Television host-actor Mini Mathur has clarified her stance after her recent Instagram comment was interpreted by many as criticism of actor Alia Bhatt’s hosting a film awards show in Mumbai, which some online users had described as “forced” and “fake”. Speaking to us, Mini dismissed the speculation, calling it “rubbish” and stressing that she was not shading Alia.

The chatter began after a content creator posted a video questioning why actors are chosen to host award shows, citing Alia as an example. Reacting to the video, Mini, a seasoned emcee, had commented, “Thank you. Someone finally said it,” which sparked debate online.

Explaining her remark, the 50-year-old says, “The creator had an interesting take on why award shows insist on using actors as hosts and then later complain about them falling short of their expectations. It is not their main skill set, so why the expectations? It’s like asking a host to act at gunpoint. I only commented on that,” adding, “To just create stories out of nothing is what the internet does.”

Addressing talk of a rift with Alia, she says, “It is all nonsense. I love Alia. On top of this, I have not even seen the show these people are talking about on the internet.”

Filmmaker Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar (2025) and Dhurandhar: The Revenge have shattered multiple box office records, crossing Rs. 3,000 crore worldwide. Now, HT City has exclusively learnt that the making of the Dhurandhar franchise is headed to theatres, which is a first-of-its-kind move for an Indian film.

An insider source reveals, “The craze for Dhurandhar is so much that the makers have decided to turn even the making of the film into a spectacle. All the behind-the-scenes footage and cast interviews will be collated into a full-length feature film and will be unveiled as a theatrical release in the last quarter of 2026, and then eventually make it to OTT as well.”

The source adds, “All the major players in the film, including actors Ranveer Singh and Arjun Rampal, and Aditya, are not doing any media interactions because their first interviews will be part of this BTS film. It is a first for any Indian film, and the makers are ensuring that no BTS footage goes out on social media before the release,” the source adds.

We reached out to the team of Dhurandhar for comment, but did not receive a response till the time of going to press.

Aviral video recently sparked speculation that veteran actor Sudhir Pande had walked off stage during the trailer launch of Ginny Wedss Sunny 2 (GWS 2), held on April 9, with social media users alleging he was ignored by the team.

However, Pandey dismissed the claims, saying there was no disrespect involved. “There was nothing like being disrespected. I went up on stage with everyone after sitting in the front row,” the 72-year-old says, adding that the video missed context.

He explained that he was attending the event amid a tight shoot schedule for another project. “The problem was, I was in great urgency... I came to attend this trailer launch in the middle of a shoot. In fact, I had told the production house for GWS 2… that I would come with a little urgency. The reason you see me walking off because i was going to the other shoot, I was getting messages,” he shares, clarifying that his exit was due to professional constraints, not any controversy.

For Sudhir, showing up mattered: “I have a fantastic role in Ginny Weds Sunny 2 and it’s a good film. That’s why I got permission from the other film’s team. I am thankful to them for allowing it (attend the trailer launch).”

Singer Jasmine Sandlas is riding high on the success of her tracks in Dhurandhar films.Now, during a chat on YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia’s podcast, the singer opened up about her struggle with alcoholism and family situation.

The 40-year-old reflected on a difficult childhood, saying she had to navigate much of life on her own. “I struggled a lot… figuring out things for myself,” she said, adding,”That was not comfortable. Life happens. It is a lot for the parents, but also for the children. We need guidance and nourishment… Why are parents so tough on their children? When life really hits you, you do look for support.”

Looking back, she admitted she regrets her heavy drinking during a turbulent phase marked by fame, personal struggles, family issues, and the loss of her father. “I drank more than I should have,” she said, adding, “I regret it, but it was important for me at that time.”

Jasmine also went on to reveal that she felt heartbroken because of her parents, saying, “I had some heartbreaks… my parents broke my heart unknowingly many times, so there is resentment.” While emphasising that she still loves them, she added, “When a child’s heart breaks, it remains broken.” She spoke about constantly searching for comfort: “When you don’t have a safe space… you look for a home in everything,” admitting she spent much of her life “just yearning and finding home.”

Fresh off the success of Dhurandhar The Revenge, actor Udaybir Sandhu, who played Pinda, actor Ranveer Singh’s friend, is taking a moment to reflect. While he’s enjoying the spotlight, he hasn’t forgotten the struggle that shaped his journey.

Opening up about a moment that could have changed his career trajectory, Udaybir reveals he almost landed the lead role in Amar Singh Chamkila (2024), a part that eventually went to actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh.

“I had auditioned for Chamkila’s part. I had done a lot of research and I was totally invested in it. I was the one who was liked for the part,” he says. However, things didn’t go as planned. According to the 27-year-old, director Imtiaz Ali “always wanted a singer for it… they didn’t think a non-singer would be able to perform it”.

Despite the disappointment, Udaybir holds no bitterness. “When I got to know that Diljit had been cast for the role instead of me, I understood the decision. He did a great job in the film, but I could have played it very well too because I was invested,” he admits.

And what initially felt like a setback eventually turned into an opportunity, as the same audition helped him land another role in the film. “It was due to my audition for Amar Singh Chamkila that I later got the chance to play (late Punjabi singer) Surinder Shinda’s role in the film,” he shares.

Looking back, Udaybir believes the struggles he faced have made his current success more meaningful. “If you get a chance early on, it’s almost like a fluke… you stop doing that kind of hard work. So you need that struggle, that hustle,” he ends.

Amid reports of actor Tiger Shroff teaming up with Vijay Krishna Acharya for a new action entertainer, the filmmaker has dismissed the speculation, calling it “incorrect”.

The project, which was widely reported to go on floors in August this year, with a 2027 theatrical release planned, was also said to be produced by Vinod Bhanushali and Tony D’Souza.

However, Acharya, best known for directing Dhoom 3 (2018) and Thugs Of Hindostan (2018), clarifies that no such collaboration is currently in the works: “I’ve been busy travelling and I saw these stories too. It’s conjecture and the news is incorrect. I find these reports very strange because they are not true.”

Meanwhile, Tiger is currently shooting for filmmaker Sachin Ravi’s next, who will be marking his Hindi directorial debut with the untitled project. It is produced by Murad Khetani.

Actor-couple Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh are set to embrace parenthood once again. They shared the news on Sunday with an Instagram post featuring their daughter Dua (see left), marking their second pregnancy announcement.

In the picture, Dua is seen holding a pregnancy test with two pink lines, signalling that she is set to become a big sister. Keeping the reveal minimal, the post was jointly shared by both actors with evil eye emojis in the caption. The couple had welcomed Dua, in September 2024.

The announcement drew reactions from colleagues and fans, with actors Parineeti Chopra and Samantha sending congratulations and hearts in the comments section.

On the work front, Deepika is currently shooting for filmmaker Siddharth Anand’s King, headlined by Shah Rukh Khan, and also has Atlee’s Raaka, co-starring Allu Arjun, in the pipeline.

According to an industry source, “Amidst her pregnancy, Deepika is shooting intense action sequences for Raaka and will continue to shoot for the film throughout her pregnancy.”

Meanwhile Ranveer was last seen in Dhurandhar The Revenge, which grossed over ₹2,000 crore at the worldwide box office.

Friday belonged to Virat Kohli and Instagram’s newest obsession, LizLaz. The cricketer, who runs the most-followed Indian Instagram account with 276 million followers, briefly liked one of her posts before unliking it, triggering a fresh round of ‘likegate’ chatter online, after a similar incident with actor Avneet Kaur last year. Memes, throwbacks, and speculation followed in minutes.

Caught in the middle of the frenzy, German vlogger-musician LizLaz says the attention caught her off guard. “It was crazy because I woke up and then I was all over the news,” she tells us in an exclusive chat, adding, “I don’t even know when he liked the picture, I learnt through the news. So many people found the articles on me and sent them in my DMs; they were super excited.”

The buzz has also revived an old clip where she admits being a Kohli fan. Her connection to cricket, she says, began during a trip to India last year. “I was born in South Africa but brought up in Germany, where the national sport is only football,” she shares. “Then I started watching IPL with my friends in Bengaluru... It was contagious and I also became an RCB fan. And obviously, if you support RCB, Virat Kohli is the most exciting player to watch. So I was happy about him liking the picture.”

As for the unlike? she isn’t reading too much into it. “No, I felt a bit sorry for him actually! I don’t even know how it became such a big story. But I am grateful for him liking my pic.”

Actor Taniya Chatterjee claims cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal has sent her a defamation notice after a video of her sharing his alleged Instagram DM went viral. Chahal’s team has also confirmed the legal notice. In the clip, Taniya said he called her “cute”, sparking online chatter. Later, she said she didn’t expect it to “go so viral” and called the legal move “ridiculous”, maintaining she did not intend to malign him. She also alleged his PR team asked her to delete the video.

Is Allu Arjun moving to Mumbai? Is he staying put in Hyderabad? That’s all the industry has been talking about over the past few days. On April 21, we reported that the South star has decided to divide his time between Hyderabad and Mumbai, making the latter his work base for the next few years (Mumbai meri jaan, Arjun? April 21). And that plan’s already put into action. mid-day did a bit of digging around and found out that the superstar has rented a swanky five-bedroom apartment at Juhu Tara Road. 

Want to know the price tag it comes with? From what we’ve heard, Arjun is shelling out a cool R16 lakh per month, as part of his three-year lease.

Apparently, the actor had a clear caveat when looking for an address in Mumbai — it had to be sea-facing. The upscale building, at Juhu Tara Road junction, ticked that box and more. A source revealed, “Allu Arjun wanted a beach-facing property for his wife Sneha and two children, Allu Ayaan and Allu Arha. The kids will live with him during their school vacations. Spread over 6000 square feet, the apartment in the high-rise comes with a plunge pool and four car parking spaces.”

Over the past year, the actor and his wife visited the property multiple times, overseeing the interior design. The source added, “He wants his home to be a space of tranquility — think lots of greenery and the calming sound of the sea. It should be conducive for his prep, as he will shoot major portions of his next few films, including Raaka and a project with Lokesh Kanagaraj, in Mumbai.” 

To Saiyami Kher, Haiwaan stands as a symbol of unexpected coincidences. In 2014, before foraying into Bollywood, the actor had featured in an eyewear brand campaign with Saif Ali Khan. Today, she has reunited with the actor for Priyadarshan’s action thriller. “Reuniting with him after 12 years feels like life has come around in the most beautiful way,” marvelled Kher.

 

The campaign is still fresh in her memory. Asserting that one’s early collaborations are important in shaping their career, she said, “I cherish that memory. I had shot for one of my very first campaigns for an eyewear brand, and Saif sir was its ambassador. Even back then, he was so funny. I have greatly admired his work, and it felt surreal to share the screen with him in Priyan sir’s film all these years later. It’s incredible how he looks exactly the same. Saif has been warm and gracious. Working with him now, as an equal collaborator, has been comforting.”

Nostalgia isn’t the only reason Haiwaan, also starring Akshay Kumar, is an important project to Kher. She elaborated, “It’s about how far you’ve come. Experiences like this make you look back and feel grateful for the opportunities, learning, and people who have been part of your journey, even in small ways.”