The cat's out of the bag! Days after filmmaker Priyadarshan's reunion with actor Akshay Kumar for another film was announced, we have exclusively learnt that actor Bhumi Satish Pednekkar has been signed as its leading lady.

The film will mark Akshay and Bhumi's reunion four years after their 2022 film Raksha Bandhan. Priyadarshan confirmed the casting when contacted by HT City.

Bhumi, who earned praise for her performance in Daldal earlier this year, was recently on a spiritual tour. The actor began her teerth yatra a few days back with a visit to Shirdi in Maharashtra, Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh followed by Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. No stranger to celebrating special occasions with a temple visit, Bhumi had also sought blessings at her Kul Devi temple in Goa on her birthday in July this year.

Addressing the issue actor Dia Mirza told us, “I have never charged any money for any public service campaigns. No idea who has been paid hefty amounts. The point is, celebrities are willing to work with civil society and governments if there is a priority to solve the very solve-able issue of pollution. Every time we speak up against cracker use we get attacked. I have been focusing on drawing attention on air quality for over a decade. It is a sustained effort to draw attention to the pollution and solutions. If you check my Instagram status you will see a daily update on AQI. UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) has made strategic efforts to mobilize and support efforts to combat air pollution. Something I have been a part of. The problem is government agencies don’t coordinate and work together."

A little over a week after Tiger Shroff’s October 18 attack, where two men fired reportedly five to seven bullets injuring his driver and a bystander, the actor is considering returning to work. Sources have told mid-day that Shroff will film a short schedule of director Raj Mehta’s ‘Lag Jaa Gale’, his upcoming action offering co-starring Lakshya and Janhvi Kapoor.

“Some patch work of the movie is left, for which Tiger is needed. Raj and his team have been prepping for the 10-day schedule that will take place sometime in early November,” said a source.

Naturally, Shroff’s safety is the makers’ top priority. So, the details of the schedule, including the location, are being kept under wraps.

Another insider shared, “The team is careful to not disclose the shoot location to anyone, barring the core members. Tiger’s safety is paramount for the makers. He wanted to return to work because he didn’t want the film to suffer in any way because of the incident.”

Backed by Dharma Productions, ‘Lag Jaa Gale’ went on floors last December in Mumbai.

November rolling in means one thing for Shah Rukh Khan’s fans — getting the chance to meet the superstar on his birthday on November 2. But things will be different this year.

mid-day has learnt that the actor has cancelled his annual birthday meet-up as he shoots back-to-back songs for Siddharth Anand’s King. The action thriller, also starring Deepika Padukone, Rani Mukerji, Abhishek Bachchan, and Suhana Khan, is currently in its final stages of production ahead of its December 24 release.

Earlier this week, we reported that Khan and Padukone began filming a number in Vile Parle (A king-sized reunion, Oct 26). The track, choreographed by Vaibhavi Merchant, will be followed by a short international leg, during which another song and the last few portions will be shot.

A source from the production revealed, “The team has planned two consecutive song shoots. One of them will feature Suhana, its prep is underway. With the release less than two months away, the priority is to complete the remaining portions on time.”

Naturally, the packed shooting calendar means the actor, who will turn 61 this year, will have to skip his annual interaction.

A source from one of the fan clubs told mid-day, “We have been informed that the birthday meet-up won’t happen because Shah Rukh sir is busy shooting for King. The plan is to hold the gathering mid-December, about a week before the film’s release.”

Meanwhile, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has cleared two short video assets of the movie. The second promo, certified on October 26, runs 18 seconds and is expected to drop on the superstar’s birthday.

Two days ago, the makers of Om Chapter 1: The Blood Wood dropped the first look of Sai Pallavi as a cop from the Mammootty and Dhanush-starrer, promising another honest performance from the leading lady. Considering Pallavi has built a career on powerful performances, it’s strange to believe that she had almost turned down the chance to become an actor in favour of another profession.

Appearing on the upcoming episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati 18, Pallavi reflected on her unusual path when host Amitabh Bachchan asked how she went from being a qualified medical graduate to an actor.

“I participated in a dance show when I was in the 12th standard. After that, I received calls [from producers] asking me if I wanted to act. But my parents wanted to send me [to Georgia] for my studies, where I pursued [medicine] for five years. In my fifth year, I received a call from a director who had seen me on that dance show. He asked me if I wanted to act, and I said yes. His name was director Alphonse Puthren, and the film was Premam [2015],” she smiled.

With that began Pallavi’s career as the leading lady, as she went on to give us movies like Gargi (2022) and Amaran (2024). Praising her work, Bachchan remarked, “Congratulations for leaving the medical profession and coming here. It’s our good fortune to see you in films.”

Actor Meezaan Jafri is set to make his web series debut with filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar’s next. Mumbai Mirror has learnt that Zafar is directing a series for a leading streaming platform, featuring Meezaan alongside 12th Fail actress Medha Shankar. The romantic actioner is slated to go on floors by the end of October.

Meezaan, who made his acting debut with Malaal (2019), opposite Sharmin Segal, has since featured in Priyadarshan’s comedy Hungama 2 (2021) and Yaariyan 2 (2023). The son of actor Jaaved Jaaferi, he will now venture into the digital space with a project that blends romance and action. Details about the storyline and the rest of the cast are being kept under wraps.

Medha Shankr rose to prominence with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail (2023), in which she played Shraddha Joshi opposite Vikrant Massey, earning widespread recognition for her performance. She has also featured in Shaadisthan (2021), Dil Bekaraar (2021) and Maalik (2025). In 2026, she starred in Ginny Weds Sunny 2 and Max, Min & Meowzaki.

When we reached out to Meezaan and Ali, both remained unavailable for a comment.

Meezaan in an earlier interview with Mumbai Mirror spoke about his fashion. The actor, who has often been noticed for his sartorial choices, said his style has evolved with experience. “I’ve sort of found my own space now. I know what works for me and what doesn’t. I know the kind of silhouettes that work for me, what kind of jeans suit me and what photographs well. These are things you learn over time. You make mistakes on red carpets, too, and then realise that an outfit doesn’t look as good on camera as you thought it would,” he said.

Having been in boarding school since the fifth standard, actor Anya Singh, known for Border 2 and the show The Ba***ds Of Bollywood, has fond memories of celebrating Dussehra with friends and teachers.

“When you are in a boarding school, it is very rare that you get the opportunity to dress up in Indian attire. That is a core memory because year after year, you are celebrating it with your best friends and teachers... It was like a community activity,” she shares.

A confessed sweet tooth, the 33-year-old says food has always been central to festive celebrations in her family. “On every big festival, my nani makes aate ka halwa. Ghar ka halwa hits different. That is something I miss.”

On the work front, Singh shares an exclusive update about her upcoming film, Vikram Bhatt’s 1920: Cold Winter, in which she stars alongside Ahan Shetty.

“We begin shooting in the first week of December. It is an intense story, and a lot needs to be said through the eyes. Vikram sir thought I’d be a good fit; he had enjoyed my part in The Ba***ds Of Bollywood. He said that while writing, he had me in mind. When I heard the story, I said, ‘Let’s go ahead’. Even though I am petrified of horror!”

Mumbai: Until recently, celebrity-spotters hoping to catch a glimpse of film stars would stake out Bandra Bandstand, Juhu or Film City in the suburbs. The hunt has now taken an unexpected turn to south Mumbai-to Courtroom No. 55, tucked away on the fifth floor of a building in the city civil and sessions court complex in Kala Ghoda.

For those tracking Bollywood's uneasy brush with the gangland network of Lawrence Bishnoi, this is the arena where the famous meet the infamous.

Presided over by special judge Satyanarayan Ramjivan Navandar, the court is hearing a cluster of cases linked to the Lawrence gang under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). The list includes alleged firing outside actor Salman Khan's Bandra residence and filmmaker Rohit Shetty's home, and the murder of politician Baba Siddique who had ties with Bollywood's elite. If MCOCA is invoked in the attack on actor Tiger Shroff, that matter too could find its way here.

It was the Salman Khan case hearings that first brought the chamber into the spotlight. He is expected to appear as a key witness along with his brother, actor-producer Arbaaz. It was on the same building's fourth floor in Courtroom No 52 that Salman was sentenced to 5 years in jail for running over four people and killing one in 2002 (he was acquitted by Bombay high court). His repeated appearances over 2 years then drew large crowds.

Among regular visitors was Pranita Fulsagar from Pune who travelled four hours for every hearing. Now married to a cop and mother to twins, Fulsagar, 32, is hoping to see the actor in person again. "I have a book full of his pictures," she said. "I want him to live a full and happy life," she said.

Quiet courtrooms in the City Civil and Sessions Court complex have often been dramatically transformed during sensational trials into packed spaced filled with lawyers, litigants, court staff and curious onlookers. They make up a motley bunch. One frequent attendee at Salman’s last trial was a senior citizen from Bandra, who took notes with coloured pens and claimed he had been at the accident spot on the night of the incident. For the Salman Khan case of 2002, the day of the judgment in May 2015 was marked by special arrangements.

Entry to the fourth-floor courtroom was cordoned off, and people scaled the building opposite the court using water pipelines to catch a glimpse of Khan through the courtroom window. Court staff fear a repeat of the dangerous climb, this time a floor higher, when Khan arrives to depose in the MCOCA trial. Threats received by the actor from the Bishnoi network culminated in the firing outside his home on Apr 14, 2024 and triggered a major investigation into organised crime rackets operating across states.

The Baba Siddique case has added a graver dimension. Siddique was shot dead outside his son’s office in Bandra (E) on October 12, 2024. Police linked the murder to Bishnoi-led organised crime activity. The tone in court around such a case is sombre. Even in a room used to high-profile name-dropping, a murder trial changes the atmosphere. There is less whispering, more note-taking, and a constant reminder that behind every “sensational case” is a dead man, a grieving family and a prosecution required to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The Rohit Shetty case has added to the impression that Courtroom 55 is the place where cases involving alleged gang threats to Bollywood are heard. Now, with reports that the Tiger Shroff case may be tried under MCOCA, Courtroom No 55 could see another high-profile number. MCOCA cases are not routine assignments, they require allegations of organised crime activity, prior offences, continuing unlawful activity and sanction from the authorities.

If that threshold is crossed, Courtroom No 55 could be assigned with hearing more such remands. Yet despite the celebrity backdrop, everyday life inside 55 remains rooted in bureaucratic reality. Known for maintaining a strict, no-nonsense courtroom, Judge Navandar delivers sharp judicial remarks when police procedure falters.

When investigators recently faced difficulty securing physical custody of Anmol Bishnoi, the judge pulled up the Crime Branch for showing little effort and asked why video conferencing had not been used if transfer orders were stuck in red tape. In 55, celebrity, box-office success and gangster notoriety carry little weight if the paperwork is not in order.

Early on during the UK leg, an image from the shoot of Samuk made its way online, giving a glimpse into the world of the Akshay Kumar-starrer. Now, as the sci-fi survival thriller’s final leg rolled in Powai on October 26, director Kanishk Varma and producer Vipul A Shah stepped up security measures to ensure that images from the set aren’t leaked online.

The makers want to keep the visual elements under wraps as Samuk has a distinct sci-fi premise and much effort has gone into building its world. Sources told us that mobile phones and photography have been barred on the set. Entry to the venue is also limited to essential cast and crew, with security personnel monitoring access.

A source said, “Samuk is not a conventional action film. There is a novel world that Kanishk wants audiences to discover on screen. The security measures are intended to ensure that no footage or visuals reach the audience before that.” 

About two weeks of filming will take place across Mumbai, including at Film City and Jogeshwari. By mid-November, it will be a wrap on the thriller.

Maruti’s story is about more than the car that put India on wheels. For Arjun Singgh Baran and Kartick D Nishandar, it is a story of the common man, the making of modern India and a dream that was once met with scepticism overseas. The duo, who are adapting The Maruti Story, based on the book by R C Bhargava, have secured the book rights as well as the life rights of Bhargava, the rights of Suzuki Motors and those of its late chairman Osamu Suzuki. Produced by Baran, Nishandar and Jyoti Deshpande of Jio Studios, the series is being developed as a character-driven drama and not a documentary chronicling the company’s milestones.

“We wanted to tell the story of India’s common man. What better than the Maruti story, around which the common man’s journey has grown? India has grown around it, and places like Gurgaon have grown around it. Maruti is responsible for where Gurgaon is today. It was a no-man’s land, and they built a housing complex there and brought in Delhi Public School, among other things, for the common man. We want to tell stories that impact the common man’s thought process and allow people to see themselves in the characters,” says Nishandar.

The makers acquired the book rights in 2022, but securing the material needed for a screen adaptation was a considerably longer exercise. The process involved negotiating the book rights, individual character rights and personality rights, which took eight to nine months. They had secured the rights around three-and-a-half to four years ago, says Nishandar, and have since spent considerable time developing the screenplay.

“Even if you take the book rights, it does not mean you have the right to tell everyone’s story or talk about every person in it. It is imperative to acquire the rights for the names you are going to use, unless they are in the public domain. The book rights, character rights and individual personality rights are all very important. You have to be convinced as makers before you put your money behind a subject. We were convinced that we wanted to tell the common man’s story, and that is what drove us. We got life rights of R C Bhargava, along with rights from Suzuki Motor Corporation and Osamu Suzuki,” Singgh says.

The series will explore the personal and family arcs surrounding the larger journey, while keeping the common man at its centre. The screenplay is complete, and the makers are moving towards the dialogue stage, with conversations underway with dialogue writers who have worked on leading shows. The ambition, Nishandar says, is to make the story travel beyond India.

“We don’t want to make a documentary or just document facts. We want to talk about characters. The journey of Maruti is a parallel universe, but if people cannot connect with the relatability and the thought processes of the characters, they will not believe the story. Writing is imperative when you are telling any story. If your writing lands correctly, it is your biggest hero. Then come your actors, your director and the ecosystem around it. We are extremely involved in the writing process, and we have finished the screenplay. We want this show to represent India at the Emmys and the Golden Globes. That is also why we took so much time to write it,” says Nishandar.

The production is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027. The team plans to recreate several locations, including Tokyo, the European Motor Show and Delhi as it existed during the period being depicted. The makers are also preparing to use extensive graphics and visual effects to recreate the era, while ensuring that the production remains faithful to the subject.

At the heart of the story is the moment when Indian officials went looking for an international partner to help build a car that Indians could afford and drive on Indian roads. Nishandar recalls how the ambition was initially dismissed.

“When R C Bhargava and V Krishnamurthy went to Europe and said they wanted to collaborate with someone to make an Indian car that an Indian could afford and drive on Indian roads, they were laughed out of the room. They were asked how India could afford to make a car. That hit Bhargava so strongly that he decided to make the dream come true. He did not have any experience in automobile engineering; he was a bureaucrat. He then looked east, and that is where Japan came in. That is how the collaboration with Suzuki happened,” Singgh says.

The makers believe that this history has a global resonance, particularly at a time when India’s manufacturing capabilities have evolved considerably. Nishandar points to Maruti’s reach, its contribution to the growth of an ancillary vendor ecosystem and the role the company has played in making car ownership accessible to millions of Indians.

“We should proudly say that Maruti has created a vendor community and a global outreach. There are companies making auto parts for Rolls-Royce. The Europeans who looked down upon us at that time are now coming back to India to seek help. This has to be a story told globally, and this is the right time,” he says.

The series will also draw on archival material made available by the Maruti team, including footage from the company’s history. One of the defining moments it intends to revisit is Indira Gandhi presenting the first Maruti 800 key to Harpal Singh. The makers also plan to shoot at the Gurgaon factory, where the space associated with the car’s inauguration still exists.

“We are getting a lot of archival footage from the Maruti team. We are also going to shoot at the Gurgaon factory, where Mrs Gandhi inaugurated the first car. They have opened their doors to us, and we want to make the series as relatable and relevant as possible. But there is a thin line between using archival footage throughout the show and using it only when it is relevant. Otherwise, it becomes a documentary. We will use it to add relevance, not as a substitute for going out and shooting,” Nishandar says.

For a singer, releasing music across languages and genres in quick succession can be both exhilarating and exhausting. Armaan Malik, who has had four releases across languages and platforms in less than a month, describes the experience as a whirlwind of emotions, demanding schedules and creative challenges. While the flurry of releases has kept him on his toes, the opportunity to connect with listeners through different kinds of music has made the experience particularly rewarding.

“It feels surreal, chaotic yet deeply rewarding. As an artist, you spend months sitting on music, and suddenly everything lines up in a four-week window,” says Armaan, reflecting on the unusual concentration of releases. For the singer, the excitement lies not just in the number of songs reaching audiences but also in the diversity of the music.

Moving between languages, industries and musical sensibilities allows him to connect with listeners in different ways. “What makes it special is the sheer variety. Connecting with listeners through a Malayalam track one day, a Hindi Bollywood ballad the next and then dropping an independent single all together is the ultimate high,” he says.

However, the rush of releases also comes with its share of demands. Balancing multiple projects in a short span means navigating packed schedules and putting in long hours, often with little room to pause between one song and the next. “It is exhausting to deliver all of it back-to-back, but seeing people find comfort in these songs makes every sleepless night completely worth it,” he adds.

While vocal stamina is an obvious consideration when recording several songs within weeks, Armaan believes the bigger challenge lies elsewhere. Each composition demands a distinct emotional approach, and moving between contrasting musical worlds requires him to reset mentally.

“The hardest part is not the vocal stamina, it is the mental switching. Shifting emotional gears in a matter of days is intense,” he says. The transition can be particularly demanding when the songs differ significantly in their treatment and emotional intensity. A grand, dramatic Bollywood ballad calls for a different vocal interpretation from an intimate independent track, where restraint and subtlety may be more important than sheer vocal power.

“One day you are cutting a grand, dramatic Bollywood ballad, and forty eight hours later you are doing an intimate, understated independent record. Throw South Indian languages into the mix, where phonetics and diction completely guide the emotion, and you really have to clear your mind between sessions so every song stays authentic,” he says.

Sunday evenings, for years, have meant only one thing to the All Stars Football Club (ASFC) — hours of football practice at the Jamnabai Narsee School playground in Juhu. But their weekly ritual was cancelled on October 25, in light of the October 18 attack on actor Tiger Shroff that took place outside the ground. Bunty Walia, who owns the ASFC, has called off all training sessions until further notice. We have heard that they will resume only after necessary security arrangements have been put in place.

A source from the ASFC told mid-day that the shooting attempt on Shroff — where reportedly five to seven bullets were fired at the actor’s car by two men on a motorbike — has left the team shaken.

The source said, “The October 25 practice match was cancelled by Bunty Walia. He is clear that till a security plan is put in place, he won’t announce the next match. Many actors are part of the ASFC, including Abhishek Bachchan, Kartik Aaryan, and Ranbir Kapoor. Everyone’s safety is top priority.”

When mid-day contacted Walia, he confirmed that the practice session was cancelled in the aftermath of the attack. The case is currently being investigated by the Mumbai Crime Branch.

“We are not sure about the next practice session. We’ll need to discuss with the police as to how to go forward. We cannot resume till we put the necessary safety norms in place,” said Walia.

As part of the safety measures, going forward, the ASFC may keep its training sessions away from the paparazzi’s lens. It is heard that the club will keep the dates and venues under wraps so as to not attract attention.

Lalit Prabhakar knew he had the chance to do something unique when he was asked to audition for the role of 26/11 Mumbai attacks terrorist Ajmal Kasab for Prahaar, led by Rajkummar Rao. While two takes were all it took for director Avinash Arun to know that he had found his Kasab, becoming the on-screen terrorist was a longer journey for the actor.

Breaking down his prep, Prabhakar said, “I spent time with Avinash sir as he expressed his approach towards the character, how he wanted to humanize it, and didn’t want to [adopt] the melodramatic, filmy style. He believed Kasab’s psyche should be our focus. What exactly does it mean to be brainwashed? If a person has killed so many people and is ready to die, how would his eyes and expressions be?”

The actor, who is winning praise for his act in Prahaar, also read the book, 26/11 Kasab Ani Me, by Ramesh Mahale, the chief investigating officer of the attacks.

Prabhakar added, “There’s only one video of Kasab available on YouTube. That’s all I could watch. I studied his two-three photos that are in public domain. The main task was [perfecting] the dialect and tone.”

Plans are afoot to restore and revamp Fort’s historic Capitol Cinema that opened in 1879, but tenanted shop-owners and hawkers who have carried out their trade on the building’s ground floor or around it for decades are complaining of being squeezed out of their spaces for the redevelopment.

The Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) has given its thumbs-up to the revival plan, which will see the heritage structure house a 210-seat single-screen cinema spread across 264 sq m, apart from a commercial retail space of 316 sq m.

The ball to restore the structure was set in motion after the parent firm of the cinema, Nadir Company Private Limited, was bought over by real estate major K Raheja. Mirror was the first to report on the takeover on January 21. Capitol has been shut since 2007, according to sources.

“The Capitol Cinema building is a Grade II-B heritage structure. We received an application from K Raheja for the proposed conservation, restoration, additions and adaptive reuse of the theatre, for which we have granted permission. They are planning to use the existing structure for both commercial retail and a single-screen cinema with a proposed seating capacity of 210,” a senior civic official told Mumbai Mirror.

He added that as part of the renovation, the single-screen theatre’s entrance will shift to the rear of the heritage structure, with the auditorium layout being reconfigured from the back. “So, the front portion of Capitol Cinema will be reserved for commercial retail spaces, while the rear section will house the theatre,” he added.

The approval, however, comes with a string of strict heritage safeguards, said the civic sources. “Rooftop service structures must be kept as low as possible, while all original features, including window grids, roof patterns and historic flooring, must be retained or restored under expert supervision and in accordance with conservation norms. Box grills on windows and air-conditioning units on the front façade are prohibited,” said the source.

The MHCC’s NOC covers heritage-related aspects only, with ownership, structural stability, FSI, setbacks and parking still requiring clearance from the BMC’s Building Proposal Department under prevailing DCPR rules, reads the civic document.

According to the civic document, the approval is valid for two years and must be revalidated if work has not commenced or a Commencement Certificate (CC) has not been obtained within that period. An MHCC Completion Certificate will also be mandatory once the work is completed.

On the thorny issue of the existing tenants, the civic official said: “I am not sure whether the existing shopline tenants will be retained or asked to vacate, as that decision rests solely with the owner.”

Most of the tenants at Capitol are unaware if they will be retained or asked to vacate. Mirror spoke to many of them and confirmed that since the ownership change, no one has approached them for rent. “Earlier the owner would ask us for the rent and we would pay by cheque, but after the ownership transfer, no one is asking us for rent. We do not know if we will be evicted or asked to stay. But if we are asked to vacate, we will demand space for the space given up,” said a shop owner, who has been operating for the last eight decades.

A newspaper vendor, Ajay Prajapati, alleged that the owner is not directly engaged with the tenants or sub-tenants or vendors, “instead, they are provoking civic officials to throw out vendors and sub-tenants from the premises,” he told Mirror.

“I’ve been running a newspaper stall for the last 50 years and I have all valid BMC permissions. But after the Capitol Cinema structure has been covered in green net, I was thrown out of the premises and they are deployed bouncers. I was not even a tenant, but sold newspapers on the footpath for five decades, but the civic authority evicted me despite having QR code, which validates I am a genuine vendor in the area. Where should I go to seek justice? How will I run my house?” wondered Prajapati.

Deepak Chourasia, a paanwala-turned-juice seller, has also been removed. “I’m living hand-to-mouth and finding it difficult to pay my children’s school fees. In the name renovation, the owner has encroached upon the footpath. The pedestrians are forced to walk on the busy road. But BMC will never crack down on builders. We, the poor vendors, will be reminded of rules and regulations,” Chourasia said.

Abdul Gaffar Shaikh, the owner of World Stamp and Coin House and a sub-tenant of the structure, said that he has been forcefully evicted. “This shop has been run by my family for the past 80 years, but the civic officials evicted me. Now, the green net is blocking my shop. I have written to the authorities to seek their intervention, but everyone is just a spectator,” Shaikh told Mumbai Mirror.

The green net has also covered Blue Moon Watch at the corner of the building. “It’s been hampering my business. I had to fight with them to allow my shop to be visible to customers. This is ridiculous,” said Noor Mohammad, the staff at Blue Moon Watch.

“We are committed to restoring this historic building into a landmark Mumbai will be proud of, with all works carried out as per law and after securing approvals from the relevant authorities. Restoration works will commence shortly, and all necessary measures have been taken to ensure public safety. We remain in dialogue with all stakeholders and are working closely with the authorities throughout the process,” a senior representative from the K Raheja Corp told Mumbai Mirror.

- It opened in 1879 as a theatre for performing arts and was originally known as Gaiety

- During the British Raj, it staged countless plays. It was converted to cinema in 1928, after which the name was changed to Capitol

- The Neo-Classical beauty, with its Kurla Basalt façade and Porbunder limestone carvings, is a Grade II-B heritage structure on the ‘A’ Ward list

- It also stands in the shadow of giants, as the landmark structure sits in the buffer zone of Grade-I icons CSMT and the BMC Head Office

- A senior civic official told Mumbai Mirror that There were two turrets – above the staircase blocks – atop the structure. “The original roof will be restored as per the archival images. So, these two turrets will be constructed after securing due permission from MHCC,” the civil official added

A heritage structure is classified as such for its architectural, historical, cultural or townscape significance and is subject to regulations aimed at preserving its heritage character.

“Under Mumbai’s heritage classification system, Grade II is divided into Grade II-A and Grade II-B, with the latter allowing certain adaptations and additional construction under specified conditions. Original façades, ornamental features, architectural details and other significant elements must be protected. Essential structural repairs, restoration, internal alterations and adaptive reuse may be permitted, provided they do not compromise the building’s heritage value. However, changes to the exterior, façade or other protected features are subject to scrutiny and may require approval from the competent civic and heritage authorities. Demolition or major redevelopment cannot be undertaken as a matter of course and must comply with applicable heritage regulations,” said a city-based architect, requesting anonymity.

In early October, rumours surfaced that the makers of Salman Khan’s Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace were lining up its screening for the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Since then, mid-day did some digging around and found out that the movie — which was originally titled Battle Of Galwan and was to chronicle the 2020 India-China clash in the Galwan valley — has yet to receive a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Until the war drama gets a greenlight from the MoD, it cannot approach the CBFC for a certificate.

According to sources, director Apoorva Lakhia’s war drama was screened for the MoD mid-2026. The step applies to movies, documentaries, and web series stories based on the Indian Armed Forces.

A source revealed, “At the first screening, they had a few suggestions for the film that sees Salman as an army officer. The makers reshot parts of the movie as per their recommendations.” Maatrubhumi has reportedly undergone several modifications over the months — from its title to the depiction of the neighbouring country and a tonal shift in the narrative.

The source further added that earlier this month, Khan, Lakhia, and the team sent the movie’s revised cut to the ministry.

The source revealed, “Since then, there has been complete silence from the MoD. As Salman plays a soldier in the Indian Army in the movie, the makers have to follow strict regulations and approval processes before its release. The actor has been following the necessary protocols. The makers were hoping that the matter would be resolved soon, so that they could then apply for the CBFC certificate. They cannot secure a release date even for next year, unless they get the NOC from the MoD.”

Even as reports linked Mitakshara Kumar to The Royals 2, the director has been quietly working on something else. She is developing the next instalment of the Tanu Weds Manu franchise with Eros, something that she hinted at on Instagram last December. It’s being planned as a fresh chapter rather than a continuation of the original that featured Kangana Ranaut and R Madhavan.

A source close to the development said, “The idea is to retain the irreverence and madness of Tanu Weds Manu, while introducing a new set of characters. The new film will give the makers the opportunity to build a different story in the established world. The team has been writing for the past one year.” 

Director Aanand L Rai’s Tanu Weds Manu (2011) followed the romance between Madhavan’s Manu Sharma and Ranaut’s free-spirited Tanuja Trivedi. Its sequel, Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015), took their turbulent marriage forward. Both films were box-office successes.

So far, Kumar has primarily worked on period dramas. The new project will give her a chance to explore a modern romantic comedy. The director told mid-day, “We are going with a fresh, young cast but the same madness of the Tanu Weds Manu world.”

Mitakshara Kumar directed ‘The Empire’ and certain episodes of ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’.

Two years after serving Killer Soup (2024) to the audience, filmmaker Abhishek Chaubey is ready to give shape to his next offering. Mid-Day has learnt that the director will helm a series, tentatively titled Kaala, to be led by Siddhant Chaturvedi. Can we expect another edgy story from the man who gave us Ishqiya (2010) and Udta Punjab (2016)? Well, the ingredients are all there, with sources telling us that Kaala is designed as a period drama focusing on the coal mafia in Jharkhand.

A source revealed, “The series begins sometime around the 1960s and is spread across several decades. Abhishek has envisioned it as an expansive story.”

Earlier this year, Chaturvedi stated in an interview that he was set to collaborate with the filmmaker. At the time, however, it wasn’t certain whether the project would be a film or series. 

Now, after months of pre-production, Chaubey is ready to call action on the series, which will be produced by Excel Entertainment. Another insider revealed, “The show will go on floors after Diwali. The first shoot will be conducted in Pune.”

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Earlier this week, mid-day reported that Siddhant Chaturvedi and filmmaker Abhishek Chaubey were teaming up for Kaala, a series centred on Jharkhand’s coal mafia in the 1970s (Back to black, Oct 22). Now, it appears that the director has also zeroed in on his show’s leading lady. According to sources, Medha Shankr, who rose to fame with the sleeper hit 12th Fail (2023), has bagged the project.

A source told mid-day, “The team did extensive auditions in its hunt for the female lead. Medha was always a frontrunner. She fits the world that Abhishek has created.” This will be her maiden collaboration with both Chaturvedi and Chaubey.

With the two leads in place, the obvious question then is: who will be the baddie? Chaubey, who plans to kick off Kaala in Pune next month, seems to have figured that out.

Another insider revealed, “Ronit Bose Roy has been signed on to play the primary antagonist. His intensity and ability to bring diverse characters on screen with conviction made him the perfect choice.”

Injured Tiger Shroff fan Umesh Chauhan’s family confirmed to mid-day that the actor's mother, Ayesha Shroff, has handed over an undisclosed amount of money to the fan’s family for medical expenses.

Chauhan’s cousin, Rahul Goud, told mid-day on Wednesday, “Ayesha madam gave me some money yesterday, and some amount was given to me today. She assured me that they will take care of the entire treatment cost and post-surgery medical requirements.”

The development comes after Ayesha Shroff met Chauhan early on Tuesday morning. During the meeting, she also spoke to Goud and assured the family of their full support during this difficult period.

Chauhan’s father expressed his gratitude towards the Shroffs, saying, “We are thankful for the help and feel relieved after his bullet was removed and seeing him respond well to the treatment. We hope he recovers completely now at the earliest so that he can take care of his wife and expected child.”

According to a statement released by Dr Harish Manilal Pathak, the dean of KEM Hospital, Chauhan underwent surgical retrieval of the bullet under general anaesthesia in the cardiovascular and thoracic surgery (CVTS) operation theatre at 8 am.

“The procedure was performed by Dr Uday Eknath Jadhav, head of department of CVTS, and Dr Ram Prajapati, head of unit, department of surgery. The patient tolerated the procedure well and was subsequently shifted to the ESR intensive care unit for postoperative observation and monitoring. His vital parameters are currently stable, and he remains under close medical supervision,” the statement read.

On October 18, Chauhan was injured after three bike-borne assailants intercepted actor Tiger Shroff’s BMW and fired seven rounds point-blank at the vehicle around 6.30 pm. Chauhan sustained a chest injury and was brought via a rickshaw to the Cooper Hospital in Juhu around 7.10 pm. After being stabilised at the facility, he was transferred to KEM Hospital in Parel around midnight on October 19.