With ‘Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-ups’ in theatres now, Yash is giving undivided attention to his next ambitious release, ‘Ramayana: Part 1’. While the Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, and Yash-starrer has generated enough buzz, we’ve heard that the two male leads plan to take their epic to fans across India through special interactions.

According to an industry insider, Kapoor — who plays Lord Ram — will spearhead a fan meet-up in Delhi on October 31, while the South star will host the Bengaluru leg on November 1.

“The idea is to create a pan-India connect. Ranbir and Yash will lead the interactions in their respective cities,” said a source.

The team is also said to be planning a summit in Hyderabad, potentially a day before the Nitesh Tiwari-directed venture’s India release on November 8. Details of the event are still being worked out.

The source added, “The exact format has yet to be finalized, but over 4000 people are expected to attend. The makers want to ensure the film travels to the South belt. That said, the official première of ‘Ramayana’ will be in Mumbai.”

Over a month after posting an impassioned video condemning the police crackdown on students protesting over alleged irregularities and paper leaks in the NEET-UG exams, Naseeruddin Shah has a new message for student protestors.

“I wish these kids all the best, and I wish them more strength,” the veteran actor told HT City on the sidelines of the launch of Mahmood Farooqui's memoir The Tihar Players, in the Capital on Sunday. Asked if he believes such protests could change the state of affairs, he said, “This kind of protest will definitely work.”

In his July video, Shah had compared Delhi Police personnel who lathi-charged students to American ICE agents, and also took a dig at A-list actors who chose silence during the protests. His message drew criticism from Kangana Ranaut and Piyush Mishra.

At the event, the 76-year-old praised a theatrical performance by former Tihar Jail inmates, saying, “Seldom have I seen this much truth in a performance, performed by those who have gained redemption.”

Over the years, Shah has mentored several actors in the Indian film and theatre industry. During an on-stage interaction with Farooqui, who held drama classes during his own prison time at the Tihar Jail, Shah said, “I find that many of my student actors struggle to shed their inhibitions even in simple exercises such as drinking from an imaginary cup, and the women resort to crying after reading an imaginary break-up letter from their boyfriends, mainly because they join these classes to get a job. But I’m sure you didn’t get this struggle in the jail."

He also recalled his own years at boarding school, likening that experience to being in jail. He recounted how punishments there were far harsher than what students face today. “The teachers today would be arrested,” he quipped.

Huma Qureshi has lately made headlines on both the personal and professional fronts. While she turned producer with recently released Baby Do Die Do, which clashed with Alia Bhatt’s Alpha in theatres, her appearances with actor and acting coach Rachit Singh have also fuelled wedding speculation.

Qureshi, however, says marriage will have to wait. “You and my mum have the same questions! I don’t have an answer to when the wedding is going to happen. Shaadi jab honi hogi tab ho jayegi; I have a lot of work to do. This is a very busy year and, right now, I am just focusing on that.”

How big a risk was turning producer? “It is a high-risk, high-reward business. It is exciting because you get to be the creator and keeper of your IP. I feel every creative person should produce a film once to understand the entire process.

As an actor, your job is largely in front of the camera. A producer, however, is responsible for everything needed to make a project happen. Sometimes, even somebody’s temperament becomes your problem.

It is a humbling experience and teaches you the value of time, money and professionalism. At the same time, the risk involved is considerable.

As actors, we are dependent on other people to hire us. Saqib (Saleem, brother- actor) and I are not cribbers, and we do not like playing victims over the roles we are not getting. The only option was to create opportunities for ourselves.

Saleem Siblings is our little brother-sister cottage industry, through which we hope to create interesting projects with like-minded people. We may not have mammoth budgets, but not every story needs Rs. 150 crore to be made. Some stories need only a fraction of that amount and can still be engaging. Baby Do Die Do is now in its fifth weekend and continues to get shows. I keep sharing whenever a show goes houseful in any part of the country.”

Namit Malhotra’s Ramayana has landed in controversy days after its trailer release. Arjun Kumar, president of Shri Ramlila Mahasangh and Lav Kush Ramlila, Old Delhi, has asked the makers for an advanced screening of the film to ensure that no religious sentiments are hurt.

Questioning the portrayal of Ram in the trailer, Kumar tells us, “How can Shri Ram, who lived with dignity, be shown taking a pledge and getting angry to kill someone? Also, (actor) Ranbir Kapoor is promoting sale of land in Ayodhya in an ad, and here he is playing Shri Ram. Will Ram ever sell Ayodhya’s land?”

He also believes that things like the costumes “could be rejected by the viewers” after the release.

Kumar clarifies that they don’t want the film to flop as “if films made on a great book like Ramayana flop, a negative message goes to society”. He also insists that they are not giving any certificate to the film, but will ask for scenes to be removed if “any of these hurt the sentiments” of Hindus.

Kumar warned that if the screening isn’t arranged, Shri Ramlila Mahasangh, along with various Hindu organizations, will stage demonstrations across Delhi and other states.

We reached out to the team of Ramayana, but they refused to comment on the matter.

Most actors speak about fitness in familiar terms: six-pack abs, punishing gym sessions and meticulously counted calories. Anant Joshi’s wellness journey takes a different route. The 12th Fail, Gullak, Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein and Virgin Bhasskar actor has discovered that the best exercise routine is often the one you genuinely look forward to repeating. For him, that happened the first time he watched flamenco dancers perform while assisting a Spanish director in Delhi more than a decade ago. Curiosity soon shaped his commitment. Joshi travelled to Seville to learn under flamenco maestros Bettina Castaño, David Pérez, Angelita Gómez and El Rubio, returning year after year to refine his craft. What began as an artistic pursuit slowly transformed his relationship with health.

Today, he says fitness, to him, is about having a body capable of climbing mountains, dancing for hours, surviving gruelling shoots and enjoying everyday life without feeling exhausted. “I don’t train for aesthetics. I train for functionality. I want to stay agile, move well and feel strong enough to live fully,” Joshi says.

Joshi’s weekly routine combines yoga, strength training, body-weight exercises, calisthenics, long walks and three sessions with his trainer. Yet he believes flamenco ties everything together because it demands complete involvement.

Unlike repetitive gym exercises, dance constantly challenges the brain, he explains. Every sequence requires balance, coordination, rhythm, memory and emotional expression, while the body responds with strength, stamina and precision. You are thinking and moving at the same time.

“Flamenco is percussion, storytelling, music and movement all at once. You’re completely present. There isn’t space in your head for anything except the next beat.”

That complete absorption is something psychologists describe as a “flow state”, where concentration becomes so intense that everyday worries temporarily disappear.

Joshi’s approach to nutrition follows the same balanced philosophy. He is predominantly vegetarian, although he occasionally eats meat while travelling if vegetarian options are limited. His staple meal remains a simple Indian thali, and he has consciously increased his protein intake through eggs, paneer, tofu and legumes after recognising that recovery matters as much as exercise.

“I listen to my body more than diet trends. Cooking is another way of caring for myself. It connects directly to both physical and mental health,” he says.

His mornings begin with two glasses of water, followed by black coffee, a single date and a spoonful of peanut butter. Dinner varies depending on his work schedule, but he avoids eating very late. More importantly, he refuses to obsess over every meal. Comfort food has its place, too. During the monsoon he happily reaches for pakoras or samosas, while a good Margherita pizza remains one of his favourite indulgences.

Ask Joshi what matters most in his wellness routine and he answers without hesitation. “Sleep”. He believes recovery determines everything else, from mood to metabolism.

Music also forms part of his recovery routine. It is almost always playing at home, while painting offers another outlet whenever he needs to slow down after work. Recent research from University College London suggests that regular participation in creative activities, including painting, music and cultural pursuits, is associated with slower biological ageing and lower stress levels, reinforcing the value of creative hobbies beyond simple relaxation.

Equally important are friendships. “If something is bothering me, I ask myself whether it’s really worth worrying about. Talking to friends helps because stress grows when you keep it bottled up.” His instinct would be supported by mental health professionals, no doubt. After all, studies have repeatedly shown that strong social relationships protect emotional well-being.

Travel is another essential part of Joshi’s well-being. Walkable cities fascinate him because they encourage curiosity instead of haste. One of his proudest adventures remains cycling from Delhi to Pokhara in Nepal, a journey that tested both physical endurance and mental determination.

His annual trips to Spain have become something deeper than holidays, too. They are periods of immersion that reconnect him with flamenco and, by extension, with himself. He has also found surprising common ground between flamenco and Kathak, collaborating with Kathak exponent Aditi Bhagwat in annual flamenco-Kathak performances for the Embassy of Spain. The dialogue between two traditions reminds him that fitness, creativity and culture need not exist in separate worlds.

Perhaps the healthiest habit of all is choosing movement that brings joy rather than obligation. For Joshi, that rhythm happens to echo from the streets of Seville, but the lesson can begin anywhere.

Kangana Ranaut has hit back at actor Hrithik Roshan after he commented on a viral social media post saying that “the world owes an apology” to him. The post followed backlash against Ranaut over her remarks on recent student protests, including those over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. The actor and BJP MP criticised the protesters’ conduct and language, describing some young women at the demonstrations as “Generation Gutter”.

Her comments drew a response from Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson Saurav Das, whom Kangana later called “useless and unemployed”. Saurav then joked that she may have been targeting him because he resembled a younger Hrithik Roshan.

The remark prompted social media users to revive Kangana and Hrithik’s old public dispute, with “We need to apologise to Hrithik Roshan” gaining traction online. Influencer Freddy Birdy also shared a post that read, “The world owes an apology to Hrithik Roshan.”

Hrithik responded in the comments, questioning the tendency to side with one person merely because another had fallen out of favour. Kangana hit back on Instagram Stories on Saturday, accusing him of fuelling the online harassment against her.

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In 2016, Kangana Ranaut referred to an unnamed former partner as a “silly ex”, prompting Hrithik Roshan to send her a legal notice. She issued a counter-notice, and their conflicting claims over an alleged relationship, emails and photographs subsequently played out in public. The old controversy resurfaced after Saurav Das joked that Ranaut was targeting him because he resembled a younger Hrithik.

In the words of legendary American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson, “It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.” Few friendships embody that sentiment better than the two-decade-long bond between actors Abhishek Banerjee and Divyenndu. It all began when two cinema enthusiasts crossed paths at Kirori Mal College in New Delhi in the early 2000s, with Divyenndu a year senior to Banerjee. From sharing the stage in college plays to becoming best friends while shooting for the web series Mirzapur, their story is a reminder of the enduring value of old friendships. Excerpts:

Abhishek: I am a single child, so for me, friendship is like a sibling relationship. It’s a comfort zone, because I don’t have a brother or sister, and my parents belong to a different generation.

Divyenndu: For me, friendship holds a really high place in life. It truly tells who you are as a person. Everything else, such as your parents or your siblings, you get by default. Mere dost mere bohot kareeb hai. Abhishek and I have a very strong telepathy. If there is any karmic connection, we definitely have it.

A: Not at all. When Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011) came, that was a big moment for all of us because it felt like one of ours had reached that stage. Seeing him grow, I realized that there was a huge chance for us as well because he had no godfather.

D: We are very secure people. We know what our paths are, and we will not cross each other; we will always walk together. When I started, there was hardly anything that was organized. But when I saw Abhishek taking some very sensible decisions and casting actors on their merit, I felt really proud.

A: Him ragging me. That is like a lifelong thing. (Laughs)

D: Honestly, jokes apart, our belief system in terms of work. We really respect what we do, and we don’t take that for granted. We can have fun on set, but if we are working on a scene, we go back to the basics.

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Destiny surely played a role in how we met. We started doing shows together, ended up staying in the same building; even our in-laws are in the same colony in Delhi. Too many coincidences in life!

- Abhishek Banerjee

Your friendship really tells who you are. Mere dost mere bohot kareeb hai because I have invested in that kind of relationship with them.

- Divyenndu

Actor and MP Kangana Ranaut has criticized participants in the CJP-led student protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, which had demanded then-Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and other examination irregularities. Pradhan resigned on July 25, following which the group called off its protest.

Reacting to videos from the agitation in a series of Instagram Stories (see insets), Ranaut criticized the protesters’ language and behaviour, describing the clips as “puke inducing”, “jarring” and “crass”.

In a subsequent Story, she turned her attention specifically to young Hindu women, writing, “Most appalling is the behaviour of young Hindu women, who want to imitate the lives of independent career women without earning that freedom.”

Ranaut said women who are truly independent make “rebellious choices”, express bold opinions, take unconventional career decisions and remain accountable for their actions. She referred to a section of “westernized Indian women” as “Generation Gutter” and alleged that some sought independence while continuing to live off their parents’ earnings.

Concluding with what she called a “gentle reminder”, Ranaut wrote, “Independent life needs to be earned. If you try to live independent without accountability you are just a distorted entity. Gutter chap.” 

Shabana Azmi is cut from a different cloth. At 75, while much of the film industry remained silent or issued carefully worded, "neutral" statements, she chose to travel to Jantar Mantar in solidarity with the student movement led by the CJP, demanding accountability from the education minister and those in power. The students remain resolute, vowing to continue their nationwide agitation until their demands are met. Back from Delhi, Azmi spoke to Bombay Times while recovering from an asthma attack triggered by tear gas during the protest. In a candid conversation, she reflects on why she felt compelled to stand with the students, what she witnessed on the ground, and why she believes silence is no longer an option. Excerpts…

The sheer injustice of it. Students of our country are peacefully demanding a dialogue for educational reforms. They seek an overhauling of the educational system and accountability for the several lapses in key entrance exams over the years leading to despair to the point of suicide. Why can’t you listen to them? We need to build their hope, not crush their spirit. The prolonged hunger strike by the students and Sonam Wangchuk whose deteriorating health we were all witness to deeply concerned me. Can you imagine the pain of their parents who made huge personal sacrifices to assure a better future for their children?

The complete indifference of the ruling party to initiate a dialogue. Sonam Wangchuk is a respected scientist and environmentalist whose work on climate change is applauded across the world. Yet, attempts were made to discredit him through canards and insinuations. The students, too, were branded anti-national and accused of being stooges of "foreign powers." That was the tipping point for me.

These are attempts to obfuscate the real issue and replace dialogue. And we take pride in being the world’s largest democracy?

Because we all know that the youth are the future of our country. Increasingly, young couples are choosing not to have children because they cannot guarantee them a secure or hopeful future. That should worry all of us. I remember a university student saying during a debate many years ago, "Humko azaadi aadhi raat ko mili thi, aur savera aaj tak nahin hua." ("We got Independence at midnight, but dawn has still not arrived.") Those words stayed with me. In fact, I used that line to open my maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha. Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji appreciated it, you can verify it in the records. He did not treat it as a personal insult or an attack on his government. It resonated with him because he understood the larger sentiment behind it and responded like a true statesman. They were leaders of a different mettle. It saddens me to see how far we've drifted from that spirit today, where every criticism is viewed through the lens of hostility instead of being seen as an opportunity for dialogue and introspection.

I don't think it can be generalized like that. I would leave that to experts in the field. Speaking for myself, I was raised until the age of nine in Red Flag Hall, the commune of the Communist Party of India (CPI) in Mumbai. It was a remarkable space where discussions on social justice, women's empowerment and India's composite culture were part of everyday life. Progressive writers, poets, artists and political thinkers came together there, and our parents believed that art should be an instrument of social change. My brother Baba and I absorbed these values almost by osmosis. We were encouraged to ask questions, voice our opinions and speak up whenever we felt strongly about something, even if it meant disagreeing with others. That environment taught us that dissent and dialogue are not acts of disrespect; they are essential to a healthy society.

Prakash Raj and I had been helped into a police truck by the protesters. I had to lie down for a while to catch my breath after one of the activists rushed to pull me up because the police had entered the area, triggering a stampede. Looking through the truck's grills, I narrowly escaped being hit by a large stone that was hurled towards it. Soon after, the tear gas and lathi charge began. The police were furious because they claimed that a shoe had been thrown at one of their colleagues. Now, who can verify that? It is their word against the students. What is beyond dispute, however, is that there is a clear protocol the police are mandated to follow while dispersing a gathering they deem "unlawful." It is fair to assume that those protocols were not strictly followed. I personally witnessed young boys and girls, many of them barely out of their teens, badly injured and bleeding because of the lathi charge. When I sat down in the mud with the protesters, I saw students who had themselves been injured rushing to shield and protect me instead of tending to their own wounds. One young man told me, "Ek lathi khaane ke baad lathi ka darr nikal jaata hai." ("Once you've been hit by a baton, the fear of it disappears.") A 15-year-old boy said, "Had I not joined this protest, I would never have been able to look myself in the mirror." My respect and salaam to these young people. Their courage, compassion and conviction showed us the way.

Every artist has to make that decision for themselves. I don’t think it’s fair to judge people for speaking out, and I don’t think it’s fair to judge those who choose not to. Everyone weighs the consequences differently. What is important is that we don’t lose sight of the real issue. The conversation should remain focused on the concerns raised by the students and on how those concerns are addressed, rather than on whether individual celebrities have commented. Artists can amplify conversations, but they are not a substitute for institutions or democratic processes. Lasting educational reform and the protection of democratic rights come through public engagement, civic participation and accountable governance. It is encouraging that many members of the film industry have chosen to speak this time. The issues affecting young people because they are our future and we are all stake holders.

As protests continue over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, actor and former Miss World Manushi Chhillar has spoken about facing a similar ordeal in 2015, when she had to appear for the medical entrance exam twice following a paper leak.

“I remember the uncertainty more than anything else. You prepare for years believing that the exam day is the finish line, and then suddenly you’re told that it isn’t. It’s not just about writing another paper. It’s about reliving months of anxiety, postponing plans, and staying mentally prepared all over again,” she tells us.

Manushi, who had enrolled in medical college before entering the Miss India pageant, says, “I appeared for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main in April after my board exams and the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT), now known as the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), in May. I chose not to take JEE Advanced because I was clear that I wanted to study medicine.”

She adds that while she had the privilege of choosing between fields, many students do not: “For most, NEET is a chance to build a better life. You feel responsible not just for yourself, but for the hopes of everyone around you. By the end of it, most students are exhausted.”

She reappeared for the examination 45 days later and secured a good score, but says the burden of another attempt cannot be overlooked. “Another attempt comes with emotional, financial, and psychological costs that deserve to be acknowledged.”

Supporting students speaking out for a fair examination system, Manushi adds, “A paper leak isn’t just an administrative glitch, it affects millions of hours of hard work. For many families, preparing for competitive exams involves significant financial sacrifices, years of disciplined study, and immense emotional investment. The real damage goes beyond one examination. It erodes trust. Students should walk into an exam hall believing that effort and merit alone will determine the outcome.”

JNU and DU have issued advisories asking students and faculty to stay away from protests at Jantar Mantar, citing safety concerns, possible legal consequences and the impact on academics. The notices drew criticism from Rahul Gandhi and Pooja Bhatt.

Meanwhile, comedian-actor Anubhav Singh Bassi (above) postponed his July 25 show at Talkatora Stadium and actor-podcaster Soha Ali Khan cancelled this week’s episode in solidarity with the protesting students. Sonu Nigam (left) also postponed his July 25 concert at Delhi’s Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in solidarity with the students.

Of the people, by the people, and for the people. That is a true democracy. Every citizen is important in a democracy. Not hearing out citizens is not something that democracies should do. Instead, things were allowed to fester for so long and then citizens were treated with disregard; that is terrible. The response to the students’ protest should have been handled better.

Unfortunately, it was not handled properly at all. I don’t think we should label the students as terrorists, foreign-funded, or whatever names they were called. It is important for the government to listen to what students want and take action. Just listening to them is also not enough. Good education is something that will determine what every child’s and our country’s future will look like. Education is one of the most important pillars of a nation.

We need to pull up our socks and make the system better. There are no doubts that a lot needs to be done. What we require is for the government to make changes, not just pay lip service. They have to begin with accountability and taking responsibility for repetitive failures. They have to be more compassionate about the children who lost their lives. We don’t need hollow words; we need responsibility, accountability, and action.

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Actors Atul Kulkarni, Arjun Mathur, Kritika Kamra, Chandan Roy Sanyal, and comedian Kunal Kamra were among the many who attended the July 24 protest in Mumbai

Dear brave students,

I write to you not merely in solidarity, but with gratitude. Every generation inherits the unfinished work of democracy. Yours has accepted both the burden and the privilege of carrying it forward.

Albert Camus’s Caligula tells the story of an emperor who comes to believe that because he possesses absolute power, he is answerable to no moral limits. Convinced that power alone can define justice, he imprisons himself within his own tyranny. He systematically dismantles every restraint on governance, believing that authority itself entitles him to do so. As I and Sandhya, my wife, watched the deeply disturbing events unfold in Delhi, we were reminded of that enduring truth.

History has taught this lesson repeatedly. From Tsarist Russia to the student revolt of Paris in 1968, from the youth-led struggle against apartheid in South Africa, Tiananmen Square, to the Navnirman Andolan of 1974 in Gujarat, attempts to suppress young voices have never extinguished the desire for freedom. Authority may command obedience for a while; it cannot indefinitely command the conscience of a generation.

The images of the brutality inflicted upon you have filled us with anguish and anger. 

A society learns to question itself in its universities. To question those who hold power over your future is not a privilege you seek; it is a democratic responsibility you fulfil. When questions are answered with batons instead of reason, it is not the students who stand diminished. It is the State.

Reflecting on his years in a Siberian prison camp, Fyodor Dostoevsky observed that the civilization of a society is revealed by the way it treats those it imprisons. One might extend that thought today: the health of a democracy is equally revealed by the way it treats its students and citizens. On that count, our democracy failed. In unleashing force instead of dialogue, those in authority revealed not their strength, but their insecurity.

If I was not there beside you physically, it was for two reasons. The first one I resent deeply: age has imposed boundaries on my body that my spirit refuses to accept. If I could not march beside you, it was never because my conscience hesitated. The second was a conscious choice. I did not want the attention to drift away from where it rightly belongs.

This is your movement, your voice, your moment of moral courage. You do not need celebrity validation. Democratic movements derive their legitimacy from the courage of those at their centre, not from the visibility of those who stand beside them.

Please know that distance has never meant detachment. Sandhya and I shall continue to stand with you in every way available to us. Should this struggle require legal support, medical care, or financial assistance within our means, please do not hesitate to reach out. 

You are not merely the seeds of transformation; you are its first green shoots. Today you may be called students. Tomorrow you will be known as the generation that chose courage over silence. The future belongs to those who refuse to surrender their humanity. Long after today’s slogans have faded and today’s rulers have passed, it is your courage that history will remember.

Take care of one another. Guard your compassion and your hope. Do not allow anger to harden into hatred. Stand firm. Walk forward without bitterness, without fear, and without apology.

Affectionately,

Amol Palekar

A day after Sonakshi Sinha shared a series of visuals from the July 20 protest in New Delhi and criticised the violence meted out to the youth, Instagram appeared to have limited the post’s visibility. On Wednesday, the actor’s post had a ‘sensitive content’ warning over it. Users attempting to view it were met with a message that read, ‘This video contains content that some people may find upsetting’, along with a prompt to ‘See why’ before the content could be viewed. 

The shadowban comes amid broader complaints from actors and public figures who have alleged that politically sensitive posts on Instagram face reduced visibility or content warnings.

Sinha was among the many Bollywood artistes who voiced their support for students amid the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protests in New Delhi, demanding education reforms and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Her post in question had a series of pictures from the July 20 protest, where the demonstrators were subjected to tear gas and lathi charge by the police. Alongside, she wrote, “20th July. Bohot logon ki haddiyan tooti, aur poore desh ka dil toota.” 

An actor, who wanted to reshare the post, said on condition of anonymity, “I couldn’t reshare Sonakshi’s post initially. I thought it’s an error, but it turns out she had been shadowbanned. The post has no video content.”

Another source told mid-day that Shabana Azmi, Prakash Raj, Seema Pahwa, Revathy, and Anurag Kashyap’s posts on the ongoing protests were also blocked temporarily on July 21. “They disappeared temporarily or became inaccessible for a while before being restored. These incidents have prompted accusations of content suppression on Instagram.”

mid-day reached out to Meta India, which didn’t respond till press time.

More celebrities have condemned the police’s actions of July 20, and supported the students’ protest. With an excerpt of his post reading “bootlickers, one and all,” Imran Khan criticised the lathi charge against the protesters, while Naseeruddin Shah compared the act to that of America’s ICE agents.

Five days before she reached Jantar Mantar, Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar had written to PM Modi as concerned citizens and former nominated members of the Rajya Sabha, urging him to begin a dialogue with Sonam Wangchuk and the students. The letter was emailed, faxed and personally delivered, and an acknowledgement promised a response within two days.

When no reply came, Azmi decided to join the protest herself. “We waited two days, then three, then four. On the fifth day, I decided I would come here,” she said at Jantar Mantar on Monday.

Azmi maintained that her presence was never about herself. Standing in solidarity with the students, she said her presence was meant to draw attention to the young people who had shown the courage to raise their voices.

She also rejected claims that the students were being used for political ends. Speaking to a news channel, she said, “It was a sea of young people. I have never seen such a scene in my life… I have never been involved with any political party. I have never been a member of any political party. On record, I’m telling you, nor do I intend to be. I have never been a member of any political party because I have always believed that joining a political party means the party’s truth becomes your truth, which could be a one-sided truth. When I was in Parliament, we (she and Javed Akhtar) were Presidential nominees. We were with no party.”

About the protesters, Shabana Azmi told reporters at Jantar Mantar, “They are saying violence kiya, jo bilkul sachh nahi hai. Ek tarfa jo sach bata rahe hain woh nainsaafi ho rahi hai yahan.”

When asked how she responds to being repeatedly labelled anti-national, she said, “Iss baat ko dil se nahi lagana chahiye. Mujhe kitni baar anti-national kaha gaya hai.”

At 75, Azmi said she sees speaking out not as activism but as a moral compulsion. “Main hamesha nahi bolti hoon. Jab paani hadd se guzar jata hai, jab mujhe koi cheez andar se jhinjhorti hai tab bolti hoon... ab meri 75 saal umar ho gayi hai, main bahut kuch dekh chhuki hoon.”

She added that she understands the resolve required for a hunger strike because she has experienced it herself. In May 1986, she joined filmmaker Anand Patwardhan and activist Gurubai Bhaskar Hamza in a five-day hunger strike demanding rehabilitation for slum dwellers displaced from Colaba in Mumbai. The protest was successful.

Throughout the protest, Azmi posted several videos from Jantar Mantar and recited a verse by her father, Kaifi Azmi: “Koi toh sood chukaye, koi toh zimma le, uss inqalab ka jo aaj tak udhaar sa hai.”

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Before the trailer of Ramayana: Part 1 drops online on July 24, portions from the preview have already made their way on social media. On July 18, the makers unveiled the trailer of the Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, and Yash-starrer to select guests at the Pratham Sankalp event in New Delhi.

Within hours of the screening, a one-minute-28-second excerpt from the trailer was circulating across social media platforms, leading the makers to launch an aggressive takedown.

Sources indicate that producer Namit Malhotra and director Nitesh Tiwari have activated their anti-piracy partners and legal teams to remove unauthorized uploads and issue copyright notices.

“The takedown process has been underway since Saturday night. It was pulled down from Reddit by the morning of July 19, but X remains more challenging,” said a source.

It is being said that the leaked footage was recorded during the Pratham Sankalp screening. The source added, “The leak appears to have originated from an attendee’s phone recording. It shows Rama’s entry sequence as well the scene where Rama agrees to honour his father’s promise to Kaikeyi.”

After wrapping the children’s sports film Murga Trophy, Chandan Anand and Ravi Narmulla of SceneWork Productions and Mukesh Giri of Giriraj Productions are teaming up for a situational comedy that blends social commentary with the chaos of Delhi’s traffic jams, with Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha stepping in to make the sparks fly.

Directed by Shashie Vermaa, the film is not just set in Delhi — the place itself is a character. Billed as a sharp, fast-paced comedy with a satirical edge, it promises to make audiences laugh first and wince a moment later. The film also stars Kumud Mishra and Dinesh Lal Yadav in pivotal roles.

Talking about the film, Vermaa says, “This is a story that celebrates people, relationships, the lens of society and the chaos that a small moment can bring in someone’s life. Delhi itself is almost a character in the film. Having performers like Ali, Richa and Kumud brings depth, spontaneity and heart to the world we’ve created, and I can’t wait to begin filming.”

The film is set to go on floors later this year with a theatrical release in 2027.

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After winning audiences over in the Fukrey franchise, Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha are set to reunite on screen for an untitled situational comedy directed by Shashie Vermaa. Set against the colourful chaos of Delhi and co-starring Kumud Mishra, the film will go on floors in the second half of 2026.

In a joint statement, Fazal and Chadha said, “The film has a very organic sense of humour that comes from its characters and the world they inhabit. That’s what made it stand out for us. It’s also the first time we’re sharing the screen as an on-screen pair, which made saying yes even more exciting. We’re looking forward to bringing this story to life with Shashie Vermaa, whose vision and writing give the film a distinct voice.”

Vermaa described the film as “a situational comedy carrying a strong social message”, adding that Delhi is central to the story, with Ali and Richa playing a humble middle-class couple.

After battling severe pain for nearly three weeks, singer Sonu Nigam is finally on the road to recovery. Speaking to us exclusively from Delhi, where he sought treatment while attending an award function, the singer opened up about the physical ordeal he endured, the challenge of performing through pain, and the overwhelming love he received from fans after a video of him discussing his condition went viral.

Sonu revealed that a nerve-related issue left him in constant pain, making even the slightest movement difficult. "I was in a very bad shape for the last 20 days. I think it was probably a wrong workout move or probably sleeping at one position for a long time must have triggered the nerve. And because of that, it was so painful that even if I was doing anything, not even moving my head, I was in constant pain."

While doctors initially prescribed painkillers, Sonu says he knew medication alone wasn't the answer. "Initially, for pain management, I took painkillers as suggested by doctors. But that's not an option. You have to heal from your pain and cannot just rely on painkillers. It's not good for your health."

His turning point came in Delhi, thanks to a filmmaker who connected him to a specialist. "I came to Delhi for an award function and when I realized that I couldn't do anything, Pankaj Parashar, the director of Chaalbaaz, put me onto a very good doctor in Delhi who works with cricketers, actors and politicians. He began working on me immediately. He was with me twice a day, for two and a half hours. He literally made me stand up. So, I finally am in a position that I can come back to Bombay now and start working."

Despite the pain, cancelling performances never crossed his mind. "Our work is such that I cannot send my secretary to sing on stage if I’m unwell. Agar koi aur business hota mera toh I would tell them to do the meeting without me, or I’d come on Zoom, ya mera assistant meeting kar lega. But this is a job which has to be done by the artist themselves."

For Sonu, performing is a responsibility that cannot be delegated. "If I have a work commitment, I have to do it. No one else can represent me on stage. As artists, this is our job. And that's why, cancelling a concert is never an option for me. I've never done it. I’ve sung even when I’ve had a bad voice or been unwell."

The singer admits he was concerned that the medication and muscle relaxants prescribed for pain could affect his voice. "As I said, when we are in this profession, we have to perform on our own. And obviously, medication sometimes slows you down. If you are being given muscle relaxant for the pain, then that muscle relaxant will affect your vocal muscles as well."

Yet decades of training and discipline helped him overcome the setback. "But thankfully, if you have practiced enough in your life, then the setback can be from 100 to 90, not 100 to 50."

To his surprise, his voice held up remarkably well on stage. "So yes, I felt that I might be in pain. But in fact, when I went on the stage, I was singing even better than before. In the last one and a half months, I had not done any concert, I only did Riyaz. So my voice was even better. But yes, I was a little frightened that I might not be able to sing properly, but I sang pretty well."

What moved Sonu most during this difficult phase was the outpouring of concern from fans after he shared a video about performing despite being in pain. “It makes me so emotional that just a single video of me telling people that I'm having pain before a concert and now I have to perform brought in so much concern."

The singer says the response reminded him of what truly matters. "I was showered with so much love, so much attention, which is very special. It doesn't happen to everyone. And this is what makes me very humble. It makes me very thankful to God."

Calling the affection of his audience his greatest reward, Sonu says, "I feel this is the biggest earning. Sabse badi kamai hai yeh. And it comes from luck. It's not that I'm a very good person and that's why I'm getting it. Just my good luck. that I was just showered with love."

“Ek kahani batati hoon papa ki,” Guneet Monga Kapoor says, and one memory quickly blends into many: A gold kada sold to send her to America, a Maths teacher reprimanded, a crashed car replaced with a shrug. All adding up to a sequence of memories that left her with a simple, unwavering conviction: That she was gifted, special, and capable of anything.

“Tum kuch bhi kar sakte ho”, he told her. She not just believes it, she lives it. He may not be there anymore, and yet she says she feels his presence, the presence of both parents she lost in her twenties, even more intensely, more closely, now. The pampered daughter who was so pampered that she just does not understand a scarcity mindset - “Nahi hain paise? Aa jayenge!” – tells us how papa shaped her heart, her mind, her self-belief, and her professional success.

Aisi-aisi cheezein sikhayi hain unhone mujhe... Ki kabhi agar paise khatm ho rahe ho na life mein, toh saare kharch dena, bachana mat! Mann nahi maarna. He actually sat me down and told me, ‘Tumhare paas itni education hai, tum kuch bhi kar sakte ho. You’re very empowered. Tum kabhi bhi sadak par nahi soge. Tumhare sar pe hamesha chhat hogi. You will be able to fend for yourself. You will be able to do that much. Toh tum mann mat maarna kabhi.’

That stayed with me. That taught me abundance. My relationship with money was never of scarcity. And that is why I could do whatever I did. My mindset is very different. Main bachane mein believe hi nahi karti hoon. (I spend) every penny on the screen. Producer ka ek mindset hai ki cash de rahe hain toh thoda kam de dete hain — woh hai hi nahi (mera). That mindset took us forward. Kahin na kahin woh bachpan se ek alag mahaul hai mera, which was my dad’s mindset.

Unko second-hand gaadiyon ka bahut shauq tha. Dire needs hain yahan par life mein, par show-off khatm nahi hona chahiye hum sardaron ka. Abundance mindset wahin se aaya hai.

Main jab 18 ki hui toh mujhe aise slow-motion mein aake chaabi laake di, aur bole, ‘Ye teri gaadi hai ab se’.

Suraj Kund mein khaali maidaan tha wahan main gaadi chalati thi. Unka sapna tha ki main Himalayan rally mein jaoon. Toh mujhe bachpan se bahut achhi gaadi chalani aati hai.

When he was teaching me to drive, I asked to learn how to reverse. He said, ‘Kyun? Zaroorat hi nahi nahi hai. Life mein peechhe jana hi nahi hai. Tere ko reverse karne ki zaroorat nahi hai’. He would say, ‘Bahar nikal (from the car), log khade ho jayenge tere liye karne ke liye. Hamesha kisi se karwa liyo. Seekhne ki zaroorat nahi hai.’

Main abhi bhi reverse se pareshan hoon. Thoda bahut aata hai. Abhi bhi jitni confident main gaadi chalane mein hoon utni confident main reverse mein nahi hoon.

I was a prefect in school, so I used to do a lot of extra co-curricular activities. And I had Commerce with Maths, since my parents thought ki Maths nahi loge toh naukri nahi lagegi. I used to do a lot of cool things in school, but I started failing in Maths in 11-12th. The Maths teacher came to the class and said, ‘Hum aapko Board mein baithne nahi de sakte. You’ll fail in Maths and school ka naam kharab kar doge. Tumhara dhyaan bas ye environmental mein hai’... Main roz Sheila Dikshit ke paas chali jaati thi school uniform mein ki land chahiye, paudhe chahiye – aise kuch-kuch maangti rehti thi. Bahut dabang life jeeyi hai maine apne school mein. I did one project in school that won the first prize in a competition in Hawaii. Woh mera pehla business plan tha.

Anyway, so the teacher told me – ‘Call your father!’ Jaise hi bola father, maine kaha done! Mother mat bolna bas! Papa ko toh main set kar lungi. Hamari chalti rehti thi. Hamara bahut beautiful ek relation tha.

He met my father the next day. When he came to class after that, he said, ‘Guneet Monga, stand up. I like your father!” I wondered ki aisa kya bol diya unhone?

Ghar jaake, I asked my father. Unhone kaha, ‘Woh laga hua tha ki aapki beti ki toh back aa jayegi, isko nahi baithne de sakte. Usko samajh nahi aa raha, woh bahut hi weak hai. Toh maine keh diya – ‘My daughter is very intelligent. You don’t know how to teach. You’re teaching 60 kids, you are not giving her attention. She is very intelligent! You tell me what you need, usko kaun si tution chahiye? You spend extra hours with her.’

Ohohoho! I scored a 70 in that exam!!

Toh ye jo faith se main jeeyi hoon na...

In one parents-teachers meeting at my school, it was announced that they are planning a trip to America, and will take six students.

Ab unko (father) akad - meri beti jayegi America. I was 12-13. Paise nahi hai hamare paas bilkul bhi. Lekin school mein bol aaye meri beti jayegi America!

Phir teachers meri jaan khane lag gaye - paise do. Uss time one lakh dena tha. Paise hai nahi, classic overcommitment! Ab nahi hai paise toh kya karein!

So he sold his sone ka kada, which I did not know at the time. Unhone apna kada becha jo unko shaadi mein mila tha mummy se, aur mujhe America bhej diya. Ek mahina extra ruki with extended family, akele wapis aayi. That gave me independence.

Jab college mein gayi aur jab papa ka kaam chalne lag gaya aur unki kuch deals hone lag gayi property mein, he made sone ka kada - one for him and one for me. Tab se pehna hua hai maine.

Once in college, when it was raining, my car got stuck. Main race (accelerator) di ja rahi hoon, mujhe pata hi nahi tha reverse karna hota hai aisi situation mein – kyunki he never taught me to reverse. Fir gaadi jump maar ke seedha ped mein. Esteem ban gayi 800.

Toh papa ko phone kiya aur kaha college aa jao, wahan kaand ho gaya bada wala. Pin-drop silence. Aise 50 bachche side pe khade hain ki daant padegi! Sab ka dil baitha hua hai, aur humein laga gaadi phat jayegi. Papa ne mujhe CNG waali gaadi di hui thi.

Papa aaye, ek chakkar lagaya gaadi ka. Mere haath-paon phool rahe thay from shock of the accident. Meri taraf dekha aur kaha, ‘Ye wala ped kyun choose kiya?’

Maine bola, mujhe abhi comedy nahi karni! You have to do better parenting. I used to keep telling him that you have to be a better parent. Kehte hain – ‘galti teri nahi hai. Maine tujhe reverse nahi sikhaya’.

Another time, I had an Indica and Noida wala expressway naya-naya khula tha – eight-lane express highway. Usmein main kar rahi thi racing. I was very overconfident when it came to cars, kyunki main bachpan se chala rahi thi. Bahut dabang upbringing ki hai unhone meri.

Hum 6-7 dost bhare hain gaadi mein – ek ke upar ek – aur hum 120-130 speed pe race laga rahe hain. Maine sharp turn le liya, and usmein gaadi skid hui aur bajti hui, scratch hote-hote, tyre phat gaye, out of control chali gayi. And so that car – that new Indica – was destroyed from one side. A new car!

I was shivering. Phir papa ko phone kiya: ‘10 minute mein aa raha hoon’. Main ro rahi thi ki mujhe gaadi nahi chalani. Toh papa ne kaha – ‘Isse yahin chhor, chal nayi gaadi lekar aayenge’. Nayi gaadi nikali hai unhone agle din!

And what was the point of it? Darr nahi baithna chahiye. Darna nahi hai life mein. Aise kahan milte hain log? No schooling, no screaming. That allowed me to hold my own in many rooms. As a very young person also, I have been in rooms (where there were people who were) very rich, very powerful, very wealthy decision-makers and I’ve been able to hold my own because of my dad.

He would say, ‘Tujhe pata hi nahi tu kitni special hai. Tu jiske saath kaam karegi, teri wajah se unki dukaan chalegi. Never think that somebody is doing something for you.’ So, ye unhone meri DNA shape ki hui hai – ki sab achha hai, mere paas bahut paise hain, main bahut abundant hoon.

Where does this come from? Jab kuch bhi nahi tha tab bhi mujhe lagta tha ki main sab kuch kar sakti hoon. Ki of course, mujhe koi mana nahi karega. Mujhe koi mana kar hi nahi sakta! Mera kaam ho jayega – ye bachpan se soch hai meri. Of course, main America jaungi. Of course, main email likhungi aur woh reply karenge. Of course, my film will do better. Abhi aapko samajh nahi aa rahi, duniya ko samajh aayegi. Of course, main paise raise kar lungi.

Toh woh maine kabhi doubt hi nahi kiya. That conviction comes from my dad. He made me feel that I am very special and I am gifted, and I am intelligent and I am bright.

So, that was a big hit when he left. Unhi ko toh dikhana tha sab kuch. Unhi ko badi gaadiyan lekar deni thi. Bada ghar lekar dena tha. Unhi ko toh visibility, validation (deni thi) – ki main Monga sahab ki beti hoon.

I’ve never felt like somebody who used to stay in a Rs. 5,000 rent ka ghar. I have always felt like a queen, as a princess – I have everything. Mujhe kabhi scarcity mehsoos nahi hui.

There’s an Italian film – Life Is Beautiful (1997). It won several Oscars. It is my favourite film in the whole world. The backdrop is World War 2, but it is a father-son story. The father tells the son that it’s a game – the way he explains what’s happening – tank aa raha hai and he has to hide from it. My dad is like that in my life. I just relate to it so much. Ki wahan duniya jal rahi hai, lekin I’m wearing rose-tinted glasses and living life.

The only Indian producer to hold an Oscar has certainly held her own in the biggest rooms. But then, papa had said, right, that darna nahi hai life mein, of course, tera kaam ho jayega?

Every time a social media influencer is cast in an acting project, questions arise whether they landed the gig for their acting capability or the million online followers they have amassed. “Maine proper exam diya hai,” quipped popular content creator Dharna Durga, insisting that she didn’t take any shortcut to landing Maa Behen.

In Netflix’s crime comedy, directed by Suresh Triveni, Durga plays the younger, mischievous daughter of Madhuri Dixit Nene’s Rekha.

The actor recalled, “I gave one audition in Delhi. Then I did another round in Mumbai, where Suresh sir gave me directions on how to do the scene. I was never told, ‘We have seen your social media profile, and you are chosen.’ I was given a scene and told, ‘We want to see if you can pull it off.’ What I do on Instagram is also acting. So, it’s not that I have been selected on the basis of my following.”

After performing his new play Jaane Pehchaane Anjane in Mumbai last weekend, Anupam Kher is bringing it to Delhi. The veteran actor is also fresh off a proud international moment. He won the Best Supporting Actor award at the UK Asian Film Festival earlier this month for the 2025 Indo-Canadian film Calorie.

Even after over four decades in cinema, the 71-year-old says that an award still gives him a high, especially on a global stage. He tells us, “It may sound dramatic, but actors don’t get to officially represent their country globally like how sportspersons do... Whenever I work abroad, I say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ before every project; I’m representing 1.4 billion people.”

But celebrating such wins, he feels, has become difficult now. “I was just talking to (actor) Anil Kapoor that people have stopped celebrating life and their wins because they think usko bhi log kuch na kuch bol denge,” the actor opines, adding, “We used to have such amazing Bollywood parties earlier by (filmmakers) Yash Chopra or Subhash Ghai; we don’t have them today anymore kyunki logon ko celebrate karne mein darr lagta hai, ki kahin na kahin koi kuch galat nikaal lega.”

As an example, Anupam points to the trolling faced by actor Alia Bhatt after her recent appearance at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival: “Losers who have nothing to do in life just want to get noticed by criticising something iconic. Criticism has become the favourite national pastime. I don’t get angry with them anymore, I feel pity.”

The actor is currently busy with his new theatre play Jaane Pehchaane Anjane, which comes to Delhi this week after being staged in Mumbai last weekend. “I have been performing my one-man show Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai for the last 21 years. But this is a new play, and this is the first time we have so many actors in one play,” he shares.

Based on a Marathi play, it has been turned into a musical by composer Anu Malik, with Anupam singing the title track himself. “Theatre shows me that I can still push my boundaries and it keeps me alive as a person, not only as an actor,” he adds.

He grabbed attention online when he took the Vande Bharat from Jaipur to Delhi, in support of PM Narendra Modi’s save fuel campaign and austerity measures. In a Reel on Monday, he urged people to use public transport where possible: “Where possible, we should use public transport, do carpooling. We should avoid taking out our car for short distances... In our daily lives, we should make small changes.”