The first big Hollywood film of 2022, The Batman, is all set to release this week. The bookings have commenced in certain cities and the response has been encouraging. Moreover, the international reviews are also quite positive and it has given hope that it can do good business at the India box office.

Those who would watch this gritty entertainer in India would not get to hear abusive words. For, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has muted cuss words or phrases in as many as 12 places in the film. Terms like 'Son of a b***h' (uttered 6 times), 'Sons of b*****s', 'A******s' (uttered twice), 'D***bag', 'F*****g' and 'G**p' have been completely muted. These words have also been removed from the subtitles.

After these modifications were carried out, the CBFC passed the film with a U/A certificate. The certificate was handed over to the studio on February 23. The total length of The Batman, as mentioned on the censor certificate, is 176 minutes. In other words, the Robert Pattinson-starrer is 2 hours and 56 minutes long.

In other news, Jhund, directed by Sairat (2016) director Nagraj Popatrao Manjule, has been passed with a U/A certificate and zero cuts. Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jhund tells the story of an adamant coach who is determined to teach football to the slum kids.

Meanwhile, as per reports, The Batman will see a full-day release on Thursday, March 3, instead of March 4, in IMAX. Interestingly, while bookings have commenced across the country for The Batman, cinemas in Maharashtra have decided to wait.

A source told Bollywood Hungama, “The state government of Maharashtra had assured that they’ll lift more restrictions in the month of March. There’s a strong chance that 100% occupancy will finally be allowed in the coming days. Hence, exhibitors have decided to open the bookings only after the directive is released by the government.”

On the other hand, the exhibitors are gearing up to accommodate two long-length films while also retaining the holdover releases from Friday, March 4. The source said, “While The Batman is 176 minutes long, the duration of Jhund is 178 minutes. Meanwhile, Gangubai Kathiawadi and the Marathi film Pawankhind are running very successfully. Both these films are more than 2 ½ hours long. Bheemla Nayak, meanwhile, has a run time of 145 minutes. It’ll be a challenge to give sufficient shows to all these films. However, on the plus side, audiences are coming in hordes to watch films on the big screen and that is giving great joy to the theatre sector.”

Also Read: Amitabh Bachchan ignites the screen with his swag in the Jhund title track

Bollywood Hungama had earlier reported how Shahid Kapoor was willing to forgo his acting fees to safeguard Jersey for theatrical medium. The actor stood by his commitment and is bringing the film on the big screen on April 14. The actor, who had initially charged around Rs. 31 crores for the film, did take a pay cut eventually as the release was delayed at the last minute due to the Omicron scare. And now, we have another exclusive scoop.

According to our highly placed trade sources, Shahid Kapoor has upped his acting fees yet again. The talented actor, riding high on the success of Padmaavat and Kabir Singh is expecting big gains from Jersey too, and for the film that’s a follow up to Jersey, has charged 25% more. “Shahid Kapoor has come on board this action-packed thriller directed by Ali Abbas Zafar for a massive sum of Rs. 38 crores. This is around 25% more than Jersey and more than twice of what he had fetched for the game changer, Kabir Singh. He is in-fact, adopting the route of letting his work talk for his worth,” the trade source informed Bollywood Hungama.

The motto of letting work talk for his worth has a unique meaning for Shahid. “Every success would mean acting fees going up, and every failure would mean the acting fees coming down. It’s a dynamic pricing strategy that he has designed, and at this point of time, he is confident for both Jersey and Ali Abbas Zafar’s next to fetch big returns at the box office. If the film succeeds, his asking price for the one after that would increase even further,” the source told us.

He is discussing the Chhattrapati Shivaji Maharaj biopic with Ashwin Varde now, and it is expected to proceed towards the official paperwork stage soon.

Also Read: Jersey’s producer Aman Gill speaks about CLASHING the Shahid Kapoor-starrer with KGF 2; says “There’s no competition between the two films”

Singer Bhuban Badyakar went viral over the last couple of weeks with his song ‘Kacha Badam’. The peanut seller from West Bengal met with a car accident on Monday, February 28. The singer recently purchased a second-hand car and met with an accident while he was learning to drive the vehicle. He was immediately rushed to a hospital after meeting with the accident.

Meanwhile, Bhuban who has become an internet sensation owing to the reach and popularity of the song recently performed at Kolkata's plush pub. Netizens have been uploading reels on the hit song. Several celebrities have also joined the trend of ‘Kacha Badam’ on Instagram.

Recently, he was seen dancing to his own song in an Instagram reel uploaded by actor Neel Bhattacharya. Bhuban can be seen doing the hook step with a group of people in the video. “With the Man Himself who sang this song. Support This Gem… Happy to meet him,” the video was captioned.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Neel Bhattacharya (@neel_bhattacharya)

Tiger Shroff who made his debut in the year 2014 with the film Heropanti is currently busy wrapping up the shoot of the sequel of his debut film titled Heropanti 2. The film also stasr Tara Sutaria. The actors will be reuniting onscreen after their 2019 film Student Of The Year 2. On Monday night, the duo along with director Ahmed Khan was spotted at the Mumbai airport as they flew to Bangkok for the next shooting schedule of their film.

Tiger and Tara twinned in black as they were clicked at the airport on Monday night. While Tiger donned a black T-shirt with blue denim, Tara looked chic in a black T-shirt and shorts. The duo had wrapped the shooting schedule in Abu Dhabi a week ago.

While Tiger Shroff is the youngest action star of Bollywood at present, the actor will reportedly be surprising his fans with the action sequences in the film. The audiences will witness never seen action before with Tiger performing a lot of car-based stunts. The Ahmed Khan directorial also stars Tara Sutaria and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead. Nawazuddin will be seen as the antagonist in the film. The actor will be paying a tribute to actor Vinod Khanna as he had copied the superstar's walk for his character.

Heropanti 2 is slated to release in theaters on the occasion of Eid on April 29, 2022.

ALSO READ: Tiger Shroff and Tara Sutaria wrap up Dubai schedule of Heropanti 2

Om Raut-directed magnum opus Adipurush now has a new release date. The film that was supposed to be released in theatres on August 11 will now hit the screens on January 12, 2023. It will be the first big release of the year 2023. The film stars Prabhas as Lord Ram and Saif Ali Khan as Raavan with Kriti Sanon as Sita and Sunny Singh starring as Laxman.

On the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri, the team of Adipurush took to social media to announce the new release date of the film. "#Adipurush Worldwide Theatrical Release in 3D on 12th Jan 2023," wrote Kriti Sanon sharing the announcement.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kriti (@kritisanon)

Adipurush's release date was shifted to make way for Aamir Khan's Laal Singh Chaddha. A few days back, while announcing the new release date of Laal Singh Chaddha, Aamir had thanked the team of Adipurush for postponing their film. "This is to announce that our film, Laal Singh Chaddha, will not be releasing on 14th April as planned. This is because we are unable to complete the film in time. The film will now be released on 11 Aug 2022 in theatres worldwide. We would like to thank Mr Bhushan Kumar, T Series, and Om Raut, and the entire team of Adipurush from the bottom of our hearts. We would like to thank them for being so helpful and understanding, and for shifting the release date of their much-awaited, Adipurush, starring Prabhas, Kriti Sanon and Saif Ali Khan, so that Laal Singh Chaddha can come on 11 Aug 2022," the team of Laal Singh Chaddha had shared.

Adipurush is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar of T-Series & Om Raut, Prasad Sutar & Rajesh Nair of Retrophiles. The film will be released in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam in theatres.

ALSO READ: Prabhas showers love on Adipurush team, gifts them Rado watches

Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

CODA star Troy Kotsur has made history by becoming the first deaf actor to win an individual Screen Actors Guild Award 2022 on Sunday, taking home the trophy for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture.

Kotsur told the audience through an ASL interpreter, “I've been a [SAG] member since 2001, so now I feel like I'm finally part of the family,". "I know you all are artists, and I know you all know what it's like to be a starving actor. Back then, I used to sleep in my car, I slept in my dressing room backstage, I couch surfed. All of that, you feel me, right? So thank you so much."

"I finally feel like I'm part of the family." Welcome to the #sagawards family #TroyKotsur, and congratulations on taking home the Actor® for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role pic.twitter.com/PbtsSszc3o

— SAG Awards® (@SAGawards) February 28, 2022

Troy Kotsur stars in CODA as the deaf father of an aspiring singer (Emilia Jones). He and his costars were also nominated for Outstanding Motion Picture Cast. Kotsur thanked distributor Apple TV+ for "all of their support and access," from providing closed captioning and ASL interpretation services to "believing in us deaf actors and casting us authentically."

Troy Kotsur is nominated at the Oscars for Best Supporting Actor, making him the first male deaf actor to ever be nominated. His CODA costar Marlee Matlin was the first deaf person to ever be nominated and to win an Oscar for Children of a Lesser God in 1987.

Troy Kotsur beat out fellow nominees Ben Affleck for The Tender Bar, Bradley Cooper for Licorice Pizza, Jared Leto for House of Gucci, and Kodi Smit-McPhee for The Power of the Dog.

Also Read: SAG Awards 2022 Winners: Will Smith, Kate Winslet, Succession, Squid Game, Ted Lasso win big

South Korean drama It’s Okay to Not be Okay star Seo Ye Ji made a formal apology following her last year’s controversy regarding her past relationship with actor Kim Jung Hyun. The actress finally addressed the controversy by issuing a statement, over 10 months after the news of their troubled relationship was out.

Earlier, South Korean tabloid Dispatch published a report that included text messages between the actress and her former boyfriend Kim Jung Hyun, alleging that Seo Ye Ji had ordered Kim Jung Hyun to request certain modifications in the script of his 2018 drama Time, also starring Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun, removing skinship and romantic scenes with the female lead.  Seo Ye Ji’s agency had released an official statement in response to the report, but the actress herself did not personally address the controversy and has since kept a low profile in the industry, even withdrawing from her drama Island.

After nearly a year, the 31-year-old actress has now released a formal apology addressing the controversy. “Hello, this is Seo Ye Ji. First, I sincerely apologize for the fact that I’m conveying my feelings so late through these written words,” she began.

“Seeing all of the reproach and the many things that have been said about me, I have been taking time to reflect on myself up until now,” she continued. “I would like to sincerely apologize for making many people uncomfortable due to my shortcomings. Once again, I sincerely bow my head and apologize for the fact that I have disappointed you greatly.”

She concluded her statement saying, “All of this stemmed from my immaturity, and I will work hard to behave more carefully in the future and show you a more mature version of myself.”

Seo Ye Ji, who rose to fame after It’s Okay to Not Be Okay and Lawless Lawyer, is currently gearing up to make her small screen comeback in the upcoming drama Eve (literal title) alongside Park Byung Eun. The project marks her comeback to promotions almost after she got embroiled in the controversy.

Also Read: Seo Ye Ji, Park Byung Eun, Yoo Sun, And Lee Sang Yeob starrer Eve’s Scandal begins shooting

South Korean female group LOONA will reportedly not participate in the filming of preliminary round for reality show Queendom 2, which was scheduled for February 28 (today), as members Haseul, Yeojin, and ViVi test positive for Covid-19 while other members await their test results.

According to the Korean tabloid Soompi, the group’s agency Blockberry Creative issued an official statement on February 28, announcing the diagnosis of the members and stating that they would be sitting out the Round 1 performances for Queendom 2. “Hello, this is Blockberry Creative. We are informing you that LOONA members Haseul, Yeojin, and ViVi have been diagnosed with COVID-19,” the statement began.

“On February 25, LOONA used self-test kits before participating in a scheduled activity, and a few of the members’ results were positive,” the stetement read. “They therefore went to the hospital, and in keeping with the hospital’s instructions, they underwent rapid antigen tests and PCR tests. On February 26, Haseul, Yeojin, and ViVi’s test results came back positive.”

The statement mentioned that Yeojin previously received three jabs of Covid-19 vaccine while Haseul and ViVi have each received two jabs. The members are currently resting, taking necessary precautions and have therefore halted all their scheduled activities.

“The remaining members [of LOONA] underwent rapid antigen tests on February 25 as a precautionary measure, and they all tested negative,” the agency further stated. “However, in consideration of [the virus’s] incubation period, they used self-test kits once a day. On February 27, several of the members’ results were positive, so they underwent both rapid antigen tests and PCR tests, and we are still awaiting their results. We will make another announcement regarding their test results in the future.”

“Accordingly, LOONA will not be participating in the Round 1 competition performances of Mnet’s “Queendom 2” that were scheduled to take place today (February 28), and we ask for your understanding,” they added.

“We apologize for giving both the fans and those involved [with “Queendom 2”] cause for concern, and we will do our utmost to ensure the health and safety of our artists. Thank you,” the agency said concluding the statement.

LOONA is a South Korean group comprising of 12 members: HeeJin, Hyunjin, Go Won, Choerry, Olivia Hye and HaSeul, YeoJin, Haseul, Vivi, Yves, JinSoul, Kim Lip, and Chuu.

Mnet’s upcoming Queendom 2 is the second installment of the hit competition program Queendom, with a star-studded lineup of VIVIZ, LOONA, WJSN, Brave Girls, Kep1er, and Hyolyn. The highly anticipated show is slated to premiere on March 31 at 9:20 p.m. KST.

Also Read: K-pop group LOONA member Chuu won’t participate in upcoming concerts due to health concerns

On Monday, the film Judaai starring Sridevi, Urmila Matondkar, and Anil Kapoor in the lead completed 25 years of release. The film sees a woman agreeing to get her husband married off to another woman for money. The film also had several interesting characters actors played by Upasana Singh, Paresh Rawal, Johnny Lever, and Omkar Kapoor. Actor Upasana Singh who played the double role of Seema Bhagat and Vaani Bhagat Jain and was popularised as ‘Abba Dabba Jabba’ girl has registered the phrase as a movie title and will soon start work on it.

Talking to Hindustan Times about being a part of Judaai and how people still remember her for her mute character, Upasana said, "I played the roles of a mother and mute woman, who just says ‘abba dabba jabba’. I was not convinced about it but went with the director’s conviction. I put all my effort into expressing those words with different variations and moods. And it clicked! It made me the ‘abba dabba jabba’ girl. People still remember me for that dialogue and request me to say it. I feel blessed about it. Now, I am making a film titled, Abba Dabba Jabba. I have registered the title, and we are working on the script."

The film Abba Dabba Jabba will star Johnny Lever and Upasana’s son Nanak. She said that their characters were a huge part of the film and she wishes to carry forward the legacy. She also said that the film will take time to shape, but will be made for sure.

Upasana also shared that she had signed the film Judaai without reading the script as she was a huge fan of Sridevi and considered it a big moment to work with the star.

ALSO READ: The Kapil Sharma Show fame Upasana Singh booked for flouting COVID-19 rules

As entertainment returns to the silver screens in all its glory, it’s time for Kangana Ranaut to set the screens on fire. Ranaut’s next, Dhaakad, a mega action entertainer is all set to release on May 27 2022. The multi-lingual Pan-India film was to be released in April but with the third wave hitting the country, the makers decided to shift the release to May. The film will be available in four languages including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam.  This is Ranaut’s second pan India outing after the thunderous success of Thalaivii, based on the life of Jayalalitha.

Dhaakad touted as Bollywood’s first high octane spy thriller led by a female star, the film is made on a lavish budget. In terms of appeal, the film is also the country’s first big-scale multilingual project to be headlined by a female superstar. The actioner led by Ranaut, stars Arjun Rampal, Divya Dutt, and Saswata Chatterjee along with a power-packed ensemble cast.

Kangana Ranaut says, “The film had to be made on a certain scale that had to be tailored to the vast vision of its makers. India has never seen a women action entertainer of this scale. A story as paramount as this should reach maximum eyeballs and I am happy to announce that Dhaakad would be released in multiple languages. I can’t wait for the audience to meet Agent Agni. She will blow their minds with her fury and power.”

Producer Deepak Mukut adds, “We envisioned Dhaakad as a film that’s at par with international action films. We got a female superstar to headline it creates a new norm. After the success of Thalaivii, Kangana is a big favourite with the South market. We will be releasing the film in multiple regional languages. It’s a never-seen-before scale of release for a woman-led film.”

Producer Sohel Maklai says, “Over three years of blood, sweat and tears will give audiences India’s biggest female action star with the release of Dhaakad. We are immensely proud of the film and we’re sure it will resonate with people across India and beyond.”

Director Razy Ghai tells us, “From the beginning, we’ve worked towards ensuring Dhaakad to be a film for the big screen. I’m hoping it will rekindle the excitement and love for the moviegoing experience. We want to give India its next big action star to rally behind.”

Dhaakad directed by Razneesh Razy Ghai and produced by Deepak Mukut and Sohel Maklai and co-produced by Hunar Mukut. Presented by Soham Rockstar Entertainment Pvt Ltd in association with Kamal Mukut, Sohel Maklai Productions and Asylum films, Dhaakad is slated to release on May 27, 2022.

ALSO READ: Kangana Ranaut praises Alia Bhatt’s Gangubai Kathiawadi; says “Never expected movie mafia will rise to the occasion”

Powerhouse performers Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah have collaborated for the first time for the film Jalsa directed by Suresh Triveni of Tumhari Sulu fame. The film sees Vidya Balan play the role of a journalist while Shefali Shah plays a cook. On Monday, the makers dropped the first look of Vidya and Shefali from the film. The film will have a direct to digital release on Amazon Prime Video on March 18.

Jalsa is a social drama-thriller about class differences in society and sees Vidya Balan sharing screen space with the power-packed performer Shefali Shah. In the film, Vidya plays the role of a TV news anchor, while Shefali portrays the character of her cook.

this is exactly what the edge of your seat was made for ????#JalsaOnPrime releasing March 18@vidya_balan @ShefaliShah_ #SureshTriveni @TSeries @Abundantia_Ent @vikramix @ShikhaaSharma03 #BhushanKumar pic.twitter.com/okQwGzzEX4

— amazon prime video IN (@PrimeVideoIN) February 28, 2022

"At Prime Video, when selecting stories, we look for authenticity and freshness.  Stories that are nuanced and beyond conventional storytelling are finding viewership worldwide. In a fine blend of drama and thrill, Jalsa offers a truly differentiated story, made better by performances from a brilliant cast,” said Manish Menghani, head, content licensing, Amazon Prime Video. "Jalsa marks another milestone in our long-running, successful collaboration with Abundantia Entertainment with titles like Shakuntala Devi, Sherni, Chhorii and many more. We are delighted to play home to another one of Vidya’s stellar performances, that audiences are sure to love".

"Impactful storytelling blended with engaging entertainment is at the core of what we do at Abundantia Entertainment”, Vikram Malhotra, Founder and CEO of Abundantia Entertainment said. “Featuring two of the finest actors of our times, Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah, Suresh has woven Jalsa into a brilliant narrative of complex emotions, well-etched characters, and a gripping pace. I am also excited to extend our successful partnership with Prime Video after Shakuntala Devi, Sherni and Chhorii and look forward to the global premiere of Jalsa across 240 countries and territories across the world."

“Jalsa is one of the most gripping and entertaining films that we’ve been a part of at T-series and I am thrilled that it is with one of our most trusted partners, Abundantia Entertainment.” Bhushan Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director – T-Series added, “We have had an extremely successful collaboration in the past with films like Airlift, Sherni and Chhorii and I look forward to recreating the same magic with Jalsa. I am excited for the film to premiere on Amazon Prime Video as it will allow the film to get a truly global audience as it rightfully deserves."

Jalsa is written by Prajwal Chandrashekar and Suresh Triveni, with dialogues by Hussain and Abbas Dalal. T-Series and Abundantia Entertainment have collaborated to produce the film which also stars Rohini Hattangadi, Iqbal Khan, Vidhatri Bandi, Gurpal Singh, and Surya Kasibhatla, (making his debut) with Manav Kaul in a special appearance.

ALSO READ: Vidya Balan and Pratik Gandhi wrap up their upcoming romantic-comedy

Kangana Ranaut hosted reality show Lock Upp backed by Ekta Kapoor premiered on ALT Balaji and MX Player on February 27. Before the grand premiere of the show, the makers had revealed the names of five out of the 16 controversial contestants of the show. On the night of the premiere, every contestant was introduced individually and as promised, the contestants are controversial celebrities who have grabbed headlines in the recent past for not the best reasons.

Here is the complete list of contestants:

Nisha Rawal: Nisha was in the news in the past year after she accused her then-husband Karan Mehra of physical assault and an extramarital affair. She had also filed a police complaint against him and held a press conference to speak in detail about the alleged domestic violence. Meanwhile, Karan had denied all allegations

Munawar Faruqui: The stand-up comedian had made headlines after he was imprisoned for a month in January 2021 after a BJP MLA's son accused him of hurting religious sentiments in one of his stand-up shows. Later in the year, several of his live shows in Bengaluru were cancelled amid protests by Hindu right-wing outfits.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ALTBalaji (@altbalaji)

Poonam Pandey: Apart from her role in adult films, Poonam was in the news after she filed a complaint against her husband Sam Bombay accusing him of molestation, threats, and assault on her. She was also involved in a porn racket case.

Babita Phogat: One of the least controversial contestants, Babita won the old medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in the women's freestyle 55 kg category. She had previously participated on the show Nach Baliye 9 with her husband Vivek Suhag.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ALTBalaji (@altbalaji)

Sara Khan: The actress became popular through Bigg Boss 4 and had married Ali Merchant on the show. They, however, got divorced within a few months raising questions on whether their marriage was held to gain TRP.

Karanvir Bohra: The actor who is known for his roles on Shararat, Kasautii Zindagii Kay, and Naagin has also participated in Bigg Boss 12.

Payal Rohatgi: Payal has been a part of a few films and TV shows. However, she is often in news for her controversial statements on various issues concerning the nation.

Tehseen Poonawala: Lawyer and activist Tehseen was previously seen in Bigg Boss 13.

Siddharth Sharma: He has previously participated in reality shows like Big F and Splitsvilla and essayed the role of Ranbir in the web series Puncch Beat.

Shivam Sharma: He was a part of Splitsvilla previously

Anjali Arora: Anjali is a social media influencer.

Sunil Pal: Sunil is the winner of the first Great Indian Laughter challenge show and has often been in news for his controversial statements.

Chakrapani: Known as Chakrapani Maharaj, he was in news for his ‘gomutra party’ during the initial days of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ALTBalaji (@altbalaji)

Saisha Shinde: Designer Saisha Shinde came out as a transwoman early in 2021. She was previously Swapnil Shinde.

ALSO READ: It’s a win for Lock Upp! Court stays the stay order as show goes on air as planned

The buzz around Kangana Ranaut's hosted reality show 'Lock Upp: Badass Jail Atyaachaari Khel' has taken the internet by storm. The captive reality show has sent shockwaves with its challenging format. Content Czarina Ekta R Kapoor is all set to bring this fearless reality show to Indian audiences to stream on ALTBalaji and MX Player for free, starting 27th February. 

With the announcement of the show, everyone has been waiting with bated breath for the contestant's name to reveal. Earlier the makers have announced Poonam Pandey, Nisha Rawal, Babita Phogat, Munawar Faruqui and Karanvir Bohra as the confirmed contestants of the show. While the anticipation around other contestants who'd be locked inside the jail is still on.

Now, according to the sources popular Television actress Sara Khan is all set to be a part of the Kangana Rabut hosted show. Sara Khan became a household name from the show Bidaai. Later she went on to become a part of various reality shows including Bigg Boss 4 and Nach Baliye 5. 

‘Lock Upp’ will be hosted by the Queen of Bollywood - Kangana Ranaut. The show involves 16 controversial celebrities locked in jail for months without the amenities that people usually take for granted. The first episode of 'Lock Upp' will be aired tomorrow from 10 PM to 11 PM.

ALTBalaji and MX Player will live stream this show 24x7 on their respective platforms and allow the audiences to interact directly with the contestants.

ALSO READ:Actor Karanvir Bohra is the fifth contestant of Kangana Ranaut’s reality show Lock Upp

Naagin 6 has always made it to the buzz, right from its casting to its theme, the show has always made the headlines. In fact, in a first of sorts, the makers of Naagin 6, locked their leading lady, Tejasswi Prakash, while she was still in the Bigg Boss 15 house. In fact, Tejasswi's look as the Sarvashresth Shesh Naagin was unveiled during the Bigg Boss 15 finale episode. With all the hype surrounding the latest instalment of the show, it can be said that there was a lot of pressure on the makers and the cast to excel and meet audience expectations. 

And looks like the Naagin 6 team has surpassed all expectations. With a TRP of 2.1 in its first week, Naagin 6 has created a record for scoring top ratings for a show that airs only twice a week. In fact, producer Ekta Kapoor even took to her IG stories to reveal the fact that Naagin's TRPs have been the highest that any new show has scored in the last 1 year. Talking about this feat that her show has achieved, Tejasswi Prakash, who plays Pratha in the show said, "I am so overwhelmed. When I was informed about the TRP, I couldn't believe it at first. I am super- happy with all the love that the audience is showering on the show." 

This win sure is big for the Naagin 6 team as they have topped the list by surpassing shows that have been airing daily episodes. And given that Naagin is bi-weekly, the show topping the charts is a big deal. Ekta Kapoor also added that this season of Naagin was doing better than its predecessors and what she had expected. So yes, it's a huge takeaway for the Naagin 6 team.

ALSO READ:Ekta Kapoor is all praise for Tejasswi Prakash, Simba Nagpal and Naagin 6 members for topping TRP charts

The controversial-even-before-release talk show Lock Upp again made news recently when it was challenged on allegations of plagiarism and a court issued a stay order on its streaming date. However, ALTBalaji came out on top by winning this legal battle at the last minute as the honorable court later vacated the order and allowed the show to stream as planned. This bit of news comes as an exciting surprise for viewers who will be able to catch the show tonight, streaming free on ALTBalaji and MX Player at 10 pm.

The show has already lined up controversial contestants including comedian Munawar Faruqui, model Poonam Pandey, wrestler Babita Phogat, actress Nisha Rawal and television sensation Karanvir Bohra.

With 16 controversial contestants entering Kangana Ranaut’s jail and contesting for basic amenities, Lock Upp promises to be the biggest and most fearless reality show in the country! Tonight’s special episode will see some contestants being grilled by a special panel under the watchful eyes of the feisty host Kangana Ranaut!

Lock Upp to stream live tonight, 27th February at 10PM on ALTBalaji & MX Player!

Also Read: Actor Karanvir Bohra is the fifth contestant of Kangana Ranaut’s reality show Lock Upp

Riding high on the success of her last release Aanand L Rai’s Atrangi Re featuring Akshay Kumar and Dhanush, Sara Ali Khan will be next seen in an interesting project titled Gaslight.

After wrapping up her shoot for director Laxman Utekar’s next with Vicky Kaushal, Sara will now start filming for Pawan Kripalani’s next titled Gaslight, also starring Chitrangda Singh and Vikrant Massey.

On Sunday, Sara Ali Khan flew to Rajkot as a major chunk of the movie will be shot there. “Sara is quite excited to start shooting for the movie and she will be stationed in Morbi and will be shooting at Wankaner in Rajkot. It will be interesting to see Sara share the screen space opposite Vikrant and Chitrangda Singh for the first time," said a source close to the project.

Sara was recently spotted by the paparazzi, sporting an all-new look that has piqued curiosity and much anticipation among the industry and especially her fans. Her new impressive hairdo has been the talk of the town ever since the young successful star was spotted by the paparazzi, leading to several rumours and speculations on social media, if it’s for her next project. The 'namaste' girl was hugely appreciated for her new 'blue streaks' look by the paps.

ALSO READ: Sara Ali Khan reveals her stylist makes her wear a million outfits; shares video with a hilarious shayari

Superstar Salman Khan set the stage on fire on Friday night in Dubai at Expo 2020 as part of the Da-Bangg tour. The star-studded tour performance took place at Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Stadium. Along with Salman, Sonakshi Sinha, Pooja Hegde, Disha Patani, Aayush Sharma, Guru Randhawa, Saiee Manjrekar, Kamaal Khan, and Maniesh Paul also gave sizzling performances in front of thousands of live audience.

After the electrifying performance, Salman Khan returned to Mumbai on Saturday night. He was spotted at the airport dressed in a checked shirt with shades of red, black, and white. He styled it with a grey T-shirt and paired it with black denim.

Meanwhile, for the performance in Dubai, Salman grooved to several of his hit songs. In one of the videos, the superstar is seen dancing to the classic song ‘Jeene Ke Hai Chaar Din’ and the crowd went crazy when he did the iconic towel dance. The star also performed enthusiastically to the song ‘Slow Motion’ from his film Bharat. He also performed to the iconic song ‘Dil Deewana’.

On the work front, Salman will soon be wrapping up the shoot of Tiger 3 with Katrina Kaif. Post that he will start shooting for Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali with Pooja Hegde.

ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Salman Khan praises Pooja Hegde’s performance at Da-Bangg Tour- “She was really good and now we are going to make Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali”

She's the Man star Amanda Bynes has filed a petition to terminate her parents Lynn and Rick Bynes’ nearly nine-year’s conservatorship of her, which granted them legal control over her affairs in 2013.

The actress filed a petition Wednesday in California's Ventura County Superior Court to terminate the conservatorship, according to court records. A hearing on the case is scheduled for March 22. Bynes' lawyer, David A. Esquibias, told PEOPLE tabloid on Friday, "Amanda wishes to terminate her conservatorship. She believes her condition is improved and protection of the court is no longer necessary."

Amanda Bynes was first placed under the conservatorship in August 2013, following her highly publicized spiral of erratic behavior and multiple arrests amid a struggle with substance abuse. In 2018, the actress told said that she had been sober for four years, and thanked her parents for helping her "get back on track."

Though Bynes relapsed in 2019, Esquibias said last year that the actress was "doing great," and later stated that "her conservatorship will terminate when it is no longer convenient for Amanda."

Tamar Arminak, a lawyer for Bynes' parents, said in a statement, "Lynn Bynes absolutely supports Amanda's petition to terminate the conservatorship and is so proud of Amanda and all the hard work Amanda has done to get here."

Amanda Bynes’ news follows Britney Spears' lengthy court battle to terminate her own conservatorship, which finally ended in triumph for the pop star last November. Unlike Spears, however, Bynes will have the support of her parents in ending their conservatorship over her.

American film director-producer Steven Spielberg is all ready to develop a new film centered on the character Frank Bullitt, as originated by Steve McQueen in 1968's Bullitt. On Friday, Warner Bros. and Amblin confirmed the news.

According to the Entertainment Weekly, the film is still in development, with no deals done as of yet. The new movie will not be remake rather an entirely new story built around the Bullitt character.

The original Bullitt was produced by McQueen's production company, Solar Productions, and released by Warner Bros, who still hold the rights, and will be the home studio for this new project.

In Bullitt, McQueen starred as the title character, Frank Bullitt, a San Francisco cop on the hunt for a mob boss who orchestrated a hit on Bullitt's key witness in a case against organized crime.

Directed by Peter Yates, whose credits include Breaking Away, the film is best known for its iconic climactic car chase through the streets of San Francisco, often held up as one of the best chase scenes in cinema history alongside The French Connection.

Many questions, including who could fill McQueen's shoes and whether the film will be set in the 1960s, are yet to be answered. Amblin says it will definitely not be Spielberg's next film, as he's currently in post-production on The Fablemans, a semi-autobiographical project loosely based on his childhood growing up in Arizona.

Kristie Macosko Krieger will produce alongside Spielberg, with Josh Singer attached to write. Steve McQueen's son, Chad, and granddaughter, Molly, are also on board to executive produce.

Also Read: West Side Story director Steven Spielberg tells Shoojit Sircar – “I didn’t feel like I was violating anything because I don’t really necessarily love remakes”

Alia Bhatt is basking in the success of her film Gangubai Kathiawadi. The film marks the first collaboration between director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Alia Bhatt. The actress who plays the title role in the film left no stone unturned to promote the film extensively. The film had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 18. Alia travelled across the country to promote the film.

If that was not all, on the day of the release f the film, Alia Bhatt was featured on the page of Instagram which boasts over 475 million followers to promote the film. With this, Gangubai Kathiawadi became the first-ever Indian film to be marketed on the global platform. Instagram shared a reel where Alia is seen giving a glimpse of her day as she goes from her yoga mat to the red carpet.
Sharing the reel, the caption on the Instagram page read, "Lights. Camera. Alia. Spend the day with actress Alia Bhatt (@aliaabhatt), star of the new film “Gangubai Kathiawadi,” as she goes from the yoga mat to the red carpet (with a special visit from Edward along the way)"

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Instagram (@instagram)

Alia also featured on the stories of Instagram on Friday where she spoke about her film and shared 4 of her favourite songs. Her four favourite songs are- ‘Lag Ja Gale Se Phir’ by Lata Mangeshkar, ‘Dholida’ from her film Gangubai Kathiawadi sung by Shail Hada, ‘Where Are You’ by Otnicka, and ‘Saada Pyaar’ by AP Dhillon.

Gangubai Kathiawadi which also stars Shantanu Maheshwari, Seema Pahwa, Vijay Raaz and Ajay Devgn in a special role is currently playing in theatres across the world.

ALSO READ: Kangana Ranaut praises Alia Bhatt’s Gangubai Kathiawadi; says “Never expected movie mafia will rise to the occasion”

Global fashion icon is also known as the ‘Face of Indian Fashion’, Masoom Minawala was the first-ever Indian creator to walk the runway as a showstopper at Milan Fashion Week for Vaishali S (first female Indian designer to showcase a collection at Paris haute couture week). Being a passionate admirer of Indian craftsmanship and handlooms, Masoom proudly supported Vaishali and her ethereal pret-a-porter designs.

Masoom is visiting Milan Fashion Week for the fourth year in a row, representing worldwide luxury brands such as Fendi, Emporio Armani, Dior, Jimmy Choo, Furla, and many others. Keeping her non-profit campaign #SupportIndianDesigners in mind, Masoom showcased Indian designers such as Kavya Potluri, Chisel by MR, and many more while styling them with petit luxury brands to give a surreal fashion week edge.

Commenting on this experience, Masoom Minawala- Global Fashion Icon, Entrepreneur and Investor says, “Vaishali is one of my favourite designers and to be a showstopper for her at a global stage like Milan Fashion Week, was an absolute dream come true. I have been attending fashion week in Milan since 2019 and every year, it’s a truly sublime experience seeing all the emerging designers and trends showcasing their talent. Supporting such talented Indian designers on a global platform and helping them expand their audience is one of the key reasons why I started content creation in the first place. As for being told that I’m the first Indian to ever walk for MFW, well it’s a crazy yet humbling experience and I look forward to a lot more of them!"

Masoom also recently launched her self-produced social media exclusive web series on Instagram - #MasoomTakesFashionWeek that shares her journey and experience during Milan and Paris Fashion Week with her 1.48+ million followers. Not just this, but the series narrates the efforts that goes into creating content, the creative process behind it and the challenges and struggles faced by Masoom to get where she is today including getting invited to the exclusive shows at Milan Fashion Week.

Kangana Ranaut's upcoming captive reality show 'Lock Upp: Badass Jail Atyaachaari Khel' has sent shockwaves with its challenging format. Content Czarina Ekta R Kapoor is all set to bring this fearless reality show to Indian audiences to stream on ALTBalaji and MX Player for free, starting 27th February. With everyone waiting with bated breath for the contestant reveal, the makers have now announced the Fifth celebrity contestant of 'Lock Upp'.

After announcing the name of the first four contestants, including TV actress and model Nisha Rawal, internet sensation Poonam Pandey, stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui, wrestling champion Babita Phogat, it is now confirmed that famous Indian Television star Karanvir Bohra is the new face coming up next on this highly anticipated show.

Karanvir Bohra is a well-known face for the Indian audience. He is best known for his stint in Khatron ke Khiladi 5, Naagin 2, Kasauti Zindagi Kay.

‘Lock Upp’ will be hosted by the Queen of Bollywood - Kangana Ranaut. The show involves 16 controversial celebrities locked in jail for months without the amenities that people usually take for granted. The first episode of 'Lock Upp' will be aired tomorrow from 10 PM to 11 PM.

ALTBalaji and MX Player will live stream this show 24x7 on their respective platforms and allow the audiences to interact directly with the contestants. Stay tuned to ALTBalaji & MX Player for more updates on the show.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ALTBalaji (@altbalaji)

Lock Upp will stream live on ALTBalaji & MX Player from 27th February 2022.

ALSO READ: Hyderabad Civil Court issues stay order on the release of Kangana Ranaut hosted reality show Lock Upp

The City Civil Court of Hyderabad has issued an ad-interim injunction on releasing the upcoming show ‘Lock Upp’ hosted by Kangana Ranaut. The order is awarded after a hearing and checking the documents of the petitioner Sanober Baig – who happens to be the sole right holder of the story and the script of the concept ‘The Jail’. The court also took on record the video clip of the trailer of ‘Lock Upp’ and concluded that it appears similar. Since the show was to be released on 27th February 2022; the court has passed the order with an urgent notice prohibiting the exhibition of the show on any electronic media, social media, etc.

The concept is owned by Pride Media through its proprietor Sanober Baig and was written by Shaantanu Ray and Sheershak Anand and registered under the copyright act on 7th March 2018. It was registered at the Film Writers Association. In his petition, the plaintiff Mr. Baig has described how the concept was developed also explained the concept in detail, giving the details of the money invested by him at various stages of concept development. Commenting on the situation Sanober said, “When I saw the promo of the said show I was in shock. I have been in touch with Abhishek Rege from Endemol Shine for a long time and had several meetings about the subject in Hyderabad. He had promised that once the market gets better, we will get going. The show is not only similar to our concept but an absolute copy of the same. I could not believe that somebody could plagiarise the concept to such an extent. We have prayed to the court infringement of the copyright and have got a stay order."

If the infringement is proved, the defendant production houses will be liable for consequences under sections 51 and 52 of the Copyright Act. "I connected with the respective companies and requested them not to go ahead with the concept. But they turned a deaf ear and challenged that they have every right to stream as per the schedule. I had no option but to seek redressal from the judiciary. The notice has been served to all the parties involved and we have the acknowledgment of the same. If the show gets aired it’ll be a contempt of the court. I have full faith in the judiciary and am sure that justice will be served," said Baig as he signed off at the moment.

ALSO READ: Kangana Ranaut reveals, “I would like to lock up ‘best friend’ Karan Johar in my jail”

Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

Keeping Up With the Kardashian’s alum Kim Kardashian has asked the court to ignore Ye’s attempts to slow down their divorce and end their marriage as soon as possible. In a personal declaration included with her Wednesday filing, Kardashian said a judge declaring the two divorced might help with his moving on.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the SKIMS mogul filed documents in Los Angeles Superior Court late Wednesday saying Ye, who legally changed his name from Kanye West, in his own recent filing, began adding conditions to the divorce that would mean changing the couples’ prenuptial agreement, and is seeking protections that are unnecessary and based on falsehoods. Kardashian said it’s clear that he is simply attempting to delay, and is causing damage by doing so.

In December, Kardashian, asked the court to declare her legally single before the details of child custody and property are worked out. She said in Wednesday’s filing that Kanye had agreed to the move, known in court as bifurcation, in advance. But on February 16, she objected in in his own filing, and raised a host of new issues.

At first it appeared there would be a smooth end to of one of the most followed celebrity unions in recent decades, between the 41-year-old reality TV superstar and the 44-year-old rap and fashion mogul Kanye. But in recent months, he was seen lashing out on social media against Kardashian, her family, and her boyfriend Pete Davidson. He has aired complaints that he is not being allowed to make major parenting decisions and has been excluded from birthday parties and other events for their children.

Kim Kardashian filed the petition for the split a year ago. Two months later, Kanye filed his response, which agreed on all the major points, including child custody. Kim and Kanye, who were married nearly seven years, have four children.

Also Read: Kanye West alleges Kim Kardashian accusing him of “putting a hit out on her” amid North West’s TikTok use

Karan Johar currently in London has double reasons to be nervous and anxious. His first web series The Fame Game which brings Madhuri Dixit back into the limelight starts streaming on Netflix on the same Friday (25 February) as his god-daughter Alia Bhatt’s litmus test in Gangubai Kathiawadi releases in theatres.

During an informal chat from London, Karan sounds like an anxious mother whose children await admission into a prestigious school. “I don’t know what I am more nervous about. The Fame Game or Gangubai Kathiawadi. I haven’t seen Gangubai as yet. But I know the magic Sanjay Leela Bhansali is capable of creating with Alia. The girl is blessed. I am so proud of her. I have been waiting for the two of them to work together.”

As for The Fame Game, it gives us one more super-talent, writer Sri Rao, from Dharma Production.

Says Karan enthusiastically, “Sri is a US-based writer. He is amazing. How did I find him? I just did. I guess keep my eyes and mind open. But I take no credit for the talent that comes out of Dharma. These directors, writers, actors, and technicians all have it in them. Varna main kis kaam ka (otherwise what am I worth?).”

Madhuri Dixit, he reveals, was always the first choice for The Fame Game. “We needed a superstar to play a superstar.”

Overt modesty apart, Karan hopes Gangubai Kathiawadi would be a smash hit. And not only for his darling moohboli beti Alia. “The industry needs success. We are struggling desperately post the pandemic.”

Also Read: From Lust Stories to The Fame Game, Karan Johar reflects on his special partnership with Netflix India