Bringing festive cheer Triptii Dimri brought festive cheer to the web world with her social media posts from picturesque England. Dimri, who is currently vacationing in The Cotswolds, is reportedly in the company of her rumoured boyfriend, Sam Merchant. Taking to her Instagram Stories section, she shared pictures from her holiday. One among them features her enjoying hot chocolate. “Because chocolate fixes everything,” she wrote alongside the picture. Other pictures showcased her braving the cold temperatures of the region. Dimri had previously celebrated Christmas in Mumbai, and shared images of a beautifully lit Christmas tree, and the bustling streets of Bandra. Merchant also shared similar moments on his Stories section, a development that has been considered by Dimri’s fans as an indication that the duo were celebrating together. A story you’ve not heard On a singing reality show, Subhash Ghai revealed that the song Om shanti om from his 1980 classic, Karz, was initially recorded by late composer Laxmikant. “We were unable to get Kishore [Kumar] da’s date for this song, so Laxmikant ji himself sang the song. He sang it beautifully. Everyone told him that his version should be released, but I wanted Kishore da [to] sing it. When we shot this song, it was initially recorded in Laxmikant ji’s voice. However, the next day, I visited Kishore ji’s house and requested him to give me a date for the recording. Kishore ji asked me to check if Laxmi ji was okay with him singing the song. When I conveyed this to Laxmikant ji, he graciously said that since I wanted Kishore ji to sing it, we would release his version. To this day, whenever I listen to the song, I am reminded of Laxmikant ji,” he shared. In memory Days after Zakir Hussain was laid to rest at a San Francisco cemetery, the family of the tabla maestro shared a moving post on his official Instagram account. It marks the first post on the social media page of Hussain since his death at a San Francisco hospital early last week due to complications arising from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease. He was 73. The undated black-and-white picture shows the hands of Hussain, his wife Antonia Minnecola, and daughters Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi held tightly together. “Always together in love,” read the caption of the post, tagging the four members of Hussain’s kin. Wise words Easily the woman of the moment, Kani Kusruti, who stars in two of this year’s most acclaimed movies, All We Imagine as Light, and Girls Will Be Girls, says she has had a more professional work experience in the north industry than in her native state, Kerala. She was named the Best Actress at the Kerala State Film Awards for the 2020 film, Biriyaani. “When I won the Kerala state award in 2020, that had an impact. [The] Kerala [industry] is still struggling with having proper contracts and a working culture of professionalism. We lack a lot in these areas. Winning awards has given me a certain kind of respect, but that should be given otherwise too to any artiste. You don’t have to win an award to get your basic human right or basic right as an artiste,” she added.
23 December,2024 07:26 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamAfter delivering tracks like Guli mata and Zaalima, Indian music producer Anshul Garg shares that he is set to release a song in collaboration with American singer Selena Gomez next year. Garg, who had, until now, not confirmed his association with the singer, tells mid-day that they are set to shoot next year. In this interview, he shares why his keen interest in artistes from the west is beneficial for Indian music, and its musicians. Edited excerpts from the interview. How did your association with Selena come about?I did my first international collaboration for a song called Guli Mata. When I made that song, and made my team hear it, they opined that half of the song was incomprehensible. But, we know that when south music became popular in the north, many people from that area also did not understand the lyrics, but grooved to the music nonetheless. Also, while traveling abroad, I heard a lot of French and Afro music, and enjoyed them. So, I was keen to be part of international collaborations. Eventually, the song did pretty well on the global charts. In fact, we received an award for it in the UAE recently. I subsequently collaborated with other international artistes and kept building relationships with them and their management teams. Now, apart from Selena, we are in talks with to three to four big artistes. In 2025 or 2026, I should be able to bring them to India. What can you share about the song that you’ve done with her?Selena is an icon, and everyone I meet knows who she is. Even in India, she is a celebrated name. She has never come here, though. We’ve locked the song, and have decided which Indian singer should render it, but that’s a detail I am not permitted to reveal just yet. It’s a Hindi and English number, and we’ll have clarity around when it can be released after we shoot it next year, probably in March. What sparked your interest in creating fusions with artistes from the west?A lot of people told me to train my attention on the Indian market, and [criticised me] for changing the positioning of Indian music. They’d tell me that this development would lead people to forget our own music. But, I believe, the things I am doing will help take Indian music to the global stage. When I’m in Los Angeles, I don’t hear any Indian songs there. While I am at a restaurant, I’d like to listen to at least two to three Indian numbers. Hopefully, in the next five years, we will see that happening. Punjabi numbers are becoming so popular in the west. It will boom in the next three years. So, I feel, Indian music will be the next big thing in the world. You will see international artistes becoming inclined towards Indian music, and international actors putting Indian songs on their social media reels. That’s going to happen really soon. What makes you so confident about this statement?I’ve been in this industry for eight years, and have seen the conversation around Indian music change in the last two years. I’ve been talking to many artistes abroad, and they are [all] keen to come to India and collaborate with the musicians here. Martin Garrix is collaborating with Arijit Singh now. Have there been instances when you collaborated with an international artiste but had to shelve the song because it didn’t feel right?Many times. [Recently] I collaborated with a female Russian artiste. We were [in discussion] for months, and suddenly, I felt [it wasn’t right]. If I get bored of the song too soon, then I will [shelve it]. We aim to be at the Grammys. Hopefully, we should be nominated in 2026 or 2027. For that, we need to be very sure about what we do. Working on an international number takes time because there’s a whole lot of paperwork involved. We also want to ensure that the Indian and international parts are [appropriately included]. It’s a process that takes eight months. So, we make five to six songs with all the artistes that we work with, and shelve most of them. We retain only one or two. Is there any artiste you’re keen to join hands with?Drake and The Weeknd. Those will be very exciting. Getting them to India and having them sing a line or two in our language will also be very exciting.
23 December,2024 07:16 AM IST | Mumbai | Sonia LullaHaving collaborated with a host of female actors over the years, Aditya Seal confesses his projects have shaped him. Seal, who has featured alongside artistes like Taapsee Pannu, Manisha Koirala, and Kajol, appreciated them for their “no-nonsense attitude”. The actor says, “Taapsee, Manisha ma’am, and Kajol ma’am are incredible examples of what it means to stay true to your beliefs and never settle for less than you deserve. They embody strength and resilience. I’ve always believed that women must stand up for their rights, and, as men, it’s our responsibility to support and uplift them, whether in our families, workplaces, or society. Empowered women build a stronger world, and I am proud to stand by them.” Seal credits Pannu—his Khel Khel Mein co-star—for turning up on set with an “incredible energy”. “She is sharp, and witty, and knows exactly how to elevate a scene. Watching her commitment taught me a lot about precision in performances. Every actress I’ve worked with has brought something unique to the table. They’ve shaped me into a more versatile actor, pushing me to dig deeper into my craft.” Kajol, who he features with in the upcoming action thriller Maharagni: Queen of Queens, has “an aura of brilliance”. “She brings so much depth to her characters that sharing the screen with her feels like attending a masterclass in acting.” Maharagni, which also stars Prabhudeva, was a film that “demanded a lot from me, emotionally”. “Kajol ma’am’s support and insights were invaluable. She’s a dream co-star—always encouraging and yet challenging you to be your best.”
23 December,2024 07:11 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuAdvance bookings for the much-anticipated Varun Dhawan-starrer Baby John have opened, and trade analysts believe the film looks promising. The actioner, they claim, is expected to rake in Rs 16 crore on its opening day, with collections over the first weekend likely to cross Rs 50 crore. That the film—directed by Kalees and produced by Atlee—aims to cater to the masses implies that it is a strong contender at the box-office. However, trade experts exercise restraint when pitting it against other offerings of the year. Girish Wankhede tells mid-day, “It’s too early to know the exact [figures] because the bookings are picking up as we speak. Since it is set to release soon after the release of Pushpa 2—The Rule, they couldn’t open booking earlier. That has compromised the [collections]. It cannot match [the collections] of Stree 2 or Pushpa 2. But, it has great music, Atlee’s name, and Varun’s star power. There is a good chance that the film will pick up from Monday.” A remake of Atlee’s 2016 Tamil film Theri, Baby John also features Keerthy Suresh, Wamiqa Gabbi, and Jackie Shroff.
23 December,2024 06:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuAfter a tauba tauba night with Vicky Kaushal and Parineeti Chopra at Karan Aujla's concert yesterday, it was time for a Brown Munde craze. The ace singer performed in Mumbai today as part of the final show of his It Was All A Dream India tour. The tour, which started on December 7 in Chandigarh, concluded today. Today was surely one of the biggest surprises awaiting fans at Karan Aujla's Mumbai concert as two of the biggest Indian rappers, AP Dhillon and Divine, joined him on stage and gave an electrifying performance. AP Dhillon & Karan Aujla perform Brown Munde It was AP Dhillon x Karan Aujla x Divine on stage during his final show today in Mumbai. These two videos will surely give you FOMO if you were not present at Aujla's concert in the Bay today. The first video shows AP Dhillon joining Karan Aujla on stage as they performed Brown Munde together. In the video, Karan was seen looking incredibly handsome in an all-black outfit, while AP Dhillon, in his signature style, wore black jeans paired with a white T-shirt and a stylish shirt. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) Divine & Karan Aujla perform Ye Hote Pareshan If you thought Dhillon was the only surprise waiting for you at the "Surprise King" Karan Aujla's concert, then you were highly mistaken. Another banger came when Karan invited Divine to join him on stage. The ace artists were seen setting the stage on fire as they grooved to Ye Hote Pareshan. What added to the heat was Divine's smart look. He was seen wearing a white T-shirt over white track pants and a jacket. Both of them sang, danced, and jumped as they added to the excitement. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TEAM AUJLA (@karanaujlaglobal) The 8-city It Was All A Dream India Tour was a celebration of Karan Aujla's journey from being a small-town artist to now, an international superstar. The title, inspired by his rise to fame, reflects the dreams he’s had and how he’s turned them into reality. This tour marks a significant step in his global mission to bring modern Punjabi music to a wider audience, having already broken ticket sales records in Canada, the UK, and New Zealand. Last night, too, Karan performed in the city at Bandra, and he was joined by Parineeti Chopra and Vicky Kaushal, who sang, danced, and enjoyed with him on the stage.
22 December,2024 11:14 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe clash between AP Dhillon and Diljit Dosanjh is currently the talk of the town. Dhillon, in his recent concert, claimed that Dosanjh had blocked him. This came just a few days after Diljit gave a shout-out to AP Dhillon and Karan Aujla during his concert. After AP's claims, Dosanjh clarified that he never blocked Dhillon. The dispute didn't end there, as AP Dhillon hit back at Diljit, saying he unblocked him after blocking him on Instagram. Now, in the midst of all this controversy, singer and rapper Badshah has shared a cryptic message delivering the sentiment, "united we stand." After the controversy between Diljit and AP Dhillon, Badshah's post looked like a taunt to the Chamkila star. Badshah's post reads, "Please don’t make the mistakes that we made. The world is ours for the taking. Like they say, ‘If you wanna go fast, go alone, but if you wanna go far, go together.’ United we stand." What happened? AP Dhillon addressed the audience, mentioning Diljit's shout-out. Speaking in Punjabi, he said, "I just want to say one small thing, brother. First unblock me on Instagram and then talk to me. I don't want to talk about what marketing is happening, but first unblock me. I've been working for three years. Have you ever seen me in any controversy?" Diljit responds to AP Dhillon Diljit took to his Instagram Stories to prove that he never blocked Dhillon on the social networking site. He shared a screenshot of Dhillon's profile, indicating that his posts are visible to him, which would not have been the case if he was blocked. He wrote, "I never blocked you. Mere pange sarkaaran naal ho sakde aa...kalaakaran naal ni (My issues could be with the government…not with the artists)." Later, Dhillon took to his Instagram Stories to pen a cryptic note, saying that he never wanted to say anything ill about anyone. “I wasn’t planning on saying shit knowing everyone will hate on me anyways, but at least we know what’s real and what’s not," Dhillon shared on his Instagram Stories. Today, Dhillon was seen landing in Mumbai. He later joined Karan Aujla on stage for a performance of Brown Munde at his Mumbai concert. This was Karan Aujla's final show of this concert series.
22 December,2024 10:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentActress Manisha Koirala, who was recently seen in the period drama streaming series ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’, is voicing her support for everything local. The actress recently visited her homeland, and appreciated the local culture, food and craftsmanship. The actress took to her Instagram on Sunday, and shared an array of pictures from her visit to Nepal. The actress was seen dressed in winter wear, and also attended an event where she took to the mic. She also penned a long note in the caption, as she wrote, “Yesterday was truly an inspiring day! I attended an incredible exhibition showcasing local entrepreneurs who are promoting handmade products, using local fabrics like Dhaka, creating unique jewelry, and preparing healthy, homemade food right from their kitchens. It was heartwarming to see a community so dedicated to preserving tradition and supporting sustainable, local practices”. Manisha further mentioned, “What made the experience even more special was meeting the young and dynamic Deputy Mayor of Budhanilkantha. Listening to her speak so eloquently about why it’s every citizen’s duty to promote local goods was truly motivating. Her passion for community development and supporting local talent was contagious! Here’s to celebrating and supporting those who work tirelessly to uplift our heritage and make a difference. #SupportLocal #Sustainability #HandmadeWithLove #Inspiration”. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Manisha Koirala (@m_koirala) Earlier, the actress spoke about overcoming her fear of riding a cycle in a public place in an Instagram post. She had shared two pictures from her cycling on the road session. She wrote in the caption, “Overcome fear and finding joy. I finally conquered my fear of cycling in traffic today! After 2 years off the saddle, I was nervous, but a good friend Sarosh Pradhan nudged me and kept insisting I need to overcome fear. I'm very lucky to have good friends around me to guide me when I slide a bit. I'm hugely grateful !!!And to my own determination which pushed me to take the leap”. The actress also spoke about her learning curve, and shared that fears are smaller than what they seem to be. She also advised not to hold onto expectations too tightly. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 December,2024 03:06 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSLegendary actor Dharmendra's charm is unmatched and no one is unversed with his huge fan following. Recently, Anil Sharma, the director of Gadar, spilled some tea about the legendary actor and his sons. Anil Sharma recalled the incident when Dharmendra once embarrassed his sons Bobby and Sunny Deol for not having affairs with heroines. Anil Sharma recalls a hilarious anecdote Anil Sharma told a humorous anecdote in a recent interaction and mentioned that once he was sitting with Dharam ji, Sunny, and Bobby. Dharam ji said, "Mere ladke bade seedhe hain. Inka yaar, kuch heroines ke sath chakkar hi nahi chalta kabhi. Inko koi badi herone milti nahi hai kabhi dono ko. Aur mere time ko dekho, sab heroines peeche aati rehti thi. Sab padi rehhti thi peeche (My sons are too innocent. They don't have affairs with big heroines ever. They never get famous and big heroines and if you look back at my time, every heroine was after me)." Dharmendra did not realise both his sons were sitting in the vanity. When they heard this, both were embarrassed and quickly exited the vanity van. Recently, Dharmendra celebrated his 89th birthday with paparazzi where both his sons were present. A video from the celebration went viral where Dharmendra was seen kissing both his son's hands. About Anil Sharma's new film Vanvaas Talking about the work front, Anil Sharma had a recent release at the box office. His new movie Vanvaas stars Nana Patekar, Utkarsh Sharma, Simrat Kaur and Rajpal Yadav. The drama film delves into family dynamics when the father is suffering from dementia. Sunny Deol is gearing up for his upcoming film, Jaat. He shared its teaser recently. The film stars Randeep Hooda, Vineet Kumar Singh, Saiyami Kher, and Regina Cassandra. Bobby Deol was last seen in Siva's Kanguva. The film starred Suriya and Disha Patani. Bobby was the antagonist of the film. The film was highly-anticipated by the audience but failed to do well at the box-office. Dharmendra was last seen in Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon starrer Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya.
22 December,2024 03:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentComedian-actor Sunil Grover recently shared a heartwarming photo of himself with his furry friends on social media. The picture shows Sunil smiling while posing with his four adorable dogs. On Sunday, the comedian took to his Instagram handle and shared the sweet image of him with his four cute furry companions. In the photo, Grover, dressed in a black outfit, is seen sitting with three little puppies, while a bigger dog stands in front of him. Alongside the shot, he captioned it with "kaarvaan." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sunil Grover (@whosunilgrover) In the image, Sunil is surrounded by his playful and energetic furry companions. One dog is perched on his lap, another is standing beside him, and two more are playfully looking at the camera. Sunil's love for animals is no secret to his followers. He has often spoken about his affection for pets in interviews and has shared glimpses of his time spent with his dogs in the past. This latest post, however, seems to have struck a special chord, with fans enjoying the rare, off-screen side of the actor. Meanwhile, the Jawan actor has reunited with Kapil Sharma on the Netflix show “The Great Indian Kapil Show” after they had a fallout, allegedly on a flight while returning to India from a tour in Australia in 2017. Grover joined the team after a gap of over six years. Grover became a household name with his iconic fictional characters, Gutthi in “Comedy Nights With Kapil” and Dr. Mashoor Gulati on “The Kapil Sharma Show.” However, his relationship with Kapil Sharma hit a rough patch in 2018 after a heated argument during their return from a show in Australia. Following the fallout, Sunil distanced himself from Kapil and stopped collaborating with him. The two finally reconciled earlier this year when Kapil announced his Netflix show, marking their long-awaited reunion. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 December,2024 02:17 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSBollywood star Varun Dhawan, who is gearing up for his upcoming film ‘Baby John’, has spoken about what needs to change in the Hindi film industry. The actor feels that Bollywood is currently dominated by people whose thinking is not pan-India but caters to Mumbai. While it’s relatively easy to be influenced by the city given it is the entertainment capital of India, and all decisions of producers and directors may come from the Mumbai-based perspective, Varun feels it’s important for voices from across India to join Bollywood to render a certain depth in storytelling. The actor said on the podcast, ‘The Ranveer Show’, “I think some voices need to come from different places, besides Bombay, some voices need to come in. Besides cities, metropolitan cities, besides the big 4-5 cities, tier 2 and tier 3, some voices need to come in. They have to come from there. We definitely need it”. He further mentioned. “It used to happen earlier. I think it has become a little difficult now. To enter. Not to enter. Now you are thinking should I enter the film industry? Should I become an influencer? Should I direct some shorts there itself? Or should I go on OTT? Options have come in”. Varun also said that people in positions of power in Bollywood need to understand the need to change with time, and if they can’t then they should be willing to let go of some power to collectively uplift the industry. “I don't want to sound rude. But it might be that all the people in powerful positions have reached a certain age, in the Hindi film industry. They have reached a certain age. They have been doing the same for many years. They are only at the helm. Now they might not be recognising it. One thing is to change with time. We all will have to do it or else we will not be relevant. I will also not be relevant. Reinvention is very important”, he added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 December,2024 01:59 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSSinger AP Dhillon has started touring in India for his concerts. During his recent show in Chandigarh, the Punjabi artist spoke in the native language and asked singer Diljit Dosanjh to unblock him from Instagram and then speak about him in public. During his Indore concert, the 'Born To Shine' singer gave as shoutout to AP Dhillon and Karan Aujla as they begin their shows in India. What AP Dhillon said at Chandigarh concert During his show, AP Dhillon addressed how Diljit gave him a shoutout. Speaking in Punjabi, he said, "I just want to say one small thing, brother. First, unblock me on Instagram and then talk to me. I don't want to talk about what marketing is happening but first unblock me. I've been working for three years. Have you ever seen me in any controversy?" Diljit responds to AP Dhillon The singer took to his Instagram stories to prove that he never blocked Dhillon on the social networking site. He shared the screenshot of Dhillon's profile indicating that his posts are visible to him which would not have been the case if he was blocked. He wrote, "I never blocked you. Mere pange sarkaaran naal ho sakde aa....kalaakaran naal ni (My issues could be with the government…not with the artists)." Later, Dhillon took to his Instagram stories to pen a cryptic note saying that he never wanted to say ill about anyone. “I wasn’t planning on saying shit knowing everyone will hate on me anyways but at least we know what’s real and what’s not," Dhillon shared on his Instagram Stories. Lmao did Diljit really blocked him??😭 AP just posted proofs on his stories lol😭😭 https://t.co/Qe6uKcCQvc pic.twitter.com/HdkGc2l4w6 — Dhillon (@sehajdhillon_) December 21, 2024 What Diljit said about AP Dhillon and Karan Aujla During his Indore concert, Diljit talked about Karan Aujla and AP Dhillon. He had said, “Mere aur do bhaiyon ne tour shuru kiya hai Karan Aujla aur AP Dhillon nein, unke liye bhi best of luck (Two of my brothers, Karan Aujla and AP Dhillon, have started their tour; best of luck to them, too).” He also added, "Yeh independent music ka time shuru hai. Musibate toh ayengi. Jab koi revolution aata hai toh musibat aati hai. Hum apna kam karte jayenge (The time for independent music has started. Problems will arise. When there is a revolution, problems will arise. We will keep working)."
22 December,2024 09:57 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
