A fresh romantic comedy is brewing in Bollywood with the versatile Rajkummar Rao and the talented Wamiqa Gabbi taking the lead under the direction of Karan Sharma, acclaimed for steering the successful web series ‘Maharani’. The film, not yet christened, is a production of Dinesh Vijan, who has a knack for backing unique storylines set against the backdrop of India’s vibrant small towns. The narrative is said to follow a couple ensnared in a rather unconventional scenario.
The project marks another collaboration between Rao and Vijan, following a series of successful films including ‘Stree’ (2018), ‘Made in China’ (2019), ‘Roohi’, and ‘Hum Do Hamare Do’ (2021), as well as the much-anticipated ‘Stree 2’. Meanwhile, Karan Sharma is simultaneously directing ‘Shiddat 2’, produced by Dinesh Vijan, featuring Wamiqa alongside Sunny Kaushal. The start of this unnamed movie’s production is slated for July, by which time Rao is expected to complete ‘Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video’ with Triptii Dimri, and Wamiqa’s commitments to ‘Baby John’, sharing screen space with Varun Dhawan and Keerthy Suresh, are also likely to wrap up.
In the realm of personal milestones, the film fraternity recently heard the chiming of engagement bells for Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth. The ‘Rang De Basanti’ actor disclosed during an event that the engagement was intimate—branding it as ‘secret’ was reserved for those not on the guest list. Siddharth, elated by Hydari’s ‘yes’, indicated that the matrimonial date is at the discretion of their respective elders, emphasizing that a wedding isn’t a shooting schedule one could fix arbitrarily, but a lifelong milestone.
Switching gears, Adah Sharma finally addressed the persistent buzz about acquiring the Bandra residence, Mont Blanc, of the departed actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Overwhelmed by media frenzy during her visit, Sharma expressed her disquiet over discussing topics related to the late actor. She underscored her respect for Rajput and her discomfort towards the casual chatter surrounding someone who has passed.
On the professional front, actor Vikrant Massey is gearing up to portray a visually-impaired musician in ‘Aakhon Ki Gustaakhiyaan’, directed by writer Niranjan Iyengar in his maiden venture as a director. The romance is an adaptation of Ruskin Bond’s beloved short story ‘The Eyes Have It’. With filming scheduled to commence in August across the scenic locales of Uttarakhand and subsequently Georgia, the production is on the lookout for its female lead. Massey, meanwhile, is engaged with Rajkumar Hirani’s debut web series where he plays a cybercrime specialist.
Randeep Hooda has had little time to bask in the glory of his film ‘SwatantryaVeer Savarkar’, which also signified his directorial inception. Elated by the movie’s impact on audiences, Hooda shared his emotional visit to Veer Savarkar’s birthplace, Bhagur in Nashik. He reflected on the essence of the location, the historic significance, and the need for more people to experience the memorial dedicated to the freedom fighter.
Lastly, Bollywood bid farewell to FU Ramsay, or Gangu Ramsay, of the acclaimed Ramsay Brothers. As a cinematic institution, they pioneered the horror genre in India during the ’70s and ’90s. Gangu, aged 83, succumbed after a prolonged illness. His contributions to the industry were not only confined to horror but also extended across genres and regional boundaries.
Celebration is in the air as producer Anand Pandit plans an opulent wedding for his daughter Aish, with the event boasting an illustrious guest list including Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, and several Bollywood luminaries. With preparations underway for a grand musical showcase, the wedding is slated to be a momentous occasion, paralleled only by the enchanting wedding scene often depicted in the cinematic tales that Pandit and his peers craft so lovingly.
