Have you heard? FIFA grand finale with Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone continues to make India proud. The actor - who has represented Indian cinema on the global stage, most recently as a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival - is set to add another feather to her cap. The actor-producer will soon head to Qatar to unveil the FIFA World Cup 2022 trophy. Interestingly, it is not often that an actor has been invited for this honour. Deepika is expected to head out to the Middle Eastern country next week. Before she unveils the World Cup trophy during the grand finale on December 18, she will also catch the on-ground action of the penultimate matches. We hear actor-husband Ranveer Singh, an avid football fan, may not be able to join her.

Mutual admiration society

Akshay Kumar began shooting for his Marathi debut, Vedat Marathe Veer Daudle Saat. He makes a cameo appearance as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Mahesh Manjrekar's directorial venture that is set in the late 1600s. Sharing a picture of himself paying respects to the Maratha warrior king, Akshay wrote, "Aaj Marathi film Vedat Marathe Veer Daudle Saat ki shooting kar raha hoon, jisme Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ji ki bhoomika kar paana mere liye saubhagya hai." The actor also shared a video from the shoot. While his timeline was soon flooded with comments, Akshay's contemporary and Sooryavanshi co-actor Ajay Devgn cheered him on, stating that he is looking forward to seeing his portrayal of the warrior king. "He is my favourite Maratha hero, and I'm happy yet another film is being made saluting this great warrior," he added. In 2020, Ajay had brought the story of Maratha warrior Tanaji Malusare to the big screen with Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior.

Anushka's surprise cameo

How many of you did a double-take when the song, Ghode pe sawaar, played out in Qala? It was a treat for Anushka Sharma fans who haven't seen the actor on screen since Zero (2018). In the blink-and-miss role, she can be seen as a retro superstar lip-syncing to the number. So, what prompted her to make a special appearance in Anvita Dutt's directorial venture? "I did it just for fun," says Anushka, before adding, "I enjoyed playing a yesteryear actress, and I'm happy to see the audience's reaction. I wasn't expecting people to like it so much, but I'm glad that they are happy to see me on screen after sometime." The actor, who welcomed daughter Vamika with cricketer-husband Virat Kohli in January 2021, is currently working on Chakda Xpress.

Juggling films

With Pathaan being readied for a January 25 release, Shah Rukh Khan is concentrating on Rajkumar Hirani's Dunki and Atlee's Jawan. Back in the bay after completing the Saudi Arabia schedule of Dunki and attending the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, King Khan resumed filming Jawan in Aurangabad yesterday. We hear over two-third of the shoot is complete, and the remaining portions will be wrapped up by March 2023. Interestingly, Deepika Padukone, who shot her scenes in Chennai a few months ago, will join Shah Rukh later this month for a quick stint. Besides the three big-ticket projects, SRK will also be seen with Salman Khan in Tiger 3.

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After the break

Samantha, who was recently battling health issues, is raring to get back to work. Buoyed by the encouraging response to her latest release, Yashoda, the actor is expected to resume work on her next, Kushi, by mid-December. Sources say details about the schedule will be finalised by this weekend. If things go as planned, the film will hit the marquee in February 2023. Besides the Vijay Deverakonda-starrer, Sam has Raj-DK's Indian version of Citadel in her kitty. She will begin prepping for the project soon. Set in the 1990s, the action thriller - a desi adaptation of the Russo Brothers' project - marks her reunion with Raj-DK after The Family Man 2.

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Dhanush, Alia on top

Dhanush has bagged the top spot on IMDb's list of the Most Popular Actors of 2022. Apart from the Russo Brothers' The Gray Man, he featured in several Tamil films, including Maaran, Thiruchitrambalam, Naane Varuven, and Vaathi. Alia Bhatt came second, thanks to her hat-trick of hits - Gangubai Kathiawadi, Brahmāstra: Part One Shiva, and Darlings. Sharing her joy, Alia said, "This has, by far, been the most memorable year I've had at the movies. I am forever thankful for the love the audience gave all my films this year, and feel honoured to have collaborated with our country's finest filmmakers and artistes." Aishwarya Rai Bachchan bagged the third spot, while KGF: Chapter 2 actor Yash made it to the coveted list at the 10th position.