Joining in the line of tributes, honouring WWE icon John Cena, actor Randeep Hooda has penned a heartwarming note for the legend. Taking to his social media handles, Randeep shared a post to honour Cena as he wrote, "Working with JohnCena showed me the man behind the icon, disciplined, grounded, and generous at heart. From the WWE ring to the big screen, he's inspired millions through sheer hard work and humility." Working with @JohnCena showed me the man behind the icon, disciplined, grounded, and generous at heart. From the @WWE ring to the big screen, he’s inspired millions through sheer hard work and humility.From 8 to 80, across all genders and walks of life, his fanbase speaks… pic.twitter.com/JEDcaHTF02 — Randeep Hooda (@RandeepHooda) December 15, 2025 Describing Cena's WWE journey as a "celebration of an incredible legacy," the actor added, "From 8 to 80, across all genders and walks of life, his fanbase speaks volumes about the kind of impact he's had. As he steps away from WWE, this is not an end but a celebration of an incredible legacy. Salute to a true legend." A record-breaking 17-time world champion, John Cena concluded his illustrious professional wrestling career of over two decades after the 'Saturday Night's Main Event' in Washington, DC. Incidentally, Randeep Hooda is reportedly set to share the screen with the wrestling legend in Sam Hargrave's upcoming film, Matchbox. In January this year, Hooda teamed up with Hargrave for the second time for the upcoming Apple Original Films' action thriller, Variety reported. The live-action film, which is inspired by Mattel's popular Matchbox toy vehicle line, will also feature Hollywood stars Teyonah Parris, Jessica Biel, and Sam Richardson. Production is currently underway in Budapest, according to Variety. The film is directed by the Avengers: Endgame and Extraction 2 fame director Hargrave and is written by David Coggeshall and Jonathan Tropper. It is being produced by Skydance's David Ellison and Dana Goldberg, along with Mattel Films' Don Granger and Robbie Brenner. Matchbox is the story of a group of childhood friends who reunite to stop a global disaster while rediscovering their bond. The movie is based on the iconic Matchbox car line, which originated in 1953 when Jack Odell created a toy small enough to fit in a matchbox for his daughter. 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
16 December,2025 01:50 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIA lot is said and discussed about film personalities on the internet. While celebrities often ignore what is being said about them, occasionally they decide to respond. Bollywood actress Rakul Preet Singh has now responded to a post by a person who identifies himself as a plastic and cosmetic surgeon. The man alleged that Singh had undergone a drastic change due to plastic surgery. Rakul Preet Singh slams doctor for false claims On Monday, Rakul Preet Singh shared a post on Instagram featuring the man who claims to be a medical professional. In the video, he was dissecting Singh’s ‘then and now’ looks and suggested that the actress had undergone cosmetic procedures to look the way she does today. He showed old and recent pictures of Singh and claimed she had done Botox, fillers, and a nose job. He also called out other actresses for not openly discussing their cosmetic procedures and for focusing only on their fitness journeys on social media, stating that this creates unrealistic expectations for followers. Sharing the video, Rakul called him and his content a fraud. The actress wrote, “Fraud alert: it’s scary that people like him are claiming to be doctors and making statements without any factual checks and misguiding people.” She further told her followers to beware of such doctors and wrote, “Being an actor who understands ancient and modern science, I have no issues if people do surgeries. But there is also another thing called weight loss that comes from hard work. Ever heard of that? (Beware of such ‘doctors’).” Meanwhile, last month, the actress also warned her followers about an imposter engaging with her fans. She revealed that a WhatsApp impersonator was using her name and photo to chat with people. Rakul shared a screenshot on social media to highlight the imposter and urged fans not to engage in random conversations. On November 24, Rakul took to her X handle (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “Hi guys… it’s come to my notice that someone is impersonating me on WhatsApp and chatting with people. Please note this isn’t my number and do not engage in any random conversations. Kindly block.” (sic) She also shared a screenshot showing the imposter using the number ‘8111067586’. On the work front, Rakul was last seen in De De Pyaar De 2, the sequel to her 2019 film De De Pyaar De starring Ajay Devgn. The sequel, released on November 14, saw her reprise her role as Ayesha, while Ajay returned as Ashish.
16 December,2025 01:05 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActress Shefali Shah, along with her producer husband Vipul Shah and their sons, is currently soaking in the beauty of Norway as the family delights in the breathtaking Northern Lights. The actress took to her social media account in sharing a few beautiful pictures straight from her thrilling experience. Describing her excitement, Shefali wrote, “Thought I’d try and explain what it is to actually see the Northern Lights. But there are no words to describe the Aurora Borealis. This magnificence is unparalleled and impossible to translate.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shefali Shah (@shefalishahofficial) She added, “Normally, I would Google it, but I don’t want to reduce this experience by finding science or logic behind it. This is beyond the realms of the human mind, and the only thing I could do was stand there in silence with tears in my eyes, feeling blessed, grateful, and humbled and surrendering to this miracle. And realise that I was lucky to be a mere spectator of this MAGIC.” The actress concluded, stating, “P.S. – I’d like to be like the Aurora Borealis, visible clearly when seen through a camera and otherwise elusive.” In the pictures, Shefali, Vipul and their children are seen ecstatically witnessing the northern lights. A few days ago, Shefali Shah and Vipul Shah celebrated 25 years of marital bliss. On account of her special milestone, Shefali had taken to her social media account to share both herself and Vipul dancing their hearts out at a family function. Draped in a pink saree, Shefali looked stunning, while Vipul looked dapper in a simple white kurta pyjama. Expressing what 25 years of marriage meant to her, the Di Dhadakne Do actress wrote, “25 years of marriage. Miles of ground covered. 45,000 feet above sea level. One celebration. Heading to one holiday. Two seats together, but I chose to get myself another seat even though it wasn’t next to him. I like a window seat and he prefers aisle for better leg space (In this aircraft there was only one seat next to the window, no aisle.)” She further wrote, “No drama, just comfort for both of us. Yes, a lot may say, 'What’s a little discomfort for togetherness?' Sure. But dismissing your wish or your comfort is not a testimony of a good marriage. The intensity of love doesn’t depend on the basis of sharing an armrest. Just because we didn’t sit together doesn’t mean we are getting divorced. Because space doesn’t mean distance. Togetherness doesn’t mean claustrophobia. Bond doesn’t mean binding And compromising single-handedly is not companionship.” She wrote, “Our marriage, like many, has been full of ups and downs, easy and difficult, immense unbridled joy and excruciating pain. But through thick and thin, of our bodies, wallets, patience, tolerance and love, we have survived it all. For better or worse of moods, temperaments, ego, adjustments and growth.” Shefali further wrote, “If this sounds like a perfect marriage, it’s far from it. We have danced together for 25 years. Sometimes in sync, sometimes out of sync. Sometimes I lead and he follows, and sometimes it’s vice versa. Sometimes we have also stepped onto each other’s toes and tripped. But we’ve always picked each other up (after laughing). Happily ever after was and still is the goal, but it is not realistically possible 24/7, 365 days a year. But we know together our chances of happily ever after are far higher. And thank God and touch wood for that. And of course our sunshine boys have been our Fevicol ka jod.” The actress has been riding high on the success of her latest released series, Delhi Crime 3. 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
16 December,2025 12:34 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSActor Sohail Khan, on Monday, shared a playful birthday wish for his son, Nirvan. In a humorous twist, he credited himself for Nirvan being blessed with “beautiful grandparents,” showcasing his lighthearted side. Taking to his Instagram, Sohail Khan shared a heartwarming image of his son Nirvan posing with his grandparents, Salim Khan and Sushila Charak. In the picture, the trio is seen gathered around a dinner table, with Nirvan standing happily between his grandparents. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sohail Khan (@sohailkhanofficial) Sharing this sweet moment, Sohail wrote in the caption, “Happy birthday nirvan, you’re blessed with beautiful grandparents, thanks to me nirvankhan15.” Meanwhile, Sohail Khan recently grabbed headlines when a video of him riding a luxury motorcycle on the streets of Mumbai without wearing a helmet surfaced online. The video sparked criticism on social media. Following the backlash, the Tubelight actor issued a public apology where he admitted that his actions were wrong. Sohail penned a post that read, “I would like to request all the bike riders please wear helmets. I avoid wearing them at times as i feel claustrophobic but that’s no excuse to not wear one. Riding has always been my passion since childhood. It began with BMX cycles and now i ride bikes.” “I mostly ride late nights when there is not much traffic to cut risks that too at a slow pace and with my car following me. I assure fellow riders that i will make a genuine effort to overcome my claustrophobia and wear a helmet so please bear with me. My sincere apologies to the traffic authorities and i assure them that i will follow all the rules henceforth. I salute all the riders for wearing their helmets at all times despite the discomfort as it is necessary for our safety. It is better to be safe than sorry. Once again I am really sorry.” 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
16 December,2025 12:12 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSBollywood actress Shraddha Kapoor has penned a note for the blockbuster film Dhurandhar and said it’s “truly terrible” of filmmaker Aditya Dhar to make people wait for “part 2”. Shraddha took to Instagram stories and requested Aditya to prepone the release of the sequel of Dhurandhar. Picture Courtesy/Shraddha Kapoor's Instagram account She first wrote: “Truly terrible of Aditya Dhar to make a film like Dhurandhar.” Shraddha then added, “and then make us wait three months for Part 2. Don’t play with our emotions, prepone the release please. What a phenomenal experience. Subah shoot nahi hoti toh kasam se abhi hi dobara dekhne jaati” “(had I not had a shoot in the morning, I would have gone again to watch the film). Chhaava, Saiyaara, Dhurandhar — all in 2025 Hindi cinema.” Shraddha then penned a note talking about the “rampant negative PR” against the film. She added, “From Yami Gautam having to call out the rampant negative PR machinery to manufactured controversies, Dhurandhar endured it all and came out shining. No bad force can pull a good film down. In audiences, we trust.” Dhurandhar made history at the box office in its second weekend, minting over Rs 100 crore in just two days. The film as of now has raked in Rs 351 crore overall, as per reports. Dhurandhar is directed by Aditya Dhar. The film stars Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi, Manav Gohil, Danish Pandor, Saumya Tandon, Gaurav Gera and Naveen Kaushik. In the film, the first of a two-part film series, an Indian intelligence mission unfolds over ten years as an undercover agent enters Karachi's criminal and political world to dismantle dangerous cross-border terror networks. The film draws inspiration from real-life events involving geopolitical tensions, 1999 Indian plane hijack, 2001 Indian Parliament attack, 2008 Mumbai attacks, covert operations conducted by India's R & AW associated with Operation Lyari, and the crackdown on gangs and criminal syndicates. The film is performing strongly at the box office as it’s racing towards being the the third highest grossing Hindi film of 2025 and the fourth highest-grossing Indian film of 2025. The sequel, Dhurandhar: Part 2 – Revenge, is scheduled to release in 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
16 December,2025 11:50 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSBollywood’s chocolate boy Kartik Aaryan treated his taste buds as he savoured heart-shaped jalebi and fafda during his Ahmedabad visit. Kartik took to Instagram, where he shared a video of him breaking the love-shaped jalebi and then savouring it. He also shared pictures posing with it and a glimpse of his plate full of fafda. For the caption, he wrote Tenu Zyada Mohabbat Kar Baithe, a song sung by Talwiinder that features in the upcoming film Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri. View this post on Instagram A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan) Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri, a romantic-comedy film written by Karan Shrikant Sharma, directed by Sameer Vidwans and produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Bhumika Tewari, Shareen Mantri Kedia and Kishor Arora under the banners of Dharma Productions and Namah Pictures. The film stars Kartik Aaryan, Ananya Panday, Neena Gupta, Jackie Shroff and Tiku Talsania. It reportedly tells the story of two people who fall in love while finding themselves, but family pressures challenge their relationship. On December 13, the track Tenu Zyada Mohabbat was released and Kartik called heartbreak a shade of love. Talking about the same, Kartik said in a statement, “Love has many shades, and heartbreak is one of them. Tenu Zyada Mohabbat explores this vulnerable side of love.” “One thing I really love about the song is that it has a melodious tune that you will never forget, and lyrics that will always resonate with believers of true love. The composition of Vishal-Sheykhar is yet again magical. The cherry on top is Talwiinder’s beautiful voice that is tailor made for the song”. He further mentioned: “The track makes for a great addition to our Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri’s album, and I’m sure this tune will grow on audiences beat by beat.” The film is set to release on December 25, 2025. 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
16 December,2025 10:50 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSVeteran actor Anupam Kher has taken to his social media account to celebrate his 50 glorious years in the city of dreams, Mumbai. The actor mentioned how he was reminded of this special milestone by a very dear friend of his. “MY GOLDEN JUBILEE IN MUMBAI”, wrote Anupam. “My friend and classmate SuhasKhandke from the NationalSchoolOfDrama sent me a beautiful message this morning (2nd Pic) about my first ever visit to Mumbai (then Bombay) and informed me that I came to this beautiful CityOfDreams first the time today, i.e 15th of December 1975!” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anupam Kher (@anupampkher) He further elaborated, “Exactly FIFTY years ago. I was in the first year of Drama School. I stayed with Suhas for 10days! As a 20year old young boy I was completely mesmerised by the energy and the magnanimity of Bombay!” The actor further penned, “Suhas lived on WalkeshwerRoad. So I watched the vastness of the ocean for the first time in my life! I felt the people of this city were very different from other parts of the country! Today I have a word for them – CHILLED!” The Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge star further mentioned how the city of dreams has given him everything. “When I reflect on these years I realise that this city of Mumbai has given me EVERYTHING! It gave me DREAMS and then helped me make them COME TRUE!” Highlighting his journey of four decades in the industry, Anupam wrote, “41 years in cinema, almost 550 films, friends, success that humbled me, failure that taught me so many things! Thank you MUMBAI for your blessings and kindness! And the ordinary person on the streets of Mumbai is actually extraordinary! They are the heartbeats of this city. I salute them.” Anupam also thanked his friend for reminding him of the important day. “Thanks Suhas my friend for this joyous memory! The first pic is from a play we did EkAurDronacharya. It was directed by none other than my jigri dost SatishKaushik! Miss him! Jai Ho MUMBAI! MumbaiMeriJaan Mumbaikar.” Anupam shared a few pictures and took a trip down memory lane. He also shared a picture from his first theatre play ever, followed by a screenshot of his conversation with his friend. The message sent by Suhas Khandke, Anupam Kher’s friend, read, “Hey brother, today marks the completion of 50 years, since you first stepped into Mumbai. For our winter vacation in 1st year, we boarded the train on 14th Dec 1975, to arrive in Mumbai on 15th December. It proved to be an extremely auspicious day for you. Congratulations dear Anupam for your successful Golden Jubilee in the city of dreams.” Recently, Anupam Kher was honoured by two of India’s distinguished educational institutions for his remarkable contributions both on and off the screen. Recognized not only for his illustrious acting career but also for his efforts as an individual contributing to society, Kher expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the prestigious awards. Sharing his videos and photos, Kher wrote, “AWARDS AND HONOURS: I am deeply humbled, happy and delighted to receive two Awards/Honours from two very distinguished educational institutions of India for my work in my professional and personal capacity! Thank you Hon. Governor of Maharashtra and Gujarat Sh. AcharyaDevvrat ji, a DAVian himself, President DAV Schools Sh. Poonam Suri ji, CEO Smt. Nisha Pashi ji and all the DAVians for this great Honour!” He added, “Also THANKS to St. Xavier’s College Calcutta Alumni Association for the wonderful recognition! I consider these honours are also for whatever little contribution I try to make to our society! Not just as an ACTOR. But also as an INDIVIDUAL! Jai Ho! Jai Hindi! Awards Gratitude Humbled.” Meanwhile, talking about Anupam Kher’s recent directorial Tanvi The Great, the movie recently returned to theatres. The film starred Jackie Shroff, Arvind Swami, Boman Irani, Pallavi Joshi, Karan Tacker, and Nasser, along with Anupam and Iain Glen. Tanvi The Great narrated the story of a 21-year-old woman on the autism spectrum who lives with her mother and grandfather. Inspired by her late father, Captain Samar Raina, an Indian Army officer, she dreams of saluting the national flag at Siachen Glacier. Up next, the veteran actor recently announced that he has joined forces with filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya for his 549th project. On the first day of the shoot, Kher presented the Hum Saath-Saath Hain maker with an auspicious shawl from Ayodhya. Kher penned, “ANNOUNCING MY 549th FILM: Delighted to share that my 549th untitled film started today with one and only SOORAJ BARJATYA! Presented him the auspicious shawl I got from Ayodhya! (sic).” Anupam Kher has always proven himself to be an actor par excellence with his character portrayals and choice of projects. From Saaraansh, Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Chandni, Beta, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and Veer-Zaara to The Kashmir Files, Dabangg, Special 26, M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, and many more, Anupam Kher has been a part of many blockbusters and cult classics. 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
16 December,2025 10:40 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSFinally the taste of success Ranveer Singh in ‘Dhurandhar’ Actor Ranveer Singh marked the success of Dhurandhar with a reflective note on Instagram, sharing, “Kismat ki ek bohot khoobsurat aadat hai, ki woh waqt aane par badalti hai. Lekin filhal, nazar aur sabr.” Fans noted how Ranveer gave a nudge to Akshaye Khanna’s character by using his dialogue to express himself after the film’s mega success. Directed by Aditya Dhar, the espionage drama has reportedly earned R552.70 crore worldwide within 10 days of its December 5 release. The film signals a turnaround for Ranveer after nearly six years of mixed results following Gully Boy (2019). During this period, 83 (2021), Jayeshbhai Jordaar (2022) and Cirkus (2022) underperformed, with Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023) being his lone clear hit. He also didn’t have any film release in 2024. On the work front, mid-day had recently reported that the actor will start shooting his next, Farhan Akhtar’s Don 3, early next year and then go on to shooting Pralay, a zombie film, with Jay Mehta (Mumbai under zombie attack soon, Decemebr 15). Ranveer Singh’s flops Ranveer Singh in ‘83’ A still from ‘Jayeshbhai Jordaar’ Rohit Shetty and Ranveer Singh on the set of ‘Cirkus’ Unrecognisable Madhavan R Madhavan in and as GDN Filming for actor R Madhavan’s upcoming biopic GDN has wrapped. Producer Vijay Moolan shared an update on Instagram, posting pictures with the cast and crew and writing, “And it’s a wrap for GDN. Wrap up party.” Directed by Krishnakumar Ramakumar, the film chronicles the life of GD Naidu, an Indian industrialist, inventor, and entrepreneur widely regarded as a key figure in India’s technological and manufacturing history. Often referred to as the “Edison of India”, Naidu made significant contributions to indigenous innovation and public service. GDN is eyeing a Summer 2026 release. ‘Mastiverse’ of madness (L-R) Kapil Sharma and Priyanka Chopra Global sensation Priyanka Chopra will kick off the fourth season of The Great Indian Kapil Show as its first guest. The show will start streaming from December 20. Sharing a poster featuring PeeCee with Kapil, Netflix teased the episode, writing, “When the desi girl arrives, things get Pri-etty humorous.” The actor shot for the episode last week. Sabse bada rupaiya Juhi Chawla According to the Hurun Rich List 2025, Juhi Chawla has emerged as India’s richest female actor, with a net worth of Rs 7790 crore. She ranks well ahead of male stars such as Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan, and Amitabh Bachchan, and is second only to Shah Rukh Khan, who tops the list with Rs 12,490 crore. While films are no longer her primary source of income, Juhi’s wealth is reportedly driven by strategic investments. A major contributor is her stake in IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, co-owned with SRK and her husband Jay Mehta, now valued at around R9000 crore. She has also invested in real estate, and owns restaurants in Mumbai.
16 December,2025 08:27 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamOn his trip to Vietnam for a film festival in collaboration with the Indian government, writer and director Rahhat Shah Kazmi fell in love with the country; an idea to base his next film there slowly took root. It was festival organiser Captain Rahul Bali — now one of his co-producers — who lent him support. Love in Vietnam, starring Shantanu Maheshwari, Avneet Kaur, Kha Ngân, and Farida Jalal, among others, eventually came through after considerable effort. However, the film, which released in India in September, did not get enough room to spread its wings. “This is the first ever India-Vietnam collaboration,” he beams. “But the Indian release clashed with 40 other films — including Demon Slayer and Mirai — floods, and limited screens. We did not get shows in our own country. Everyone was disheartened. All our efforts felt like they were in vain.” The tide turned when South Korea embraced the film. Singer Seaya released a song inspired by the film after watching it, and the filmmaker was recently honoured with Best Asian Film and Best Director of Asia gong for Love in Vietnam at the Seoul Global Movie Awards 2025. “We wondered if the people would like the movie or if they will get up and leave mid-way because they couldn’t connect with the story and the songs in the film. But, people cried during the première. They were all so emotional. They started posting on their social media. It was a dreamlike experience. Now the film is opening in Korean theatres in the first week of January,” he smiles. Rahhat Shah Kazmi Kazmi remains hopeful about an Indian re-release someday. He says that talks with OTT platforms are ongoing and that a date will soon be locked. “Our desire to show the film to our people is not fulfilled. People haven’t seen it. So, we’ll try again. Around February, we are hoping to get a licence for China. We will lock the OTT plan after it releases in China.” January 9‘Love in Vietnam’ releases in Vietnam theatres Shantanu Maheshwari on ‘Love in Vietnam’ Being a part of ‘Love in Vietnam’ has been a special experience. Working in a new culture with language differences automatically makes you more aware and present as an actor. You discover your own language to communicate with people. While the audience may be new, I realised that emotions don’t really change. Stories about love, conflict, and hope connect the same way, and that’s the beauty of storytelling. This film reminded me that a good love story can travel beyond languages and boundaries.
16 December,2025 08:23 AM IST | Mumbai | Letty Mariam AbrahamWhen Saali Mohabbat was shaping up, Tisca Chopra wanted to act in the film as well as direct it. Producer Manish Malhotra, however, urged her to choose only one role. After she committed to directing, she understood why he had advised so. Tisca Chopra “Directing is a mother-of-God hard job. It just never ends,” laughs Chopra, who turned feature film director with the Zee5 movie. “You start your day with a volley of questions. What should be the size of the car’s number plate? Should the actor shave his chest or not? If you don’t answer, they’ll think that you don’t know your mind. So, you just have to make a decision, even if it’s wrong. And then you make it the right decision.” Radhika Apte plays the prime suspect of a double murder in ‘Saali Mohabbat’ What helped was that Chopra knew the world of the Radhika Apte and Divyenndu-led murder mystery intimately. She had written the howdunnit with her husband Sanjay Chopra, a pilot. Ask her the experience of co-writing with her husband, and she quips, “We almost got divorced writing it. His sense of writing is robust, mine is more subtle. So the yin and yang came together nicely in the script.” Days after its release, the first-time feature director has only one grouse with Saali Mohabbat — that a word in one of its songs had to be dropped at the insistence of the internal legal team. “We were told in the beginning [to drop it], but we still went ahead and recorded it. Then we had to dub it to something else,” says Chopra, unconvinced by the idea of censorship. “I’m not a big fan of censorship. If at 18 years, you can choose a government, why can’t you choose what you want to watch?”
16 December,2025 07:05 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuUncertainty may loom over the fate of No Entry Mein Entry, the sequel to Anees Bazmee’s No Entry (2005), but the director is going back to another old and cherished collaboration. He is set to reunite with Akshay Kumar 15 years after their last outing, Thank You (2011), for his next. While rumours of their reunion have been doing the rounds for a while, Bazmee confirmed the development to mid-day, saying, “It is a comedy. I am writing the script right now, it’s almost complete. If everything goes as planned, we will start shooting soon.” Bet you remember this painting from ‘Welcome’ Reports suggested that the yet-untitled film would be a remake of the Telugu action comedy, Sankranthiki Vasthunam. While Bazmee remained tight-lipped about that, he was delighted to reflect on his long-standing bond with Kumar. “There is mutual love and respect between us. When I told him about this film, he was more than happy,” he said, adding that they stayed in touch over the years despite not working together. Anees Bazmee; (right) Welcome (2007) Bazmee, whose last offering was Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 (2024), has built his 30-year directorial career on situational comedies. He has noticed that writing comedy today requires far greater precision. “Earlier, things were more instinctive. Now you have to write with a lot of thought. You also have to keep in mind whether the actors can handle that kind of comedy. I like writing under pressure. That helps me write better. When I’m happy or angry, something good comes out. But if I’m sad or blank, it becomes difficult to write,” shared the director, asserting that it remains the most enduring genre, even as action films currently dominate the box office. “Comedy is the most difficult genre, but it stays with people the longest.” The actor and director’s past collaborations ‘Welcome’ ‘Singh is Kinng’ ‘Thank You’
16 December,2025 06:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Komal RJ PanchalADVERTISEMENT
