Entertainment

Val Kilmer died on April 1, 2025. He was 65. Fans, friends, and well-wishers have been sending in their heartfelt condolences for the loss of the Top Gun star, as it’s a tragic loss to comprehend.

Now his ex and good friend Cher, has taken to X, to share her grief. She recalled fond memories of him and his incredible work, and also highlighted how brave he had been all through his illness.

VALUS
Will miss u,U Were Funny,crazy,pain in the ass,GREAT FRIEND,kids💜U,
BRILLIANT as Mark Twain,
BRAVE here during ur sickness

— Cher (@cher) April 2, 2025

The post read, “VALUS. Will miss u. U Were Funny, crazy, a pain in the ass, GREAT FRIEND, kids (love) U, BRILLIANT as Mark Twain, BRAVE here during ur sickness.”

For the unversed, Cher and Val Kilmer dated for two years, back in the 80s. They had met at a birthday party. Even after parting ways, there was no animosity between the two as they continued to be good friends and colleagues. They would often talk lovingly about each other in interviews.

In a 2021 People Magazine interview, Cher mentioned, “We became friends because we laughed at the same things constantly. It went from madly in love and laughing hysterically to respecting each other’s ability.”

She further elaborated how it initially started off as friendship, but the two soon fell in love with each other.

However, things started falling apart because of their clashing strong personalities, Cher added, “We had unbelievable times and then put up with some times when they weren’t because we were both Alpha males.”

Cher concluded by saying that she had no idea how they continued to remain such good friends. It was difficult, but they just did it.

Some of Val Kilmer’s most notable works include Top Gun (1986),  The Doors (1991), Tombstone (1993), and Batman Forever (1995). It put him on the map as he rose to fame, and then there was no looking back.

It’s been more than 25 years of Kareena Kapoor Khan and the diva continues to rule hearts and the box office.

Last year she delivered commercial hits like Crew with Kriti Sanon and Tabu, and then Rohit Shetty’s Singham Again alongside Ajay Devgn and Arjun Kapoor, and cameo roles by Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Tiger Shroff, and Akshay Kumar.

Last evening, Kareena was present at the launch of her nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar’s book The Commonsense Diet, where she spoke about how she wants to balance work and family life for as long as she can.

The 44-year-old actress said, “Age is just a number. I want to always be fit to take on whatever old age brings. I want to be able to do what I have to do, whether I have to go to set also at the age of 70, or 75. I want to keep working all my life. I want to be able to bend to pick up my grandchildren. So for that, I need to eat right with her guidance.”

Speaking about the importance of yoga, eating right, and exercising in her life, the actress stated, “That’s what for me, ageing and life is. I love it, I’m embracing it, but I’m taking all these particular things like eating ghee, eating khichdi, doing a little bit of weight training for muscle strength, walking a little, my Surya Namaskars, doing my little work on my own rather than skin treatments and Botox.”

Kareena has always been loved the most for her character Geet in Jab We Met, which fans believe is very true to her off-camera personality.

Citing the dialogue of  “Main Apni Favourite Hoon“, the actress said that every woman should live by that mantra and nothing works magic life self-belief. Irrespective of how one feels, reassuring yourself every day is the only way to be.

The much-awaited trailer for ‘Kesari 2’ has finally dropped, offering a thrilling glimpse into this powerful historical drama. Starring Akshay Kumar, R. Madhavan, and Ananya Panday, the film brings to life the tragic Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the brave legal battle that followed. Directed by Karan Singh Tyagi, the film is set to hit cinemas worldwide on 18 April 2025.
Taking to Instagram, Karan Johar shared the trailer with the caption, “One man, his courage, his words—that shook the entire empire. Uncover the most shocking lie ever told. Uncover the darkest chapter of our history. Uncover the truth behind the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy.”

The trailer: A glimpse into the drama

The trailer for ‘Kesari 2’ offers a glimpse into the film’s emotional depth and historical significance. It opens with a gripping sequence, setting the tone for an intense courtroom drama following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The trailer showcases a fierce legal battle and intense courtroom confrontations filled with sharp dialogues between Akshay Kumar’s character, C. Sankaran Nair, and R. Madhavan’s Neville McKinley. Ananya Panday, playing a determined lawyer, Dilreet Gill, also appears in a promising role, contributing to the narrative’s emotional impact.
A tribute to unsung heroes
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919 was one of the darkest days in India’s history. While many know the horrors of that day, few are aware of the fearless legal fight that followed. ‘Kesari 2’ sheds light on this untold story, honoring those who refused to stay silent against injustice.
Earlier, Akshay had shared his thoughts on his character, writing, “He held his head high. He beat them at their game. He told them where to go. A genocide India must know about. A revolution painted in courage. #KesariChapter2teaser out now! In cinemas 18th April, worldwide.”

Actress Anupria Goenka, known for her roles in films like ‘Tiger Zinda Hai,’ ‘Padmaavat,’ and ‘War,’ as well as hit OTT shows such as ‘Sacred Games,’ ‘Abhay,’ and ‘Criminal Justice,’ recently opened up about losing out on a major role in ‘Sultan.’ Despite auditioning over ten times for the part, she lost it to Anushka Sharma.

Anupria’s intense audition process for ‘Sultan’
In a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, recalling her audition process, Anupria shared, “I auditioned for ‘Sultan’ for the main part. Tab woh log naye logo ko dhoond rahe the. Mere kuch 11-12 test hue the… pehle ek audition hua tha, phir doosra audition hua, phir there was a music video test, phir there was a dance test with Vaibhavi (Merchant), and then there were readings with Ali (Abbas Zafar).”

Anupria further revealed that she did not initially know she was auditioning for ‘Sultan.’ “That one-month process was beautiful. Thankfully mere liye voh poora process ek mahine ka tha. Agar woh 6-7 mahine ya ek saal chalta toh insaan anxiety main hi reh jaata na… Jab tak main Ali se nahi mili, mujhe pata bhi nahi tha ki ‘Sultan’ ki baat ho rahi hai because YRF main they don’t give you the actual script. They give you some other script, and they make you audition on that… It was only when I met Ali and he kept referring to ‘Mr. Khan’ that I realized ki this is for ‘Sultan’ and the main part.”
“Ek toh I’m dusky, which I’m very proud of…”
When she did not get the role, Anupria admitted it was difficult to accept. “The whole process was very heartbreaking when I didn’t get it, of course… Ek toh I’m dusky, which I’m very proud of. I love being dusky. But I’m not a typical YRF heroine, right? I do not have the most shapely legs…”

Mrunal Thakur was also considered for Anushka’s role
Interestingly, Anupria was not the only actress who almost played Aarfa in ‘Sultan.’ During an episode of ‘Bigg Boss 15,’ Salman Khan revealed that Mrunal Thakur was originally considered for the role. “Mrunal had come to my Panvel farmhouse. Ali (Ali Abbas Zafar) had brought her,” Salman recalled. However, he explained that Mrunal did not have the required physique for a wrestler’s role. “She did not look like a wrestler at the time,” he said. Ultimately, the role went to Anushka Sharma, who delivered a powerful performance, impressing audiences with her chemistry with Salman Khan.

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.