Emraan Hashmi’s ‘Awarapan’ (2007) remains memorable as much for its songs as for its unrequited love story. So, as soon as ‘Awarapan 2’ was announced, speculation abounded whether its hits ‘Tera Mera Rishta’ and ‘Toh Phir Aao’ would be revisited. Now, mid-day has learnt that Pakistani singer Mustafa Zahid, who voiced the original ‘Tera Mera Rishta’, is in talks with producers Mukesh and Vishesh Bhatt to record its reprised version.

This development comes as a surprise — after all, following the 2016 Uri attack, the Indian film industry stopped working with Pakistani artistes. In the aftermath of the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, cine bodies reiterated their stance of boycotting artistes across the border.

However, talks about a potential collaboration are on between Zahid and the ‘Awarapan 2’ makers. If things go as planned, the recording will take place in Dubai this week.

A source said, “Should the deal materialize, it will mark one of the rare instances in recent years of a Pakistani playback singer recording for a mainstream Hindi film. The song won’t be used in ‘Awarapan 2’ as that may land the film in certification trouble. So, the makers are considering bypassing its theatrical use; it will be used only in social media-led promotions. The professional reunion is awaiting approval from both parties at this stage.”

mid-day reached out to Vishesh Bhatt, who didn’t respond till press time.

What began as a birthday trip to Dubai turned into a health scare for actor Jasmine Bhasin. Now, recovering in a Mumbai hospital, she opens up about the difficult experience, the uncertainty of life and the love and wishes that helped her through.

“I am better now, but healing from terminal ileitis (inflammation of the last segment of small intestine) is not easy. Hopefully, in a day or two, I will be home,” says the actor, who turned 36 on Sunday.

Describing the unexpected crisis that began on the second day of her trip, Jasmine shares, “Despite taking medication, my fever refused to drop below 104 degrees even after 24 hours,” adding, “My gut infection, with a CRP level of 350 mg/L, was very risky as it starts creating sepsis in the body. Thankfully, the doctors managed to control it.”

Crediting the constant support of actor–beau Aly Goni, Jasmine reflects how his presence by her side helped her through the illness in a foreign land. “I am grateful to God that he was there with me. It is comforting to have your loved ones with you during such a crisis. You know you have ‘your people’ who won’t let anything go wrong, and I had that faith because Aly was with me,” she shares.

On celebrating her birthday on a hospital bed, the actor says, “So much was planned for my birthday, a grand party which got cancelled. I felt bad for my friends who had everything lined up. But they still made sure that I celebrated my day in the best way they possibly could.”

The illness also prompted the actor to reflect on life’s uncertainty. She says, “Sometimes life has other plans. This time, my birthday was destined to be this way, but I am happy that I am alive and healing. I won’t call it a terrifying experience to fall sick on my special day. For me, it was an experience I will never forget.”

On the road to recovery, Jasmine is now eager to return to her professional life. “I have been ordered two weeks of complete rest, and after that, I will be back to business. With my show and a film release in the pipeline, I really need to push myself,” she says, adding, “I even tried convincing my doctor to let me go for a shoot yesterday because I need to hustle to feel fine!”

Overwhelmed by the love on social media, she also expressed her gratitude. “The way my friends and well-wishers stood by me is incredible,” she signs off.

Ahmed Khan’s directorial venture is nearing the finish line. At the end of March, mid-day reported that producer Firoz A Nadiadwallah had deferred a song shoot in Dubai amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia (Welcome to Plan B — March 31). However, the director-producer duo remain keen to film in Dubai to capture a luxe lifestyle — and to shoot at least Suniel Shetty’s entry sequence in Welcome To The Jungle, alongside Arshad Warsi, Paresh Rawal, Johnny Lever, and Rajpal Yadav.

The plan is now locked. The cast will fly to Dubai in mid-May to film the sequence. “Suniel’s introduction scene will be one of the most expensive [sets] in the movie, shot over three days,” a source reveals. The makers want Shetty’s entry to echo Feroz Khan’s iconic introduction in Welcome (2007). 

“Suniel plays a loveable don. The scene will be shot mid-sea, onboard a 200-foot sleek yacht with a helipad. Suniel and Arshad will get down from the helicopter and meet [the others].”

The producer, in fact, insisted on shooting in Dubai. “It’s one of the most important scenes in the movie. The team also felt that only Dubai suited the ambience and mood we wanted for this universal family entertainer,” explains Nadiadwallah. Shetty, whose association with Dubai dates back 35 years, says he “feels  safe safe and secure in Dubai”.

“We will be shooting a grand sequence there in May. I am very excited to work with Firoz bhai,” the actor shares.

Alongside shooting the film, Suniel Shetty will host a business reality series, ‘Falcons Of Majlis’, which is “an investment-driven show similar to ‘Shark Tank’. I believe that Dubai will be back to its glory [soon]. Praying that peace comes to the world soon,” he adds.

The ripple effects of the West Asia conflict can be felt the world over, including in the Hindi film industry. On March 30, mid-day reported that the Dubai schedule of Shah Rukh Khan’s King had to scrapped (When war affects the King’s strategy, Mar 30). Now, the latest film to call off its Dubai shoot is the Akshay Kumar-starrer Welcome To The Jungle. Director Ahmed Khan was to take his ensemble comedy to the emirate for a song shoot, but is now reimagining it in Mumbai.

Postponing the track’s filming was out of the question as it includes the entire primary cast — Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Raveena Tandon, Jackie Shroff, Paresh Rawal, Lara Dutta Bhupathi, Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Shreyas Talpade, and many others — and getting their combination dates a second time over would have been difficult. So, the director did the next best thing. 

A source revealed, “Elaborate sets will be put up in Madh Island, Golden Tobacco Studio, and Film City in Goregaon. Created by production designer Sailesh Mahadik, the sets will depict night clubs, casinos, and private jets. Ahmed and producer Firoz A Nadiadwallah essentially imagined it as a glamorous song that shows how the rich live the good life. That’s why Dubai would have been the perfect location. The unit waited for a month for things to settle down there, but when they didn’t, they shifted the location.”

Khan will begin the song shoot on April 15. Confirming the location shift, the director told mid-day, “We will now shoot the song in Mumbai. It’s a glamorous song with the entire cast.”

There appears to be a last-minute location shift for King, starring Shah Rukh Khan and his daughter Suhana. The unit was scheduled to shoot a large-scale desert action sequence, featuring Anil Kapoor and Suhana, in Dubai. However, the ongoing conflict in West Asia has prompted filmmaker Siddharth Anand to call off the international leg and reimagine it in Mumbai.

According to a source close to the production, the Dubai schedule was locked months in advance. “The team had procured the necessary permissions to shoot in the emirate. It was supposed to be a week-long schedule from April 9. But given the dynamic situation in the region, the makers decided not to take any risk with the cast and crew’s safety.”

Instead, the sequence will now be filmed in a Vile Parle studio, where the production design team has recreated a desert landscape.

“They’ve gone all out to match the scale that Siddharth envisioned for the set-piece. In fact, this gives them more control over action beats and lighting. The sequence begins with a chase, resulting in an intense combat.”

Amid tensions in West Asia that have led many to reconsider travel plans, Ram Kapoor is preparing to return to Dubai next week to complete pending work. The actor had travelled to the city with his wife, Gautami, two weeks ago but cut the trip short as the situation escalated.

He says, “Last time, we were there for about a week. I thought I would come back to Mumbai and wait for things to calm down before starting again. But now I don’t have a choice. My work is still pending, and the situation does not seem likely to resolve anytime soon and appears to be escalating. It could continue for months, or even longer. If that is the case, I cannot delay any further. I will have to go and complete the timelines I had planned, despite the situation.”

The urgency, he explains, is tied to strict timelines. He shares, “There is work underway at my home in the Burj Khalifa. We received the necessary permissions and have a fixed timeframe within which it needs to be completed, but everything has now come to a standstill. I could request an extension, but we don’t know how long this situation will last. So the idea is to continue with the work and try to finish it as per the original plan. People I know in Dubai are continuing with their lives as much as possible. It’s not an ideal situation, but I am not panicking.”

This time, Gautami will not be travelling with him. He says, “I’m going alone. I am flying on Tuesday after finishing a few things here. I expect to be there for a couple of weeks this time.”

While there are concerns at home, his family understands the situation. He shares, “My children are a lot like me. Even if they panic initially, once I speak to them, they calm down. In fact, they end up reassuring their mother. Gautami does worry, but she understands that this is important and that I can’t miss the time frame.”

He also points to the safety measures in place. “Dubai is very well organised and capable of ensuring safety. Even where my house is, it is one of the most protected buildings in the country, which is something I have explained to Gautami,” he concludes.

Escalating tensions involving Iran have significantly disrupted air travel across parts of the Middle East, leading to widespread flight cancellations and rerouted operations. Many travellers found themselves stranded amid the uncertainty, awaiting the gradual resumption of flight operations.

Amrita and Malaika Arora’s mother Joyce Arora, who is currently stranded in Dubai told us, “I came here to celebrate my elder sister’s birthday, and just a couple of days later, we celebrated mine as well. I was supposed to return to Mumbai on March 3, but we received a notification that our flights had been cancelled due to the war.”

She added, “I must say, I feel safe here. In fact, I could see the missiles being intercepted in the sky with my own eyes. It was frightening, but the Dubai military is doing a fantastic job. My daughters are in Mumbai, and they know I am in safe hands. They call me three to four times a day, and we are constantly in touch. Now that some operations have resumed, I’m hoping to return to Mumbai soon.”

Among many Indians stranded in the UAE during the bombings in the midst of the ongoing US Israel Iran war was actor Lara Dutta Bhupathi. After posting an emotional video on social media about the situation she was facing in Dubai, the actor is now safely back in India. Excerpts from her conversation on The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra:

I normally don’t put out videos like that, as you don’t want to create panic. But I was undertaking a dangerous journey back with my daughter (Saira, 14), and we didn’t know what was awaiting us. I had this 1% thought that this could possibly be the last thing that ever goes out.

My daughter has been playing tennis since she was seven, and three years ago, we made a choice to move to Dubai to allow her to train with an elite coach who’s based there. Saira and I were on our own because (husband) Mahesh (Bhupathi, tennis player) was away in London for work when this war broke out. Until the time you actually have bombs being intercepted overhead, it doesn’t feel like it’s a close reality. However, the UAE government is doing an incredible job of keeping everybody safe.

So we chose to take a flight from Fujairah. We hadn’t left the house until then. The only instructions we were given were to stay indoors. We lived just about 10 kms away from the Jebel Ali Port, which was being bombed every day. So we decided to take a chance, as I wanted to be with my husband and my family. We drove two hours to Fujairah, and just a day earlier, Fujairah port and the oil refinery had been bombed. It was scary. I was joking with my co-star Akshay Kumar that I felt like I was part of Airlift 2.

Even at the airport, you could hear these booms, and you were just hoping that nothing was struck. Hats off to the airlines, as well. I am very sure my daughter is going to have some amount of trauma after this experience.

Amid the US-Iran war, Irani actor-activist Mandana Karimi has reaffirmed her fierce opposition to the country’s ruling establishment, following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“No one celebrates innocent loss of life. But you cannot ask a nation that has endured decades of executions, imprisonment, torture, and mass crackdowns to react with conventional mourning,” she says, adding that for many Iranians, “Celebration has become a form of resistance and a way to reclaim power over grief.”

Addressing accusations that such reactions amount to endorsing foreign military intervention, she responds: “This was not a random foreign agenda imposed on us. No one wants bombs in their country, but when all internal paths to reform are blocked, people begin to look outward.”

Mandana, 37, adds how Irani citizens are now calling for political activist Reza Pahlavi as their leader. “The chants of Javid Shah (Long live the king, a slogan opposing the Irani government) did not start abroad… they started inside Iran. We see Pahlavi as a transitional alternative capable of uniting the country.”

Actor Esha Gupta and shuttler P V Sindhu, who were stranded in the UAE amid the air travel shutdown, shared respective updates about being “back home”. Esha wrote, “I saw the strength of UAE... Thank you to our government for bringing the citizens home. Thank you to UAE government for working in solidarity with every country.”

Meanwhile, Sindhu wrote: “A heartfelt thank you to the incredible ground teams, Dubai authorities, airport staff, immigration, and every single person who stepped up and took such good care of us during a very difficult time.” She had to pull out of the All England Open Badminton Championships 2026 due to the Dubai ordeal.

As tensions escalated across parts of West Asia and flight operations in the region faced disruptions, actor couple Ram Kapoor and Gautami Kapoor found themselves in Dubai — a city they know well, but one that suddenly felt unusually still. While news alerts, rumours and worried calls from loved ones poured in, the two say they have chosen to stay calm.

Ram, who frequently travels to the UAE, says, “We have a house here, and I come here every two to three months. Gautami arrived just a day before the situation escalated. Our son is away on a school trip, and our daughter is studying in the US, so Gautami decided to join me.”

The couple first sensed that something unusual was unfolding while they were at the Dubai Mall. “We stay in Burj Khalifa. We were at the Dubai Mall and noticed the mall was slowly beginning to close down. That’s when we realized something had happened. Luckily, since Burj Khalifa is connected to the mall, we just took the elevator up to our home. For the next two days, things were largely shut, so we stayed indoors,” shares Ram.

Gautami adds, “We came home, and the kids were calling constantly. Everyone was worried because of the rumours that Burj Khalifa had been evacuated. But this is one of the most protected buildings here, and we feel safe.”

They admit that Dubai feels unusually quiet right now. “We had never seen Dubai like this. It is always lively with people from all over the world, so seeing it so quiet felt eerie. But hats off to the government for handling things so well. For us, Dubai truly feels like our home away from home,” Gautami says.

Ram adds that authorities are keeping residents informed about the situation. “Updates are coming regularly through messages,” he says.

While some friends chose to leave the city in haste, the actor didn’t feel the need to do so. “One of my closest friends from my college days in New York was here in Dubai with his fiancée. They were panicking, so they drove overnight to Muscat — about five hours — crossed the border and then flew to Mumbai and from there to Delhi,” says Ram, adding, “We will return to Mumbai as per our plans.”

Rochelle Rao, former Miss India and TV presenter, who was on a vacation in Dubai with actor-husband Keith Sequeira and two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Josephine, landed in Mumbai on March 4 in an evacuation flight. In an exclusive interaction with mid-day, Rochelle recounts her stay in the UAE amid the ongoing Iran-Israel war.

Rochelle feels lucky to have entered Dubai a day before chaos ensued. She had booked her stay for a week in Al Barsha. On the first day of their holiday, Rochelle stepped out to walk down the Marina and saw a missile being detonated overhead.

She recalls, “We were confused because we didn’t know whether it was really it since we had just heard about the conflict. We could hear loud booms and see clouds of smoke and shrapnel from the missiles falling. It was very nerve-wracking and scary.”

That being said, once Ali Khamenei, the cleric and former supreme leader of Iran, was assassinated, Rochelle states that she received an SOS message on her phone, which started beeping loudly. The alert suggested moving away from windows, following which they heard a few missiles go off. 

Rochelle asserts that their stay was comfortable. “There was more panic for Indians outside of Dubai listening to the news than for those of us who were within the country.”

She also mentions that messages were coming from the UAE government, such as not posting any misinformation on social media. “Even though it was a highly stressful situation, things were kept calm. There wasn’t immediate police showing up or any of that,” she adds. 

Rochelle hopped on an evacuation flight to Mumbai with her husband and daughter on March 4. While she doesn’t want to reveal details about the flight or carrier for security reasons, she states it was the only flight preparing to take off from Dubai at that point.

“The airport was practically shut, and it was just us. I was amazed at how the staff were functioning like any other day, even if it was just for one flight. It wasn’t like a refugee situation. However, there were some technical issues with our plane. We actually sat on the runway for about 4-5 hours before it could take off. The minute the pilot said, ‘We’re in the Indian airspace,’ we all started clapping,” she shares. 

Rochelle emphasizes that despite an ongoing war, it was heartwarming to see that she was surrounded by people from different countries, who simply wanted peace. “I'm sorry, I might be politically incorrect, but there were Pakistanis and Bangladeshis with us, and no one felt like an enemy there,” she signs off.

Darjeeling: Indian Idol 2007 edition winner Prashant Tamang (43), a singer from Darjeeling, died of cardiac arrest at his Delhi home on Sunday morning. Prashant felt unwell around 6 am on Sunday.

His family took him to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead. He had been living in Delhi with his wife and three-year-old daughter.

“He had gone to Dubai for a show and returned on Dec 27. He travelled to Arunachal Pradesh on January 7 for another show and was back in Delhi the next day. We spoke that day; it was our last conversation,” said his sister Anupama Gurung

------------------------------

Singer-actor Prashant Tamang, who gained fame as the winner of Indian Idol 3, died on Sunday at his Delhi residence. He was 43 and reportedly died after suffering a stroke.

A native of Darjeeling, Tamang was born on January 4, 1983. He lost his father early in life and later joined the Kolkata Police as a constable. During his service, he nurtured his passion for music through the police orchestra. Tamang later appeared in Paatal Lok Season 2 as Daniel Lecho.

Musician Anu Malik, who was a judge on Indian Idol 3, tells us, “I was in a recording and this news has spaced me out completely. I had seen his struggle, seen him grow, take my criticism and praise. He would take my feedback, make changes in the mukhda, antra and ask me ‘How is it sounding?’ I had never seen such madness in anybody.”

Malik adds, “I would tell him to take it easy, but that guy was a workaholic and superb human being. We just lost (Assamese singer) Zubeen Garg, how do I process this news now? He had a full life ahead in terms of music and shows. I would tell him he should do more shows. My heart goes out to the family and I hope God gives them tremendous strength to bear the loss.”

Actor Celina Jaitly has alleged that her husband, 48-year-old Austrian resident Peter Haag, “weaponized” their children during their ongoing marital dispute – a charge she has placed at the centre of a newly filed domestic violence petition.

In her complaint, Jaitly, 47, claims Haag used the children to emotionally pressure her, including an incident on November 14 where he allegedly orchestrated a video call in which the children appeared anxious, avoided eye contact, and seemed to be receiving cues off-camera.

Jaitly, describing the episode as “painful”, later wrote to their schools seeking updates on the children’s wellbeing and now has sought meaningful virtual access to them under Section 21 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA).

Jaitly, on Tuesday, submitted chat transcripts and audio recordings to support her allegations. In these exchanges, she is heard pleading with Haag to follow basic hygiene, telling him he “stank of sweat” and was setting a poor example for their children. Haag allegedly dismissed her concerns, called her a “lunatic,” and repeatedly threatened divorce.

Her petition, filed under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDVA), accuses Haag of emotional abuse, intimidation, and financial coercion. The complaint was presented for verification before Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) SC Tayade in Andheri, marking the first procedural step before the court considers protection and residence orders.

A major portion of the petition centres on the couple’s Versova apartment, which Jaitly claims was wrongfully taken from her after Haag allegedly pressured her into signing a gift deed in 2019. She says she now fears Haag may attempt, from abroad, to use legal mechanisms to evict her or sell the property.

Sessions Court has now issued an interim status quo order, preventing any change in ownership or possession until the next hearing. Jaitly has also sought a residence order under Section 19 of the PWDVA, requesting that Haag be barred from entering the flat or disturbing her possession of it.

--------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------

After shooting across the UAE, Welcome To The Jungle has returned to India for its finishing touches — the final 20-day schedule of the ensemble comedy. In 2023, Akshay Kumar launched the franchise with a musical teaser before filming pivotal scenes in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ras Al-Khaimah. Now, director Ahmed Khan’s venture is wrapping up its Mumbai schedule, which began on November 6.

“A few setbacks have happened, but the shooting has always been on track,” shares a source from the unit. “Ahmed shot two romantic songs in Dubai with Akshay and Disha [Patani] at the end of October. He returned on November 5 and resumed shooting the next day. Ahmed and producer Firoz A Nadiadwala are leaving no stone unturned to make the film look grand and larger-than-life with its 34-member star cast,” the source adds.

To shoot the scenes, Khan wanted specific plants and trees in the frame to enhance the film’s aesthetic. The source reveals that production designer Shailesh Mahadik created an expansive jungle in Film City, Goregaon, where “action and comic scenes are being shot. The area is so big that actors and units are using choppers to travel from one area to another.”

The director confirms, “Post [the shoot in Mumbai], we will head for a 20-day climax schedule featuring all the actors together followed by a song sequence.”

Khan is scouting for forest areas in North India for the last leg of the shoot, where action master Abbas Mogul will choreograph the sequences, including “chase sequences, gun fights, blasts, and a sequence with 300 horses in the climax.” Source adds, “The last schedule will begin from the first week of December, after which an introduction song with the entire cast will be shot in Dubai.”

Dec 2023 - Filming began.

Early 2024 - Delays due to scheduling conflicts.

August 2024 - Set of a Kashmir town was destroyed due to heavy rains and had to be rebuilt.

Mid-June 2025 - Kashmir schedule deferred due to unrest following the Pahalgam attack.

October 2025 - Production activity resumed in phases.

“Chal gadi mein beth,” the officer said. It was 2 am in Ulhasnagar. The streets were deserted, the shops shuttered, and even stray dogs had gone quiet. The eerie stillness made their guerrilla shoot feel almost illicit. Inside that silence, every footstep, every whisper, sounded too loud. Then a police van pulled up, its headlights slicing through the dark. The cameraman froze, camera still in hand. “When the cop asked what we were up to, we nervously said it was a college project,” writer-director Divesh Nainani, 28, recalls. But the officer stayed firm: “Chal gadi mein beth,” he repeated.

Heart hammering, Nainani climbed quietly into the car, convinced the night — and the shoot — were over. For a long moment, no one spoke. Then, with an exasperated sigh, the officer turned to them and said, “Get in your own car and go home.”

That moment captures the chaotic spirit of Byo Chha Khape (Sindhi for ‘What more do you want?’). The film, released on September 12, is now playing in PVR, INOX and Cinepolis — the first Sindhi feature to ever make it to multiplexes. Shot within a budget of around Rs 50 lakh, it was put together with borrowed clothes, unpaid favours and pure faith. It began with a single screen run in Ulhasnagar and now has even screened in Dubai and the Netherlands. But more than a film, it’s the story of a collective — a group of under-30s who decided to keep a fading language alive with wit, risk and ingenuity.

Nainani grew up in Ulhasnagar surrounded by his grandfather’s Sindhi folk records — songs of home, migration and loss. His father runs a kirana; his mother is a homemaker; his brother works at Deloitte, and he learned filmmaking through YouTube tutorials and through the ad work he’s done over the years. 

At 26, he made Hali Pai Aa (‘You’re sorted’), which ran for 22 days at Ashok Anil Multiplex. “And I realized Sindhi cinema needed to be taken seriously,” he says. “Typically, in Sindhi films, some random salesman would be cast as lead. There was no professionalism. I wanted to change that.”

Dirven Hazari, 29, came from another lane of Ulhasnagar. A pharmacist by training, he began making short comedy sketches for his YT platform Sindhionism. “I realized youngsters don’t speak Sindhi anymore,” he says. “This was my way of entertaining and preserving the language.”

The two met in 2016, when Nainani edited Hazari’s web series Two Nights, Three Days. When Byo Chha Khape took shape years later, Hazari paused everything and invested. “We pooled our savings,” he says. Spectrum Studios, a Sindhi-led finance outfit, joined in to formalize the numbers.

Mohit Sharma, 29, who plays Goldie, the antagonist, sums it up, with a laugh: “We didn’t steal, but we did beg and borrow.” Professional actors came together with social-media talent to form the crew. Behind the camera, DOP Ashutosh Pandey (he isn’t Sindhi) from Benaras, joined through network calls. The music — by Karan Khemani and Abhishek Raina — featured singers from the community circuit: wedding vocalists, event performers, and professional singers, and the film was dubbed in offices, not studios.

“We asked actors to bring stuff from their own wardrobes to supplement what the wardrobe agency provided,” says Nainani. Sharma, who dropped a casting gig to join the team, says his parents, a transport worker and a tax accountant, backed him. “My mum has always wanted me to work in cinema,” he says, “unlike many parents who want conventional steady careers for their kids.” He co-wrote the script with Nainani and law graduate-turned-MC Nikhil Jagiasi, 26, who plays the lead. Jagiasi says the goal was relatability. “People want ‘apnapan’ — to see themselves and their families onscreen,” he says.

For Spectrum Studios’ founder, Rahul Shivnani, this was what made the risk worth it. “Dirven already had a loyal audience,” he says. “And Divesh made a genuinely good film. Word of mouth made it unstoppable.”

Shivnani eventually became co-producer, taking over finances so the team could focus on the film. Distribution was its own odyssey. Distributor Vijay Jaswani came in late but crucially, helping unlock multiplex slots. “Some theatres demanded rent upfront,” Hazari says. “They told us Sindhis won’t pay for tickets, that they’d only watch if it’s for free,” he adds with a laugh. But they did pay, and they did fill the seats. The first show played on a single screen but sold out all 300 seats in Ulhasnagar. Soon, word of mouth sparked demand for screenings in Sindhi diaspora circles across Odisha, Dubai, and the Netherlands. Costs are already on the way to being recovered — which is an unheard-of outcome for a Sindhi film, even one made with such a modest budget.

Saaz Aggarwal, author of Sindh: Stories from a Vanished Homeland, frames the film as cultural work as much as entertainment though she admits she hasn’t seen the film yet. “Hazari’s work is remarkable. His comedy videos are hilarious but never mocking — they are rooted in family life and the everyday rhythms of the community,” she says, adding that she’s been following his work for a while. “Films like this pull a language out of private homes and into public space. It is a significant step toward building a high-quality body of Sindhi cultural work.”

Hazari admits the road wasn’t romantic. “People told us Sindhis would only watch films if tickets were free. There are no government grants because Sindhi isn’t a state language — we have no state. But we wanted to prove that Sindhi stories deserve screens all the same.”

Every scene, Nainani says, “was a gamble.” Restaurants, stations, streets — all shot on the fly. The police incident was only the most dramatic; but there were other challenges: they had to scramble for wardrobes and for props, dubbing was done in offices not studios, and favours were called in from friends and families. “Someone once told me to stick to ad films,” Nainani says. “But, for me, that was even more reason to keep going.”

Now Hazari wants to take Sindhi cinema online — to build an archive, a living space for a language that refuses to fade. For the moment, though, this feels like enough. A film made on nerve and nostalgia has brought Sindhi to the multiplex. And, as they’ve said in the title of their film: “Byo Chha Khape?” What else could they possibly want

The sudden closure of UAE and Qatar airspace late Monday night — after missiles were fired from Iran towards US bases in Qatar and Iraq — disrupted commercial air traffic. Actor Viineet Kumar Siingh, who had been in Dubai for a week, was scheduled to return to Mumbai that night and managed to reach home safely despite the tension.

Recalling the experience, the Chhaava actor said, “My flight was to take off at 9.40 pm and everything seemed normal at first. But suddenly, all activity at the airport came to a halt and passengers started panicking. I began receiving calls from family and friends in Dubai — that’s when I realized how serious the situation was. Kudos to the airport authorities and airline staff — we managed to get to India safely.”

His family, especially his pregnant wife Ruchira, was worried until he landed. “We’re expecting our baby in July,”

Viineet shared. “She was really stressed about my return and welcomed me with a tight hug.”

Mumbai: A 47-year-old Dubai resident, Gajala Siddiqui, has been arrested for trespassing into actor Aditya Roy Kapur’s Bandra flat on Monday. Siddiqui, who claimed to be acquainted with Kapur, arrived at his Rizvi Heights home directly from the airport with gifts and clothes, and refused to leave without meeting him. The drama lasted 90 minutes before the actor’s manager and Khar police were alerted.

The incident comes just a week after two similar trespass incidents at actor Salman Khan’s Bandra residence.

“Siddiqui claimed she has known Kapur for long, but his staff said he denied any knowledge of her. A probe is on to find the purpose of her visit,” a police officer said. Siddiqui is said to have entered Kapur’s flat after persuading his house help, Sangita Pawar (49).

In her complaint, Pawar said: “I was alone when a woman arrived at 6 pm asking if it was Aditya Roy Kapur’s home. When I confirmed it, she claimed she was an acquaintance and had brought clothes and gifts for him. Believing her, I let her in and informed her that he was out for a shoot.”

Upon Kapur’s return, he was informed about the visitor, but the actor said he did not know her. “The woman tried to approach Kapur, prompting him to leave the house and contact society manager Jayashree Dunkdu, who then informed his manager Shruti Rao, who reached the flat and contacted Khar police. When I asked the woman to leave, she refused,” the FIR quotes Pawar as saying.

By then Khar police arrived and took Siddiqui into custody. She avoided answering questions about the purpose of her visit to the actor’s residence nor did she provide any information about her contacts/relatives in the city, police said.

“Siddiqui took a cab to Bandra (W) immediately after exiting the airport. We confirmed that she is from Dubai through her passport and the documents she had with her. She did not have a mobile phone which could have helped get in touch with her family members or relatives, if any, in Mumbai.”

Siddiqui was served a notice for house-trespass or house-breaking under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 331 (2), which attracts up to two years’ imprisonment. On Tuesday, she was produced before the Bandra court.

----------------------------------------

Just days after a woman attempted to enter Salman Khan’s home at Galaxy Apartments and another fan tried to meet him, a similar dramatic incident has come to light involving Bollywood actor Aditya Roy Kapur. The Khar police recently arrested a woman who entered Kapur’s Bandra residence, claiming she had an appointment with him.

The woman, identified as Gajala Kariya Siddhiqui, 39, a resident of Karma By Vision, Liwan, Dubai, arrived at Kapur’s home carrying gift bags. She told the house staff that she had been personally invited by the actor. Believing her, the house staff allowed her to enter and sit inside the apartment.

However, when Kapur returned home, he informed the staff that he did not know the woman. When asked to leave, the woman refused and told Kapur she intended to stay there forever. The actor then contacted Khar police, who promptly arrived at the scene, removed the woman from the premises, and detained her. An FIR has been registered against her for allegedly trespassing and unlawfully attempting to enter the actor’s residence.

In her statement to the police, Siddhiqui said, “I am a huge fan of Aditya Roy Kapur. I follow his daily activities on social media and easily found his home, gym, and other addresses online. I decided to travel to Mumbai by flight just to meet him. When I saw him arrive home, I immediately got up from the sofa and tried to hug him. I had no other intentions.”

She added, “I’ve watched all his movies, especially Aashiqui 2, which I love. I gathered information about his shoots and whereabouts and came to Mumbai.”

According to Siddhiqui, when she reached the building, the security guard asked her where she was going. She replied truthfully that she was visiting Aditya Roy Kapur’s house. She then rang the doorbell and told the house staff she was there to meet him. The staff let her in. “When I saw him, I couldn’t control myself. I went close and tried to hug him,” she told police.

The complainant, Sangeeta Arjun Pawar, 49, has been working at Kapur’s residence for the past eight years. Speaking to mid-day, Pawar said, “On Monday, May 26, while Aditya sir was away on a shoot, a woman with two to three bags rang the doorbell around 6 pm. She asked if this was his home, and I confirmed it was. I assumed she was a fashion designer and let her in.”

“Later, when sir returned, I informed him that a woman had come to meet him. He spoke to her politely and said he didn’t know her. She claimed to be a fan. When he asked her to leave, she refused and said she would stay forever. I advised him to leave the house. I then called the bodyguard and security staff. Since she was a woman, no one touched her. We immediately contacted the police,” Pawar added.

Khar police arrived shortly after, and with the assistance of women constables, removed Siddhiqui from the premises and arrested her. A police officer said, “We have registered an FIR against Gajala Kariya Siddhiqui, 39, a Dubai resident, for trespassing and entering actor Aditya Roy Kapur’s house without permission. She has been arrested under Section 331(2) of the BNS Act and was produced in court, where she was remanded in police custody for a day.”