My favourite Diwali will always be the ones with Asha Aai-Zanai Bhosle
10:36 AM
S Farah Rizvi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 5, 2026)
With the festive season ongoing, Zanai Bhosle — who recently released a song she composed, co-wrote, and sang as a tribute to her grandmother — reflects on their bond. 'For the world, Asha Bhosle was the legendary voice that defined generations of Indian music, but for me, she was simply Asha Aai, my grandmother, bestie, and partner in crime,' she says, reflecting on the legendary singer who passed away this April.
Reflecting on her bond, Zanai fondly shares, “Asha Aai wasn’t someone I met only during holidays or around festivals; she was part of my everyday life: my mornings, music, and endless conversations over chai. We were true besties, and I could tell her things I couldn’t tell anyone else. I remember waking up and going straight to her room, sitting beside her, and talking about my day, my music, or something silly. She would listen, tease me, laugh, and make everything feel better,” recalls Zanai, who has recently released a single- Ashiyan.
While Zanai is still navigating the void of losing her grandmother, she finds solace in memories during the festivals. “What helps me navigate her absence is remembering how she lived—with extraordinary strength, resilience, and laughter. I can’t bring back those mornings, but I carry her teachings into every single day.”
This rings especially true during the festive season. “My favourite Diwali will always be the ones with Asha Aai—the house lit up with diyas, the smell of sweets, her endless laughter, and of course, her music. Today, when I see the Diwali lights, I think of her—the brightest light.”
The singer is making her acting debut as Rani Sai Bhosale in The Pride of Bharat: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. “I’ve always loved storytelling, and acting felt like another way of expressing emotions I’ve explored through music and dance. What drew me to the role was the opportunity to explore a woman’s strength and courage.”
Transitioning from music to acting, she adds, “Singing is deeply personal because I draw from my own emotions, whereas acting requires stepping into someone else’s world. My Kathak training helped me understand how much emotion can be communicated without speaking—a glance or a moment of stillness can tell a whole story.”
When addressing how she balances a legendary musical family legacy, she says, “The greatest way I can honour my family’s legacy is by being true to myself. There will never be another Asha Bhosle, and I wouldn’t want to be an imitation of her. She gave me something even more personal: the courage to believe in myself, work hard, and remain humble. She wanted me to find my own voice. She taught me that music isn’t about proving how talented you are; it’s about making someone feel happy.”
Looking ahead, the young artist is eager to blend her skills. “Playback singing has always been very close to my heart. I’d love to explore playback while continuing to write my own music, and acting and singing in the same project would be an incredible creative experience. Every time I step towards a new dream, a part of me will always be that little girl who just wanted to make her Asha Aai proud.”
Salman Khan's Maatrubhumi to arrive before Shah Rukh Khan's King?
10:32 AM
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; November 6, 2026)
Finally, Salman Khan can breathe a sigh of relief. Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace is on its way to reach the audience at last. The trailer of Apoorva Lakhia’s directorial feature will be unveiled today, where the superstar will announce its release date. From what mid-day has heard, the war drama will most likely be a December 11 outing, arriving about a fortnight before Shah Rukh Khan’s much-anticipated King.
A trade source revealed that Maatrubhumi — which has had a tough road to release — has got the greenlight from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
“Recently, the film not only got the No Objection Certificate from the Ministry of Defence, but also secured the CBFC certificate. While Shraddha Kapoor’s Eetha will hit the screens on December 4 and Shah Rukh Khan’s King on December 24, there is a string of Hollywood releases that month. Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three have booked December 17 and 18 slots respectively, while Jumanji: Open World will arrive on December 25. So, Salman Khan Films is aiming for the December 11 window.”
That’s almost eight months later than the intended release. Originally titled Battle Of Galwan, the Eid 2026 release was to chronicle the 2020 India-China clash in the Galwan valley. However, in March, it was rechristened Maatrubhumi, with reports indicating that the makers had to reshoot portions and soften its stance amid the easing of hostilities between India and China.
The source added, “The film was also taking time as the VFX work went on till this month. While Salman and his team had to creatively sacrifice certain elements in the narrative, he was clear from day one that it would be an anti-war movie and show China in a good light. Salman was also certain that he didn’t want to depict too much violence.”
Ranbir Kapoor, Yash's Ramayana gets 150 new 3D screens across India
10:12 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 6, 2026)
The ambitious scale of Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Rise Of A Legend is having an impact beyond its production. As the Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, and Yash-starrer arrived in cinemas in multiple premium formats, leading multiplex chain PVR-Inox upgraded 150 additional screens across the country with 3D technology to enable more 3D shows of the epic. With this development, the chain now has 1087 3D-enabled screens nationwide.
The decision to add more screens in the format stemmed from the fact that Tiwari’s magnum opus secured a 4K 3D Digital Cinema Package (DCP) rather than an upscaled version. With this, it apparently joined James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way Of Water (2022) and a handful of films in cinema history to have the 4K 3D technical standard.
To seamlessly deliver the intended viewing experience, PVR-Inox converted many of its existing 2D auditoriums into 3D-enabled screens.
A source shared, “The rollout is spread across five regions, with South getting 57 screens, 46 screens for North India, and 22 screens in West. The Central and East regions accounted for 13 and 12 screens respectively.”
We’re told the South market got the maximum screens as Yash, who plays Ravana in the epic, has a massive fan following and is expected to pull crowds.
Speaking about the expansion, Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, Executive Director, PVR-Inox, said, “There is a particular joy in watching a film in 3D, [experiencing] the sense of depth as a scene unfolds. These upgrades give audiences more choice in where and how they wish to experience Ramayana.”
A week ago, Salman bhai called me saying, ‘Let’s record Teri Sexy Beauty’-Sajid Ali Khan
10:08 AM
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; November 5, 2026)
A surprise was in store for Salman Khan’s fans when they woke up on Wednesday morning. On November 4, the superstar unveiled Teri Sexy Beauty, a new song from Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace. Composed and written by Sajid Ali Khan, the track saw the actor go behind the mic again.
As it turns out, Sajid had created the number a year ago. Speaking to mid-day over a call from Dubai, the composer revealed, “After I composed Teri Sexy Beauty, I sang it to Salman bhai. But he said that it could not go in Maatrubhumi as the film had a patriotic theme. So, he told me to change the lyrics. I requested him not to do that as the song’s charm lies in them.”
Such was Salman’s love for Teri Sexy Beauty that he decided to include it in director Apoorva Lakhia’s war drama nonetheless. While the track was shot last year and included Sajid’s vocals, it underwent a last-minute change last week when the superstar decided to lend his voice.
Sajid shared, “A week ago, Salman bhai called me saying, ‘Let’s record it.’ I had one condition. I told him, ‘When you wake up, don’t eat or drink anything. Call me, I will come to the studio quickly, and we will record it then and there.’ I needed that gravelly, husky voice that jazz singers have. [At the studio], we listened to some jazz songs, and then he got into the mood. It didn’t take him long to record it as he knew it by heart.”
Sajid added that the track was his way of polishing his art again. “I wanted to write something that matches up to Salman Khan’s personality. We wanted that rockstar feel.”
Ranveer Singh’s Pralay becomes first film to be shot at Azad Maidan; causes outrage
9:40 AM
Ranveer Singh-starrer gets six-hour slot at the ground; association says Sports Department is putting commercial interests ahead of cricket and young players
Diwakar Sharma (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 6, 2026)
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has objected to the Maharashtra government’s Sports Department allowing a film shoot at Azad Maidan, accusing it of treating one of Mumbai’s most important cricket grounds as a commercial venue rather than protecting its sporting facilities.
The six-hour shoot for Ranveer Singh-starrer Pralay has also disrupted the schedule of Under-14 and Under-16 interschool cricket matches, forcing the association to postpone games that had already been lined up at the ground.
This is reportedly the first time a film shoot has been permitted at Azad Maidan. The MCA has written to the deputy director of sports, questioning the decision and pointing out that the ground is an important venue for grassroots and competitive cricket.
MCA Apex Council member Nadim Memon told Mumbai Mirror that the Sports Department was increasingly allowing commercial activities at the ground while neglecting its sporting needs.
“A major portion of Azad Maidan was earlier handed over for the Aqua Line Metro construction, but contractors are yet to vacate the premises despite repeated reminders. The Mumbai Police have also continued to occupy the ground instead of moving back to their original location. Now, film shoots are being allowed as well,” Memon said.
He alleged that the government was willing to grant permissions for commercial activities but had not made adequate provisions for maintaining the city’s maidans.
“Azad Maidan’s sporting culture is being affected by the Sports Department. Instead of supporting sports, it is allowing commercial bookings at the ground,” he said.
Memon said the ground had also been used for religious functions, marathons, events organised by the air force and navy, political rallies and exhibitions. He argued that priority should be given to children and players from schools and colleges who depend on these grounds for training and competitions.
The MCA, which spends time and resources maintaining the ground and its cricket pitches, has also questioned why it was not consulted before the permission was granted. Memon said the deputy director of the Sports Department should have taken the association into confidence before allowing commercial activities.
The association said the shoot had forced it to postpone matches scheduled as part of its Under-14 and Under-16 inter-school tournaments.
“We are working to nurture young cricketers and organize several interstate tournaments. But because of the film shoot, we had to postpone matches. How can the Sports Department allow this?” Memon said.
Memon said the shoot had involved laying artificial grass and erecting a large set on the ground, disrupting ongoing tournaments.
“This is the first time a film shoot has taken place at Azad Maidan. Large sets were erected and artificial grass was laid for the shoot of Pralay. This is not a film-shooting venue but a cricket ground where players hone their skills to progress to the international level. Our ongoing tournaments were disrupted because of the shoot. Who will take responsibility for this loss?” he said.
“You cannot commercially exploit a cricket ground by allowing a commercial film shoot,” Memon said.
In its letter, the MCA pointed out that Azad Maidan hosts interschool tournaments, age-group competitions, coaching programmes, practice sessions and club matches involving hundreds of aspiring cricketers.
The association said the Under-14 and Under-16 matches had been scheduled well in advance and were an important part of its cricket development programme. Allowing a film shoot on a day when official matches were due to be played had inconvenienced players, schools, clubs and match officials.
The MCA has also warned that permitting commercial activities at a cricket ground could set a precedent, encouraging similar requests and affecting the uninterrupted conduct of sporting events.
The state government has granted Light Rays, the Mumbai-based production company behind Pralay, permission to use 5,000 square yards of government land at Azad Maidan. The six-hour shoot has been charged Rs 40,000 in rent, calculated at Rs 800 per 100 square yards. The production house has also been asked to pay a refundable security deposit of Rs 40,000.
The permission comes with several conditions, including a ban on vehicles entering the pitches, cooking, digging and any activity that could damage the playing surface. The production house must also obtain clearances from the police, traffic department and BMC, submit an undertaking on a Rs 100 stamp paper and secure a no-objection certificate from the MCA.
The permission was signed by Sports Department Under Secretary Ashok Damayyawar on October 30 and forwarded by the deputy director, Sports and Youth Services, Mumbai, on November 2.
Deputy Director of Sports, Mumbai Division, Navnath Fartade, said the government was authorised to grant permission for non-sporting activities at Azad Maidan for up to 30 days a year under a government resolution (GR).
“The government grants permission for such activities at Azad Maidan to applicants. According to a GR, the ground can be allotted for non-sporting events for 30 days in a year,” Fartade said.
Asked about the encroachments on the cricket ground, Fartade said the department was holding discussions with government officials to remove the temporary offices of Mumbai Metro contractors and the Mumbai Police from the premises.
“We have been conducting meetings with government officials to remove the temporary offices of Mumbai Metro contractors and the Mumbai Police from Azad Maidan,” he said.
Hansal Mehta, producer of Pralay, said he had secured all the necessary permissions from the competent authorities before conducting the shoot at Azad Maidan.
“But I would like to underscore that Mumbai has been rendered a no-go zone for film shoots because of bureaucratic hurdles. And people like you (the media) fuel the fire,” Mehta said.
In its appeal, the MCA urged the department to give priority to scheduled cricket matches and the development of young players, maintaining that Azad Maidan should remain a dedicated sporting venue.
(Crisp) Movie Review: DILWALI DIWALI by FENIL SETA
3:58 PM
Dilwali Diwali, which has released today on Netflix, can best be described as reverse Munna Bhai MBBS - a father elaborately lies to his son when the latter visits him. It can also be called reverse Hindi Medium. The subject is very relatable as many families move into sprawling homes in skyscrapers, leaving behind old neighbourhoods where neighbours were like extended families. The humour works well and so do some of the emotional scenes. The biggest issue with the film is that it is ONLY 61 minutes long. The makers rush through the narrative in some places. This could easily have been a great 90-minute film. Mihir Ahuja looks dashing and delivers a decent performance. Manoj Pahwa delivers yet another impactful performance after The Ba***ds Of Bollywood. Neelu Kohli is dependable but her character is not fleshed out properly. Aurra Bhatnagar Badoni acts confidently. Nimisha Sirohi (Anita; neighbour), Manmeet Singh (Ratandeep), Ashish Kaul (Shampy), Vivek Tandon (Ashish Jethmalani), Ashok Manjhi (Sadanand; broker) and Shrirao Swapnil Avinash (Watchman) do well in supporting roles. All in all, Dilwali Diwali is a decent timepass film.
My rating - *** out of 5!
My rating - *** out of 5!
Movie Review: RAMAYANA by FENIL SETA
6:34 AM
Since many months, Ramayana has dominated conversations and headlines. Finally, the film is here and thankfully, it's worth all the hype.
The story of the movie: Dashasana, aka Ravana (Yash), defeats the gods and becomes king of Lanka and the three realms. Ravana goes on a destruction spree, prompting Lord Vishnu to take birth in the form of Ram (Ranbir Kapoor) to stop him. Ram is the son of Dashratha (Arun Govil) and Kaushalya (Indira Krishnan). He marries Sita (Sai Pallavi) from Mithila and is all set to become the next king of Ayodhya. However, circumstances force him to go into exile, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman (Ravie Dubey), and eventually face off against Ravana.
Ramayana’s biggest strength is that it tells the epic story in a simple yet opulent manner. The VFX is grand and never before seen in Indian cinema and yet it doesn’t overpower the storytelling. The backstory of Ravana is superb and works well as the villain origin tale. Meanwhile, from the dark alleys of Lanka, the story then shifts to the graceful and peaceful atmosphere in Ayodhya. The contrast is smartly presented. Moreover, both tracks run parallel so that viewers don’t get a feeling that either Ram or Ravana’s characters are being sidelined. The effects, as aforementioned, is top-class while the emotions touch a chord, particularly in the interval sequence. The drama is arresting; the action is fantastic and it would lead to hoots and claps. And surprisingly, there’s also humour infused in regular intervals.
What fails to work is the music. It’s a sore point in an otherwise great film. Secondly, the first half is a bit dragging. It doesn’t bore, but there are places in the pre-interval portion where the narrative feels stretched. Lastly, the pure bond shared by Ram and Sita could have been presented in a better manner.
Speaking of performances, Ranbir Kapoor gets into the skin of his character. One gets convinced in no time that he’s playing a pure, principled, godly character and that’s the power of his performance. Yash is aptly cast and takes the impact of several scenes to another level. Special mention should also go to Sharad Kelkar; the voiceover, as expected, is bang-on. Sai Pallavi has a late entry but makes up for it with her beautiful performance. Her dialogue just before the intermission is memorable. Ravie Dubey is too good and is the surprise of the film. He brings in humour to the film. Rakul Preet Singh (Shurpanakha) is terrific and dominates an important position among the ensemble cast. The same applies to Vivek Oberoi (Vidyutjihva). Arun Govil, Lara Dutta (Kaikeyi) and Sheeba Chadha (Manthara) lend able support. Addinath M Kothare (Bharata) doesn't have much to do initially but makes up for it with his performance in a crucial scene in the second half. Others who do well are Kajal Aggarwal (Mandodari), Kunal Kapoor (Indra), Shishir Sharma (Vasishtha), Ajinkya Deo (Vishvamitra), Mukesh Tiwari (Agastya), Shobana (Kaikashi) and Saurabh Sachdeva (Maricha). Anupam Kher is superb as the voice of Jatayu.
Not a single song works. An important track is missing from the film as well. Hans Zimmer and A R Rahman's background score, however, is exhilarating.
Pankaj Kumar and Mahesh Limaye's cinematography adds to the big-screen experience. Ravi Bansal and Ramsey Avery's production design and Rimple and Harpreet Narula and Saniya Sardhariya's costumes are very rich and one can sense that the makers have gone all out. Guy Norris and Terry Notary's action is entertaining, but they also draw a line, ensuring that it doesn’t look too filmy. The VFX by Prime Focus deserves brownie points for being remarkably realistic and authentic. Of course, in a few shots, the extensive use of VFX is noticeable, but overall, the visual effects are outstanding and a matter of pride for Indian cinema. Huzefa Lokhandwala's editing is unhurried but could have been pacier in the first half.
The story, as we all know, is timeless. Shridhar Raghavan and Nitesh Tiwari's screenplay is detailed and captivating. Shreyas Jain and Nitesh Tiwari's dialogues are in sync with the era depicted in the film. The funny one-liners are a surprise.
Nitesh Tiwari's direction is exemplary. Often, directors known for human stories tend to falter when they are given to handle films of epic scale. But Nitesh comes out with flying colours. One can sense that he’s in firm control of his material as well as the unbelievable scale of the film. At the same time, he maintains a balance and ensures that the grandeur don’t overpower the emotions and the drama. Several characters have limited screen time and yet, they register their presence thanks to Nitesh Tiwari’s direction. What is also truly amazing is how he has executed the action scenes, a first for him.
On the whole, Ramayana lives up to the hype and fulfils most expectations. It is also a matter of pride for Indian cinema, as the film makes a sincere attempt to win over audiences worldwide and prove that Indian cinema can deliver films on par with global standards. Needless to say, this is a must-watch and deserves to be experienced on the biggest screen possible, preferably in IMAX!
My rating - **** out of 5!
The story of the movie: Dashasana, aka Ravana (Yash), defeats the gods and becomes king of Lanka and the three realms. Ravana goes on a destruction spree, prompting Lord Vishnu to take birth in the form of Ram (Ranbir Kapoor) to stop him. Ram is the son of Dashratha (Arun Govil) and Kaushalya (Indira Krishnan). He marries Sita (Sai Pallavi) from Mithila and is all set to become the next king of Ayodhya. However, circumstances force him to go into exile, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman (Ravie Dubey), and eventually face off against Ravana.
Ramayana’s biggest strength is that it tells the epic story in a simple yet opulent manner. The VFX is grand and never before seen in Indian cinema and yet it doesn’t overpower the storytelling. The backstory of Ravana is superb and works well as the villain origin tale. Meanwhile, from the dark alleys of Lanka, the story then shifts to the graceful and peaceful atmosphere in Ayodhya. The contrast is smartly presented. Moreover, both tracks run parallel so that viewers don’t get a feeling that either Ram or Ravana’s characters are being sidelined. The effects, as aforementioned, is top-class while the emotions touch a chord, particularly in the interval sequence. The drama is arresting; the action is fantastic and it would lead to hoots and claps. And surprisingly, there’s also humour infused in regular intervals.
What fails to work is the music. It’s a sore point in an otherwise great film. Secondly, the first half is a bit dragging. It doesn’t bore, but there are places in the pre-interval portion where the narrative feels stretched. Lastly, the pure bond shared by Ram and Sita could have been presented in a better manner.
Speaking of performances, Ranbir Kapoor gets into the skin of his character. One gets convinced in no time that he’s playing a pure, principled, godly character and that’s the power of his performance. Yash is aptly cast and takes the impact of several scenes to another level. Special mention should also go to Sharad Kelkar; the voiceover, as expected, is bang-on. Sai Pallavi has a late entry but makes up for it with her beautiful performance. Her dialogue just before the intermission is memorable. Ravie Dubey is too good and is the surprise of the film. He brings in humour to the film. Rakul Preet Singh (Shurpanakha) is terrific and dominates an important position among the ensemble cast. The same applies to Vivek Oberoi (Vidyutjihva). Arun Govil, Lara Dutta (Kaikeyi) and Sheeba Chadha (Manthara) lend able support. Addinath M Kothare (Bharata) doesn't have much to do initially but makes up for it with his performance in a crucial scene in the second half. Others who do well are Kajal Aggarwal (Mandodari), Kunal Kapoor (Indra), Shishir Sharma (Vasishtha), Ajinkya Deo (Vishvamitra), Mukesh Tiwari (Agastya), Shobana (Kaikashi) and Saurabh Sachdeva (Maricha). Anupam Kher is superb as the voice of Jatayu.
Not a single song works. An important track is missing from the film as well. Hans Zimmer and A R Rahman's background score, however, is exhilarating.
Pankaj Kumar and Mahesh Limaye's cinematography adds to the big-screen experience. Ravi Bansal and Ramsey Avery's production design and Rimple and Harpreet Narula and Saniya Sardhariya's costumes are very rich and one can sense that the makers have gone all out. Guy Norris and Terry Notary's action is entertaining, but they also draw a line, ensuring that it doesn’t look too filmy. The VFX by Prime Focus deserves brownie points for being remarkably realistic and authentic. Of course, in a few shots, the extensive use of VFX is noticeable, but overall, the visual effects are outstanding and a matter of pride for Indian cinema. Huzefa Lokhandwala's editing is unhurried but could have been pacier in the first half.
The story, as we all know, is timeless. Shridhar Raghavan and Nitesh Tiwari's screenplay is detailed and captivating. Shreyas Jain and Nitesh Tiwari's dialogues are in sync with the era depicted in the film. The funny one-liners are a surprise.
Nitesh Tiwari's direction is exemplary. Often, directors known for human stories tend to falter when they are given to handle films of epic scale. But Nitesh comes out with flying colours. One can sense that he’s in firm control of his material as well as the unbelievable scale of the film. At the same time, he maintains a balance and ensures that the grandeur don’t overpower the emotions and the drama. Several characters have limited screen time and yet, they register their presence thanks to Nitesh Tiwari’s direction. What is also truly amazing is how he has executed the action scenes, a first for him.
On the whole, Ramayana lives up to the hype and fulfils most expectations. It is also a matter of pride for Indian cinema, as the film makes a sincere attempt to win over audiences worldwide and prove that Indian cinema can deliver films on par with global standards. Needless to say, this is a must-watch and deserves to be experienced on the biggest screen possible, preferably in IMAX!
My rating - **** out of 5!
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 realized 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.”
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