ShowBiz

Mumbai Feb 18 (IANS) In one of his old television interviews with Lehrein TV, Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was seen candidly talking about the unpredictability of box office success and how he has often struggled to understand the audience’s response to his films.

Citing the example of his cult classic Karan Arjun, the actor stated that while he did absolutely nothing in the movie, he still received all the credit for the success of the movie.

Reflecting on his own career, Salman admitted that there have been films where he put in tremendous effort, yet they failed to receive appreciation.“What I don’t understand is that there are some films where you work extremely hard and they don’t get appreciated at all. And then there are films where you hardly do anything, yet they become huge hits,” said Salman.

He added that at the same time, there were projects where he felt he had done “nothing at all,” but they went on to become major successes.“Like Karan Arjun,” said Salman.

“I didn’t do anything in that film. Everybody else worked hard, and I ended up getting praised for it.”Salman further also spoke about receiving all the credit for the success of his movie Tere Naam.

Speaking about Tere Naam, Salman downplayed his performance and credited the screenplay and makers for the film’s impact. He said, “There was nothing in ‘Tere Naam’. It was simple. One look had bangs and the other was bald. In the second half, I had one dialogue, otherwise, I barely had any lines.”

Crediting the team of Tere Naam for the success of the movie, Salman said, “It was the director, the screenplay, the writers, the dialogues, the entire plot of the film, that shaped my character and became the reason for the film’s success.

Talking about Karan Arjun, the movie was released in 1995, and went on to become a blockbuster. The movie is widely remembered for its iconic dialogues, including the superhit dialogue, “Mere Karan Arjun aayenge.”

–IANS

rd/

Mumbai, Feb 18 (IANS) Actress Kiara Advani shared an emotional note in remembrance of her late father-in-law Sunil Malhotra, expressing gratitude for the unconditional love and warmth she received from the very beginning.

Kiara took to Instagram, where she shared two monochrome pictures. The first featured her along with her father-in-law, husband Sidharth, and mother-in-law. The other photograph just featured her father-in-law.

For the caption, she wrote: “From the very beginning — you welcomed me with open arms, steady wisdom, and a kind of unconditional love that grounded us all. Your warmth was constant. Your generosity effortless. Your love for your family was at the center of everything you did. You showed up— every single time. You listened with intention.”

“You remembered the little things. You gave so freely, never expecting anything in return. Your stories, your laughter, your quiet strength, and your gentle heart will stay with me forever. You leave behind a legacy of gentleness, integrity, and deep, unwavering love.”

Kiara concluded: “It lives on in your children, grandchildren and in all of us who were blessed to know you. Rest peacefully. You will forever be missed, forever loved, and forever remembered.”

Sidharth’s father reportedly passed away on February 14 in New Delhi after a prolonged illness.

The actor, on February 17, remembered his father as a man of "rare honesty, integrity, and culture."

The actor wrote: "He lived by values that never bent. Discipline without harshness. Strength without ego. Positivity, even when life tested him beyond measure. (sic)"

"From commanding the seas as a Merchant Navy Captain to facing illness with quiet courage, he never compromised, never lost his grace. Even when the stroke confined him to a wheelchair, his spirit stood tall," added the 'Shershaah' actor.

"Papa, your integrity is my inheritance. Your strength guides me every day. Your positivity still holds this family together. I am who I am because of you. And I will carry your name, your values and your light forward always. Love you Dad."

--IANS

dc/

Mumbai, Feb 18 (IANS) Popular television actor Aly Goni is featuring in musician Javed Ali’s latest track Maula and said that shooting for it didn’t feel like acting, but rather like expressing something many have gone through at some point.

Opening up about connecting deeply with the story and mood of the song, Aly said: “When I first heard Maula, I felt an instant connection. It’s emotional, it’s peaceful, and it’s so real.”

“Shooting for it didn’t feel like acting, it felt like expressing something all of us have gone through at some point. I put my heart into this one, and I hope the audience sees that honesty in every frame."

“Maula” is sung by Javed Ali, written and composed by emotion-weaver Shabbir Ahmed, produced by Liaquat Gola, and brought alive visually by director Honey.

Javed Ali said: “There’s something very honest and healing about the song. While singing, I found myself slowing down and really absorbing every word.”

“It’s one of those tracks that makes you reflect, breathe, and just be in the moment. I hope people feel the same warmth and comfort that I felt while recording it."

Discussing the vision behind the visuals and the emotion-driven storytelling, director Honey shared that the vision for Maula was simple, keep it real, keep it raw, keep it human.

“We did exactly - The song already had so much emotion, so I wanted the visuals to feel intimate, like a reflection of someone’s inner world. Aly understood the vibe perfectly and delivered a beautifully restrained performance. This song is a quiet journey of the heart, and that’s exactly what we tried to capture."

Sharing what drew him to the song’s emotional depth, producer Liaquat Gola said, “For me, Maula is a feeling. A poem written in Sufism about Man Kunto Maula. I always wanted to do a song on Maula & I was instantly drawn to its purity right from the beginning.”

“There’s no noise, no rush, just genuine emotion. Watching the song come alive with such sincerity from the whole team has been beautiful. I truly believe Maula will stay with people long after the music stops."

Shabbir Ahmed added: “The melody is intentionally gentle — like a conversation with your own heart. I just wanted the song to feel pure, honest, and comforting. I’m grateful it shaped up exactly the way I hoped."

--IANS

dc/

Mumbai, Feb 18 (IANS) Actress Sonam Bajwa chose discipline over indulgence as she resisted the temptation of candies while waiting at the airport.

The actress took to Instagram stories, where she shared that she was sitting at the airport and looking at a candy shop, debating whether she should buy some sweets.

Sonam was heard saying, “So, I am sitting at the airport and looking at this candy shop, and I have been debating whether I should get some candies. I love candies, but I just decided yesterday that I am not going to have any sugar. I had dates today. I am trying to be disciplined… Nahi khaaungi.”

The actress later shared another video on board a flight, where she gave a glimpse of the “diet meal” she had carried along.

“So I am so happy that I made this choice. I am going to skip having candy. Didn’t buy it. I am going to have my diet food.”

The third clip showed the actress sharing her struggle as she stuck to her diet meal, while her friend, seated next to her, was chomping on garlic bread.

In the video, Sonam was heard saying: “So main yeh kha rahi hoon. Apna dil itna pakka karke aur idhar yeh dekho… Not fair, this is criminal.”

For all the videos, she captioned: “Reporting live guys.”

Sonam’s latest release is “Border 2”, an epic action war film directed by Anurag Singh. A standalone sequel to J. P. Dutta's 1997 film Border.

Set against the backdrop of the India–Pakistan war of 1971, the film serves as a multi-front war drama, expanding the scope of its predecessor by featuring the combined operations of the Indian Armed Forces – Army, Air Force, and Navy.

She was also seen in Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, a romantic drama film directed by Milap Zaveri. The film stars Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa in the lead roles. It emerged as the 12th highest-grossing Hindi film of 2025.

--IANS

dc/

Mumbai, Feb 18 (IANS) National Award-winning lyricist-singer Swanand Kirkire says what concerns him most about the current music landscape is the rapidly shrinking shelf life of songs, even as technological shifts and the rise of artificial intelligence begin to redefine the speed of production.

Asked whether the pace of production or the fleeting lifespan of songs troubles him more, Kirkire told IANS: “What worries me is the shrinking shelf life of songs. Yes, definitely."

"Also, the speed of production basically, now the speed of production is going to change more and more. You know, with AI coming in, you really don't know what's going to happen next.”

He pointed out that artificial intelligence is already being used across departments in music-making.

“People have already started using AI for music production songs, also for lyrics, you know, everything. So we really don't know how fast it's going to become. But see, exciting times are ahead.

However, the lyricist maintained that the changing times also bring new possibilities.

"Let's see where it takes us. And it's not just our challenge; the whole world is facing it. The entire music world, the entire world, is facing the challenge from AI. So we'll see where it takes us."

Kirkire struck a note of cautious optimism, saying that technological evolution could open new creative avenues.

“Yeah, it’s going to be exciting,” he said.

Kirkire’s latest is the series “Bandwaale”. The show is streaming on Prime Video.

It is created by Swanand Kirkire along with Ankur Tewari, marking a significant new chapter in his storytelling career.

Kirkire won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics twice: first in 2006 for the song "Bande Me Tha Dum...Vande Mataram” from the film Lage Raho Munna Bhai, and then in 2009 for the song "Behti Hawa Sa Tha Woh" from the film 3 Idiots.

In 2018, at the 66th National Film Awards, he won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for the Marathi film Chumbak. He made cameo appearances as Sansad ji in Panchayat 3 and as Mansoor Khan Sahab in Qala, for which he also contributed as a lyricist and singer.

--IANS

dc/

Mumbai, Feb 18 (IANS) Two prominent names from the music industry, Shaan and Babul Supriyo, came together for a new song "Aankhiyaan".

During an exclusive interaction with IANS, Shaan revealed how they ended up collaborating on the song and how the association felt absolutely natural to him.

Shaan shared that he keeps in touch with Babul, and once, Babul asked him, "Let me know if you have a song that I can sing".

He confessed that he has always been in awe of Babul's open and manly voice and hence, believed that he should sing more often.

Shaan added that he had 2-3 songs in mind, which he ended up sharing with Babul. Some time later, they met and recorded the song.

"It was closing towards Valentine's Day, so we thought about how we would be able to release a sad song during this time", Shaan shared.

However, Babul had a different idea that during Valentine's, the number of people with a broken heart is much more than those who celebrate the day with their special someone.

"Why should couples have all the fun?", is what his mantra was behind releasing "Aankhiyaan" near Valentine's Day.

Explaining the mindset during the same conversation, Babul added, "We have written this song for the people with a broken heart, and when you listen to the tune, it emaluates melancholy. So, the sadness, you don't have to create it."

Meanwhile, as the track was shared on social media by the makers, Shaan had opened up about working with Babul in the comment section, saying, "It has been my pleasure absolutely to collaborate with my dearest brother and a powerhouse of talent @iambabulsupriyo !!! His sense of commitment to anything that he takes on, is a lesson I have learnt while working on this song with him. I hope and pray You will all enjoy and connect #Ankhiyaan !!!"

--IANS

pm/

Mumbai, Feb 18 (IANS): Actor Harshvardhan Rane on Wednesday shared a video on his social media account where he was seen braving sub-zero temperatures while indulging in wildlife photography.

Sharing a video montage on social media, the actor wrote, “Clicking in, minus temperature is tough but beautiful,” along with hashtags #Montana #Coyote #YellowStone.

The video shows Harshvardhan standing amid vast and heavily snow-covered mountains, dressed in heavy winter clothing, as he clicked the wildlife.

One of the clips captures a lone coyote standing still against the icy backdrop, and another picture clicked by Rane shows the animal walking gracefully across the snow-laden terrain of Yellowstone.

Furthermore, surprising fans, Harshvardhan is also seen lying flat on the freezing snow to capture photographs with his camera, showcasing sheer dedication.

On the work front, Harshvardhan made his Bollywood debut with the romantic drama “Sanam Teri Kasam” in 2016. The film, back then, did not emerge as a box office success, but it gradually gained popularity and went on to become a cult favourite, especially among young audiences for its emotional storyline and music, when aired on television and OTT.

Harshvardhan Rane has also featured in films such as “Paltan”, “Taish” and “Haseen Dillruba”.

His recent release, “Ek Deewana Ek Deewaniya”, co-starring Sonam Bajwa, turned out to be a hit. Ahead of its release, the actor, in a surprising turn of events, was seen stepping out in public and personally appealing to audiences to watch the film in theatres.

–IANS

rd/

Chennai, Feb 18 (IANS) The makers of director B. Unnikrishnan's political thriller 'Prathichaya', featuring actor Nivin Pauly in the lead, have now released an interesting trailer of the film, much to the delight of fans and film buffs.

Nivin Pauly, who took to his social media timelines to share the link to the trailer, wrote, "Every image has a story. This one has a destiny. Presenting the trailer of Prathichaya. Written & Directed by Unnikrishnan B. Produced by Sree Gokulam Movies & RD Illuminations LLP. #Prathichhaya #UnnikrishnanB #SreeGokulamMovies #RDIlluminationsLLP."

The trailer begins with Nivin Pauly's voice over. We hear him saying, "You are all waiting to hear about my success story. But am I successful? Success can sometimes be defined by your designation or pay package. But is that really it? Were Gandhiji, Nehru, EMS and AKG successful men? Or were they failures?" Even as this voiceover continues, we are shown images of protests, political speeches and politicians.

Soon we see Nivin Pauly addressing a number of delegates. From the visuals shown in the trailer, it is evident that Nivin Pauly plays the role of a political strategist and that he is part of a politician's think tank. He understands the essence of politics as he explains, "Cabinet formation is a web of equations. Caste, religion, powerful alliances with interests -- our positions are determined by these very dynamics. Icons are built and destroyed based on market demands."

We get to know that Nivin Pauly's character in the film is also corrupt. A politician is seen complimenting him, "You are a corrupting force." To this, Nivin Pauly's character replies, "Like you have nothing to do with corruption."

The trailer also shows that the film will revolve around the struggle for power. One politician in power says, "There is talk that I'll be kicked out of the chair today."

However, the film also some honourable characters that believe in integrity. One such character says, "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. The world isn't outside us. It's within. "

The trailer also shows that there is a woman who wants to record a 164 statement before the court. It is evident that there are powerful minds taking on each other in their struggle for power. An interesting dialogue in the trailer gives a comprehensive idea of what the film is all about. The dialogue goes, "There are no individuals in politics, only images."

Apart from Nivin Pauly, the film features Sharf U Dheen and Balachandra Menon in pivotal roles among others.

Written and directed by Unnikrishnan B, the film has been produced by Gokulam Gopalan and Rd Illuminations LLP.

On the technical front, the film has cinematography by Chandru Selvaraj and music by Justin Varghese. Editing is by Manoj and production design is by Shajie Naduvil. Aji Kutiyani has taken on the responsibility of heading the art direction department, while Shaji Padoor has co-directed the film.

--IANS

mkr/

Los Angeles, Feb 18 (IANS) Grammy-winning popstar Miley Cyrus is set to revisit the moments, music and memories that defined her Hannah Montana era.

Cyrus, who starred on the hit TV show between 2006 and 2011, said in a statement: "Hannah Montana will always be a part of who I am. What started as a TV show became a shared experience that shaped my life and the lives of so many fans, and I’ll always be thankful for that connection.

"The fact that it still means so much to people all these years later is something I’m very proud of. This ‘Hannahversary’ is my way of celebrating and thanking the fans who’ve stood by me for 20 years."

The upcoming special with Alex Cooper will feature some never-before-seen archival footage, and Ayo Davis, the president of Disney Branded Television, feels that the show's legacy will continue to live on, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Ayo said: "Hannah Montana opened the door for so many fans to dream big, sing loud, and embrace every side of themselves, which is why its legacy continues to shine across generations.

"Partnering with Miley on this special is a dream, and we want it to be a love letter to the fans, who remain as passionate today as they were when the series debuted almost 20 years ago."

Meanwhile, Cyrus had earlier shared that she's now making "fewer and more meaningful choices" in her life.

The pop star has made a conscious decision to only commit to projects that she's truly passionate about moving forward.

She told Vogue: "I love this saying: just because something is ending doesn’t mean that it’s not completed."

The singer also explained that she's always had conviction in her beliefs and in her approach to life.

She said: "I was born with, even if it’s delusional, a real steadfast sense of confidence that I have no idea where it comes from. I just might not even know what I’m talking about, but I’ll say it with my full chest and mean every syllable of it. Even when I was little, I would just say things as fact when I had no reason to believe in myself in that way, but I just did."

--IANS

dc/

Mumbai Feb 18 (IANS) Television’s Laxman, actor Sunil Lahiri, surprised fans on Wednesday as he showcased a very special gift presented to him by the late legendary actor Dara Singh.

Sunil, through a video on his social media flaunted a classic looking brown briefcase that was gifted to him by Dara Singh, around 36 years ago. He highlighted that Singh had gifted it to him during their Ramayan days in the 80s era.

Sunil in the video was heard talking in Hindi, that in English translated to, “Greetings, friends.

Looking at this briefcase, you must be thinking that I’m going somewhere. No, I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here with you. There’s a story behind this briefcase that I want to share.”

He added, “I received this briefcase as a gift around 35–36 years ago. During our *Ramayana*, Hanuman ji — Dara Singh ji — gave it to me in Africa, in Kenya. The capital is Nairobi, and that’s where he presented it to me.”

“There’s a very interesting story connected to it. I’ll share that story in my next post. Till then, take care of yourself. Stay happy, stay healthy.

Jai Ram.”

For the caption, he wrote, “A gift given by the great Dara Singh ji means Hanuman ji, which I have since last 35-36 years, gift has no value, it is priceless.”

For the uninitiated, the show Ramayan remains one of the most iconic television shows of all time. The cast of the show immediately after the show's airing in the late 80s went on to receive massive fan followings and great success. The show starred Arun Govil as Lord Ram, Sunil Lahri as Lakshman, Arvind Trivedi as Ravan, Dara Singh as Hanuman and Dipika Chikhlia as Sita.

The serial aired in 1987, ran for a year and went off air in 1988 on Doordarshan. The show that aired every Sunday would bring streets to a standstill back in the day, every Sunday, as viewers would flock to TV sets that were rare in the 80s era. In 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown, the show Ramayan was retelecast on Doordarshan and ran for over two months.

–IANS

rd/