Weighing in on the ongoing controversy surrounding the Netflix show, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, Sudhir Mishra said one may find it difficult to find an Indian who is more patriotic than Anubhav Sinha. Sinha’s show, which dramatises the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC 814, has triggered a row after a section of viewers objected to the Hindu code names of the terrorists, contending that distortion of their real identities amounted to misrepresentation of historical events. “He has made the series quite thoughtfully. It is up to you to react or not react. If you say Anubhav Sinha is not patriotic, that is wrong. I know him very well. You will not find a more patriotic Indian than him. He has grown up [admiring] Lord Ram.”

Poll

Who will win the Punjab Elections?

BJP 32.86%

AAP 41.43%

INC 25.71%

Submit

View All In Poll

Raised well

While reflecting on the difference in the upbringing of children across generations, R Madhavan said he feels “sorry” for youngsters. On a podcast, Madhavan was asked about growing up in an era when India was “not so rich”. “I feel sorry, in my own judgemental way, for the kids who are here right now. We had the best time climbing trees, catching tadpoles, getting into fights, and getting out of fights. What it is to swallow your ego, say sorry, and not have our parents interfere in our fights. The only justification I will give for people born in the ’70s is this: look at all the CEOs in the world today. They were born in the ’70s and ’80s in India. We did something really right,” he said.

Celebrating a film

As veteran actor Shabana Azmi celebrated the 49th anniversary of her movie, Nishant, she reflected on the film’s impact and critiqued current industry trends. Azmi shared the poster of the drama,  and noted: “The film, the second after Ankur, firmly established Shyam Benegal as a leading figure in what is known as parallel cinema. Shyam gave newcomers a chance and established them as stars. Unfortunately, OTT platforms are mostly pursuing established stars and directors, missing a significant opportunity to nurture new talent. What a pity.” Director Shekhar Kapur responded to Azmi’s post, remarking: “That long? Bet the film still feels contemporary.” Nishant featured an ensemble cast including Girish Karnad, Naseerudding Shah, and Smita Patil. 

Bigger casting coup

In news that will be heartily welcomed by his fans, Diljit Dosanjh has joined Sunny Deol and Varun Dhawan for Border 2. A motion poster shared by the makers started with a verse of the song, Sandese aate hai, from the 1997 original, and read alongside Dosanjh’s name: “The bravest come together for the biggest war.” “Border 2 hits theatres on January 23, 2026,” mentioned the makers. Deol took to Instagram to welcome the Punjabi artiste. It was on August 23 that news of Dhawan joining the team hit headlines. “To play a part in Border 2 is a very special moment in my career,” he had shared then.