Ranbir Kapoor-Sai Pallavi's 'Ramayana' first part to release in 2026

Pics/ANI, PTI, Instagram

Ram aayenge; Ram phir aayenge

The much-awaited official announcement for Nitesh Tiwari's epic drama Ramayana was made yesterday. Namit Malhotra, founder of Prime Focus Studios, shared a poster of the film on social media, and shared that it will be released in two parts - one in 2026 and the other in 2027. "More than a decade ago, I embarked on a noble quest to bring this epic that has ruled billions of hearts for over 5,000 years to the big screen. And today, I am thrilled to see it taking shape beautifully as our teams work tirelessly with only one purpose: to present the most authentic, sacred, and visually stunning adaptation of our history, our truth, and our culture - our Ramayana - for people across the world," read the caption. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi.

Remembering a star

In a bid to pay tribute to Sanjeev Kumar on his 39th death anniversary yesterday, actor Jackie Shroff spoke about some of his favourite scenes performed by the actor, including one from Salim-Javed's 1975 blockbuster, Sholay, and another from Pati Patni Aur Woh, which hit the screens in 1978. In a video shared online, Shroff posted photographs of the late star and wrote: "Remembering Sanjeev Kumar (9 July 1938 - 6 Nov 1985.)" In 1985, Kumar suffered a heart attack aged 47, which resulted in his death. More than 10 movies starring him were released after his death, with the last one being Professor Ki Padosan, in 1993.

Sharing the love

Extending support to Abhishek Bachchan, Vicky Kaushal recently shared that he was looking forward to watching his next, I Want to Talk. The actor took to Instagram to praise Shoojit Sircar's directorial venture after its trailer was released. "Classic, Shoojit da - raw, beautiful, and blissful! Can't wait to watch this [on] November 22," he wrote. The film, also starring Johnny Lever, Jayant Kriplani, Pearle Maaney, and Kristin Goddard, delves into the dynamics of modern relationships, personal struggles, and human experiences. It tackles sensitive themes, promising to balance humour with the emotional depth of life's challenges.

Case registered against Mithun

A case was registered against actor-turned-BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty by the Bidhannagar Police yesterday for allegedly making a provocative speech during a party event in North 24 Parganas district last month. The complaint against Chakraborty stems from a speech he delivered at a BJP event on October 27. Chakraborty, who was honoured with India's highest film accolade, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, earlier this year, had declared on October 27 that the "masnad" (throne) of West Bengal would belong to the BJP after the 2026 Assembly elections, vowing to do whatever it takes to achieve this goal. He cautioned anyone against attempting to intimidate saffron party voters into abstaining from voting in the next Assembly elections. Select BJP ministers called the FIR a case of "vendetta politics."

Putting his money in the right hands

In a world where content is truly emerging to be king, actor Prabhas is putting his might behind writers who can ace their game. The Kalki 2898 AD actor launched The Script Craft, a platform dedicated to promoting and encouraging writers by helping them share their story ideas with a broad audience. Writers can submit a 250-word synopsis of their story ideas, which will be read and rated by audiences. The highest-rated stories will subsequently rise to the top. Prabhas's involvement in The Script Craft highlights his commitment to fostering a positive space for writers and encouraging unique storytelling. On the work front, he has a string of projects in the pipeline, including The Raja Saab, Salaar: Part 2, Shouryanga Parvam, and Kalki 2.

Truth will triumph

After news of his next, a film set in the aftermath of the Godhra train burning incident in 2002, hit headlines, actor Vikrant Massey says he has received death threats on social media. However, he says he isn't worried because The Sabarmati Report is "purely based on facts". Massey will be seen as a vernacular journalist in the upcoming thriller that the makers claim is "inspired by true events". It is produced by Ektaa R Kapoor and directed by Dheeraj Sarna. "I have been receiving threats. Without drawing attention to it, it is something that I am dealing with, and that we, as a team, collectively are dealing with. But we are artistes and we tell stories. This film is purely based on facts," Massey said.

Get set to cry again

Veer-Zaara, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta, will re-release in cinema halls today, days ahead of its 20th anniversary. Production house Yash Raj Films will release the movie internationally across 600 screens, with first-time premières in Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar. It originally hit screens around the world on November 12, 2004. Veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra directed Veer-Zaara from a screenplay written by his son, Aditya Chopra. Also starring Rani Mukerji, the film spoke of love that transcends boundaries and time. The film featured lyrics by Javed Akhtar, who won multiple awards for it.