MumbaiLok Sabha Elections 2024 Mumbai: As the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections took place today, Mumbai saw an influx of celebrity voters showcasing their inked fingers as a mark of their civic participation. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, a wave of enthusiasm swept through as renowned figures from the Indian film industry stepped out to exercise their franchise during the first half of the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha Elections. Here are 7 highlights from today’s voting scenes. Aamir Khan with ex-wife Kiran Rao Actor Aamir Khan arrived with his ex-wife Kiran Rao to fulfill their voting duties and reached their designated polling booth to cast their vote. They displayed their inked fingers after casting their votes during the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections, in Mumbai today. His first wife Reena Dutta and their children Junaid and Ira happily posed for shutterbugs after casting their votes. The actor's mother Zeenat Hussain was also spotted at a polling booth, defying age. Deepika Padukone’s baby bump Parents-to-be Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh stepped out to cast their votes in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The Bollywood power couple, twinning in white, radiated joy as they arrived at the polling booth in Mumbai. Deepika, beaming with her pregnancy glow, donned an oversized white shirt and light blue denim, her baby bump subtly visible, while Ranveer complemented her in a matching white ensemble. The duo's appearance was met with cheers and camera flashes as shutterbugs clicked them while embodying the spirit of civic responsibility. Dharmendra gets angry Veteran filmstar Dharmendra, known for his iconic roles and timeless charm, exemplified civic responsibility by exercising his franchise in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Clad in his signature style with his black bowler hat on, the 88-year-old actor was all smiles as shutterbugs clicked him at a polling booth in Juhu's Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai. Amidst the flurry of celebrities exercising their electoral rights, Dharmendra's presence added a touch of elegance and gravitas to the polling process. However, while interacting with the paparazzi he lost his cool and said, “Acche shehri bano, desh bhakt bano, maa baap see pyaar karo… aap ko malum hai jo mujhse kehelwana chahte hai (Be a good citizen, love your parents, you already know this… still trying to put words in my mouth).” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Varinder Chawla (@varindertchawla) Paresh Rawal’s ultimatum Veteran Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal exercised his democratic duty by casting his vote at a polling booth in Mumbai. After casting his vote, Rawal interacted with the media, emphasizing the importance of participating in elections. "Then you will say, government doesn't do this, doesn't do that... If you will not vote today, then you will be responsible, not the government," Rawal stated, urging citizens to take responsibility for their civic duties. Rawal also suggested implementing penalties for those who abstain from voting. "There should be some provisions for those who don't vote, like an increase in tax or some other punishment," he added. Sanya Malhotra nearly gets hurt Sanya Malhotra, who reached the polling booth almost got hit by a camera. She was heard saying, “Arrey, aaram se (Please be careful). Wahan chalke aaram se le lo. (Let’s go to the side and then you can click the pictures).” Sanya Malhotra nearly gets hit by a camera as she leaves from polling booth, requests paparazzi to be careful#SanyaMalhotra #Bollywood #LokSabhaElections2024 #EntertainmentNews pic.twitter.com/Xc7kYnUJSh — Mid Day (@mid_day) May 20, 2024 Gauahar Khan’s ordeal Gauahar Khan shared her ordeal on Instagram stating that her name on the electoral roll was missing. She wrote. “Make the effort, go find your booths, and vote!! Vote now! I had a very confusing and frustrating time to know that my and my family’s names were missing from the address that I have lived at for 9 years. Only one person from the family had received the voting slip, and the people who have left the building for years, their names were all present. Some of the people who were in charge were extremely rude, because there were almost 100 people who were complaining of the same, and requesting to let them vote with Aadhar cards at the same time. But I did not give up. I went looking from booth to booth in my area, and finally found mine at my 15-year-old address along with my senior citizen mom." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gauahar Khan (@gauaharkhan) Amit Trivedi not allowed to vote Singing sensation Amit Trivedi shared a video on X revealing that he was made to wait for over 30 minutes before being told that he would be unable to vote. “Voting is our constitutional right. Today I was denied that right and I feel helpless. Did this happen to anyone else? How.. and why??” “I have seen your replies here. Just to make it clear, all the online due diligence and checking was done in advance. Another family member and I were in the correct booth, one got to vote and the other didn’t,” he wrote in a subsequent post. Voting is our constitutional right. Today I was denied that right and I feel helpless Did this happen to anyone else? How.. and why?? #elections pic.twitter.com/1K8z0XdIFD — Amit Trivedi (@ItsAmitTrivedi) May 20, 2024 Vision in white A quick browse through the celebs who voted today in Mumbai had one thing in common. They all wore white! Was it a unified dress code or just to beat the heat, the outfit choice seemed outrageous. (With inputs from ANI)
20 May,2024 07:39 PM IST | MumbaiIn a landscape where lineage often dictates career trajectories, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s grandson Aaishvary Thackeray stands out for his unique choices. While his cousin has embraced their family’s legacy, Aaishvary has carved his path, avoiding the traditional routes to pursue a career in the creative field. Rather than immersing himself in the turbulent world of his family’s legacy, Aaishvary’s interest lies in the realm of creativity. Grounded and maintaining a low profile, he has chosen to follow his passion in the world of arts. His ambitions are centered on captivating an audience with his creative outputs. Aaishvary has spent five years striving to establish himself in his chosen field. His journey began as an assistant on a significant project, where he refined his skills and gained valuable experience, laying the groundwork for future endeavors. Despite his family’s noteworthy background, Aaishvary has steered clear of the spotlight that comes with his surname, preferring to let his work speak for itself. A source close to Thackeray says: "Aaishvary has spent 5 years striving to establish himself on the sets of films being assistant learning detailed work about the films. He also has an immense interest towards Art and Music. Films, music, and Arts will become his core career path." The source further adds, "Don't be surprised if we see some big announcements carrying Aishvary in the next one year." Those who have seen his work up close have praised him as an undiscovered gem with the talent and potential to leave a lasting impact in his chosen industry. Meanwhile, all eyes are on the ‘Other Thackeray,’ who is poised to make a splash in his chosen field.
20 May,2024 07:39 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFrom Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Kareena Kapoor to Kiara Advani, several celebrities reached their designated polling booths to cast their votes as the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections commenced. Gauahar Khan also went to her nearby booth, but her experience was not something anyone wants. Gauahar, while sharing the bitter experience, said that she couldn’t find her name on the list where she has lived for 9 years. The actress said, “Make the effort, go find your booths, and vote!! Vote now! I had a very confusing and frustrating time to know that my and my family’s names were missing from the address that I have lived at for 9 years. Only one person from the family had received the voting slip, and the people who have left the building for years, their names were all present.” “Some of the people who were in charge were extremely rude, because there were almost 100 people who were complaining of the same, and requesting to let them vote with Aadhar cards at the same time. But I did not give up. I went looking from booth to booth in my area, and finally found mine at my 15-year-old address along with my senior citizen mom. She is the one who has taught me to be patriotic since childhood. My dad was the son of a freedom fighter. Alhamdulillah,” she further added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gauahar Khan (@gauaharkhan) The actress further wrote, “I didn’t want my vote to be wasted. As a citizen of the country, it’s my duty to vote and my right in a democracy. I love my country and I feel responsible for it. Guys, please go and vote. Find your names and vote. Don’t miss it. Many thanks to @mumbaipolice; your officers are really helpful and kind in this whole process. The volunteers are doing their best. A bad encounter with one frustrated volunteer should not deter you from voting. GO VOTE! Jai Hind! 🇮🇳” About the Fifth Phase of Lok Sabha Elections Voting for the fifth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024 began on Monday morning across 49 parliamentary constituencies spread over six states and two Union Territories (UTs) amid tight security and arrangements. The voting started at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm, with those in line by the closing time still allowed to vote. According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), polling for 35 assembly constituencies of the Odisha legislative assembly will also take place simultaneously on Monday. As per the ECI, over 8.95 crore voters, including 4.69 crore males, 4.26 crore females, and 5409 third-gender electors, will decide the fate of 695 candidates in the fifth phase of voting.
20 May,2024 04:46 PM IST | MumbaiThe fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections has commenced. The city of Mumbai has also gone into polling today. Many celebrities were seen arriving early in the morning to cast their votes. Actor Sanya Malhotra was also among the first at her designated polling booth to cast her vote. As the actress reached the polling booth, an incident shook her. The actress almost got hit by a camera. What Happened As the voting for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections commenced, celebrities started reaching their designated polling booths. Sanya also decided to fulfill her duties, and as she reached the polling booth, paparazzi surrounded her to take pictures. Amid the chaos, Sanya was about to get hit by a camera but saved herself with a quick response. This incident shocked her, and in a state of shock, she said, “Arrey, aaram se (Please be careful). Wahan chalke aaram se le lo. (Let’s go to the side and then you can click the pictures).” Sanya Malhotra nearly gets hit by a camera as she leaves from polling booth, requests paparazzi to be careful#SanyaMalhotra #Bollywood #LokSabhaElections2024 #EntertainmentNews pic.twitter.com/Xc7kYnUJSh — Mid Day (@mid_day) May 20, 2024 About the Fifth Phase of Lok Sabha Elections Voting for the fifth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024 began on Monday morning across 49 parliamentary constituencies spread over six states and two Union Territories (UTs) amid tight security and arrangements. The voting started at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm, with those in line by the closing time still allowed to vote. According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), polling for 35 assembly constituencies of the Odisha legislative assembly will also take place simultaneously on Monday. As per the ECI, over 8.95 crore voters, including 4.69 crore males, 4.26 crore females, and 5409 third-gender electors, will decide the fate of 695 candidates in the fifth phase of voting. The fifth phase will witness key contests in various constituencies. Leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Piyush Goyal, Ujjwal Nikam, Karan Bhushan Singh, LJP (Ramvilas) chief Chirag Paswan, JKNC chief Omar Abdullah, and RJD leader Rohini Acharya are looking for electoral success.
20 May,2024 04:06 PM IST | MumbaiADVERTISEMENT
