Have you heard? Firsts are special

Deepika Padukone

Hollywood star Vin Diesel says he is looking forward to visiting India again, years after Deepika Padukone, his co-star of XXX: Return of Xander Cage, brought him to the country. Diesel came to India in 2017 to promote the film, which marked Padukone's Hollywood debut. Diesel posted a still of him and Padukone from the movie on Instagram and called the Pathaan star one of his "favourite people to work with". "Spirit lead me. Deepika Padukone was one of my favourite people to work with. She brought me to India and I loved it. Looking forward to my return. All love, always," the actor wrote. Padukone, who played the role of Serena Unger in XXX: Return of Xander Cage with Diesel in the title role, shared his post on her Instagram story.

New sound of the city

With a finger on the pulse of Mumbai's music aficionados' likes and dislikes, radio channel Radio City has launched a new jingle that aptly captures the energetic vibe of the city. Rag rag mein daude city, city ki nayi vibe has been brought to life by singing duo Nikita Gandhi and Divya Kumar, who added a novel take to the jingle during the recording session at the Radio City office. With an eye for detail, and a fine understanding of songs that listeners like to hear on loop, the channel, via this offering, promises to entertain listeners with music and conversations, like it always has!

Let it grow on you

The big-budget spy thriller drama Citadel, which stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas, has received a lukewarm reception in the US. Amazon's Odetta Watkins has called the show a "victory", but added that it "needs time to grow", as it is yet to crack Nielsen's weekly streaming rankings. Watkins said that while "every show will not hit in every place on the same level, but, as the franchise grows, the numbers will grow". She added, "In the US, we are jaded, and watch everything with a discerning eye. I think [Citadel] needs time to grow." The series, executive produced by the Russo Brothers, has been renewed.

Rubina takes legal recourse

A day after she met with a road accident, TV star Rubina Dilaik said she is doing fine, and added that legal action was taken against the "reckless" driver, who, she said, caused the accident. Her husband, actor Abhinav Shukla had shared the news of Dilaik's accident on Twitter. In a follow-up tweet, Dilaik said she was in a state of shock after a truck hit her car. Dilaik wrote, "Legal action has been taken against the reckless truck driver, but the damage is done! I urge you all to be mindful."

New kid on the block

Ananya Panday's cousin Ahaan will get his big break under the guidance of Aditya Chopra. The actor has been undergoing intensive grooming for three years, and is set to be launched by the producer. As per a source, "It is the era of Gen Z, so it is likely that the next big star of India will belong to this generation. Ahaan is a strong contender."

Dad again

Choreographer-director Prabhudeva has become a father again. The director, 50, and his second wife Himani Singh are said to have welcomed a baby girl. He confirmed the news, and added that he has reduced his "workload" to spend time with his family. He is also a father to two sons who he shares with his ex-wife, Ramalat. His first born succumbed to cancer in 2008. Singh is a physiotherapist. They
wed in 2020.

In no time

Sunny Deol's son Karan will reportedly tie the knot this week with his long-time partner, Drisha Acharya. Ahead of the wedding, Karan's house was decorated with lights and flowers. The wedding festivities commenced on June 9, and are likely to culminate on June 18, with the wedding ceremony and a reception. The couple got engaged in February this year in an intimate ceremony. Acharya is the great-granddaughter of Bimal Roy.