Whenever a big-ticket movie locks its release date, there is almost always a ripple effect. This time, it’s got to do with Prabhas’s Spirit and Salman Khan’s next with director Vamshi Paidipally, the working title of which is SVC63. Spirit, helmed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, was announced as a March 5, 2027, release. But now according to multiple trade sources, it has been postponed to December 1, 2027. What’s the trigger? Khan’s actioner.

An industry insider told mid-day, “Salman locked Eid 2027, which will fall in early March, for his next with Nayanthara. Once that date was taken, it didn’t make sense for Spirit to arrive in the same window. Vanga’s films rely heavily on sustained buzz and clean runs. So, the delay is a calculated move, not due to production issues.”

Now, Vanga appears to have chosen a date that brought him luck the last time around — December 1, which was Animal’s (2023) release date. Spirit, which pairs Prabhas with Triptii Dimri, is currently in production. Sources indicated that the filmmaker is sticking to an aggressive shooting schedule of the cop actioner, aiming to wrap principal photography by early 2027 regardless of the new date.

A source revealed, “Vanga wants enough room for editing, background score, and readying it in Hindi, Telugu, and other languages. The latest move shows that big-ticket offerings are increasingly averting clashes unless unavoidable.”

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Besides ‘Spirit’, Prabhas has the sequel to ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ in production. Director Nag Ashwin recently kicked off the latest schedule in Hyderabad, with the superstar expected to shoot the film’s core portions through May

After TV show Naagin 7 grabbed attention online for an unedited VFX shot that aired in a recent episode, producer Ektaa R Kapoor and actor Priyanka Chahar Choudhary have finally responded to the reactions.

The episode in question, titled Radhika’s Deadly Betrayal, featured a visible blue screen and exposed wires, as Priyanka stood on one side, in what was meant to be a high-action sequence. The slip quickly went viral, with viewers flooding social media with memes and calling out the error.

Sharing a video of the exact scene, a social media user wrote, “Ektaa Ma’am on her way to the office from Thailand after yesterday’s Naagin blue screen mistake by the editors.” Reposting it on her Instagram Stories on Monday, Ektaa wrote, “Eggjacctlyyy [Exactly].”

Priyanka, who plays the lead in the show, also took the whole blunder sequence in zest. When a paparazzi asked her about the whole fiasco, she replied, “Human error hai...Ab dekho kya hi keh sakte hain, iss cheez par kaam kiya jaa raha hai taaki future mein aisi galti na ho. Guys human error hai, ho jata hai kabhi kabhi.”

With days to go before Daadi Ki Shaadi’s release, the Neetu Kapoor, Kapil Sharma, and Sadia Khateeb-starrer finds itself at the centre of speculation. Rumours are rife that Ashish R Mohan’s directorial venture is plagiarized from a Pakistani telefilm by the same name, which was aired in March 2026. Khateeb is unfazed by the plagiarism rumours.

“We announced our title way before [in December 2025]. We did so when we started shooting for the film, and this Pakistani [offering] came much later,” she stated.

The May 8 release revolves around a family’s matriarch who falls in love and decides to remarry, to her family’s surprise. Coincidentally, a similar theme is explored in the Pakistani family comedy.

Dismissing the comparisons, Khateeb clarified, “It’s not that we have copied from anyone. Our Daadi [protagonist] is not [similar to] what we have seen in their trailer. It’s a different plot.”

Daadi Ki Shaadi came Khateeb’s way just when she was seeking a light-hearted subject. What it also brought along was a special co-star in Kapoor. “She is such a delight to work with. Neetu ma’am doesn’t meet you with the baggage of her legacy; she keeps it real. She made everything easy, light, and fun for me.”

The 79th Cannes Film Festival, set to run from May 12 to 23 in France, will see a strong Indian presence this year, spanning Bollywood representatives as well as regional voices.

Actor Alia Bhatt, who made her debut at the festival last year, is set to return. She will be joined by actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Filmmaker Karan Johar will also be there, along with actor Tara Sutaria, who is making her Cannes debut. Actors Mouni Roy and Pooja Batra will also be present.

India’s official delegation will be represented by filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker as the newly appointed director of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

Punjabi cinema will make its debut with singer-actor Ammy Virk and actor Roopi Gill. From Marathi cinema, veteran actor Ashok Saraf and his wife, actor Nivedita Saraf, will attend the festival. Gujarati cinema will be represented by actor-producer Mansi Parekh, while from the Malayalam film industry, filmmaker Chidambaram will present his film Balan: The Boy at the Cannes market.

Mumbai: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd has filed a copyright violation case against FSN E-Commerce Ventures, the owner of beauty and fashion retailer Nykaa, in the Delhi High Court.

Citing the Copyright Act of 1957, Zee claimed that FSN E-Commerce had used the former’s songs in brand promotion in about a dozen Instagram reels without seeking permission or licensing.

Senior counsel Abhishek Malhotra and Madhu Gadodia of Naik Naik & Co, representing FSN E-Commerce, however argued that Meta Platforms, Instagram’s parent and Zee’s licence partner, should be included as a necessary party.

The lawyers for Nykaa stated that Meta provides licensed music to all users as a standard feature and that using Instagram’s native music tools falls within the licencing agreement between Instagram and Zee. They also argued that without Meta’ involvement, a licensing framework cannot be properly reviewed. They said the order to remove content cannot be effectively enforced since only the platform has the authority to mute audio, remove content, or restrict access.

FSN E-Commerce informed the court that the twelve identified Instagram reels have been removed and are no longer accessible to the public.

Harsh Kaushik, the counsel for Zee Entertainment, instructed by Anushree Rauta of ANM Global, argued that the licensing agreement with the social media platform is for non-commercial use, whereas any commercial use requires prior approval and payment.

Zee Entertainment declined to comment stating that the matter is sub judice.

In the past two years, there have been three similar cases of music copyright violation. These include Sony Music-Myntra, Saregama-Emami, and Sony Music-Marriott Group.

Lack of clear understanding between personal expression and commercial exploitation of music is one of the key challenges resulting in copyright violations.

“Today, brands routinely collaborate with influencers and creators to produce “organic” or “branded content” that blurs the line between personal expression and commercial promotion,” said a leading lawyer requesting anonymity. “However, under platform policies, such collaborations, where there is any exchange of value, constitute branded content which falls in the realm of commercial use.”

Due to a lack of strict compliance, the Indian music industry is losing Rs8,000-10,000 crore annually in royalty payments, said independent music analysts. According to a senior executive at a leading music licencing platform, the music industry may earn at least Rs 3,600 crore if all commercial videos are paid a minimum fee.

“A popular song drives engagement in a reel or a video by two times,” said Gaurav Dagaonkar, cofounder and CEO at Hoopr, a leading platform for music licensing which serves 125 brands in securing licensed music.

“When companies use music owned by labels in promotional content of their brands, they don’t realize that they are using intellectual properties (IPs) of labels. So, when brands use music without labels’ permission, they deprive labels of revenues emanating from licencing music.”

Some labels attribute low awareness among companies about the nuances of music copyright violation.

“Such cases create awareness among companies about music copyright violation,” said Shivansh Jindal, CEO, Merchant Records, a label launched by music composer duo Salim-Sulaiman. “Today, we live in a digital world where music is democratized. So, companies may not fathom the gravity and consequences of using music of labels or independent artists without their permission or paying them.”

In the Zee-FSN E-Commerce case, Justice Tushar Rao Gedela granted on April 30 two weeks to FSN E-Commerce to file its response and gave a week to Zee to reply. The next hearing is slated for May 26.

Promoters of Tips Music plan to sell a minority stake in the Mumbai-based entertainment company to raise capital to scale investments in film content and deepen control over music rights, people familiar with the matter said.

The Taurani family, which holds 64.15% in Tips Music, had earlier held discussions with Universal Music Group for a potential stake sale, but the talks are stalled and a deal is unlikely to materialize due to the latter’s demand for a significant stake, sources said.

“The Taurani family wants to sell a minority stake to raise financial investment, whereas Universal was seeking a strategic investment of about 23-24% with additional voting rights at par with the promoters,” one of them said.

Tips Music’s market capitalization stood at Rs 8,248.97 crore at Monday’s closing price of Rs 645.30 on the BSE.

The Tauranis may now engage with financial investors, the person said. “They want to raise cash to invest in their film business.”

Kumar Taurani, chairman and managing director of Tips Music, and Devraj Sanyal, chairman and CEO for India and South Asia at Universal Music Group, declined to comment.

While valuation was not a sticking point in their discussions, Universal’s demand for enhanced governance rights proved a hurdle, a second person said.

Global music labels typically invest as strategic partners, seeking operational influence rather than acting as passive financial backers.

The development comes amid a broader shift in the music industry, with labels increasingly investing in film production to secure music-linked intellectual property and diversify beyond streaming-led revenues.

Recent deals underscore this trend. Universal Music Group acquired a 30% stake in Excel Entertainment, founded by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, at an enterprise value of Rs 2,400 crore. Meanwhile, Saregama invested Rs 325 crore in Bhansali Productions for an initial minority stake of about 28%, with the option to raise it to 51% by 2030.

According to a Ficci-EY report, India’s music industry is projected to grow at a 9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to Rs 7,500 crore by 2028. The sector grew 10% in 2025, with digital licensing rising just 2% due to weaker YouTube yields, while OTT platforms, social media and live events drove growth. Labels’ other income rose 26% on expansion into events, talent management and branded content.

At the same time, the sector is seeing consolidation, with large labels acquiring stakes in independent and regional players as streaming consumption rises and the business shifts from an ad-led to a subscription-driven model.

Times Music has acquired Punjabi music label Catrack Entertainment, marking its third strategic deal after earlier buys of ARC Musicq and Symphony Recording Co, while also expanding its partnership with Primary Wave Music.

Tips Industries was demerged into Tips Music and Tips Films in 2021. In the January-March quarter, Tips Music reported revenue of Rs 104 crore, up 33% year-on-year, while net profit nearly doubled to Rs 59 crore.

In its earnings presentation, the company highlighted four growth drivers: rising subscription revenues, increased monetization of short-form content, stronger enforcement of public performance rights, and emerging royalties from artificial intelligence companies.

It also noted that Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group have been actively signing deals in the artificial intelligence space. Universal recently partnered with Nvidia to develop tools for music creation and discovery using its Music Flamingo model.

Separately, a Reuters report in April said billionaire investor Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square Capital Management has proposed a $64-billion takeover of Universal Music Group.

BHOOTH BANGLA scored a strong third weekend with collections of almost 14 crore nett as the holiday on Friday gave the collections a boost and there was a good jump on Sunday as well. The film remained pretty much unaffected in Mumbai circuit despite the release of the Marathi film RAJA SHIVAJI. The competition elsewhere was pretty much limited and it remained on a strong trajectory.

The film is a HIT now as is pretty much certain get close to 150 crore nett and it actually might get there especially as it seems that the buy one get one free offer will be there on weekdays. It is the third HIT film of the year after BORDER 2 and DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE. So, that's a good result in four months there were also supporting films like THE KERALA STORY 2: GOES BEYOND and MARDAANI 3. BHOOTH BANGLA is the only non franchise success so far this year.

The collections of the film will be better than JOLLY LLB 3 everywhere apart from Delhi/UP and East Punjab while Mumbai circuit it could even go past a far bigger film like HOUSEFULL 5.

The collections of BHOOTH BANGLA till date are as follows.

Friday - 5,00,00,000 apprx

Saturday - 9,75,00,000 apprx

Sunday - 11,25,00,000 apprx

Monday - 3,00,00,000 apprx

Tuesday - 3,50,00,000 apprx

Wednesday - 3,00,00,000 apprx

Thursday - 3,75,00,000 apprx

Friday - 4,35,00,000 apprx

Saturday - 4,25,00,000 apprx

Sunday - 5,25,00,000 apprx

One of the most unexpected team-ups in the Indian comedy scene happened recently on The Great Indian Kapil Show when comedians Samay Raina and Sunil Pal came face-to-face. The episode sparked online buzz with many feeling that the veteran comic was called in to be humiliated. However, Sunil does not feel so.

“Main usko humiliation nahin maanta hoon kyunki woh comedy show hain. Koi mann mutaav nahin hai. People will make jokes at each other. I made punchlines at him, and he did the same. Even Shah Rukh Khan (actor) becomes the butt of jokes on such a show, so mujhe koi shikayat nahin hain.”

Sunil, who has earlier publicly criticised the young stand-up comic over his style of “abusive” comedy, shares that he had been informed beforehand about Samay’s presence in the show.

He says, “I don’t have a personal beef with anyone. It’s just a difference in opinion with not just Samay but all Gen-Z comedians who use abuses.”

He adds, “Audience tak acchi cheezein pahuchni chahiye kyunki woh unka haq hai, par ghum firkar, wahi gaali galauch jata hain aur usse mera dil dukhta hai. It’s only my request to all young comics to utilise the access that they have well.” 

YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, in the behind-the-scenes vlog of the same episode of the show, hinted at a documentary on India’s Got Latent controversy: “We are releasing a very detailed Latent documentary next month. Everything that happened day by day has been recorded.”

Actor Mehreen Pirzada, who married businessman Arsh Aulakh on April 26 in an intimate ceremony, says their first meeting came with little expectation. The two met through a common friend, and Mehreen admits she had almost made up her mind.

“We both thought the meeting would last 30 minutes. For him, it was like, ‘She’s an actor, let’s just meet,’ and for me, I didn’t think it would work. I told myself that if anything felt off, I’d just leave,” she tells us. But the meeting stretched to six hours. “By the end of it, there was a silent yes. We didn’t say it, but we both felt it,” she says with a smile.

The relationship, which began in July last year, was kept private. “I always believed in love first, but family ideologies matter a lot,” she shares, adding that her brother, actor Gurfateh Pirzada, also played a key role.

“For most girls, it’s their father they look up to. For me, it’s my brother,” she says, adding, “He did a lot of background checks (on Arsh), hoping he’d find something. But when they met, they became like brothers. Now they share their own bond.”

Her bridal outfit also mirrored her intimate style, as she adorned a refurbished version of her mother’s wedding ensemble. “I always knew I wanted to do this... My kaliras had motifs and messages from my mother and brother, family pictures, and even symbols of my grandparents,” she reveals, adding, “Marriage is very personal, and mine never felt like a formal event.”