Entertainment

Akkitham Narayanan’s work on display
| Photo Credit: Gowri S

Akkitham Narayanan strongly believes that art cannot be translated into words, and so he shoots a friendly directive at me: “Don’t exaggerate! I have nothing to say, I am here only to show”. It is almost strange that a veteran artist, one of the pioneers of the Madras Art Movement and a darling student of KCS Paniker, would throw his hands up in the air to say that there is no specific meaning to his widely appreciated, collected and studied geometric abstractions. In fact, he is not too keen on the term itself. “Any painting can be interpreted in any way. I like the forms and so I develop the forms.”

Mani Ratnam and the artist
| Photo Credit:
special arrangement

Sporting an affable smile, the 86-year-old is at Lalit Kala Akademi today, surrounded by almost 150 works of art — sourced from collectors, friends and his own collection in the city — for a partial retrospective that charts his dalliances with the form, from the 1950s to the 2020s. Large (and small) abstracts, sometimes linear and sometimes not, with a clear preoccupation for order in chaos take over the walls for his first ever solo show in Chennai. The display, sans chronology, is a window into his revered body of work spanning decades — influences from music to printmaking and tantric art are unmissable and ‘noticeably Akkitham’. 

The Kerala-born artist who obtained a diploma in Painting from the Government College of Art and Craft, Madras, in 1961, was one among the then-young promising artists who set up the Cholamandal Artists Village in seaside Madras. 

Artist Akkitham Narayanan
| Photo Credit:
Gowri S

“At the end of our studies in India, Panicker insisted that we look back into India, and our own traditions. He organised tours across the East, North and West, to make us understand a cross section of Indian art through temple and cave art,” he remembers. Out of this time came many of his figurative works — figuration, not in human form — dating back to the beginning of his practice in the 1950s. Paul Cezanne, William Kandinsky and Rembrandt, have all played their roles in Narayanan’s life through various stages of his career. He remembers pouring over these paintings in books back at the Connemara library. 

Narayanan went to Paris on a Government scholarship where he studied painting under Jean Bertholle, and engraving under Lucien Couteau at the École des Beaux-Arts, from the end of 1967 to 1970. Moving to Paris, where he still lives, was a turning point in his life and artistic practice. For a young Narayanan, who until then had only a theoretical knowledge of European art, the exposure and interactions in the city helped realise how enmeshed art is to life. After a year largely carried by the dilemma of where and how to start, his practice began. 

“When I went to Paris, I completely changed. I went to linear and geometric abstraction,” he recalls. It all began with two forms — the fundamental symbolic forms of the triangle and the square, which he later split from, and is to this day, experiments with. 

One of the abstractions on display
| Photo Credit:
Gowri S

Panicker used to send him letters carrying curious enquiries and sometimes prescient advice. Narayanan remembers, “He would write asking, ‘What are you doing there? You are in Europe and you must be knowing what’s happening in India too. Compare these, and do something on your own!’ That inspired me to think of doing something different.” Though his canvases are reminiscent of a kind of rhythmic chanting that can be alluded to tantric art, he strips them off any religious meaning.  “I think I have done everything that I could with that.”

In front of the charming miniature watercolours, it is hard not to peer into the intricacy of Narayanan’s elements. He reminds us of his realisation, “There’s nothing you can explain in words, that you can’t through images. The feeling of pleasure is hard to explain.”

A Thousand Universes is on display at Lalit Kala Akademi, Egmore until April 15 from 11am to 7pm, and at Artworld —Sarala’s Art Centre, Alwarpet, from April 16 to May 10, 10.30am to 6.30pm.

A still from ‘Empuraan’

In the wake of ongoing controversy, the makers of L2: Empuraan have removed Union Minister and actor Suresh Gopi’s name from the film’s “Special Thanks” section following a series of voluntary cuts. The Mohanlal-starrer, which was released on March 27, underwent re-editing after right-wing backlash, resulting in 24 cuts amounting to a total of 2 minutes and 8 seconds.

The updated version of the film, certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), has altered multiple elements, including muting dialogues, trimming intense sequences, and modifying references that had sparked outrage. Alongside Suresh Gopi’s name, the film also removed IRS officer Jyothis Mohan from its list of acknowledgments.

While the exact reason for Suresh Gopi’s removal remains unclear, the decision coincides with the broader changes aimed at addressing political sensitivities. The most significant modification involved renaming the antagonist Balraj, originally believed to be a reference to Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi, to Baldev. The timeline card that read “India 2002” was also changed to the more ambiguous “a few years ago.”

Despite the edits, the film has seen a surge in demand, with theaters across Kerala witnessing sold-out shows. The global box office collections have reportedly crossed ₹200 crore as of March 31. The original, uncut version continues to be screened internationally, while its OTT release is expected to incorporate the edited version.

Producer Anthony Perumbavoor addressed the media, asserting that the re-editing was not a result of political pressure. He also confirmed that the franchise’s next installment, L3: The Beginning, remains in the pipeline.

It is usual in Carnatic Music to associate certain deities with certain composers. The term frequently used is Ishta Devata, and thus when we speak of Rama, it is usually Tyagaraja who comes to mind. His illustrious contemporary Muthuswami Dikshitar has a small but significant corpus of songs on Rama as well. Given his association with Sri Vidya worship and the Navavarana compositions, Dikshitar is often termed a Devi upasaka. But rather like Adi Sankara, he was an exponent of Shanmatha — the worship of Ganesa, Skanda, Surya, Vishnu, Siva and Devi. He alone among the Carnatic Trinity has compositions for each of these deities.

Dikshitar’s devotion to Rama was probably due to his association with Upanishad Brahmendra Yogin, a savant who lived in Kanchipuram and where his math is still open to visitors. V. Raghavan’s article in the Journal of the Music Academy, Madras Vol XXVII has details on him. Upanishad Brahmendra Yogin enjoys a unique position in Carnatic music history, for he brought both Dikshitar and Tyagaraja to Kanchipuram, though the visits were almost 40 years apart. 

The Sangita Sampradaya Pradarsini has nine kritis on Rama, composed by Muthuswami Dikshitar

Upanishad Brahmendra Yogin was a devotee of Rama, and among Dikshitar’s tasks was the setting to music of his Rama Ashtapadi. These are in no way connected to the Jayadeva Ashtapadi in terms of theme. They are named as such because, like the older and famed work, these too have eight charanams, well almost, for the first one has 13! Today, the lyrics of the work survive, though Dikshitar’s tunes for them are lost. Also available are Upanishad Brahmendra Yogin’s Divyanama Keertanams on Rama. It is believed that these served as inspirations for Tyagaraja’s eponymous set of songs. 

A cursory glance at Upanishad Brahmendra Yogin’s works establishes how significantly they influenced Dikshitar in terms of lyrics. Several phrases emerge and Dikshitar has not used them just in his Rama kritis but in those on other deities as well. The Rama Ashtapadi also addresses the deity in all eight declensions, which may have been the inspiration for Dikshitar’s famed vibhakti kritis.

Sri Santhanaramaswamy Temple in Needamangalam
| Photo Credit:
M. Srinath

The Sangita Sampradaya Pradarsini (SSP) of Subbarama Dikshitar, published in 1904, has in it nine kritis on Rama, composed by Muthuswami Dikshitar. Among these, only two can be clearly assigned to temples where they were composed. The first is ‘Sri Ramam’ in Narayana Gowla where the kshetra name Darbasayanam is clearly mentioned. Rama here, contrary to all other shrines, is in a recumbent posture, on a bed of darba grass, awaiting the grace of the ocean before building a bridge on it. The second composition is ‘Santanaramaswaminam’ in Hindolavasanta, which mentions the town where it is situated as Yamunambapuri. This is today Needamangalam and the temple to Santanarama here is famous. 

The kriti ‘Kothadandaramam anisam’ (Kokilarava) is attributed to the temple at Vaduvur, known for its utsava icon of Rama and its bewitching smile.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

However, the song as it appears in the SSP lacks the charanam and, therefore, the mudra ‘Guruguha’, an  identifier that is needed for making it a Muthuswami Dikshitar composition. The book, however, says it is his work. Later publications have a charanam added, and The Music Academy’s Tamil edition of the SSP accredits Sangita Kalanidhi Justice T.L. Venkatarama Iyer as the source. But it sheds no light on where he obtained it from. The absence of the rishabha throughout this added charanam, while it is used liberally in the pallavi and anupallavi of the kriti as seen in the SSP, also makes it a puzzle. 

The remaining kritis in the SSP on Rama are all addressed to the deity without any mention of location or shrine. In recent times, the kriti ‘Kothadandaramam anisam’ (Kokilarava) is attributed to the temple at Vaduvur, known for its utsava icon of Rama and its bewitching smile. However, there are no references to the place or this idol in the composition. 

Perhaps, the grandest of the Dikshitar compositions on Rama is ‘Mamava pattabhirama’. Composed in Manirangu, it is a stunning word picture of the Lord during his coronation. The lyrics seem inspired by, or served as inspiration for, the standard Thanjavur paintings of Rama’s coronation. Dikshitar mentions everyone — Sita, the brothers, Anjaneya, Sugriva and his entourage, Vibhishana, and the seven sages. While there is a legend that this was sung by Dikshitar and his disciples when they met with Tyagaraja at Tiruvaiyaru, it could well be a composition at the Ramaswami temple in Kumbakonam where the deity is in coronation mode. But then, this too is conjecture. 

The Adi Jagannatha Temple that houses the Darbasayanam Rama sannidhi.

In later years, a Rama Navavaranam, attributed to Dikshitar emerged. This had a set of nine songs, of which just two, ‘Ramachandram Bhavayami’ (Vasanta) and ‘Ramachandrena’ (Manji) were in the SSP. The set had songs completing the remaining declensions. The provenance of these songs is unknown as it is impossible to identify the manuscript source for these. The term Navavaranam too is a misnomer — being modes of address, they can at best be considered vibhakti kritis.

Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan’s children, Suhana and Aryan Khan, recently enjoyed a fun-filled night out with their cousins, Arjun and Alia Chhiba. On Wednesday, Gauri shared a wholesome picture of the quartet on Instagram.

The image featured Suhana and Aryan twinning in classic black tops and blue jeans. Their cousins, Arjun and Alia, joined them in equally cool and casual ensembles. FYI: Arjun and Alia Chhiba are the kids of Gauri’s brother, Vikrant Chhibber. They are often seen on vacations and celebrations with the Khan family.

Reacting to the post, Farah Khan wrote, “Nazar utaaro (cast off the evil eye) pls.” Shalini Passi, Sanjay Kapoor, Maheep Kapoor, Raghav Juyal, Suhana Khan and Alia Chhiba dropped red heart emojis in the comment section.

Earlier, Alia Chhiba also shared glimpses of her Mumbai trip on Instagram. The carousel post featured stunning sunsets, indulgent meals and wholesome moments with her cousin, Suhana Khan. The side note read, “Bombay, bites and big smiles!” 

On the work front, Suhana Khan made her acting debut in The Archies. Directed by Zoya Akhtar, the film premiered on Netflix in 2023. The actress is now all set to make her silver screen debut in King, alongside her father, Shah Rukh Khan. The film will be directed by Siddharth Anand. 

Aryan Khan, on the other hand, will make his directorial debut with the Netflix series, Ba***ds of Bollywood. It features Bobby Deol and Lakshya in lead roles. 

Ba***ds of Bollywood is co-created by Bilal Siddiqi and Manav Chauhan, who also share writing credits with Aryan. The series is produced by Gauri Khan. 

A still from ‘Chhorri 2’
| Photo Credit: Prime Video

Prime Video today unveiled the trailer for Chhorii 2, its much-awaited sequel to the 2021 horror film Chhorii. Director Vishal Furia returns to helm the sequel which is set to premiere on the service on April 11.

The trailer of the sequel takes us back to Sakshi’s (Nushrratt Bharuccha) dark world, now turned even deadlier. Without revealing too much about the plot, the trailer manages to create intrigue with its eerie atmosphere. We see glimpses of a story in which Sakshi deals with haunting rituals, spectres and black magic to protect her daughter Ishani.

The highlight of the trailer, however, is Soha Ali Khan’s character, Daasi. “Seven years after the events of Chhorii, Sakshi lives peacefully with her daughter, Ishani, far from the horrors of their past. Ishani suffers from a rare condition that forces her to live in darkness, as sunlight could kill her. Despite this, Ishani remains a brave and happy child. One night, a ghostly figure appears in Ishani’s room, luring her away like a possessed doll. When Sakshi returns home, Ishani is gone. Desperate, she turns to Inspector Samar for help.

“Their search leads them back to the village she swore never to revisit. In the maze-like sugarcane fields, Sakshi and Samar face ancient terrors. Separated by a sinister force, Sakshi encounters someone she thought was dead, only to be struck down and left unconscious. She awakens in an underground cave where the villagers worship a malevolent deity. Daasi, the shape-shifting priestess, announces Ishani’s sacrifice in three days. Sakshi must stop the ritual and save her daughter before it’s too late,” reads the logline.

Speaking about stepping back into Sakshi’s world, Nushrratt shared, “Returning as Sakshi in Chhorii 2 has been one of the most intense yet rewarding experiences of my career. After 7 years of tirelessly protecting her child, Sakshi’s deepest fear comes true, which adds a whole new level of emotion and intensity to the narrative. The horror in this installment feels darker, more powerful, and very real because it taps into a mother’s worst nightmare. Vishal has masterfully woven spine-chilling moments with raw emotions making the story a gripping blend of survival, love, and the lengths a mother will go to protect her child.”

Soha said, “What drew me to the film was how it mixes unsettling, atmospheric horror with folklore that feels so rooted in our culture. My character is layered — there’s menace but also mystery. She’s not someone you can easily predict, which made her a fascinating character to portray on screen. Vishal has crafted a world where fear creeps in from all sides, and being a part of it allowed me to explore a completely new side of myself as an actor.”

Chhorii 2 also stars Gashmeer Mahajani, Saurabh Goyal, Pallavi Ajay, Kuldeep Sareen, and Hardika Sharma. The film is produced by T-Series, Abundantia Entertainment, Psych, and Tamarisk Lane Production.

Rumours of Ayesha Jhulka’s relationship with Nana Patekar, Mithun Chakraborty made it to the gossip columns of tabloids, magazines during her time. Years after, the Khiladi actress reacted to those rumours in a recent interview with Vickey Lalwani. 

She said, “If you open the tabloids of that time, I was linked with everybody. We were just friends, and we had a fun relationship. When you do six or seven films together, you’re meeting each other on set every third day… At that age, it’s naivety… I have more boyfriends than girlfriends even now, but that doesn’t mean you have to be romantically associated with them. In today’s time, what is there to hide? We’ve crossed that age…”

According to some reports, Ayesha’s relationship with Nana Patekar caused a rift in the actor’s relationship with Manisha Koiarala and they, eventually, broke up. 

Addressing speculation that Manisha Koirala ended her relationship with Nana because of her, Ayesha said, “It didn’t have anything to do with an affair. We did a photoshoot together, and then I did a play with him. But again, look at the seniority. I understand (being linked up) with co-stars my age, but I hate to talk about people who are (older). I have nothing to do with (Manisha walking out on him).”

Ayesha Jhulka and Akshay Kumar’s chemistry in the 1992 film Khiladi made a lot of buzz. Reacting to the rumours of her relationship with Akshay Kumar, the actress said, “There could’ve been an attraction, but that’s normal,”

“We’ve always had that fondness, but I don’t think ‘physical attraction’ is the right way to put it,” she explained.

Ayesha Jhulka worked in films like Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, Kaise Kaise Rishte, Sangram, Waqt Hamara Hai, Dil Ki Baazi, Aulad Ke Dushman, to name a few. 

Salman Khan’s latest film, ‘Sikandar,’ was released on the occasion of Eid with high expectations. However, the film has struggled to perform well at the box office. It opened with Rs. 26 crore on its first day but faced mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. After 3 days of release, the film has collected Rs 74.5 crore net in India, as reported by Sacnilk.
According to the makers, ‘Sikandar’ earned Rs. 35.47 crore on its opening day and Rs. 39.37 crore on the second day. Worldwide, the film has managed to collect Rs. 141.15 crore in three days. Despite these numbers, the film is yet to cross the Rs. 100 crore mark in India, a milestone Salman’s Eid releases usually achieve with ease.

Fans blame producers for Sikandar’s BO performance

As fans expressed disappointment over the film’s performance, some took to social media to blame the producers. Many Salman Khan supporters accused the producers of “destroying” the actor’s career. One fan commented, “Have some shame, or would you not stop until you destroy Salman Khan’s career?” Another user tagged Warda Khan Nadiadwala, the wife of producer Sajid Nadiadwala, and questioned, “How can you be so shameless?”
Warda Khan’s responses to trolls
Meanwhile, producer Sajid Nadiadwala’s wife, Warda, who has been actively promoting the film by sharing positive reactions, did not hold back in her responses. When a fan called her a “Jaahil aurat” (ignorant woman), she replied, “Get well soon.”
These interactions quickly went viral, with screenshots of her replies being widely shared on social media. However, it appears that Warda has now removed most of them from her feed. Some criticized Warda for her language, while others defended her, stating that Salman himself is responsible for selecting scripts and directors. One Reddit user wrote, “She had nothing to do with the movie. It is Salman who chose the script and director. It is on him. But these fans can’t call him out.”
Despite the backlash, Warda continued to highlight positive fan responses to ‘Sikandar.’ She reshared a post that read, “Sikandar just owned every fan’s heart” and added, “Yoo-hoo, Sikandar ka fans ke dillon pe raaj.” She also shared another post stating, “Salman Khan’s Sikandar will earn more than Rs. 20 crore at the box office,” to which she responded, “Jawaab audience ka karara Jawab.”
Check the Reddit post here

Stand-up comedian and actor Vir Das has announced his debut as an author with the memoir, The Outsider. The International Emmy-winning comedian shared the news on Instagram where he posted a video that showcased various chapters of his life, career, and identity.

“I WROTE A BOOK!!!!! For ALL ‘The Outsiders’… For some reason, I have seen more of the world, and been let into more worlds, than anyone I know.

“Laughter has truly saved my life. I hope to show you how funny and beautiful this world is. It hits shelves soon, but you can order it NOW in my profile,” he wrote on Wednesday evening.

Through the book, which will be published by Simon & Schuster, Das will take readers on a journey through his life, highlighting moments of self-discovery, heartbreak, failure, and laughter, a press release said.

The memoir recounts several key incidents from Das’s life, including a moment when he was stranded on a pier in Cozumel, Mexico, after his cruise ship left without him due to visa issues.

Born in India, Das spent his early years moving between India and Lagos, Nigeria, and often felt like an outsider.

“I’ve had a strange life that took me across the world more than anyone I know. I don’t know how one ends up being the Indian kid in Nigeria, the African kid in boarding school, the boarding school kid in Delhi Public School, the Delhi kid in Galesburg, Illinois, the Chicago guy in Alabama, the America-return in Mumbai, the Bollywood guy in comedy, the stand-up comedy guy in Bollywood, the Bollywood guy in Indie Music, and the Indian in American comedy,” Das said.

“All I know is, when you are blessed enough to step into all those worlds, you write a book about it. I hope to take you across the world through the eyes of a fortunate fool,” he added.

Das has performed in six standup specials — “Abroad Understanding”, “Losing It”, “For India”, “Vir Das: Inside Out”, “Vir Das: Outside In” and “Vir Das: Landing”, which won him an International Emmy for best comedy series.

He has acted in movies such as “Badmaash Company”, “Delhi Belly”, “Go Goa Gone” and “Shaadi Ke Side Effects” as well as shows like “Whiskey Cavalier”, “Fresh Off the Boat”, “Hasmukh” and “Call Me Bae”.

Das is currently on his ‘Mind Fool’ world tour, taking his comedy to 33 countries.

Shalini Pandey
| Photo Credit: @shalzp/Instagram

Actor Shalini Pandey has opened up about a disturbing incident in which a director of a South Indian film she was working on barged into her vanity van when she was changing clothes. The actor, who made her film debut with 2017’s Arjun Reddy, added that the incident taught her to establish boundaries very early on in her career.

Shalini said this in an interview with Filmygyan, while talking about her experience working with men in the industry. “It’s not that I have worked only with good men in my career, I have also worked with horrid men in my life. I am talking about on-screen, off-screen and within the crew. You just have to have boundaries. I have also faced the most chauvinistic men. That’s also the reality,” said Shalini.

The 31-year-old added that since she was an outsider to the industry, she had nobody to go back to. “Mere pass hota hi nahi tha to ask how one should be in such situations. Now, when I look back, I am glad I was like that. I was naive, but I had hard boundaries. Like, I would snap.”

This is when the actor shared the harrowing incident from when she was 22 years old. “I was doing a South film and this director walks into my van, doesn’t knock, and I was changing. He just opened the door and entered. This is a girl who has just done her first film. People usually tell you to be very sweet and not rub people the wrong way. They be like, ‘otherwise, you won’t get films’. I have been told all that.”

Shalini recounted how she yelled at the director, a reaction she said she was advised against. “Once he left, people told me that I shouldn’t have yelled. But, there has to be manners. Just because I am new, you cannot just enter without knocking. You cannot do that to me. And I realised that is something that I carried with me. I would come across as an angry person to people. But I had to do certain things to protect myself,” said Shalini, adding that she has now learn how to “manipulate such things rather than just snap at people.”

On comparisons with Alia Bhatt:

Meanwhile, in another interview with Instant Bollywood, Shalini addressed being compared with Bollywood superstar Alia Bhatt, stating that she wishes to have her own individuality. “Alia hai! We don’t need another Alia. No one should be another Alia. Because Alia is so amazing. Not just because of her films — of course, she’s incredible onscreen. But personally, from what I’ve seen of Alia offscreen as well, I admire her.

“I don’t want to be that because there is one Alia. Of course, there are so many admirable qualities that you want to take, but I also want to have my own individuality. I want people to look at me for who Shalini is rather than box me into something. But when they compare with love, of course, it’s a great comparison because she’s just lovely,” added Shalini.

Shalini, known for working in films like Arjun Reddy, Mahanati, and NTR: Kathanayakudu, made her Bollywood debut in 2022, with the Ranveer Singh-starrer Jayeshbhai Jordaar. She was last seen in Netflix’s 2024 film Maharaj, co-starring Junaid Khan, and in the streamer’s 2025 series Dabba Cartel, co-starring Shabana Azmi, Jyothika, Nimisha Sajayan, and Anjali Anand.

Jaya Bachchan was in the news again for her insistence that Raya Sabha members stop addressing her as ‘Jaya Amitabh Bachchan‘. Last year she sparked off a social media debate when she stated her preferences and reignited the buzz once again when she reminded presiding chairman Birendra Prasad Vaishya, “For so many years, you used to call me Jaya ji only. Anyway, it doesn’t matter.”
While this subject has gained traction over the past few days, it has been an ongoing debate for several decades, it seems. Long before she could address the matter in the Rajya Sabha, Jaya, made the bold decision to keep her maiden name ‘Jaya Bhaduri‘ even after she married Amitabh Bachchan in 1973.
At a time when it was customary for women to take their husband’s surname after marriage, Amitabh won praise from his father-in-law for standing by his wife’s choice to to retain her maiden name for her film career. Taroon Coomar Bhaduri, a renowned journalist and writer, in a 1989 article for The Illustrated Weekly of India, reflected on his son-in-law’s unwavering support for Jaya’s identity and career. He recalled an instance where someone, in an attempt to flatter Amitabh, suggested that Jaya should be credited as “Jaya Bachchan” instead of “Jaya Bhaduri” in films.
Big B, responded saying, “Of course, she is a Bachchan, but you should know that in the industry and professionally, she is more famous as Jaya Bhaduri.”
With Amitabh’s support, Jaya continued to use her maiden name in film credits.
Taroon praised Amitabh for his support, and for the way he stood up against rumours about their alleged inter-cast marriage. “I would like to know just one good reason why my wife or I would have been opposed to the Bhaduri-Bachchan alliance,” he wrote, and shared his appreciation for Amitabh’s character. He further lauded the actor’s perseverance in the film industry, adding, “Initial failures did not deter him, and with a Teutonic doggedness, he pursued his career.”