ShowBiz

Los Angeles, Aug 9 (IANS) The queen of pop Madonna has paid a tribute to the late music producer William Orbit after he passed away at the age of 69.

Madonna took to her Instagram, and shared a video featuring a collection of throwback clips and pictures with William through decades.

She also penned a long note in the caption, as she wrote, “Goodbye, William Orbit. I had an epiphany when I met you and started working with you. I realized that music did not have to fit into categories or genres. So we created our own. You pressed a magic button inside of me and I fell into a galaxy of unrealized dreams. Your music gave me a magic carpet to fly on and I visited many places. Sad and Joyful I sang in ways I’d never sung before. I used words without caring if they made sense or not. In many ways you were my Ray of Light, as was my daughter Lola who was born around this time, I was starting a new chapter, I was choosing another road to walk down, and you were right by my side with your crooked teeth and your genius, way of hearing music”.

“The studio was often church like and I would sit in silence, waiting for your ideas to explode out of your keyboard or your guitar and then I would run with them. I miss those days. Only you could inspire me to write a song like Drowned World or Swim. You were so otherworldly. So singular. The years passed and I moved on to make music with other people, but I have never forgotten you or the magical time we spent together. Goodbye Billy Bubbles. I was so lucky to have known you and fallen down the rabbit hole with you. @williamorbit (sic)”, she added.

--IANS

aa/

Los Angeles, Aug 9 (IANS) Pop icon Britney Spears is recovering from a botched up botox procedure. The singer-songwriter recently took to her Instagram, and shared a video of herself in which she explained the effect of a botox procedure gone wrong.

She said in the video, “It's really bad because he (the doctor) put so much Botox in the left eye that it drooped down like that and it's just now starting to rise up and be normal again. It's so embarrassing, it's like that. Like, it's... Girls, you have to be careful. If you do Botox with these people and these doctors, they can really fuck your eyes up”.

She further mentioned, “My eye was like down like this for like four weeks. It's just now like starting to rise again. Be careful with these people and they try to change like your face and you try to like fuck things up. Be careful with your bodies because it's yours and you own it. So, that's it (sic)”.

Earlier, the singer-songwriter took to her Instagram, and shared a video in which she spoke about toying around with a melting machine.

During the process, she revealed that she triggered a minor explosion but was safe as she was wearing safety gear.

She wrote in the caption, “Ok, I’ll be honest, the melting machine blew up and there was a minor explosion when I tried to melt the glass. So the instructor said, ‘You need to actually come to our real practice, where we do this in our offices’. But to watch glass melt was really different and so beautiful until sparks started going everywhere and it exploded”.

“We had headgear on, so we were safe. I kept it for two months, even though it had a huge hole in it, but someone threw it away. I’m honestly embarrassed to show this, but I think creative people are always a bit weird”, she added.

--IANS

aa/

Mumbai, Aug 9 (IANS) Actor Sunny Deol, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film ‘Batwara 1947’, paid a visit to the Partition Museum in Amritsar along with Karan.

The father-son duo visited the historical site during the promotional tour of their upcoming film. On Sunday, Sunny Deol took to the Stories section of his Instagram, and shared a glimpse of their visit to the museum, where he was seen looking at photographs documenting the days of Partition.

Given Punjab’s significance to the story and the film, the state is undoubtedly one of the most important elements of the promotional campaign.

Sunny Deol will begin his road trip from Chandigarh, followed by stops in Mohali and Jalandhar, before finally concluding the journey in Amritsar. Moreover, Sunny Deol’s love for driving makes this road trip even more special, as it will also fulfil his desire to embark on a long drive across Punjab.

The film’s team will visit three cities across Punjab in a single day, making it one of the most ambitious and intensive promotional journeys undertaken for a film.

Meanwhile, ‘Batwara 1947’, also stars Shabana Azmi, Preity G Zinta, Ali Fazal and Abhimanyu Singh, and is helmed by Rajkumar Santoshi.

The film follows a family whose lives are irrevocably altered as violence, fear and forced migration tear apart communities that once lived side by side. Yet, amid unimaginable loss and deepening divisions, the film celebrates the courage to choose kindness over hatred and hope over despair. The film captures hope and resilience that emerged during one of history’s most turbulent chapters.

The story has reportedly remained banned in Pakistan, and it adds another layer to the film, making it one of the most intriguing historical releases to look forward to. The film also reunites the dream team of Aamir Khan, A. R. Rahman, and Javed Akhtar, who have worked on the cult-classic ‘Lagaan’. The film is produced by Aamir Khan and Aparna Purohit and is slated for a worldwide theatrical release on August 14, 2026.

--IANS

aa/

Mumbai, Aug 9 (IANS) As Tollywood star Mahesh Babu celebrated his birthday on Sunday, wishes have been pouring in for him from all sides. Several prominent names from the film fraternity penned lovely wishes for the 'Sarkaru Vaari Paata' actor on social media.

Megastar Chiranjeevi took to his X (Earlier known as Twitter) timeline, and wrote, "Wishing my dear SSMB @UrstrulyMahesh a very blessed birthday Over the years, I’ve had the joy of watching you grow into one of Indian cinema’s most loved and celebrated stars. May god bless you always"

Jr NTR penned on the micro-blogging site, "Happy Birthday @urstrulymahesh anna. Wishing you nothing but the very best always."

Venkatesh Daggubati's birthday wish for Mahesh Babu went, "Happy Birthday to my Chinnodu @urstrulyMahesh Wishing you endless love and laughter always. Rudhra looking rugged and handsome Can’t wait to see you take over the globe with Varanasi next year!"

Varun Tej added, "Many many happy returns of the day @urstrulyMahesh garu! Wishing you an amazing year ahead filled with happiness, success and great health!"

Actress Wamiqa Gabbi also shared, "Happy Birthday Superstar Mahesh Babu @urstrulyMahesh".

Filmmaker Anil Ravipudi compiled a sweet birthday wish for the 'Maharshi' actor that went, "Wishing my dear Superstar @UrstrulyMahesh garu a very Happy Birthday From the day we first met to this day, you’ve always been more than a brother to me. Wishing you nothing but the very best, always, sir. Super excited to see you conquer the globe with #VARANASI #HBDSuperstarMahesh".

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu wrote,"Warm birthday greetings to Superstar Mahesh Babu. I wish him good health, happiness, and continued success in all his endeavours. May he have a wonderful year ahead. @urstrulyMahesh"

In addition to wishes from the industry, Mahesh Babu also received a lot of love from his family, including wife Namrata Shirodkar, daughter Sitara, and son Gautam.

--IANS

pm/

Mumbai, Aug 9 (IANS) Actor Harshvardhan Rane met veteran Bollywood beauty Mumtaz, glimpses of which were also uploaded by him on his official Instagram handle.

The 'Sanam Teri Kasam' actor shared a string of photos from his time with Mumtaz on social media. In the primary picture from the post, Harshvardhan was seen smiling at the camera as he posed with the veteran star.

We could also see Harshvarshan getting clicked with Mumtaz's family in another still.

The last photo in the post was a solo capture of Mumtaz, who looked as stunning as ever.

"Met the beauty only God can explain (red heart emoji) @mumtaztheactress (sic)," he captioned the post.

While it is not specified what the purpose of the visit was, it looks like Harshvardhan met Mumtaz at her residence in the presence of her family.

Harshvardhan always remains on top of his social media game and treats his Insta Fam with various glimpses from both his personal and professional life.

In July, Harshvardhan gave a glimpse into his childhood days on World Chocolate Day.

He took to his official Instagram account and posted a throwback picture from his childhood days. In the photo, he was seen receiving a bar of chocolate from his grandmother with an older family member standing beside them.

Dropping the old picture on social media, Harshvardhan penned the caption, "Happy #WorldChocolateDay Before I knew what 'operant conditioning' meant (in psychology), I was already living it. #OperantConditioning 101: reward strengthens behaviour. Thanks to this chocolate, the habit of chasing goals seems to have stuck. (looks like my grandmother was unintentionally a behavioural psychologist)."

On the professional front, Harshvardhan is presently working on 'Force 3' alongside John Abraham.

He has undergone intense training for his role in the latest instalment in the 'Force' franchise and has even gained a significant amount of weight.

--IANS

pm/

Mumbai, Aug 9 (IANS) Veteran actress Madhoo revealed that she enjoys an extremely close bond with her children and family. During her exclusive interaction with IANS, Madhoo said that despite getting on each other's nerves at times, they have no secrets between them.

When asked what kind of guidance she gives her children, Madhoo said that being open with her children is something she has learned from her husband.

Madhoo told IANS, "I am very connected with my children. My children and my family are the most important thing, and we talk about everything. There are no secrets in our family. We talk, however bad, however angry we make each other, we piss off each other, but we are open with each other and that's something I have learned from my husband. My daughters are my jaan."

For those who do not know, Madhoo got married to businessman Anand Shah on February 19, 1999. These two are blessed with two daughters - Amaya and Keia.

Madhoo's husband is the cousin of businessman Jay Mehta, who is married to Bollywood actress Juhi Chawla.

While talking to IANS, Madhoo revealed that her role in the movie 'Diljale' is actually responsible for her marriage.

The 'Roja' actress stated that when her husband saw her in the movie, he ended up falling for her, and before she knew it, they were married.

"That's a role that won me my husband. My husband saw this film in Singapore, I believe, and he felt, 'Who is this girl. She is amazing'. The next thing I know, I am married to this man", Madhoo shared.

After making a successful debut with 'Phool Aur Kaante' in 1991 opposite Ajay Devgn, Madhoo went on to become a part of several hits, including 'Roja' (1992), 'Allari Priyudu' (1992), 'Yoddha' (1992), and 'Gentleman (1993)'.

--IANS

pm/

Mumbai, Aug 9 (IANS) Actor Tusshar Kapoor recalled how his son Laksshya got excited after seeing the vanity van for the first time.

Speaking exclusively to IANS, Tusshar shared that when his son visited him on his set around 2-3 years ago, he was extremely happy on seeing a vanity van.

"They started sliding. He and his friends were going up and down , sliding in the van. So he was very excited doing that," the 'Goolmal' actor recalled.

Tusshar became Bollywood's first single dad after he welcomed his son Laksshya via surrogacy on June 1, 2016.

When asked about the difficulties he has had to face as a single parent, Tusshar told IANS that he does not see it as a responsibility.

"Now my son is grown up, so I have let go. When he was small, I used to enjoy taking him in my lap, taking him out, taking him to parties. I used to get him dressed also sometimes. I used to clean him up. I used to do so many things. I have help, but I administer a lot of his work, his school work, organizing parties, and organizing his vaccination, all those things. I am involved as a hands-on parent, so I never had any problem."

"I became a father at 40, so I think at that age, if you don't have maturity and if you are not sure that you want to be a dad, even being a single father, if I were doubtful, then there is something wrong with me. Why will I become a dad as a single parent if I don't know what I am getting into, and if I don't want it, I did it when I wanted it, so which is why it came into my arms like a blessing, and it filled up my life, and I took to it like a fish takes to water."

--IANS

pm/

Mumbai, Aug 9 (IANS) Actor Akshay Kumar explained why it is important to add logic to even the fantasy dramas.

Speaking exclusively to IANS, while promoting his movie 'Bhooth Bangla', Akshay shared that even while one is reading a comic book, it is important to know the logic behind why the character turned out the way it did.

The 'Airlift' actor told IANS, "Yeah, because there should be a logic. Basically, when you read a comic book, there is a logic in it as well. Where does this come from? Where does the power come from? How does a person change? Why does he change? Why does his form change? Everyone has a logic."

'Bhooth Bangla' director Priyadarshan stressed Akshay's point further by giving an example of their movie.

The filmmaker said, "See, in the beginning of the film, there is a sequence where the professor is giving a lecture in Sydney's seminar, where he is talking about what is happening in the Vedas, tele-transportation. The same thing we have here. We also believe that one can send one's soul into another person's body. So, these things are mentioned, like quantum physics. All those things I just mentioned, so that could happen. It's not that it can happen."

'Bhooth Bangla' talks about a man who inherits a haunted palace and decides to host his sister’s wedding there. However, he does not know that he would have to navigate supernatural events while planning the nuptials.

Jointly produced by Akshay Kumar, Shobha Kapoor, Ektaa R Kapoor, the core cast of the drama also includes Tabu, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Jisshu Sengupta, Asrani, and Wamiqa Gabbi in key roles, along with others.

'Bhooth Bangla' marks the reunion of director Priyadarshan and Akshay after a long gap of 14 years. Before this, the beloved actor and director duo are credited with delivering memorable hits like "Hera Pheri", "Bhool Bhulaiyaa", "Garam Masala", and "Khatta Meetha".

--IANS

pm/

Mumbai, Aug 9 (IANS) Actor Ayushmann Khurrana opened up about his favourite comedy movie of all time while speaking exclusively to IANS.

While promoting his recent release, ‘Pati Patni aur Woh Do’, Ayushmann revealed that he is a big fan of movies such as 'Houseful', 'Welcome', 'No Entry', and 'Hera Pheri'.

He further went on to share that he also loved the old 'Goolmal' featuring Amol Palekar, along with Rohit Shetty's popular 'Golmaal' franchise.

The 'Doctor G' actor told IANS, "I really like 'Haseena Man Jaegi. Besides that. I also like 'Houseful', 'Welcome', 'No Entry', and 'Hera Pheri'. I think all these films are like something else. Even 'Golmaal', both the old one and the new series."

Talking about 'Golmaal', the makers are currently working on the latest instalment of the franchise, 'Golmaal 5', with an exciting cast comprising Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Kunal Kemmu, and Sharman Joshi.

The eagerly awaited project went on the floor on Rohit Shetty's birthday in March this year.

"20 years ago, the first Golmaal was released, a film that changed my life. The credit goes to you, my audience. Over the past 20 years, we have entertained you, and yes, sometimes disappointed you, but we have always been honest in our work. So now, once again, my fabulous team and I are set on a journey to entertain you as we start filming G5." the filmmaker had written on social media.

Shifting our focus to ‘Pati Patni aur Woh Do’, the project is a remake of the 2019 Mudassar Aziz directorial 'Pati Patni Aur Woh', featuring Kartik Aaryan, Bhumi Pednekar, and Ananya Panday, which itself is a retelling of the 1978 film of the same name led by Sanjeev Kumar, Vidya Sinha, and Ranjeeta Kaur.

‘Pati Patni aur Woh Do’ revolves around a married man, Prajapati Pandey (Played by Ayushmann), who finds himself stuck with three women, leading to a hilariously chaotic situation.

Backed by Bhushan Kumar, Renu Ravi Chopra, and Krishan Kumar under the banner of T-Series and B R Studios, 'Pati Patni Aur Woh Do' got a theatrical release on May 15.

--IANS

pm/

Mumbai, Aug 9 (IANS) Renowned actor Pankaj Tripathi once revealed that he kept long hair for some time after being inspired by Bollywood hunk Sanjay Dutt.

While interacting with a media portal, Pankaj once revealed the Sanjay Dutt was the only actor he used to admire during his student days in Patna

The 'Mimi' actor was heard saying, "I was not a fan of Bollywood. I was a fan of Sanju Baba. I used to study in Patna. For a few days, I even grew my hair like Baba. And I used to keep my demeanor also like him. I am only influenced by him. I am not influenced by any other hero."

During the conversation, Pankaj even shared a fun anecdote on how she was once hit by a lathi when he was trying to get hold of Sanjay Dutt's movie 'Sadak'.

"In fact, I was beaten by a lathi. I went to buy tickets for 'Sadak' in Patna. Back then, a lot of black tickets were sold. There was no multiplex. This was around 1993-1994. I was hit by a lathi. When I told Baba this one day," he went on to add.

It must be noted that Pankaj has shared screen space with Sanjay Dutt in the 2012 release 'Agneepath'. While Sanjay Dutt played antagonist Kancha Cheena, Pankaj Tripathi was seen doing a supporting role. Panjak and Sanjay Dutt also worked together in 'Dus', which reached the audience in 2005.

Up next, Panjak will be seen representing his role as Akhandanand Tripathi aka Kaleen bhaiya.

--IANS

pm/