Have you heard? Heroine on board 

Salman Khan and Rashmika Mandanna

Salman Khan has a new leading lady for his next, Sikandar. Producer Sajid Nadiadwala and director AR Murugadoss have signed on Rashmika Mandanna for the big-screen entertainer. The film has not only high-octane sequences, but also a strong emotional core. Sources claim that the makers felt Rashmika is the perfect pick for the performance-oriented part. What also excited the actor is that her character is well-written and drives the story ahead. Murugadoss is slated to begin filming with Salman in Mumbai next month. Later, they will also shoot in international locations. Sikandar is set to be an Eid 2025 offering.

Post ke peeche

Kareena Kapoor Khan shared a cryptic post yesterday. Alongside the caption that read, "I have no desire to be seen often. I prefer to be paid, hard to reach and out of sight," the actor wrote, "Why does this sound so familiar?" Sources said the post reflects her state of mind in the wake of her exit from Yash's next film, Toxic, with director Geetu Mohandas. Bebo had been approached to play the role of the lead actor's sister. Some claim her post indicates her sentiments of maintaining privacy while netizens speculate reasons for her skipping the Yash-starrer.

Challenging thriller

It is known that Priyadarshan is reuniting with Akshay Kumar for a film centred on superstitions. However, before beginning their new collaboration, the filmmaker is said to be finalising his next movie. Having made several thrillers in Malayalam, Priyan is reportedly keen on exploring the genre in Hindi with Saif Ali Khan playing the lead role. He is said to have discussed the subject with the actor, offering him the role of a visually-challenged protagonist. While Saif has expressed his interest in the project, the production house and rest of the cast and crew are yet to be finalised. If all goes well, Priyan will take the yet-untitled movie on floors in July and wrap up the shoot in a month-and-half start-to-finish schedule. Interestingly, this will be Saif's first film with Priyan, who has done three films with Kareena Kapoor Khan - Hulchul (2004), Kyon Ki (2005) and Chup Ke (2006).

Nakuul's new partnership

Television star Nakuul Mehta has bagged the lead role in Karan Johar's new web series, Daring Partners. Helmed by Archit Kumar and Nishant Naik, the show stars Diana Penty and Tamannaah Bhatia as two friends who join hands to launch their start-up venture. The narrative traces the challenges and the journey of the two protagonists taking charge of their destiny. Details of Nakuul's character are being kept closely guarded. Another pivotal role is yet to be cast for the show that will stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Following SRK's advice

About two years ago, Rajkummar Rao bought a three-storeyed house from Janhvi Kapoor. He reportedly paid Rs 44 crore for the property located on the 14th, 15th and 16th floors of a building in JVPD Scheme that came with six parking lots. Recently, Raj revealed Shah Rukh Khan was the inspiration behind his expensive real estate purchase. The Srikanth actor recently shared, "Shah Rukh sir had taught me one thing. He said, ‘Whenever you buy a house, buy one a little beyond your means. That way, you'll work harder because you will want to earn it.' I found that fascinating."

Be-car service woes

Shreyas Talpade is miffed with the after-sales service of his new luxury ride. In a series of posts on social media, he shared his terrible experience ever since he bought the vehicle in January this year. "We've had a horrid experience not only with the car but also the team who is seemingly ‘trying' to resolve the issue. Can you please help us with someone with the right authority who can help us resolve the same." Hoping for a swift resolution, he added, "That is the least we can expect from a brand like yours, after having gone through a horrible experience in the last three months. We have been loyal customers for several years now, but are really disappointed with this experience."