Sonali's Society

The hustle and the hills

Siddhant Chaturvedi

Gone are the days of simple trailer drops and press junkets — marketing a movie now demands everything but the kitchen sink. The promotional whirlwind can be particularly gruelling for a film’s stars, as Mrunal Thakur and Siddhant Chaturvedi may well have discovered with their latest release. One moment they’re spotted at a café in Mumbai, the next they’re greeting fans in Lucknow — all of it wedged between television appearances and glossy magazine shoots. One might expect some R&R to be mandatory after all the hullabaloo, but that, it seems, is out of the question. Siddhant, we hear, is scheduled to start prep for his V Shantaram biopic within the next few days. And while he is laser-focused on the task at hand, his mind occasionally wanders to the hills. Shillong is his destination of choice, where the music, culture and weather offer equal attraction. Friends tell us a bike tour tops his to-do list, with local food, indie gigs and street-side shopping also pencilled into the plan. It’s ironic that the Gully Boy star dreams of lush green hills while living by the beach in Mumbai — but perhaps it is exactly for that reason. Because, unlike the hills, the waves are already at his doorstep.

Distance does matter

Emmanuel Macron

Two days in Mumbai and Emmanuel Macron has us floored. You’d think it would be the French President’s sharp suits stealing the show but, in fact, his athleisure game has everyone talking. Running down Marine Drive with skeletal security and significant style, Macron made his mark on Tuesday — before meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who also remarked on this now-viral morning run.

Milind Soman

“You know everything,” Macron told Modi in jest, eliciting a good giggle from yours truly. Of course, Mumbai’s original marathon heartthrob is Milind Soman, and his response to Macron’s run was just as noteworthy as Modi’s. Fairly unmoved by the fact that the Parisian President had hit the streets like a regular Mumbaikar, Milind asked us: “What distance did he run?” Because let’s be real — that’s all a proper runner cares about.

Watch this space

With most folks not just accepting freebies but actively seeking handouts, it’s heartwarming to hear of someone who is swimming against the tide. While the analogy fits, the sport in the spotlight is cricket, and the story we’re hearing is about a high-powered panel associated with the game. It seems each member of this panel received an expensive watch as a ‘gift’ last week, but one beneficiary bowed out — saying thanks but no thanks to a timepiece that cost a tidy sum. The news has been blowing up insider WhatsApp group chats ever since. Meanwhile, we’re just glad that some people still know the importance of playing down the right line.

Advocacy meets AI

Soha Ali Khan

Talk about hitting the ground running. Only days after being officially introduced as a Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Advocate for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) India, Soha Ali Khan took to the stage at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi on February 16, to discuss the dark side of AI. Asking for the urgent adoption of ethical, gender-responsive artificial intelligence to make digital spaces safer and more empowering for women and girls, the actor, author and activist highlighted the need for safety-by-design, privacy, and accountability in an increasingly unsafe online environment. While Soha’s agenda is to advance awareness and action around reproductive health, gender equality, and youth empowerment, issues like deep fakes and online harassment sit at the confluence of her many roles. After all, celebrities are hit the hardest. Just ask Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan, who are already entangled in a lawsuit, battling alleged AI-generated deepfake videos on YouTube. Clearly, it’s time to illuminate the dark underbelly of AI — and Soha already has her spotlight trained.

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