Have you heard? The voice of reason

Salman Khan with Katrina Kaif; (right) Arijit Singh

The makers of Tiger 3 have spared no effort in making Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif's Diwali offering a complete entertainer in every way. Like the action in the thriller series, the music too is designed to grab attention. Given that Ek Tha Tiger (2012) had hit numbers like Mashallah and Banjaara, and Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) had Dil diya gallan, and Swag se swagat, Maneesh Sharma's directorial venture also promises to have chartbusters. The first song, Leke Prabhu ka naam, is a party number that releases on October 23. What is interesting about the soundtrack of Tiger 3 is that for the first time, Arijit Singh has rendered a couple of tracks for Salman, including Lele Prabhu ka naam. The singer had rubbed the actor the wrong way at a 2014 awards gala with his sarcastic remarks. When Arijit, who was casually dressed for the event, went on stage to pick his award, Salman had wondered, "So gaye they?" In the course of their on-stage banter, Arijit had taken a dig at the superstar and Riteish Deshmukh's hosting skills, saying, "Aap logon ne sula diya." Even though he apologised to Salman later, the actor was in no mood to forgive and forget. As a result, Arijit was dropped from his films, Kick (2014) and Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015). Arijit's second song for Tiger 3 is a romantic one, which will be unveiled next. Guess we have producer Aditya Chopra to thank for this collaboration.

Jr NTR joins the elite club

Earlier this year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences invited distinguished artists and industry executives to join its ranks. On Thursday, it announced its new member class of actors. Junior NTR joins global cinema icons like Ke Huy Quan, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Kerry Condon, and Rosa Salazar. Fans and followers of the RRR star were thrilled. Jr NTR is currently working on director Koratala Siva's Devara, co-starring Janhvi Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan. The first of the two-part action drama releases on April 5, 2024.

Let's talk about acting

Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal will share the stage in front of a live audience together as a couple for the first time at the India Film Project this weekend in Mumbai. Thrilled to share their experiences and journey as actors and collaborators on their production house, Pushing Buttons Studios, Richa says, "I have always loved watching two actors collaborate on this platform. Ali and I always are each other's sounding board and this platform is a unique way to engage in a chat with the audiences and with each other." Calling it a conversation-starter for artistes, he adds, "We hope that some of this resonates with artistes across the globe. The world of cinema is ever changing and there is space for everyone and anyone who wants to create."

Coming a week later

Initially slated to release on October 27, director Umesh Shukla's Aankh Micholi will now arrive on November 3. Sources in the trade attribute it to a crowded week with multiple releases like Kangana Ranaut's Tejas and Vikrant Massey's 12th Fail. Meanwhile, we hear that Abhimanyu Dassani, who leads the cast with Mrunal Thakur in the family comedy, recently shot a song in sub-zero temperature in the snow-clad locales of Switzerland.

New ACP in the squad

Rohit Shetty introduced the latest member of his cop universe yesterday. Yes, it is confirmed that Tiger Shroff joins Ajay Devgn and his men in khakhi in Singham Again. Sharing pictures of Tiger from the action drama, Rohit wrote, "Meet the Special Task Force officer ACP Satya… the immortal, like truth. Welcome to the squad, Tiger." The young action star also shared the pictures, saying, "ACP Satya reporting on duty, Singham sir." Ajay, who reprises the role of the supercop Bajirao Singham, welcomed Tiger, stating, "The squad just got stronger, welcome to the team ACP Satya!" Akshay Kumar, who returns as Sooryavanshi in the cop universe, posted, "Welcoming my brother from another mother, Tiger Shroff as ACP Satya to the squad!" The film, also starring Ranveer Singh as Simmba, Deepika Padukone as policewoman Shakti Shetty and Arjun Kapoor as the antagonist, is currently being shot in a marathon 45-day schedule in Ramoji Rao Film City, Hyderabad.

A new kind of storytelling

Having portrayed diverse characters on television, Pooja Gor is gearing up for a new role. She will serve as the narrator for four audio series - Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To, Secret Ameerzada, Insta Millionaire and Devil Se Shaadi - on Pocket FM. Pointing out that audio series is a new and exciting segment, Pooja says, "As actors, we often focus on facial expressions, but audio series taught me the importance of emoting through words. If your words, and tonality of your narration don't match your expressions, it's a missed opportunity." Having had a deep connection with audio stories since her childhood, she adds, "I'm thrilled to share this wonderful audio experience with others through this unique collaboration."