Actress Ileana D'Cruz ended the year with a video that summed up 2024. The video included highlights from her year and largely featured her husband Michael Dolan and their son Koa Phoenix. On Wednesday, D'Cruz shared a video reflecting on cherished moments from 2024 while welcoming 2025. While it highlighted special moments of every month, her visual from October has grabbed the collective attention of the internet. In the blink-and-miss October appearance, Ileana can be seen holding a pregnancy test kit and looking into the camera, visibly happy. Captioning her post, she wrote, “Love. Peace. Kindness. Here’s hoping 2025 is all that and so much more (sic).” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ileana D'Cruz (@ileana_official) While Ileana did not mention her pregnancy, fans immediately caught the visual and speculated the same in the comment section. A fan wrote, "Second Baby is coming in 2025? or we misunderstand." "Wait…October…congratulations again," wrote another user. "Are you pregnant again," asked a netizen. Ileana's son Koa turns 1 The actress celebrated the first birthday of her son with Michael in August last year. The actress took to her Instagram last night and dropped cute pictures of her baby boy, Koa Phoenix, as she celebrated his first birthday. Through her post, Ileana took a trip down memory lane and shared some cute pictures with her fans. The first picture shows Phoenix’s back, while another photo has Koa enjoying a delicious cake. One photograph has Koa sleeping on his mama’s stomach, and another has him posing with his mom and dad. While sharing the pictures, Ileana wrote, “Where did the time go?? Just like that, my baby is 1.” After announcing her pregnancy, the actress for the longest time kept the identity of her partner a secret. For the unversed, a DNA India article disclosed the identity of Ileana's mystery partner, Michael Dolan, as well as the fact that he and the actress are already married. According to rumors, the couple married in a secret ceremony on May 13 of this year, four weeks before Ileana revealed her pregnancy on social media. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ileana D'Cruz (@ileana_official) Ileana's work front On the work front, the actress was last seen in "Do Aur Do Pyaar," a captivating tale of romance filled with surprises. Set against the backdrop of mesmerizing melodies, the film invites audiences to embark on a journey where love knows no boundaries. Mark your calendars as "Do Aur Do Pyaar" gears up to hit the screens on April 19, 2024. The film stars Vidya Balan, Pratik Gandhi, Ileana D'Cruz, and Sendhil Ramamurthy in lead roles.
01 January,2025 02:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentSinger and actor Diljit Dosanjh's highly anticipated New Year's Eve concert in Ludhiana was marred by legal controversy following a complaint filed by Punditrao Dharenavar, an assistant professor from Chandigarh. The complaint prompted the Deputy Director of the Women and Child Department, Government of Punjab, to issue a formal notice to Ludhiana's District Commissioner, urging them to prevent the singer from performing certain songs during his live show on December 31, 2024. The notice, which was addressed to the local authorities in Ludhiana, specifically calls for a ban on songs that have been accused of promoting alcohol, such as 'Patiala Pegg', '5 Tara Theke', and 'Case (Jeeb Vicho Feem Labbiya)', even if modified with altered lyrics. The complaint references prior warnings issued to Diljit Dosanjh by various commissions, where he was advised against performing these controversial tracks. Despite these advisories, the singer has allegedly continued to perform them with slight alterations to the lyrics. Panditrao Dharenavar, who filed the complaint, expressed strong concerns over the impact of such songs, particularly on young audiences, especially when underage children are in the audience. Further complicating the situation, Dharenavar cited a ruling from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which in 2019 directed the police to ensure that no songs promoting alcohol, drugs, or violence are played at public events, including live concerts. According to the court's decision, songs that glorify substances like alcohol or drugs have a detrimental impact on impressionable children. Panditrao has also made it clear that he is prepared to escalate the matter to the Punjab and Haryana High Court if the concert proceeds with these tracks. He further criticized Dosanjh for performing such songs while wearing a pagadi, a traditional headgear that he believes should not be associated with promoting negative values. The Ludhiana concert, which was added as a last-minute stop on Dosanjh's Dil-Luminati India Tour, marked the grand finale of his three-month nationwide performance schedule. Initially, the tour was set to conclude in Guwahati, but the Ludhiana show was announced on December 23 and sold out within minutes of ticket sales opening. In the days leading up to the Ludhiana performance, Diljit Dosanjh had already faced scrutiny in other cities for similar reasons. During his concert in Hyderabad in November, he received a legal notice from the Telangana government, which cited a complaint about his performance of alcohol and violence-promoting songs. Additionally, during his Indore show, the singer addressed the issue of black market ticket sales, defending himself against accusations that his tickets were being resold for inflated prices. The controversy surrounding Diljit Dosanjh's song lyrics isn't new. Earlier in the year, the singer made headlines for his comments on alcohol in his music. During a performance in Ahmedabad, he promised that he would cease making songs about alcohol if the Indian government enacted a nationwide ban on liquor. "If all the states declare themselves as dry states, I promise I won't sing about alcohol ever again," Dosanjh stated. Despite these ongoing legal challenges, Dosanjh's Dil-Luminati tour has been a major success, with tickets selling out quickly at every stop. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
01 January,2025 11:49 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIActress Taapsee Pannu got married last year to her longtime boyfriend badminton player Mathias Boe. The couple had a quiet wedding ceremony and succefully managed to keep it under wraps and away from the eyes of the paparazzi. The couple also never shared official pictures from the wedding ceremony. On the last day of 024, Mathias shared a picture of him and Taapsee signing their wedding document and legally registering their marriage. Sharing a monochromatic picture of Taapsee and Mathias signing their wedding picture, the player-turned coach wrote, "2024 is coming to an end. A really happening year for me, one of the most eventfull years of my life. A girlfriend that became my wife, and a family that became bigger. I wish everyone a very happy New Year blessed with the love from your family and friends" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mathias Boe (@mathias.boe) The couple tied the knot in Udaipur on March 23, 2024. Only a few selected family and friends were invited to the intimate affair. Anurag Kashyap, Pavail Gulati, and Kanika Dhillon were amongst the few celebrities who attended the couple's wedding. Taapsee Pannu said that the intimate wedding ceremony they had in Udaipur in March was sort of a formal announcement of their marriage as people were not aware. She further said that she had tied the knot with Mathias Boe in December 2023. She mentioned that her first wedding anniversary is approaching soon. Taapsee further said that in December they had just signed the papers. Taapsee also said, "If I hadn't mentioned it today, no one would have known." Taapsee and Mathias’ Love Story Taapsee and Mathias reportedly met after she went to watch one of his games several years ago. Mathias, who hails from Denmark, is a badminton player-turned-coach for India. He made his international debut in 1998. He rose to world number 1 in doubles and won the silver medal at the 2012 Olympics in London, and a silver at the 2013 World Championship. Taapsee and Mathias reportedly started dating around her Bollywood debut in 2013. He turned coach after retirement in 2020. In a new interview with Cosmopolitan India, Taapsee talked about her relationship with Mathias. She said, “It was not like a love-at-first-sight situation, for me at least—I took time to test if it’s really practical...the feasibility of the relationship was important for me. I was obviously fond of him and respected him, and we kept meeting and I grew to love him. So falling in love didn’t happen in a month or instantly. It is a fact though, which I keep repeating in most interviews about him—when I met him I felt like I met a man." She added, "I had dated so many boys before him, and suddenly, I met a guy who didn’t feel like anyone I’d been with before. So there’s this sudden sense of security and maturity, which was so evident that I felt like ‘Okay, you’ve finally found the man’.”
01 January,2025 11:36 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentShraddha Kapoor had totally different plans for New Years as opposed to the ones that her contemporaries in the film industry had. The actress shared that her plan included hitting the sack at 11 pm on New Year's eve instead of staying up late at night partying. The actress took to social media to reveal the same and asked her followers if they think it is true or false. Sharing pictures of herself in a no make-up look wearing a black t-shirt and sporting round glasses, the actress wrote, "True or false??? Main aaj 11 baje so jaoongi" Responding to the post, actress Tabu wrote, "False. Mom Dad ko wish karogi 12 baje". View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shraddha ✶ (@shraddhakapoor) Later before the clock struck 11, the Stree 2 star took to her Instagram stories to reshare the post and write, "Sahi jawaab- True. Shubh Raatri mai chali sone. Late ght vaale, tumko toh subha Mummy dekhegi" Shraddha Kapoor's 2024 highlight On Thursday, the actress took to her Instagram, and shared a video capturing her key moments from 2024. The video shows the actress enjoying some lip-smacking food, posing in front of a mic during a recording session, celebrating Holi with her friends, and enjoying the company of her loved onesShe wrote in the caption, “Koi mat bolna ke late aaya post, Christmas aur New Year ke beech mein sab maaf hai. Feb + Mar ‘24 throwback”. Earlier, the actress attended the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Finale Race 2024. The event is a highlight on the global sporting calendar, and is known for attracting celebrities and fans from all over the world. Shraddha joined an illustrious lineup of past attendees, including Priyanka Chopra Jonas and global names like Naomi Campbell and Orlando Bloom. Shraddha's work front Meanwhile, on the acting front, she is basking in the success of her film 'Stree 2', which also features Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee and Aparshakti Khurana among others. It was released on August 15, Independence Day 2024, alongside other big Hindi films such as Khel Khel Mein and Vedaa. The film has etched its name in cinematic history by becoming the highest-grossing Hindi film ever, surpassing the lifetime collections of Shah Rukh Khan's 'Jawan'. Directed by Amar Kaushik, 'Stree 2' has captivated audiences not only with its engaging storyline but also with star-studded cameos from Varun Dhawan and Akshay Kumar, both of whom have been praised for their contributions to the film. Recently, at one of the media summits, Shraddha shared that she got a lovely congratulatory wish from Tabu post 'Stree 2' success. "Tabu ma'am called me... She had most amazing things to say me on phone. She even sent me a personalised perfume with Stree written on it. She made me feel empowered and made me feel proud of myself," she shared.
01 January,2025 11:08 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActors Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt ringed in the New Year with their family members including their daughter Raha. Neetu Kapoor, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni and her husband Bharat Shani, Soni Razdan were part of he celebrations. The touching video of Ranbir running to embrace and kiss Alia as the clock struck midnight was shared by Neetu Kapoor on her Instagram stories. As the clock ticked closer to midnight on January 1, the Kapoor household was filled with anticipation. In a candid moment caught on video, Ranbir, dressed in black and smiling broadly, quickly ran towards his wife, Alia Bhatt, to share a tight hug. The couple's joyous reaction was accompanied by the mesmerizing display of fireworks lighting up the night sky. Ranbir and alia kissing after the new year countdown 🫶 pic.twitter.com/awIN99bFTK — ritika ❤️🔥 | L&W ERA (@ritikatweetssx) December 31, 2024 Alia, also clad in black, embraced Ranbir with a warm smile as they shared the magical moment. Their daughter Raha, who was wearing an adorable red frock, looked on with delight, adding to the joy of the evening. Neetu Kapoor, who shared the video on social media, added a personal touch with a heartfelt caption: "Happy 2025." View this post on Instagram A post shared by neetu Kapoor. Fightingfyt (@neetu54) The family coordinated their outfits for the occasion, with Neetu Kapoor looking chic in a black maxi dress, Riddhima and her family dressed in colour-coordinated attire, and Soni Razdan donning a striking red ensemble. Raha steals the show at Kapoor Christmas lunch A year after Raha's first public appearance on Christmas 2023, the little one seemed very friendly with the paparazzi as she greeted them and smiled as she posed with her superstar parents. Rested in her father's arms, she charmed everyone by wishing 'Merry Christmas' and blowing kisses to the paparazzi. Days after the sweet incident, she once again charmed everyone as she got spotted at the Mumbai airport leaving with her parents for their New Year holiday. Raha who was in Alia's arms turned towards the paparazzi who were taking her name in an attempt to get her attention. The little one smiled and waved at the paparazzi and also blew kisses. Looking at this sweet gesture from her little one, Alia could not help but happily laugh. raha kapoor you pookie 🎀🥺 pic.twitter.com/eyq5MYjN4L — 🍦 (@softiealiaa) December 27, 2024
01 January,2025 10:29 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentTelugu producer Naga Vamsi made some strong and triggering claims in a recent interview that has led to Bollywood filmmakers like Hansal Mehta, Siddharth Anand and Sanjay Gupta to respond. The Bollywood vs South cinema narrative is one that been discussed largely in film circles in the past few years and with Allu Arjun's 'Pushpa 2' breaking all previous film records at the box office has only re-ignited the conversations further. Producer Vamsi claimed that Mumbai must not have slept following Pushpa 2's collections in the country. "I don't think whole Mumbai would've slept when Pushpa 2 grossed 80 crore on a single day on a Sunday," he said during a Galatta round table conversation of Indian producers. Boney Kapoor who was also part of the conversation added that the collections were made just in the Hindi dubbed language alone. However, this statement did not sit well with Hindi filmmakers who responded to the claim on social media. Filmmakers react to Naga Vamsi Director Hansal Mehta who saw the theatrical release of The Buckingham Murders last year said, "Chill dude whoever you are… I live in Mumbai. Been sleeping really well." Mehta further wrote, "Since this person Mr Naga Vamsi was being so arrogant and now that I know who he is : His latest hit as a producer Lucky Bhaskar has borrowed liberally from the Scam series. Reason I brought this up is that I feel happy that stories travel and a film in another language suceeds in replicating what has worked for us. Everybody wins. Nobody is bigger than the other. That narrative is destructive. Arrogance is even worse. To all those haters coming at me on my TL - see you in 2025." Chill dude whoever you are… I live in Mumbai. Been sleeping really well. https://t.co/R4oC0kNHKc — Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) December 31, 2024 Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta known for directing films like Kaabil, Shootout at Wadala wrote, "We slept very peacefully and happily knowing that 86 Cr was collected by our exhibitors. Must be in your case, but other people's success does not give us sleepless nights." Reacting to the same, Pathaan director Siddharth Anand wrote, "Mumbai has always been the city that never sleeps ;) It’s ok, I guess some people don’t know our real Mumbai!" He added, "And one more thing. I have infact lived ONLY in Bandra and Juhu both! Just fyi" And one more thing. I have infact lived ONLY in Bandra and Juhu both! Just fyi 😂😂 — Siddharth Anand (@justSidAnand) December 31, 2024 Naga Vamsi insulted Boney Kapoor ? There were also some tweets assuming that Vamsi insulted Boney Kapoor by cutting him as he spoke on the panel. Reacting to one such tweet, the producer wrote, "You don’t need to teach us how to respect elders, we respect boney ji more than u guys do and there was no disrespect towards boney ji in that conversation it was a healthy discussion, me and boney ji had a nice laugh and hugged each other after the interview… So please dont come to your conclusions with just what you saw.
01 January,2025 10:10 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIt's that time of the year once again! As we welcome the New Year, many also draw up their resolutions and positive affirmations for the year ahead. Actress Malaika Arora welcomed the year on a happy note with resolutions she made for the New Year. Malaika's 2025 resolution In her recent Instagram post wrapping up the year, Malaika shared a video of herself dancing. She also revealed her new year resolution. In the video, the actress can be seen dancing in a bathrobe around a room. Along with this, she wrote, "Scorpio 2025..Unbothered, Happy, Moisturised, Making Money, Focused, In my own lane, Positive Glowing, Growing". View this post on Instagram A post shared by Malaika Arora (@malaikaaroraofficial) Recently, Malaika reflected on the year gone by sharing a note that reflected her year. The note read, “I don’t hate you, 2024, but you were a difficult year, full of challenges, changes, and learning. You showed me that life can change in the blink of an eye and taught me to trust myself more. But, above all, you made me understand that my health—whether physical, emotional, or mental—is what really matters. There are things I still can’t understand, but I believe that with time, I will understand the reasons and purposes of everything that happened." Malaika Arora in news in 2024 Malaika largely made news in 2024 for her break up with actor Arjun Kapoor. While the 'Singham Again' star openly declared his single status, Malaika said that she would not talk about her personal life in public. During the promotions of ‘Singham Again’ in October, Arjun announced that he is single. When Malaika was asked about the same, she told ETimes, "I will never choose a public platform to talk about my personal life. So, whatever Arjun has said is entirely his prerogative.” The actress also made news for the demise of her stepfather Anil Mehta. As per reports, Anil jumped off the sixth floor of his Bandra residence. Malaika’s parents divorced when she was 11 years old, and she moved to Chembur with her mother and sister Amrita Arora. Her mother, Joyce Polycarp, is a Malayali Christian, and Anil Mehta was a Punjabi, who worked in the Indian Merchant Navy.
01 January,2025 09:18 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentWould it be too simplistic to say that one of the reasons 2024 was a lean year at the box-office was because the Khan troika—Shah Rukh, Aamir and Salman—did not have a single release? Perhaps. But ask any Hindi movie fan, and they’ll tell you that the superstars were sorely missed. Which is why all eyes are on this year, when at least two Khans will be back on the big screen. Salman hasn’t had a release since Tiger 3 (2023). But a lot happened with the superstar throughout 2024, beginning with a round of firing outside his Bandra house in April to receiving death threats from gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. So, his return to celluloid with Sikandar is eagerly awaited. What makes it better is that in his maiden collaboration with director AR Murugadoss, he will do what he does best—be a larger-than-life hero and avenge the wrong. Expect high-octane action, drama, a fresh on-screen jodi with Rashmika Mandanna, and a script that requires suspension of disbelief. Oh, and presumably a bumper opening. After all, his fans will go in droves for their Eidi. While the audience’s Eid is dedicated to Salman, Aamir Khan will be their summer date. It has taken the superstar four years since the underwhelming response to his passion project, Laal Singh Chaddha (2021), to face the camera again. This time, he promises another heartfelt story with Sitaare Zameen Par. The actor-producer considers it a spiritual successor to Taare Zameen Par (2007). An adaptation of the Spanish sports comedy, Campeones (2018), Aamir said the new film was “way ahead” of its predecessor, flipping the narrative as it shows how far people can go despite their challenges. Directed by RS Prasanna of Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (2017) fame, it also stars Genelia Deshmukh and Darsheel Safary. Will it create the box-office magic that Laal Singh Chaddha couldn’t? Who can tell? But then, as we start 2025, we can hope this is the year the audience loves movies for their narratives, not box-office numbers. Game Changer Director S Shankar may have had a misfire last year with Indian 2. But the director, known for his visual spectacles, blends politics and action again in Game Changer. Ram Charan plays an IAS officer determined to battle corruption and promote fair elections in the Telugu action thriller scheduled for a January 10 release. Raid 2 With franchise films becoming a ticket to success in 2024, Ajay Devgn has lined up two sequels this year. Director Raj Kumar Gupta’s Raid 2 is set to release on May 1, coinciding with Maharashtra Day. The film sees Devgn reprise his role as IRS officer Amay Patnaik, who conducts another high-stakes income tax raid. The cast includes Riteish Deshmukh, Vaani Kapoor, and Rajat Kapoor. The superstar also has the rom-com, De De Pyaar De 2, in which he reunites with his Shaitaan (2024) co-star R Madhavan. Housefull 5 A new year, and there is a new instalment of Housefull. Housefull 5, led by Akshay Kumar and Riteish Deshmukh, comes five years after the last instalment. Tarun Mansukhani’s directorial venture promises to have everything you expect from the franchise—read an ensemble cast, a gag a minute and a wafer-thin plot. This one, also starring Abhishek Bachchan, Fardeen Khan, Jacqueliene Fernandez, and Nargis Fakhri, is largely set on a luxury cruise. Chhaava After Sardar Udham (2021) and Sam Bahadur (2023), Vicky Kaushal leads his third biopic, this time playing Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Based on the novel Chhava by Shivaji Sawant, Laxman Utekar’s historical drama depicts Sambhaji Maharaj as a fierce warrior who upheld the Maratha legacy during his reign in the 17th century. Rashmika Mandanna portrays Yesubai Bhonsale, Sambhaji’s wife. Yet-untitled film on C Sankaran Nair You will definitely not miss Akshay Kumar this year, because the superstar has four releases lined up. This Karan Johar production, based on Indian lawyer and statesman C Sankaran Nair, chronicles how the lawyer challenged the British empire to acknowledge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Directed by Karan Singh Tyagi and also starring Ananya Panday, it is an adaptation of the book, The Case that Shook the Empire. Kumar will also be seen in the Republic Day release, Skyforce, and Jolly LLB 3. Alpha A female spy is finally headlining a film in the YRF spy universe. Alia Bhatt joins the on-screen espionage world that is populated by Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif. Joining Bhatt in Shiv Rawail’s directorial venture is Sharvari, who caught people’s attention with Munjya last year. Alpha is scheduled for a Christmas 2025 release. War 2 Two of the most popular superstars of the current crop, Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR are set to battle it out in the Independence Day release, War 2. Roshan returns as Kabir, the R&AW agent who went rogue in the 2019 blockbuster, War. The sequel to the spy thriller comes with new faces in front of and behind the camera. While RRR (2022) star Jr NTR makes his highly anticipated Bollywood debut, director Ayan Mukerji takes the directorial baton from Siddharth Anand. Added to the mix are Kiara Advani, and a potential crossover with Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan and Salman Khan’s Tiger. Thug Life In June, we’ll witness the reunion of two icons. More than 35 years after they first collaborated on Nayakan (1987), superstar Kamal Haasan and director Mani Ratnam have reunited for Thug Life. The Tamil gangster action drama features a pan-India cast, including Trisha Krishnan, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Pankaj Tripathi, Sanya Malhotra, Ali Fazal and Rohit Saraf. To top it all, Oscar winner AR Rahman, who composed for Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan 1 and 2, has lent the score for the upcoming film. Deva Following his romantic turn in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya last year, Shahid Kapoor is in the mood for mayhem. He turns a no-nonsense cop in the January release, Deva. Expect high-octane action sequences and a rising body count in this action thriller that sees Malayalam filmmaker Rosshan Andrrews foraying into Hindi cinema. Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari It’s the year of Varun Dhawan’s return to the romance genre. In April, the actor will bring Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, also starring Janhvi Kapoor, Sanya Malhotra and Rohit Saraf. It reunites Varun with his Dulhania franchise director Shashank Khaitan. He will follow it up with Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, marking his fourth collaboration with director-father David Dhawan. Lahore 1947 Lahore 1947 is a case of something old and something new. While the period drama marks the fourth collaboration between actor Sunny Deol and director Rajkumar Santoshi, it marks the maiden union of the leading man with producer Aamir Khan. Also starring Preity Zinta, the film explores the emotional and physical journey of people caught in the turmoil of the Partition.
01 January,2025 07:08 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu | Priyanka SharmaRasha Thadani Rasha Thadani, daughter of Raveena Tandon, is gearing up for her debut with Azaad, an action adventure film that is set in pre-independence India and hits the screens this month. For her first time in front of the camera, she has been guided by director Abhishek Kapoor, who has launched many faces in the past, including Sara Ali Khan in Kedarnath (2018) and Sushant Singh Rajput in Kai Po Che! (2013). Even before being Bollywood-bound, Rasha has been a fairly recognised face, courtesy her frequent public appearances with her star-mother and a strong following on Instagram. Aaman Devgan Up next is Thadani’s Azaad co-star and Ajay Devgn’s nephew, Aaman Devgan. The young lad is often seen with his superstar-uncle and aunt Kajol. Aaman finds support from Ajay not only off screen, but also on it, as the actor does a cameo in the action adventure. Considering Aaman has kept a low profile so far, it could work in his favour as the audience doesn’t have any preconceived notion about him and will judge him on screen. Ibrahim Ali Khan This year, we have another Khan on the block. The son of Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, Ibrahim Ali Khan is the spitting image of his father. The latest star kid with acting aspirations seems to be following the tried-and-tested route—he worked as an assistant director on Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023), and then landed the lead role in Sarzameen, directed by Kayoze Irani and backed by Dharma Productions. What is encouraging is that he has already bagged his second project, Diler, a drama about a marathoner, which is produced by Dinesh Vijan. Aryan Khan In a film industry often driven by legacy, Aryan Khan’s foray into Bollywood comes with a twist. The eldest son of Shah Rukh Khan has chosen not to follow in the superstar’s footsteps, but to chart his own course behind the camera. An unconventional choice for a star kid? Absolutely! At a time when many in the bunch want to stand under the arc lights and enjoy the glamour that comes with being a movie star, Aryan’s choice to debut in Bollywood as a writer-director is refreshing. It turns out the superstar-father had seen it coming. A few years ago, on The David Letterman show, Shah Rukh had said about his eldest son, “He doesn’t have what it takes to be an actor, and he realises that too. But he is a good writer... I think wanting to be an actor has to come from within. [It is] something you really need to do, and find a set of skills that helps you do it. I realised it [thanks to] him. He came to me and said, ‘I don’t think I want to act. Every time, I’ll be compared to you, and I don’t want to be in that position’.” The result of that decision will be for all of us to see this year. Aryan is ready with his maiden web series, Stardom, which is set in the world of entertainment. The Netflix series’ setting is obvious, and the storyline, hits close to home. Just like father Shah Rukh, a Delhi boy with no filmi connections, took the Hindi film industry by storm, Stardom tells the story of an ambitious outsider navigating the glitzy yet tricky world of Bollywood. The series stars Mona Singh and Lakshya in central roles. A host of Bollywood stars have cameos in it. Sure, in making his maiden directorial venture, Aryan has had the support of many and the advantages that a first-time director can never dream of. But what he does with these privileges remains to be seen. Hope in a few months, we can say, like father, like son! Veer Pahariya Aaman Devgan and Rasha Thadani aren’t the only new faces we’ll see in January. Veer Pahariya will make his acting debut with Akshay Kumar and Nimrat Kaur-starrer, Sky Force. In the aerial action film, Veer will be seen romancing Sara Ali Khan, whom he apparently dated before she debuted in movies. He is the younger brother of Shikhar Pahariya, who is Janhvi Kapoor’s partner.
01 January,2025 07:04 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu | Priyanka SharmaTelugu producer Naga Vamsi, who bankrolled the 2024 film Lucky Baskhar starring Dulquer Salmaan, has been receiving flak for his ‘arrogance’ during a recent roundtable appearance alongside other eminent producers. After Boney Kapoor was irked by his ‘stuck making films for Bandra and Juhu’ remark, filmmaker Hansal Mehta has called him out for blatantly copying his Scam series. Hansal Mehta calls out ‘arrogant’ Lucky Baskhar producer A clip of Naga Vamsi saying that Mumbai must have not slept after Pushpa 2 collected more than Rs 80 crore in a single day, Hansal Mehta shared the clip on X and wrote, “Chill dude whoever you are… I live in Mumbai. Been sleeping really well.” In a subsequent post, he added, “Since this person Mr. Naga Vamsi was being so arrogant and now that I know who he is: His latest hit as a producer Lucky Bhaskar has borrowed liberally from the Scam series. Reason I brought this up is that I feel happy that stories travel and a film in another language succeeds in replicating what has worked for us. Everybody wins. Nobody is bigger than the other. That narrative is destructive. Arrogance is even worse. To all those haters coming at me on my TL - see you in 2025.” Since this person Mr Naga Vamsi was being so arrogant and now that I know who he is : His latest hit as a producer Lucky Bhaskar has borrowed liberally from the Scam series. Reason I brought this up is that I feel happy that stories travel and a film in another language suceeds… https://t.co/R4oC0kNHKc — Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) December 31, 2024 About Dulquer Salmaan’sLucky Baskhar Lucky Baskhar starring Dulquer Salmaan shows him in the titular role. He plays a banker and can be seen living a monotonous routine of daily life. Then, his life takes a sudden turn when he acquires an unexpectedly large sum of money. The film shows him reference Harshad Mehta at the beginning and how he crosses paths with the Big Bull. Hansal rose to fame with the acclaimed web series Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story starring Pratik Gandhi in the lead role. It narrates the story of one of the biggest financial scams in the Indian stock market. The financial thriller is based on Debashis Basu and Sucheta Dalal's book The Scam: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away. Lucky Baskhar is directed by writer-director Venky Atluri. His previous film, Sir/Vaathi earned appreciation from critics and audiences. The film hit the theatres on October 31.
31 December,2024 09:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentLovebirds Vijay Varma and Tamannaah Bhatia, who have been dating for a while now are rumoured to be taking their relationship up a notch by tying the knot in 2025. While there is no confirmation about the same yet, a picture shared by Vijay shows him posing next to a person with his name tattooed on their arm. Mystery behind ‘Vijay’ tattoo Vijay Varma took to Instagram and shared a post biding adieu to 2024. He wrote in the caption, “Seas the day. Adios 2024.” One of the pictures shows Vijay standing next to a person with his name inked on their arm. Netizens speculated it to be Tamannaah Bhatia, but were taken off guard to know it was the hand of photographer Vansh Virmani. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vijay Varma (@itsvijayvarma) Vijay Varma and Tamannaah Bhatia’s relationship Vijay Varma and Tamannaah Bhatia reportedly began dating during the filming of Netflix's anthology “Lust Stories 2.” Rumours about their relationship started circulating after they were spotted together at a New Year's party in Goa. However, Vijay clarified that they did not start dating during the shoot of the film. In an earlier interview with Tanmay Bhat on Netflix India’s YouTube channel, the actor called “Lust Stories 2” a cupid, revealing that their real-life love story began much later. Vijay was quoted as saying, “Lust Stories was Cupid, but it wasn’t during the shoot that we started dating. There was talk of a wrap party happening, but it never took place. So, we wanted to have a wrap party, and only four people showed up. That day, I feel I told her I wanted to hang out more with you. It took 20-25 days for the first date to happen after that.” In 2024, Tamannaah officially confirmed her romance with Vijay in an interview in June. Since then, the couple has been openly affectionate, regularly commenting on each other's social media posts and making public appearances together at various events. Vijay Varma’s work front Vijay Varma was last seen in the web series "IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack". The series, based on the true story of the 1999 hijacking of the IC 814 Indian Airlines flight, features Varma portraying Captain Devi Sharan, who was the head pilot during the week-long ordeal.
31 December,2024 07:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
