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Before the release of Salman Khan's movie Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan in April, Bollywood Hungama had reported that Salman Khan was discussing a new project with filmmaker Karan Johar. More recently, we were the first to inform you that the said film would be helmed by Shershaah director Vishnu Vardhan. According to a reliable source in the film industry, Salman Khan was reviewing scripts and expressed interest in one from Dharma Productions for a 2024 Eid release. However, now in latest episode of Aap Ki Adalat, Salman confirmed the same.

During an interview with Rajat Sharma on Aap Ki Adalat, Salman was asked about his collaboration with Karan, to which he nodded yes and confirmed that they will be working together on a new film. Salman Khan mentioned that he received a call from Karan Johar offering him a film, and also shared that Aditya Chopra had approached him for a movie. He said, “Ab Karan Johar ka phone aaya ki ek film hai. These are the big producer-directors who want to work with me. I also want to work with them. These all began to happen since the past 10 years, uske pehle no one approached me.”

Earlier, a source had informed Bollywood Hungama, “Talks between the two have been going on for a while; in fact, the latest update is that Shershaah director Vishnu Vardhan has apparently been finalized to direct the venture. Though the proverbial dotted line is yet to be signed between all concerned parties, progress has been steady.” Ask for details on the film and the source continues, “The film will see Salman Khan and Karan Johar coming together after a gap of 25 years, though there were reports that the actor had signed on for Shuddhi, the venture never really panned out. Given this fact, and of course the fact that the venture would release on Eid, the makers are sure to pull out all stops to ensure its grandeur.”

Salman Khan and Karan Johar had earlier worked together in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. This will mark as their second collaboration after 25 years.

While currently Salman Khan is enjoying the success of his recent release Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, the forthcoming venture with Karan is said to still be in the nascent stages of development. Interestingly, besides this venture Salman will also be seen later this year in the YRF spy universe film Tiger 3, that is directed by Maneesh Sharma and Siddharth Anand's Tiger vs Pathaan.

Also Read: Salman Khan enacts how Sanjay Dutt tried to convince him for marriage on a show

On Friday, the final hearing on the Jiah Khan suicide case (2013) was held and the court passed the order in favour of the Pancholis by acquitting Sooraj Pancholi of all abetment charges. While Rabia Khan asserted that the verdict was wrong and even issued a statement about moving the High Court, the Special CBI court observed that Rabia, herself, has been responsible for raising suspicion on her owing to her allegations.

Rabia Khan not only accused Sooraj Pancholi of abetting her daughter Jiah Khan’s suicide but has also asserted several times to the media, that her daughter was murdered. However, the court has dismissed her claims stating that Khan even blamed the agencies like CBI for not conducting appropriate investigation. "The complainant in her evidence directly blamed both the investigating agencies stating that they had not conducted a proper and correct investigation. By giving such open contradictory evidence, the complainant himself has destroyed the case of the prosecution," the court stated in its order.

The court, in its order, observed that the prosecution’s case clearly defined Jiah Khan’s case as suicide but Rabia’s constant claims about the incident being a murder, not only contradicted the prosecution’s case but also destroyed it. Furthermore, the court also maintained that despite the handicap evidence, the prosecution managed to lead the case but, in the end, the paucity of the evidence is what led to the order of acquittal.

The court mentioned that disowning of statements has led court to believe that Rabia raised suspicion on everyone except herself. "When expert witnesses gave their opinion regarding cause of death of the deceased as suicidal, the complainant took exactly contradictory view stating that doctors have given a wrong opinion. The complaint raised doubts even on the doctor who conducted post-mortem examination. The complainant raised doubts on everyone except herself. The evidence given by the complainant is found to be full-fledged with improvements and constrictions," the order said.

The court has also questioned the evidence which included the letter that was submitted on the court allegedly ‘written by Jiah Khan about her failing relationship with Sooraj Pancholi’ claiming that its authenticity cannot be proved and along with that, the court also questioned the delay in the submission of FIR.

Also Read: Jiah Khan Suicide case: Post Sooraj Pancholi’s acquittal, Rabia Khan says she wants to move the High Court

In March, Rani Mukerji was seen on the big screen in the film Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway, and even received some highly positive feedback for her performance. While the actress is still enjoying the success of the film, we hear that Rani has already moved on to her next venture. If that we hear is true, then apparently Rani Mukerji has locked her next film which will be directed by friend Vaibhavi Merchant.

“Yes, Rani Mukerji has decided on her next venture. It will be a small budget film produced by Yash Raj Films itself. Interestingly, the venture will be directed by Rani’s good friend Vaibhavi Merchant,” reveals a well-placed industry source to Bollywood Hungama. Ask for details on the script and story of the venture and the source reveals, “Right now it is still too early to say anything, besides the entire team is keeping details under tight wraps.”

While it is certainly heartening to know, that Rani has locked her next cinematic venture there has been no official talk about the same. However, another source claims, “There are projects but nothing has been greenlit as such, and nothing has been locked as her next venture.”

Also Read: Rani Mukerji recalls shooting for ‘Koi Mil Gaya’ song at 17; calls it “quite a nightmare”

Shah Rukh Khan and Taapsee Pannu were recently seen shooting together in the pretty locations of Sonmarg and Pulwama in Kashmir as they have been wrapping up the final schedule of Rajkumar Hirani’s Dunki. Fans in the valley were seen going gaga over the superstar’s presence and took to social media to share several glimpses from the behind-the-scenes of the film. They also clicked selfies and photos with the superstar during the shoot schedule. Now a similar situation turned a tad bit chaotic when Khan arrived at Srinagar airport, on Friday.

Shah Rukh Khan and Taapsee Pannu seems to have wrapped up their Kashmir schedule of Dunki and were recently spotted at Srinagar airport. After they arrived at the location on Friday, to board a flight, the situation turned chaotic as fans crowded around the superstar to click selfies and photos with him. A video of SRK getting mobbed at the airport, despite tight security, has found its way online on social media.

SRK fan frenzy at Srinagar Airport ????#ShahRukhKhan???? #SRK???? #Dunki #Jawan pic.twitter.com/umsKWWRdA6 — SRK's Vasim  (@iamvasimt) April 28, 2023

Readers would recall that Shah Rukh Khan has a massive fan following in the state which was quite visible when the superstar received a warm welcome when he arrived in the valley earlier this week. The team shot in Sonmarg and later also, in Pulwama, photos and videos of which went viral on social media.

Coming to Dunki, the film is based on the concept of ‘donkey-flight’ where people take the back route by changing multiple transport modes and countries to reach the destination they want when their visa is rejected. The film brings together Shah Rukh Khan and Taapsee Pannu for the first time and also marks the first collaboration of the superstar with acclaimed filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani. The film is slated to release on December 22, 2023.

Also Read: Shah Rukh Khan, Taapsee Pannu shoot in Kashmir for Dunki; video goes viral

The dashing Siddhant Chaturvedi celebrates his 30th birthday today, that is, April 29. The actor appeared in two web series in the initial days of his career. But he became a household name with his performance in Gully Boy (2019). Ever since, he has done 6 films till now, 2 of which are yet to release. And now, Bollywood Hungama has learnt a fascinating trivia about Sidhant which will surely be worth a read.

A source told Bollywood Hungama, “Siddhant Chaturvedi was the first choice to play the role of the antagonist Jim in Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan. The blockbuster was produced by Aditya Chopra’s Yash Raj Films. The maverick producer had signed him for Bunty Aur Babli 2 (2021), co-starring Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukerji and Sharvari Wagh. He felt that Siddhant Chaturvedi is a fine actor and can be an apt choice for the villain’s role in Pathaan. Also, he’s physically well-built and would look convincing in the face-off scenes with Shah Rukh Khan.”

The source continued, “Siddhant Chaturvedi, obviously, was floored by the offer and felt honoured that a producer like Aditya Chopra offered him such a plum role in such a big film. However, he declined Pathaan after much thought and deliberation as he felt that he wanted to do hero-based roles. He was not sure if playing an antagonist so early in his career would be a good idea. Therefore, he decided to let go of the offer.”

John Abraham was then approached for the role of Jim. He accepted it and got immense praise for his performance. Pathaan also starred Deepika Padukone and was directed by Siddharth Anand. It was released on January 25, 2023, and broke several box office records. It is the highest Hindi film grosser ever.

Coming back to Siddhant Chaturvedi, he debuted with the web series Life Sahi Hai followed by Inside Edge. In Gully Boy, he played the role of MC Sher. Despite having a supporting role in this Ranveer Singh-Alia Bhatt starrer, the actor left a huge mark. Siddhant was then seen in Bunty Aur Babli 2 followed by Deepika Padukone-Ananya Panday starrer Gehraiyaan (2022) and Phone Bhoot (2022), co-starring Katrina Kaif and Ishaan Khatter. Siddhant Chaturvedi’s upcoming films are Yudhra, co-starring Malavika Mohanan and Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, co-starring Ananya Panday and Adarsh Gourav.

Also Read: Siddhant Chaturvedi creates his own dream team of Bollywood Avengers; says; “I would love to see Shah Rukh Khan as Iron Man”

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The evening of April 25 saw a 3D laser extravaganza like none other. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the event online, as the 55-foot giant Hanuman Statue at the Seetaramaswami Temple in Hyderabad came alive before a stunned audience.

The show was produced and presented by T S Pattabhiraman, trustee, Sri Seetharamaswami Temple Trust. The crowds were ecstatic. They saw Lord Hanuman roar into life in a manner that was purely the stuff of dreams. This laser projection mapping show was a culmination of years of effort in understanding classical religious art forms in the language and metaphor of high technology.

Filmmaker, tech expert and Guinness Book of World Records holder Mani Shankar (16 December, Tango Charlie and Knock Out) visualized, designed and directed the 3D Laser Projection Mapping show.

Mani Shankar describes his effort as ‘Re-imagining divinity with reverence’. He said, “There’s a concept known as Praana Pratishta in Hindu ritualism, where a statue metaphorically comes to life by performing the correct procedures. What we have done in this show is to re-imagine that in visual emotive terms. As they watch, if people feel an added wave of bliss and reverence to Lord Hanuman, our efforts have borne fruit.” This is the first laser projection mapping show on a religious icon from Kerala.

Mani Shankar and his team are Mobile 3D Lifesize holography experts, for which he holds the Guinness World Record. They also work with AI integrated Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality.

Barkha Bisht and Indraneil Sengupta, who started their career with television and have also proceeded to films now, recently decided to end their 13-year-old marriage. While rumours of their separation have been doing the rounds since 2021, both the actors have been maintaining silence on the same. However, recently Barkha not only confirmed that she is doing the duties of a single mother now, but also confirmed that her divorce will be through soon.

In a report published by Etimes, Barkha Bisht said, "Yes, our divorce should come through soon. This has been one of the toughest decisions of my life.” Although the actress refrained from divulging details of her separation from Indraneil Sengupta, she added, "I am a single mother and Meira is my priority. On the work front, I have been doing interesting projects in the OTT space. I am open to good projects in TV and films, too.”

For the unversed, Barkha Bisht and Indraneil Sengupta met each other on the sets of television show Pyaar Ke Do Naam – Ek Radha Ek Shyam which aired on Star Plus. The couple tied the knot in 2008, two years after their courtship.  The couple, who has also been a part of reality shows, have an 11-year-old daughter named Meira.

On the work front, Barkha recently featured in the web series Hunter Tootega Nahi Todega co-starring Suniel Shetty and Esha Deol. The actress has also been a part of a few Bengali films. On the other hand, Indraneil Sengupta, who has been a part of several shows on television, has been a part of Bollywood films like Kahaani, and the recent Doctor G, Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga, among others. The actor has also been a part of several web shows.

Also Read: Indraneil Sengupta and Barkha Sengupta collaborate for a film titled Choices

The popular franchise Dhoom has seen a number of big star names being attached to it. After the first instalment in the franchise saw John Abraham and his bike make a statement, the second witnessed Hrithik Roshan and his disguises, while the third featured Aamir Khan in a never before seen avatar. Not surprisingly, a number of rumours have been doing the rounds about the casting for the fourth instalment in the franchise with some claiming that it will feature Shah Rukh Khan as the main villain. However, while there has been no update on this development, a new topic of discussion has been John Abraham’s return to the Dhoom franchise.

Commenting on the same a well-placed industry source informed Bollywood Hungama, “Earlier this year John Abraham broke the mould with his performance in the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Pathaan. His rendition of the main villain certainly created waves, and the audience too loved his performance. So if Yash Raj Films is looking to cast him yet again in a negative role it will come as no surprise.” Ask the source whether there is any truth to these rumours and he says, “There could be more truth to it than any other rumour. In fact, for the past couple of days there have been daily meetings at YRF and John has been seen attending these meetings on multiple occasions. If anything is finalized, it will be at one of these meets.”

Interestingly, the source reasons why John Abraham could be returning to the Dhoom franchise further saying, “If you remember, the climax of Dhoom was open ended. There was no clarity on whether John’s character in the film was dead or had he escaped. This uncertainty could be used, to see him make a return to the Dhoom franchise.” While for continuation purposes it will certainly be closed loop, we wonder if the two films will be links with a flashback sequence detailing his character’s whereabouts in the interim.

All said and done, though buzz around John Abraham returning to the Dhoom franchise with Dhoom 4 seems to be gathering steam, an official confirmation on the development is still pending.

Also Read: John Abraham thanks Pathaan producer Aditya Chopra: ‘The way he positions me, whether it is Dhoom, New York, or now Pathaan, the credit goes to him’

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With the release of Pathaan in January 2023, Shah Rukh Khan gave a much-needed boost to cinemas. The actor is soaring high on the success of the film. With that being said, he has two more releases this year – Jawan and Dunki. In recent times, many clips of the Atlee Kumar directorial have surfaced online in which Shah Rukh Khan was shooting a song with Nayanthara and Deepika Padukone, respectively. Even leaked clips of alleged teaser have also surfaced online. Following a string of leaked content, Delhi High Court on Tuesday ordered social media platforms, Cable TV platforms, rogue websites, direct-to-home services and ‘John Doe’ defendants to take down the leaked content and refrain from committing copyright infringement of Jawan.

Red Chillies Entertainment had reached High Court claiming two of the leaked clips from the film ad surfaced online. The first clip was of SRK doing an action sequence and the second one was him shooting a song with Nayanthara. “It is the plaintiff’s (Red Chillies) case that these Leaked video clips are nothing but a clear violation of copyright/intellectual property rights of the plaintiff which are causing damage and loss to the plaintiff. The leaked video clips together give away the look of the actors in the said film, as well as the music, both of which are typically disclosed at strategic points in time as part of the carefully curated marketing strategy of a film,” the Delhi HC was informed, as reported by Bar and Bench.

The suit further said that certain photos and stills were leaked from the sets of the movie, which was shot behind closed doors. The suit also expressed apprehension towards rogue websites further copying, reproducing and distributing the copyrighted content. “The plaintiff reasonably apprehends that such publication and unauthorized circulation of the leaked video clips and said the film will jeopardize the promotion and exploitation rights of the plaintiff in the said film and as and when the said film is released in theatres, similar acts of piracy relating to the entire Film would also commence and intermediaries/websites as described would again be utilized to illegally copy, record, download, reproduce, transmit and communicate the said copyright protected work to the general public,” the Court was told.

As per the report, Justice C Hari Shankar passed the order on Tuesday. The order was directed to social media platforms like YouTube, Google, Twitter, Reddit and others to take steps to stop the spread of copyrighted content of Jawan. Justice Shanker further ordered, “various internet service providers to block access to the websites displaying or making available for viewing or downloading the content of the movie.”

While Atlee Kumar and his team are working on post-production simultaneously, some bits of the Jawan shoot is left which will be wrapped by March 2023. The plan is to shoot in various cities. The commercial action entertainer also stars Nayanthara, Yogi Babu, Ridhi Dogra, and Sunil Grover.

Red Chillies Entertainment presents Jawan, starring Shah Rukh Khan in the lead and produced by Gauri Khan. Jawan will be released on June 2, 2023, in five languages making it Shah Rukh Khan’s first pan-India film.

Meanwhile, with Pathaan, Yash Raj Films kicks off the YRF Spy Universe. Shah Rukh Khan has obliterated the box office with his massive release. The film has already broken several opening day collection records of Hrithik Roshan starrer War (Rs. 53.35 crore) and Yash’s KGF: Chapter 2’s Hindi (Rs. 53.95 crore).

Pathaan stars Shah Rukh Khan alongside Deepika Padukone and John Abraham. Helmed by Siddharth Anand of War fame, the film has arrived in theatres in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The film also stars Ashutosh Rana and Dimple Kapadia with the cameo of Salman Khan. ALSO READ: Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan CONFIRMED for June 2 release; new promo to be launched in the first week of May

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Hera Pheri 4, the third part of Hera Pheri, starring Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal, is arguably the most awaited film for several moviegoers. Hence, it has been constantly in the news, for both right as well as wrong reasons. There was a lot of fanfare and excitement when the picture from the announcement promo shoot went viral. But the very next day, social media was riddled with criticism as it came to light that Farhad Samji will be directing the comic caper. The anger grew after his web series, Pop Kaun, dropped on Disney+ Hotstar. Many felt it was poorly made and written and feared the worst for their much-awaited film. Hence, ‘Remove Farhad Samji From Hera Pheri’ began trending on Twitter.

And now it has come to light that Hera Pheri 4’s makers are having second thoughts about having Farhad Samji on board. A source told Bollywood Hungama, “There’s too much negativity surrounding Farhad Samji. We have never seen such hate for a director in our lives. There have been Twitter trends to remove him and the makers feel it’s not completely unjustified.”

The source continued, “Farhad also wrote and directed Salman Khan’s latest release, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. The film hasn’t met with a unanimously positive response though the weekend collections have turned out to be respectable. But doubts have been raised about whether he’ll be able to do justice to a film that people are dying to watch. Moreover, Pop Kaun was slammed by one and all while his last directorial, Bachchhan Paandey (2022), also wasn’t appreciated. The distributors and studios who want to tie up with Hera Pheri 4 have also made their apprehensions clear about Farhad.”

The source added, “No decision has been taken but yes, the makers are contemplating whether or not to have Farhad Samji on board. A decision will be taken in a few weeks.”

An industry expert commented, “Farhad Samji as a director, in my opinion, is fine. He knows how to handle scale and grandeur. And there aren’t many directors who can do so in today’s times. He just needs to come up with a better script and dialogues. If that is taken care of, he can do a fine job with Hera Pheri 4.”

Farhad Samji, during an exclusive interaction with Bollywood Hungama as part of the promotions of Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, opened up on ‘Remove Farhad Samji From Hera Pheri’. trend He said, “Firstly, when the film has not even been officially announced, toh kaun hai yeh log?” He further said, “We try our best. If anyone has any problem, then we’ll try to rectify it by making better movies and by writing better punches. Our intention is to appeal to audiences of all kinds and provide them with a film that has a combination of romance, masala, action, comedy etc. God has been very kind right from my writing days, and it continues as I turned director. Housefull 4 (2019) is the biggest hit of Akshay Kumar. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022; which he co-wrote) is such a huge success if we take into account the ROI. Ab iske aage kya bolne ka?”

Also Read: Akshay Kumar starrer Hera Pheri 4 lands in legal trouble; T-Series issues public notice claiming audio and visual rights of songs

Producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah has announced the release date of his upcoming hard-hitting social drama The Kerala Story. The film, which stars Adah Sharma in the lead, will be releasing in theatres on May 5. The movie is a sharp take on the global terror outfit ISIS and their activities in the Indian state of Kerala.

Throwing more light on the film’s subject, a statement from the makers said, “The Kerala Story is based on a human tragedy as it unearths the events behind approximately 32,000 women going missing in the Indian southern state of Kerala who are converted, radicalised and deployed in terror missions in India and the world. Directed by award winning filmmaker Sudipto Sen, the film is a heart-breaking tale of women who are victims of this conspiracy that isn’t just limited to Kerala or India, the director had earlier stated that it was his patriotic duty to expose the manner in which thousands of girls were converted and trafficked abroad.”

At the end of 2022, the makers of The Kerala Story brought out the teaser of the film which created a controversy as it face allegations of showing inaccurate events. At that time, Shah had reacted on the same in a chat with Mid-Day and said, “We are making a film on a big tragedy. If I feel that I want to tell this story as a filmmaker, then, discussion on whether I am pro-establishment or not will only reflect an individual’s point of view. As a filmmaker, I only think of the story that touches my heart and moves me enough to want to narrate it.”

The Kerala Story is bankrolled by Sunshine Pictures Private Limited, founded by Shah who is the producer, creative director and the co-writer of the film.

Also Read: Vipul Shah addresses allegations of ‘inaccurate facts’ against his film The Kerala Story

Rapper Badshah on Sunday took to Instagram to release a statement after his latest hit track ‘Sanak’ began to receive backlash from certain sections of society for its questionable lyrics. The rapper said that he would never knowingly and willingly hurt anyone’s sentiments and apologized for it.

“It has been brought to my attention that one of my recent releases, Sanak, sadly seems to have hurt the sentiments of some people. I would never willingly or unknowingly cause offence to anyone’s sentiments. I bring my artistic creations and musical compositions to you, my fans, with the utmost sincerity and passion. In light of this recent development, I have taken proactive measures to change some parts of the song and actioned the replacement with this new version on all digital platforms to further avoid hurting anyone,” he wrote on Instagram.

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  A post shared by BADSHAH (@badboyshah)

“The replacement process takes a few days before the changes will reflect on all platforms, I request everyone to be patient during this period. I humbly offer my sincerest apologies to those whom I may have unknowingly hurt. My fans remain my bedrock, and I shall always hold them in the highest esteem and with boundless affection. Love Badshah,” he added.

As per several reports, Mahakaleshwar Temple’s senior priest in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain district had slammed Bashshah for using the name of Lord Shiva in the lyrics. He asked the rapper to remove the objective bits and also apologise for hurting the sentiments.

Badshah released the song ‘Sanak’ last month on YouTube. Since then, it has become quite viral on several platforms with dance reels being made on Instagram. ALSO READ: Badshah reveals what he does before going on stage; says, “I always hug my team”

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Urvashi Rautela started her career in the entertainment industry as a model and later transitioned into acting. She made her acting debut in 2013 with the film Singh Saab the Great and has since then appeared in several Hindi films. She has also worked in a bunch of Telugu-language films. In fact, the release of her latest Telugu film with Akhil Akkineni, Agent, is around the corner. However, a self-proclaimed film critic, Umair Sandhu’s tweet has upset the actress. Reacting to his “false claims”, Urvashi has sent a legal notice to him as well.

For the unversed, a Twitter user, by the name of Umair Sandhu, tweeted that Urvashi called Akhil an immature actor and felt uncomfortable working with him. The tweet went viral in no time and grabbed the attention of the actress. Miffed by the claims, Urvashi decided to take action against him.

Giving out details of the same, on Sunday afternoon, Urvashi took to her verified social media handle and shared a note post, which read, “Defamation legal notice has been served by my legal team. Definitely disgruntled by indecent journalists like you for your spurious/ridiculous tweets. You’re not my official spokesperson. And yes you’re very immature kind of a journalist who made me & my family extremely uncomfortable.”

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  A post shared by Urvashi Rautela (@urvashirautela)

Given this, it is worth mentioning here that Urvashi is not the first actress to slam this Twitter user. Readers may recall that a couple of weeks ago, actress Celina Jaitley lashed out at him after he had written, “#CelinaJaitley is the only Actress in Bollywood who slept with both Father ( Feroze Khan ) & son ( Fardeen Khan ) many times.”

Responding to it, Celina had tweeted, “Dear Mr Sandhu hope posting this gave you the much needed girth & length to become a man & some hope to cure you of your erectile dysfunction. There are others ways to fix your problem.. like going to a doctor, you must try it sometime!” She also added, “@TwitterSafety pls take action.”

Also Read: Urvashi Rautela shares photo of a Rishabh Pant fan holding a ‘Thank God Urvashi is not here’ placard; social media users react

Bollywood actor Armaan Jain and his wife Anissa Malhotra have become proud parents to a baby boy. On Sunday, April 23, Armaan’s aunt Neetu Kapoor and cousin sister Kareena Kapoor Khan took to their respective social media handles and confirmed the arrival of the youngest member of the family. For the unversed, Armaan Jain is the grandson of late actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor and the son of Rima Jain.

While Kareena shared a throwback photo, featuring her with the couple, Neetu Kapoor shared an announcement note on her verified Instagram handle. Captioning the photo, Kareena wrote, “Proud parents my darlings,” followed by two red-heart emoticons.

Meanwhile, the note on Neetu Kapoor’s story read, “Dada Manoj and Dadi Rima are so excited to announce the birth of our grandson.” The animated announcement post also featured the miniature of Manoj and Rima celebrating the moment along with a blue-colour heart. Reacting to the news, Neetu wrote, “Super excited to welcome the new addition into the family.”

On the other hand, Armaan’s cousin and entrepreneur Riddhima Kapoor Sahani also congratulated the new parents. She shared one of the photos from the couple’s baby shower ceremony and penned, “It's a boy! Congratulations my cuties."

Armaan Jain and Anissa Malhotra's wedding was the talk of the town in 2020. Their grand wedding in February of that year was attended by numerous celebs including Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar, Kareena Kapoor, Rekha, and Aishwarya Rai, among others. In February this year, the family was seen celebrating Anissa's baby shower at home.

Also Read: Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Neetu Kapoor celebrate Armaan Jain’s wife Anissa Malhotra’s baby shower, see inside photos

Bollywood actress Kajol has been making waves lately with her social media presence. With over 10 million followers on Instagram alone, Kajol has become an influencer in her own right. She regularly shares her thoughts on social issues, promotes various causes close to her heart, and interacts with her fans through live sessions and Q&A sessions. Speaking of her latest post, she seems to be miffed with someone.

However, it is not yet clear what specifically prompted Kajol's post. Coming back to her Instagram stories, on Saturday evening, she wrote two notes. Her note hinted at some naysayers and addressed the “cowardness” they harbour in them. She wrote, “Truth of the day…Both genders have their own set of cowards and a*##***les. The trick is not be blinded by their genders to see their worth or their worthlessness. #ThisHitHome.”

In the next story, the Kuch Kuch Hota Hai actress quoted Rumi, which read, “Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. For those who love with their hearts and souls, there is no such thing as separation.”

Meanwhile, on the professional front, the 48-year-old actress was last seen in Salaam Venky. The slice-of-life drama film, directed by Revathi, also featured Vishal Jethwa in the lead role. The plot of the movie revolves around a real-life account of a mother who goes to great lengths to ensure that her son, who has been diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, enjoys his life to the fullest.

She has a bunch of projects in her kitty, including the Hindi adaptation of the popular American series The Good Wife.

Also Read: Nysa Devgan celebrates her birthday with Ajay Devgn and rest of the family; watch video

Nawazuddin Siddiqui and his family issues remain in the headlines. The actor and his wife Aaliya Siddiqui have been making headlines after Aaliya claimed that she had been allegedly abused. In another incident, she had claimed she was being harassed at Nawazuddin’s house after his mother filed a complaint against her over a property dispute. While the public legal rift remains in the news, the court has reportedly ordered both of them to sort this amicably by sitting down and discussing all the issues.

“The court ordered Nawaz to clear all our issues. It put a condition on him that he has to take care of everything in Dubai and the children shouldn’t face any problems. He worked on those court orders and that’s why I’ve come to Dubai with the kids," Aaliya told E-Times.

Aaliya further said that Dubai is financially expensive and living there isn’t easy. She said, “Living in Dubai isn’t easy as there are many financial issues amidst other things. But the court gave a very good decision that Nawaz has to fulfill all his duties and make sure we’re staying in a good condition. He has finally solved all those issues. The court has also left the decision up to the kids – they can stay wherever they want to, in Dubai or India. But first, they should finish their studies in Dubai.”

She further said that the kids are going to live in Dubai for three months and then decide where to settle down. When asked about the current situation with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, she revealed, “I’ve applied for divorce but before that, it’s important to sit and discuss where we stand since that’s what the court has told us. They’ve asked us to settle things out of court. But Nawaz is travelling at the moment. Once he’s back only then we will sit and resolve our issues and part ways amicably because that’s what the court has told us.” ALSO READ: Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Neha Sharma starrer Jogira Sara Ra Ra to release in theatres on May 12

ZEE5 announced its next direct-to-digital original movie Bandaa starring Manoj Bajpayee. Inspired by true incidents, Bandaa is a power-packed courtroom drama backed by Vinod Bhanushali’s Bhanushali Studios Limited, Zee Studios and Suparn S Varma, directed by Apoorv Singh Karki and written by Deepak Kingrani. Bandaa will be a direct-to-digital, ZEE5 exclusive release.

This is Padma Shri and National Award recipient, Manoj Bajpayee’s third OTT Original collaboration with ZEE5 after the success of Silence… Can You Hear It? and Dial 100. In Bandaa, he plays an eminent lawyer who single-handedly fought against all odds for truth and justice. Manoj Bajpayee said, “It gives me immense joy to announce my third collaboration with ZEE5 for Bandaa. After our successful partnership with Silence...Can You Hear it? and Dial 100, we are now bringing a captivating story to life that deserves all the attention, and I can't wait for you to join us on this incredible adventure! I am excited to present another glimpse of Bandaa which will premiere soon on ZEE5.”

Jab baat ho insaaf ki, sirf ek hi #Bandaa kaafi hai Witness the trial of the century, inspired from true events, only on #ZEE5#ComingSoon #BandaaOnZEE5 #EkBandaaKaafiHai@ZEE5India @apoorvkarki88 @vinodbhanu @Suparn @BSL_Films @ZeeStudios_ #KamleshBhanushali #AsifSheikh… pic.twitter.com/BB7AeJfHj0 — manoj bajpayee (@BajpayeeManoj) April 23, 2023

Manish Kalra, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 India, said, “We at ZEE5 are focused on building a consumer-first brand with real and relatable stories for our viewers. Our next original film, Bandaa is a power-packed courtroom drama, inspired by the true and shocking events of a legal case. It is the courageous story of one man’s fight against all odds for truth and justice and it’s emotionally moving and inspiring. We look forward to its release on ZEE5 soon”.

Producer Vinod Bhanushali, Bhanushali Studios Limited said, “A gripping courtroom drama with an ace actor like Manoj Bajpayee with a subject that will shake you; that is Bandaa for you. By choosing ZEE5 as the platform to showcase Bandaa, we want to give audiences the experience of the film in the way it deserves.”

Shariq Patel, CBO, Zee Studios, added, "'Zee Studios is committed towards building a content-driven ecosystem in the Indian entertainment industry. Bandaa comes with a striking story, and we are delighted to present another meaningful, thought-provoking tale with Manoj Bajpayee."

Suparn S Varma said “Bandaa tells a story of how a common man with honesty and integrity can take on the system when he has truth on his side. It’s the story of how when the system works it works so well that justice cannot be denied, and it addresses a very important issue of faith. We are happy to have ZEE5 giving us that platform to take the film to audiences who deserve to watch a film that will move them and make them think.”

Director Apoorv Singh Karki said, “Bandaa has everything in it – a hard-hitting story, a calm and assertive actor like Manoj Bajpayee & a solid supporting cast. This film must reach every household, and ZEE5 is the right platform to take our vision to screens across the globe.”

A Zee Studios and Bhanushali Studios Limited presentation, Suparn S Varma’s courtroom drama directed by Apoorv Singh Karki, Bandaa is produced by Vinod Bhanushali, Kamlesh Bhanushali, Asif Sheikh & Vishal Gurnani and co-produced by Juhi Parekh Mehta. ALSO READ: Manoj Bajpayee shares his hilarious first international flight experience; says, “I drank so much that I fell unconscious!”

Bollywood Hungama was the first one to break the viral news in June 2022 that the third part of Hera Pheri is in the offing, as confirmed by producer Firoz Nadiadwala. It led to a lot of excitement among fans as it’s a highly awaited sequel, especially since the first two parts have been loved and have a cult following. In February this year, reports came in that the announcement video of the film has been shot. It broke the internet but the very next day, there was massive criticism when it came to light that Farhad Samji is directing the film. In March, ‘Remove Farhad Samji From Hera Pheri’ trended on Twitter for several days. Some days later, T-Series issued a public notice claiming that the production house is the “sole and exclusive right holder of all copyright of all Music and Audio Visual Song Rights” of the franchise in all mediums.

And now, Eros International, too, has jumped into the fray. As per a notice published in Komal Nahta’s Film Information Magazine, Eros has claimed that it holds the Intellectual Property Rights as well as the rights to the title, digital rights and music rights on a ‘sole and exclusive basis’. And that's not all. Eros also claimed that it has the exclusive rights to Welcome Back (2015).

Further, the notice stated that Firoz Nadiadwala's Base Industries Group owes Rs. 60,07,75,236, inclusive of interest, to Eros International as on April 17, 2023. The notice then claimed that Base Industries Group had agreed that until it doesn't make this payment, Eros International will possess the sole rights to Hera Pheri 3. It also claimed that Nadiadwala had made it clear that it would not create third-party rights or try to release Hera Pheri 3 in India or any part of the world without the consent of Eros International.

Towards the end, the notice emphasized that they have similar rights to all the forthcoming films of Firoz Nadiadwala, including Awara Paagal Deewana 2.

Finally, it requested everyone to refrain from doing any deal with Base Industries Group with regards to Hera Pheri 3.

Also Read: Is it Hera Pheri 3 or Hera Pheri 4? Two versions of Akshay Kumar’s picture create EXCITEMENT as well as hera pheri

Over the last few years, Rohit Shetty’s cop universe has come alive. All three characters from his cop movies, Singham, Simmba and Sooryavanshi, played by Ajay Devgn, Ranveer Singh and Akshay Kumar, came together for the first time in Simmba (2018). The trio was then seen in Sooryavanshi (2021), much to the cheers of the crowd.

The 2021 movie also gave an indication that the next cop movie in the franchise will be the Ajay Devgn starrer Singham Again, the third movie in the Singham franchise. It is now learnt that the film will be releasing during the Independence Day of 2024. Co-incidentally, the previous film in the Singham franchise, titled Singham Returns, was also released on Independence Day in 2014.

By choosing this particular date for Singham Again, the makers have advanced the film’s release because it was earlier supposed to release during Diwali 2024. Also, by moving the film’s release, the makers have avoided a clash with the Kartik Aaryan starrer Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, the third film in the franchise. The previous film in the series, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, was one of the handful of hit Bollywood movies of 2022. The third will again see the collaboration between Kartik and director Anees Bazmee.

Also Read: Ajay Devgn listens to the narration of Singham Again, says, “The script I heard is…”

Bollywood actor Salman Khan has his plate full. After the release of Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan on Friday, the actor is busy with the Eid 2023 celebrations. After spending quality time with his family, the actor will head to Dubai for the launch of Aap Ki Adalat.

As per a report in Khaleej Times, Salman Khan will be visiting the Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City on April 25 for the launch of the news talk show. Hosted by journalist Rajat Sharma, Aap Ki Adalat has been one of the longest-running shows on Indian television since 1993. Salman Khan will be joining Sharma in a conversation and it will broadcasted later.

Majid Khan, CEO & MD NKN Media, said, “Ever since NKN Media collaborated with India TV last year, we had the vision to bring this flagship show to UAE in order to give it a local flavour. And what could have been better than making this big with superstar Salman Khan himself, especially when he has such a large fan following in UAE.”

Meanwhile, Salman Khan had his Eid 2023 release Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan on Friday, April 21. A Salman Khan Film production, the film is directed by Farhad Samji. It stars Salman Khan, Venkatesh Daggubati, Pooja Hegde, Jagapathi Babu, Bhumika Chawla, Vijender Singh, Abhimanyu Singh, Raghav Juyal, Siddharth Nigam, Jassie Gill, Shehnaaz Gill, Palak Tiwari and Vinali Bhatnagar.

Apart from this, Salman has Tiger 3 releasing during Diwali 2023. Helmed by Maneesh Sharma, it also stars Katrina Kaif and Emraan Hashmi. He next returns to YRF with Pathaan Vs Tiger with Shah Rukh Khan. ALSO READ: Salman Khan and Aamir Khan have Andaz Apna Apna reunion for Eid 2023 celebrations, see photo

58 years after the iconic, Oscar award-winning and only official film adaptation of the classic musical play The Sound of Music, an Indian IAS officer turned filmmaker Paparao Biyyala is gearing up for the release of his debut film ‘Music School, which marks to be the first Indian film to obtain the rights of the classical play.

The timeless classic Broadway production The Sound of Music written and composed by Rodgers, and Hammerstein in 1959, has been etched in the history of popular culture ever since. Over a decade later, Robert Wise presented the first film adaptation of the musical with the same name in 1965 and won five academy awards. Almost six decades later, writer- Director Paparao Biyyala has obtained the official rights of the music for the broadway musical for his debut film “Music School’.

Recreating three songs from the musical- 'Do Re Mi', 'So Long Farewell' and 'Sixteen Going on Seventeen' beautifully woven for different situations in the film Music School, Music maestro Ilaiyaraaja scored the original musical notes by Richard Rodgers by the London Philharmonic Orchestra for their film.

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Getting the best team on board, Music School roped in Hollywood choreographer Adam Murray to choreograph multiple songs for the multi-lingual film Music School, in addition, the makers also roped two of India’s best choreographers Chinni Prakash and Raju Sundaram for film to choreograph the other songs.

Music School is a musical narration of the sensitive and prevailing concern of academic pressure subjected to young students by society, parents and teachers. Of eleven songs in the film, three of them have been recreated from The Sound of Music, situationally woven beautifully in the film to suit the sensibilities of the Indian audience.

The grandeur look of the film was captured by ace cinematographer Kiran Deohans. The cast includes Shriya Saran, Sharman Joshi and Prakash Raj in lead roles in addition to debutant Ozu Barua and Gracy Goswamy in critical roles. The other cast comprises Benjamin Gilani, Suhasini Mulay, Mona Ambeognkar, Leela Samson, Bugs Bhargava, Vinay Varma, Sreekanth Iyengar, Vaquar Sheikh, Phani and many other child actors.

Presented by Yamini Films, Hyderabad, this multi-lingual film is shot in Hindi and Telugu, and dubbed in Tamil. It is releasing on 12th May 2023 by PVR in Hindi - Tamil and Dil Raju in Telugu. ALSO READ: Shriya Saran takes the fashion bar a notch higher in bronze metallic gown for Hello! Hall of fame awards

Climate Warrior Bhumi Pednekar is setting herself on a massive mission to clean The Himalayas! On the occasion of World Earth Day, Bhumi announced that she is partnering with a non-profit, Healing Himalayas, that does extensive and exemplary work towards the preservation of ecology in the mountain range. Bhumi, who is also the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ambassador, will now become the Goodwill Ambassador of Healing Himalayas! Bhumi’s work with Healing Himalayas will see her travelling to these mountainous regions and participating in cleanliness drives aimed at keeping The Himalayas clean.

Healing Himalayas Foundation is a seven-year-old organization formed to address the problem of garbage in a rather unique way - they are committed to restoring the pristine natural environment of the Himalayas. The organization has taken over the onerous task of cleaning out trash from the picturesque Himalayas. Their primary mission being - to dissolve the problem of waste management by collecting tons of non-biodegradable items discarded by the trekkers or pilgrims and disposing it properly at the base town/city where it can also be recycled.

To handle the collected waste through their cleanup campaigns & multiple panchayats which are a part of our Zero waste villages, they have built five material recovery facilities at locations (Mansari- Kullu district, Rakcham & Pooh village in Kinnaur, Tabo in Spiti & Narkanda in Shimla district) where tourist footfall is quite substantial. All the five facilities are operational and since last year they have collect 4-5 tonnes of non-biodegradable waste daily which is approximately 550 tonnes.

Speaking about this association Bhumi Pednekar said, “The motto of Healing Himalayas ‘Don't Wait for Change, Be the Change’ truly resonated with me. I believe that each one of us must realise our responsibility towards the planet and actively strive to reduce the impact of pollution and global warming. The time to act is now! This campaign gives me a chance to speak on the urgent need to preserve The Himalayas and its delicate yet essential ecosystem. I am honoured to be the Goodwill Ambassador of the Healing Himalayas. I will do my absolute best to visit as many sites as possible during my tenure and also participate in raising awareness about this important cause.”

Pradeep Sangwan, the founder and promoter of the Healing Himalayas Foundation added, “Bhumi Pednekar has persistently and relentlessly advocated against climate change and pollution. She is an aware individual who is followed by the youth of the country. So, having her as a part of this campaign enables us to raise more awareness towards keeping our mountains clean and how preserving its eco-system is an absolute necessity. We are sure that we will do good work together to keep The Himalayas clean.”

As a climate change advocate, Bhumi has been speaking up constantly through her social media platforms and has regularly drawn attention to the work of climate activists at the grassroots level. She has also spoken at the prestigious Harvard University on the need to protect our planet. ALSO READ: Bhumi Pednekar’s Mugler black dress with zig-zag detailing is all the inspiration we need for stylish dinner dates

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