Sheetal Sharma’s Santacruz living room doubles as a home, archive and costume lab. Copper curios and family photographs share shelf space with hefty books on Chanel, Givenchy and Prada. His team gathers here to dissect scripts and build characters. At present, the room is occupied by a mythological drama set before the Ramayan.

“I don’t like working in production-house boardrooms. They feel very cubical,” says the 44-year-old, dressed in his own uniform of white linen shirt and olive-green trousers. “Here, there’s open space to think and bounce ideas around.”

There is a new object in the room too: the National Film Award he shares with Deepali Noor for the costumes of Pushpa 2 - The Rule. Sharma initially assumed the email announcing it was a scam. “With so many online scams around, I didn’t even open the link,” he laughs. A call from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting eventually convinced him otherwise. On September 22, he received the honour from President Droupadi Murmu in Gujarat.

Cinema was never the plan. Raised in a military family between Jammu, Amritsar, Pathankot and Mumbai, Sharma first enrolled in hotel management, “because I wanted to be a chef.” Dyslexia made the mathematical side difficult, and he left after 18 months.

An aptitude test guided him towards creative work. Graphic design proved too geometric; fashion finally stuck. At the Wigan and Leigh college of fashion and management in Mahalaxmi, he learnt to sketch, cut, stitch and embroider, before studying period costume for theatre in Britain. Then came the 2009 recession and a return to India without a job.

His real education began on Ashim Ahluwalia’s Miss Lovely, where a tiny budget meant Sharma did almost everything himself. “I ironed garments, distressed fabrics and learnt to navigate Mumbai’s wholesale markets.”

He still does. Crawford Market, Mangaldas Market and Chor Bazaar are as useful to him as any fashion archive. For Pushpa 2, Rs 150 second-hand saris bought off the street were cut up and transformed into printed shirts for Allu Arjun and the supporting cast. Sixteen blue saris were used to a create look for Arjun in one dance sequence alone.

Sharma reads a script closely, and likes to pick apart every detail. He annotates it line by line, inventing histories that may never be spoken on screen: how long a character’s hair might be, whether they would have a tattoo, how much money they possess, what they would realistically buy.

Sometimes the clue comes from life. “Gangubai’s sunglasses in Gangubai Kathiawadi were inspired by women I spotted on Mumbai local trains, pairing saris with goggles. Her white wardrobe drew upon the scant historical description of Gangubai as a woman who wore white and plenty of gold. One sari I sourced was an 80-year-old piece from Jodhpur, woven with real silver thread.”

The clothes had to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s sets and light too. Sharma recalls how, on Kesari Chapter 2, a miniature of the courtroom helped the departments decide whether charcoal coats would photograph better than black. In Imtiaz Ali’s Main Wapas Aunga, clothes became a direct narrative device for Ishar Singh Grewal, the elderly protagonist played by Naseeruddin Shah, who has Alzheimer’s disease. A traditional Chand Bali earring changed size between scenes, while one outfit shifted from white to red without changing its tailoring, signalling the character’s growing memory loss. His private costume archive in Govandi now holds pieces from several films, kept with the producers’ permission: Shah Rukh Khan’s black kurta-pyjama from Raees, jewellery made for Vicky Kaushal in Chhaava and other remnants of characters whose lives ended when the cameras stopped.

For Stree, a vintage shawl found in Chor Bazaar became Shraddha Kapoor’s maroon embroidered jacket. When costumes from the first film could not be traced, Sharma says, “My team recreated them for Stree 2, re-dyeing and reprinting fabrics and even recreating materials that were no longer available.”

That obsessive eye does not make Sharma particularly interested in fashion trends. He cheerfully admits that contemporary terminology can escape him and prefers the permanence of a trench coat or Patiala salwar to whatever happens to be fashionable that season.

It may explain why his work rarely feels like celebrity styling. On Animal, where he joined after four previous costume designers, Ranbir Kapoor ended up in the linen shirts Sharma himself favours. “On set I was told, ‘You made him like you,’” he recalls. Nor does he believe cinema must always dress people exactly as they dress in life.

“Films also need to sell aspirations,” he says. “We are city people, so we might say, ‘Who does stuff like that?’ But in small towns, people really adore those things. They aspire to go to college looking like that. In the end, films are selling dreams.”

His own taste remains considerably less grand. If he ever starts a clothing label, Sharma says, it will be “easy and breezy”, built around simplicity rather than trends. Which seems fitting.

After years of making clothes speak for everyone else, Sharma is happiest when his own clothes speak the least.

Filmmaking rarely goes entirely to plan, but the makers of the sci-fi actioner Raaka are powering ahead despite a possible month-long delay following Rashmika Mandanna’s hip injury during dance rehearsals for the Atlee-directed film. The team is now gearing up for a major schedule next month, with high-octane action sequences featuring Mandanna and Allu Arjun, alongside Malayalam actor Aishwarya Lekshmi.

A source close to the production reveals, “Allu Arjun will be playing a triple role in Raaka — one as a divine warrior, another with negative traits, [while the third is still under wraps] — the character will span three different timelines in different avatars. Deepika Padukone, who has wrapped up her part, plays a pregnant woman in the Puranic Vedic era. Rashmika will play Deepika’s protector who is crucial in her fight for survival, while Janhvi Kapoor is said to play a tribal girl.”

The source adds that Lekshmi’s character will have grey shades. The sci-fi film will move across three timelines, featuring “wild beasts, exotic new creatures and species”, informs the source.

“A massive set is also being built at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad for a September schedule, where the makers will shoot the interval block, featuring Arjun in elaborate action sequences.”

It’s a race against time for Deepika Padukone, who is on her final schedule for the first part of ‘Raaka’. mid-day has learnt that the actor, currently filming in Mumbai, intends to complete her portions of the Allu Arjun-starrer by early September before she begins her maternity leave.

A source close to the development told us that filmmaker Atlee planned the schedules such that Padukone could be among the first ones to honour her commitment to the film.

“The idea was always to finish Deepika’s work before she took her maternity break. The mom-to-be will be off the film until her birthday in January 2027. Then she will return to the set to shoot any pending promotional material and the second part of ‘Raaka’,” said the source.

After Padukone bows out in September, Arjun and the remaining cast — including Rashmika Mandanna, Janhvi Kapoor, and Mrunal Thakur — will continue filming the sci-fi action epic. Atlee is expected to call it a wrap on the first part by November.

The source added, “A call on the second instalment’s schedule will be taken after the first is complete. Both parts will release in 2027.”

mid-day reached out to the film’s production team, which didn’t respond till press time.

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.” 

Five months after Allu Arjun and filmmaker Atlee rolled their big-budget action spectacle, the working title of which is AA22xA6, it’s time for leading lady Deepika Padukone to take centre-stage. mid-day has learnt that the actor began filming for the project at Chitrakoot Grounds in Andheri last week. It looks like Padukone’s first scene itself is a massive undertaking — an action sequence that features a gorilla.

Trust Atlee to come up with an inventive action set-piece. The gorilla has been designed by an international stunt and creature-movement team brought in specially for this sequence, and is operated through animatronics.

A source reveals, “Given the ambitious nature of the film, Deepika was clear that she wanted to be fully prepared before stepping in front of the camera. She underwent month-long prep that included stunt training, movement rehearsals, and technical walk-through because almost all her sequences in this schedule requires perfect timing, technical awareness, and split-second reactions.”

While the next few days will be dedicated to this sequence, the unit will soon shift to the next block at another venue. The Mumbai leg of the sci-fi film is expected to continue till December-end.

Reports doing the rounds over the past few days suggested that Deepika Padukone’s role in filmmaker Atlee’s next with Allu Arjun, the working title of which is AA22xA6, has been trimmed. However, contrary to rumours, sources close to Atlee’s sci-fi action movie have told mid-day that her role remains unchanged. According to two unit insiders, the actor will join the project in late October, after completing her ongoing shoot for Shah Rukh Khan’s King.

An insider from the film’s team revealed, “There is no truth to rumours that Deepika’s screen time has been reduced. Her role has not changed from what she was offered when she came onboard in June. She has a fierce part, which is essential to the first and second acts of the narrative.”

From what we’ve heard, Padukone has allotted her dates from late October to December-end to the project. Apparently, the first schedule will focus on portions that establish her character, while November is earmarked for large-scale action set-pieces, which will include a chase sequence that Atlee is designing with his stunt team from South Korea, and a dialogue-heavy confrontation.

The insider added, “In December, the unit will move to the UAE where Allu Arjun and Deepika will film a crucial mid-film twist and emotional scenes.”

The sci-fi action film, which explores themes of time travel, reportedly sees Arjun play multiple roles and has at least four heroines — Padukone, Rashmika Mandanna, Janhvi Kapoor, and Mrunal Thakur. The presence of so many leading ladies has led to chatter that Padukone’s role is a cameo.

The source, however, clarified, “It’s not a cameo at all. Her character drives the story in a way. Every actor has a clearly etched out part.”

Atlee is going full throttle with his action-packed parallel universe film AA22xA6. After a 50-day schedule in Mumbai, the cast and crew are set to begin the second schedule in Abu Dhabi next month, where they will can high-octane action sequences.

A source close to the production reveals that the filmmaker has been “working with 15 reputed writers from across India for storyboarding and creative”.

“Atlee and Allu Arjun completed a marathon schedule, including a dance sequence, in Mumbai last month. The second schedule will be in October in the United Arab Emirates [UAE], where action scenes will be shot in the red dunes of the Liwa Oasis. Deepika Padukone is expected to join Atlee in this schedule,” adds the source, of the movie that also stars Rashmika Mandanna, Mrunal Thakur, Janhvi Kapoor, and Ramya Krishnan.

While Atlee is planning the action, he is also consulting renowned firms for the VFX, and scouting for marketing agencies to promote the film. The producers of AA22xA6, led by Kalanithi Maran of Sun Pictures, hope to find a global marketing partner. Alexandra E Visconti, executive vice president of creative content at Connekkt MobScene, was spotted in Mumbai last month.

A source adds, “The pan-Indian, high-budget sci-fi action film has a massive budget of Rs 600 crore, and the makers are looking to collaborate with a US-based creative agency to craft a strategic plan targeting international audiences. Currently, discussions with leading Hollywood agency Connekkt MobScene are underway. Allu will also go to the US this month to wrap up the VFX portions of the shoot.”

Two days after his grandmother, Allu Kanakaratnam, passed away, actor Allu Arjun returned to Mumbai on September 1 to resume work on Atlee’s sci-fi film, the working title of which is AA22xA6. mid-day has learnt that on Monday, the actor began shooting at Chitrakoot Grounds in Andheri, thus ensuring the 30-day schedule was not delayed.

A source from the unit told us, “Arjun lost his grandmother on Saturday, August 30. The star performed the rituals and rushed back to Mumbai. The call sheets for this block were fixed months in advance, involving hundreds of technicians and actors, and he didn’t want to waste the crew’s time or cause delays.”

In the ongoing leg, Atlee plans to film some crucial action sequences that will entail VFX and some dialogue-driven confrontations. “International stunt coordinators are supervising the sequences and large-scale sets have been built for the same. Pushing things by even a few days would have led to additional costs.”

With this schedule expected to be wrapped up by September-end, we’ve heard Deepika Padukone will face the camera for the film in November. The source added, “Her portions, which will be action-centric, will be shot across India and overseas.”

AA22xA6 also stars Rashmika Mandanna, Janhvi Kapoor and Mrunal Thakur. 

Last year, Janhvi Kapoor made her Telugu film debut with Devara: Part 1 opposite NTR Jr, following it up by signing Peddi opposite Ram Charan. Now, it looks like the actor has bagged her third Telugu offering. Sources tell us that Kapoor will play one of the female leads in Allu Arjun’s next, the working title of which is AA22xA6, helmed by Atlee. Having an Atlee film on her résumé is a big boost for Kapoor.

An insider shares, “Allu and Atlee are a dream combination. With his next, the filmmaker is mounting an ambitious sci-fi film. Naturally, Janhvi is excited to be part of something that could potentially set new standards in Indian cinema’s sci-fi genre.”

In April, mid-day had reported that Arjun and Atlee had conducted look tests and a concept shoot in Mumbai (Beginning of another blockbuster, April 21). The team is apparently planning to take the project on floors in October. Another source reveals that casting is underway for two more female characters in the film.

The source shares, “The makers are in talks with Mrunal Thakur for one of the parts. After Sita Ramam [2022] and Hi Nanna [2023], she has a huge fan base in South, and the makers are keen to bring her on board.”

Allu Arjun, who became a pan-India star with the massive success of Pushpa: The Rise in 2021, acknowledges that his family legacy played a key role in shaping his career. He also gave us an insight into his professional and personal life and revealed that he believes in getting professional help to work on various aspects of his life.

The actor, who feels that solitude is important in one’s life, said, “I did spend a lot of time alone. I think solitude is the best teacher. Of course, I had a lot of help. I had a leadership coach. I had another family coach, and I also had someone who’s personally working with me on many different aspects, and that helped me introspection. I think everybody should have a coach in their life. I still have a coach,” he said.

Allu Arjun, who was part of the Talent Beyond Borders panel discussion at the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai, also reflected on the impact of his family’s film legacy on his career.

He said, “My family’s legacy in the film industry has definitely helped me. My grandfather acted in over 1,000 films, and my father is a well-known producer. Their support and guidance have been invaluable throughout my career.”

He added, “When you have so many stars in the family, it humbles you in many ways. I give a lot of credit to my family. I am not a self-made guy, I am made by everybody, including my directors, technicians, family, fans and everyone. I unapologetically take help as much as possible to grow.”

Allu Arjun emphasized the significance of physical fitness in an actor’s life. He said, “I have been working out since I was 19, and I’ve made significant sacrifices to maintain my physique. Physical fitness is essential for an actor, and I believe it’s crucial to prioritize it.”

He also acknowledged that he was the first South actor to flaunt six-pack abs. “Someone motivated me to do that by saying, ‘I don’t think South actors can get six-pack abs.’ One of the actresses I worked with said that, and I took it up as a challenge. Then, I just did it for my people,” he shared.

The Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo actor added, “Honestly, it’s about just the mindset. You know, 20 years back, to do something that was never done before by any other South actor… culturally it was not accepted, and there were many taboos around it. It takes one person to break that jinx.”

How do you follow up Pushpa 2: The Rule’s (2024) thunderous success? By collaborating with a director who has a blockbuster on his résumé, believes Allu Arjun. The actor has begun work on his next with Atlee, the mind behind Jawan (2023). mid-day has learnt that on Sunday, the actor-director duo conducted a look test and concept photoshoot at Mehboob Studios in Bandra, Mumbai, thus setting the stage for their pan-India film that was announced earlier this month.

Sources close to the project reveal that the look test kicked off at 1 pm. “They tried multiple styles and looks for Arjun’s character—from rugged to sleek. With the Pushpa franchise, he has created a strong image. Atlee wants to present him in a new avatar, far removed from how he was shown in the blockbuster. Arjun is known to be hands-on, and he was very involved in the look tests,” shares a crew member.

While details regarding the film have been kept under wraps, rumours suggest it will be a high-concept action drama.

The source adds, “The concept photoshoot happened as well. Some 12-year-olds were brought to be shortlisted for an important aspect of the look test.”

If things go as planned, the project will roll by June-end. The title and cast will be announced soon.

Shah Rukh Khan may add another name to the list of south Indian filmmakers with whom he has found favour. After successful collaborations with Mani Ratnam and Atlee, the badshah of Bollywood is said to be in discussion with Sukumar, the man behind the successful Pushpa franchise.

Rumours had previously suggested that the duo would join hands for a dark, intense, psychological thriller, but fresh buzz hints at something entirely different.

“King Khan will play an anti-hero, but this will be a rural political action drama that promises to show him in a raw, rustic, and desi avatar that blends his mass appeal with his global superstar image. It will also explore social issues like caste and class oppression,” a source tells mid-day.

However, eager fans may need to brace for a long lull before the film materializes, as both Khan and Sukumar are occupied with a slate of projects.

“While Sukumar has RC 17 with Ram Charan, Pushpa 3: The Rampage, and another romantic drama with Ram in the pipeline, SRK has King, and Pathaan 2 in his kitty. SRK has reportedly told filmmakers eager to work with him that they’ll have to wait for two years before he can consider their projects. King kicks off in May in a start-to-finish schedule.”

Even though rumours suggest that Allu Arjun will replace Salman Khan in Jawan (2023) director Atlee’s next, the filmmaker, we hear, isn’t willing to miss an opportunity to join hands with Bollywood’s bhai. Atlee will reportedly approach Khan to play the parallel lead with Arjun in the mass action entertainer. Interestingly, Salman will be seen as the hero, and Arjun, as the anti-hero.

Actor Rasha Thadani, who made her debut last month with Azaad, has grown up seeing the stardom her mum, actor Raveena Tandon, enjoyed sans social media. However, a part of the social media generation, the 19-year-old notes that the rules of the game have completely changed now.

Ask Rasha if the value of stardom has reduced with stars becoming more accessible today and she says, “Social media accessibility has its pros and cons. While the negative fallout is that recognition may be temporary as everyone is easily accessible, the brighter side is that you can interact with the audience more. They can get to know and maybe like you as a person, rather than just liking you for your on-screen persona. So, I think it works both ways.”

Having said that, the debutante notes that being elusive does enhance a star’s appeal: “Look at (actors) Prabhas sir or Allu Arjun sir... when they walk in, there’s fan frenzy. That’s because even if they are on social media, they are not active on it. If they post something, the internet breaks because of the rarity of it.”

Isn’t it true that due to the pressure of being popular on social media, celebrities sometimes project a different personality online? Rasha agrees to that, but says, “If you are trying to be fake, people get to know it. The audience is smart.”

She gives an example to make her point. “Why is (actor) Shraddha Kapoor ma’am loved so much on social media? It’s because she is a genuine, humble, kind and pure person, and that reflects. She shares more of who she is, and that works so well for her. It makes even me appreciate her more,” she ends.

Films dubbed in Hindi saw a nearly fivefold jump in collection to Rs 1,464 crore in 2024 from Rs 295 crore, according to the 2024 Box Office Report of media and entertainment research and consulting firm Ormax Media.

On the other hand, films made in Hindi language saw a 37% dip in collection to Rs 3215 crore from Rs 5085 crore in the previous year.

The share of dubbed Hindi films in the total collection of films in Hindi language surged to 31.2% in 2024 from about 6% in 2023, according to the report.

“The increasing contribution of dubbed films to the Hindi box office can be attributed to successful storytelling in south Indian films, particularly Telugu cinema. This aligns more closely with the evolving preferences of Hindi theatrical audiences and their perception of ‘theatrical worthiness’ of films,” said Sanket Kulkarni, head of business development (theatrical), at Ormax Media.

“Increasing viewership of films on streaming platforms and box-office successes of several dubbed films have encouraged exploration of diverse cinemas beyond Hindi. These factors have greatly increased audience comfort of watching dubbed content in theatres.”

Among the dubbed southern films released in 2024, Pushpa 2 – The Rule contributed Rs 889 crore and Kalki 2898 AD contributed Rs 348 crore to the Hindi film collection.

Producer Rajesh R Nair, known for films such as Kaminey and Adipurush, said, “Today, southern films are targeting the northern Hindi market. After Allu Arjun released  Pushpa 2 – The Rule’s trailer in Patna, Bihar, Telugu actor Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi released a song of their upcoming film Thandel in Varanasi. This strategy is working because the audience in the northern market knows them.”

He added, “Crossover southern films are giving much better content than Hindi films in the past two to three years. Recently, makers of Pushpa 2: The Rule added 20 minutes to their film and released it in theatres. This addition has increased a day’s collection by two times in the past two days. This shows how audiences are clued into dubbed Hindi films.”

Trade analysts estimate that the collection of the dubbed Hindi  Pushpa 2 – The Rule jumped to Rs 45-50 lakh from Rs 15 lakh between Friday and Saturday. Even a mid-budget Malayalam film Marco, which was hardly promoted before its release, has attracted audiences and collected Rs 13 crore in its Hindi dubbed version.

Suniel Wadhwa, co-founder and director, Karmic Films, said, “South Indian cinema continues to transcend boundaries, captivating audiences across India. Blockbusters like Pushpa 2: The Rule, Kalki 2898 AD, Maharaja and Jailer have redefined pan-India success with their gripping stories, breathtaking visuals and unmatched appeal in Hindi-dubbed versions, proving that great cinema speaks a universal language.”

He further said, “As 2025 unfolds, south Indian cinema promises another wave of box-office triumphs. With highly anticipated releases like Coolie, L2: Empuraan, Kantara: Chapter 2 and Thug Life, the stage is set for these films to captivate audiences, redefine storytelling and continue the legacy of pan-India success in Hindi-dubbed versions.”

Producer Rajesh R Nair concurred, saying, “I think the contribution of dubbed Hindi films to the total Hindi collection will grow much higher than their contribution in 2024. But more than dubbed Hindi films, in 2025, we will also see southern actors in pivotal roles in Hindi films. A lot of conversations are happening on these lines in the industry. So, the crossover is becoming larger.”

One of the biggest Hindi releases of 2025, War 2, has Telugu actor NT Rama Rao Jr. Besides, Kannada actor Rishab Shetty will play Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the upcoming biopic The Pride of Bharat: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister-actor Pawan Kalyan recently addressed the Sandhya Theatre stampede case, for which actor Allu Arjun was arrested earlier in December.

While speaking to the press at Mangalagiri (Andhra Pradesh), Kalyan said, “The law is equal for all, and I do not blame the police in such incidents, they act with public safety in mind. That said, the theatre staff should have informed Allu Arjun earlier about any issues. Once he sat in the seat, they should have instructed him to vacate it if necessary. It would have been better if someone had visited the victim’s family earlier on behalf of Allu Arjun. Revathi’s death in this incident has deeply shocked me. They turned what was already lost into an even greater tragedy.”

Kalyan further said, “We should have conveyed earlier that we are all here to support the family. There should have been a sense of regret for the mistake, even if it happened without their direct involvement. There is a clear lack of humanity in this matter.”

Addressing the public sentiment, he added, “The people’s anger stems from the absence of such a gesture. Arjun, too, feels the pain of knowing that someone lost their life because of this incident. It is not fair to make Allu Arjun solely responsible for the incident... Sometimes, decisions are dictated by circumstances. In the past, even Chiranjeevi used to watch movies with his fans. Otherwise, he would wear a mask and go to the theatre alone.”

The stampede occurred during the premiere of Pushpa 2 – The Rule, where a woman died. Her son, 9, is still hospitalized and in a critical condition.