Chak de phatte
Actor Sunny Deol took to social media to cheer Aryan Khan ahead of the latter’s directorial debut The Ba***ds of Bollywood. Sharing a preview of the upcoming web series, Sunny wrote, “Dear Aryan, your show is looking absolutely fantastic! Bob [Bobby Deol] has been full of praise, your father [Shah Rukh Khan] will be very proud. Wishing you all the very best, beta. Chak De Phatte.” Sunny and SRK, who once had differences after working together in Darr (1993), have since moved on and reconciled. The Ba***ds of Bollywood blends satire and action with self-awareness and features Bobby, Lakshya, Sahher Bambba, Mona Singh, Manoj Pahwa, and Raghav Juyal. The show will start streaming on Netflix from September 18.
We are made of ‘U’
(L-R) Sangita Mahadevan Nair, Mohanal, and Malvika Mohanan in the poster of ‘Hridayapoorvam’.
Malayalam star Mohanlal’s upcoming film Hridayapoorvam has received a ‘U’ certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), clearing the way for its theatrical release on August 28. Sharing the update on social media, Mohanlal described it as a “censor clean” film, unveiling a poster of his character. Directed by Sathyan Anthikad, the project marks the duo’s reunion after nearly a decade. The actor-director duo has delivered some of Malayalam cinema’s biggest hits, including the cult comedy Nadodikkattu (1987) and the romantic classic Thoovanathumbikal (1987). They last worked together in Kadha Thudarunnu (2010). The teaser of Hridayapoorvam, released earlier this month, hints at light-hearted humour, including a sequence where Mohanlal’s character reacts to a student’s admiration for Fahadh Faasil. Along with Mohanlal, the the film also features Malavika Mohanan, Sangeeth Prathap, Sangita Mahadevan Nair, Siddique, Nishan, Baburaj, Lalu Alex and Janardhanan, with music by Justin Prabhakaran.
Moving on now
Alia Bhatt in ‘Jigra’; (right) Vasan Bala
Director Vasan Bala, who recently admitted that the box-office setback of his directorial venture, the Alia Bhatt starrer Jigra (2024)was a “knockout punch,” is reportedly moving on with a fresh project. The buzz is that he will helm an OTT film for Matchbox Shots, the banner behind Andhadhun (2018), Scoop (2024), and IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack (2024). This will be his second collaboration with the production house after Monica, O My Darling (2022). The film is reportedly in its final scripting stage, with casting to begin soon and production likely early next year. The filmmaker is also believed to be in talks with The Family Man makers, Raj & DK, for an action project under their banner D2R Films.
A big pay-cut for ‘Bigg Boss’
Salman Khan
Superstar Salman Khan has returned as host for Bigg Boss 19, which premièred on Sunday evening (August 24) on JioCinema before airing on the TV channel, Colors. This marks the show’s maiden OTT-first release in its nearly two-decade run. Reports suggest Salman has accepted a reduced fee this season, charging around Rs 10 crore per weekend. With his hosting tenure limited to 15 weeks, the actor is expected to take home approximately Rs 150 crore, significantly less than the Rs 250 crore he earned for Bigg Boss 18. The buzz is that after his stint, guest hosts such as Farah Khan and Karan Johar may step in. The reality show will feature 18 contestants, namely Gaurav Khanna, Baseer Ali, Ashnoor Kaur, Awez Darbar, Nagma Mirajkar, Abhishek Bajaj, Tanya Mittal, Nehal Chudasama,
Amaal Mallik, Pranit More, Kunickaa Sadanand, Farrhana Bhatt, Zeeshan Quadri, Natalia Janoszek, Neelam Giri, Mridul Tiwari, and Bigg Boss 13 contestant Shehnaaz Gill’s brother Shehbaz Badesha.
