Sanjay Gupta was developing crime thriller CIU as his web series debut
4:33 PM
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; November 4, 2026)
Few things excited Sanjay Gupta as much as the prospect of helming a riveting crime thriller. And the filmmaker had zeroed in on one such subject before his sudden death on October 30. mid-day has learnt that he was developing the screen adaptation of the true crime thriller, CIU: Criminals In Uniform, written by investigative journalists Dr Sanjay Singh and Rakesh Trivedi. Gupta, who would have made his web series debut with it, was planning it as an eight-part series.
Speaking to mid-day, Singh revealed that the filmmaker had approached Naseeruddin Shah, Anil Kapoor, Akshaye Khanna, and Dia Mirza for the series.
“Sanjay Gupta held several meetings with us and had prepared an elaborate pitch deck. He was in discussions with Anil Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, Akshaye Khanna, Emraan Hashmi, Atul Kulkarni, Mahesh Manjrekar, and Ronit Bose Roy. His ambition was to create one of India’s most star-studded web series.”
Inspired by the 2021 Antilia bomb scare, CIU: Criminals In Uniform is a fictionalised telling of how the controversial head of Mumbai Police’s Crime Investigation Unit leads the probe after explosives are found in a vehicle parked outside the house of a wealthy business tycoon.
Singh added, “Sanjay believed the book had potential for a gripping web series. He understood the sensitivity of the subject.”
Gupta’s 32-year career was built on stylised crime thrillers and action dramas like Kaante (2002), Zinda (2006), Shootout at Wadala (2013), and Kaabil (2017). What distinguished him from other filmmakers, according to Singh, was that his stories were never only about the crime. “It was about the people, circumstances, hidden truths, and the larger story that the public had never been told.”
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The roles they were envisioned in
Anil Kapoor as Commissioner, Mumbai Police; Naseeruddin Shah as a bureaucrat; Akshaye Khanna as Assistant Commissioner of Police; Emraan Hashmi as a senior inspector
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Sanjay Singh revealed that Sanjay Gupta was keen on revisiting the 1978 Ranga-Billa case, despite Prime Video’s ‘Raakh’ having recently explored the story.
He shared, “I’ve written a book on Ranga and Billa, and Sanjay was interested in bringing their story to the screen. When ‘Raakh’ came out, Sanjay felt that the makers had missed an opportunity to explore a much more complex crime story. He believed there was still tremendous potential to make a powerful and factually accurate web series on them”
Prabhas to wrap Fauzi by December before resuming Kalki 2 shoot
4:29 PM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 3, 2026)
On Prabhas’s birthday last month, the makers announced that Fauzi would arrive in cinemas on March 19, 2027, instead of its previously announced December 2026 release. With director Hanu Raghavapudi’s feature getting pushed by three months, the actor will now have to juggle it with Kalki 2, which filmmaker Nag Ashwin intends to wrap by March-end.
While Prabhas recently resumed the shoot of Kalki 2, also starring Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan, his dates for the sci-fi action film are now being worked around those of Fauzi.
A source shared, “Fauzi has to be completed on priority. There is very little room to push the shoot around, considering the release date.”
With the actor hopefully wrapping the period drama by December, he can then give his undivided attention to Kalki 2.
The source added, “Nag Ashwin wants to wrap his film by March 31, as post-production on such a VFX-heavy film will also take time. It is a massive project, and getting everyone’s dates together is a task in itself.”
I've honestly not seen 13 Reasons Why, says Student Of The Year: After Dark director Reema Maya
4:26 PM
With ‘Student Of The Year: After Dark’ being compared to ‘13 Reasons Why’, director Reema Maya says her aim was to make an Indian YA story about the pressure on today’s youth
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 3, 2026)
Confusion was Reema Maya’s first reaction when she was approached to direct the newest instalment of Student Of The Year (SOTY). Having made independent movies and music videos, she wasn’t an expected choice for filmmaker Karan Johar’s franchise that offers a glossy take on campus life. Recalling her first conversation with Johar, she said, “I remember Karan saying, ‘I want you to make it your own.’ He has been true to his word.” The result is Student of the Year: After Dark.
The first two instalments of Student Of The Year were built around romance, rivalry and the glossy world of elite campus life. But when filmmaker Reema Maya was approached to direct the next chapter of the franchise, she wasn't particularly interested in revisiting that territory. Student Of The Year: After Dark takes the familiar school setting and turns it into a murder mystery, with competition, friendships and the insecurities of growing up forming the crux of the story. For Maya, the opportunity came with an unusual degree of creative freedom from franchise creator Karan Johar, who wanted her to bring her own sensibility to the property.
“I've been making music videos and advertising. I've made two short films that went to Sundance. So, this was a completely different world. Suddenly, I was asked if I'd be down to direct a commercial franchise that has been so loved and so popular. My first reaction was a little bit of confusion about why this had come to me,” she recalls.
The conversation with Johar, however, settled her doubts. “They've really been true to that word (of giving autonomy). I guess they'd seen a lot of my work and saw in it some potential that resonated with them enough to trust me with a baby that is so close to Karan's heart. Of course, it means a lot, but it's also a big burden and responsibility.”
The filmmaker says the decision to take the franchise into darker territory came from looking at what the young adult genre and the competition format could offer together. While the earlier films were romantic comedies, she saw an opportunity to use the premise to explore the pressures faced by young people today. “The idea was always supposed to be something that resonates with the youth. It is a very genre-specific franchise, and the first two editions were, of course, rom-coms. I think it was Karan's idea and JioHotstar's idea to see if we could reimagine the franchise. That's when they reached out to me.”
She adds, “Young adult is a genre we don't make enough content in, and we should make more of it. We are a country where the majority of the population is youth, and we need to speak to them more. The second thing was that it's Student Of The Year. It's a competition series, which is such a fun genre to experiment with. I thought I had the opportunity to make a young adult competition series that would have a massive outreach. I then asked myself what I really wanted to see and what conversation I wanted to have with the youth of our country.”
The answer, she says, was the intense culture of competition that has come to define education, friendships and even personal relationships. “I realised that the conversation I wanted to have was about this intense sense of competitiveness that people are constantly being pitted against each other with. We're constantly put in a mind frame of compete, compete, compete, win, win, succeed, succeed. There isn't enough for everyone. So, what does that do to minds? What does that do to friendships and relationships? That was what I wanted to explore through this project and this opportunity. That's how Student Of The Year: After Dark came into being. We wanted to do something that feels relevant to today, something that feels like a conversation you have with the youth of today.”
Turning an established film franchise into a series also gave her more room to develop its characters. Rather than treating the school as a backdrop for a handful of rivalries, Maya wanted to spend time understanding the motivations of the larger group. Her writing process, she says, begins with conversations and observations from real life.
“The fact that this changed into a series from a film helped immensely because the canvas is a lot wider. You can spend more time with the characters and build their arcs a lot more. It is a young adult show set in a high school, so obviously there's going to be a gang of friends, and each person is different. It gave us a wider canvas to build characters who are different from each other and understand them a little better,” she says.
“For me, research starts very simply, within real life. I start by talking to everyone who's either in that age group right now or asking people what they felt and went through when they were in that age bracket. It is really from those life experiences that I decide what world we want to build. From those realities, you then start layering things and building the fiction.”
Working with an existing property, however, came with its own set of expectations. Maya was conscious that the series had to feel fresh without losing the elements that audiences associate with Student Of The Year.
“This one was a bit tricky because it's an existing franchise. There are expectations with it, and it's also supposed to be commercial. That's what Student Of The Year is known for. So, how do you make something that feels new but also feels the right amount of familiar? That was the trickiest thing to do, to see how you balance it. You can get it right or get it wrong, but you have to try and see how you can craft it.”
The darker tone has already prompted comparisons with international young adult shows, particularly 13 Reasons Why. Maya, however, says she hasn't watched the series and is reluctant to let external reference points dictate how Indian stories in the genre are received.
“I've honestly not seen 13 Reasons Why, so I don't know if someone watched the show and told me if it is similar, because I really don't know. But I want India to keep making more and more young adult content so that everything is not compared to an external reference point, and we start believing more in the originality of our own storytelling,” she says.
She is quick to add that she understands why viewers draw such comparisons. “I don't blame audiences either. If you have certain reference points of a particular genre, it's completely understandable that that's what you will think of. But trust me, watch the show.”
Maya says her approach to the series was guided by its themes rather than an attempt to replicate the visual language of popular international shows. “My process is very theme- and objective-based. It starts from the theme of the film and how we want to communicate that to the audience. That's what everything else is built around. When you come into an existing project and have to do your own iteration of it, you have to stay true to the genre. If you're saying this is a young adult murder mystery, there are certain expectations you have to fulfil. If you're saying it's a competition series, there are certain expectations of that genre too. You keep crafting it and see how you can communicate what you really want to say in a way that is as authentic as possible.”
The filmmaker also believes the darker treatment allows the series to acknowledge the anger and frustration that accompany growing up. Having been a teenager herself, she says the emotional intensity of that period is something that stays with people long after they leave school.
“It's something I relate to quite a bit. We've all been teenagers once, and we all know what a frustrating experience that is. In so many ways, that feeling doesn't leave you because it happens at such a formative moment in your life. The grit and angst of the youth will always find its way into the young adult genre. Because this is After Dark, it allowed me to put in all the rage, anger and grit, but also the perseverance and determination that our youth have,” she says.
She also believes rage is an emotion that needs to be acknowledged rather than automatically dismissed. “I believe rage is a very important emotion. We often misunderstand it and think it's something to be suppressed, but it is something to be acknowledged.”
The series was written and shot over the past two years, making the subsequent rise of student movements across the world an interesting parallel for Maya. She says much of the material had already been developed before those developments came into focus.
Casting was another important part of the process. Given that the franchise has served as a launchpad for several young actors, there may have been expectations of familiar faces returning. Maya, however, was more interested in finding fresh talent for the new edition.
“We were thinking the opposite, actually. I wanted to really find and give this opportunity to young, new talent that deserved the stage. Our casting process was quite intensive. The characters were complex, and every character has so many shades that whoever is playing them has to be able to play the entire spectrum of emotions. We were really intensive in trying to find the right people who had that range. Performance was the only consideration when we chose people,” she says.
At the centre of the ensemble is Shanaya Kapoor, who plays twin sisters Aayesha and Aditi. The two characters are markedly different, and Maya says the actor had to navigate the demands of playing both over the course of the shoot. She remembers being struck by how completely Kapoor immersed herself in the roles.
“Shanaya was wonderful. She had a lot to figure out on her plate because she's playing not one, but two characters who are diametrically opposite to each other. And she was there for it. When she was one sister, she was a completely different person,” Maya says.
Recalling an instance from the shoot, she adds, “We were looking at some behind-the-scenes photographs and laughing about the fact that even when she was standing with me, looking at the monitor, she was still in character. For that entire duration, day in and day out, she had just become Aditi. After the shoot got done, when I met her, she spoke differently. She spoke like herself. But for that entire duration, she had just become the protagonist.”
Maya says the entire young cast was equally willing to put in the work required by the series. “It was a blast. This cast was so dedicated. They were so willing to push themselves from a craft perspective, emotionally and physically. It was gruelling. Once you see it, you'll know what all they've had to do for the show. They were down for it. They wanted to do more at every step. It's such a blessing.”
The experience also brought the director closer to the actors, many of whom were navigating demanding roles in a relatively early stage of their careers. “By the end of it, I felt like their teacher. They were my students, my babies. We're all very close and emotionally attached to each other. Even at the trailer launch, you could see the friendship and camaraderie that had developed between the group.”
While the series is set in the privileged surroundings of St Teresa's Heritage School, Maya says she was conscious of ensuring that the characters did not all come from the same background or experience the same challenges. Representation, she says, was an important consideration while building the ensemble.
“I actually care a lot about representation. You have to write in characters who feel true to the story but who also have a resonance in some way. That doesn't mean they have to talk exactly like everybody else or have the exact same problems. But there has to be some emotional resonance that the audience feels towards these characters,” she says.
She adds, “We have a gang, and there are so many different people in the cast. Each person comes from a different background, is battling different aspects of life and dealing with different challenges as a teenager. I was particularly mindful because it's supposed to be this rich school called St Teresa's Heritage School, and it's supposed to be really posh. How do I work in characters who don't come from immense privilege within that palette? We've tried to do that.”
Rejections as a door-to-door salesperson taught me important life lessons-Swanand Kirkire
4:18 PM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; November 4, 2026)
Three-time National Film Award-winning lyricist, writer and actor Swanand Kirkire is set to return to theatre as a writer and director after 10 years and as an actor after five years with Yo Brother, This Is 95 - A Musical, which will premiere at the Prithvi Theatre Festival. Interestingly, the play draws from a phase in his own life when he worked as a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesperson in the early 1990s. Set against the backdrop of 1995, it follows a group of young salespeople trying to make a living in a world increasingly driven by targets, incentives and the promise of success.
Swanand says, “Yo Brother, This Is 95 is set at a time when India was entering a new era of aspirations, opportunities and consumerism, with targets, incentives and growth becoming part of everyday conversations. These economic changes gradually began shaping relationships, ambitions and the way people measured success. Through the lives of these young salespeople, we are trying to explore that shift with humour, music and a little bit of discomfort. At its heart, this is a story about ordinary people, their dreams and the compromises they make along the way. I also wanted to tell the story of the beginning of the era of globalisation and liberalisation, when foreign money was coming in and aspirations were changing.”
Rejection, humiliation and life lessons
His own stint in door-to-door sales provided the material for the play, while exposing him to the varied experiences of people from different backgrounds.
Recalling those days, he says, “I worked as a door-to-door salesperson in 1992-93 and have drawn heavily from those experiences. Every household had a different story, a different world and its own problems. Vacuum cleaners were not particularly useful in most homes back then, as there were hardly any carpeted houses, and there was constant corporate pressure to perform. I faced rejection and humiliation during that time, with some people shutting the door in my face, insulting me or even throwing me out. At other times, people would welcome me into their homes and offer me water or food. Convincing people to buy a vacuum cleaner was the biggest challenge, and those experiences taught me important life lessons that I still carry with me.”
The magic of performing live
Theatre, he believes, offers a unique experience through its direct interaction with audiences and the collective effort involved in putting up a performance.
He says, “The excitement of meeting the audience and creating something together keeps drawing me back to theatre. It is like a sport that players return to every day. You may play video games, but you still go back to the court to play badminton. Theatre offers freedom of expression, spontaneity, group energy and a sense of selflessness. No other medium gives you the same joy of working in harmony with others. Experiencing the audience’s laughter and tears is amazing. Theatre is the oldest art form, and Prithvi Theatre has always celebrated the spirit of live performance and meaningful storytelling.”
When I came to Mumbai and started out, I thought I would star as a leading lady in Bollywood-Saumya Tandon
4:16 PM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; November 4, 2026)
Sometimes, a small role can make a big impact, and Saumya Tandon has experienced that with Dhurandhar. Known for her comic performances, the actress surprised audiences with a layered, intense portrayal that relied on expressions and silences rather than dialogue. The film has brought her a new wave of recognition. While the appreciation has been reassuring, have the right opportunities come as easily as she would have hoped? As she moves on to a very different character in a Sooraj Barjatya’s next, Saumya reflects on life after Dhurandhar, the struggle to find quality scripts and her determination to keep evolving as an actor.
‘Things have taken off post Dhurandhar’
Talking about life post Dhurandhar, Saumya says, “Things have taken off post Dhurandhar. I think there is a lot of validation from people in the industry now. I always thought I could, but now even they feel that I can do something serious and deep which has a lot of layers. I get a lot of calls from people saying, ‘Oh, you act so well.’ I was always seen as somebody who did comedy and had not done anything intense like this before. So, there has been a change.”
‘The struggle is to find the right character in a good script’
Saumya is excited about her part in Sooraj Barjatya’s upcoming release, however, she explains that actors often find themselves being offered variations of characters they have already played.
“They tend to keep calling you for similar parts — a wife grieving the loss of a child or a complicated husband-wife relationship. The struggle is to find the right character in a good script. The real challenge in this industry is finding a good script and a good part. I have always been a thinking actor, and I have always struggled. I consider myself a struggler for life. If you are looking for quality work and good parts, it is going to be tough because there are very few good scripts.”
‘With time, I have calmed down’
Saumya admits that her career has not unfolded quite as she had imagined when she first arrived in Mumbai.
“When I came to Mumbai and started out, I had huge expectations of myself. I really thought I would star as a leading lady in Bollywood. So yes, I am definitely failing at that. Having said that, I think I am on a journey. With time and so many years in this industry, I have calmed down. I feel the focus should be on how you are evolving and improving as an artiste, rather than just looking at where you have reached.”
‘I don’t expect anything from this industry’
The increased recognition has not necessarily translated into the kind of work she has been hoping for. Saumya believes that finding a good script and a character that offers something new remains the real challenge.
“A lot has happened, but I am a little disappointed that a lot more could have happened and has not. I don’t expect anything from this industry. I am pretty cynical about it. I don’t think the industry really roots for you or changes things for you. You have to change things for yourself. The calls have increased, and the roles being offered are more now, but the question is: what kind of roles are coming my way? They should be different from what I have already done.”
I have not found anybody else and to the best of my knowledge, neither has Gautam-Kanika Kapoor
3:58 PM
‘After much thought and consideration, my husband and I are going our separate ways,’ singer says in a statement
Shalini Sharma (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 4, 2026)
Singer Kanika Kapoor’s marriage to Gautam Hathiramani, who hails from the richest family in Lagos, is over. The singer, who seamlessly straddles the world of high society and the grit and grind of Bollywood with elan, has called it quits. According to close friends of Hathiramani, he is devasted at the break-up even though he was aware from the beginning that Kanika has always been a free-spirited lady who flew though the world giving performances from St Tropez to London to Mumbai, sometimes all in a week.
Kanika had a previous marriage to London-based Dr Jaspreet Singh Chandok, general practitioner, from whom she has three children. They had divorced in 2012. Her deep friendship with Gautam over the years culminated in love and marriage in 2022.
But bonding between a successful and popular songstress and a serious businessman who cannot move out of Lagos because of business commitments brought its own share of disenchantment and unmatched expectations.
Kanika’s official statement, which she posted on her social pages, reads, “After much thought and consideration, my husband and I are going our separate ways. I am grateful for the time we shared and wish him well for the future. I sincerely ask for kindness and respect for our privacy as we move forward.”
In an exclusive chat with Mumbai Mirror, Kanika dismissed the rumours swirling around. When we spoke to Kanika, she said she was at Manish Malhotra’s atelier getting fitted out for her appearance at his Diwali party.
“I have not found anybody else and to the best of my knowledge, neither has Gautam. For me this is my second time round for a divorce and that brings its own grief and disappointment. To say that I did not want to stay in Lagos is not true and it’s so typical – that when a marriage falls apart, the first person to be blamed is the woman – which is unfair. Only two people in a marriage know what exactly transpires between them. I am in Mumbai right now working on three exciting projects. I have three children that I need to take care of. I hope to keep my future interactions with Gautam amicable as I am not an aggressive person. I think he would wish the same.”
People still recall the lavish wedding ceremonies of the couple that was held at the V&A Museum in London. Guests jetted in from all over the world for the nuptials. It had all the trappings of a fairytale wedding with Kanika’s children playing bridesmaid and best boy at all here ceremonies.
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 959
11:22 AM
WILL RAMAYANA BE 2026’S BIGGEST HIT?
Less than 24 hours are left for the release of Ramayana. The promotions for this film have been going on for more than a year. The first asset was dropped in July 2025, that is, almost 1 ½ years before its release. Earlier this year, the makers travelled to the USA multiple times and also to several cities in India to spread the word.
Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and many others. This is the first part of the film; the sequel is expected to be released on Diwali 2028. Produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios and 8-time Oscar-winning VFX studio DNEG in association with Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, Ramayana is directed by Nitesh Tiwari.
From the first asset, it is clear that Ramayana is mounted on a huge scale, like no other Indian film. The combined budget of both films is said to be Rs. 4000 crores. To recover the cost, the makers have decided to go all out. Overseas, Sony Pictures is releasing Ramayana and trying to give the film the widest release ever for an Indian film. The word has already spread in the West about the film and hence, it’ll attract a non-traditional audience as well.
However, some challenges remain. The film is releasing in the pre-Diwali period. It arrives in cinemas tomorrow that is, Thursday, November 5, though Diwali falls on Sunday, November 8. Hence, the first four days will be dull from a business point of view. It’ll be on its fifth day, on the post-Diwali holiday, when Ramayana will jump significantly. Until then, it’ll have to make do with negativity that the collections are underwhelming. Talking of negativity, a section of netizens has made it their life’s purpose to bring down the film.
Ramayana had a premiere in the West and the reviews are mixed. They have shown a shorter English version with lip-sync done through AI. It hasn’t worked as intended and has needlessly added to the film’s negativity.
However, despite the challenges, the advance booking for the film is encouraging. It is releasing in a dull period and yet, it is expected to open at Rs. 60 crores in Hindi. If all goes well, it’ll earn more than Rs. 200 crores from November 5 to November 8. If the word of mouth is strong, it can collect Rs. 100 crores on November 9 and 10 each! November 10 is the New Year day, which is as good as a National Holiday. Bhaidooj falls on November 11, another big holiday. There’s no holiday on November 12, but there’ll some post-Diwali effect visible in some territories. Meanwhile, its Friday on November 13. In short, Ramayana will have a dream run from November 5 to November 15.
The aim of Ramayana should be to collect Rs. 500 crores plus in its extended first week and cross the Rs. 700 crore mark or Rs. 800 crore mark by the end of the second week. Once that happens, it's sure to enter the coveted Rs. 1000 crore club. A good word of mouth is all that’s required for the film to rewrite history.
Less than 24 hours are left for the release of Ramayana. The promotions for this film have been going on for more than a year. The first asset was dropped in July 2025, that is, almost 1 ½ years before its release. Earlier this year, the makers travelled to the USA multiple times and also to several cities in India to spread the word.
Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and many others. This is the first part of the film; the sequel is expected to be released on Diwali 2028. Produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios and 8-time Oscar-winning VFX studio DNEG in association with Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, Ramayana is directed by Nitesh Tiwari.
From the first asset, it is clear that Ramayana is mounted on a huge scale, like no other Indian film. The combined budget of both films is said to be Rs. 4000 crores. To recover the cost, the makers have decided to go all out. Overseas, Sony Pictures is releasing Ramayana and trying to give the film the widest release ever for an Indian film. The word has already spread in the West about the film and hence, it’ll attract a non-traditional audience as well.
However, some challenges remain. The film is releasing in the pre-Diwali period. It arrives in cinemas tomorrow that is, Thursday, November 5, though Diwali falls on Sunday, November 8. Hence, the first four days will be dull from a business point of view. It’ll be on its fifth day, on the post-Diwali holiday, when Ramayana will jump significantly. Until then, it’ll have to make do with negativity that the collections are underwhelming. Talking of negativity, a section of netizens has made it their life’s purpose to bring down the film.
Ramayana had a premiere in the West and the reviews are mixed. They have shown a shorter English version with lip-sync done through AI. It hasn’t worked as intended and has needlessly added to the film’s negativity.
However, despite the challenges, the advance booking for the film is encouraging. It is releasing in a dull period and yet, it is expected to open at Rs. 60 crores in Hindi. If all goes well, it’ll earn more than Rs. 200 crores from November 5 to November 8. If the word of mouth is strong, it can collect Rs. 100 crores on November 9 and 10 each! November 10 is the New Year day, which is as good as a National Holiday. Bhaidooj falls on November 11, another big holiday. There’s no holiday on November 12, but there’ll some post-Diwali effect visible in some territories. Meanwhile, its Friday on November 13. In short, Ramayana will have a dream run from November 5 to November 15.
The aim of Ramayana should be to collect Rs. 500 crores plus in its extended first week and cross the Rs. 700 crore mark or Rs. 800 crore mark by the end of the second week. Once that happens, it's sure to enter the coveted Rs. 1000 crore club. A good word of mouth is all that’s required for the film to rewrite history.
(Crisp) Movie Review: PASTT TENSE by FENIL SETA
10:14 AM
Pastt Tense, which premiered at the 14th Jagran Film Festival in Mumbai in October 2026, tells the story of an adopted son who sets out to find his roots. What he discovers along the way shocks him. The story, inspired by a real incident, is unlike anything we have seen before. Hence, one can't help but get hooked on the proceedings. The characters are well-fleshed-out and their revelations are startling. Viewers will be shocked to learn that seemingly innocent people living among us may have a dark, horrifying past. On the flipside, though the unhurried narrative works, it becomes too slow at times. Certain developments also detract from the realism. Some dialogues are weak and could have been more sharply worded. Lastly, the finale is underwhelming. Thankfully, the plusses outweigh the minuses thanks to the compelling subject and execution by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan. The performances are of a tall order. Aditya Rawal has the maximum screen time and delivers a fantastic, nuanced performance. Paresh Rawal, as always, is dependable. It's also a pleasure to see him and Aditya share screen space, especially in a film of this nature. Tannishtha Chatterjee underplays her part beautifully. Adil Hussain and Sharib Hashmi, as always, leave a huge mark. All in all, Pastt Tense is worth watching for its unique subject, tense and tender moments, and powerful performances.
My rating - *** ½ out of 5!
My rating - *** ½ out of 5!
Rahul Bose’s memoir in works, to release next year
11:06 AM
Vishakha Pandit (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 2, 2026)
Actor and former rugby player Rahul Bose, who has spent over three decades in films and an even longer time playing rugby, says he is working on his memoir, which he hopes to publish next year.
“I am already writing my memoir. I am even in talks with two publishing houses, who are chasing me to lock a deal. Hopefully, it will be out next year,” he tells us.
On what the book will cover, the 59-year-old says, “It will cover every high and low of my life. From the time I represented India internationally and my journey in sports, to my films and the various experiences I’ve had. It will have even the tiniest details.”
Bose began playing rugby union, boxing and cricket in the 1980s, eventually going on to captain the Indian national rugby union team in international competitions. He currently serves as president of Rugby India.
While sport has remained an important part of his life, acting has been another constant, with films like Chameli and Jhankaar Beats (both 2003) among his notable performances. His recent outing is Udta Teer.
Talking about the film, Bose recalls an unusual morgue sequence in which a dead body kisses him. “The original idea was that Ayushmann (Khurrana, actor) would come and save me. But the entire sequence with me lying on the stretcher and the scene eventually unfolding the way it did wasn’t planned,” he says, adding, “That’s the beauty of filmmaking. Sometimes things evolve on set, and you discover something completely different from what you initially imagined.”
If you’re complaining about not being offered good things, you’re in denial with your entitlement-Babil Khan
11:04 AM
Vishakha Pandit (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 2, 2026)
Actor Babil Khan reflects on his journey in the film industry, acknowledging the privilege he comes from while recognising the realities of navigating the business. “I come from a family, a privileged family. People have to work a lot to feel this way, and I understand that’s the struggle of the industry. That’s why you have to be extremely passionate,” says Babil, 28, who made his debut with Qala in 2022.
For Babil, a lack of opportunities should not become a reason to complain. “If you’re complaining about, ‘Oh, good things are not being offered to me’, then you’re in denial with your entitlement. You have to really, really work on yourself before you even start thinking about these questions,” he says.
Adding that he prefers to focus on self-improvement rather than dwell on what isn’t coming his way, he explains, “I don’t wait around and feel sad that things are not being offered to me. I spend that time, that day, trying to be the best version of myself and just having a connection with God or whatever it is that you connect to. And knowing that the joy is in when you are a better version of yourself. That’s where true joy is.”
Speaking about how his approach to acting has evolved, Babil says the need to prove himself has gradually taken a backseat.
“The biggest thing is that as your journey goes on, you try to prove yourself lesser and lesser. And once you start doing that, you open up to the honesty of yourself and you open up to the honesty of your character. I think that’s changed the most.”
However, he believes the process of proving oneself is never entirely over. “No matter how much you work, no matter how many projects you do, you have to keep proving yourself. And I guess that’s a journey where you’re not doing it to try to prove yourself, you’re doing it for the work and through the work, you’re proving yourself,” he adds.
Speaking about the thought that goes into his career choices, Babil says, “There are so many factors that affect your decision in that process. You have to really just meditate your way through it and make the choice that your heart wants to make and not what your wants and needs want to make.”
He admits to having turned down several projects and subsequently wondered what it would have been like to be part of them. “It’s not about whether it did well or not, but when you see the vision come to life, of course, a part of you screams, ‘Wish I did it.’ It’s always going to be the case. Your parameters for what success and failure are have to evolve through time. Otherwise, you’re not going to consistently make right choices,” he says.
For Babil, staying true to himself and his roots is equally important, especially while navigating an industry that can change one’s perspective. “I’ve always shown my true self, whether it be a scared self, whether it be an anxious self, whether it be a happy self. It was always me,” he says.
Interestingly, the actor had put up social media posts in May 2025, speaking about an emotional breakdown and calling the industry fake. Looking back at the importance of retaining one’s individuality, he says, “A very important thing about this industry is you have to keep going back to reminding yourself not to detach from your roots. Otherwise, it will change you, man.”
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