This week, Oshin Fernandez and Mohar Basu sit down to dissect the raging storm hitting the film industry following the theatrical release of the Ram Charan-starrer Peddi. While the massive sports-action drama is raking in hundreds of crores worldwide, it has found itself at the center of fierce criticism over the blatant objectification of its female lead, played by Janhvi Kapoor.
We dive deep into what sparked the public outrage&mdash;from the camera`s fixation on body shots in Janhvi`s introductory sequence to highly problematic romantic subplots where non-consensual behavior is normalized as "romance." We break down director Buchi Babu Sana&rsquo;s sudden public apology, his decision to chop out objectionable scenes from the running theatrical cuts, and co-star Jagapathi Babu`s response to the backlash.
We dissect:
Introduction: The Box Office Success vs. The Peddi Backlash
The Male Gaze: Analyzing Janhvi Kapoor&rsquo;s Intro Scene &amp; Navel Fixation
The Industry Standard: Ratna Pathak Shah&rsquo;s Viral Critique &amp; The 8 Crore Paradox
Wrap-Up: Will Mainstream Indian Cinema Ever Outgrow Objectification?
Finally, we trace the broader cultural ripples: how this controversy made an old clip of Ratna Pathak Shah on actresses rejecting objectification go viral overnight, Bhumi Pednekar`s stance on accountability in scripts, and the paradoxical reality where Janhvi bagged her highest-ever career paycheque of 8 crore rupees for a role that fundamentally lacked narrative agency.

Connect With Us:


Read Mid-day Entertainment:&nbsp;mid-day.com/entertainment


Follow us on Facebook:&nbsp;https://bit.ly/4x7PxGz


Get latest scoop on Instagram:&nbsp;https://www.instagram.com/midday_entertainment/


Subscribe on YouTube:&nbsp;https://www.youtube.com/@midday-entertainment



&nbsp;

The Hyper-Sexualisation of Janhvi Kapoor

Welcome to Press Pass &amp; Popcorn. Why original music in Bollywood is taking a backseat to heavily sampled, remixed, and recreated tracks. Music labels and film producers are leaning heavily on nostalgia to guarantee viral hits. But where does creative adaptation end and lazy recycling begin? We dismantle the mechanics of the remake machinery, examining why the industry prefers a "tested hit" over original composition to beat the ruthless streaming algorithms.
In this episode, we talk about:

The Economics of Nostalgia
The Legal Loophole
Bollywood vs. Regional Industries


The Bollywood Remake Epidemic

Welcome to another hard-hitting episode of Press Pass &amp; Popcorn! This week, Oshin Fernandes and Mohar Basu break down the absolute biggest crisis rocking Bollywood right now.
The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has issued a massive, unprecedented "non-cooperation directive" against superstar Ranveer Singh. What started as a creative disagreement has exploded into a full-blown industry war.
Oshin and Mohar take you behind closed doors to explain how Ranveer&rsquo;s sudden exit from Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani&rsquo;s highly anticipated Don 3 left Excel Entertainment facing an alleged pre-production loss of ₹45 lakh (format-adjusted to a staggering ₹45 crore rupees).
We unpack the core arguments from both sides of the aisle:

The FWICE`s Stand: The federation insists that "no star is bigger than the law" after the actor reportedly skipped multiple meeting invitations.
Ranveer`s Legal Team: A counter-response stating that the dispute is strictly contractual, private, and completely outside the federation&rsquo;s jurisdiction.

Links:
https://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/article/don-3-row-fwice-bans-ranveer-singh-for-abruptly-exiting-the-project-23632140
? Connect With Us:
Read Mid-day Entertainment: mid-day.com/entertainment
Follow us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/4x7PxGz
Get latest scoop on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midday_entertainment/
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@midday-entertainment

The Ranveer Singh Ban

Your ultimate all-access pass to the glitz, glamour, and behind-the-scenes reality of the entertainment world. From breaking industry news and box office tracking to exclusive insider scoops and unfiltered reviews, Press Pass &amp; Popcorn serves up the freshest Bollywood and global entertainment updates every week. Grab your popcorn and get the real story behind the headlines. Catch us now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast app.

Press Pass & Popcorn is mid-day`s entertainment podcast hosted by Mohar Basu and Oshin Fernandes. It`s our ultimate all-access pass to the glitz, glamour, and behind-the-scenes reality of the entertainment world.

Press Pass & Popcorn: Mid-Day`s Entertainment Podcast

Press Pass & Popcorn

Welcome back to Mid-Day Maidaan, your ultimate stadium pass to everything happening in the world of sports. The FIFA World Cup 2026 has officially commenced, bringing an unprecedented level of scale, drama, and expansion to the beautiful game. For the first time in football history, 48 teams are battling it out across three host nations&mdash;the United States, Canada, and Mexico&mdash;meaning a mammoth 104 matches packed into a grueling 39-day summer schedule.
In this episode, our sports desk dives deep into the tournament openers and analyzes the brand-new structural layout. With 12 groups of four, the race to progress is more chaotic than ever, as even the best third-placed teams get a lifeline into a brand-new Round of 32. We look at the absolute must-watch group phase blockbuster fixtures, including France vs. Erling Haaland`s Norway and England&rsquo;s high-stakes reunion with Croatia.
In this episode, we discuss-&nbsp;
The Senegal team`s not-so-warm welcome
How Geopolitics affects global sports
Biggest highlights of the season.
&nbsp;

FIFA World Cup 2026 Kicks Off

Shreyas Iyer or Sanju Samson? Inside Team India`s T20 Leadership War & FIFA 2026 Countdown

Welcome to the premier episode of The Mid-Day Maidaan sports podcast, your ultimate arena for deep-dive sports analysis!&nbsp;
In this inaugural episode, Mid-day&rsquo;s Editor-in-Chief Sachin Kalbag and Sports Editor Ashwin Ferro pull up their chairs to dissect the massive, high-stakes drama of the IPL 2026 Grand Finale. It was a season for the history books, but the conversation goes far beyond just who lifted the championship trophy.The duo dives deep into the tournament`s absolute biggest talking points:

15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Sooryavanshi`s jaw-dropping run, shattering Chris Gayle&rsquo;s legendary 14-year-old record
Breaking down the chances of his entry into the national team

Links:
`Phenomenal!`: Sachin Tendulkar, Chris Gayle react to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi&rsquo;s explosive IPL 2026 innings
Connect With Us:
Read Mid-day Sports @ mid-day.com/sports
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/middayindia
Get latest updates on Instagram: @middayindia
Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@middayindia

65 Sixes, Crazy Stats, and Why Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is Missing From Team India

Welcome to the ultimate sports arena. Mid-Day Maidaan brings you comprehensive coverage, sharp match analysis, and exclusive insights from the world of cricket, football, and major global sporting events. Whether it is locker-room drama, tactical breakdowns, or the latest transfer rumors, we track every run, goal, and major milestone. If it happens on the field, it is on Mid-Day Maidaan.

The Mid-Day Maidaan Podcast brings you comprehensive coverage, sharp match analysis, and exclusive insights from the world of cricket, football, and major global sporting events. If it happens on the field, it is on Mid-Day Maidaan.

Mid-Day Maidaan: A Sports Podcast with Sachin Kalbag & Ashwin Ferro

Mid-Day Maidaan

Moving from Vidarbha to Mumbai in the early 1970s, leg-spinning all-rounder Rakesh Tandon quickly became a part of the city&rsquo;s cricketing ecosystem and Ranji Trophy team. His acumen was good enough for him to become the first captain of the formidable Nirlon team in 1977 before Sunil Gavaskar joined them the following year. Tandon was part of four Mumbai Ranji Trophy teams in 1972-73, 1974-75, 1975-76 and 1976-77.

Episode 31 :  Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former Mumbai Ranji Trophy all-rounder Rakesh Tandon

Sachin Tendulkar&rsquo;s first senior division Kanga League captain, Hemant Kenkre, who represented Sassanian CC and Cricket Club of India (CCI) on the club scene, shares the story of his cricket journey which involved several seasons of the Kanga League, a tournament which is played in the monsoon months. Kenkre rubbed shoulders with the cream of Mumbai cricket in his premier division club cricket days with the CCI from the late 1970s to the early 1990s.

Episode 30 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former Mumbai University and Mumbai U-22 cricketer, Hemant Kenkre

Starting his club cricket at Rajasthan Sports Club, for whom he got a hundred in the Kanga League, and graduating to Dadar Union Sporting Club, Sunil Gavaskar&rsquo;s local cricket journey was nothing short of memorable. Throw in his school and college cricket at the St Xavier&rsquo;s institutions and you&rsquo;ll get a feel of Mumbai cricket&rsquo;s tapestry. The tough, ruthless and at times, not-so-fair world of city cricket is displayed in the form of a two-year gap between his two first-class games for Mumbai (1967-68 to 1969-70). But runs mattered finally, runs which became the main act in the Sunil Gavaskar story. This special episode of the Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello, to coincide with Sunil Gavaskar turning 75 on July 10, is not to be missed.&nbsp;

Episode 29 :  Mid-day`s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former India and Mumbai captain Sunil Gavaskar

A school cricket hero in 1974-75, Nakul Rege went on to play junior cricket for the city as well as represent the Bombay University team. He was a promising batsman and able leg-spinner, parading his skills for PJ Hindu Gymkhana, a team he was part of during their &lsquo;A&rsquo; division Dr HD Kanga League triumph in 1981. Nakul talks about rubbing shoulders with the best names in Mumbai cricket and how he benefited from the likes of Test players Eknath Solkar and Ashok Mankad. In 1984, he migrated to the USA, from where he continues his love affair with cricket.

Episode 28 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former Mumbai junior cricketer Nakul Rege

A keen interest in cricket saw a young Prof Shetty handle junior cricket affairs in city cricket, which &nbsp;earned him a post in the Mumbai Cricket Association managing committee in 1990.By 1996, he was the association&rsquo;s secretary, graduating soon to holding key positions in the BCCI. A sought-after and trusted administrator among present and former players, Shetty has gone down as one of the pillars of cricket administration in this country. Mumbai cricket is at the heart of his interests and he spells out why in this podcast.

Episode 27 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former Mumbai Cricket Association secretary Prof Ratnakar Shetty.

From a young Ruia College student, itching to be a cricketer, Dr CT Patankar rose to be an India stumper, who impressed no less a personality than India&rsquo;s first Test captain CK Nayudu, in the 1950s.
Despite being a fine wicketkeeper and sound batsman who could adjust to different situations, Patankar, the oldest living Mumbai-based Test player at 93, played only one Test and 10 Ranji games for Mumbai. He took things in his stride and moved to Maharashtra in 1966-67. At the age of 50, Patankar decided to do his PhD in Materials Management. In 1998, Patankar accompanied the Indian team on their Test and one-day tour to Zimbabwe.

Episode 26 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former India and Mumbai wicketkeeper Dr CT Patankar

Starting off as a leg-spinner and lower-order batsman in Pune, Milind Gunjal rose to become a key batsman for his state&rsquo;s Ranji team, Tata Sports Club and PJ Hindu Gymkhana on the Mumbai club scene. He rubbed shoulders with the best names in Mumbai cricket and came close to being picked for India&rsquo;s 1986 tour of England. He revisits his up and down first-class cricket journey which culminated with Maharashtra reaching the Ranji Trophy final against victors Punjab in 1992-93.

Episode 25 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former Maharashtra and Junior India batsman Milind Gunjal

Runs by the tons at the junior level caused the Mumbai Ranji Trophy selectors to pick Pravin Amre as a teenager in 1986-87 for a knockout match. While he didn&rsquo;t set Bangalore on fire in a lost game v Karnataka, he decided to shift to Railways on the advice of his coach Ramakant Achrekar. His new team provided no bed of roses, but he scored enough runs to be picked for India in 1991-92. The following year he got a Test debut ton against SA at Durban. A Mumbai return was part of his destiny and after ending his FC career with Goa, Amre took to coaching. Success as Mumbai coach decorates his cricketing CV, but donning the Mumbai coach&rsquo;s cap seems unlikely. In this podcast, Amre opens up on his struggles, highs and lows. His story is nothing short of inspirational.

Episode 24 : Mid-day`s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former India batsman Pravin Amre

Hailing from Dombivli, Nilesh Kulkarni worked his way up the ranks to represent Mumbai at the junior level before going on to become the Ranji Trophy team&rsquo;s go-to spin bowler, playing under the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Sanjay Manjrekar. He played a big role in several Ranji Trophy triumphs for Mumbai, but the 1996-97 one, whose final was played under floodlights in Gwalior, will remain special. As will the wicket of Sri Lanka&rsquo;s Marvan Atapattu off his very first ball in Test cricket in 1997. Kulkarni dwells on his beginnings, his Test career and how he was mentored by English fast bowling great Frank Tyson through a bowling scheme in the early 1990s. He also talks about how he made his post-cricket career meaningful by opening a management institute.

Episode 23 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former India and Mumbai left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni

Choosing a career in cricket after leaving aside table-tennis and basketball, her other sporting passions, Mumbai-based Diana Edulji did the hard yards to end up playing cricket and captaining her country. She revisits her fascinating journey in which the proud moments outweighed the disappointing times. She also talks about her role in the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators to run BCCI for a few years. and what women&rsquo;s cricket needs to get back on track.

Episode 22 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former India captain Diana Edulji

India`s ex-wicketkeeper, Kiran More played domestic cricket for Baroda, but he came to Mumbai to be part of the inter-office and club cricket circuit. He talks about how inter-office matches were like wars between teams and attributes his India selection to the experience of `keeping to Mumbai stalwart Padmakar Shivalkar in the Tata Sports Club side. More also dwells on his rivalry with friend and Mumbai stalwart Chandrakant Pandit, for a spot in the Indian team.

Episode 21 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former and India wicketkeeper Kiran More

Mumbai&rsquo;s ex-batsman Jatin Paranjape turns back the clock to how he was introduced to the tough yet exciting world of Mumbai&rsquo;s club cricket by being part of the Dadar Union Sporting Club, before graduating to U-19 cricket for India and a Mumbai Ranji Trophy call-up. An ankle injury proved a spanner in the works a few games into his India ODI career in 1998, but doors opened in the corporate field before becoming a national selector, followed by a post in a BCCI committee to pick the current national selection committee.

Episode 20 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former Mumbai and India ODI batsman Jatin Paranjape

Ex-Rajasthan&rsquo;s Mumbai-based spinner Suresh Shastri reveals that he was one of the first to emerge from the famous Ramakant Achrekar cricket stable and how he progressed every step of the way in the hard world of Mumbai and domestic cricket, playing with the best names on the circuit; his journey encompassing several games against touring teams in the 1970s.

Episode 19 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former Indian first-class cricketer Suresh Shastri

Mumbai&rsquo;s wicketkeeper-batsman-turned coach Chandrakant Pandit opens up on how he could take his first steps in &nbsp;serious cricket thanks to his coach Ramakant Achrekar, who convinced his dad that he should pursue the game.&nbsp;Pandit, who also figured in the 1987 World Cup, reveals how he got his first leadership role on a train journey to Chennai for an inter-office tournament.

Episode 18 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former Mumbai and India wicketkeeper-batsman Chandrakant Pandit.

Former Mumbai opening batsman and captain Shishir Hattangadi talks about his eventful journey in the city&rsquo;s cricketing sphere and the mentors who showed him the way as he went about being one of the very few non-Test batters in the star-filled Mumbai team

Episode 17 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former Mumbai Ranji Trophy captain Shishir Hattangadi

Former India Test cricketer Kenia Jayantilal talks about the emergence of Sunil Gavaskar as a star in 1971 and how Dilip Sardesai infused the much-needed belief to beat the West Indies team in the Caribbean that year. Jayantilal also dwells on how he made Mumbai his home despite playing for Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy; also his role in bringing about a revival in Mumbai cricket during the early 1990s.

Episode 16 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former India cricketer Kenia Jayantilal

Former India Test cricketer and 1979 World Cupper Yajurvindra Singh talks about how Mumbai cricket had a huge impact on his career even though he represented Maharastra and Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy. His stints with Mahindra &amp; Mahindra on the inter-office circuit and Jolly Cricketers in club cricket exposed him to the tough world of Mumbai cricket.

Episode 15 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. former India Test and ODI cricketer Yajurvindra Singh.

Balvinder Singh Sandhu, a member of India`s 1983 World Cup-winning team, talks about his journey from spin to swing bowling, learning to perfect his craft by observing Kapil Dev, a statement from Sunil Gavaskar playing a role in him dismissing Gordon Greenidge in the World Cup final at Lord`s and how Sachin Tendulkar`s presence made everyone feel vibrant and confident in the Mumbai team that he coached.

Episode 14 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello ft. Balvinder Singh Sandhu, former Indian test cricketer

Former first-class cricketer and chairman of Mumbai selectors, Milind Rege recounts his days when players were paid ₹5 for a Ranji Tophy match, the phenomenal sight of witnessing thousands of people walking behind Ramakant Desai at Marine Lines station, proposing Sachin Tendulkar`s name for the Mumbai Ranji team and his sheer love for city even today.

Episode 13 : Mid-day`s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello Ft. Milind Rege, former India first-class cricketer

Pradeep Sunderam, who claimed all 10 wickets in an innings for Rajasthan in the 1985-86 Ranji Trophy season, is a Mumbai cricket product. He talks about his exploits in the Kanga League and how Sunil Gavaskar displayed what commitment is by landing up at the ground a few hours after arriving from an international tour. Sunderam also reveals how he was not included in the Indian team at Leeds in 1986 despite being in England and a stand-by for that tour, when Chetan Sharma got injured. After his fast bowling career, he coached in Mumbai and Rajasthan.

Episode 12 : Mid-day`s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello Ft. Pradeep Sunderam, former India first-class cricketer

Cricketer-turned-fitness trainer Vijay Alva talks about his journey which also included martial arts. He shares anecdotes about his highs and lows on the local cricket scene, training Sachin Tendulkar during the cricket great&rsquo;s tennis elbow rehab, being amongst cricketing greats like Sunil Gavaskar in the dressing room as a Mumbai Ranji Trophy probable, bowling to Ravi Shastri in college nets and remembering Karsan Ghavri walking in with red track pants to a ground.

Episode 11 : Mid-day`s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello Ft. Vijay Alva, former professional cricketer

Ravi Shastri, former captain of the Indian cricket team and until recently its head coach apart from being a popular commentator, talks about how it feels to turn 60, the difference between his playing and coaching career and the importance of being a student of the game all his life.

Episode 10 : Mid-day`s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello Ft. Ravi Shastri, former head coach and captain of the Indian cricket team 

Former India pacer and current Team India bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey shares his cricket journey from playing inter-block matches at his Worli residential complex, bowling at Ramakant Achrekar nets to Sachin Tendulkar without knowing who he was bowling to, earning a Mumbai call-up and finally an India cap in 1996.

Episode 9 : Mid-day`s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello Ft. Paras Mhambrey, former India cricketer and current bowling coach

Former India and Mumbai all-rounder Karsan Ghavri in conversation with Clayton Murzello about his early days in Mumbai after arriving from Saurashtra in the early 1970s, the language barrier, playing cricket for the fun-loving Parsi Cyclists club, representing the strong ACC team and observing Tiger Pataudi as India captain. He also talks about the quality, loyalty, and values missing in Mumbai cricket today.

Episode 8 : Mid-day`s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello Ft. Karsan Ghavri, Former India and Mumbai all-rounder

Sairaj Bahutule, a well accomplished former Mumbai all-rounder, talks about bowling to Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli during their world record 664-run partnership which also became the turning point of his career in 1988, how he got back to cricket after a bad road accident and his cricket-playing journey which resulted in an India Test cap during that epic 2001 test series against Australia.

Episode 7 : Mid-day`s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello Ft. Sairaj Bahutule, the former Mumbai and India leg spinner.

Former Indian first-class cricketer who played for Bombay and Surrey County Cricket Club, Zubin Bharucha, gets candid about how he trained to be a Mumbai cricketer, the hard grind at club level and what it took to swim in the strict Mumbai school of cricket.He also shares anecdotes about his personal on-field experiences and how no other sportsperson can dominate their sport in the 17-23 age span the way Sachin Tendulkar did.

Episode 6 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello Ft. Zubin Bharucha, former Indian first-class cricketer

Vighnesh Shahane talks about how he fancied himself a future fast bowler more for his height than talent and the competitive nature of club and company cricket in his era. As a corporate personality now, he endorses the importance of a sound education no matter how much success a cricketer enjoys. Education, he says, should always be your anchor.

Episode 5 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello Ft. Vighnesh Shahane, Former Mumbai Pacer

Former Mumbai and India player, Suru Nayak talks about how players learned from observing and listening to the commentator`s comments, the time he bluffed Sachin Tendulkar, and the current generation`s T20 mindset.

Episode 4 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello Ft. Suru Nayak, Former Indian Cricketer

Raju Kulkarni, pace and swing bowler and former Ranji Trophy captain, narrates stories from his time on and off field, the Test debut against Australia in `86, his camaraderie with other legendary cricketers from his time and more.

Episode 3 : Mid-day’s Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello Ft. Raju Kulkarni, Pace and Swing Bowler

Amol Muzumdar, Head Coach of India`s Women`s World Cup Team, talks about his cricketing highs, lows, a phenomenal 260 on his first-class debut for Bombay in 1993-94, and his experience of playing under some of the best names in Indian cricket - all spelt out in an anecdotal fashion.

Ft. Amol Muzumdar

Former Indian international cricketer and current chief selector of Mumbai Cricket Association, Salil Ankola gets candid about his cricket career, playing alongside legends like Sachin Tendulkar, and more.

Ft. Salil Ankola

Mumbai`s most loved cricketers, coaches, selectors, and well-wishers get candid with Mid-day`s Sports Editor, Clayton Murzello about their experiences on and off the field, trials and triumphs, and their unconditional love for the game.

listen online podcast on the sports, cricket and Clayton Murzello about their experiences on and off the field

Mumbai Cricket Podcast by Clayton Murzello

Mumbai Cricket Podcast

When Sooraj Barjatya first came to offer her `Maine Pyar Kiya`, Bhagyashree genuinely presumed he was a prospective groom coming with a marriage proposal! Fast forward 37 years later, when Riteish Deshmukh approached her for `Raja Shivaji`, she said yes without even waiting for a narration. In this exclusive episode of Mid-Day Entertainment presents The Bombay Film Story, Bollywood`s OG national crush charts her incredible 37-year journey in cinema. From her iconic debut alongside Salman Khan to playing royalty on screen and off it, Bhagyashree opens up about life, fame, and her upcoming historical epic.

Ft. Bhagyashree

From the heartbreak of Laila Majnu to the gritty madness of Vishal Bhardwaj&rsquo;s O&rsquo;Romeo, Avinash Tiwary has seen it all. In Episode 23 of Bombay Film Story, he sits down with Mayank Shekhar to map out his incredible journey. Avinash reveals the "Kashmir Caf&eacute;" story&mdash;the grassroots movement that turned a 2018 box-office struggle into a 2024/25 cult phenomenon. He also gives us a masterclass on playing a villain, explaining how his character Jalal in O&rsquo;Romeo draws inspiration from legendary icons like Mogambo and Langda Tyagi.

Ft. Avinash Tiwary

Did you know that Neha Dhupia was almost named Nirvana, until her parents decided to name her after Deepti Naval&rsquo;s character in Chashme Buddoor? Or that she made her acting debut in a Japanese film way before she forayed into Bollywood? Plug in as Dhupia &ndash; no filter, no bullsh*t, and all fun &ndash; talks about hustling her way from Miss India winner to an actor to a podcaster, and acing every role.

Ft. Neha Dhupia

Why did Shilpa Rao change her name from Apeksha at 15? How did a scratch recording of Tose Naina turn into a timeless Hindi film song? From growing up in Jamshedpur to meeting Hariharan at 13, plug in as the Grammy-nominated singer traces her journey to becoming one of Bollywood&rsquo;s most distinctive voices&mdash;and explains why music, for her, is connected to maths too!

Ft. Shilpa Rao

It&rsquo;s impossible to imagine anyone other than Abhishek Banerjee as Janaa of Stree. But what if we told you the actor was initially rejected for the role? Or that his goofy act in the comedy made Sudip Sharma cast him as the violent Hathoda Tyagi in Paatal Lok? Plug in as Banerjee talks about taking the long route to success, from an aspiring actor to casting director to an unconventional hero in Stolen.

Ft. Abhishek Banerjee

Did you know that Ali Fazal wore his own shirt in the 3 Idiots song and asked the film`s team to "raffu" it? Or that he lost out on Homeland to do a forgettable Hindi film? In a freewheeling chat, the actor takes us from Mirzapur to Hollywood, from being launched by Shah Rukh Khan to working with Gerard Butler and his buddy Judi Dench

Ft. Ali Fazal

Why did Ishaan Khatter make a short film of sorts as an audition for filmmaker Majid Majidi&rsquo;s Beyond The Clouds? Why did his half-brother Shahid Kapoor refuse to rope him in as an intern for Udta Punjab? Plug in as Khatter breaks down how he went from being A Suitable Boy to a thirst trap in The Royals, and hustled from Hindi cinema to Hollywood, all in seven years!

Ft. Ishaan Khatter

Did you know that Gajraj Rao initially worked as a journalist, interviewing Yash Chopra and Mehmood? Or that the actor, who became Internet&rsquo;s favourite father thanks to TVF&rsquo;s Tech Conversations with Dad, wanted to abandon the shoot midway? Plug in as Rao charts his journey, from being a little-known actor who would be mistaken for Loy of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy fame to becoming hero, post Badhaai Ho.

Ft. Gajraj Rao

How did Boman Irani go from waiting on Shashi Kapoor and Dilip Kumar at the Taj, to co-writing with an Oscar winner? How did he begin his third career, acting, at 40 and fourth, direction, in his 60s? Plug in as Irani talks about his love for movies that began at Alexandra Cinema and took him to the big screen

Ft. Boman Irani

Who suggested that Rakesh Roshan name all his films with the letter &lsquo;K&rsquo;? Why did the director travel around the world before beginning the shoot of Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai with son Hrithik Roshan? Plug in as Roshan traces his journey from a not-so-successful actor to a blockbuster filmmaker and star maker

Ft. Rakesh Roshan

From Bhikhu Mhatre in Satya (1998) to Joy Bag in Despatch (2024), actor Manoj Bajpayee takes you through his Mumbai madness &mdash; both personal, and onscreen; especially exploring this city as the crime scene, from his first hit, to his last film. Plug in, as we have fun with the Family Man, discussing everything, including the good ol&rsquo; Delhi-Mumbai debate!

Ft. Manoj Bajpayee

Did you know that a "broke" Guneet Monga Kapoor had e-mailed Richard Branson and Ratan Tata, requesting them to sponsor her maiden trip to Oscars in 2010? Or that she had sold her Delhi house to finance Monsoon Shootout? Plug into our latest episode as she breaks down the hustle, heartbreak and jugaad it takes to go from indie producer to two-time Oscar winner.

Ft. Guneet Monga Kapoor

Did you know that Hansal Mehta was to direct Gangs of Wasseypur before Anurag Kashyap? Or that he left Mumbai after a spate of flops and resurrected his flagging career with Shahid from the outskirts of Lonavala? Plug in as Lootere creator Hansal, with his filmmaker-son Jai, charts his journey from helming TV&rsquo;s most popular cookery show to delivering one of Indian OTT&rsquo;s biggest series in Scam 1992.

Ft. Hansal and Jai Mehta

How did a home in a rough Mumbai neighbourhood propel Sonali Bendre&rsquo;s acting career? How did she land Humma humma, the mother of all item songs? Plug into our latest episode as the actor takes us back to the &rsquo;90s when a star&rsquo;s X-factor was as important as talent, and actresses sometimes needed to &ldquo;dumb themselves down&rdquo; as a survival tactic.

Ft. Sonali Bendre

Which director was the first to call Prosenjit Chatterjee after watching Jubilee? Which Hindi film did he turn down, only for it to be picked up by Salman Khan? Plug in to our Durga Puja special episode where we have an &ldquo;adda&rdquo; with Bengal&rsquo;s biggest star, as he takes us from Kolkata&rsquo;s Park Street to Chembur&rsquo;s RK Studios and Juhu&rsquo;s Sun-n-Sand

Ft. Prosenjit Chatterjee

How did filmmaker Jag Mundhra&rsquo;s daughter reveal Yash Chopra&rsquo;s son, Yashraj scion, Aditya, actually exists? What was it like to be the last to interview Rishi Kapoor, for the Netflix series, The Romantics? How did Oscar nominated filmmaker Smriti Mundhra find &lsquo;Sima Aunty&rsquo; for Indian Matchmaking? Plug in for more!

Ft. Smriti Mundhra

There are movies, and then there are `B` movies. What`s the difference between the two? Vasan Bala, film-buffs` ultimate filmmaker, and director of docu-series, Cinema Marte Dam Tak, walks us through secret bylanes, the stars, and the auteurs of Bollywood`s C-grade cinema, that peaked in the late 1990s!

Ft. Vasan Bala

One of the very few Indian actors to become an international star, Kabir Bedi engages in a candid conversation about his journey in Bollywood, stardom in Italy, his friendship with the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and more!

Ft. Kabir Bedi

Indian film and television actor Ranjeet indulges in nostalgic stories from the 70s and the 80s and opens up about becoming the most popular villain of Bollywood.

Ft. Ranjeet

Versatile and award winning cinematographer Ravi K Chandran opens up about his journey in making era-defining films like Dil Chahta Hai, Black, Fanaa, Yuva, and more.

Ft. Ravi K. Chandran

From being the stock comedian, to training actors across genres/generations, from iconic performances in Rafoo Chakkar, Bawarchi, Satte Pe Satte, to becoming professional dancer and mime, veteran actor Paintal relives 70s Bollywood, and beyond.

Ft. Paintal

From playing second fiddle in art and commercial cinema, to a bona fide star at 60 from Gandhi, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, `Choli Ke Peeche` in Khalnayak, to Badhaai Ho and Masaba Masaba-Neena Gupta takes you through her personal/career highs and lows!

Ft. Neena Gupta


From Rangeela to Aag, uncover stories behind the making of RGV`s Bombay cinema. The maverick director and producer indulges the listeners with priceless anecdotes from some of his best known works in Bombay and films.


Ft. Ram Gopal Varma

Sham Kaushal, Bollywood`s top action director from a pind in Punjab, and chawls of Bombay, with 130+ major films to his credit. Sneak-peek into famous action sequences from movies like Black Friday, Slumdog Millionaire, Om Shanti Om, and much, much more!

Ft. Sham Kaushal

A series of candid conversations between host Mayank Shekhar and people of Mumbai and movies, sharing anecdotes, pop culture history, and trivia served with a side of some drama.

The Bombay Film Story | A Mid-Day Podcast by Mayank Shekhar

The Bombay Film Story

Welcome to this week&rsquo;s edition of Friday Audit, your definitive weekly wrap of everything moving the worlds of business, tech, and the global economy, hosted by Katyani Kapoor in collaboration with Mid-Day.
We kick off this week with emergency measures on the economic front. To insulate the domestic market from the West Asia crisis and surging crude oil prices, the government has restricted bulk fuel purchases at retail stations. The microeconomic domino effect is already here, with major FMCG companies hiking prices by 4 percent to 11 percent to offset rising transport logistics. Katyani breaks down why inflation worries are firmly back on the table. Next, we pivot to a historic tech infrastructure play. Meta and Reliance Industries have signed a milestone agreement to build India`s first built-to-suit, 168-Megawatt AI-enabled data center in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Completely powered by green energy and cooled by desalinated seawater, this project proves that global tech giants are looking to India to build, not just consume, the future of AI. But with massive AI capability comes massive risk. We analyze the Reserve Bank of India&rsquo;s (RBI) stringent new directive warning financial institutions to aggressively secure their perimeters against AI-weaponized deepfakes, sophisticated phishing scams, and complex institutional fraud. Finally, we audit a major victory for the global tech talent pipeline. A US Federal Court has struck down the Trump administration&rsquo;s controversial USD 100,000 H-1B visa application fee, declaring it an unauthorized tax. With over 386,000 H-1B petitions approved annually&mdash;the vast majority going to highly skilled Indian IT professionals&mdash;this ruling restores crucial predictability to Silicon Valley and Indian tech corridors alike.
Episode Highlights:
- India takes steps to protect fuel supply
- Inflation looms over India
- Meta and Reliance announces big AI move
- RBI warns against AI
- Heat over H-1B VISA grows
&nbsp;

Triple Trouble: Fuel, AI & Inflation

RBI Sounds the Alarm, Rs. 39,000Cr. Recovery Plan & WhatsApp`s AI Takeover

This week on Friday Audit, host Katyani Kapoor decodes the domino effect of rising fuel prices on retail inflation. Plus, a deep dive into Meta AI&rsquo;s massive new WhatsApp integration, and the economic impact of Google&rsquo;s landmark $15 Billion, 1-Gigawatt AI Data Center Hub breaking ground in Visakhapatnam. Your definitive weekly business wrap starts here!
Welcome to this week&rsquo;s edition of Friday Audit, your definitive weekly wrap of everything moving the worlds of business, tech, and the economy, hosted by Katyani Kapoor.
Inside This Week`s Audit:
The Inflation Reality Check: We kick things off with the volatile rise in fuel prices and its inevitable domino effect on retail inflation, strained supply chains, and your monthly household budget.
The AI War for Consumer Attention: Meta has officially rolled out a massive suite of Meta AI tools natively inside WhatsApp. From local "Writing Help" drafts to on-the-fly photo editing directly inside your chat windows, Katyani breaks down how Meta is using secure Private Processing to ensure your personal messages remain unread, even while generating real-time AI responses.
India`s $15 Billion Infrastructure Milestone: We audit the biggest tech infrastructure play of the year. Google has officially broken ground on its mammoth 1-Gigawatt AI Data Center Hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Partnering with AdaniConneX and Airtel Nxtra, this three-campus ecosystem marks a massive geopolitical and digital milestone for India`s "Viksit Bharat" vision. We break down what this means for localized cloud infrastructure and the massive tech corridor expanding across the country.
&nbsp;Connect With Us:
Read Mid-day Sports: mid-day.com/sports
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/middayindia
Get latest updates on Instagram: @middayindia
Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/middayindia

Google’s $15 Billion AI Move, Meta’s WhatsApp AI Overhaul, & The Fuel Squeeze

Your essential weekly deep-dive into the forces shaping the global economy. Friday Audit breaks down the biggest trends in business, finance, and international markets into sharp, actionable insights. Designed for the modern professional, we strip away the jargon to analyze macroeconomic shifts and geopolitical impact that matter to your bottom line. Audit your week, secure your future.

The Friday Audit podcast by Mid-Day is your essential weekly deep-dive into the forces shaping the global economy. Friday Audit breaks down the biggest trends in business, finance, and international markets into sharp, actionable insights.

Home / Podcast

Podcast

Mid-Day Maidaan

FIFA World Cup 2026 Kicks Off

Shreyas Iyer or Sanju Samson? Inside Team India`s T20 Leadership War & FIFA 2026 Countdown

65 Sixes, Crazy Stats, and Why Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is Missing From Team India