Hrithik Roshan hosted mathematician Anand Kumar, the man he portrayed in the critically-acclaimed film Super 30, for a special dinner to celebrate the movie's success.
The film, directed by Vikas Bahl, featured Hrithik as Anand, the Patna-based scholar who trains 30 deserving students, from poor backgrounds, for IIT-JEE entrance exams every year with commendable success rate.
The get-together on Thursday was also attended by the director and Anand's brother Pranav Kumar.
"It was a delightful evening. My mother has watched Super 30 nine times in the theatres but never got the chance to meet Anand sir and his brother Pranav personally.
"Yesterday, we all sat and reminisced about the tough journey of Super 30 with smiles and laughter. Incidents and interactions that were devastating while shooting today seemed to make us laugh in victory," Hrithik said in a statement.
According to the makers, Super 30 has so far minted Rs 317 crore at the box office.
Anand said he feels indebted to Hrithik for presenting his story to the public through the film.
"I am very grateful for Hrithik Roshan and the whole team of Super 30 for bringing this story to the public. He is as amazing as a person as he is an actor and I wouldn’t have anyone else to play the role.
"After that, seeing him in WAR was mesmerizing. The way he switched roles was shocking to say the least. I wish him all the success that comes his way," he said.
Yash, the actor best known for the K.G.F. series, has begun work on his most ambitious project yet, Ramayana. This time, he’s not just acting but also co-producing the film through his banner, Monster Mind Creations, along with Prime Focus Studios, headed by Namit Malhotra. And to make the action sequences truly stand out, Yash has brought in one of Hollywood’s top stunt directors, Guy Norris.
Norris is no stranger to intense, high-octane action. He’s the man behind the wild, explosive scenes in Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa, and The Suicide Squad. Now, he’s in India, working side by side with Yash to design the massive action scenes for Ramayana, aiming to raise the benchmark for an Indian cinematic spectacle.
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Directed by Nitesh Tiwari of Dangal fame, the film reimagines the ancient Indian epic in two parts. Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi is cast as Sita, and Sunny Deol takes on the role of Hanuman. Yash will be portraying Ravana and has committed to an intense 60–70-day shoot for the first part. Early photos from the set show Yash in peak physical form, working closely with Norris in what looks like serious preparation for large-scale battle scenes.
The first part of Ramayana is slated for release during Diwali 2026, with the second part expected the following year. The film’s visuals are being handled by DNEG, the VFX studio behind Dune and Tenet, both Oscar winners. A.R. Rahman is scoring the music, and Pankaj Kumar is on board as cinematographer.
Yash undergoes intense physical training to play Ravana in RamayanaInstagram/thenameisyash
Ramayana has been adapted many times before, but Yash and his team want this version to feel both visually grand and emotionally rooted. With Guy Norris on board, they’re clearly aiming to bring international-level action to a timeless Indian tale.
Besides this project, Yash is also working on Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, set for release in March 2026. But for now, all eyes are on Ramayana, a film that could very well change how Indian mythological stories are told on the big screen.
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Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life faces possible ban in Karnataka after Kannada language row
Kamal Haasan’s new film Thug Life is caught in a storm in Karnataka, where protests and a formal ban have emerged following a controversial remark made by the actor at a recent event. At the audio launch of the film in Chennai on 24 May, Haasan stated that “Kannada is born out of Tamil”, a comment that triggered widespread outrage among Kannada groups and activists.
In response to the backlash, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) announced that Thug Life would not be released in the state unless Haasan issued a public apology. Despite repeated demands, the actor has stood firm, saying he would apologise only if he believes he is wrong. “I’ve been threatened before. If I am wrong, I’ll say sorry. If not, I won’t,” he said during a media interaction in Thiruvananthapuram.
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Pro-Kannada activists from the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike filed a formal complaint against the actor, accusing him of offending Kannada speakers. The group, along with others, tore down film banners and staged protests near the INOX cinema hall in Belagavi.
The controversy drew political attention as well. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemned Haasan’s remarks, stating that the actor “may not be aware of the long-standing history of the language.” This official criticism intensified the debate, bringing up the importance of protecting the dignity of the Kannada language and culture.
Abhirami, Trisha Krishnan and Kamal Haasan attend the press conference for Thug Life Getty Images
Karnataka’s Minister for Kannada and Culture, Shivaraj Tangadagi, wrote to the KFCC urging them to maintain the ban on the film’s release if Haasan did not retract his statement. “No matter how big someone is, they cannot talk lightly about our language,” Tangadagi emphasised.
Kamal Haasan later clarified that his comment was made out of affection and based on what historians had taught him. “Politicians, including myself, aren’t the right people to talk about language roots. That should be left to scholars,” he said.
Despite the ongoing row and official ban in Karnataka, Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam and starring Kamal Haasan, Trisha, and Silambarasan, remains scheduled for a nationwide release on 5 June. However, the film’s fate in Karnataka remains uncertain amid the continuing controversy.
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Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan lead Netflix murder mystery The Thursday Murder Club
A group of spirited pensioners living in a quiet English retirement village might not sound like the setting for a gripping murder mystery, but The Thursday Murder Club is here to change that. Based on Richard Osman’s best-selling novel, the story follows four retirees who spend their days cracking cold cases as a hobby. But when someone ends up dead right under their noses, things quickly get serious.
The film, coming to Netflix on 28 August, is directed by Chris Columbus, known for Home Alone and Harry Potter, and it boasts an A-list British cast. Helen Mirren plays Elizabeth, a former spy with a sharp mind. Pierce Brosnan is Ron, a no-nonsense ex-union leader. Ben Kingsley appears as Ibrahim, a retired psychiatrist, and Celia Imrie rounds out the group as Joyce, a former nurse who’s new to the scene but quickly proves she’s got detective chops too.
What starts out as a weekly meet-up for puzzle-solving turns into a full-blown investigation when a real murder happens at their doorstep in Coopers Chase, their luxury retirement home. It’s no longer about dusty files or tea-time theories anymore. The stakes are real, and this quirky team is all in.
The trailer, which just dropped, opens with Elizabeth suggesting the group look into a decades-old case from 1973. But before long, the mystery hits home. “There’s been an actual murder! Now we’ve got a real case to solve. Isn’t it wonderful?” Joyce exclaims before adding, “Obviously, R.I.P. and all that…”
The film’s cast doesn’t stop at the core four. Naomi Ackie, Daniel Mays, David Tennant, Jonathan Pryce, Richard E. Grant, and Tom Ellis all make appearances, turning this into a full-blown star-studded affair. The screenplay comes from Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote, with production backed by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment.
With its mix of humour, unexpected twists, and a team of unlikely detectives, The Thursday Murder Club is shaping up to be a delightful surprise. Whether you're a fan of the book or just love a good mystery with charm and bite, this might be your next favourite watch.
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Sydney Sweeney launches Bathwater Bliss soap using her real bathwater
Sydney Sweeney has taken a strange internet joke and turned it into a real product. The Euphoria actor, often at the centre of public scrutiny for how her body is perceived, has teamed up with men’s grooming brand Dr Squatch to release a soap made using her actual bathwater.
It’s called Bathwater Bliss, and only 5,000 bars are being produced. The soap, a gritty bar made with sand, pine bark extract, and Sweeney’s bathwater, goes on sale 6 June for £6.30 (₹660 approx.) exclusively on the Dr Squatch website.
The idea was born from the wave of fans half-jokingly asking for her bathwater after her viral bathtub commercial with the same brand last year. Instead of brushing it off, Sweeney leaned into the absurdity. “When fans start asking for your bathwater, you either ignore it or turn it into soap,” she said in a statement.
The packaging is tongue-in-cheek, but the product is real. Dr Squatch is also running a giveaway where 100 bars will be given out to winners who follow the brand on Instagram and engage with the launch post before 5 June.
In an interview, Sweeney described how it all came together. “They had a tub for me at the shoot, and we just used that water,” she explained, adding that she wanted the soap’s scent to reflect her outdoorsy roots, all pine, fir, and moss with a dash of city life.
While the campaign plays into the bizarre side of celebrity culture, it also comes at a time when Sweeney has spoken openly about feeling reduced to her appearance. In past interviews, she’s said the public often treats her like a product, not a person. This soap stunt, in fact, walks a fine line, part parody, part commentary, and part business move.
Online, reactions have ranged from amused disbelief to genuine excitement. One fan called it “a collector’s item,” while another asked, “Are we okay as a society?”
Whether it’s a clever marketing play or a bizarre reflection of fandom gone too far, Bathwater Bliss is real, and if you're curious, it drops on 6 June.
What happens when a hapless husband finds himself stuck between two warring wives? A blockbuster film success.
When Saunkan Saunkanay 2 hit cinemas in 2022, audiences could not get enough of the laugh-out-loud comedy, sharp dialogue, and Sargun Mehta’s fiery performance as one-half of the feuding duo. Now, the Punjabi cinema queen is back – and things have gotten even crazier.
Set seven years later, the musically rich Saunkan Saunkanay 2 cranks up the madness by adding a third woman to the mix – an Italian-Punjabi wildcard played by Mehta herself in a delicious double role. As if two wives were not enough, poor Ammy Virk’s long-suffering husband now has triple the chaos on his hands.
Off-screen, the multi-talented star remains just as formidable, producing film and TV projects alongside her real-life husband and creative partner Ravie Dubey, including the entertaining sequel.
In this no-holds-barred interview, the unstoppable actress spoke to Eastern Eye about Saunkan Saunkanay 2, the pressure of a sequel, Punjabi cinema, inspirations, and her major passion away from work. She also revealed her biggest hero.
Sargun Mehta
How much does the incredible progress of Punjabi cinema mean to you? It means a lot. I remember when I entered the industry in 2015, only about three to four films were being made in a year. Today, countless projects are in production. That shows the kind of money rotating within Punjabi cinema – and how much employment it’s generating for Punjabi people. It is also being recognised nationally and internationally, both for its music and its films. That’s exciting, because it allows us to experiment with more diverse genres.
Tell us about that. Once you have a bigger audience, you can begin exploring a wider range of genres – not just comedy or action. Also, I think cinema helps reconnect people with their mother tongue, especially those who grew up in other countries. It makes you feel seen and relatable, and puts you on the map in a global sense.
How proud are you of being one of the key people who has helped Punjabi cinema grow? I do not know if I would call myself one of the key people. There are so many who work behind the scenes every day, and others who have spent years building this industry. But yes, I am proud that I am now in a position where my choices might influence the direction Punjabi cinema takes. I do feel a sense of responsibility – that we must try to make the right decisions to elevate it even further.
When Saunkan Saunkanay came out, did you expect it to be such a hit? Honestly, when Amberdeep (Singh) narrated the script to me, I loved it right away. I knew we had a hit even before shooting began. Then I saw the edit and thought, this is a super-hit. But I never imagined it would become such a blockbuster. I just had a strong feeling people would love it – and I could feel that energy while we were filming.
Tell us about the sequel, Saunkan Saunkanay 2 Part one ended with Ammy Virk’s character nearly losing his mind because of the constant bickering between his two wives. Now, seven years later, the couple has four children, whom they have sent off to hostels – and the drama picks up from there. (Laughs) It’s a madcap ride, and now there’s a third woman – Monica – whom I also play. She’s half Italian, half Punjabi, and understands both languages. How Ammy Virk’s character ends up bringing her into the house, and what happens next, you’ll have to watch to find out. Last time, it was double the fun – this time, it’s triple.
What did you enjoy most about the characters? I love both roles. Seebo, the character from the first film, has changed a lot. She’s gained weight, taken on a leadership role in her community, and started making all the decisions – which has made her a bit masculine. On the other hand, Monica is a very feminine Italian girl. So I got to play two women who are completely different from each other. That contrast made it really fun for me.
What is your favourite moment in the film? There are so many – from just being on set with some of my favourite people to the scenes we shot. But if I had to pick one, I’d say the first time Nimrat (Khaira) and I wore those (fat) bodysuits and started shooting in character. I remember thinking how much fun it was and imagining how the audience would react. That moment gave me a real rush.
How did you juggle the roles of producer and lead actress? (Smiles) Honestly, I don’t always manage it well. There are days when I feel like my head is about to explode because I want everything to go perfectly – but I have to accept that some things are out of my control. As an actor, I understand that creativity isn’t always something you can constrain on paper or schedule perfectly. Once the camera rolls, the noise in my head quiets down. I’m able to shut everything else out – and that helps me manage both roles.
A still from Saunkan Saunkanay 2
Did the success of part one add pressure while making the sequel? Of course, there was a lot of pressure. Expectations were high, and we never wanted to take anything for granted. Every single day on set, we reminded ourselves that we had to make a great film for the audience. I really hope people love part two as much as they loved the first one – or even more, if that’s possible. Every aspect – from scenes to the edit – was a subject of debate. That pressure came from a sincere desire to give our best.
Why do you think Saunkan Saunkanay connected with audiences? It’s not just about connection – sometimes a film feels like a celebration. This one had colour, fun, relationships and real characters. The kind of banter you hear at home was adapted for the screen. And I do not think audiences had seen women clashing this openly – not just with one another, but also with their husband and mother-in-law. It was a brilliantly written script. It’s one of those films you want to watch again and again. I don’t always rewatch my own films – sometimes not even once – but this one was worth returning to.
You’ve been on a great run lately. What’s the plan going forward? I just want to keep acting for the rest of my life. I want to choose roles that I love, invest in myself, and see what more I can do. I want to branch out into different genres. Acting is something I genuinely love.
If you could master something new, what would it be? I really enjoy dancing. I actually get jealous of people who dance really well. So whenever I get time, I try to learn a new dance style. I’d love to explore every possible form.
What are your passions outside of work? Definitely dancing and travelling. Those are the two things that I absolutely love.
You’ve become a hero for many – but who is your hero? Thank you, Asjad – that’s a big compliment. I have different heroes in different ways. I’ve always admired Shah Rukh Khan for how far he has come. When I think of passion and dedication, I think of my father – he works tirelessly at what he loves. My mother, on the other hand, has shown me what balance looks like – managing her personal and professional life beautifully. I learn something from each of them. But my biggest hero, above all, is my husband, Ravie.
Why him? Because I have never seen anyone champion someone else’s dreams above their own like he does. For Ravie, my goals matter more than his. I do not know how he does that so selflessly. He is my biggest supporter – my cheerleader. He is also an incredibly talented actor who can do anything. I genuinely want to be more like him.
What inspires you? Apart from those I mentioned, I have been inspired by many actresses and their roles – from Sridevi and Madhubala to Meryl Streep and Smita Patil. I would really love to take on roles like theirs some day.
Finally, why should everyone watch Saunkan Saunkanay 2? Because it feels like a festival. It is colourful, joyous and entertaining. It has laughter, family, love – and its heart is in the right place. We would love for everyone to come with their families, enjoy the film, and love it as much as they loved the first one. And we are really, really hoping they do.
Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape and sexual assault charges involving four women ahead of 2026 trial