Aamir Khan is busy promoting his film 'Laapataa Ladies' in the United States, which he co-produced with his ex-wife Kiran Rao. 'Laapataa Ladies', or 'Lost Ladies', is India's official entry in the foreign language category at the upcoming Academy Awards. In a recent conversation, the actor revealed his shocking decision to consider retirement from films, leaving his family in a state of shock. He shared that this happened during the COVID-19 pandemic when he contemplated leaving the industry until Kiran convinced him to reconsider. When Aamir Khan decided to take retirement Khan, in an interview with 'Reuters', shared, "I felt that I had not given enough time or bandwidth to my relationships. And that, you know, got me really guilty. And I kind of had a bit of a breakdown." He further shared that it was Kiran Rao who convinced him to stay and not retire from films. Crediting his ex-wife, Aamir added, "She said if you're leaving films, you're leaving. You're leaving us, you're leaving everything. I was a bit taken aback by that. But then I'm glad I changed my mind and I'm back." Kiran Rao’s film got re-named Kiran Rao’s film 'Laapataa Ladies' has been renamed 'Lost Ladies' as it heads to the international stage. The film was earlier selected as India’s official entry for the Oscars 2025. To kick off their Academy Awards campaign, the makers took to Instagram to reveal a new poster on Tuesday. The poster features the major characters of the film in a quirky and vibrant style, giving fans a glimpse into the playful world of 'Lost Ladies'. More about Laapataa Ladies Presented by Jio Studios, 'Laapataa Ladies' is directed by Kiran Rao and produced by Aamir Khan and Jyoti Deshpande. Made under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions and Kindling Productions, the script is based on an award-winning story by Biplab Goswami. The screenplay and dialogue are written by Sneha Desai, with additional dialogues penned by Divyanidhi Sharma. The film stars Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Ravi Kishan, and Chhaya Kadam. 'Laapataa Ladies' tells the story of two young newlywed brides who get exchanged during a train ride to their husbands’ homes. The film was screened at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 8, 2023, and was theatrically released on March 1, 2024.
25 November,2024 05:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAamir Khan is busy promoting his film 'Laapataa Ladies' in the United States, which he co-produced with his ex-wife Kiran Rao. 'Laapataa Ladies', or 'Lost Ladies', is India's official entry in the foreign language category at the upcoming Academy Awards. In a recent conversation, the actor revealed his shocking decision to consider retirement from films, leaving his family in a state of shock. He shared that this happened during the COVID-19 pandemic when he contemplated leaving the industry until Kiran convinced him to reconsider. When Aamir Khan decided to take retirement Khan, in an interview with 'Reuters', shared, "I felt that I had not given enough time or bandwidth to my relationships. And that, you know, got me really guilty. And I kind of had a bit of a breakdown." He further shared that it was Kiran Rao who convinced him to stay and not retire from films. Crediting his ex-wife, Aamir added, "She said if you're leaving films, you're leaving. You're leaving us, you're leaving everything. I was a bit taken aback by that. But then I'm glad I changed my mind and I'm back." Kiran Rao’s film got re-named Kiran Rao’s film 'Laapataa Ladies' has been renamed 'Lost Ladies' as it heads to the international stage. The film was earlier selected as India’s official entry for the Oscars 2025. To kick off their Academy Awards campaign, the makers took to Instagram to reveal a new poster on Tuesday. The poster features the major characters of the film in a quirky and vibrant style, giving fans a glimpse into the playful world of 'Lost Ladies'. More about Laapataa Ladies Presented by Jio Studios, 'Laapataa Ladies' is directed by Kiran Rao and produced by Aamir Khan and Jyoti Deshpande. Made under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions and Kindling Productions, the script is based on an award-winning story by Biplab Goswami. The screenplay and dialogue are written by Sneha Desai, with additional dialogues penned by Divyanidhi Sharma. The film stars Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Ravi Kishan, and Chhaya Kadam. 'Laapataa Ladies' tells the story of two young newlywed brides who get exchanged during a train ride to their husbands’ homes. The film was screened at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 8, 2023, and was theatrically released on March 1, 2024.
25 November,2024 05:54 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe International Emmy Awards 2024 will be held in New York tonight. Actor-comedian Vir Das who won an International Emmy for Best Comedy for his special, Vir Das: Landing will be hosting the show. With this, he becomes the first Indian to achieve the feat. Presented by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (IATAS), it celebrates the best TV programmes produced and aired outside the US in 2023. When and Where to watch the International Emmys The live show will be aired between 5 pm and 11 pm (EST). It will be held in New York Hilton Midtown, New York city. The audience in India can watch the show from 3:30 am to 9:30 am on November 26. The event will feature over 56 nominees from 21 countries, including India, UK, Australia, France, Brazil, and Argentina. The awards will be available for streaming worldwide on iemmys.tv. The nominations are spread across 14 categories, including Arts Programming, Best Performance by an Actor, Best Performance by an Actress, Comedy, Documentary, Drama Series, Kids: Animation, Kids: Factual & Entertainment, Kids: Live-Action, Non-Scripted Entertainment, Short-Form Series, Sports Documentary, Telenovela, TV Movie / Mini-Series About India's only nomination at International Emmys 2024 The Indian version of The Night Manager, starring Anil Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapur and Sobhita Dhulipala, has received a nomination in the drama series category at the 2024 International Emmy Awards. The series is the only entry from India across 14 categories at the nominations that were announced in New York by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (IATAS). The series, directed by Sandeep Modi and Priyanka Ghose, is adapted from both John le Carre’s novel, and the British show of the same name, starring Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie and Olivia Colman. It will compete with Les Gouttes de Dieu, The Newsreader—Season 2, and Iosi, El Espia Arrepentido—Season 2. Vir Das on hosting International Emmys Talking to mid-day.com about hosting the Emmys. the comedian shared, "I’ll write it myself. The jokes will be a mix of things—it will be a few weeks after the American elections, enough things would’ve happened in the world. Plus, there will be many nominees and content makers in the audience whom I want to talk about. I want to get something like this absolutely right,” he shares.
25 November,2024 05:21 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe IPL 2025 auctions took place as part of a two-day event at Jeddah's Abadi Al Johar Arena. Over the years, Shah Rukh Khan, who co-owns the Kolkata Knight Riders, has often sent his kids, Aryan Khan and Suhana Khan, to represent the team at the table. However, this year, all three of them gave the IPL auctions a miss. Meanwhile, it wasn’t that no one represented KKR at the table. This time, it was another star kid who took charge. Juhi Chawla's husband, Jay Mehta, and their daughter, Jahnavi Mehta, represented KKR. Juhi Chawla informed her fans through her social media stories that she had arrived in Jeddah for the auction, but she was not present at the table. Who is Jahnavi Mehta? While fans missed Shah Rukh Khan, Suhana Khan, and Aryan Khan at the auction, netizens have found their new IPL girl—Juhi's daughter, Jahnavi Mehta. But who is Jahnavi Mehta? She is the daughter of Juhi Chawla and Jay Mehta, who co-own the Kolkata Knight Riders with Shah Rukh Khan. This wasn’t her first time representing the team; earlier, in 2022, she sat beside Aryan Khan and Suhana Khan during the auction. Jahnavi graduated from the prestigious Columbia University in New York. According to her mom, this young KKR girl is a cricket buff. In 2022, Juhi called Jahnavi and SRK's kids the future of KKR and shared, "Not just the future, they are the present of the team. It is very funny how there was a time when our kids would be at home and we would be on the screen. Suddenly, it was the other way around because I was home watching my daughter on-screen. It was beautiful. God bless her, Aryan, and Suhana. I wish them all the best.” About IPL 2025 Auctions Among the several big-name players in the auction pool this year were Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jos Buttler, David Warner, Mitchell Starc, and Kagiso Rabada. In total, 577 players were shortlisted for this highly anticipated event. To note, Kolkata Knight Riders lifted the trophy of IPL 2024.
25 November,2024 04:46 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentNearly a month after Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor declared that he was single, dancing diva and fitness enthusiast Malaika Arora has also set the record straight about her relationship status. Malaika and Arjun started dating in 2018. The duo, however, had never opened up much about their relationship but kept posting romantic pictures from their vacations as well as wishing each other on birthdays. Earlier this year, it was reported that the two had parted ways. Malaika Arora announces her relationship status Malaika Arora took to Instagram and shared a template with three options - in a relationship, single, and hehehe. She ticked off the last one. Malaika was previously married to actor Arbaaz Khan. They have been co-parenting their son Arhaan since their divorce in 2017. Arbaaz, on the other hand, tied the knot with Sshura Khan in 2023. For those unversed, Malaika’s post comes a month after Arjun attended the Diwali bash hosted by politician Raj Thackeray at Shivaji Park in Mumbai with the team of ‘Singham Again’. As the crowd gathered outside and chanted Malaika’s name, Arjun replied that he was single. Malaika Arora and Arjun Kapoor’s work front On the work front, Malaika is best known for her dance numbers 'Gur Naal Ishq Mitha', 'Chaiyya Chaiyya', 'Rangilo Maro Dholna', and 'Munni Badnaam Hui' among others. She is currently one of the biggest advocates of yoga in B-town. Malaika has also appeared on several reality TV shows as a judge including ‘Zara Nachke Dikha’, ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’, and ‘India's Got Talent’. Coming to Arjun, the actor is basking in the success of ‘Singham Again’. His role as Danger Lanka was widely appreciated. Before Singham Again, Arjun experienced a professional lull, with films like 'Lady Killer' and 'Bhoot Police' failing to resonate with audiences. ‘Singham Again’ is directed by Rohit Shetty and also stars Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Tiger Shroff, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Akshay Kumar, and Ravi Kishan. Notably, 'Singham Again' also sees Bollywood superstar Salman Khan making a brief yet significant cameo, marking his entry into Rohit Shetty's cop universe. It is the fifth installment of Shetty's Cop Universe franchise. The movie has been given a spin on Ramayana.
25 November,2024 03:03 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, who is garnering rave reviews, courtesy of his latest film ‘I Want To Talk’ mentioned his actor-wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for the first time amid their ongoing divorce rumours. In an interview, Abhishek thanked the former Miss World for staying at home with their daughter Aaradhya, while he went out to make movies. Abhishek Bachchan thanks Aishwarya for being at home Aishwarya has only been a part of Mani Ratnam’s ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ and hasn’t been active on the film front. In an interview with The Hindu, Junior Bachchan recalled how his mother Jaya Bachchan also stepped away from acting for the sake of her children. “My mother stopped acting when I was born because she wanted to spend time with the children. We never felt the void of Dad not being around. I think at the end of the day after work, you come home at night,” he said. Drawing parallels between Jaya and Aishwarya, Abhishek added, “In my household, I’m lucky I get to go out and make movies but I know that Aishwarya is at home with Aaradhya and I thank her immensely for that but I don’t think the kids look at it that way. They don’t look at you as a third person, they look at you as the first person,” he said. Abhishek Bachchan-Aishwarya Rai divorce rumours Reports of possible tension in Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan's marriage have been circulating for some time. The couple, who tied the knot in a high-profile wedding in 2007, has been making headlines due to divorce speculations. Abhishek's alleged closeness to his ‘Dasvi’ co-star, Nimrat Kaur, along with complex family dynamics involving Shweta and Jaya Bachchan, are said to be contributing factors to the rumoured troubles. In July, the ‘Taal’ actress attended Anant Ambani’s wedding solo with her daughter Aaradhya, while the Bachchan family was present in full force. This further fuelled speculation about potential issues in her marriage. Additionally, during a recent episode of ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’, Amitabh Bachchan talked about the iconic song "Kajra Re," referencing Abhishek and Rani Mukerji but notably omitting Aishwarya, who also appeared in the music video. 'I Want to Talk' is directed by Shoojit Sircar and stars Abhishek in the lead role. The story explores complex emotional dynamics with Abhishek playing a pivotal character in the film grappling with deep emotional conflict. Shoojit Sircar and Ronnie Lahiri have produced the project under Rising Sun Films. The film released in theatres on November 22.
25 November,2024 02:55 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBollywood actress Mallika Sherawat, who returned to the movies with ‘Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video’ starring Rajkummar Rao and Triptii Dimri, has confirmed that she is single. Mallika, who was dating Cyrille Auxenfans, who hails from France, asserts that they broke up, and doesn’t intend to talk about it. Mallika Sherawat is officially single Speaking to Times of India, Mallika said, “It’s so difficult in this day and age to find a worthy man. It is true, I am single.” When asked about Cyrille, she stated, “We broke up... I really don't want to talk about it.” Asked if she believes in the institution of marriage, Mallika adds, “I’m not for it, but I’m not against it. I’m indifferent to it. It depends on what two people want.” Mallika Sherawat on being labelled a ‘sex symbol’ In the same interview, Mallika opened up on being tagged as a “sex symbol” which she found very regressive. She explains, “I believe boldness is in the mind.” When asked if the image cost her to lose out on projects, she added, “There are two sides of a coin. If you're too coy, then certain things don't work out for you. If you are bold, certain things don't work out for you. You must choose the best, with what's available. I like to focus my attention on what's working for me rather than what's not working for me. Because what's working for me has given me fame. It's made me extremely rich.” Mallika Sherawat’s acting front Mallika stepped into cinema in 2002 with the film ‘Jeena Sirf Merre Liye’, where she was credited as Reema Lamba. Her journey to stardom began in 2000 when she got the title of a sex symbol courtesy of her performance in the Emraan Hashmi-starrer ‘Murder’, a 2004 romantic thriller. The actress was then seen in the West with movies such as ‘Hisss’ and ‘Politics of Love’. Her credits also include movies including ‘Khwahish’, ‘Bachke Rehna Re Baba’, ‘Pyaar Ke Side Effects’, ‘Aap Ka Suroor - The Real Love Story’, ‘Welcome’ and ‘Kis Kis Ki Kismat’ among many others. Mallika’s movie ‘Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video’ marked her second Hindi film after two years. She was earlier seen in the Rajat Kapoor directorial ‘RK/RKay’.
25 November,2024 02:33 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentPoet and lyricist Gulzar is one of the most revered and beloved personalities thanks to the beautiful verses and songs he has gifted us with. His contribution to literature and cinema is unparalleled. Even at the age of 90, Gulzar continues to actively contribute to cinematic productions and attend literary events. He was in Delhi recently for such an event recently, and while returning from the capital, he received a warm welcome from the flight crew. Air India crew's sweet gesture for Gulzar The Padma Bhushan awardee was on an Air India flight from Delhi to Mumbai. He shared a post on Facebook about the warm hospitality of the flight crew. "Receiving this kind of warm welcome from the crew of AI-863 (Del-Bom) at this height, I really felt very high - higher than 35,000 ft in the sky. I love them all . Thank you very much Air India," he wrote in the post. The post included a photo of the flight crew's welcome note, which said, "Dear Mr Gulzar, we are truly delighted to have you on board today. Thank you for choosing to fly with us." Take a look: 'I haven't lost my childishness' The literary icon was in Delhi to speak at a session during the Sahitya Aaj Tak at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium. He said he believes that he hasn't lost his childishness and it is probably why he is able to come up with songs that resonate with audiences of all generations. "I feel I haven't grown up, and that's why I'm still a child. I haven't lost my childishness. I still play, write, and share the thoughts of young people and children like I did in the earlier days," the writer said. When asked about his ability to connect across ages, Gulzar referenced the writings of Rabindranath Tagore. "In Tagore's writing, there is a mention as well... Someone once asked him, 'Your hair is all white now, do you worry about 'pralok' (the afterlife)?' He said, 'Why do you just see my hair? I'm a poet of all ages.'"Whether you are with children or people of different ages, you speak differently with all of them, whether it is your grandfather, mother, brother or sister. One should remember that you live different lives in one life. And so I write songs for different ages," he said. (With PTI inputs)
25 November,2024 02:31 PM IST | MumbaiAmong several highlights of the much-anticipated Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directorial, Love and War, is his reunion with actor Ranbir Kapoor after 17 years. Since Bhansali announced the film earlier this year, his lead star remained tight-lipped about featuring in the love story, until today when Kapoor opened up about his excitement to go back to sets with the filmmaker, who launched in him in the movies. Speaking during a session at the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Kapoor, who began shooting for Love and War earlier this month, mentioned how he continues to remain in awe of Bhansali. "I am extremely excited to go back to sets with him. He is my godfather. Everything I know about films, everything I know about acting, it is something I learnt from him. So, for me, I am working with him again after 17 years, it still feels the same. I am still in awe of him. I respect him so much," the actor said. Kapoor further shared that Bhansali is as obsessed about the movies, his characters and stories as he was when they shot Sawariya. "He hasn't changed at all. He is extremely hard working, all he thinks about is his movies, he just wants to speak about the character, he wants you to create, do something different. So I am extremely excited," the actor smiled as the crowd cheered on. Besides Kapoor, Love and War also stars actor-wife Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal. Though the film's announcement left fans excited for the multiple reunions the romantic drama ensures, they were surprised with the collaboration between Kapoor and Bhansali, courtesy the conflicting history they have shared. While the actor has always maintained that the filmmaker was his guidebook to acting, on several occasions, Kapoor has also spoken candidly about his difficult experience working with Bhansali, saying that he used to yell and scold him on Sawariya sets.
25 November,2024 01:33 PM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaRanbir Kapoor's last release, Animal (2023), is one of the most successful yet polarising films of recent times. While Kapoor's perfomance as a son, who turns revengeful in his obsession for his father, was appreciated, the film was criticised representation of violence and misogyny. Even as 2024 comes to an end, the discourse around the Sandeep Reddy Vanga-directorial continues. So, when Kapoor graced the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI) to speak at a session dedicated to celebrate the life and work of his grandfather-filmmaker-actor late Raj Kapoor, an audience member stated how contemporary Hindi films, including Animal, show excessive violence that can leave a negative impact on the society. He went on to ask the Bollywood star his opinion on the social responsibility of film artistes. To which, the actor replied, "I completely agree with your opinion. As actors, this is our responsibility to bring movies that makes a positive impact to the society. But having said that, as an actor, it’s important for me to dabble in different genres and characters, and play varied roles. But what you are saying is absolutely true. We have to be more responsible towards the kind of films we make." While making his point, the audience member also referred to the times when Kapoor's late grandfather Raj Kapoor made movies, saying that the bygones era didn't have movies showing violence. Kapoor was speaking at the ongoing 55th edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI), where he attended a session to discuss the works and life of his grandfather. The actor revealed that a Raj Kapoor film festival would be held next month, which would including a re-release of his classics. "With NFDC (National Film Development Corporation of India), NFAI (National Film Archive of India), my uncle Kunal Kapoor and Film Heritage Foundation, we have started restoring his films.We have done 10 films so far and we have much more to do. So we are going to have a film festival from 13th to 15th December. All over India, we are going to release his movies. So, I am really hopeful, you guys will check out his work because there are so many people who haven't seen his work," he said.
25 November,2024 01:32 PM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaPushparaj Allu Arjun is the latest superstar to enter the Thunder-verse. He has been signed in as the brand ambassador of the popular soft drink brand Thums Up. Reportedly, with this deal he has become the highest-paid ambassador in Asia for any commercial. Allu Arjun's demand in the endorsement market has only increased with high anticipation around the release of his film 'Pushpa: The Rule', a sequel to his 2021 release 'Pushpa: The Rise'. The first part directed by Sukumar earned a cult following and also won Allu Arjun his first national Award for Best Actor. The upcoming film is expected to break all records at the box office and not just in the southern states but across the country. Allu Arjun getting on board as the brand ambassador of a brand like Thums Up only proves that he has great influence not only in Indian but also the international market, Thumbs up through the collaboration is looking to expand its reach across Asia and elevate its value. The beverage brand had reached billion-dollar sales in 2021 and enjoyed a 20% market share as of 2022. Over the years, Thums Up has seen several big stars from the film and cricket business become the face of the brand. The brand has always benefitted from current trends by associating with names who were making headlines. In early 2022, it was announced that Shah Rukh Khan was onboarded at the brand ambassador. It was a time the actor was working on his comeback projects like 'Pathaan', 'Dunki' and 'Jawan' all of which was released in 2023. "Teaming up with King Khan, the brand amplifies this core value and adds an action-packed cinematic storytelling with SRK portraying both reel and real-life hero in the ad-film," said a joint statement. Apart from King Khan, Telugu star Vijay Deverakonda, cricketer Jasmit Bumrah and Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeepa are also faces of the brand at present. Past brand ambassadors of Thums Up Akshay Kumar was among the first prominent face of the Thums Up from Bollywood and was associated with the brand for eight years. Salman Khan was the face of the brand till 2016. The company also tied with Khan's movie 'Dabangg 2' and his charitable organisation as part of the deal. In 2016, the brand parted ways with the superstar as they reportedly wanted a younger face to align with its flagship brand. The company also cited Khan's commitment to a daily TV show sponsored by a competitor brand. Then came in Ranveer Singh as the brand ambassador. In 2023 February, Ranveer became the face of rival brand Pepsi, hence ending his association with Thums Up. Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu was among the first south star to become the face of the brand. He endorsed it till 2021.
25 November,2024 01:25 PM IST | MumbaiADVERTISEMENT
