Popular choreographer and filmmaker Farah Khan recently opened up about the darker side of Bollywood during the '90s while appearing on YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia's podcast The Ranveer Show. During the conversation, she shed light on the extent of the underworld's influence on the film industry, recalling a terrifying incident related to the premiere of Karan Johar's film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Farah Khan on Bollywood and the underworld Farah Khan bluntly asserted that the '80s represented one of the lowest points for mainstream and commercial Hindi cinema. She revealed how Bollywood was going through a particularly bad phase during the '80s. Sharing an anecdote from her college days, she remembered how several of her friends preferred watching Hollywood movies instead of Hindi movies, because their quality was far superior to Bollywood films. Speaking about the changes that occurred in the next decade, Farah said the industry also had to deal with the increasing power and influence of the underworld. She recalled a shocking incident from the early days of her career when film producer Mukesh Duggal was shot. Farah further said she remembered being on a film set around 1993 or 1994 when news of the incident spread, highlighting just how dangerous the environment around the industry had become at that time. Farah on the Khans being pressurised by the underworld During the podcast, Ranveer Allahbadia asked Farah whether Bollywood’s biggest stars, such as Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan, had also pressurised by the underworld in the 1990s. Farah answered in the affirmative. She replied, “Yes," but did not elaborate. When Ranveer prodded her further about Shah Rukh receiving a call from the underworld, she replied, “That all don't know. But, I know that during the Duplicate or Kuch Kuch Hota Hai premiere, Karan (Johar) had got a underworld threat, and it was very scary. Everyone was discussing whether the premiere should be cancelled or we should go ahead with it.” Currently, Farah is enjoying the massive success of her YouTube cooking vlog series featuring her cook Dilip. She launched the channel in April 2024, and it quickly went viral thanks to the duo’s humorous banter, simple recipes and candid celebrity interactions. The channel has grown to nearly 3 million subscribers.
14 March,2026 05:06 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActress Nimrat Kaur celebrated her birthday with Baba Vishwanath’s blessings at the Kashi Vishwanath temple. The 'Airlift' actress visited one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines for the first time. During her religious visit, Nimrat even took part in the Mangal Aarti to seek blessings on her special day. She took to her official Instagram handle and published a couple of pictures from her unique birthday celebration. Posing in a pink saree, Nimrat was seen offering her prayers to Lord Shiva. Expressing her gratitude for such a divine start to her new year, she penned the caption, "Brought in my birthday in with Baba Vishwanath’s blessings at the Mangal Aarti this morning. So grateful for all the love, warmth and all your kind wishes. Whatever the universe has planned, there couldn’t have been a better start to my new year, my first ever time in Banaras...My heart is full, thank you life…Har Har Mahadev (sic)". View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nimrat Kaur (@nimratofficial) In one of the photos, 'The Lunchbox' actress was seen enjoying the beautiful sunset while relishing her tea on the balcony of her room. The last still was of the birthday girl on a boat with only water before her. Nimrat likes to include her Insta Fam in such special moments of her life through her social media posts. On January 23, she paid a heartfelt tribute to her late father, Major Bhupender Singh, 32 years after his martyrdom while serving the nation. Nimrat said that her father lived and gave his life with utmost courage and dignity. “It’s been 32 years since Papa left us in the service of the nation. A self-made son of the soil, a peerless husband and father, and beyond everything, a lion-heart soldier who feared nothing, not even death, we were told, in his final moments,” her post read. Nimrat also thanked the Indian Army and the administration for immortalising her father's name in Ganganagar, the land he was born in, and in the Kashmir Valley, where he was martyred. 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
14 March,2026 04:19 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSActress Aditi Bhatia paid a visit to the Mahakal Temple, Ujjain, seeking blessings from Lord Shiva after the release of her movie The Kerala Story 2. Aditi Bhatia prays at Ujjain's Mahakal Temple Calling her religious visit "surreal", Aditi shared that the last few weeks have been an emotional whirlwind for her. "There has been so much love, so many messages, and such powerful reactions from people that I honestly feel overwhelmed with gratitude. I felt a very strong pull to come here, to Mahakal, to just bow my head and say thank you." Aditi stated that being in this sacred space was a reminder for her of how everything happens with divine grace. "As actors we work hard and give our heart to a story, but the way audiences embrace it is something beyond us. Standing here today, I feel incredibly blessed and grounded. There is a deep sense of peace and magic in the air here in Ujjain — it’s a feeling that is difficult to explain, but you feel it the moment you step into Mahakal’s presence." She revealed that she simply prayed for strength, gratitude, and guidance for her journey ahead. "I’m so thankful for the past few weeks and for every person who supported the film and my work. Today I simply wanted to offer it all at Mahadev’s feet. The feeling truly is magical. Har Har Mahadev.” A few days back, Aditi used social media to express her gratitude to the entire cast and crew of The Kerala Story 2. "A film is the sum of so many unseen hands working with heart. Grateful for this wonderful crew who made every day on set special. I learnt so much & will always hold this journey so close to my heart. Thank you for everything", her post on Instagram read. Vipul Amrutlal Shah hits back at Sudipto Sen Sudipto Sen, director of The Kerala Story, recently criticised the latest sequel. The filmmaker slammed the research and claimed that the film was based on WhatsApp forwards Producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah opened up about Sudipto Sen's criticism and said, “I would say grapes are sour. To be very honest, I have never spoken about this, but I would like to put it to rest. He had written a script for The Kerala Story 2, which was absolutely trash. I did not want to make that film, and that is why I went ahead with [The Kerala Story 2 director] Kamakhya [Narayan Singh].” The producer went on to add, “He doesn’t even know what research we have done. He was not part of the entire research process, so how can he make those comments? I don’t usually comment, but when somebody attacks my film, that is when I am compelled to react. Otherwise, I don’t like to react. The film has been released, and I know the statements he made are baseless. That’s all I can say.”
14 March,2026 03:10 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActor Gaurav Gera, in the recent episode of Wheel of Fortune, revealed how people were shocked to learn that it was him as Mohammad Aalam, popularly known for being the Doodh Soda seller in Dhurandhar. Gaurav Gera, while participating in the quiz reality show, recreated his iconic ‘Doodh Soda’ scene from Dhurandhar, leaving the audience amazed. Speaking about the popularity of his character, Gaurav shared, “Bahut saare log toh pehchaan hi nahi paate dadi ke wajah se. Unhe vishvaas hi nahi hota ki woh main hi tha ” (A lot of people are still unable to believe that it was me in that character, mostly because of the beard) To this, Akshay Kumar jokingly replied, “Ek nakli dadi le kar ghuma karo. Jab koi pehchaane nahi toh fataak se laga diya karo haan bhai, main hoon!” (Keep a fake beard with you. The moment somebody shoes disbelief, wear the beard and prove it to them) The show, along with Gaurav Gera, also featured special guests Ayesha Khan and Rakesh Bedi joining host Akshay Kumar on the show. Talking about Dhurandhar, the movie that released in December 2025, went on to become a blockbuster hit. The film starred Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan and Akshaye Khanna in pivotal roles. The sequel, titled Dhurandhar 2, is all set to release on March 19 this year. Talking about Gaurav Gera, the actor rose to fame with his stint on the superhit television show Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi, that also starred actress Mona Singh in the lead. Gaurav's portrayal as her BFF went on to win hearts. 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
14 March,2026 02:24 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSBollywood actress Sharvari has expressed her gratitude to filmmaker Imtiaz Ali. The actress is set to headline the upcoming film ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ helmed by Imtiaz. On Friday, the actress took to her Instagram, and shared a series of pictures. The first picture is the BTS picture from the sets of the film featuring Imtiaz and her. The second picture is the note that she penned for the director. The third picture is of a masterclass session between Imtiaz Ali and Mani Ratnam. She wrote, “To say that I have been a huge fan of your cinema would be an understatement. Today as our teaser drops, I can't help but go back to the day when I attended a masterclass 3 years ago that you were conducting for Mani sir. I sat there in the audience hearing about your craft, your vision, your characters and how you see this beautiful world you create on the big screen”. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sharvari 🐯 (@sharvari) She further mentioned, “I remember I put up a story on Instagram that day manifesting to be a part of your films someday. Little did I know I would see a teaser that ends with ‘A FILM BY IMTIAZ ALI’ which stars MEE. Main Vaapas Aaunga's journey for me as a young actor who is hungry to be moulded into different lives on screen has been the most fulfilling one only and only because of your encouragement and belief. From the recce to finishing shoot and all the conversations over multiple lunches and dinners will be my most cherished memories. Thankyou sir! You are not just a one of a kind filmmaker but also a person”. Earlier on Friday, the makers of Imtiaz Ali's next titled ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ have unveiled the first look poster from the drama. The posters dropped on social media give out the vibe for an old school romance, with one of the pictures featuring Sharvani riding a cycle in the middle of the fields, with Vedang Raina running behind her, dressed as a sardar. On the other hand, we see Diljit Dosanjh standing in the middle of the field with a calm expression on his face. In another one of the photos, Diljit was seen holding a travel cup for a beverage, suggesting his character in the movie might belong to a big city, or even abroad. While it is difficult to make out anything more about the storyline from the first look posters, it seems like ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ is set in two different timelines. The makers will also be releasing the teaser for the drama on Friday. Featuring Diljit, Naseeruddin Shah, Vedang, and Sharvari as the primary cast, the film promises a beautiful story of love and longing. ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ is set to debut in cinemas on June 12, 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
14 March,2026 01:00 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSAmazon MGM Studios today announced that its theatrical film Raftaar will release in cinemas on July 24, 2026. Directed by Aditya Nimbalkar and produced by Patralekhaa under the banner of Kampa Film, the film is executive produced by Tarun Bali, with story and screenplay by Rohan Narula. Starring Rajkummar Rao and Keerthy Suresh in the lead roles, the film also features an ensemble cast including Anurag Thakur, Rohan Verma, Tanya Maniktala and Rajat Kapoor in key roles. About Raftaar Raftaar is set in a high-stakes world where ambition builds empires and success comes at a price. At its heart is a fast-rising start-up and a charged relationship between a driven man and an equally ambitious woman. As money, power and greed spiral, their hunger to win begins to clash with love. The rise is intoxicating, but after the fall, the question remains: can they fight their way back to the top, or is this where it all ends? An Amazon MGM Studios film produced by Patralekhaa, Raftaar will hit theatres on July 24, 2026. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Amazon MGM Studios India (@amazonmgmstudiosin) Rajkummar Rao's other upcoming works The actor recently made headlines for his appearance as he was seen looking totally different than usual, having gained weight and lost hair. Following the image going viral, Rao took to Instagram and revealed how this latest role turned out to be physically challenging for him. He shared that he had to gain weight and even make his hair look thinner to get the part visually right. However, this is not the first time that Rajkummar has significantly altered his appearance for a role. Before this, he went half bald for the series Bose, and lost a significant amount of weight for Trapped. "My being is through my Art. Just finished shooting for my next Biopic NIKAM and yes, it has demanded me to change physically which I love doing. I’m not a believer in prosthetic as long as I can achieve the look through my hardwork which I’ve achieved in Nikam be it gaining weight or looking old (to play a certain age)or to make my hair thin which my hair stylist was very much against but everyone told me to not go half bald for BOSE also and to gain that much weight or to Not stop eating and lose so much weight for TRAPPED or to not behave like a visually impaired person even when cameras weren’t rolling during SRIKANTH. (sic)," Rajkummar wrote on the photo-sharing app. "For Nikam I had to gain around 9-10 kgs and I was eating 2 pizzas and lot of sweets and my fav Aloo Parathas, Biryani and to not use anything glam to look like the part. Hopefully when you will see the film which will be releasing soon you will be able to see all that hardwork in the film," he further went on to write.
14 March,2026 12:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentSinger Sunidhi Chauhan is currently touring across India with her show I AM Home. With her mesmerising voice and energetic stage presence, Sunidhi has been performing to houseful shows across the country. However, the singer has now rescheduled her upcoming Kolkata concert. This comes days after she broke down on stage during a performance in Lucknow. Sunidhi took to Instagram to make the announcement regarding the Kolkata concert. Sunidhi Chauhan reschedules Kolkata concert In a note shared on Instagram, Sunidhi revealed that she is suffering from a throat infection and is not fit to perform. The show scheduled for March 14 in Kolkata will now take place on March 25. The singer also gave an update to ticket holders on how to proceed. She wrote, “Dear Kolkata, As some of you may be aware via clips from my last show in Lucknow, I am regretfully suffering from a severe throat infection and, on my doctor’s medical advice of complete vocal rest, I have had to take the most difficult decision of rescheduling the 14th March ‘I AM HOME’ concert to the 25th of March so as to allow complete recovery and give you all the performance I and my team desire and you all deserve.” She added, “Our ‘I AM HOME’ India Tour has been receiving incredible love and blessings across the country and this decision stems from the single motive that each and every one of you experiences the concert exactly the way it is meant to be. I deeply appreciate your understanding and continued support regarding this change and would also like to inform you that existing tickets will remain valid for the new date.Date: March 25, 2026Venue: Aquatica Ground, Kolkata.Yours, Sunidhi.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by BAE : Before Anyone Else (@whatsonbae) Sunidhi Chauhan breaks down during Lucknow concert In several videos circulating online, Sunidhi broke down while addressing the crowd on stage. The 42-year-old singer was heard saying, “I have a terrible throat; aaj mera aawaz bohot zyada kharab hai. But I know you are with me, and I still want to do this. Oh my God, this has never happened to me before, and it's embarrassing. I am so sorry. It's just that mujhe thoda… I always want to give 100%.” Sunidhi added, “But unfortunately I am trying, and maybe it won’t be that, so please forgive me in advance. I am just going to move on. Thank you so much for your love.” Despite the discomfort, Chauhan chose to continue the show.
14 March,2026 11:53 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActress Adah Sharma, who is set to play a superhero in the upcoming film, has now revealed the title of the film, ‘Super Velli’. The film is helmed by Rajesh Bachchani, and sees the actress playing a chaotic and lazy superhero, who aims to destroy the world with her powers. Talking about the film, Adah said, "A few days ago I put out a video on Social media saying " I'm Velli " and news channels picked it up saying I'm out of work and idle.People told me to clear it up. But then i thought "what would Velli do? She would be too lazy to correct it. So in the spirit of being Velli , here's ‘Super Velli’. With great power comes great responsibility”. Rajesh Bachchani said, “I remember Adah's fun character Bhavna Reddy from ‘Commando’ movies. Her genuine raw talent with an intelligent, sharp yet quirky personality, and humour and action there was no doubt that Adah is our ‘Super Velli’. I've been working on the script for 3 years and we are making something new and fresh for the audiences”. After the massive buzz around ‘The Kerala Story’, the actress is stepping into a completely different universe, one filled with madness, satire, and a hero who doesn’t exactly behave like one. The teaser hints at a character who would rather nap than save the world, yet somehow still ends up in the middle of absolute chaos. Instead of the typical polished, cape-wearing savior, this superhero seems delightfully unpredictable, clumsy one moment and strangely brilliant the next. Earlier, Adah, who was praised for her work in ‘The Kerala Story’, talked about why she isn’t a part of the sequel. She said, “I enjoy speaking about a film I am part of. When I'm not a part of a film, I feel speaking about it just to be in the news isn't right. Whether I was offered the sequel or not is something that should remain between the makers and the actor and not really be discussed publicly”. “The first part was about ISIS camps in Afghanistan and showed step by step how an innocent girl ends up becoming a terrorist. Part 2 is a completely different story”, she added. 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
14 March,2026 09:38 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSBe it Highway (2014), Tamasha (2015), or Amar Singh Chamkila (2024), through his movies, Imtiaz Ali has a way of saying something bigger than the story itself. A responsibility that the filmmaker believes is only magnified when the world is in conflict. When mid-day caught up with Ali at the India International Film Tourism Conclave (IIFTC) in Mumbai, he emphasised that amid the conflict in West Asia, sparked by the US and Israel’s war against Iran, it’s all the more important for artistes to show the potential of a better world. Cinema as a cure Imtiaz Ali believes that as much strife as there is in the world, the requirement for entertainment to provide relief and pleasure also increases. He explains, “I know that the world is in a terrible place right now, and I hope that things improve, but if I do get influenced by what's going on in the world, it is not actually to make films about what is happening but somehow to make films about what should happen or what the world is missing right now.” Imtiaz asserts that art can compensate for the absence of a certain condition and draw attention to the real reason why such things happen, aggrieving everybody. “This is the time for all artists to communicate an alternative way of looking, thinking, and feeling to have a better world,” he adds. The ‘unsafe’ illusion Imtiaz has never shied away from taking his craft to high-conflict areas. His films, like Rockstar and Highway, have been shot in parts of Kashmir, which he claims felt safer than any other place. He states, “I have only had extremely cooperative people and peaceful situations. I've had more insecurity in every other place that I've shot. Kashmir has been the easiest place to shoot. Certain narratives get set about the safety and security of certain places. Unfortunately, it takes a lifetime to take that away. People believe that Dharavi is an unsafe place in Mumbai, but there are many more unsafe places.” Imtiaz stresses the fact that although there’s a war looming overhead, one can’t wait for the ideal situation before making a move. He feels it is paramount that we normalise the world as much as we can. Director’s darling Diljit Imtiaz Ali’s next film, Main Vaapas Aaunga, is his second collaboration with Diljit Dosanjh, the lead of his previous hit, Amar Singh Chamkila. Citing how it is rare for him to work again with the same actor consecutively, he says, “This is going to be a Diljit who is very different from the previous film, and this is equally significant to him, maybe more. I’m always very happy to work with great actors, and Diljit is one of them. Personally, I am thrilled to work with him, and I hope to have more chances with him.”
14 March,2026 07:33 AM IST | Mumbai | Oshin FernandesGlobal call Punjabi pop sensation Diljit Dosanjh continues to charm the international circuit. In 2024, he performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In 2025, he made his Met Gala debut. And now, he has teamed up with EDM artiste David Guetta and singer Sia for the global dance anthem Ranjha. In an interview with Billboard Canada, Diljit said, “Ranjha carries that Punjabi heart but opens up to the world in a big way.” Sia and David Guetta On working with Sia again after the song Hass Hass (2023), the singer said it “felt natural”. He added, “David’s energy just took it somewhere new. It’s one of those songs that makes you not only move, but also feel something.” Released on Friday (March 13), the track, he says, proudly retains its Punjabi heritage.
14 March,2026 07:31 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamSome will watch In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones (1989), which made it to theatres on March 13, to see author Arundhati Roy’s brush with acting. Others, to see Shah Rukh Khan in his pre-stardom era, as he appears in a brief role in Pradip Krishen’s directorial feature. While making the film in the late ’80s, had Krishen anticipated that Khan would go on to become a superstar? Pradip Krishen “I didn’t expect Shah Rukh Khan to become as big a star as he did. When you have a bunch of young students working with you, you don’t quite imagine that one of them will become a megastar. I’m happy for him,” shared Krishen. He added that Khan was “unhappy” about not getting a meaty role in the movie. “After he became a star, he said some unkind things about us. He said, ‘Those guys never recognised what a good actor I am.’ I guess that’s true. But he belongs to a genre of acting that didn’t suit the parts we were looking for.” Arundhati Roy in the film Last month, the movie was screened at the Berlin International Film Festival. Lead actor and writer Roy dropped out of the gala, criticising festival jury president Wim Wenders’s statement that filmmakers should stay out of politics. We asked Krishen if he too considered withdrawing from the gala. “I was already in Doha when I learnt that Arundhati wasn’t coming. It was too late for me to bail out. I admire her courage to stand for her principles. The audience clapped when I said she had made this decision on principle.”
14 March,2026 07:23 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaADVERTISEMENT
