India is central to the next phase of growth for Netflix, global co-CEO Ted Sarandos said, in the backdrop of moderating subscriber additions in mature Western markets.

While Netflix has an estimated 20-25 million paid users in India, against a global base of more than 325 million, he sees the country offering enormous headroom for expansion and being crucial for the firm to succeed globally.

Sarandos told Javed Farooqui and Vinod Mahanta in an interview that India’s deep appetite for entertainment, thriving creative ecosystem, rising smartphone and connected TV penetration, and affordable internet make it one of the most strategic markets for the platform. Edited excerpts:

When we launched Sacred Games, we introduced a new model of premium, cinematic television to India. It was ambitious, lavish and unlike anything on Indian TV then. Looking back, I think we should have invested in both high-end scripted shows and reality formats simultaneously.

The success of Lock Upp shows audiences also love dramatic, cliffhanger-driven unscripted entertainment. Netflix serves more than a billion viewers with very different tastes, and our job is to offer the best version of whatever they come for, scripted or unscripted.

We also learnt that every market has different needs, with some genres underserved and others already well served.

India has always been a fascinating entertainment market. Audiences are value-conscious, not just price-conscious—they’ll pay for the best if they consistently get it.

Many American companies try one big idea and move on. We took a different approach, investing continuously across genres and delivering fresh programming at scale.

With over a billion global viewers, we learnt you need enough choice to delight people every time they pick up the remote. Netflix isn’t a visitor in India’s entertainment ecosystem; we’ve become a leader in one of the world’s most complex markets.

There is a big appetite for entertainment in India and a large consumer base. I think those people have generally been underserved since there aren’t enough screens for as many people who want to watch a movie.

We are trying to solve it through different screens like TV and mobile. That’s why I think the market is so attractive and the principles of entertainment are exactly the same.

But let’s use the new technology to help solve a problem in India, which is being able to quench an appetite for more content and more entertainment.

Live sports are an important opportunity, but our strategy isn’t to chase full-season league rights. We’ve been building our live technology globally and will expand it market by market. Our focus is on unique Netflix events rather than becoming another broadcaster.

In the US, we’ve chosen marquee occasions like NFL games on Christmas and MLB’s Home Run Derby instead of entire seasons. The idea is to bring a younger, more engaged audience and a different creative approach that adds value to leagues, rather than simply driving up rights prices.

That’s the model we’re more likely to replicate elsewhere, including India. It would be very unlikely for us to get the whole season of cricket. An eventisable event, a tournament—those are the kinds of things.

It’s all of those. We’re a business, so revenue and profit matter because they fund continued investment. But cultural impact matters, too, and you can feel it when a local show like Lock Upp dominates social media and becomes part of the national conversation.

Success isn’t about a single hit. It’s about consistently entertaining audiences while building a sustainable business. Our ability to keep investing in India ultimately depends on our ability to keep entertaining India, creating a virtuous cycle of growth and reinvestment.

India has been an important testing ground for Netflix, including our first mobile-only plan, which has since influenced markets globally. But our approach here is no different from anywhere else: the key is delivering value, not just lowering prices. Every time someone presses play, they decide whether Netflix is worth paying for.

India keeps us honest because audiences have high expectations and demand compelling content that justifies the subscription.

Reed Hastings (Netflix co-founder) instilled an extraordinary level of focus from the beginning. For years, Netflix was a one-product, one-price company, and that discipline built a very strong foundation. As we’ve grown, we’ve been able to add multiple price points, products, partnerships and content formats without losing that focus.

We started with one premium scripted series, House Of Cards. Today, we make scripted shows, unscripted entertainment and stories across every imaginable language.

India reflects that evolution because there isn’t one India—it’s like a world in itself, with different languages, cultures and lifestyles.

You are trying to appeal to the world when you are appealing to India. There could be no Netflix globally without India. You can’t be successful without it.

We never looked at India as a market we could simply buy. That strategy has eaten companies around the world. The most exciting projects attract multiple buyers and bidders, which is good for the creative community. We’re certainly not in a phase of doing this cheaper or skimming the market. India still demands the level of investment it takes to win.

But we haven’t just thrown money at it. What you see on screen is spectacular, and that’s the approach we’ve taken since we first came to India.

I think there’s enormous headroom for both.

We want Netflix to be desirable, but not unattainable. Ultimately, consumers decide whether we’re delivering value.

It’s very easy to cancel Netflix—it’s just one click—so we have to earn consumers’ trust and admiration every day. That’s what keeps us focused on delivering great entertainment.

We report a global P&L rather than market-wise numbers, but we’re very happy with the economics of our India business. We’ve never been in the loss leader business. That’s why we stayed away from expensive rights like NFL football and still built a large business.

Very. I’m impatient by nature, but I’m thrilled with our progress over the past decade. We’ve built a strong slate across films, series and now unscripted programming. Shows like The Great Indian Kapil Show and Lock Upp have been particularly impactful, proving we can succeed in formats many thought we couldn’t.

Our goal is to be the first place you check and the last service you cancel. That means constantly finding new creators, investing in skills, and strengthening India’s creative ecosystem while generating significant economic impact.

I’m sure it’s coming down the road, but we’re not there yet.

AI will be a step change for entertainment, much like the shift from 2D hand-drawn animation to computer-generated animation, which ultimately created a bigger industry and more jobs.

At Netflix, hundreds of projects already use AI for tasks such as pre-visualization, helping filmmakers plan complex shots, improve safety and reduce risks on set.

AI is also transforming post-production and visual effects, making high-quality effects affordable for films that otherwise couldn’t have justified the cost.

De-ageing actors, for instance, has become dramatically cheaper and better than it was just a few years ago.

Every time there is technological advancement, that has been the worry. And it generally doesn’t prove to be true. In fact, it opens up a world of opportunities that people didn’t imagine before that new technology. I mean, there are still directors who want to shoot on film.

Netflix India is ramping up its content slate in the second half of 2026, with plans to release four titles a week across original series, films and licensed content, as the premium streaming platform broadens its programming beyond finite scripted shows to include non-fiction, comedy, longer-format series and creator-led content.

“In the second half of the year, we are launching four titles per week. We are ramping up our overall volume, though not at the expense of quality. We are programming more than 20 genres,” Netflix India vice-president, content, Monika Shergill told ET.

The push comes as streaming audiences in India become more open to varied formats, languages and genres across mobile and connected TV screens. Shergill said streaming has changed viewing behaviour by combining cinematic storytelling with the depth and frequency earlier associated with television.

“Streaming has married cinematic storytelling with a larger footprint of audience tastes, in terms of genres and languages,” she said. “Audiences are becoming genre-fluid and format-agnostic.”

Netflix’s slate reflects that shift. While premium scripted shows such as Taskaree: The Smuggler's Web, Kohraa and Super Subbu follow shorter episode structures, the platform is also experimenting with formats that require higher frequency or longer engagement.

Reality format Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa, for instance, is designed as a five-days-a-week show, while upcoming slice-of-life comedy Chumbak will have more episodes because of its character-led family world.

The platform is also working more closely with digital creators who have built large communities on YouTube. Bhuvan Bam’s Dhindora Season 2 will stream exclusively on Netflix, while Samay Raina’s India's Got Latent 2 will come to Netflix in a co-exclusive format along with YouTube. Raina’s next stand-up special will be a Netflix exclusive.

Shergill said Netflix is not looking at these creators merely as social media personalities, but as storytellers with a distinct voice and strong audience connection.

“For us, it’s not about where a creator comes from. It’s about identifying unique voices,” she said. “Many YouTube creators have spent years building highly engaged communities by developing distinctive storytelling styles and understanding what resonates with their viewers.”

Non-fiction and comedy are also becoming bigger pillars for Netflix India. Its unscripted slate includes The Great Indian Kapil Show, India’s Got Latent 2 and Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa. Shergill said audiences are returning to non-fiction as the streaming ecosystem matures after its first wave of premium scripted fandom.

“At its core, non-fiction appeals because people are fascinated by real people,” she said. “We enjoy watching individuals make difficult choices, navigate relationships, confront challenges, reveal their vulnerabilities and showcase their talents.”

On content sharing, Shergill said Dhurandhar The Revenge, backed by Jio Studios, was an exception rather than a broader strategy.

“We are not sharing films as a strategy. Dhurandhar was a very unique case because we have such a strong partnership with Jio Studios. We are not looking at splitting licences more broadly,” she said.

Shergill added that as streaming matures, platforms are becoming more disciplined in evaluating content investments. “Building a sustainable business is about balancing quality, diversity of storytelling and disciplined investment,” she said.

Netflix is also investing in the creative ecosystem through the NextGen India Writers’ Program, a two-month hybrid mentorship initiative for emerging screenwriters with up to three years of professional experience. Participants will work on long-form storytelling, character development, world-building and series bibles.

One of the most unexpected team-ups in the Indian comedy scene happened recently on The Great Indian Kapil Show when comedians Samay Raina and Sunil Pal came face-to-face. The episode sparked online buzz with many feeling that the veteran comic was called in to be humiliated. However, Sunil does not feel so.

“Main usko humiliation nahin maanta hoon kyunki woh comedy show hain. Koi mann mutaav nahin hai. People will make jokes at each other. I made punchlines at him, and he did the same. Even Shah Rukh Khan (actor) becomes the butt of jokes on such a show, so mujhe koi shikayat nahin hain.”

Sunil, who has earlier publicly criticised the young stand-up comic over his style of “abusive” comedy, shares that he had been informed beforehand about Samay’s presence in the show.

He says, “I don’t have a personal beef with anyone. It’s just a difference in opinion with not just Samay but all Gen-Z comedians who use abuses.”

He adds, “Audience tak acchi cheezein pahuchni chahiye kyunki woh unka haq hai, par ghum firkar, wahi gaali galauch jata hain aur usse mera dil dukhta hai. It’s only my request to all young comics to utilise the access that they have well.” 

YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, in the behind-the-scenes vlog of the same episode of the show, hinted at a documentary on India’s Got Latent controversy: “We are releasing a very detailed Latent documentary next month. Everything that happened day by day has been recorded.”

At a time when actors such as Kajol, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Salman Khan, among others, are increasingly moving court to safeguard their personality rights, Sunil Grover has a clear take. The actor-comedian, who is known for mimicking several celebrities, believes mimicry, when done right, is a celebration, not a violation.

The 48-year-old shares, “When I impersonate them, it’s a tribute and is not meant to make fun in any way. I understand the problem when someone misuses it to endorse a brand or a thought which the artiste doesn’t want. But these personalities have become so big ke ab wo public ke bhi ho gaye hain and we celebrate them.”

The comedian reveals that his latest act, a mimicry of Aamir Khan on The Great Indian Kapil Show, had received praise from the actor himself, who called it “priceless” and “authentic.” Sunil recalls the experience fondly: “It felt good. People even referred to me as ‘Aamir sir.’ I am a big fan of Aamir and his work, and it’s his greatness that he also took it all in zest.”

While he advocates for such acts to continue as a form of celebration, Sunil draws a clear line at offensive humour. He says, “I don’t support below-the-belt and offensive jokes. I don’t like to talk about their personal lives too. Jo garima mein hai, wo theek hai; hum koshish karte hain ki uske paar na jaye.”

On a lighter note, he shares, “One of my friends told me that I should get an order for my personality rights and I told him, ‘Sharam nahin aati hai. Main duniya bhar ke logon ki nakal kar raha hun aur tu mujhe bol raha hai.’”

Even as the fourth season of The Great Indian Kapil Show began streaming over the weekend, its third edition has landed comedian Kapil Sharma and the makers in trouble. Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) India, the country’s oldest copyright licensing organization, has moved the Bombay High Court against Sharma, the producers of the comedy reality show, and Netflix India, alleging copyright infringement through the unauthorized use of songs on the popular comedy series.

According to the commercial intellectual property suit filed on December 12, a copy of which is in mid-day’s possession, three episodes aired between June 21 and September 20 are in contention. One featured actors Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor, in which the song M Bole To from Munna Bhai MBBS (2003) was used, while another with Sanjay Dutt and Suniel Shetty played the track, Rama Re, from Kaante (2002). The final episode, featuring Akshay Kumar, used the number Subha Hone Na De from the actor’s movie Desi Boyz (2011). 

In the suit, PPL India has claimed these uses amount to “public performance/communication to the public” under the Copyright Act, 1957, requiring a licence from the rights holder. Stating that no such licence was sought or granted, it has accused K9 Films Pvt Ltd and BeingU Studios Pvt Ltd, the production houses behind the show, of copyright infringement. The suit also notes that the show is first recorded in front of a live audience, where the music is audibly performed, and only later streamed on Netflix, compounding the alleged infringement.

Before this, PPL India had issued a cease-and-desist notice to the producers on November 6. “However, only a holding reply has been received, and the defendants have not stopped playing the plaintiff’s sound recordings,” states the plaint.

The organization has now appealed to the High Court to restrain the defendants from using its copyrighted sound recordings without a licence, to order disclosure of revenues earned through the alleged illegal use, and to appoint a court receiver to seize infringing material. The matter is expected to come up at the Bombay High Court’s commercial division.

mid-day reached out to Sharma and PPL India. Both didn’t respond till press time.

Comedian Kapil Sharma’s The Great Indian Kapil Show has landed in trouble before its season finale airs today. Firoz Nadiadwala, who produced Hera Pheri (2000) and Phir Hera Pheri (2006), issued a cease-and-desist notice to Netflix India on September 18, citing copyright, trademark, and character rights infringement with regard to the comedy show’s latest promo.

In the promo of the final episode that sees Akshay Kumar as the guest, show regular Kiku Sharda can be seen dressed as and mimicking Paresh Rawal’s iconic character of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte from the Hera Pheri franchise. This hasn’t gone down well with Nadiadwala, who has demanded a compensation of R25 crore from the streaming giant.

Talking exclusively to mid-day, Nadiadwala recalled that he was shocked on seeing the promo earlier in the week. “I was shocked and dismayed to see The Great Indian Kapil Show’s promo featuring the character of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte aka Babu Bhaiyya in a buffoonish manner. The character has been exclusively conceived, developed, and produced under our creative and commercial authority. The rights, derivatives, underlying rights, IP rights, and copyright of all the Hera Pheri characters are exclusively owned by our company till universal perpetuity. My advocate Sana Raees Khan served the notice to Netflix on Thursday,” he said. mid-day is in possession of a copy of the notice.

The notice not only instructs the streamer to remove the Baburao references from the promo, but also states that airing the episode with those portions will lead to additional legal consequences. Nadiadwala added, “Use of the character in the promo constitutes a blatant act of infringement, including copyright violation. Baburao is a pure character for us, created beautifully by Paresh Rawal. This show is portraying him like a buffoon! We have asked for Rs 25 crore towards damages for using the character [in the promo] without authorisation, within two days of receipt of this notice. If they still telecast the show with Baburao’s character in it, those damages will be separate.”

With this move, Nadiadwala’s objective is to set a precedent for every producer “so that nobody can take advantage again”. 

His legal counsel Khan added, “Unauthorized exploitation of my client’s iconic character is not just infringement, it is theft in its most blatant, commercial form.” mid-day reached out to Netflix India, which declined to comment. Sharma didn’t respond till press time.

Kapil Sharma’s fans had reason to cheer as Netflix, over the weekend, announced the third season of The Great Indian Kapil Show. Now, we’ve got a piece of news that will also make Salman Khan’s legion of fans look forward to the comedy show. mid-day has learnt that the superstar will open the upcoming edition, along with his nephews Arhaan Khan, Nirvan Khan, and Ayaan Agnihotri.

Salman is known to be a doting uncle to his nieces and nephews, and this will mark his first on-screen appearance with them. Sources tell us that Sharma and his team — comprising Archana Puran Singh, Sunil Grover, Kiku Sharda, and Krushna Abhishek — will begin shooting from June 1.

A source reveals, “Salman loves the show’s fun format, and is very fond of Kapil and Sunil. So, he was more than happy to appear on the show. It was his idea to be joined by his nephews. Arbaaz Khan and Malaika Arora’s son Arhaan will not only talk about his mother’s recently launched restaurant in Bandra, but also about his podcast Dumb Biryani. Atul and Alvira Agnihotri’s son Ayaan has launched his music. The trio will talk about their bond with Salman and how they often turn to him for advice.”

It is heard that Salman’s sister Arpita Khan and her husband Aayush Sharma’s children Ahil and Ayat too might make a special appearance on the chat show.

Fans of Bhagam Bhag (2006) cheered hard when Shemaroo Entertainment and producer Sarita Ashwin Varde announced the sequel to the comedy, last month. Reports suggested that the original trio—Akshay Kumar, Govinda and Paresh Rawal—would reprise their roles in the second instalment. But now, there is a plot twist. Govinda says he hasn’t even been offered the laugh riot.

“Nobody has approached me for Bhagam Bhag 2, or sat down for a discussion. There are stories of me doing not just Bhagam Bhag 2, but many other sequels, including Partner,” says the actor, amused by the developments.

Many filmmakers are jumping on the bandwagon of franchise films. The sequel to Priyadarshan’s Bhagam Bhag, which is expected to roll next year, comes 18 years after the original’s release. Quiz Govinda whether he would like to be a part of it, and he says his decision will depend on various factors.

“I know sequels are popular today, but one should not go by beliefs, suggestions and popularity. If I do a project, I must discuss it in its entirety—from the remuneration to the script, my character and the director,” he points out.

Regardless of whether he stars in Bhagam Bhag 2 or not, the actor is making his way back to the movies. On the latest episode of The Great Indian Kapil Show, Govinda announced that he has signed three new films, Bayen Haath Ka Khel, Pinky Darling, and Len Den: It’s All About Business. After his sporadic appearances on screen over the past decade, it will be refreshing to see the senior actor—easily one of the best in Hindi cinema when it comes to comedy—in front of the camera again.

His excitement is palpable as he says, “We’ve selected the best scripts. After Aa Gaya Hero [2019], we hadn’t announced more films, but now the time is right.”

The senior actor hit headlines this October, when he sustained injuries on his leg after his gun accidentally went off. Asked if he has recovered completely, he says, “It was important for me to come on Kapil’s show and perform because people were saying a lot of things. [They were wondering] whether I can dance like I used to earlier. So, I appeared on the show and spoke about the accident hasi mazaak mein. [On October 1], I was to catch a morning flight to Kolkata for a special darshan to Dakshina Maha Kali. The [revolver] case was made of plastic, and the gun slipped from the case and accidentally fired on my knee. Now that I’m better, I’ll visit all the places where I had taken mannat.”

Actor Govinda and his nephew, actor-comedian Krushna Abhishek were in a family feud for seven years. While Abhishek has apologized and tried to reconcile with him multiple times, he didn’t get the desired reciprocation from either Govinda or his wife Sunita Ahuja. But things seemed to have gotten better as Govinda made an appearance on The Great Indian Kapil Show, which also stars Abhishek, for an episode that’ll air on November 30.

Ask the nephew about this reunion and he calls it “one of my best experiences after such a long time”. He says, “Maine stage par bhi bola ki mera saat (7) saal ka vanwas khatam ho gaya.”

Last month, when Govinda accidentally shot himself, Abhishek reveals, the incident only helped bring the family closer. “After mama’s leg injury, things changed. I was in Sydney (Australia) for a show and I even told my organizer to cancel the show. But then Kashmera (Shah, actor; his wife) was here, and she was the first person from the family to go and visit him in the hospital. He was very nice to her, and she spoke to him for a while in the ICU. After that, I realised that things are going to get better now,” Krushna shares.

In 2018, the relationship between nephew and uncle soured after Shah shared a tweet about “people who dance for money,” and Govinda’s wife, Ahuja, criticized the move, alleging that it was directed at Govinda.

India ranked second in terms of paid net subscriber additions globally for video streaming giant Netflix in the June quarter, and third by revenue percentage growth, backed by a strong content lineup headlined by ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ web series.

Netflix's paid net additions stood at 8 million in Q2 compared to 5.9 million in the same period last year. Its global paid subscriber base stood at 278 million.

Revenue for the quarter grew 17% to $9.5 billion, while net income rose 45% to $2.1 billion.

Netflix said in a letter to shareholders for Q2 2024 that 'Heeramandi' is its biggest drama series in India, fetching 15 million views. ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’ movie followed with 8.3 million views. Licenced films such as ‘Laapataa Ladies’ and ‘Shaitaan’ also helped drive subscriber additions.

Netflix also said ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show’ ranked among its most-popular shows globally in Q2 along with ‘Bridgerton S3’, ‘Baby Reindeer’, and ‘Queen Of Tears’.

According to Media Partners Asia, Netflix had 12 million paid subscribers in India. As per regulatory filings, Netflix Entertainment Services India reported a 24% growth in revenue at Rs 2,214 crore in FY23. Net profit jumped 75% to Rs 35 crore during the year.

“It's truly remarkable how our series and films have made a significant impact on a global scale. Heeramandi becoming our biggest Indian drama series to date is a testament to this. We are focused on engagement as the single most important indicator of success because when our members watch more, they stick around longer," said Netflix India vice president incharge of content Monika Shergill.

She noted that 2024 has been a great year for Netflix, with healthy engagement across films and series as well as a steady growth in subscribers.

Speaking at the MoffettNathanson Media, Internet & Communications conference in May, Netflix VP of finance, corporate development, and investor relations Spencer Wang noted that the platform is growing quickly in India.

Wang also said that India is an important country for Netflix and a very competitive one. While noting that Indian consumers have a lot of choice, Spencer said the platform's job is to just improve its offerings so that they resonate with the Indian consumer.

‘The Great Indian Kapil Show’ and ‘Heeramandi’ were among the popular titles, creating 1.1 billion organic impressions on Netflix India's social channels.

Netflix India had earlier announced it would release 14 shows and eight films in 2024. The platform has lined up non-fiction content including ‘Modern Masters: SS Rajamouli’, ‘Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale’, and ‘Yo Yo Honey Singh’.

Films and series on the platform include returning seasons of ‘Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein’, ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show’, ‘Fabulous Lives Vs. Bollywood Wives’, besides ‘Phir Aayi Haseen Dillruba’, and Anubhav Sinha’s gripping drama ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’. The platform will also stream feature films like Do Patti and Vijay 69.

Since 2013, actor Sumona Chakravarti had been a part of the main cast of Kapil Sharma’s comedy show, during its TV run, first as Comedy Nights with Kapil and then The Kapil Sharma Show. However, in the recent OTT version, The Great Indian Kapil Show, Chakravarti has been noticeably absent.

The actor addressed this in a recent interview. “One project finished, so [Sharma] began another project, and I am doing another. That’s all there is,” she said.

However, we have learnt that she is “upset” about being excluded. “She expected the entire cast would be retained for the digital version,” a source tells us, adding, “She always thought that the jokes about her dialogue delivery were limited to having fun on the show. She never thought that it would affect casting.”

Currently, Chakravarti is shooting for Khatron Ke Khiladi 14. “[Her exclusion from the show] is the reason Sumona took KKK 14. Kapil’s show was the primary thing connected with her body of work for almost a decade,” the insider adds.

We reached out to both Chakravarti and Sharma for a comment, but didn’t get a response till the time of going to press.

Rumour has it that Sonakshi Sinha is all set to marry boyfriend Zaheer Iqbal on June 23 in Mumbai. Though they haven’t spoken about their relationship, they haven’t shied away from making public appearances together and have even featured in each other’s vacation pictures. As per reports, the wedding invites, designed like a magazine cover, have been sent out.

Both Sonakshi and Zaheer were launched in Bollywood by Salman Khan. Sonakshi made her debut with Dabangg in 2010 and Zaheer’s first film was Notebook in 2019. They shared screen space in the film Double XL (2022) and later in a music video.

While Zaheer shared a bunch of pictures on Sonakshi’s birthday on social media this year, last year, he had written a lengthy post in which he addressed their linkup rumours. He wrote, “Kuch toh log kahenge, logon ka kaam hai kehna. You can always lean on me. You are the best. Keep “Roaring” and soaring always. May you see more of the world than anyone ever has. May you always live the mermaid life. Always be HAPPY. I love you (sic).”

In a recent interview with us, after she walked the ramp at the Bombay Times Fashion Week, Sonakshi spoke about her dream bridal wear. She said, “Whenever I get married, I would like to wear a classic red lehenga.”

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Recently, Sonakshi Sinha admitted on The Great Indian Kapil Show, “mujhe kitne zor se shaadi karni hai”. The actor’s manifestation seems to have come true, as she and actor Zaheer Iqbal are set to tie the knot this month. 

A source close to the couple confirms that Sinha and Iqbal, who “have been living together for a year now”, will get married on June 23 at the Mumbai-based restaurant, Bastian. “It’s going to be an intimate affair. Many of Sonakshi’s industry friends will also be a part of the special day too,” the insider says, while another elaborates, “There will be a celebration on June 22 at their family home in Juhu, for which only close friends and family are invited. The wedding will take place in the morning of June 23, while reception will be held in the evening.” 

The couple worked together in Double XL (2022) and met through actor Salman Khan, who gave both of them a break in Bollywood. One of the sources tells us that “the wedding planning had been on for a while”, adding, “The couple was waiting for the elections to get over as Sonakshi’s father (actor-MP) Shatrughan Sinha was busy contesting from Asansol, West Bengal for TMC party. He won, and now the wedding will be like a double celebration.”

Sonakshi Sinha’s words on The Great Indian Kapil Show, “mujhe kitne zor se shaadi karni hai” seem to have come true, as she and actor Zaheer Iqbal are set to tie the knot this month. 

According to reports, the couple’s wedding invite has been designed like a magazine cover that says “The rumours are true”.

With inputs by Akash Bhatnagar and Yashika Mathur

The Kapil Sharma Show went off air from TV last year, as the comedian transitioned into OTT with The Great Indian Kapil Show. The void left by the show on TV was filled temporarily by Madness Machayenge - India Ko Hasayenge (MMIKH), featuring actor Huma Qureshi as a guest. However, it failed to connect with the audience. Now, the channel has reportedly brought comedian-actor Zakir Khan on board to fill the gap with a new show. We have exclusively learnt details about the format and release date.

A source close to the development says, “Zakir’s show will have a mix of shayari and comedy, which is typical Zakir style. The comedian has built his own audience that connects with his shayarana side, and with this show, he aims to reach a wider audience. MMIKH is currently on, but it’s expected to wrap up soon. Zakir’s show is likely to air from August.”

The source adds that besides shayari and comedy, “the show will also have Bollywood guests, similar to the format of Kapil’s show. The line up of guests for Zakir’s show is yet to be finalized”. This marks Khan’s second outing on TV after he did the fifth season of The Great Indian Laughter Challenge as a mentor in 2017.