The big face-off
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is knee-deep in his next directorial venture, Love and War, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal. Around half the film has already been shot since it went on floors in November 2024. Sources reveal that the filmmaker will begin filming high-voltage confrontation scenes between Ranbir and Vicky in August, with grand sets currently being built for the same. Bhansali aims to wrap the shoot by the end of the year, with an outdoor European schedule planned post-October. While most of the action is happening in Mumbai, editing is running in parallel. October–November will also see Alia step into the spotlight for some high-octane sequences.
Shikara to Silaa
Sadia Khateeb in Silaa
Shikara (2020) actor Sadia Khateeb, who was last seen in The Diplomat opposite John Abraham, is all set to headline Omung Kumar’s upcoming action drama, Silaa. A newly released poster reveals Sadia in a fierce, gritty avatar — a dramatic shift from the soft and graceful roles she’s known for. “I’m beyond grateful and extremely thrilled. I just want to give my bestest to Omung sir’s vision,” said the actor. Co-starring Harshvardhan Rane, the film explores themes of emotional and physical resilience. Meanwhile, Sadia has also wrapped up her comedy film with Neetu Kapoor, Kapil Sharma, and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni.
Game mode on for Rajamouli
(From left) SS Rajamouli and Hideo Kojima
SS Rajamouli has levelled up, quite literally! The RRR (2022) and Baahubali director is stepping into the virtual world with a cameo in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, the much-awaited title by Japanese video game maestro Hideo Kojima. Rajamouli revealed that his likeness was scanned for the game during his 2022 visit to Japan, where he was promoting RRR. Hideo later confirmed the cameo via social media, posting behind-the-scenes snaps from Rajamouli’s visit to Kojima Productions. Bollywood meets boss-level gaming? We’re waiting for it, quite eagerly!
Losing a job during maternity
Mini Mathur
Mini Mathur has opened up about the emotional blow she faced after being dropped as the host of the reality show, Indian Idol, during her pregnancy. In a chat with Vicky Lalwani, she shared, “They told me that audiences weren’t ready to see a pregnant woman hosting a show.” Mini admitted the decision was deeply hurtful. “It was a personal blow,” she said, explaining that she felt perfectly capable of continuing the job. Having hosted multiple seasons of the show, she also reflected on how the industry has evolved over the years in its treatment of working mothers — thankfully, for the better.
