News

Rohan Kanawade’s Cactus Pears begins with the unexpected heartbreak of grief. At the start of this delicate and understated love story, which took home the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at Sundance earlier this year, Anand (Bhushaan Manoj) and his family tearfully gather in a hospital waiting room. Their patriarch, Anand’s father, has died, and the news sends a melancholic ripple through the despondent clan.

“Yesterday, he kept saying, ‘I’m tired of all this,’” Anand’s mother (Jayshri Jagtap) sputters through tears. Too often, what feels sudden to the living is inevitable to the dying.

Working with cinematographer Vikas Urs, Kanawade, directing from a screenplay he also wrote, stages this early mourning scene with an appropriate sense of claustrophobia. The frame snugly encases the family in ways that recall the bereavement scenes in On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, and like Shula, the protagonist of Rungano Nyoni’s haunting Zambian drama,...

Filmmaker Aanand Rai is extremely upset. His 2013 romantic drama Raanjhanaa which created a stir in both critical and cinegoers’ circle, is now being given a new entirely unexpected spin which Rai had never thought of….

Yes, Dhanush’s character will live! In the original the character Kundan had died. It is this tragic ending that made Rai’s film memorable.

“Now , I suppose everyone will go home happy with their popcorn bag emptied and no emotions ruffled,” says filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali sarcastically. Like Raanjhanaa, his Devdas is also produced by Eros International. Bhansali wonders what they might do to his magnum opus: revive the dead Devdas, perhaps just to please Shah Rukh Khan’s fans?

Aanand Rai says he is in a state of shock. “I am still trying to understand the gravity of what’s being done. How can someone else decide how to conclude my film? Imagine...

8 Vasantalu—from Telugu, it translates to eight springs. Eight springs of Shuddhi Ayodhya’s life, in which she trips, falls, gets back up on her feet, and grows. While most romantic dramas that start off in the coming-of-age genre are pretty unidirectional—leading with a linear flow to either a fulfilling romance or an inevitable heartbreak— 8 Vasantalu is a story that breaks the pattern. It doesn’t slot neatly into a genre. It is surely a coming-of-age tale for Shuddhi, but it is also a film with an inherently romantic heart. As the film proceeds, it expands—under its warm storytelling, it takes in Shuddhi, Kartik, Anita, Varun, and Sanjay—kids who grew up in Ooty and crossed paths with each other. Kids who fell in love, sometimes with each other, but also with life.

Spoilers Ahead

What Is The Movie About?

8 Vasantalu tells the story of Shuddhi Ayodhya’s life across eight years.

“Romantic movies used to be the bread and butter of Bollywood, but it has been failing to make good romances of late” is a sentiment that’s spewed by almost everyone nowadays. And while there’s a lot of truth in that statement, I think it’s missing a very key point: romance in real life is as good as dead. Up until the ‘90s, and maybe through the early 2000s, the idea of love presented by the Hindi film industry and what people imagined their life should be like after falling in love were somewhat in sync. But as reality caught on and social media entered the picture to skew an already askew perception of relationships, Bollywood couldn’t keep up. It couldn’t figure out ways to address the ever-increasing sexism, the unrealistic expectations, and the unhealthy dose of “traditionalism” that had permeated something as tender as love,...

Ike Anand has been elevated to president and CEO of Alsac, the fundraising and awareness organization that supports the mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to eradicate pediatric cancer and other deadly childhood diseases.

Anand has been with the Memphis-based medical research organization since 2020, signing on as chief operating officer. He was tapped as interim CEO in March after Alsac’s longtime leader, Richard Shadyac Jr. announced in December his intent to step down after 15 years at the helm. Anand was tapped for the permanent gig after Alsac conducted an extensive executive search.

“Throughout his tenure, Ike has demonstrated visionary leadership and an unwavering commitment to the St. Jude mission,” said Frederick M. Azar, chair of Alsac’s board of directors. “His passion and dedication have been instrumental in redefining our strategic direction. We are confident that under Ike’s leadership, Alsac will continue to grow and advance the mission of St.

Speaking with Subhash K Jha, director Guddu Dhanoa recalls the making of his hit action thriller Bichhoo which released in 2000 and starred Rani Mukherjee and Bobby Deol.

How do you look back on this hit film of yours?

This is the film that is closest to my heart. I mean, I love this film very much. Because when I had planned this film, I didn’t have any money to make this film. After making such big films, Diwana, Ziddi, Elaan, Salaakhen, I don’t know how the industry behaves, what turn comes in your life. This profession is very strange. Here, sometimes there is a lot of money, sometimes not at all. So, I planned this at a time when I didn’t have any money. The people with whom I was making films, I had separated from them, they had separated from me.

So where did the funds come from?...

Bhushaan Manoj and Suraaj Suman in Cactus Pears

The slow-paced, intimate story of a gay man who returns to his ancestral village for his father’s funeral and is forced back into the closet during the ten day morning period, Cactus Pears is an extraordinary début work, announcing the arrival of a clear new voice in Indian cinema. Bhushaan Manoj plays the central protagonist, Anand, with Suraaj Suman as Balya, the local farmer, the only person he can really be open with, and someone with whom he forms a tender bond. The film wowed audiences as Sundance and Inside Out, and has since been named Best Feature Film at SXSW London. I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak with writer/director Rohan Kanawade, beginning by asking him about his experience with Venice Biennale College Cinema, which supported the film.

“We were part of the lab,” he says. “Although...

There is not a single person in the Hindi film industry whose face doesn’t light up at the mention of Yash Johar. There was much more to him than being Karan Johar’s son, although in his later years he introduced himself proudly as his son’s father.

Recalls Karan, “To my father there was no son better than me. He would launch into panegyrics about me in front of strangers and I would be so embarrassed. Whatever I am today, I owe it to my father. I am reaping the harvests of his goodwill in the film industry,”

Before he became an independent producer Yash Johar was a close associate of Dev Anand who had nothing but words of praise for Yash Johar.

“He started his journey in the film industry with me,” Dev Saab once told me. “He was loved by the entire industry. There was nothing...

On Thursday 26 June 2025, BBC One broadcasts Bridge of Lies!

Season 4 Episode 19 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Bridge of Lies” on BBC One promises to be an exciting adventure for four friends. Aishwarya, Anand, Rachana, and Anand will face the challenge of crossing the mysterious Bridge of Lies. Each friend will take their turn to navigate the bridge, where they must carefully choose their steps.

As they step onto the bridge, they will encounter truths and lies. The stakes are high, and each decision could lead them closer to victory or risk sending them back. The tension will build as the friends support each other while also competing to see who can cross successfully.

Viewers can expect moments of suspense and strategy as the friends work together and against each other. The dynamics of their friendship will be tested, adding an emotional layer to the competition. This episode is set...

Two days after I interview Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, the writer and director of Marathi language feature Cactus Pears (Sabar Bonda), it is announced that the film has won the prize for Best Feature Film at the inaugural SXSW London festival, continuing its streak after winning the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic at Sundance back in January. At Directors Notes (virtual) towers MarBelle (Editor-in-big-chief) summed up the team sentiment on a group thread: “A divine piece of filmmaking, Rohan is a bloody genius”. The Oxbridge characterises geniuses by having exceptional intellectual or creative abilities, often combined with traits like deep curiosity, intense focus and a strong drive to learn and explore – exhibiting originality, creativity and the ability to think and work in previously unexplored areas – risk takers and abstract thinkers. In the 30 minute conversation I had with Rohan, I can categorically confirm (not that there was any question) that he is,...

Subhash K Jha revisits and re-examines Kabir Singh, which starred Shahid Kapoor, six years later in a This Day That Year feature.

When Kabir Singh was released on June 21, 2019, I didn’t realize there could be anything deadlier than Covid-19. How could I? Covid was a good right months away. Regrettably, I praised the film for its gumption and audacity for daring to show its protagonist as a sodden, drugged, zonked out, chauvinistic, sexist pig who doesn’t think before slapping his girlfriend for defending her father, whom Kabir Singh (nee Arjun Reddy) had just insulted.

Shahid Kapoor’s Kabir Singh comes from a place of complete toxicity. He does exactly what he wants, including performing a life-saving surgery in an inebriated condition, predictably killing the patient. This man should have been barred from not just the Medical Association but from being part of any cinematic narrative and discussion.

Yet,...

1975 was the year of some of the biggest Bollywood blockbusters of all times: Jai Santoshi Maa (the low-budget mythological that raked in insane profits), Pratiggya (Dharmendra thinks it to be a better film that Sholay), Deewaar, Sanyasi (Manoj Kumar’s comeback film), Julie and of course the mother of all blockbusters Sholay.

Mili was a middling success. Not one of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s best, but assuredly an important work. It was a sort of gender-reversed version of Hrishida’s Anand where everyone’s favourite character is stricken with a deadly disease.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee used to tell a joke. Once a journalist asked him why someone or the other always died in all his films except Sabse Bada Sukh, the biggest flop of Hrishida’s illustrious career.

“Oh, you are wrong. Someone did die in Sabse Bada Sukh. The poor distributor,” Hrishida laughed.

Mili which was released in 1975 manifested two of...

In the upcoming episode of “Bridge of Lies,” titled “Bridge of Lies,” viewers will join friends Aishwarya, Anand, Rachana, and Anand on an exciting adventure. This episode, airing on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at 4:30 Pm on BBC One, promises to be filled with twists and turns as the group faces a challenging test of trust and honesty.

The friends must navigate a mysterious bridge that presents them with a series of truths and lies. Each step they take will determine their fate, as they learn to differentiate between what is real and what is false. As they cross the bridge one by one, the stakes become higher, and the tension builds. The episode explores themes of friendship, deception, and the importance of honesty in relationships.

Viewers can expect plenty of surprises and clever twists as the friends confront their fears and doubts. “Bridge of Lies” is sure to keep everyone on the edge of their seats,...

War Could Have Been Shelved If This Actor Had Said No, Siddharth Anand Once Revealed( Photo Credit – Facebook; YouTube )

War 2 is counting the days until its release this year, but it would not have been possible if its director, Siddharth Anand, had revealed an interesting anecdote. The film featured Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff in lead roles, and Anand would have dropped the movie if this actor had not done it. Keep scrolling for more.

It also features Vaani Kapoor and Ashutosh Rana in key roles. The story follows an Indian Raw agent on an assignment to eliminate his former mentor, who has gone rogue. It was one of the highest-grossing Indian films of 2019, and the sequel is going to be much bigger than the first one. Bang Bang fame Siddharth Anand directed the 2019 hit.

Whose casting was essential for the film to go ahead?

In 2019, while speaking to Pti,...

In a new installment of his This Day That Year series, Subhash K Jha looks at the time when Sunny Deol spoke about Bobby starring as Bhagat Singh in 23rd March 1931: Shaheed.

It’s easy to dismiss this as yet another Bhagat Singh bio-pic, 23rd March 1931: Shaheed, in the current cascade of such films, more so when the director Guddu Dhanoa doesn’t have the reputation of making particularly classy films.

But Dhanoa’s version of the by-now familiar story has its own smouldering intensity. It projects a vitality quite dissimilar to Raj Kumar Santoshi’s The Legend Of Bhagat Singh . And yet , the vitality in 23rd March 1931 Shaheed is no less vital.

An organic intensity runs through Dhanoa’s exacerbated narrative. Sometimes, specially in the second-half he gets carried away with all the bombastic outpouring of rhetorics and rhyme -–‘screams’ that patriotic films in mainstream Hindi...

Out in some of the most remote villages in India, where life has remained much the same for centuries, change is coming. It takes many forms. The land is drier than it was, the summers hotter. It’s getting harder to make a good living from the land. The previous generation’s embrace of ultrasound technology as means of identifying female foetuses, so that they could be aborted, has left many young men unable to find wives. Some have resorted to marrying below their caste. Others have left, in search of a better life in the city. All of these changes have facilitated other forms of social change, the fading of traditional beliefs and the acceptance of things that once could not be spoken.

Anand (Bhushaan Manoj) has travelled from Mumbai, where he works in a call centre, to support his mother Suman (Jaysri Jagtap) in the wake of his father’s sudden death.

When Dev Anand’s Love Story With Suraiya Met With A Tragic End(Photo Credit –X)

Dev Anand is hailed as one of the most memorable superstars of Indian cinema. However, along with his glorious contribution in the acting sphere, his love life also made some noise time and again. Especially, his timeless and tragic love story with yesteryear actress Suraiya was quite well-known.

The duo’s love story started like a fairytale and they experienced a passionate arc of that of forbidden lovers. However, like every good things come to an end, their relationship also had a resentful conclusion. According to OpIndia, Dev Anand’s biography, Romancing With Life, gave a glimpse of his fateful love story with Suriya in one of the chapters.

Dev Anand and Suraiya met on the set of the 1948 film Vidya and love soon blossomed between them. However, theirs was a classic star-crossed lovers scenario because of religious differences.

Following his historic Sundance Grand Jury Prize win for “Cactus Pears” (“Sabar Bonda”), director Rohan Parashuram Kanawade has inked a management deal with Cinetic Media, it was revealed on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival.

Kanawade’s debut feature made history as the first Marathi-language film and first Indian fiction title to claim Sundance’s top World Cinema Dramatic Competition honor this past January.

“It’s an incredible honor to be represented by Cinetic Media, a company known for championing cinema that pushes creative boundaries and defies conventional norms,” Kanawade told Variety. “For a story as personal and intimate as ‘Sabar Bonda’ to find global resonance – and now, a team that believes in its journey as much as we do – is both humbling and empowering. This partnership isn’t just about where the film goes next – it’s about what kinds of stories get to be seen, heard, and remembered.

Jewel Thief – The Heist Begins Steals the Crown as Netflix’s Most Viewed Film of 2025

Marflix Pictures’ latest offering Jewel Thief – The Heist Begins, has committed itself to breaking records. And in the long list that the film, that released on Netflix, has already accumulated, the Siddharth Anand & Mamta Anand co-production has officially claimed the title of streaming platform’s most-watched film of 2025, achieving an extraordinary 16.1 million views in just its first two weeks. The film’s remarkable performance began with 7.8 million views during its debut week, followed by an even stronger second week with 8.3 million views. And the film did this, while simultaneously topping streaming charts as well.

The success of the film can be attributed to various factors, ranging from Marflix and he Anand duo, who are known for their top-tier, no expenses spared filmmaking and production value, followed by the star power that the cast of the film brought on,...

Looking back at Siddharth Anand’s Ta Ra Rum Pum , Subhash K Jha focuses on this slick, funny, khushi, aur gham slice of life film that released in 2007. As a bonus, we also hear from Rani Mukerji, who revealed she was ecstatic after reading the script, plus what it was like to work with Saif and so much more!

There’s a moment in Siddharth Anand’s Ta Ra Rum Pum , which clocks eighteen years, where Rani plays that clichéd sequence where the hero’s fallen-on-hard-times wife rejects a fat cheque from her rich father.

“I did the right thing, didn’t I?” Rani asks her screen-hubby Saif, who looks aghast. “You turned down a cheque for 50,000 dollars? For that sum of money, I’m ready to be compromised every day.”

The above sequence is a strangely subverted interpretation of that sequence from Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Satyakam, where Dharmendra’s...

Sharmila Tagore Once Shared How Rajesh Khanna’s Lavish Gifts Sometimes Led To Strained Relations With His Co-Stars( Photo Credit – Facebook )

Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore resulted in some classic Hindi movies, which are popular not only for their stories and performances but also for their songs and dialogues. Khanna was the first superstar of Indian cinema, which had its own perks and setbacks. Being a highly successful actor, Kaka was generous about his gifts to his co-stars as well. However, this sometimes caused problems in the relations. Sharmila once opened up about it and explained the reason behind it. Keep scrolling for more.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Rajesh Khanna epitomized success in Bollywood. Films like Anand, Kati Patang, Haathi Mere Saathi, and Rakhwala became massive box-office hits, cementing his status as the first true superstar of Indian cinema. His films with Sharmila, like Aradhana, Safar, and Amar Prem,...

In this edition of This Day That Year, Subhash K Jha revisits Tumse Achcha Kaun Hai which released 23 Years ago today.

Not to be confused with the Shammi Kapoor starrer of the same name, Tumse Achcha Kaun Hai was a fairly engaging watch that never got its due. Decency and good taste dribble out of Deepak Anand’s mildly diverting romantic musical. We may not think much of another coming-of-age film about an innocent rustic’s rise and fall in the Big Bad City. But Anand’s film conveys a certain artless charm that keeps us smiling to the very end, even if we know all along how the story of the innocent abroad is going to end finally.

Right from the time when Raj Kapoor made Shree 420, the theme of a migrant’s dreams in the city of concrete nightmares has fascinated mainstream Hindi filmmakers. Like Rk’s...

Bollywood used to make fun crime movies. This is the country of “Don,” of “Bunty Aur Babli” of not one but three “Dhoom” movies. Heck, Netflix’s recent “Dhoom Dhaam” (unrelated to the aforementioned franchise) threw its hat in the ring to respectable results. And while those other examples may be from a bygone era of joyful abandon, the current moment leaves a lot to be desired.

In its defense, Kookie Gulati and Robbie Grewal’s “Jewel Thief” does not purport to be any kind of caper, but the self-serious wannabe action drama in its place leaves much to be desired. One can’t fault producer Siddharth Anand for committing to more of the same after the success of projects like “Pathaan,” “War,” and “Tiger” — but those were theatrical releases, unlike this one, and did not star Saif Ali Khan and Jaideep Ahlawat.

Khan plays Rehan Roy, a notorious jewel...

When Dev Anand Was Mistaken For Shammi Kapoor By A Huge Crowd & This Is How He Handled The Situation( Photo Credit – Facebook )

Dev Anand and Shammi Kapoor were two of the most charming actors of the yesteryears who ruled the film industry in the 1950s and 1960s. They also ruled the people’s hearts with their handsome looks. However, there was a time when a crowd of fans mistook Dev for Shammi, and what followed next is quite an amusing tale, which was once shared by Saira Banu. Scroll below for the deets.

Anand and Kapoor had completely different personas; the former had a sophisticated, suave, and poetic style. On the other hand, Shammi was more energetic, flamboyant, and rebellious kind. They both had their specific mannerisms, which set them apart. Both redefined the romantic hero persona and left a rich legacy behind. Saira made her feature film debut with Junglee,...

Cunning Caper

Bollywood veteran Saif Ali Khan leads the cast of Netflix‘s “Jewel Thief – The Heist Begins,” marking “Pathaan” filmmaker Siddharth Anand‘s first direct-to-streaming production. Khan stars as charming thief Rehan Roy alongside Jaideep Ahlawat‘s calculated mafia boss Rajan Aulakh in this high-stakes pursuit of the coveted African Red Sun jewel. Kunal Kapoor plays determined detective Vikram Patel, while Nikita Dutta portrays Farah, Roy’s love interest.

Directed by Kookie Gulati and Robbie Grewal, and written by Sumit Aroraa, the action thriller marks the streaming debut for Marflix Pictures, founded by Siddharth and Mamta Anand.

“We wanted to create a cinematic universe that felt both classic and fresh,” the producers stated. “The story is slick, the characters are layered, and the scale is massive.”

Netflix India’s Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh called it “an ode to the classic Bollywood heist film” with “scale, style and all the swagger,...

Dev Anand Was Once Mistaken As A Taxi Driver( Photo Credit – YouTube )

Dev Anand was a beloved actor who was considered one of the most significant and successful in the industry. He was a trendsetter and a risk-taker known for his charm and mannerisms. Actors often face weird situations because of their profession, and something similar happened with Dev as well. A foreigner mistook him for a taxi driver, and that person even asked the actor to take them to the red light area. Keep scrolling for more.

He worked in the industry for over six decades and in more than one hundred movies. Anand was honored with the Padma Bhushan and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Some of his best-known movies include Baazi, Taxi Driver, Cid, Guide, Jewel Thief, and more. His last film, Chargesheet, came out in 2011. He was also the director of that movie. The veteran actor passed...

Rohan Parashuram Kanawade’s debut feature, Sabar Bonda (also known as Cactus Pears), marks an important moment in Indian cinema. Set in the rural heartlands of Maharashtra, the film explores themes of grief, identity, and societal expectations through the tender relationship between two men, Anand and Balya.

Anand, a call-center worker from Mumbai, returns to his ancestral village after his father’s death to observe the ten-day mourning period—a traditional custom fraught with both personal and cultural tensions. As Anand reconnects with his childhood friend Balya, a farmer who also grapples with his own unspoken queerness, the film delves into the unvoiced emotional landscapes of rural India, where same-sex love remains a shadow of societal repression.

In a landscape that has been traditionally untouched by overtly queer narratives, Sabar Bonda stands as a rare and necessary exploration of LGBTQ+ lives in rural India. This nuanced portrayal brings much-needed visibility...

This time in his This Day That Year column, Subhash K Jha revisits Blood Money, which released in 2012.

Blood Money dives into a cesspool of predictable characters who we know are heading nowhere. And we couldn’t care less. Debutant director Vishal Mahadkar seems to dither between high-anxiety and laziness. He lets the plot hang loose at the most crucial junctures prompting us to wonder if the director lost interest, just like we do after a point.

There are seeds of an engaging morality tale here. A bright-eyed eager-to-succeed Mba from India arrives in Cape Town with his equally wide-eyed wife. They take in the grand lifestyle with squeals and gasps that kindergarten children would recognize when they visit the zoo for the first time.

The scenic location is shot with a kind of inert aloofness that comes to the camera when it knows it’s shooting a no-go.

Once in Cape Town,...

Rajesh Khanna’s Anand Earned Huge Profit At The Box Office! (Photo Credit – YouTube)

It was in 1971, that Bollywood witnessed the coming together of two of the biggest stars. However, while one was about to arrive, the other was about to decline, but before both these incidents, they came together to deliver a blockbuster. Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan – two superstars who ruled two eras of Hindi Cinema!

Anand was released on March 12, 1971 and the emotional drama helmed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The film was meant for Dharmendra who could not allot his dates. Many others rejected it but Kaka jumped on the opportunity since he knew this was the goldmine!

The Major Fee Cut Demand!

When Rajesh Khanna insisted to Hrishikesh Mukherjee that he wanted to play Anand desperately, the director had three straightforward demands – a 1 lakh fee, coming on set in time, and allowing dates as much as needed!

The 2019 film War, directed by Siddharth Anand, achieved remarkable success at the box office. Featuring Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff, the movie was an exhilarating action thriller that captivated audiences. The sequel, War 2, is set to premiere in 2025, but it will be directed by Ayan Mukerji rather than Siddharth Anand.

In a previous interview, Siddharth Anand was questioned about his feelings regarding another director helming War 2. He expressed that he felt nothing but pride, stating, “I feel a sense of pride that my creation is so important to somebody else.” He likened the situation to a parent feeling proud of their child succeeding in a different environment. Anand conveyed his happiness, remarking, “So it’s that kind of pride that I’ve created something that is worthy enough of someone else to take over.”

He also mentioned that he would have been eager to direct War 2, noting that discussions had taken place.

Crazxy Box Office Collection Day 5: Soham Shah’s crazy crazy is seen struggling at the box office. However, the way the actor has acted in the entire film is a sign of a great actor. That, Soham Shah has played his character in a better way. But despite being brilliant acting and exciting, it has been reduced to millions in working days. Which is not right for the future of Crazy. Because today Crazxy Day is 5 collection, whose condition is even more delicate since yesterday, let us know about today’s report.

Crazxy Box Office Collection Day 5

In the beginning of 2025, many films have knocked in theaters so far. But there are some films that have received tremendous praise from Audians. In which Crazy, released in Chhawa and Hali, comes at the top. Jee Ha Ha, a Bollywood thriller film Crazy, who is running in theaters since February 28, is...

As Indian cinema continues to gain recognition worldwide, it’s still hard to explain the hold it has on those of us who grew up with it.

The intrepid cinephile can always do their research; watch the latest buzzy international feature, check out popular films that are streaming, even judge a book by its cover (a movie by its hit songs). But there’s something at the core of Hindi films especially that is deeply entrenched in culture. Usually I explain it by describing the theater where I watched every new Hindi film from 2005-2009: a suburban Michigan multiplex whose concession counter was flanked by two sacred symbols — a statue of the Hindu god Ganesh, and a framed photo of actor Shah Rukh Khan.

You need to understand that, at least conceptually, to appreciate something like “Superboys of Malegaon,” the true story of film fanatics in the eponymous village...

When Zeenat Aman Was Upset With Dev Anand’s Autobiography (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Zeenat Aman and Dev Anand worked in many commercially successful movies and were among the most successful onscreen pairs. Zeenat considered the legendary actor as a mentor as she gained prominence after starring in his film, Hare Rama Hare Krishna. However, did you know that the actress was left enraged after receiving a copy of Anand’s autobiography, Romancing With Life? It all had to do with the part wherein the late actor had penned down his feelings for the yesteryear actress.

When Dev Anand Confessed His Feelings For Zeenat Aman

Talking about the same, in his autobiography, Dev Anand revealed that he had fallen in love with Zeenat Aman while they were shooting for the 1971 film, Hare Rama Hare Krishna. He had planned a romantic confession at the Rendezvous at the Taj Hotel rooftop, wherein they had once dined together.

We're just one week away from the finale of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and to say the show has exceeded expectations would be a bit of an understatement. Many iconic supervillains have entered the picture, tensions between Peter Parker and Nico Minoru are at an all-time high, and Norman Osborn finally began to reveal his true face.

It's one exhilarating journey that goes deeper into the rabbit hole courtesy of the sixth episode. So it's time to break down everything that happened to the wall-crawler on his latest adventure streaming on Disney Plus.

*** This article contains Spoilers from Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man episode 6. ***

(L-r): Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Hudson Thames) and Nico Minoru (Grace Song) in Marvel Animation's Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2025 Marvel. All Rights Reserved. Relationships are in danger

Remember how Nico Minoru and Peter Parker were going to watch a movie,...

Are Agastya Nanda and Naomika Sarantaking their families’ legacies forward? (Photo Credit – Prime Video)

Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan are two of the biggest stalwarts of Indian cinema. They shared an iconic professional rivalry and camaraderie on-screen during the golden era of Bollywood. Their teamwork in movies like Anand and Namak Haraam remain etched in the memories of cinema lovers. Decades later, the two are still remembered as the greatest actors to be featured in Hollywood.

As the years went by, their children carried the legacy forward, Twinkle Khanna and Abhishek Bachchan carved their own niche in the industry and beyond. Now, the torch is being passed down another generation, as Rajesh Khanna’s granddaughter, Naomika Saran, and Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson, Agastya Nanda, are all set to make their mark together in an upcoming Bollywood romantic comedy.

Naomika Saran and Agastya Nanda to star in a Maddock rom-com

Naomika Saran,...

Prolific filmmaker Siddharth Anand has made an undeniable splash in Indian cinema in the last few years. He's created a string of action-packed releases that have earned audience approval time after time. Included on the list are the likes of Shah Rukh Khan's Mission: Impossible-style hit Pathaan, Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff's spy thriller War, and Roshan and Anil Kapoor's aerial action epic Fighter. Now, Anand is stepping back up to helm Jewel Thief, an epic, high-stakes heist starring Bollywood superstar Saif Ali Khan and Paatal Lok star Jaideep Ahlawat.

When Rajesh Khanna’s Will Excluded Dimple Kapadia (Photo Credit – Wikimedia)

Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia’s short-lived love story grabbed several eyeballs in tinseltown. The former couple tied the knot in 1973 despite having a 16-year age gap between them. However, their marriage fell apart in 1982 when they went on to part ways. However, did you know that the superstar’s will which was made before his death also excluded Dimple from even getting a single penny? For the unversed, Khanna passed away on July 18, 2012.

According to Bollywood Shaadi, By 2011, Rajesh Khanna’s health started deteriorating because of his battle with cancer. The report stated that the megastar reportedly made his will a month before his death. After his death, he left behind a vast 600 crore worth assets and wealth.

This 600 crore wealth and assets also included his lavish bungalow, Aashirwad. The report further added that the recipients of his...

It's Jan. 31, and the 2025 Sundance Film Festival awards have been presented at a ceremony for the winning films at The Ray Theatre in Park City, where independent storytelling thrived yet again in Utah. The 2025 Festival, taking place now through February 2, has featured premieres, screenings, talks, events, and more in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah. All feature award-winning films are available online nationwide now through February 2. Select award-winning films will screen in person for ticketholders and passholders. Tickets can be purchased here. The awards were compiled in a press release:

Grand Jury Prizes went to Atropia (U.S. Dramatic Competition), Seeds (U.S. Documentary Competition), Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) (World Cinema Dramatic Competition), and Cutting Through Rocks (World Cinema Documentary Competition). The Next Innovator Award presented by Adobe was given to Zodiac Killer Project.

Audience awards for films in competition were presented by Acura to Twinless (U.S. Dramatic...

A still from Atropia by Hailey Gates, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival (Photo Courtesy of Sundance Institute)

Atropia starring Alia Shawkat and Callum Turner earned the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: U.S. Dramatic Competition award at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, and Seeds was named the U.S. Documentary Competition winner. The 2025 winners were announced today during a ceremony held at The Ray Theatre in Park City.

Additional Grand Jury Prize winners include Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) and Cutting Through Rocks. Audience Awards went to Twinless (U.S. Dramatic Competition), André is an Idiot (U.S. Documentary Competition), DJ Ahmet (World Cinema Dramatic Competition), Prime Minister (World Cinema Documentary Competition), and East of Wall (Next).

“We congratulate all of our filmmakers and award winners on a successful 2025 Sundance Film Festival and thank them for the stories they shared with our audiences,” stated Amanda Kelso, Acting CEO, Sundance Institute.

Awards for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival were handed out on Friday morning, with the Dylan O’Brien-fronted dark comedy “Twinless” taking home the audience award in the U.S. Dramatic Competition category. The film, which received a warm response upon its debut at the beginning of the festival, hails from writer/director/co-star James Sweeney and follows two strangers who meet in a twin bereavement support group. O’Brien also won a special jury award for acting for his work in the film.

Writer/director Hailey Gates’ “Atropia” won the U.S. Grand Jury Prize in the Dramatic category, scoring top honors for a film that started life as a documentary. Produced by Luca Guadagnino, the film stars Alia Shawkat as an aspiring actress in a military role-playing facility who falls in love with a soldier cast as an insurgent. Callum Turner, Chloë Sevigny and Tim Heidecker co-star.

The U.

Dramatic films that deal with the quest for identity and the unending struggles of acceptance often portray the central characters with a sympathetic lens that elicits immediate empathy. Rohan Parashuram Kanawade’s Marathi-language feature Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) defies this convention, bringing a rarely explored perspective to the screen with a degree of eloquence and calm beauty. Lyrical yet deeply grounded in its character world, it achieves a breathtaking balance. This is filmmaking at its subtlest: focused on characters while exploring universal themes of individuality, family, and, most importantly, masculinity sans being preachy or moralizing. Thematically it grapples with weighty and meaningful motifs with remarkable sensitivity and offers an intimate and insightful portrayal of the protagonist’s inner turmoil. This deeply personal exploration leaves an acute impact as if we are directly experiencing the character’s thoughts and emotions. Thus, the viewing experience leaves us feeling mentally sharper and physically refreshed.

“Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears),” the semi-autobiographical feature debut of director Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, is a gentle slow-burn that occasionally becomes electric. A rural gay story that begins in a state of mourning and melancholy, it eventually takes on radiant form, with emotional complexities born out of characters walking around the truth, if only because euphemisms are the only language they have.

The Marathi-language drama is, first and foremost, a film of tradition, and the way even mundane cultural norms can become iron bars: stack enough of them side by side, and what you have is a prison. We first meet Anand (Bhushaan Manoj), a single Mumbai call-center employee in his early thirties, at the hospital where his ailing father takes a turn for the worse. Before he and his mother (Jayshri Jagtap) have time to process their loss, procedural funeral demands lead them back to their rural village for a ten-day period of mourning.

Shah Rukh Khan King Movie Confirmation ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Shah Rukh Khan is the undisputed King of Bollywood. He is an icon who has captured the hearts of millions worldwide with his charisma, acting prowess, and sheer versatility. With a career spanning over three decades, Srk has not just been a cinematic superstar but also a cultural phenomenon that redefined stardom in Indian cinema. Most recently, he took over the Indian cinema industry with three movies in 2023 and reclaimed his throne as Bollywood’s biggest superstar.

His movie Pathaan made a hefty ₹1050 Crore at the box office. Despite such a considerable sum, it was overtaken by Srk’s next film, Jawan, which made around ₹1148 Crore globally. To end the year on a high note, his comedy-drama Dunki also made ₹470 Crore on a small budget of around ₹85 Crore. From ruling the box office to proving his mettle as an actor and a crowd-puller,...

When he returns to his remote hometown in western India for his father’s funeral, Anand (Bhushaan Manoj) is immediately faced with intrusive questions from relatives about his marriage status in Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears). When sparks fly between him and a local farmer, he must navigate his community’s tolerance while learning to accept his own sexuality. Cinematographer Vikas Urs discusses shooting director Rohan Parashuram Kanawade’s feature debut, which premieres in the festival’s World Cinema Dramatic Competition. See all responses to our annual Sundance cinematographer interviews here. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the cinematographer of your film? What […]

The post “To Evoke Those Deep Emotional Layers With Utmost Honesty”: Dp Vikas Urs on Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

When he returns to his remote hometown in western India for his father’s funeral, Anand (Bhushaan Manoj) is immediately faced with intrusive questions from relatives about his marriage status in Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears). When sparks fly between him and a local farmer, he must navigate his community’s tolerance while learning to accept his own sexuality. Cinematographer Vikas Urs discusses shooting director Rohan Parashuram Kanawade’s feature debut, which premieres in the festival’s World Cinema Dramatic Competition. See all responses to our annual Sundance cinematographer interviews here. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the cinematographer of your film? What […]

The post “To Evoke Those Deep Emotional Layers With Utmost Honesty”: Dp Vikas Urs on Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Anand Deverakonda Replaced (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Vijay Devarakonda’s younger brother, Anand Deverakonda, has been trying hard to establish his identity in Telugu cinema. Years after making his début, he achieved success with Sai Rajesh’s Baby, in which Vaishnavi Chaitanya played the lead. Made with a small budget, Baby became such a huge hit that its lead actors became overnight phenomena.

Riding on the success of Baby, director Sai Rajesh announced a new film featuring the same lead pair—Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya. The announcement poster created a significant buzz, with fans excited for another blockbuster from the duo. The poster showed Vaishnavi Chaitanya in a red saree sitting on a boat near the sea while Anand Deverakonda appeared to console her. However, despite the hype, the film saw no further progress, leaving fans wondering about its fate.

Meanwhile, recent reports indicate this project has undergone a significant casting change.

Richard Shadyac Jr. will step down as CEO of Alsac, the fundraising arm of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in March. The charity, founded by Danny Thomas and fueled by the entertainment industry in its early years, is among the most successful private philanthropic endeavors in the nation’s history.

St. Jude’s mission is to find cures and advance research into pediatric cancer and other diseases. The proud ethos of the St. Jude center in Memphis is that no child is ever turned away for lack of the ability to pay.

American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (Alsac) was formed at the same time as St. Jude in the early 1960s to be the year-round fundraising organization as well as to raise awareness of St. Jude and its mission. During Shadyac’s 15-year tenure at Alsac, philanthropic giving and sponsorships have nearly quadrupled. Alsac has reported 59 consecutive quarters of growth in fundraising.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who is both one of India’s most revered filmmaking veterans and a self-confessed angry man, took to the stage on Friday for a (mostly) good-natured introspective conversation punctuated with musical interludes.

Though he scarcely needed prompting, Chopra, the dynamo behind “3 Idiots,” “Munna Bhai Mbbs” and “12th Fail,” was pressed by friend and musician Shantanu Moitra, to examine the moments in his career when he doubted himself.

They were speaking at the Kala Academy in Goa, hub of the International Film Festival of India, and were treated like rock stars by a 500-strong crowd of festival-goers and film students.

An accomplished screenwriter, director and producer, Chopra said that one of his many “zero moments,’ or low points, was trying to break the news of his desire to be a filmmaker to his father who aspired for the young Vidhu to become a doctor. “The only dream...

I Want To Talk Movie Review Rating:

Star Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Ahilya Bamroo, Pearle Dey, Jayant Kripalani, Johny Lever, Kristin Goddard

Director: Shoojit Sircar

I Want To Talk Movie Review Out (Photo Credit – Instagram)

What’s Good: A sturdy performance from Abhishek Bachchan and the core message

What’s Bad: The length and languid pacing

Loo Break: Depends on you!

Watch or Not?: “Story picture hai!” as the video library-walas used to say about offbeat films! So it’s up to you again.

Language: Hindi

Available On: Theatrical release

Runtime: 122 Minutes

User Rating:

Arjun Sen (Abhishek Bachchan) is one of those eloquent marketing whizzes who can, so to speak, sell hair oil to a bald man. An Indian who has come to the USA and done an Mba, he makes people believe that the pizza he sells is the only one worth eating! A divorcee, he has a brattish daughter,...

In the glittering world of South Indian cinema, where larger-than-life heroes and epic dramas dominate, Yogi Babu has carved a unique niche for himself. With his impeccable comic timing, quirky expressions, and unapologetic humor, Yogi Babu is not just a comedian; he’s a phenomenon. From humble beginnings to becoming one of the most sought-after actors in Tamil cinema, his journey is as inspiring as it is entertaining.

A Hilarious star is Born

Yogi Babu’s story began in an unexpected way. Born in a modest family in Tamil Nadu, he never imagined his life would take a cinematic turn. His first big break came with a blink-and-miss role in Yogi (2009), where his performance earned him the nickname, we all now recognize. The title became prophetic, as Yogi Babu soon found himself becoming a household name in Tamil Nadu.

Beyond the Stereotypes

What sets Yogi Babu apart is his ability...