Actor Rana Daggubati has joined the cast of superstar Rajinikanth's next film, tentatively titled ‘Thalaivar170’. The film’s production house Lyca Productions made the announcement on October 3. They shared a photo to welcome Rana onboard on social media. According to reports, the film's shooting is all set to commence in Thiruvananthapuram. TJ Gnanavel of 'Jai Bhim' fame will be directing the film.Manju Warrier, Ritika Singh, and Dushara Vijayan will be seen in supporting roles. Anirudh Ravichander has been roped in to compose music for the film. Reports also suggest that Fahadh Faasil will be seen in one of the lead roles. Superstar Rajinikanth was last seen in director Nelson Dilipkumar's 'Jailer'. The film grossed Rs 650 crore worldwide and became a blockbuster. Thalaivar is currently on a break and will start shooting for 'Thalaivar 170' sometime in October. In the coming days, the team will announce the remaining members of the cast. Meanwhile, Rana Daggubati recently made a cameo appearance in ‘Spy’ (2023) as Arjun. He was also seen in the Netflix series ‘Rana Naidu’ alongside stars Venkatesh Daggubati, Suchitra Pillai, Gaurav Chopra and Surveen Chawla. Also Watch | Anushka Sharma asks paps not to click photos amid second pregnancy rumours: Watch

The release date of Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon’s maiden collaboration, which will be produced by Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Studios, has been postponed yet again. The film, which was initially scheduled to release in theatres on December 8, 2023, is now expected to hit the theatres on Valentine’s Day 2024. A source told Pinkvilla that the release period of Valentines’ Day is also in sync with the core plot of the film and appealing to the youth. ‘It’s a decision taken in the best interest of the film. The makers are now looking to hit the big screen in the month of February – which is the month of love. The release period of Valentines’ Day is also in sync with the core plot of the film, appealing to the youth,’ a source close to the development revealed. The source further added, ‘The film has some peppy dance numbers and will feature Shahid and Kriti at their best showcasing their dancing skills. There is also a romantic number, which could catch up in a big way with the audience. The flavor of the story added with music will make it the perfect bet for Valentines' Day release for the young cine-going audience’. Meanwhile, ‘Yodha’ and ‘Merry Christmas’ will now clash at the box office on December 8. The other movies releasing in December include ‘Animal’, ‘Sam Bahadur’, ‘Dunki’ and ‘Salaar’.

Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi starrer ‘Merry Christmas’ was scheduled to arrive in cinemas on December 15 along with Sidharth Malhotra’s ‘Yodha’, but now both the films will hit the theatres a week early, on December 8, 2023. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the news on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, ‘KATRINA KAIF - VIJAY SETHUPATHI: ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS’ TO ARRIVE ONE WEEK EARLY. 8 Dec 2023 is the new release date of #MerryChristmas, which teams #KatrinaKaif and #VijaySethupathi for the first time. #MerryChristmas - directed by #SriramRaghavan - is shot in two languages [#Hindi and #Tamil] with different supporting actors (sic).’ His other tweet read, ‘SIDHARTH MALHOTRA: 'YODHA' RELEASE ADVANCED BY ONE WEEK... #Yodha - starring #SidharthMalhotra, #DishaPatani and #RaashiiKhanna - will now arrive in *cinemas* on 8 Dec 2023… Directed by #SagarAmbre and #PushkarOjha.Produced by #HirooYashJohar, #KaranJohar, #ApoorvaMehta and #ShashankKhaitan.’ ‘Merry Christmas’ will mark Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi’s first onscreen collaboration. Sriram Raghavan, who has earlier helmed films like ‘Andhadhun’ and ‘Badlapur’, is directing the movie. The film has been shot in two languages, with different supporting actors. It also marks Katrina Kaif and Sriram Raghavan’s first Tamil outing. The Hindi version co-stars Sanjay Kapoor, Vinay Pathak, Pratima Kannan, and Tinnu Anand, while the Tamil version has Radhika Sarathkumar, Shanmugaraja, Kevin Jay Babu, and Rajesh Williams in the same roles. The film also introduces Pari, a child actor. Ashwini Kalsekar and Radhika Apte will be seen in cameos. ‘Merry Christmas’ has been produced by Ramesh Taurani & Jaya Taurani; Sanjay Routray & Kewal Garg. Meanwhile, ‘Yodha’ also stars Disha Patani and Raashii Khanna in pivotal roles. Also Watch | Hrithik Roshan shares pic with ‘Fighter’ director Siddharth Anand on ‘Bang Bang’, ‘War’ anniversary

There have been speculations that filmmaker Imtiaz Ali is in talks to direct a sequel to his super-hit cult classic film, ‘Jab We Met’, starring Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor. Now, in an exclusive chat with News18 Showsha, Imtiaz addressed the rumours and said, ‘No, it’s not happening.’ He further added, ‘I don’t have a story for Jab We Met 2 yet. I’ve heard of these and read these reports and articles. Nobody asked me before publishing them, so I don’t know what to say. But let’s see what happens.’ In June this year, Shahid during a chat session on X hinted that he may soon be collaborating with Imtiaz on a film. A fan on X had asked Shahid, ‘I’ve noticed that you and Imtiaz Ali have been interacting a lot recently! Is there any project in the works?’ To this, he replied, ‘Smart Boy’. Currently, Imtiaz Ali is busy working on his next directorial, ‘Chamkila’, which is an AR Rahman musical, starring Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra. Sharing an update on the film, Imtiaz said, ‘It’s coming pretty soon. I hope the audience likes it when they see it. Shooting for Chamkila felt like a very different experience as a filmmaker. It involved a lot of unlearning, which is why I felt very fresh while making it and I’m sure that the audience will also witness that once they watch it.’ He added, ‘Working on a story like Chamkila helped me reconnect with a different side of myself and in the process, I felt very invigorated and rejuvenated. I truly can’t wait for everyone to watch it.’ ‘Chamkila’ is based on the true story of Amar Singh Chamkila, the legendary musician from Punjab who rose to fame in the 1980s with his powerful music. He was assassinated at the young age of 27. Also Watch | Hrithik Roshan shares pic with ‘Fighter’ director Siddharth Anand on ‘Bang Bang’, ‘War’ anniversary

After the massive success of ‘Gadar 2’, Sunny Deol will be teaming up with Aamir Khan and director Rajkumar Santoshi for the upcoming film ‘Lahore, 1947’. Aamir Khan Productions announced the news on October 3. Aamir mentioned that he looks forward to collaborating with the immensely talented Sunny, and one of his favourite directors Raj Santoshi. He said the journey they have embarked on promises to be most enriching. The note read, ‘I, and the entire team of AKP, are the most excited and happy to announce our next, starring Sunny Deol, directed by Raj Kumar Santoshi, titled Lahore, 1947. We look forward to collaborating with the immensely talented Sunny, and one of my favourite directors Raj Santoshi. The journey we have embarked on promises to be most enriching. We seek your blessings.’ ‘Lahore, 1947’ will mark the reunion of Aamir Khan and Santoshi after their iconic cult classic, Andaz Apna Apna. Rajkumar Santoshi and Sunny Deol have previously delivered three box office hits together – ‘Ghayal’, ‘Damini’, and ‘Ghatak’. What makes the announcement even more impressive is the fact that Sunny Deol and Aamir Khan have had iconic box-office clashes in the past. The first iconic clash at the ticket window was witnessed in 1990 when Aamir Khan’s ‘Dil’ and Sunny Deol’s ‘Ghayal’ were released on the same day. In 1996, ‘Raja Hindustani’ clashed with ‘Ghatak’. In 2001, ‘Lagaan’ was released on the same day as ‘Gadar’. This is the first time, the duo has come together and joined hands on a project.

‘Fukrey 3’, starring Varun Sharma, Pulkit Samrat, Richa Chadha and Pankaj Tripathi, has been doing well at the box office. According to trade analyst Taran Adarsh, the Mrighdeep Singh Lamba directorial has entered the Rs 50 crore club in India over the extended weekend. Sharing the box office figures, Taran Adarsh wrote, ‘Fukrey3 puts up an EXCELLENT SCORE in its *extended* opening weekend… Biz on Sat - Sun - Mon witness a spike, the holiday factor has also helped, besides the hugely-popular brand-value… Now all eyes on Tue… Thu 8.82 cr, Fri 7.81 cr, Sat 11.67 cr, Sun 15.18 cr, Mon 11.69 cr. Total: ₹ 55.17 cr. #India biz. #Boxoffice.’ ‘Fukrey 3’ is produced under the banner of Excel Entertainment by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar. ‘Fukrey 3’ was released in theatres on September 28 and it received a mixed response from fans and critics. The first instalment of the film was released in 2013 and received huge love and appreciation from the audience. ‘Fukrey Returns’ was released in 2017. Actor Ali Fazal, who appeared in the first two instalments of the hit franchise, is not a part of the third instalment. Ali had issued a statement confirming his exit from the franchise. He shared he did not work on ‘Fukrey 3’ owing to a scheduling conflict with Mirzapur 3 season. Reacting to Ali’s absence from the film, actor Pulkit Samrat told news agency ANI, ‘We actually miss him a lot. We have a lot of fun with him during the promotions or even during the shoot. He also gives very interesting inputs, but unfortunately due to his dates and time he will not be seen in Part 3, but who knows, he might be in Part 4.’ Also Watch | ‘Munna Bhai 3’ on the cards? Sanjay Dutt shares he’s waiting for the film to happen in a viral post

Boney Kapoor opened up about wife, actor Sridevi's death for the first time and asserted that it was not natural but accidental. In an interview with The New Indian, Boney addressed all claims of him behind the legendary actor's death and said that he went through all tests during the probe by the Dubai Police. He added that he was informed that there was a lot of pressure on the case from Indian media. 'It was not a natural death; it was an accidental death. I had decided not to speak about it because I spoke about it for almost 24 or 48 hours together when I was being investigated and interrogated. That is how I got a clean chit from the Dubai police. In fact, the officers said we had to go through this because there was a lot of pressure from Indian media. Well, I said I have nothing more to say than what I have been saying. And they discovered there was no foul play. I went through all the tests, including lie detector tests and all those things. And then, of course, the report which came clearly stated it was accidental death by drowning,' he said. Boney also spoke about Sridevi's health and shared that their family physician always advised her against a strict diet. He revealed that she often used to starve to look good and had blackouts on a couple of occasions but the doctor kept on saying she had low blood pressure issues. 'She often used to starve; she wanted to look good. She would make sure that she is chiselled and in good shape, so that on-screen, she looks good,' Boney said. He said Sridevi had come down to 46-47 kgs in past and cited examples of films like English Vinglish. 'From the time she was married to me, she had blackouts on a couple of occasions, and the doctor kept on saying she had a low BP issue, don't get into this severe diet where you avoid salt. It was unfortunate. Later when she passed away. Nagarjuna had come home to offer his condolences, and he told me that during one of her movies, she was again on a crash diet, and that’s how she fell in the bathroom and broke her teeth,” he also said. Also Watch | Parineeti Chopra shares more glimpses from 'sporty' wedding festivities

Actor Sanjay Dutt took to social media to give a shoutout to director Vidhu Vinod Chopra for his upcoming film ‘12th Fail’ with Vikrant Massey. While praising the film, he hinted that the third installment in the popular ‘Munna Bhai’ franchise could be on the cards. ‘Film looking great sirji, praying it’s a winner, all the best, now waiting for Munna bhai,’ he wrote. For the unversed, Vidhu Vinod Chopra was the one who produced the first two films. Recently, Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, and Rajkumar Hirani left fans excited after they were spotted together on a set. Their reunion led to speculations about ‘Munna Bhai 3’. However, it was later reported that the same was for an advertisement. According to a report in Hindustan Times, Sanjay and Arshad shot an ad for a hospital. ‘There is no film in the making. They shot for a commercial for a hospital, and the BTS video was released online, which started the rumours,’ a source told HT. The report further stated that ‘Munna Bhai 3’ may never happen. A source told the publication, ‘There are very less chances of the third film happening now because of the fallout between Rajkummar Hirani and (producer) Vidhu Vinod Chopra. It has been several years since they parted ways. In fact, there was a film with a working title Munna Bhai Chale America, but that was soon shelved without any reason. The script was finalised and the pre-production had also started, but it could not happen.’ Also Watch | Boney Kapoor opens up on Sridevi's death for 1st time; says he went through lie detector tests

Actor Hrithik Roshan took to Instagram to pen a special note for ‘Fighter’ director Siddarth Anand, celebrating 10 years of their creative collaboration. The actor and filmmaker have worked together in several films, including ‘Bang Bang’ and ‘War’. Sharing a photo with Siddharth, he wrote, ‘Here’s to 10 years of our creative collaborations yaara! Today marks 9 years since ‘Bang Bang’ released, 4 since ‘War’ released and our ‘Fighter’ is on the horizon. Started off shooting with a bang on the rooftops of Shimla, and now we’re set to soar the blue skies. May we always fight on, side by side to bring our visions to life!.’ Siddharth Anand’s next project ‘Fighter’ also stars Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor in pivotal roles. Hrithik and Deepika are in Italy for a 15-day schedule in which they will be filming two songs for the film. As per a source close to the entertainment portal PinkVilla, ‘The Italy schedule begins with a dance number in the coming week picturized on Hrithik and Deepika. It’s a foot-tapping dance number on the lines of Ghungroo from War, with the leading pair looking their best. The stylish song, composed by Vishal and Shekhar, will be the talk of the town once launched.’ Deepika and Hrithik will also be shooting for a romantic number, encapsulating the trademark of Yash Raj Studios. ‘Sid loves to set up his songs in a certain way and right from his debut film, the songs always stood out with regards to tunes as well as visuals – be it Khuda Jaane, Meherbaan, Ghungroo, Jai Jai Shiv Shankar, Besharam Rang, Tujhe Bhula Diya and many more. Fighter will be no different. There will be a shift of location in Italy as the Fighter team moves on to shooting a quintessential romantic number displaying the chemistry of HR and DP. The number will have a vibe and flavor of its own, with two of the most good-looking actors of Hindi at their best,’ the source added. Also Watch | Bipasha Basu has the best reply to body shamers; says 'not bothered'

British actor-model Jodie Smith Turner filed for divorce from her husband, Canadian actor Joshua Jackson after four years of marriage citing 'irreconcilable differences'. Jodie, who has filed for divorce in the Los Angeles Superior Court, demanded joint custody of their daughter Juno. However, she has taken spousal support off the table for both herself and her husband. The date of separation has been mentioned as September 13 in the documents. Jodie met Joshua in 2018 during his birthday celebration and they fell head over heels quickly enough to get engaged just months later. In 2019, they caught a wedding license from Beverly Hills Courthouse, even before a lot got to know they were dating. In April 2020, the couple welcomed Juno, their daughter. Both celebrities have spoken fondly of each other in various interviews. In April 2021, Jodie spoke to PEOPLE about how lucky they were to have found each other. 'I think it's really beautiful to be with someone who is so supportive and so loving,' shared the actor. She added, 'We're so similar in so many ways. We're like mirrors for each other. And I just really love that human being.' Earlier this year in May, Joshua had an interview with Andy Cohen from Watch What Happens Live and said he knew Jodie was 'the one' when she 'walked into the room looking like that.' Also Watch | Trevor Noah spills beans on his cancelled Bengaluru shows