Madhuri Dixit and Triptii Dimri to play mother-daughter for Suresh Triveni's dramedy

Madhuri Dixit Nene and Triptii Dimri

Two for a comic caper

Even as Triptii Dimri and Madhuri Dixit-Nene are getting ready for their collaboration, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, it looks like they are teaming up again. This time around for Tumhari Sulu (2017) and Jalsa (2022) director Suresh Triveni's next. The two actors will reportedly play mother-daughter duo in the yet-untitled
film, while the male lead is yet to be finalised. The plot is being closely guarded, but sources claim the dramedy will have good dose of action and thrills too. Ever since the release of Animal (2023), Triptii has become a sought-after actor for several filmmakers, while Madhuri has been a formidable actor since the late 1980s. So, it's not surprising that Suresh was keen to cast the two leading ladies together for his next directorial venture. The makers are planning to begin filming next summer.

Braving the storm

Director Tarun Mansukhani has begun filming Akshay Kumar and Riteish Deshmukh-led Housefull 5 (HF5) on a cruise liner. Also starring Abhishek Bachchan, Fardeen Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Dino Morea, Jacqueliene Fernandez, Chitrangda Singh, Nargis Fakhri and Sonam Bajwa, the Sajid Nadiadwala production boasts of an interesting mix of supporting actors. While they were cruising between Spain and France, apparently the weather turned stormy and the sea got rough, resulting in some actors and crew members feeling sick. Sources claim Akki took the lead to ensure that all is well and his co-actors remained cheerful. It appears that they take the adage, ‘the show must go on' rather seriously. HF5 is slated to release on June 6, 2025.

Ready for the festive fight

Considering that the box-office clash with Anees Bazmee and Kartik Aaryan's Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 can't be avoided this Diwali, Rohit Shetty and Jio Studios are pulling out all stops to ensure that Singham Again gets the maximum screens and shows during the festive period. The filmmaker and the studio have reportedly inked an all-India distribution deal with PVR-INOX Pictures for the action drama starring Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Tiger Shroff, Jackie Shroff and Arjun Kapoor. Trade sources claim that this move will ensure they get 60 per cent of the screens for the supercop actioner. Rohit is also ready to unveil the first trailer on October 3, which marks the beginning of the Navratri festival. His idea is to not only excite cinegoers about the plot, but also do justice to the huge star cast that he has put together.

Southside impressions

Saif Ali Khan, who has forayed into Telugu cinema with Devara: Part 1, recently shared his views on what Bollywood can learn from its southern counterparts. During a promotional event for the action thriller, in which he plays antagonist to NTR Junior's protagonist, Saif observed, "We had our eye on the West, and we have had a kind of cosmopolitan approach to things, whereas in the south, I have seen that they are very grounded." Pointing out the mythological and historical references to our culture in the Baahubali franchise, he added, "Even in Kalki 2898 AD, the whole presentation of the Mahabharata in the last few scenes makes your hair stand at the end. And of course, treating their heroes like gods, which is what commercial cinema in a sense should be." The actor has a thriller with Priyadarshan and Race 4 in the pipeline.

Encore for producers' body

Reliance Entertainment head Shibasish Sarkar has been re-elected as the president of the Producers Guild of India for the third consecutive term at the 69th Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Mumbai on September 27. During the meeting, Sarkar shared insights on the evolving landscape of the media and entertainment industry, focusing on the challenges and opportunities that producers face. Members also reviewed the Guild's key activities from the past year and shared their perspectives on issues the Guild should prioritise in the coming year. The AGM also saw the re-election of Manish Goswami and Madhu Bhojwani as vice-presidents, while Ashim Samanta and Fazila Allana were re-elected as Treasurers.