ShowBiz

Mumbai, Aug 8 (IANS) The wait is finally over. The makers of Yash's eagerly awaited action entertainer, 'Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups' have unveiled the enchanting trailer of the film on Saturday.

The power-packed preview has all the elements - striking visuals, jaw-dropping action, intense characters, and complicated relationships.

'Toxic' revolves around the complex relationship between Raya and his son, Ticket, accompanied by a web of relationships and rivalries. Through the trailer, we also get an insight into the character arcs of the female leads of the drama - Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Tara Sutaria, Rukmini Vasanth, and Huma Qureshi.

The trailer does not give out much about the storyline of the film, but communicates the basic sentiment of the world where chaos meets chaos.

Meanwhile, the primary look of 'Toxic' was shared by the makers on Yash's birthday this January.

The video showed Yash getting intimate with a woman inside a car and then gunning down a large number of men. The clip faced some massive criticism for the scene picturised at a cemetery.

Complaints were filed by a Christian body, a state women’s commission. An FIR was even filed against the makers. However, several prominent names from the industry came in support.

Originally scheduled to reach the audience in March, 'Toxic' was pushed to June, citing ‘uncertainty in the Middle East’. Later in May, the film was once again delayed with no announcement of the release date.

Finally, on Father’s Day this year, the makers shared that 'Toxic' will hit the cinema halls on August 26 this year.

Shot simultaneously in English and Kannada, 'Toxic' will also have dubbed versions in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam.

Made under the direction of Geetu Mohandas, 'Toxic' has been jointly backed by KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations

'Toxic' is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on 26 August.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Aug 8 (IANS) Acclaimed singer Sonu Nigam revealed that he met Jermaine Jackson by chance during a U.S visit shortly after the unfortunate demise of legend Michael Jackson.

He shared that he had composed a song about Jermaine and even got the opportunity to play that song with him later on.

Sonu Nigam reflected on his international journey during his appearance on Komal Nahta's podcast 'Game Changers: The Music Series'.

Sharing how he ended up crossing musical boundaries to work with some global icons during his tenure, the singer said, "I met Jermaine Jackson by chance in America. It was the time after Michael Jackson had passed away, and I had composed a song on him while crying. Till date, people love that song. I got an opportunity to play that song with Jermaine. We sang it at IIFA as well. If you see the video, you’ll see people were spellbound."

Sonu Nigam also looked back on his collaboration with other icons such as Britney Spears, Avicii and Polish singer Natalia.

"I had the opportunity to sing with Britney Spears for one of her albums. When I was on Twitter, she used to follow me, then I left Twitter. I did a song with Avicii. I also did a very good song with Polish singer Natalia. If I would’ve lived there, I could get more opportunities, but staying in India, having got these many chances is enough," he went on to add.

One of the most celebrated singers in the country, Sonu Nigam, has more than 6,000 songs in 32 languages to his credit during his tenure spanning around 3 decades.

He was also honored with a Padma Shri back in 2022.

Some of his most popular numbers include 'Sandese Aate Hain (Border, 1997)', 'Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)', 'Suraj Hua Maddham (Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, 2001)' and 'Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin (Agneepath, 2012).

--IANS

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Mumbai, Aug 8 (IANS) Actor Ranvir Shorey has responded to the backlash following a heated exchange on social media, asking why the Prime Minister was dragged into the argument.

Ranvir recently recreated the popular Gen Z protest reel with his 'Khosla Ka Ghosla 2', co-star Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, and Parvin Dabas, which went viral.

When an X user reshared the reel with a sarcastic comment aimed at Ranvir, he also replied with a crude remark, garnering massive criticism from users.

The account had a photograph of a female as its profile picture, and hence, the actor was accused of using misogynistic language.

On Saturday, Ranvir shared a video on his Instagram, talking about how he feels the backlash towards him is completely unjustified.

He was heard saying in the clip, "The Prime Minister was also dragged into the abuse. So what did it mean? We are making a fun reel with our team, and you are bringing politics into it".

Ranvir said that, irrespective of gender, no one should use abusive language.

"There is an argument that if a girl abuses you, you should not abuse her. What is the logic behind this? - That girls are the form of Goddesses. So, even boys have Goddesses in them. If you are a boy, you don't have a part of your mother in you? If you are a girl, you don't have a part of your father in you? The Goddess resides in every creature, in every living thing," he went on to add.

He further urged people not to use liberalism as an excuse to bully and abuse others.

Ranvir further pointed out that the content creators and news publications have been simply trivializing the content of the tweet.

"You have no idea how many things you have to hear day and night when in public life. 99.99% of the time, you stay quiet, but 0.1% of the time, when it feels completely unreasonable, the person has the right to respond in the language in which it has been spoken to. And it is my moral, ethical, and constitutional right to do this," he concluded.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Aug 8 (IANS) Almost two decades after the 'Tera Mera Rishta' from Emraan Hashmi's 'Awarapan' made its way into the hearts of music lovers, acclaimed composer Mithoon has come up with his own version of the beloved track, while keeping the soul and emotional depth of the original song intact.

As the latest rendition of the track received a lot of love from the audience, Mithoon claimed that his version of the song is an answer from the Almighty.

Elated by the overwhelming response to the song, Mithoon said, “I’m elated to see the response to ‘Tera Mera Rishta Continues’. I’m grateful to all the Awarapan fans for embracing my version wholeheartedly. This song holds a lot of significance in the lives of the listeners, apart from being the cry of Shivam’s (Emraan) heart reaching out to the Almighty. My version is an answer back from the Almighty who wants Shivam to stand back and fight against evil once again.”

This song also successfully carries forward the legacy of its original creative team while adding its own flavour.

“Vishesh Bhatt wanted new lyrics on the song which were to have prophetic significance. I feel nobody in the world could deliver it better than Sayeed Quadri since he was part of the original version with Pritam and Mustafa Zahid, who originally created this masterpiece," the composer went on to add.

Mithoon even decided to introduce fresh voices with Saaj Bhatt and Subodh Sharma crooning the new version.

“I’ve always believed in adapting to every circumstance and saw this as an opportunity to do something novel. That’s why I decided to go with the voice of Saaj Bhatt and Subodh Sharma. My job was to protect the purity of the composition while adding the necessary dimension as required in this chapter of Shivam’s life,” he shared.

Directed by Nitin Kakkar and produced by Vishesh Bhatt under the banner of Vishesh Films, 'Awarapan 2' has Emraan Hashmi, Disha Patani , and Shabana Azmi in key roles.

--IANS

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Los Angeles, Aug 8 (IANS) Hollywood star couple Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas' son Dylan turned a year older on Saturday, and celebrating his special day, the actress penned a heartfelt birthday wish for her son on social media.

Catherine posted a few throwback photographs of Dylan over the years on her Instagram handle, expressing her immense love for him in an emotional birthday wish that read, "Happy Birthday to my son Dylan!!!!! You are everything to me and you bring such joy to my life. Have a wonderful new year ahead sweetheart and thank you for all those thus far. @dylan__douglas I (red heart emoji) U (sic)."

Douglas and Zeta-Jones started dating back in 1999, and the lovebirds exchanged wedding vows in 2000. The couple has been blessed with two children - son Dylan Michael and daughter Carys Zeta.

In April, as Carys turned 23, both Douglas and Zeta-Jones dropped lovely birthday notes for their daughter.

Douglas uploaded a picture of himself with his daughter on a red carpet, and penned, “Happy Birthday Carys! May YOUR new year bring you joy and inspiration. All the love in the world! @carys.douglas Dad."

Carys commented on the post saying, "Thank you Dadda I love you so so much."

Zeta-Jones also shared a couple of old pictures of her daughter, along with the text, “Happy Birthday Carys! May today and all days be a special as you. I love you. Mama."

Carys replied in the comment section saying, "Thank you my dear Mamma I love you so."

Work-wise, in February, the Oscar-winning actress revealed that she will once again be seen as the enigmatic Morticia Addams in the third Season of the acclaimed show, 'Wednesday', which is expected to premiere on Netflix in July 2027.

Featuring Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, the latest season of the drama promises to be the darkest chapter of the story yet.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Aug 8 (IANS) Actress Sagarika Ghatge has reunited with her 'Chak De India' co-star Vivan Bhathena after 2 decades for a new project. The two actors will be seen sharing screen space yet again in an untitled drama.

Sharing the professional update with the netizens, Vivan took to his official Instagram handle and published a goofy picture with Sagarika on his official Instagram handle.

The photo had both of them on the set, dressed in muddy clothes and messy hair, making a victory sign with their hands.

Expressing his excitement about working with his co-star once again, Vivan wrote on the photo-sharing app, "#reunion after 20 years...new film coming next year @sagarikaghatge (sic)."

Sagarika also revealed that she is glad to be back on set with Vivaan.

"19 years later so great to be back on a set together (hug emoji)," she commented.

This is Sagarika’s first project after welcoming son Fatehsinh in April 2025 with husband Zaheer Khan.

Refreshing your memory, Sagarika was seen as Preeti Sabharwal, a hockey player in the 2007 sports drama, 'Chak De! India'.

Additionally, Vivan essayed the role of her fiancé and cricketer Abimanyu Singh in the much-acclaimed drama.

Directed by Shimit Amin, the movie has been backed by Aditya Chopra under the banner of Yash Raj Films.

'Chak De! India' shares the inspiring tale of Kabir Khan (Played by Shah Rukh Khan), the former captain of the Indian men's national field hockey team. Following a devastating loss to Pakistan, he is ostracized from the sport. However, 7 years later, Kabir returns on a mission to redeem himself. He becomes the coach of the Indian women's national field hockey team, with the singular goal of making them world champions.

Starring Vidya Malavade, Shilpa Shukla, Chitrashi Rawat, Tanya Abrol, Arya Menon, Seema Azmi, and Nisha Nair, along with others, 'Chak De! India' won the National Film Award for 'Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment' at the 55th National Film Awards.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Aug 8 (IANS) Veteran actor Anupam Kher revealed how he bagged the role of Dr. Michael Dang in 'Karma' as the movie clocked 40 years on Saturday.

Marking 4 decades of the iconic movie on social media, Kher published a video recalling how director Subhash Ghai approached him for the role of Dr Dang in 'Karma'.

He was heard saying, "Around 40 years ago, on this very day, a film of mine was released, which changed my category from a 'good actor' to a 'star'. The name of the film was 'Karma', by Subhash Ghai."

Remembering how Ghai cast him as the main villain in the movie, he added, "I had met Subhash Ghai at a party. He was leaving the party, and I was going inside. It was a long walk. I met him. He saw me from top to bottom. I had not met him before that. He told me to come to his office. The next day, when I went to his office, he told me that I was playing the role of the main villain in his film."

Kher even ended up asking Ghai a silly question, 'Who else is there in the film?'. To which the director informed him that the movie will have Naseeruddin Shah, Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, Poonam Dhillon, Nootanji, Jackie Shroff, and Dilip Kumar, leaving Kher elated.

The veteran actor also recalled that a poster featuring him and Dilip Kumar from the movie was placed near the Mahim Church area of Mumbai.

Kher thanked Ghai for believing in him, saying 'Thank you Subhash ji for putting me on that pedestal and giving me an opportunity to be part of this film. Thank you Shroff, Kapoor, Naseer, Nootanji, Sridevi, Poonam Dhillon and the one and only Dilip."

At the end, he even recreated his popular dialogue as Dr Dang from 'Karma' that went, "Dr. Dang jung karta hai. Aaj pehli baar Dr. Dang ko thappad pada hai. Suna aapne is thappad ki aawaaz? Ab jab tak zinda rahoge, is thappad ki aawaaz sunte rahoge. Main is thappad ko kabhi nahi bhoolunga."

--IANS

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Mumbai, August 8 (IANS) Actress Prajaktta Mali has announced that she is embracing a vegan lifestyle, further clarifying that the decision stems from health concerns rather than personal choice.

Sharing a series of smiling pictures from her visit to the holy Shree Siddhivinayak Temple and Aai Taljai Mata Temple, the actress revealed that she sought the deities' blessings before taking the significant step.

"Sought the blessings of Shree Siddhivinayak and Aai Talajai Mata this morning and decided to go Vegan from this moment on," she wrote on her social media account.

Prajaktta further explained that the decision was "not by choice, but by compulsion."

"My body started rejecting milk and milk products, causing constant cough," she shared, adding that she may soon bid farewell to tea and coffee as well.

"Don't be shocked if I announce No Coffee and No Tea henceforth too. My body is rejecting all 'Tamasik' things as well."

Ending her note on a light-hearted note, the actress quipped, "So officially, I'm cruelty-free from now on... except for some liars and ditchers."

The pictures accompanying the post showed Prajaktta dressed in a graceful beige ethnic outfit, smiling as she posed outside the temple premises after offering prayers.

Talking about Prajaktta Mali, the actress is one of the most popular faces in the Marathi entertainment industry.

She has starred in television shows such as Julun Yeti Reshimgathi and Naatki chya Lagnala Saavdhan while also making a mark in Marathi cinema with films including Hampi, Party , Phoolwanti, and Pawankhind.

–IANS

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Mumbai, Aug 8 (IANS) Southern actor Vijay Sethupathi was seen flaunting a completely new avatar as he gears up to return as the host for the tenth season of the reality show 'Bigg Boss Tamil'.

On Saturday, Star Vijay and JioHotstar treated the netizens with the exciting launch promo of 'Bigg Boss Tamil Season 10'.

The 10th season of the popular reality show has been marked with "Paththandu Vazhthukal". The creative wordplay has been inspired by the familiar Tamil greeting "Puthandu Vazhthukal." With the latest promo of the drama, the makers extended this special greeting to audiences, thanking them for loving the show for so many years.

The milestone season is marked with Carnivizha, a grand entertainment celebration compiling all the elements which have been loved by the audiences in the past, such as drama, laughter, friendships, rivalries, emotions, and unforgettable moments.

Host Vijay Sethupathi welcomed the viewers to Carnivizha, extending an invitation to all to be a part of the grand celebration of Season 10 of 'Bigg Boss Tamil'.

Towards the end of the promo, Vijay Sethupathi signed off with the powerful line, saying, "Inga Onnu Nenacha... Pathu Nadakkum. (Here, if you think of one thing… ten things will happen."

This line hints at the unpredictable and chaotic nature of the reality show. It points out that a single decision in the show is capable of setting off a chain reaction, altering the course of the game.

'Bigg Boss Tamil Season 10' is touted to be the biggest edition in the history of the franchise.

'Bigg Boss Tamil Season 10' is expected to premiere shortly exclusively on Star Vijay and JioHotstar.

Over the years, 'Bigg Boss Tamil' has become a crucial part of the Tamil entertainment industry. It successfully manages to keep the viewers hooked for almost 100 days every year, turning the show into a phenomenon.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Aug 8 (IANS) Actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu is all set to enter the new and exciting phase of her life as she will be welcoming her firstborn with her filmmaker husband, Raj Nidimoru soon.

As part of her preparation for her new journey, Samantha was seen enjoying a maternity book. On Saturday, Samantha treated the netizens with a glimpse into the month of August, and in one of the pics, she was seen going through Ina May's 'Guide to Childbirth' while lying on the couch.

She captioned the post, "August energy (sic),, along with white heart emojis.

In her latest photo dump on Instagram, Samantha also shared a few gym selfies, along with a glimpse of husband Raj Nidimoru's birthday celebration.

The 'Yashoda' actress uploaded a clip in which she had tears in her eyes as she went into a laughing fit.

Meanwhile, Samantha recently confirmed her first pregnancy while addressing the media during the success meet of her latest release 'Maa Inti Bangaaram'.

During her address, Samantha shared that she will be taking a maternity break after wrapping up her present professional commitments.

“After Maa Inti Bangaaram, I will have to take a small break, given my condition. I’ll have to take maternity leave. After that, I’ll be back with another film for my fans,” Samantha said.

The speculations around Samantha's pregnancy started doing the rounds after her appearance at the success celebration of 'Maa Inti Bangaaram'.

Samantha's baby bump was visible as she made an appearance in a fitted white bodycon top, along with blue denim.

Samantha and Raj will reportedly be welcoming their little bundle of joy in December this year.

Samantha got married to Raj, one-half of the popular director duo Raj & DK, in December last year.

It is believed that these two first met during the shoot of 'The Family Man 2'.

For the unaware, Samantha was earlier married to actor Naga Chaitanya. These two got married in October 2017 and announced their separation in October 2021.

--IANS

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