Sunny days ahead Days after mid-day reported that Sunny Deol’s upcoming action thriller had been pushed from its original schedule (Sunny to storm in on set soon, January 23), the makers have officially confirmed the project. Backed by Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, and filmmaker AR Murugadoss, the yet-to-be-titled big-budget film will star Sunny alongside Jyotika Sadannah as the female lead. Directed by Balaji Ganesh, the action thriller was initially slated to go on floors in December 2025 but will now begin filming in this February. The project is currently in pre-production phase. ‘Won’t surrender under pressure’ Vijay Actor and politician Vijay struck a defiant tone at his first rally amid the Jana Nayagan (titled Jaja Neta in Hindi) film row, on January 25, saying, “We do not bow down to any pressure. Does this face look like it would succumb to pressure?” Addressing a strategy meet in Mamallapuram attended by around 3000 party functionaries, Vijay described the Tamil Nadu polls as “not just an election, but a democratic war”, urging supporters to act as his “commandos”. He also spoke about his journey from film to politics and the perception of established political parties toward him. He said, “For 30 years, these parties have underestimated us, but the people have given me this position at the peak of my career.” Let go of labels Deepti Sharma and Rani Mukerji On the eve of Republic Day, Yash Raj Films released a video featuring National Award winner Rani Mukerji and Indian women’s cricket all-rounder Deepti Sharma, questioning the need to gender-tag achievements. In a candid exchange, the two pointed out how professions are rarely defined by gender, stressing that merit matters most. Shot by an all-women crew, the video ends with the line, “Achievements ka koi gender nahi hota. This Republic Day, let go of labels.” Earlier, reacting to the Mardaani 3 trailer, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur called for “swift and example-setting punishment” for crimes against women, praising the police force. The film releases on January 30. Salty about spy films? Taapsee Pannu On the eleventh anniversary of Neeraj Panday’s spy thriller Baby (2015), Taapsee Pannu marked the occasion with a social media post that unexpectedly drew backlash online. Resharing a celebratory video, the actor wrote, “11 years, when the spy films weren’t the every Friday trend,” adding that the film had “aged like a fine wine”. While Taapsee appeared to be reflecting on Baby’s legacy, some users interpreted the remark as a dig at newer franchises, accusing her of being “salty” and “jealous”.
26 January,2026 07:42 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamThe year couldn’t have begun on a more celebratory note for Mithoon. January reverberated with the sounds of his songs from Border 2. People around him might have a different opinion on recreations, but as the composer-singer sits for a chat with mid-day, he is only filled with love and pride about revisiting the classic tracks of Border (1997) for the sequel. Excerpts from the interview. How did your first meeting with director Anurag Singh go?Bhushan Kumar [producer], Anurag Singh, and Nidhi Dutta [writer and producer] said they were planning a sequel to Border. Some things are non-negotiable. For example, everybody in the room knew that Border 2 would be incomplete without a couple of elements — one is Sunny [Deol] sir. The second is its iconic songs like Sandese Aate Hain and Toh Chaloon. Everyone felt I should be given the task of recreating them. But I was clear from day one that I wanted Anu Malikji’s approval because those two songs are owned by him, and Javed [Akhtar] saab, who has written them. Anuji agreed. That set the ball rolling. ‘Border 2’ arrived in cinemas on January 23 How did you navigate the pressure of recreating these songs?I don’t relate to pressure. Whether it’s an original song or a recreation, I don’t feel pressure because if you let it get to you, the battle is lost there itself. These are songs that people still relate to. In fact, there could be a Border 3, 4 or more [instalments], these songs will always be a part of its ethos. Javed Akhtar revealed that he refused to write Border 2’s lyrics as he felt that recreating old songs is a sign of creative bankruptcy. How do you view it? Javed saab is entitled to his opinion. But there are new characters in this movie, and they needed a fresh perspective. That is where the director and all of us felt the necessity to add a couple of new antras to the track. Again, it was in sync with the song. So, do you disagree that using old songs for a sequel equals creative bankruptcy?I do. I recreated Udd Jaa Kaale Kaava and Main Nikla in Gadar 2 [2023]. It’s what the story demands, and certain songs are etched into certain stories forever.
26 January,2026 07:30 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaHumour is almost unarguably the first thing you associate with Vir Das. Horror, presumably the last. But the International Emmy-winning comic has a way of surprising people. After opening 2026 with his maiden directorial venture Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos, a spy comedy, the new director is planning to take his second film on floors later this year. “I will hopefully make a pure horror movie next; not comedy at all,” he told mid-day. When we asked him whether he would also act in it, like he did in Happy Patel, he shared, “I hope so.” The yet-untitled film has been with Das for a few years. He had put it on paper in 2021, following a controversy that was sparked by his monologue, Two Indias, a sharp commentary that examined the contradictions between the progressive idea of the country and its regressive reality. It led to outrage among certain sections of the Indian population that found his commentary offensive. As Das hit an unprecedented low in his career, he utilised the time to do what he knows best — write. With his maiden directorial venture ‘Happy Patel’, Vir Das attempted a spy comedy Recalling the genesis of the horror film, Das said, “I had a controversy [after which] no one would work with me for two years. We had a live tour and 192 brands said no to us. I had signed three acting projects; [they] went away. So, I sat on my bum for two years. The bright side is that it gave me time to write a comedy special [Landing] that won an [International] Emmy. It gave me time to write the next three things that I will make.” Even as the controversy is behind him, the actor and director has found his own way to battle the trolling. “There are days when I believe that it’s a trade-off. It’s the price of all the love that I receive. Things like this are the price of the global audience you have, and you have to be willing to pay the tax.”
26 January,2026 07:19 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaLast week delivered a disappointing moment to Indian cinephiles when Homebound, the country’s official entry to the 98th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film, didn’t make it to the nominations list. But Shalini Vatsa, who played the grieving mother of Vishal Jethwa’s character in Neeraj Ghaywan’s directorial venture, is looking at the film’s journey through a lens far wider than the Oscars race. “Homebound’s journey is all about appreciation and acknowledgement of Indian cinema as it stands today,” said the actor. An adaptation of Basharat Peer’s article for The New York Times, the Ishaan Khatter and Jethwa-starrer revolves around two friends from marginalised communities who struggle to return to their village during the 2020 pandemic-induced lockdown. To Vatsa, the film’s deep emotional impact on the audience is its true measure of success. She added, “Every piece of art has its own trajectory. The life of a film increases because of OTT platforms. I’m convinced that Homebound will stand the test of time, not only in India, but also globally.” For the actor, the moving story wasn’t the only draw. A big incentive was the opportunity to work with Ghaywan. “I have loved Neeraj’s work — be it Masaan [2015], Geeli Pucchi [from Ajeeb Daastaans, 2021], his episode in Made in Heaven 2, or Juice [2017]. So, when I got a call to be part of his next, I was excited.” May 21 ‘Homebound’ premièred in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival 2025. September 14 It was the second runner-up in the International People’s Choice category at the Toronto International Film Festival 2025. September 19 The film was chosen as India’s entry to the 2026 Oscars. December 16 It earned a place in the 15-film shortlist. Not my first Oscars race Shalini Vatsa’s first film ‘Peepli Live’ (2010) was India’s official entry to the 2011 Academy Awards
26 January,2026 07:12 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuLess than two months away from the release of Dhurandhar 2, reportedly titled Dhurandhar: The Revenge, filmmaker Aditya Dhar is giving finishing touches to the action thriller led by Ranveer Singh. We’ve heard that on January 25, the unit kicked off a three-day patch shoot at the Golden Tobacco compound in Vile Parle, Mumbai. The focus is on Arjun Rampal’s character Major Iqbal, who is shown as the mastermind behind major terror attacks in India. According to sources, a warehouse section of the property has been redesigned to resemble a safehouse. A unit member revealed to mid-day, “Dhurandhar shows Major Iqbal as a ruthless character. In the second part, the director wanted to give context to who he is when he’s not in the field. These portions will establish his personal stake in the events and bridge his decisions later in the story. Around 50 background artistes were present for the shoot.” The second instalment will also see R Madhavan and Sanjay Dutt reprise their roles. The movie is simultaneously in post-production. March 19When ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ arrives in cinemas
26 January,2026 07:06 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuThe Centre on Sunday announced the Padma Awards for 2026, approving 131 civilian honours across the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri categories. The list includes several prominent names from public life. Among the notable names, late actors Dharmendra and Satish Shah will be posthumously honoured with the Padma Awards. While Dharmendra will be conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, Satish Shah will be honoured with the Padma Shri. Dharmendra and Satish Shah to be conferred with Padma Awards The late actors Dharmendra and Satish Shah will be posthumously honoured with the Padma Awards. While Dharmendra will be conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, Satish Shah will be honoured with the Padma Shri. Malayalam cinema legend Mammootty will also be lionised with the Padma Bhushan. Veteran playback singer Alka Yagnik and the late advertising legend Piyush Pandey have also been selected for the Padma Bhushan. R. Madhavan and Bengali cinema legend Prosenjit Chatterjee have also been named Padma Shri awardees. #PadmaAwards 2026 announced: 131 awardees honoured, including 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri, recognising excellence and service across diverse fields.#PadmaAwards2026 #PeoplesPadma pic.twitter.com/iuhyldgeSE — DD News (@DDNewslive) January 25, 2026 Both Dharmendra and Satish Shah passed away last year. Dharmendra left for his heavenly abode in November, while Satish Shah departed a month prior to Dharmendra. Hema Malini on Dharmendra getting honoured Veteran actress Hema Malini has expressed her gratitude to the Government of India for conferring the Padma Vibhushan award to her late husband, Dharmendra. On Sunday, the veteran actress took to X, formerly Twitter, and wrote, “So so proud that the government has recognised Dharam ji’s immense contribution to the film industry by bestowing on him the prestigious Padma Vibhushan award.” Talking about the awards, they recognize excellence across various disciplines, including art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, and civil service. Announced annually on the occasion of Republic Day, the President has approved the conferment of 131 Padma Awards: 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri. Ninety awardees are women, and the list includes six persons from the category of foreigners, NRI, PIO, and OCI, and 16 posthumous awardees, it said. Tennis legend Vijay Amritraj has been awarded the Padma Bhushan; cricketer Rohit Sharma, women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur, and hockey player Savita Punia have been awarded the Padma Shri, the statement said.
25 January,2026 10:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActor Hrithik Roshan made an appearance at Goldie Behl’s birthday celebration on Saturday. However, he left his admirers concerned after he was seen walking on crutches while arriving at the celebration. Now, Hrithik decided to share the whole story on social media, revealing that his left knee suddenly decided to take two days off and how he has been irritated all day. Hrithik Roshan on health ordeal On Sunday, Hrithik took to his Instagram handle and wrote, “Each body part comes with its own ON/OFF button. My left leg uses this feature as a birthright. So does the left shoulder and right ankle. Just goes OFF. It’s a mood. This simple product feature has showered me with experiences not available to most humans.” “I find myself smugly walking around with a head full of neurons specialised in sudden hopelessness. A proud owner of a unique synapse system that has attained virtuoso levels in creating downward spirals of dark tunnels with warp-speed sinking abilities leading into many kinds of abyss. All of this confers upon me mental pathways unique to the rest of the species,” (sic) he added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hrithik Roshan (@hrithikroshan) Hrithik Roshan’s on-set anecdote Narrating a hilarious incident from his recent shoot diaries, the actor added, “Now imagine I am on a film set of a serious courtroom where my dialogue is ‘Would you like to come home for dinner?’ but my tongue has OFF’ed dinner, and so I end up ingeniously and decidedly and repeatedly inviting him over for ‘lunch’ instead, since lunch is still thankfully ON.” Hrithik shared that after multiple tries, the director finally gave up and decided to move on, perhaps attributing the situation to strange providence. Sharing his internal turmoil through this very serious business, he went on to write, “First, a sudden surprise at saying the wrong word. Then, hands thrown up at repeating the same mistake AGAIN. A deep frown between takes to demonstrate mock self-investigation into this grave situation (Joey style). An audacious flick of the nose (Salman style). And finally, the spouting of a genuine uncontrollable laughter at this private conspiracy with myself — disguised as ‘trying to hide embarrassment’ for the benefit of the now slightly concerned audience around me.” On the work front, Hrithik will next be seen making his directorial debut with Krrish 4. He is also co-producing Saba Azad’s Storm.
25 January,2026 09:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActor Arjun Kapoor's younger sister Anshula Kapoor recently indulged in an experience straight out of a royal fairytale as she embarked on a journey on the one of the most expensive and luxurious trains of India, Palace on Wheels. The actress highlighted that she indulged in a royal hair styling session in an hour salon built onboard of the luxury train. Sharing glimpses from her class and luxurious travel, Anshula offered a sneak peak into her expensive journey filled with lavishness and royalty. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anshula Kapoor (@anshulakapoor) Taking to her social media account, Anshula wrote, “Thursday, as seen through my camera roll. Felt like a princess the moment I stepped onto the Palace on Wheels. The energy, the music, the people, the moments - everything felt perfectly in sync. Impeccable hospitality, incredible food and a full hair styling salon created onboard (because luxury really is in the details), every element was thoughtfully curated. This was truly the kind of experience that doesn’t need exaggeration! She added, “Ending the day with dinner at the City Palace Jaipur was the perfect finale. Luxurious, indulgent, intentional. An experience so unique, truly one of those days I know I’ll always remember. #Hosted” Talking about Anshula Kapoor, the young girl is the daughter of renowned film producer Boney Kapoor and the late Mona Shourie Kapoor. She is the sister of Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor and also shares a close bond with her actress half-sisters Janhvi Kapoor and Khushi Kapoor, daughters of Boney Kapoor and legendary actress Sridevi. Anshula Kapoor is engaged to Rohan Thakkar, and their engagement ceremony was an intimate and elegant affair, attended by close family and friends in October last year. 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
25 January,2026 08:14 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSBollywood actress Bhagyashree calls her daughter Avantika Dassani as her breath and her sunshine in a beautiful birthday note that she penned on her social media account. The doting mother mentioned that her life and world changed when she held Avantika in her arms for the very first time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bhagyashree (@bhagyashree.online) Sharing many photos that reflect on the mother daughter adorable bond, Bhagyashree wrote, “From the time that I held you in my arms, I knew my world had changed. That piece of my heart that lived outside of me but forever will be mine. You were my child, but you mothered me, sometimes cradled me as I did too.” She added, “You are my breath, my sunshine, my oxytocin… and I can never have enough of you. I love you my honeybun, my chipmunk, my tomboy, my beautiful doll, my warrior, my friend n daughter all rolled into one. God bless you. avantikadassani” One picture shows the mother-daughter duo dressed in elegant traditional saris, smiling l as Avantika affectionately leans on her mother. Another picture shared is a throwback from Avantika’s childhood, capturing her innocence. Talking about Avantika, the daughter of Bhagyashree walking on her mother's career path, made her acting debut in 2022 with the psychological thriller-drama web series Mithya. Following this debut, she is set to appear in the theatrical film Inn Galiyon Mein. For the uninitiated, Bhagyashree was a popular actress during her prime era in Bollywood. Her movie Maine Pyaar Kiya is considered as a cult classic movie, which also starred Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. The actress is currently geared up for Raja Shivaji to release this year. 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
25 January,2026 07:55 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSAs her younger sister Riyaa Senn turned 45 on Saturday, her elder sister and actress Raima penned a birthday note for her “life long partner in crime.” Raima took to Instagram, where she shared a picture of her along with Riyaa. In the image, the two are seen hugging each other as they posed for the camera for a photograph. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Raima Sen Dev Varma (@raimasen) For the caption, Raima wrote: “riyasen happy day to my sister and lifelong partner in crime.” Talking about Riyaa, she began her acting career when she was five years old, playing her mother's daughter on screen for the first time. In 1991 she worked as a child actress in the film Vishkanya. Her first commercial success in her film career was with Style, a 2001 comedy directed by N. Chandra. She was first recognised as a model when she performed in Falguni Pathak's music video Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi at the age of seventeen in 1998. Riyaa was most recently seen in a cameo role in the teen romantic comedy film Nadaaniyan directed by Shauna Gautam. The film stars Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor, alongside Mahima Chaudhry, Suniel Shetty, Dia Mirza, and Jugal Hansraj. It tells the story of a privileged South Delhi school girl who gets a boyfriend-for-hire to get back at her family and classmates. Meanwhile, Raima is known for her roles in films like Chokher Bali, Parineeta, The Japanese Wife, and Baishe Srabon. She was recently seen in Big Girls Don't Cry, which also stars Pooja Bhatt, Mukul Chadda, Zoya Hussain, Avantika, Tenzin Lhakyila, Aneet Padda, Dalai, Vidushi, Afrah Sayed. In cinema, she was seen in Chaalchitro: The Frame Fatale, a psychological action thriller film written and directed by Pratim D. Gupta. The film delves into the lives of four cops from Kolkata Police, as they go about investigating a series of murders rocking the city. As the plot thickens, the personal lives of the men get stressed and squeezed by the ongoing turmoil. 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
25 January,2026 07:45 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSRani Mukerji and Aditya Chopra got married in a secret ceremony in 2014 in Italy. While their love story and pictures continue to remain a secret, the actress often speaks about how life changed after marriage. During her appearance on The Kapil Sharma Show, she rated Aditya Chopra’s romantic side and revealed why he stopped planning surprises for her. Rani Mukerji on why Aditya Chopra stopped surprising her During a fun banter on The Kapil Sharma Show, Rani ranked Aditya 15/10 as a romantic person. She shared, “The most important thing for all girls is how the person is. Love and other things are secondary, but when you get married, you should do it with someone who is a great human being. He is just amazing as a producer too." When questioned about whether he gives the actress a lot of surprises, Rani revealed, “In the beginning, he gave me a lot of surprises. Then he realised it’s better not to give. I cannot hide anything; it all shows on my face. A lot of times, while giving a surprise, he thought it would make me very happy, and I tried to pretend to be happy, but it didn’t show. Then he was like, ‘I cannot give you a surprise.’" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Netflix India (@netflix_in) Kapil Sharma also asked Rani if she ever visited Punjab with Aditya Chopra and celebrated Lohri there. In response, Rani said, “I have not gone to Punjab with Adi, but I went there with his father (Yash Chopra) for Veer Zaara. I celebrate Lohri every year. We celebrated Lohri every year until Adi’s mom was around. Now she is no more, but we follow the tradition. I love the festival. I like breaking sugarcanes with Adi. I love Punjabis a lot.” About Mardaani 3 Yash Raj Films unveiled the trailer of Mardaani 3 a couple of days back, and it has become the biggest talking point in the Hindi film industry. Unanimously positive appreciation has been pouring in from all quarters for Rani Mukerji, who returns to reprise her widely loved character of Shivani Shivaji Roy, a daredevil cop who risks her life to save 93 young missing girls in a race against time. With this film, Mukerji also clocks 30 years in the film industry. Mardaani is the only hit female-led franchise in India and is scheduled to release in theatres worldwide on January 30, 2026.
25 January,2026 04:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
