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Showing posts from April, 2025

EXCLUSIVE: Fans meet Salman Khan post Sikandar’s debacle; request the star to work with Kabir Khan and Ali Abbas Zafar

Exactly a week ago, Salman Khan’s much-awaited film Sikandar was released and it failed to meet the expectations of most viewers. Instead of defending the star’s choices, his huge fan base began voicing their displeasure about Sikandar and Salman Khan’s recent choice of films. They began making various trends on X (formerly Twitter), hoping that Salman Khan would pay attention to them. And as luck would have it, Salman Khan found out about the fan’s woes. A meeting took place yesterday, on April 5, where some fans were able to meet the superstar. A source told Bollywood Hungama, “The meeting was attended by Salman Khan, his manager Jordy Patel, business head Vikram Tanwar and fans. The fans openly voiced their displeasure about Sikandar and that his other recent films have not been up to the mark. They also showed their trends on X and how they have been incessantly tweeting as they care for him big time and want him to make better choices.” The source added, “Salm...

Jacqueline Fernandez grieves the demise of her mother Kim Fernandez after she passes away in Mumbai

In heartbreaking news from the world of entertainment, actress Jacqueline Fernandez’s mother, Kim Fernandez, passed away on Sunday after a brief period of hospitalization. She had been undergoing treatment at Lilavati Hospital in Bandra following a severe stroke in March. While several media outlets have confirmed the sad demise, the Fernandez family is yet to issue an official statement. Kim Fernandez had been battling serious health complications since the stroke that occurred during the last week of March. She was urgently admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Lilavati Hospital, where she had remained under close medical supervision. In light of her mother’s deteriorating condition, Jacqueline had opted out of a scheduled IPL performance in Guwahati, ahead of the match between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders, to be by her side. At the time, a source close to the actress was quoted in a report by Hindustan Times, saying, “Jacqueline's mother is still in the ICU...

Ek Jaadugar first look: Vicky Kaushal wields magic in Shoojit Sircar’s fantasy drama

Bollywood’s versatile heartthrob Vicky Kaushal steps into a magical new avatar in Shoojit Sircar’s upcoming fantasy drama, Ek Jaadugar. The first look poster dropped yesterday, and it's already casting a spell on fans and cinephiles alike. A Magical Makeover for Vicky Kaushal The poster features Vicky Kaushal in an enchanting magician’s get-up — a rich green velvet suit adorned with intricate embroidery, a flamboyant emerald bowtie, and a tall top hat with a green feather. His dramatic curled mustache and mischievous glint evoke the classic illusionist charm, blending vintage flair with cinematic elegance. He holds a glowing wand with a burst of blue light, seemingly conjuring a swirling green crystal orb that floats above his palm. Surrounding him are visual cues straight out of a magician’s playbook — a white dove mid-flight, a rabbit leaping from a hat, and playing cards soaring through the air. The entire scene is set against a vintage circus or theatre backdrop, complete wit...

Salman Khan in talks for Bajrangi Bhaijaan 2 with V. Vijayendra Prasad? Here's what we know!

Salman Khan is one of the most beloved superstars in the country, with a filmography that boasts some truly remarkable films. Among them, one of his most loved and appreciated films is Bajrangi Bhaijaan, which was released in 2015. Not only did he deliver one of the finest performances of his career, but the film also won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment at the 63rd National Film Awards. Salman Khan's fans have always eagerly awaited a sequel to the film, and speculation suggests that he is in discussions with screenwriter V. Vijayendra Prasad. According to an independent industry source, “Salman Khan has met V. Vijayendra Prasad a couple of days back. They have come up with an idea and discussions are on that could be for Bajrangi Bhaijaan 2. Moreover, there is a chance of possible collaboration between V. Vijayendra Prasad and director Kabir Khan, the trio is coming together. However, nothing has been finalized yet." While the...

REVEALED: In Ganga Ram, Salman Khan to play a character named Ganga, Sanjay Dutt to essay the role of Ram

A few days ago, Bollywood Hungama broke the news that Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt are expected to be seen in a film called Ganga Ram. As expected, the news broke the internet and spread like wild fire. Now, we bring to you another piece of information about this upcoming movie. A source told Bollywood Hungama, “After the Ganga Ram news came out, many began to wonder if Ganga Ram is the name of one person. Fans speculated that either Salman Khan or Sanjay Dutt will be playing Ganga Ram.” The source continued, “But that’s not the case. Ganga and Ram are the names of two principal characters. While Salman Khan will essay the role of a character named Ganga, Sanjay Dutt will reprise the role of a man named Ram.” The source also revealed, “Ganga Ram is mounted as a wholesome entertainer and will have lots of action. The makers are trying to ensure that the audience gets its money’s worth when they come to see this film starring two macho stars of Bollywood.” The film will be produced by...

EXCLUSIVE: Gulshan Devaiah on why Afsos 2 never happened: “I don’t think it did well enough for Amazon”; opens up on Anurag Kashyap's criticism about OTT giants: “In principle, I do agree with him but…”

Gulshan Devaiah’s Hunterrr (2015) was re-released recently in cinemas. While speaking about it exclusively with Bollywood Hungama, we asked him about his quirky thrilling show Afsos (2020). There’s a trend of a web series having multiple seasons but Afsos never had a Season 2. When asked about it, Gulshan Devaiah revealed, “When the show was written, I was signed for 3 seasons. That’s a general rule of thumb that a lot of people follow. I don’t think it did well enough for Amazon. Also, it was not an Amazon original; if it was, it might have had a Season 2. It was not as heavily promoted as Amazon does for its originals. Tell me about it; I did Dahaad. They promote and how! Hence, I don’t think it got the kind of promotion that would have helped it.” Gulshan continued, “Nevertheless, it has its own fan base. It ends at a very interesting point. You don’t know if he is Chiranjeevi.” He also added, “These are things you have to accept. It’s part ...

Legendary filmmaker Manoj Kumar passes away in Mumbai at 87

Veteran actor and film director Manoj Kumar passed away at the age of 87 in Mumbai. As reported by news agency ANI on Friday morning, he died at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital at 4:03 am. His mortal remains will be kept at his Juhu residence from Friday afternoon, allowing industry colleagues and fans to pay their final respects. The cremation is expected to take place on Saturday. According to medical reports cited by ANI, he passed away due to cardiogenic shock caused by an acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a severe heart attack. The reports also revealed that Manoj had been struggling with decompensated liver cirrhosis in recent months, which further deteriorated his health. He was hospitalized on February 21, 2025, after his condition worsened. Manoj was especially recognized for his patriotic films and was fondly referred to as 'Bharat Kumar'. Born as Harikishan Giri Goswami on July 24, 1937, in Abbottabad, British India (now in Pakistan), Manoj K...

SCOOP: Akshay Kumar refused Mrighdeep Singh Lamba's high-concept comedy due to snake connect

Kartik Aaryan and Mrighdeep Singh Lamba are teaming up for the first time on a feature film produced by Karan Johar and Mahaveer Jain. The film is touted to be a one-of-a-kind high-concept comedy with a snake as the antagonist. On doing the research, Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learnt that the Mrighdeep Singh Lamba directorial was initially offered to Akshay Kumar. A source told Bollywood Hungama on confidentiality, "Akshay Kumar was the first choice for director Mrighdeep Singh Lamba's next. He was in the discussion for a while now, however, he eventually backed out. He was not convinced with the conflict of snake vs human, and didn't want to venture into this genre again after Jaani Dushman." Mahaveer Jain and Karan Johar had multiple rounds of meetings with Akshay, and when he finally backed off, they decided to reset the project with Kartik Aaryan in the lead. "Kartik loved the idea of man vs snake and instantly signed on for the film. He feels this i...

EXCLUSIVE: Trailer of Ajay Devgn-starrer Raid 2 to be launched on April 8; will be attached with the prints of Sunny Deol Jaat

The teaser of Raid 2 was unveiled on March 28 and it got a very positive response, enhancing the buzz for the thriller. Since then, there has been a tremendous demand for the trailer. Several reports speculated that Raid 2's trailer will be launched on April 2, on the occasion of lead actor Ajay Devgn's birthday. Bollywood Hungama has now learned when the much-awaited trailer will finally be out. A source told Bollywood Hungama, "The trailer of Raid 2 will be out on Tuesday, April 8. A trailer launch will be held on a grand scale in Mumbai. Ajay Devgn and the entire star cast of the film will be present." The source further said, "The viewers will get a chance to see Raid 2's trailer on the big screen from Thursday, April 10. This is because the promo will be attached with Sunny Deol's upcoming release Jaat. The makers of Raid 2 requested Sunny Deol and the producers of Jaat and they were more than happy to attach Raid 2's trailer with their prints....

Chhorii 2 trailer out: Nushrratt Bharuccha and Soha Ali Khan starrer promises darker and intense fight of a mother, watch

Prime Video today unveiled the spine-chilling trailer of Chhorii 2, the highly anticipated sequel of its 2021 Original horror film, Chhorii. Expanding the twisted world of its predecessor, which was celebrated for its suspenseful storytelling deeply rooted in folklore, this new chapter plunges even deeper into folkloric horror, supernatural terror, and the unbreakable will of a mother fighting against forces beyond comprehension. A T-Series, Abundantia Entertainment, Psych, and Tamarisk Lane Production, the horror film is helmed by Vishal Furia, and it brings back Nushrratt Bharuccha as Sakshi, joined by Soha Ali Khan in a pivotal role, alongside an ensemble cast featuring Gashmeer Mahajani, Saurabh Goyal, Pallavi Ajay, Kuldeep Sareen, and Hardika Sharma. Chhorii 2 is set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video in India and across more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on 11th April 2025. Set in the unexplored realm of underground caves, the trailer of Chhorii 2 pulls viewer...

Singer Hans Raj Hans' wife Resham Kaur passes away at 62 after prolonged illness

Resham Kaur, the wife of renowned Punjabi folk and Sufi singer and politician Hans Raj Hans, passed away on April 2, 2025, at the age of 62 after a prolonged illness. She breathed her last around 1 pm at Tagore Hospital in Jalandhar, where she had been receiving treatment for heart-related issues. According to reports, Resham Kaur had been battling heart ailments for some time and had recently undergone a stent procedure. Despite medical efforts, her condition did not improve. Her brother, Paramjit Singh, stated that she had been hospitalized for five days prior to her demise. The funeral is scheduled for Thursday at 11 am in Shafipur, the ancestral village of Hans Raj Hans. Hans Raj Hans, a Padma Shri awardee, is celebrated for his contributions to Punjabi folk and Sufi music. He has collaborated with legendary artists like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and has contributed to several Bollywood films. The couple has two sons, Yuvraj and Navraj. Navraj is married to Ajit Kaur Mehndi, daughte...

Massive CRASH for Sikandar on Day 4: Just Rs. 9 cr. and a shocking 55% fall from Tuesday

After collecting Rs. 82.17 crore over three days, Salman Khan led Sikandar produced by Sajid Nadiadwala has seen a significant dip in collections on Wednesday. According to estimates, Sikandar collections have crashed to Rs. 9 crore on the fourth day, bringing the total collections to approx. Rs. 91 crores. It's a drop of about 55 percent from Tuesday, and even this number has come because of the Eid effect in the mass belts. Sikandar will enter the Rs. 100 crore club by Friday, but that's no longer a benchmark, and the film is a flop venture for Salman Khan, given the budget and high standards set at the box office by youngsters and Shah Rukh Khan over the past two years. The lifetime business of Sikandar in India is expected to be around Rs. 130 crore, which is nothing but a dismal result for a Salman Khan film on Eid. While his star-power brought in the audience over the three-day period, the dated content, sub-par buzz, and poor word of mouth have led to low collections. ...

Vir Das to debut as author with memoir The Outsider

Comedian and actor-producer Vir Das is set to share his journey in his upcoming memoir, The Outsider. Known for his sharp wit and bold humor, Vir reflects on feeling like an outsider beyond just the comedy world. From being stranded on a beach in Mexico to navigating cultural identity and career ups and downs, the memoir explores his experiences of self-discovery, setbacks, and laughter. Vir took to his social media to announce the book The Outsider - A Memoir for Misfits highlighting with a very deeply personal video showcasing the many chapters of his life, his identity, his career. The video announcement highlights his awkwardness, his global dominance, his lows as a comedian, his highs of being on world stage and to becoming the person he is today. In his words the book is guided from one idiot, fool, drifter, loser, dreamer and misfit to a world of such people. In the book, amongst many incidents highlighted Vir recounts a memorable moment when, stranded on a pier in Cozumel, Me...

Fatima Sana Shaikh reveals her casting couch experience in the South; says, “Casting director kept asking if I would ‘do anything’ for the role”

Fatima Sana Shaikh has once again ignited a crucial conversation on the existence of casting couch in the film industry. In a clip from an older interaction, that has recently surfaced on social media, the Dangal actress candidly spoke about her experiences in the South Indian film industry, revealing how certain filmmakers and producers exploit aspiring actors under the guise of offering roles. “There was some casting happening in the South and I sent my profile. After he received it, he asked, ‘If I was ready to do anything’ and I responded on message saying that ‘I will be working hard and whatever is required for the role’, I will do that. But he kept repeating the same thing – ‘You can do anything for your casting’—again and again. I was playing dumb. I was getting irritated but I also wanted to see how long he would continue. Eventually, he too got irritated and left it there,” she shared. Fatima further revealed the harsh realities of navigating the industry, highlighting how ...

Sikandar Box Office: Salman Khan starrer manages good hold on Tuesday

As expected, there was a good hold in collections for Sikandar on Tuesday as post Eid festivities continued. The film did have first couple of days managing to go past the Rs. 30 crores mark and while one expected much higher numbers due to national holidays on Sunday and Monday, all eyes were on how good the good will turn out to be on Tuesday. As it has happened with so many biggies in the past, when a film fails big time then the effects start coming in from second or third day itself. Thankfully, that hasn’t happened for the Salman Kham starrer as the single screen audiences and interiors of the country are seeing consistent collections coming on the third day as well. This was seen on Tuesday when Rs. 23.01 crores* were accumulated, and from comparative standpoint this is a good hold. The film could easily have dropped by more than 50% and got into that Rs. 15-16 crores zone but that wasn’t the case. Yes, Bassi Eid in some parts of the country meant that the hold was better than...

SCOOP: Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt's next titled Ganga Ram; debutant Krish Ahir to direct

In the last 2 weeks, both Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt independently confirmed that they are coming together on a rustic action film. Post that, we did our due diligence trying to collate information from industry sources. And we have some exciting, good news for all Bhai fans. Reliable sources confirm that Salman Khan is indeed teaming up with Sanjay Dutt on an action film. "Salman and Sanju are coming together for a rustic action film titled Ganga Ram, with the duo in the titular role. It's a film developed by Salman and his SKF team in-house, and everyone is very excited to get back the OG's on the big screen in the action set-up. When Salman's team told the one-line to Sanjay, he was also more than excited to partner and join forces with Salman on a two-hero film," a source shared with Bollywood Hungama. The film will be directed by debutant Krish Ahir, who has been an associate on multiple films produced by Salman Khan over the last 5 years. "Ganga Ram ...

Sikandar Box Office Estimate Day 3: Salman Khan starrer collects Rs. 22 crores on Tuesday

The Salman Khan led Sikandar has shown a good hold in collections on Tuesday on the occasion of Baasi Eid, as early estimates are suggesting third day business in the range of Rs. 22 crore to Rs. 24 crore. With this, the opening weekend total of Sikandar stands at Rs 86 crore, and the film is set to be the 17th consecutive Salman Khan film to enter the Rs 100 crore club at the box office in India. No other actor in the history of Indian Cinema has had an undisputed streak of even 10 films in the Rs 100 crore club, and Salman Khan is standing tall with 17 consecutive films, though the relevance of the club is slowly starting to fade. Sikandar will enter the Rs 100 crore club in 5 days flat, which is again a great feat for films in general, but a rather dull show for a film starring Salman Khan in lead. The business is very good in the single screens and non national chains, but the multiplexes have started to show cracks, which means that the film wont have long legs to sustain and en...

Fawad Khan makes comeback with Abir Gulaal; teaser unveils a dreamy romance with Vaani Kapoor

Love is in the air, and so is excitement! The teaser of Abir Gulaal has just dropped, offering a glimpse into a heartwarming love story led by the charismatic Fawad Khan and the radiant Vaani Kapoor. Marking Fawad Khan’s long-awaited Bollywood comeback after Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016), the film is set to release on May 9, 2025, bringing back the era of sweet, nostalgic romance to theaters. Set against the picturesque backdrop of London, Abir Gulaal blends humor and heartfelt romance, creating a story that is as delightful as it is moving. The teaser showcases glimpses of Fawad and Vaani’s sizzling chemistry, light hearted banter, and an emotionally rich storyline that promises to strike a chord with audiences. According to a source statement given exclusively to Bollywood Hungama, the film follows the story of two emotionally scarred individuals who meet by chance, leading to a journey of unintentional healing and eventual romance. The source said, “This rom-com tells the story of how...

Sikandar’s shows CANCELLED in several cinemas; replaced with All The Best Pandya, L2 Empuraan, The Diplomat; Gaiety-Galaxy INCREASES shows due to INSANE public demand

The Salman Khan-starrer Sikandar has failed to entice the viewers as intended. The word of mouth is very poor and though there was growth on the second day of release, the trend has made it clear that the film will suffer a fall once the holiday season gets over. Realizing this aspect, the theatres have begun to reduce the showcasing of Sikandar and replace its shows with successful holdover releases. There were reports that Sikandar’s shows were being cancelled due to no audience. A trade source told Bollywood Hungama, “We didn’t find any instance of the show getting cancelled in Mumbai. There were shows where the number of viewers was in single digits but on the first two days, no show got cancelled due to no audience. However, the same happened in Surat, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Indore etc., especially in areas where there was little or no Eid effect.” Kiritbhai T Vaghasia, who runs The Friday Cinema multiplex in Surat, said, “Not a single ticket was sold for the 9:00 am and 10:00 am sh...

Sikandar Box Office Estimate Day 2: Salman Khan starrer jumps on Eid; collects Rs. 36.50 cr. on Day 2

It's Salman Khan's stardom at display on Eid, as his Sikandar has managed to collect in the range of Rs 36 crore to Rs. 37 crore on the second day, taking total collections to Rs 66.50 crores. The film has seen a surge in business despite a negative talk, and it's happening purely due to the presence of Salman Khan. Sikandar will score another healthy day on Tuesday, owing to the Bassi Eid Holiday, and will emerge the 17th consecutive Rs. 100 crore film for Salman Khan. The streak started in 2010 with Dabangg, and is continuing even today, making it the longest running streak for a superstar in modern era. There was a possibility for Sikandar to see a dip in business on second day due to bad content, but the stardom is driving the audience on the Eid day, however the run will not be long and the film is destined to be a failure as two day business should have been a lot higher. The only plus for Sikandar is the fact that the collections are organic, without any external f...