Before meeting director Anusha Rizvi for The Great Shamsuddin Family, Juhi Babbar had not been familiar with her work. So, she was surprised by Rizvi’s firm belief that Babbar was the perfect fit for the eldest daughter of the Shamsuddin family. “She had already seen my plays. We met at Prithvi Theatre and she was acting so friendly, telling me she knew me inside out, describing to me how I sit, pose, and talk. But it was the first time we were meeting. What amazed me is that she was so sure she wanted me for this character,” Babbar shares. She is only glad she surrendered to her director’s vision, as the JioHotstar film brought her together with co-stars she now calls friends — especially Kritika Kamra and Shreya Dhanwanthary. (Clockwise from top) Shreya Dhanwanthary, Juhi Babbar, and Kritika Kamra in ‘The Great Shamsuddin Family’ “For a family film like this, it is important that we have the correct bonding. Actors need to gel with each other. And Anusha tried that with a workshop. She called us before the shoot, but somehow it didn’t really turn out like a workshop. It became about blocking scenes. However, through that we created our own bond. I thank whoever up there planned it this way for the three of us, Kritika, Shreya and me. It was important that three of us were [emotionally] aligned as we play sisters,” she says. The Great Shamsuddin Family also stars Sheeba Chadha, Purab Kohli, and veteran actor Farida Jalal, who makes selective screen appearances now. Babbar, a longtime admirer of Jalal, cannot stop gushing about the experience of working with her. “I absolutely loved working with Faridaji,” she says. Apparently, Babbar’s mother Nadira has also been a fan since watching Jalal’s earliest films, dating back to the 1960s. “Mammo [1994] is one of my favourite films of Faridaji. I feel that she is one actor who never really got her due. A film like Mammo came, but didn’t get noticed the way it should have been. I feel sad that so many female actors of that generation and bracket did not get their due and roles,” she says. 15Number of plays Juhi Babbar did as an actor, a director, and playwright Did you know? Juhi Babbar made her Bollywood debut with ‘Kaash… Aap Hamare Hote’ (2003) and in television, she kickstarted with ‘Ghar Ki Baat Hai’ (2009)
09 December,2025 08:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaPut Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub in any role and he owns it — yet he doesn’t map out wins or losses, he tells mid-day. It’s been a packed year: he opened with the Abhishek Bachchan-starrer Kaalidhar Laapata, followed by Chandan Arora’s Kanneda, and Criminal Justice: A Family Matter with Pankaj Tripathi. Now, as the year closes, he returns as a coach in SonyLIV’s Real Kashmir Football Club. Still close with the cast and crew a year on, Ayyub recalls meeting Shamim Meraj — the man who inspired his role, explains why sports stories matter, and how the series weaves Kashmir’s socio-political reality into its theme. Excerpts from the interview. What drew you to your first sports drama?After Chhalaang [2020], this is my first sports series and it’s about a football club. It’s based on a real life story, one I got to know only after meeting the director and producer. The fact that I didn’t know anything about it actually excited me to be part of the project. It is a story of hope and inspiration. Do you think sports-based shows can encourage people to be resilient?I think sports is a very important part of any culture because it develops the temperament of people, especially football. I watch and love the sport a lot. In most sports, if you have one excellent player, then he/she is compensating for others. But in football, everyone has to be on their toes and play as a team. If you have even two or three weak links, your team [suffers]. Sports definitely inspires people, it also connects, and brings them closer. Does the story resonate universally, or is it region-specific?I think it will resonate with everyone, and it needs to. That is the beauty of this story. You can see the real people in Kashmir, their resilience, and the way sports connects them because the youth in Kashmir also face the same problems that anyone around the world faces. They are trying to do something with their lives; trying to achieve something, and earn bread for the family. They have passion and energy. The club channelises that energy and [gives the youth] a target and ambition; [it brings] respect to all of them. It is not just a story about Kashmir. Did you meet Shamim Meraj, on whom your character is based, and did it affect your performance?That was something unexpected. I met him at a party, but I didn’t know it was him until deep into our conversation. He informed me that I was playing him in the show. When I met him, I saw a confident gentleman who knew what he was doing. But the thing is we were portraying the character very differently, which I believe was the right way to go. He is vulnerable. He is also trying to find himself through the group. He has one vision — to bring hope to Kashmir. If he fails, he gets up and tries again. It shows a common man standing up to something and becoming a hero. But the real person is confident because he has [already] achieved everything now. He was intrigued when I told him we were making him more vulnerable in the show. How does the show represent Kashmir’s socio-political conflicts?The basic decision to base it in Kashmir brings everything automatically. When you are trying to make a club, you need youngsters to join it, and [reflect] the problems they face in joining, or after. Everything is there because of their social, political, and economic background. The disparity we show is very risky. The writers had many characters and explored them well. You will see a different Kashmir — with real people who have struggled like us. There was a time when Shah Rukh Khan changed your mind about quitting the industry. Emotionally, where do you stand today?Now it’s absolutely fine. That thought never came back. I matured while working with him. Films will always be like this — some good, some bad. Some projects you expect from and they don’t work; some you don’t expect and they surprise you. Uncertainty is our life. If you can have one very good project every two years, that is great. I am emotionally stable and exploring myself more. You’ve been vocal about the industry. Has it cost you?I’m sure it must have. But I’m fine with that. I say what I believe because I love this industry. If I see scope for improvement, I’ll say it. If someone asks me something, I won’t shy away. I won’t make reels criticising the industry, but if asked, I will say what I believe. That is how I am. 8Number of episodes in ‘Real Kashmir Football Club’
09 December,2025 07:54 AM IST | Mumbai | Letty Mariam AbrahamPrime Video ignited CCXP Brazil as more than 3,000 fans packed the Thunder Stage and witnessed the long-awaited announcement that the fifth and final season of The Boys will premiere on April 8, 2026. Showrunner and executive producer Eric Kripke took the stage alongside series stars, Erin Moriarty, Laz Alonso, Karen Fukuhara, Tomer Capone, and Colby Minifie for a diabolical celebration of the series. The panel revisited the most shocking, fan-favorite moments from the landmark series, before offering an electrifying first look at what’s ahead in the epic final chapter with the official teaser. What to expect from season 5 of The Boys Season Five of the multi-Emmy Award-winning The Boys will premiere on April 8, 2026, with 2 episodes, followed by a new episode each week, culminating in the unforgettable, epic series finale on May 20, 2026. The season will stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. In the fifth and final season, it’s Homelander’s world, completely subject to his erratic, egomaniacal whims. Hughie, Mother’s Milk, and Frenchie are imprisoned in a “Freedom Camp.” Annie struggles to mount a resistance against the overwhelming Supe force. Kimiko is nowhere to be found. But when Butcher reappears, ready and willing to use a virus that will wipe all Supes off the map, he sets in motion a chain of events that will forever change the world and everyone in it. It’s the climax, people. Big stuff’s gonna happen. View this post on Instagram A post shared by prime video IN (@primevideoin) About The Boys The Boys is based on The New York Times best-selling comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, who also serve as executive producers, and developed by executive producer and showrunner Eric Kripke. Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Neal H. Moritz, Pavun Shetty, Phil Sgriccia, Michaela Starr, Paul Grellong, David Reed, Judalina Neira, Jessica Chou, Gabriel Garcia, Ori Marmur, Ken F. Levin and Jason Netter also serve as executive producers. The Boys is produced by Sony Pictures Television, Amazon MGM Studios with Kripke Enterprises, Original Film, and Point Grey Pictures. The first season released in 2019, followed by other seasons in 2020, 2022, and 2024, respectively
07 December,2025 01:34 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentWho is the killer? This question plagued everybody who has watched the Konkona Sensharma-starrer Search: The Naina Murder Case, yet found no answer even at the end. After leaving the audience on a cliffhanger, the makers have now greenlit the second season to finally address the looming questions. Search: The Naina Murder Case revolves around a teenage girl’s murder that unravels a maze of political secrets and personal betrayals, dragging ACP Sanyukta Das into a tense, slow-burn investigation where nothing is as it seems. The makers are moving quickly to bring the next chapter of the JioHotstar series to the platform. A source close to production says filming for the second instalment will begin in April. “Konkona will reprise her role as ACP Sanyukta Das, along with Surya Sharma, who played her instinctive and often impulsive partner ACP Jai Kanwal. The new season is expected to pick up directly from the unresolved threads of the first,” shares the source. The source further states that all the online chatter and theories will be spun right into the second edition, along with the answers about “the missing phone, political interference, and internal leak within the crime cell.” According to network insiders, the producers plan to release the second season in October 2026.
07 December,2025 07:24 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuPopular actress Aalisha Panwar, who is going to star in the new web series Vinny Ki Kitaab, says she got to wear many colourful chiffon sarees in the show and that it was always her dream to wear ‘heroine‑style’ looks. The story follows a small‑town woman who pens her desires, not realizing how profoundly they will reshape her life. As she confronts desire, dignity, and the need to reclaim her voice, she discovers that real transformation begins within. In this web series, Aalisha is shooting in colourful sarees and beautiful valleys, which makes her fully capture the feel of the character Sridevi from the film Chandni. Sharing her experience of shooting the series, Aalisha said, “I always wanted to shoot in a valley like this. When I heard about the script and the location of the shoot, trust me, I was super excited.” The actress, who will be seen in a new avatar as Vinny, said that she shot for a few scenes of the show in Himachal Pradesh. “Some parts of the show were shot in Kasol, Himachal Pradesh, and the entire experience was beautiful. I got to wear so many colourful chiffon sarees; it was always my dream to wear those classic ‘heroine‑style’ looks, and Vinny Ki Kitaab made that dream come true,” added Aalisha. Speaking about stepping into Vinny’s world, she said, “This show is about Vinny, who writes the intimate stories from her fantasies. But the betrayal by her own husband and her close friend becomes the most shocking turning point of her life.” “What begins as the story of a lonely housewife who suddenly finds herself with no one to confide in transforms into the rise of a bold, popular writer. It becomes a journey of passion, power, and a 360‑degree reinvention marked by unapologetic self‑discovery.” The show will premiere on 11 December 2025 on Hungama OTT. 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
06 December,2025 07:30 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSAmazon MX Player, Amazon’s free video streaming service, today released the teaser of its upcoming supernatural thriller Bhay – The Gaurav Tiwari Mystery. Leading the series is Karan Tacker as Gaurav Tiwari and Kalki Koechlin as Irene Venkat, alongside Danish Sood and Saloni Batra in key roles. Inspired by true events and the life of India’s first paranormal investigator, the show is Amazon MX Player’s foray into the horror genre and it dives into the unexplained phenomena that Gaurav Tiwari chased and the mystery surrounding his untimely passing. Bhay teaser The teaser opens inside one of Gaurav’s (Karan Tacker) intense, spine-chilling on-field investigations, capturing the unsettling environment he often found himself in. The atmosphere tightens. With lights flickering, shadows moving in a nervy manner, the teaser gives you goosebumps. The unease builds in the same environments he worked in, recreated from real cases, field journals, and documented experiences that shaped his reputation as an expert in the paranormal community. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karan Tacker (@karantacker) The teaser also introduces Kalki Koechlin as Irene Venkat, a noted journalist and author who once viewed Gaurav’s work with sharp skepticism and was determined to expose him but after his sudden and mysterious death at the age of 32, her perspective shifts. Instead of chasing his flaws, she finds herself compelled to understand the man behind the investigations. What begins as a professional inquiry turns into a personal, layered, and morally complex pursuit, one that becomes the spine of the series as Irene uncovers the truths Gaurav left behind, and the ones that refused to stay buried. Directed by Robbie Grewal, Bhay- The Gaurav Tiwari Story blends mystery, emotion, and real documented cases into a grounded thriller that delivers chills to the viewers. The teaser showcases the series as a gripping exploration of belief, doubt, and the thin line that separates the known from the unknown as it aims to connect with believers and non-believers alike. Bhay– The Gaurav Tiwari Mystery will soon be released exclusively on Amazon MX Player, available to stream for free across the MX Player app, Amazon shopping app, Prime Video, Fire TV and Airtel Xstream.
04 December,2025 07:24 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActor Kunal Kemmu described himself as an "adaptive" and "intrinsic" father while reflecting on what fatherhood means to him. Kunal Kemmu is married to actress Soha Ali Khan. The couple welcomed their daughter, Inaaya, on September 29, 2017. In an interview with ANI, Kunal Kemmu reflected on what fatherhood means to him. He admitted that he is an "instinctive" and "adaptive" father who often relies on his ability to adapt to situations rather than following strict rules or guidelines in parenting. "I don't know what the description of a father is, but I just feel that I'm an instinctive father if I may say so, because if you just see it like a responsibility and a job, then that takes the fun out of any relationship, I think." While referring to his 8-year-old daughter Inaaya, Kunal added, "But I know that until she (Inaaya) is an adult, I am the one and my wife (Soha Ali Khan), we both parents are the decision makers for her which also is an added responsibility because sometimes you feel that I don't know if I'm making the right decision for me. How am I making the right decision for her? So, I think I am an adaptive father, and I think I'm an instinctive father." Kunal Kemmu will be next seen in the comedy series Single Papa. He is set to play the role of a single father in the series. Created and co-produced by Ishita Moitra and Neeraj Udhwani with Shashank Khaitan as executive producer, Single Papa is directed by Shashank Khaitan, Hitesh Kewalya and Neeraj Udhwani and produced by Aditya Pittie and Samar Khan under the Juggernaut Productions banner. Manoj Pahwa, Neha Dhupia, Prajakta Koli and Ayesha Raza are also a part of the Netflix show. The makers recently shared the trailer of the series. The trailer gave audiences a first look at Gaurav's hilarious yet heartfelt journey as he tries to balance baby bottles with bad decisions, often at the same time. From fumbling with nappies and dodging unsolicited advice from everyone within a 10-km radius to trying to convince his shocked parents that this is not a prank, the trailer delivers humour, sensitivity, and unapologetic desi drama. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Netflix India (@netflix_in) Single Papa will be out on December 12. 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
04 December,2025 01:24 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIPrime Video has announced the record-smashing performance of its Original series The Family Man Season 3, which launched on November 21. The third season has emerged as the most-watched series of the year on the platform in India in its launch week, etching its position as the strongest season of The Family Man franchise. Reaching 96 percent of pincodes in India in its very first week, the unprecedented fandom for the high-stakes spy-action thriller has propelled it to the Top 5 in over 35 countries including the UK, Canada, Australia, the UAE, Singapore, and Malaysia, among others, surpassing the benchmarks set not only by its previous two seasons but also by any other title in 2025. Since its launch in 2019, the series has remained a standout favourite among both audiences and critics. With Season 3 delivering its strongest opening yet, the franchise continues to deepen its impact and strengthen its bond with fans globally. Raj & DK react to the success Creators, directors, and writers Raj & DK added, “We’re deeply grateful to fans and audiences for their continued appreciation of The Family Man. It is their unwavering love that has made the series so popular across ages, regions, and languages. The overwhelming response to the latest season, even after a four-year wait, reaffirms that they value our efforts to make the series bigger, better, and more engaging and entertaining for them. And we are committed to pushing the boundaries of conventional storytelling to bring them fresh, relatable, and truly unmissable content.” About The Family Man Season 3 Created by the maverick duo Raj & DK under their banner—D2R Films, season 3 marks the much-awaited return of the iconic spy, Srikant Tiwari (Manoj Bajpayee). Joining the eclectic cast are Jaideep Ahlawat (Rukma) and Nimrat Kaur (Meera), along with the returning ensemble, including Sharib Hashmi (JK Talpade), Priyamani (Suchitra Tiwari), Ashlesha Thakur (Dhriti Tiwari), Vedant Sinha (Atharv Tiwari), Shreya Dhanwanthary (Zoya), and Gul Panag (Saloni), among others. Written by Raj, DK, and Suman Kumar, featuring dialogues by Sumit Arora, the groundbreaking series is directed by Raj & DK, with Suman Kumar and Tusshar Seyth joining as directors this season.
04 December,2025 10:20 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe final season of Stranger Things dropped a week ago, and fans have been going gaga. Stranger Things 5 was released on November 26 to overwhelming reviews and the fans recently found an easter egg in the latest season. The showrunners made sure not to disappoint fans. When Season 5 was released, viewers spotted a “missing" poster for Eleven, with a number clearly visible. Somebody called the number, and it actually worked. Eleven's missing number in Stranger Things 5 Season 5 starts with the Hawkins Police Department racing to locate Eleven, who has mysteriously vanished again. Season 5 is set 18 months after the chaos of Season 4, and this time Hawkins is still reeling from the doorways Vecna tore through the town. Officials declare a massive earthquake caused the destruction, but fans know the truth. The Upside Down is cracking through the streets. In the first episode of Stranger Things Season 5, titled The Crawl, a bulletin board at Hawkins High quietly had a poster for missing teenage girl named Jane Hopper. That's the legal name Hopper gave Eleven. Below her photo a phone number is mentioned, "765-303-2020" It is an actual Indiana area code. Fans tried calling the number to receive a surprise. What happens when you dial Eleven's missing number As soon as people called the number, they were met with a chilling pre-recorded message from the Hawkins Police Department. The audio alerts that “due to the recent 7.4 magnitude earthquake, Hawkins is currently under lockdown to ensure the safety of our residents." It adds that an Emergency Task Force is prioritising the search for Jane Hopper, before ending the message with, “We urge you, as a responsible citizen of Hawkins, to assist in our search to locate her." As soon as word that the number works spread, social media started buzzing. Users on X (formerly Twitter) started sharing their reactions. One fan wrote, “just called it… ‘this is a code red’ i got chills instantly netflix never misses with these". (sic) Another fan shared, “Called that Hawkins number and got the lockdown voicemail—’Jane Hopper priority’ had me yelling at my phone like Hopper. Netflix out here blurring reality and the Upside Down. Who’s next? Don’t sleep on this Easter egg." Stranger Things 5 Volume 2 is set to arrive on Christmas Day, with the final episode dropping on New Year’s Eve.
03 December,2025 09:10 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentNearly two decades after the Nithari killings first came to light, the Supreme Court, on November 11, acquitted Surinder Koli in the final of the 13 cases against him. In its judgment, the SC noted the investigation lapses and failure to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Close on the heels of the judgment, Discovery+ dropped the documentary, Nithari: Truth, Lies & Murder. Talking to mid-day, filmmaker Deepak Chaturvedi says the apex court’s verdict reinforces the concerns he had, as he re-examined the case that grabbed the nation’s attention in December 2006 when the bodies of 19 women and children were found near bungalow D5 of Sector 31 in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. While the bungalow’s owner Moninder Singh Pandher and his house-help Koli were arrested in December 2006, the former was acquitted in 2023. Surinder Koli As Chaturvedi began his research on the case in 2017, one of the first things he read was Koli’s confession statement. According to reports, it included admissions of cannibalism and necrophilia. “It’s about an hour-and-a-half long and very disturbing to read. But beyond the lines, it’s also about [finding] what’s missing in the document,” he says. The SC accepted Koli’s claim that the confession had been extracted under pressure. As the filmmaker and his 15-member team delved deeper into the case, the gaps in the investigation began to show. Chaturvedi says that the three-part documentary shows how the Noida police was stretched thin. “Lack of resources, understaffing, being overworked, media attention, and [national] outrage — it was a perfect storm. I don’t think the cops had the tools to handle it. They had ignored the story for a long time and not done due diligence. There wasn’t even a proper way of documenting missing children complaints. People [from the Nithari area] didn’t know when to file an FIR, and what amounts to kidnapping.” Deepak Chaturvedi Although the case has been covered extensively over the past 19 years, Chaturvedi asserts key details have been left untouched. He spotlights them in the documentary. It also includes an interview with co-accused Pandher. “There are telling details that have never been looked at. For instance, the world thinks that the excavation started on the morning of December 29, 2006. But no one knows what happened the night before that led to the digging. [Secondly] what was shown as evidence, the belongings of a victim, didn’t belong to said victim! Thirdly, Surinder Koli and Pandher were on a watchlist for seven months before December 2006, but nothing incriminating was found in those months by the police. All I’m saying is that there is a reason why there has been an acquittal. A deeper look at the system is required.” Does he agree with the SC judgment? Chaturvedi says, “The documentary and the judgment ask the same questions. My personal view is that a lot more needed to be looked at, with a larger lens, not just through the lens of the investigation. It’s probably too late now for a much broader scope.” A still from the documentary ‘Nithari: Truth, Lies & Murder’ The verdict has come as a blow to the victims’ parents. In its judgment, the SC acknowledged the “immeasurable suffering” of these families. The director reveals that he interviewed 3 families for the docu. “We spent a lot of time with the accused, but also with the victims’ families. In this case, there are two sides — the defendant’s version and the investigations of those on the victims’ side. There are four or five versions of the same thing. Investigating each version meant meeting these people, getting them to share [their account], and then trying to corroborate it. I met the Pandher family. I didn’t meet Koli; we were in touch with his counsel.” Nov 11, 2025When the prime accused Surinder Koli was acquitted by the Supreme Court 12Families of victims interviewed for the documentary
03 December,2025 03:12 PM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuBollywood actor Kajol and author Twinkle Khanna's views on "Two Much" Kajol and Twinkle became embroiled in a scandal. Twinkle's comment on infidelity, in which she suggested one may disregard physical cheating by saying 'raat gayi baat gayi', sparked outrage. Twinkle has now clarified her opinion in an interview with The Times of India, noting that she said it in a lighthearted tone. Twinkle Khanna makes a clarification Speaking about the uproar surrounding her 'raat gayi baat gayi' statement, Twinkle responded to charges that she was making "light of infidelity" by saying, "It was part of a light-hearted game." It was not intended as a serious argument." She stated, "If there had been a meaningful argument, I would have said that we need to analyse where monogamy as a construct... When we transitioned from a nomadic existence to farming, a man and his claim to his offspring emerged, but monogamy is genuinely something that helps society grow and binds it together. That's a genuine debate. This was merely a joke; it was a lighthearted time." What was the controversy about Janhvi Kapoor and Karan Johar appeared alongside Twinkle and Kajol on an episode of Two Much in October. During one portion of the show, the hosts asked a tough question: "Which is worse, emotional cheating or physical cheating?" While Karan, Kajol, and Twinkle believed that physical misdeeds might be tolerated, Janhvi declared unequivocally that physical treachery is a deal-breaker for her. Twinkle then recommended that people let go of such occurrences over time, using the term "raat gayi, baat gayi (What's done is done, move on)" to signify that they can finally move on. However, Janhvi stayed firm and responded, "Baat nahi jaati (You can never move on)." Viewers praised Janhvi's perspective and mocked Twinkle, Kajol, and Karan for attempting to justify cheating. The talk show hosted by Kajol and Twinkle features open conversations and honest confessions from various celebrities. The show premiered with Salman Khan and Aamir Khan as guests and has subsequently featured a number of superstars, including Vicky Kaushal, Alia Bhatt, Kriti Sanon, Varun Dhawan, Akshay Kumar, Govinda, Karan Johar, Manish Malhotra, and others. Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma, stars of India's women's cricket squad, appeared as guests on a recent episode. The show is available to stream on Prime Video.
03 December,2025 10:42 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
