Actor Junaid Khan, the son of Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, who made his debut with the streaming film ‘Maharaj’, is set to perform a theatre play on Friday coinciding with the song release from his upcoming movie ‘Loveyapa’. After the announcement of the release date of ‘Loveyapa’, Junaid is performing for the first time at Prithvi Theatre. ‘Loveyapa’ also stars Khushi Kapoor. This marks Junaid’s second film after ‘Maharaj’ which was based on journalist and social reformer Karsandas Mulji, who himself was a Hindu. Having studied at the Elphinstone College in Mumbai, Karsandas Mulji, played by Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan’s son - Junaid in the film, was a protege of the scholar-leader Dadabhai Naoroji. He was a member of the Gujarati Gnanprasarak Mandalli (Gujarati Society for the Spread of Knowledge), and was a friend of prominent Gujarati reformists such as poet Narmad and educationist Mahipatram Neelkanth. He founded the Gujarati language weekly, ‘Satyaprakash’ in 1855 in order to leverage mass communication for social reform. Six years later, the newspaper was merged with his guru’s Anglo-Gujarati newspaper Rast Goftar published from then Bombay, which at that point included parts of Gujarat as Bombay presidency. Mulji wrote on widow remarriage, female education, excessive spending in pompous marriages, indecent songs sung during marriages, the funeral ritual of chest beating, and he stood up for the oppressed, calling for a social reform. Many of the evil practices in the society got abolished because of Mulji, who like his mentor believed in effective functioning of the society by weeding out its evils. He wrote many notable articles. The one that made huge noise at the time was the one titled ‘Gulamikhat’. In the article, he criticised the sign campaign and the process of law-making by Vaishnavas which allowed the Maharaj (religious heads) to not have to visit the court owing to their religious status. However, it was the article titled ‘Hinduo No Asli Dharam Ane Atyar Na Pakhandi Mato’ (The Primitive Religion of the Hindus and the Present Heterodox Opinions) published by him on September 21, 1890 in ‘Satyaprakash’. The article criticised Vaishnava Archaryas (Hindu religious leaders) for their behaviour. The article resulted in the Maharaj Libel Case in 1862 on which the Netflix film is based. Meanwhile, on the work front, Junaid Khan also has an upcoming film with Sai Pallavi. 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
03 January,2025 08:04 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSBollywood actress Sara Ali Khan recently revealed that she spent the first dinner of 2025 with her "mommy jaan," Amrita Singh. Sara welcomed the new year in Goa, accompanied by her mother. Sharing this beautiful moment, she posted a collage on Instagram Stories featuring her "Mommy Jaan" as they enjoyed their first dinner of the year together. The mother-daughter duo radiated joy as they posed for the pictures. The ‘Simmba ‘actress shared some lovely selfies with her mother, Amrita. In the pictures, Sara looked stunning in a green and black printed outfit with her hair neatly tied up and minimal earrings. Meanwhile, Amrita kept it casual in a multi-coloured shirt. Sara captioned the post, “First dinner of the year with Mommy Jaan.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sara Ali Khan (@saraalikhan95) Yesterday, the ‘Atrangi Re’ star expressed her gratitude for the year 2024. In an emotional post, she reflected on the unforgettable moments that made the year special. Sara wrote, "Thank you 2024 for all the sunrises, sunsets, movies, masti, full moon rises, starry skies, pools, treks, friends, memories, saag, coffees, flights, workouts, mommy’s laughter, Iggy’s joy, doston ka Sahara, Kedarnath ki yatra, Rajdhani ke chakkar, Jaisalmer ka sand, cruise ke waters, behti hui Ganga, Ma ka UK , mera Uttarakhand aur itni sukh, shaanti. 2025 can’t wait to cherish all the moments of bliss I eagerly await while currently cherishing and reminiscing the moments that create this year.” On the professional front, Sara is set to star in “Sky Force,” where she'll share the screen with Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur, and Veer Pahariya. Produced by Dinesh Vijan, Amar Kaushik, and Jyoti Deshpande, the film will explore a lesser-known chapter of India's history. It is set to release in theatres on January 24, 2025. Additionally, she will appear in Anurag Basu's upcoming anthology “Metro In Dino," alongside an ensemble cast including Aditya Roy Kapur, Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Pankaj Tripathi, Konkona Sen Sharma, Ali Fazal, and Fatima Sana Shaikh. 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
03 January,2025 07:44 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSJust in Colour coordinated: Sharad Kelkar, wife Keerti Gaekwad Kelkar and daughter Kesha; If looks could kill: Salman Khan; Pretty belle: Amyra Dastur Together, but not together: Ibrahim Ali Khan and Palak Tiwari; Always with me: Sreeleela with mom Swarnalatha
03 January,2025 07:25 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamAlia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor are currently vacationing in Thailand with their family and close friends. Several pictures from their trip have surfaced online. The latest image, shared on social media, shows the entire family having a fun time on a yacht. Ranbir’s sister, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, posted the photos on Instagram, where they all pose together, evoking Hum Saath Saath Hain vibes. “Memories made together last a lifetime,” she captioned the image. Besides Ranbir and Alia, baby Raha adds her cute presence to the mix. Others on the trip include Riddhima, her husband Bharat Sahni, and daughter Samara Sahni, Neetu Kapoor, Soni Razdan, Rohit Dhawan, his wife Jaanvi, and filmmaker Ayan Mukerji.
03 January,2025 07:22 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamThere seems to be little respite for Indian filmmakers in the absence of laws that help them deal with unauthorised sharing of cinematic content. A day after mid-day reported that prints of Baby John had been pirated and made available on Telegram (Won’t Play The Piracy Game, January 2), comes news that the production team of Dhurandhar finds itself dealing with a breach. Yesterday, images of leading men Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna were circulated online, compelling director Aditya Dhar and the team to ramp up security. An insider from the set described what unfolded after the pictures went viral, stating, “The images were everywhere within hours. We were halfway through filming a crucial action scene, and a whole video of them blazing guns has been leaked. These looks were supposed to be revealed in a grand campaign. We even shot in other cities to avoid [a leak]. It’s disheartening.” Leaked images of Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna Following the incident, security protocols on the set have been intensified. The crew member added, “We’ve implemented a minimal-phone policy for everyone. There’s a team monitoring the perimeter of the set to stop unauthorised access. Delivery guys, caterers, and even our own assistants are being screened. Since we are shooting on the streets, the production has requested support from local authorities to cordon off the area.”
03 January,2025 06:59 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar BasuSara Arfeen, who was seen in Rohit Shetty's cop drama Singham Again, recently got evicted from the Salman Khan-hosted reality show Bigg Boss 18. Sara, who had a relatively small but substantial role in the cop drama, told Mid-Day that she is upset with the Singham makers as her part was chopped in the film, including a very crucial scene of her shooting herself in front of Arjun Kapoor. Sara Arfeen upset with Singham Again makers The actress, who debuted on the big screen with Rohit's cop universe, played the role of Kareena Kapoor's assistant, who backstabbed her due to a secret revenge. Sara shared that people have messaged her about her performance in the film, leaving her surprised as her most important part was chopped off. The actress shared, "I am glad that people noticed my part in the film because one very important scene of mine, which was only with Arjun Kapoor, where I shoot myself, was cut. It was a very big scene, a confrontation scene, and I was really counting on it. Otherwise, I wasn't sure if people would notice me. But I received a lot of messages. Just imagine, the biggest scene of mine was cut, so I am quite upset." Sara Arfeen on Karan Veer Mehra Further in the conversation, Sara opened up about her Bigg Boss 18 journey and talked about the most talked-about incident where Karan Veer Mehra allegedly pinned her down on the ground during a task. While alleging Karan Veer Mehra is an abusive individual, Sara shared, "After being this unapologetic about what he did, he says that his mother teaches men how to talk to women, and that he is very polite with women and doesn’t abuse them. But his actions contradict his statement, especially considering the fact that he’s been divorced twice." Sara Arfeen on Vivian Dsena Not only Karan, but Vivian Dsena was also on Sara's radar. While questioning the gameplay of 'Colors ka ladla,' she shared, "Vivian is a dogla person for me because he trapped me in relationships and then told me to get out. His game is all about relationships; he forms bonds with everyone and then plays with them." Before entering the Bigg boss 18 house, Sara Arfeen was last seen in Rohit Shetty's Singham Again. The movie features Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Arjun Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, and Tiger Shroff in the lead roles. Stay Tuned to Mid-Day for more updates on Bigg Boss 18 & everything else happening in Tinsel town.
03 January,2025 06:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Shachi ChaturvediBollywood couple Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor jetted off to Thailand with the rest of their family members to ring in the New Year. After Riddhima Kapoor Sahni shared glimpses from the fam-jam on a yacht, Alia took to Instagram and shared a series of pictures from their trip. However, Raha as usual grabbed eyeballs for her epic expressions. Raha’s reaction to Ranbir kissing Alia Alia shared the pictures from their Thailand trip on Instagram and wrote, “2025: where love leads & the rest just follows...!! Happy New Year all.” The first picture shows Raha looking intently into the camera as she catches her dad Ranbir planting a kiss on mom Alia’s cheek. In another picture, Alia shows Raha the picturesque view of the sky. She also shared selfies with Soni Razdan, Shaheen Bhatt, Neetu Kapoor, and Ayan Mukerji. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alia Bhatt 💛 (@aliaabhatt) Alia and Ranbir tied the knot in April 2022, after several years of dating. Their daughter, Raha was born in November 2022. The little one recently stole hearts at the family’s annual Christmas lunch, where she gave flying kisses to the paparazzi stationed outside for a photo call. In an earlier interview with Allure magazine, Alia, who graced the cover described her daughter saying, “She’s naughty. She’s chatty. She has moments of being shy. She’s just her own person, but she’s very bright.” Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor’s work front Meanwhile, on the work front, Alia is busy filming her upcoming movie Alpha. Directed by Shiv Rawail, Alpha is set to be a notable addition to Yash Raj Films' acclaimed spy universe and is scheduled for release on December 25. On the other hand, Ranbir was last seen in Animal alongside Triptii Dimri and Rashmika Mandanna. The actor also has the sequel of Animal, titled Animal Park. Apart from this, he has Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Love And War alongside Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal. He will also be seen in Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana’. Produced by Namit Malhotra, the epic saga will feature Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram. Sai Pallavi will star as Sita, and Yash as Ravana, with the first installment slated for release in 2026, and the second part will release in 2027.
02 January,2025 09:08 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMaddock Films had a successful year as it delivered the blockbuster film Stree 2 and hit films like Munjya, and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. Maddock Films has cemented itself as an experimenter with innovative storytelling. Maddock Films has now announced an expansive slate of upcoming films, including the highly anticipated Shakti Shalini and Chamunda. These films promise to expand the studio's cinematic universe, by introducing new characters and twists to the already existing horror universe. Maddock Films reveal upcoming movies Maddock Films ventured into the horror-comedy genre in India with the 2018 blockbuster Stree, and blended spine-chilling thrills, humour, and desi folklore. This resonated with audiences, propelling horror comedy into further mainstream. With its latest announcement, Maddock Films is embarking on its most ambitious venture yet: a visionary, interconnected cinematic universe of horror-comedy superheroes. Spanning the next four years, this narrative will culminate in Mahayudh, a two-part saga set to redefine the boundaries of horror-comedy in Indian cinema. Bringing together superheroes from across the Maddock horror-comedy universe, Mahayudh promises to push the limits of both genre and scale. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maddock Films (@maddockfilms) Maddock Films will release epic battle films in 2028 The year 2025 will see the release of Thama on Diwali, and Shakti Shalini on December 31. Bhediya 2 will hit cinemas on August 14, 2026. Chamunda will be released on December 4, 2026. The year 2027 will see the release of Stree 3 on August 13, 2026, and Maha Munjya on December 24. 2028 will see the release of two mega battles- Pehla Mahayudh on August 11 and Doosara Mahayudh on Diwali, on October 18. Dinesh Vijan, who is at the helm of Maddock Horror Comedy Universe, said, "Our mission at Maddock has always been to innovate and entertain. We've crafted compelling characters that resonate with audiences, grounded in India's rich culture and heritage. This deep connection has made our stories not just relatable, but also meaningful. Also, with a passionate and devoted fanbase, we’re now setting the stage for something even bigger: a cinematic universe that brings unforgettable characters and their stories to life like never before. We can’t wait to take audiences on this journey through 2028 and beyond – and we are just getting started!"
02 January,2025 08:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentSooraj Barjatya's 1989 film Maine Pyar Kiya starring Salman Khan and Bhagyashree proved as a big break for both actors. Salman had appeared in a small role in the film Biwi Ho Toh Aisi earlier, but this was his first film as the lead. Bhagyashree marked her debut with this film. Sooraj Barjatya had auditioned many actors for his film and one of them was Upasana Singh. Upasana Singh reveals she was the first choice for Maine Pyar Kiya's Suman The Kapil Sharma Show fame Upasana Singh recently revealed in an interview with Siddharth Kannan that she was rejected for the role of Suman because she was taller than Salman Khan. She recalled she was selected by Sooraj Barjatya after the first round of audition, but his father Raj Kumar Barjatya did not deem her fit for the role. Upasana mentioned that she met director Sooraj Barjatya when she first came to Mumbai. She recalled, “He told me everything about the film, my role. And he selected me. After that, he said you come tomorrow and meet my father but from my end, you are okay. The next day, I met his father and he rejected me. They are very sweet people so he did not say rejected but they did not call me again.” Upasana mentioned that many years later, she worked with Rajshri Productions on Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon and that is when Raj Kumar Barjatya revealed to the film's cast and crew that Upasana was their first choice for the role of Suman. She recalled the anecdote from the set and said, “He said, ‘Did you know who was our first choice for Maine Pyar Kiya?’ Kareena, Abhishek, and Hrithik were all there. I had never told people about it because I lost out on the role. Then he said ‘It was Upasana’. Everyone on set was shocked to hear this. Upasana replied to this, by saying, "But because of you I didn’t get the role." He said ‘if I had selected you, then you would have also left the movies like Bhagyashree." Upasana Singh reveals the real reason for her rejection Upasana later revealed the real reason for not being cast as Suman and it was because she was tall. "He said ‘I am not making an excuse, but you were taller than Salman’. That is what I was told. They wanted someone who was a little shorter than Salman so that’s why they didn’t cast me. They were not lying,” she recalled. Maine Pyar Kiya proved to be a massive hit at the box office and Salman and Bhagyashree gained instant success and stardom after its release.
02 January,2025 08:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBollywood superstar Akshay Kumar decided to take some time off from his busy schedule to spend time with his family. The actor, along with his wife Twinkle Khanna, son Aarav, and daughter Nitara kickstarted the New Year with a trip to Jaipur, Rajasthan. Pictures and videos of the superstar have surfaced on social media as he arrived in the pink city. Akshay Kumar with family at leopard safari A video of Akshay's fun family time has surfaced on social media. The 'Welcome' star can be seen enjoying a ride amidst nature in the Jhalana Leopard Safari, Jaipur. Another video shows him receiving a warm welcome from the forest officials. अभिनेता अक्षय कुमार पहुँचे झालाना लेपर्ड सफारी #Jaipur pic.twitter.com/XW9oNYA9GR — Naresh Sarnau (Bishnoi) (@NSarnauaajtak) January 2, 2025 Bollywood Superstar Akshay Kumar Family Ke Sath Aaye Jaipur Ki Jhalana Lepard 🐆 Safari #akshay #AkshayKumar #akshaykumarfan #akshaysuperstar @akshaykumar @bolly_talkies @Bollyhungama @bollywood_life pic.twitter.com/7hlxbVeLWq — Sourabh Panthari Bhardwaj (@PanthariSourabh) January 2, 2025 According to the Rajasthan government's website, Jhalana Leopard Safari Park is surrounded by Aravali hills, the oldest mountain series in India. Jhalana became a leopard reserve in 2017. The reserve is spread over an area of 20 square kilometers, with immense flora and fauna present in the park. Akshay and Twinkle tied the knot on January 17, 2001. They are proud parents of a son named Aarav and a daughter named Nitara, who was born in 2012. Twinkle quit acting in 2001 after starring in a string of films. She ventured into writing in 2015 and released her first book titled 'Mrs Funnybones'. She followed it up with an anthology of stories titled 'The Legend Of Lakshmi Prasad' in 2017 and 'Pyjamas Are Forgiving', which came out in 2018. In 2023, she came up with 'Welcome to Paradise' book. Akshay Kumar’s work front Meanwhile, Akshay has an exciting lineup for 2025 including the historical war drama, Sky Force. Abhishek Anil Kapur and Sandeep Kewlani have jointly directed the movie slated to release on Republic Day 2025. He will be seen sharing screen space with Nimrat Kaur, Sara Ali Khan, and Veer Pahariya in the drama inspired by India's air attack on the Sargodha airbase of Pakistan during the 1965 Indo-Pakistani war. In addition to this, Akshay will also be seen alongside Arshad Warsi in the highly-anticipated installment of Jolly LLB 3. Moreover, Akshay will star in Tarun Mansukhani's Housefull 5 co-starring Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Fardeen Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, Nargis Fakhri, Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Nana Patekar, and Chunky Pandey. He further has Priyadarshan's Bhooth Bangla, and Welcome To The Jungle waiting to be released in 2025.
02 January,2025 07:19 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAlmost a month after Allu Arjun's arrest, because a fan died in Sandhya theatre during the stampede at the premiere of the film, producer Boney Kapoor has reacted on the case. Boney Kapoor said that Allu Arjun was 'unnecessarily dragged' in the case as the death was largely due to the large number of crowd gathered there. Boney Kapoor defends Allu Arjun in a recent interview In a recent interview with Galatta Plus, Boney Kapoor mentioned that he was amazed to see the craze of South Indian fans for the stars. He said, "When I first saw, Ajith's film releasing at 1 in the morning. I was shocked to see 20-25k people outside the theatre. After I came out of the show around 3.30-4 am, there were still that many people outside. I am told the same thing happens with films of Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, or present-day stars like Jr NTR, Ram Charan, and Mahesh Babu." Boney Kapoor defended the Pushpa 2 star, Allu Arjun, and said, "Ticket rates are inflated on the first two days or at least the first day for extra shows. That is why this situation has arisen where unnecessarily Allu Arjun was dragged and blamed for the death of a fan. It was only because of the crowd that had gathered to see the film." Earlier, Varun Dhawan, Nani, Rashmika Mandanna, and Pawan Kalyan came out in support of the Pushpa 2 actor. Allu Arjun's Pushpa 2 screening stampede case at Sandhya theatre On the eve of Pushpa 2's release, a special screening of the film was kept for the fans at Hyderabad's Sandhya Theatre. Allu Arjun arrived with actress Rashmika Mandanna and wife Sneha Reddy unexpectedly and a large crowd gathered at the theatre. This led to a stampede-like situation, causing the death of a 35-year-old woman, Revathi. Her 8-year-old son was admitted to the hospital in a critical situation. The state government alleged that Allu Arjun appeared at the theatre unannounced and without permission. He also refused to leave after being told of the situation. Allu Arjun has dismissed these claims. The actor was arrested last month on the charges of culpable homicide among other things. But he was released the following day after the Telangana High Court granted him interim bail. The case is currently under investigation.
02 January,2025 05:33 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
