The Akkineni household is set for another major celebration, as actor Akhil Akkineni prepares to marry Zainab Ravdjee on 6 June at Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad. This follows the relatively quiet wedding of his brother, Naga Chaitanya, with actor Sobhita Dhulipala late last year.
Unlike Chaitanya’s intimate ceremony, Akhil’s wedding is shaping up to be a grand event with a long guest list that includes political leaders and film industry insiders. Akhil's parents, actors Nagarjuna and Amala, have taken the lead in planning the festivities. Zainab, who is both an artist and a perfumer, has been in a steady relationship with Akhil for a while, and the couple got engaged in November 2024 at a private gathering at their Jubilee Hills residence.
Political and film bigwigs expected at the wedding
Nagarjuna has personally visited top political leaders to extend wedding invitations, including Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana CM Revanth Reddy. He was accompanied by Amala and Zainab’s parents during the meetings. With both political and entertainment circles expected to attend, the wedding is likely to be one of the year’s most talked-about events in Telugu cinema circles.
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Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita, who had gone on a short vacation to celebrate her birthday on 31 May, were spotted returning to Hyderabad just in time for the pre-wedding festivities.
Who is Zainab Ravdjee?
Zainab, the bride-to-be, is not from the film world but has a creative background. She is an abstract artist and also runs a popular perfume blog, Once Upon the Skin. Based in Mumbai, she hails from a respected business family in Hyderabad. She also briefly appeared in M.F. Hussain’s Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities.
Meanwhile, Akhil is gearing up for his next film, Lenin, co-starring Sreeleela. Directed by Kishore Abburu, the film marks his return after the underwhelming performance of Agent. As he steps into a new chapter personally and professionally, fans await both his wedding and his cinematic comeback.
There’s been a whirlwind of speculation surrounding Deepika Padukone’s association with two of the most high-profile films in Indian cinema right now: Spirit and Kalki 2898 AD Part 2. The latest buzz claims she might be walking out of Kalki 2, but the truth appears far less dramatic.
While social media and gossip pages have been buzzing with unconfirmed reports suggesting Deepika demanded fixed eight-hour shifts post-motherhood, allegedly causing trouble on set, the reality is, Kalki 2 hasn’t even started filming. In fact, it’s still in pre-production. No actors, including Deepika, have officially been signed or begun any work on the sequel, according to sources close to the film.
Deepika Padukone’s team denies exit from Kalki sequel amid speculationGetty Images
Rumours linked to Spirit exit spiral into Kalki speculation
Much of the noise seems to stem from Deepika’s recent departure from Spirit, a Sandeep Reddy Vanga film starring Prabhas. Reports suggest that the actor’s demand for a work-life balance, through an eight-hour shoot schedule, a higher pay cheque and profit-sharing didn’t sit well with the team. Soon after, Triptii Dimri was announced as the film’s new lead, and director Vanga appeared to post cryptic messages online criticising an unnamed actor for violating trust and playing “dirty PR games.”
Though Deepika was never named directly, the timing of Vanga’s posts and the sudden casting change led many to draw conclusions. Vanga’s social media tirades hinted at betrayal, accusing the unnamed actor of revealing story details and undermining a younger co-star. His use of idioms like “Khundak mein billi khamba noche” only fuelled the drama.
Now, those flames have been fanned further by similar murmurs around Kalki 2. Some reports claim her role may be trimmed or cut altogether due to scheduling conflicts. But the facts don’t back it up.
Deepika Padukone remains in the spotlight as speculation fuels headlinesGetty Images
What’s really happening with Kalki 2? Despite the noise, there’s no official word from Deepika or the Kalki production team confirming any of these developments. According to insider reports, the sequel hasn’t even begun the casting process yet. “There’s no shoot, no set, no interaction, so where’s the question of on-set friction?” the source stated, shooting down reports of a professional fallout.
With the sequel still in early planning stages, any casting speculation, especially of someone being dropped seems premature.
For now, what we know is this: Deepika is navigating her career differently post-motherhood, prioritising work-life balance. Whether that means fewer films or renegotiated terms remains to be seen. But until Kalki 2 actually takes off, rumours about her exit are just that: rumours.
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Beyoncé performing with effortless grace and power for the Cowboy Carter tour
Beyoncé brought her Cowboy Carter tour to London this week, kicking off the European leg with a wild and unforgettable night at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Despite steady rain and grey skies, fans showed up in full force, dressed in cowboy boots, denim, fringe, and rhinestones, turning the downpour into what many cheekily called a "rain-aissance."
Beyoncé, wearing a sparkling American flag, inspired jumpsuit, did not miss a beat. “The rain feels so good!” she shouted, flashing a grin, as cheers erupted from the crowd.
Some fans had flown in from as far as Mexico and Israel, proving Beyoncé’s global pull. For many, it was not just a concert. In fact, it was a chance to witness a once-in-a-lifetime tour.
Fans in fringe and cowboy boots dance in the downpour outside Tottenham Hotspur StadiumInstagram/beyonce
Big moments and an even bigger meaning
The nearly three-hour show delivered one jaw-dropping moment after another. Beyoncé rode a golden mechanical bull during Tyrant and later glided above the audience in a floating horseshoe while performing Jolene. The production was slick and true to Beyoncé’s unmatched sense of showmanship.
But beyond the dazzling visuals, the performance had a strong emotional core. One of the most touching highlights came when Beyoncé brought her daughters, Blue Ivy and Rumi, on stage during Protector.
Beyoncé during her Cowboy Carter performance in LondonInstagram/beyonce
A tribute to heritage and legacy
The Cowboy Carter tour goes beyond glitz. With this album, Beyoncé reclaims the often-overlooked legacy of Black musicians in country music. Throughout the show, she acknowledged these roots, weaving in powerful tributes and subtle nods to history and resilience.
A sea of denim and rhinestones lights up London as Beyoncé reclaims country with joyInstagram/beyonce
Some ticket drama but no regrets
Some fans grumbled about ticket prices, especially after seeing last-minute price cuts. Tickets initially sold for up to £950 (₹99,500) but later dropped to £141 (₹14,800) for similar seats.
But as the final notes of 16 Carriages rang out, none of that seemed to matter. Beyoncé had given them something unforgettable: a stormy, sparkling night with a star who still knows how to surprise.
Whether it is dud decisions, awful acting, nepotism, terrible writing, sloppy direction, an actor in his late 50s playing a hero in his 20s, or misguided marketing, there is a lot that can be logically blamed for a Bollywood film flopping.
But in Hindi cinema – where logic is often missing – many in the industry still believe the spelling of titles and star names can determine a film’s fate. Yes, you read that correctly. They think a few extra letters can magically make all the difference.
This was perfectly illustrated by the recently released The Bhootnii – with an extra ‘i’, because why not?
Originally titled The Bhootni, the horror comedy was renamed on the sacred advice of a spiritual leader named Ayush Gupta, who presumably read the stars, lit some incense, and declared that adding an “i” would turn it into a box office smash.
Unfortunately for producer and lead actor Sanjay Dutt, the audience disagreed – and that too in spectacular fashion.
Despite horror comedies being popular in Hindi cinema right now, this flop film failed miserably. The extra “i” made absolutely no difference – but that did not stop a press release from being proudly issued, celebrating the spelling change.
The Bhootnii
The trend of stuffing film titles with extra letters has now been going on for decades – which is why so many titles look spectacularly silly. Spoiler alert: instead of becoming box office sensations, most of these films have sunk without a trace.
And it is not just film titles – stars themselves have tried tweaking their names in hopes of changing their luck. Kareena Kapoor briefly flirted with being Kariena. Vivek Oberoi attempted to save his sinking career by becoming Viveik, but that did nothing to slow the fall.
Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao, Manoj Bajpayee and Riteish Deshmukh are just some of the many actors who have changed the spelling of their names.
Currently, Abhishek Bachchan is trying to revive his fortunes by adding an extra ‘A’, now appearing as “Abhishek A Bachchan” – including in this week’s big Bollywood release Housefull 5. Somehow, a spelling change seems to have taken priority over finding strong scripts with well-written characters and actual commercial appeal.
While Bachchan is adding an ‘A’, Ajay Devgan has done the opposite – dropping one. His credit now reads “Ajay Devgn”, but that has not stopped a string of flops from piling up and outweighing his successes.
Instead of rearranging letters like a Scrabble addict, filmmakers and stars would be better off focusing on strong scripts, better acting, and films that audiences actually want to see. They should swap spelling gymnastics for spellbinding stories – or perhaps get inspired by Karan Johar.
The producer-director was once a loyal follower of the ‘K’ cult – with films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Naa Ho and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. But after watching the acclaimed Lage Raho Munna Bhai, which brilliantly mocked numerology, he had a change of heart and ditched the superstition. He went on to become one of Bollywood’s most powerful producers.
Those still clinging to spelling stunts should take a long, hard look at disasters like The Bhootnii, which failed so spectacularly.
And let’s be honest – if numerology really worked in Bollywood, every fortune teller in Mumbai would be producing weekly blockbusters. The harsh truth is that this obsession with extra letters is just a flimsy band-aid over a gaping creative wound.
With Bollywood going through its worst phase in history, more insiders are foolishly turning to numerology and extra vowels, rather than investing in strong writing, bold ideas and original content.
Throwing in an extra letter or renaming your hero is not the answer. Better films are.
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Uttera Singh’s Pinch will premiere at Tribeca after a teaser drop and Cannes trailer launch
Indian filmmaker and actor Uttera Singh is set to make her feature film debut at New York’s Tribeca Festival on 6 June with Pinch, a dark comedy tackling the issue of assault through an unexpected lens. The film has earned a spot in the prestigious International Narrative Competition, selected from over 14,000 global submissions, with just 150 entries making the final cut. Pinch is the only Indian feature competing this year and the first in three years to make it into Tribeca’s main competition line-up.
The 83-minute film, shot entirely in Indore over 24 days, follows travel blogger Maitri (played by Singh) and her conservative mother Shobha (played by Geeta Agrawal) as they confront the aftershocks of a local incident that many in their community would rather pretend never happened. Singh describes the film as an exploration of how silence and denial can become part of everyday life. “People call it a ‘small thing,’ but it’s not. Pinch is about those small things that leave a permanent scar,” she explains.
A still from Pinch
Locals from Indore played an active role in the shoot, offering their time, spaces, and moral support. Singh, who grew up in the city, says the community stood by her throughout. “Even under the scorching sun, they’d remind me, ‘You just focus on the film, we’re with you.’
A powerhouse cross-continental team
Singh is an alumna of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where she now teaches. She’s previously made waves with her short film Fanny Pack, which screened at over 80 film festivals and won 25 awards. With Pinch, she reunites with several creative collaborators. It is co-written and shot by Adam Linzey, with original music by Raashi Kulkarni. The sound design is by Jan Bezouška, and colour grading is done by Natasha Leonnet. Production design is helmed by Madhusudan N., and the editing team features Faroukh Virani, Louise Innes, and Vanessa Ruane.
Uttera's Pinch will premiere at Tribeca
Following a teaser release and trailer launch at Cannes, Pinch is now preparing for its Tribeca debut, a proud moment for Singh, Indore, and Indian indie cinema. She is also expected to be pitched for potential involvement in diaspora events, including ACTA.
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Taylor Jones, Vinit Thakkar Kyran Jones and Sony Music India team up to launch THG India supporting Indian music globally
Sony Music India has announced a new partnership with Los Angeles-based entertainment company The Hello Group (THG) to form a joint venture called THG India. The new company is set to focus on developing Indian music talent and providing them with global touring and management opportunities.
This is the first collaboration of its kind by Sony Music India on an international scale, and it comes at a time when Indian music is drawing growing attention worldwide. THG India will operate from Mumbai and work through The Hello Group’s international network, aiming to provide end-to-end support for artists, from management and touring to publishing and promotion.
Sony Music India partners with Los Angeles-based The Hello Group to launch THG India
Bridging India’s music scene with the global stage
With India’s live music industry growing rapidly, the joint venture hopes to fill a major gap in professional artist support and global touring infrastructure. While Sony Music India brings local expertise and access to its platforms, THG adds global experience and connections.
“This is a big step forward for the Indian music industry and our creative talent,” said Vinit Thakkar, Managing Director of Sony Music India. “We’re combining our knowledge of the local scene with THG’s international touring and artist development strength to help Indian artists build lasting global careers.”
Taylor Jones, CEO of The Hello Group, said THG India would help unlock the full potential of Indian talent. “There’s a wave of energy and creativity in Indian music. Our aim is to offer these artists the tools and platform to take their work to international audiences.”
Taylor Jones, Vinit Thakkar and Kyran Jones join forces to launch THG Indiagetty images
Global success stories and big names behind the venture
The Hello Group’s publishing division, which is run in partnership with Sony Music Publishing, has already seen massive success across Asia. Their work includes chart-topping releases with artists like BTS, TWICE, IVE, and The Chainsmokers. Their booking agency has handled international tours for performers such as Jeff Satur, Mark Ambor, Kang Daniel, and Greyson Chance.
Taylor Jones and Vinit Thakkar come together to launch THG India getty images
THG India now hopes to offer the same opportunities to Indian musicians, allowing them to grow both at home and abroad. Sony Music India has confirmed it will provide financial backing and creative support to build the platform.
With this move, both companies are hoping to shape the future of Indian music on a global scale.