Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Will not make Stree 2 under pressure: Rajkummar Rao

The actor co-hosted the IIFA Rocks event last night alongside filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan and was thrilled about the gig.

Will not make Stree 2 under pressure: Rajkummar Rao

Actor Rajkummar Rao says they will make the sequel of his hugely acclaimed horror-comedy film Stree with the same honesty and affection they had for the original.

Also featuring Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee, Aparshakti Khurana, and Shraddha Kapoor, the movie turned out to be one of the most commercially-successful and critically-acclaimed films of 2018.


The makers confirmed the sequel last month with the core cast returning along with director Amar Kaushik.

“‘Stree is so special for all of us. Amar and I discussed that we will not make it under pressure. We will make it with the same kind of sincerity and love that we had while making part one. We will maintain the same honesty in part two,” Rao told PTI on the sidelines of the IIFA Rocks awards ceremony on Friday.

Stree was set in the small town of Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh, where an evil spirit named ‘Stree’ abducts men in the night during festival season. It was based on the urban legend of “Nale Ba” that went viral in Karnataka in the 1990s.

Rao said the follow-up is currently under pre-production and they will begin filming soon. Stree 2, produced by Dinesh Vijan and Jio Studios, will be released in August 2024.

The actor co-hosted the IIFA Rocks event last night alongside filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan and was thrilled about the gig.

“It is my first-time hosting IIFA Rocks and that too with Farah ma’am, who I love immensely. She is amazing and fabulous,” he added.

Khan, known for directing films such as "Main Hoon Na" and "Om Shanti Om", lauded Rao for his sense of humour.

“Raj has a great sense of humour and we get along really well. Our tastes are very different but that’s the fun of it. I am fighting for commercial cinema and he is waxing about his kind of movies. It is good to have friends from different zones so you get different perspectives. It is good to have young friends,” the filmmaker said.

More For You

Michael Ward

Micheal Ward charged with rape and sexual assault by London police

Getty Images

Michael Ward charged with rape and sexual assault, denies allegations ahead of court appearance

Highlights:

  • Top Boy star Michael Ward, 27, has been charged with two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
  • The alleged offences involve one woman and are reported to have occurred in January 2023.
  • Ward has denied the allegations and says he has cooperated fully with the investigation.
  • The BAFTA-winning actor is due to appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on 28 August.

BAFTA-winning actor Michael Ward, best known for his role as Jamie in the Netflix crime drama Top Boy, has been formally charged with multiple sexual offences, including two counts of rape. The charges stem from an incident reported by one woman, said to have taken place in January 2023.

The 27-year-old actor, originally from Jamaica and currently residing in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, was charged by the Metropolitan Police following a review of the evidence by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Ward will appear in court on 28 August at Thames Magistrates’ Court in London.

Keep ReadingShow less
AR Rahman AI project

AR Rahman and Sam Altman smile after their meeting at OpenAI office

Instagram/arrahman

AR Rahman meets Sam Altman to build AI-powered ‘Secret Mountain’ project for Indian creators

Highlights:

  • AR Rahman met OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to discuss his AI-driven musical project, Secret Mountain.
  • The project aims to empower Indian creators through AI and build a global virtual music band.
  • Rahman envisions an immersive metaverse experience with characters from diverse cultures.
  • The initiative will use Hedera’s distributed ledger tech and metahuman storytelling tools.

Oscar-winning music composer AR Rahman has officially announced his collaboration with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman for his ambitious AI-powered project, Secret Mountain. Sharing an image from their meeting on social media, Rahman described their discussions around using artificial intelligence to uplift and empower Indian creators facing generational challenges.

The project is a unique fusion of AI, immersive storytelling, and global music culture, with Rahman at the helm as its creative visionary. At a time when conversations around AI and creativity are growing louder, this collaboration signals a significant step in shaping how Indian artists interact with future tech.

Keep ReadingShow less
Arijit Singh Sapphire

Ed Sheeran sings in Hindi and Punjabi for Sapphire remix with Arijit Singh

Liam Pethick / @liampethickphoto

Ed Sheeran and Arijit Singh release multilingual remix of 'Sapphire', shot in India

Highlights:

  • Ed Sheeran and Arijit Singh drop a Hindi-Punjabi remix of Sapphire, recorded in Goa
  • The duo blended English, Hindi, and Punjabi lyrics for the new version
  • Music video features scenes from Ed’s India tour and a cameo by Shah Rukh Khan
  • Sapphire becomes first English track to top Spotify India since 2021

British pop star Ed Sheeran has joined forces with Indian playback sensation Arijit Singh for a special multilingual version of his track Sapphire, released today. The remix combines Hindi, Punjabi, and English lyrics and was recorded earlier this year during Sheeran’s India tour.

 Arijit Singh Sapphire Ed Sheeran sings in Hindi and Punjabi for Sapphire remix with Arijit Singh   Liam Pethick / @liampethickphoto  

Keep ReadingShow less
casting couch

Shocking casting couch confessions that reveal how Bollywood exploitation has evolved

5 brave women who called out Bollywood’s casting couch

You know what’s worse than silence? The kind of silence that sounds like applause. Applause for a director who’s known for "launching careers." Praise for a superstar who’s worshipped on-screen but whispers vile things off it. This is the silence that kept Bollywood’s casting couch culture alive for decades.

Forget the dance numbers and the dreamy close-ups. Strip away the sequins, and you often find something ugly festering in Bollywood's shadows. An ugly tradition that’s still thriving. It’s not new. It’s not gone.

Keep ReadingShow less
Prithviraj Sukumaran

Prithviraj Sukumaran reveals how Rajamouli uses scale as storytelling in SSMB 29

Instagram/therealprithvi

Prithviraj Sukumaran shares rare insight into Rajamouli’s vision for ‘SSMB 29’

Highlights:

  • SSMB 29 is an upcoming jungle adventure featuring Mahesh Babu, directed by S.S. Rajamouli
  • Prithviraj Sukumaran joins the cast alongside Priyanka Chopra
  • Sukumaran calls Rajamouli a master of “scale as canvas”
  • The actor also addressed trolling faced by Ibrahim Ali Khan in a separate interview

SSMB 29, the much-anticipated collaboration between Mahesh Babu and visionary director S.S. Rajamouli, continues to generate massive buzz across Indian cinema circles. The jungle-themed action adventure, currently in production, boasts a star-studded cast including Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran, making it one of the biggest PAN-India spectacles in the works.

In a recent interview, Prithviraj Sukumaran offered a rare behind-the-scenes perspective on Rajamouli’s directorial style. “Scale can never be the story; it’s just the canvas,” the Malayalam superstar explained. “Rajamouli sir chooses large backdrops because he excels at telling a story through big, visual strokes.”

Keep ReadingShow less