Have you heard? Another Ramayana with Alia Bhatt in the works

Amid the buzz around Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana, another movie based on the mythological epic is in the works. Made by Vishnu Manchu, this one stars Suriya and Alia Bhatt as Ram and Sita

Have you heard? Another Ramayana with Alia Bhatt in the works; Vicky Kaushal's father Sham Kaushal about living in a chawl

Suriya, Alia Bhatt and Vishnu Manchu

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Have you heard? Another Ramayana with Alia Bhatt in the works; Vicky Kaushal's father Sham Kaushal about living in a chawl

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One more Ramayana in the making?

Amid the growing buzz around Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana — starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana. Producer-actor Vishnu Manchu has revealed he, too, has a version of the epic in the works. Unlike the traditional retelling, his story centres on Ravana’s life from birth to death. In Nayandeep Rakshit’s podcast, Vishnu said, “I approached Suriya in 2009 to play Ram. My father was to play Ravana and Raghavendra Rao was to direct. The script and dialogues are ready, but the budget didn’t work out. Suriya would still be my Ram, Alia Bhatt as Sita. I’d love to play Hanuman, but Raghavendra sir wanted me as Indrajeet.”

Growing up in a Mumbai chawl

Vicky and Sunny Kaushal; Sham Kaushal

Veteran action director Sham Kaushal, father of actors Vicky and Sunny Kaushal, recently opened up about his family’s difficult past when he was still struggling to get work in the Hindi film industry. Recalling their early years in a 10×10 chawl in Mumbai’s Malad, Sham, in a conversation with Aman Aujla, shared, “We didn’t even have a separate bed. We slept on a chatai and a thin mattress laid on a cement floor.” He spoke about facing humiliation at work and crying openly in front of his sons, Vicky and Sunny, saying, “I never hid anything from them.” He also remembered the family’s struggles post his cancer diagnosis in 2003. “I begged God for 10 more years. It’s been 22,” he concluded with a sigh of relief.

Cheeky Chunky

Chunky Panday; (right) Ahaan Panday and Ananya Panday

Actor Chunky Panday appeared to celebrate his nephew Ahaan Panday’s debut with a touch of humour and pride over the weekend, following the release of Saiyaara, directed by Mohit Suri. The film, which hit theatres on July 18, has approximately earned an impressive R77 crore in India, with Ahaan’s performance being widely praised. An excited Chunky reshared a post by trade analyst Joginder Tuteja, which read, “In the world of Kapoors and Khans, Pandeys came out of syllabus. And I am not joking (sic),” on his Instagram Story. The remark, viewed by many as a light-hearted jab at Bollywood dynasties, was labelled “cheeky” by fans, many of whom also lauded Ananya Panday’s success in movies.

Winning at life and vacays

Priyanka Chopra

Actor Priyanka Chopra, who just turned 43, treated fans to glimpses of her beachside birthday vacay with husband Nick Jonas and daughter Malti Marie. PeeCee took to Instagram to share a string of cheerful photos from their tropical getaway, including a tender moment with Nick and playful scenes with Malti. “Winning at life. Grateful, My heart is full,” she wrote. Nick also shared a heartfelt post, saying, “Nothing brings me more joy in this life than celebrating you. Happy birthday my love.” The family celebration followed an earlier video montage Priyanka posted, where she reflected on gratitude and the joy of turning 43. On the work front, Priyanka’s latest, Heads of State is streaming on OTT. She’s now shooting for SS Rajamouli’s SSMB29 with Mahesh Babu, her first Indian film in years.

Screenings cancelled in Pune

Subodh Bhave as Sant Tukaram

Several shows of the film Sant Tukaram, starring Subodh Bhave, have been cancelled in Pune following objections raised by the Sant Tukaram Sansthan. Reacting to the situation, director Aditya Om, in a statement, said, “The majority of shows in Pune city have been disrupted. Cinema halls have been alerted and advised to take precautions. As a result, most theatres have decided to cancel the film’s shows. It is to be noted that the film was granted a ‘U’ certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification [CBFC] without any cuts. This entire situation has directly impacted the film’s screenings, causing significant financial losses to the makers.”