Anil Kapoor has featured in the New York Times crossword puzzle. Best remembered on international turf for his portrayal of Prem Kumar, the host of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, in Slumdog Millionaire, Kapoor’s name was used in the puzzle with the clue: Kapoor of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. The actor, who last featured in The Night Manager, will be seen in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s film, Animal with Ranbir Kapoor and in Siddharth Anand’s Fighter, with Hrithik Roshan.

Big Bang, but late dhamaka

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Do you recall how Friends, the best-performing show of the ’90s, found itself facing criticism as society became sensitised towards the needs of the LGBTQiA+ community? While young fans were upset about several comments made by the protagonists, millennials, who’ve grown up on the show, highlighted that criticising the show that was made before society had evolved to fully comprehend its actions, was futile. In the latest news, as certain celebrities and politicians raised objections over the words used for Madhuri Dixit-Nene in The Big Bang Theory, fans of the show find themselves in a similar predicament. Highlighting that it was futile to criticise an episode that aired in 2008, social media users said the case should have been filed against the writers at the time, instead of targeting the streaming platform, Netflix.  Several users also highlighted that given that the depiction of Indians in several other shows from the era was also problematic, singling this show out was not appropriate. 

Coming home

US-based Indian actor Freida Pinto is set to visit Mumbai after three years. She will be in the city, on invitation, to attend a special fashion showcase. Talking about the show that is dedicated to India, she says: “It’s an association I cannot afford to not get behind. This has already been an incredible year for India in the field of arts and sports, and so, it’s only fair that we add fashion to the list too.” Pinto is currently prepping for The Henna Artist, based on Alka Joshi’s best-selling novel of the same name. The book follows a woman who escapes from an abusive marriage, makes her way to Jaipur, and becomes a sought-after henna artiste — and confidante — to wealthy women.

Visual treat

Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty will be seen sharing screen space with his actor-son, Namashi Chakraborty in a new track, Janabe Ali, from Bad Boy. The party number sees the duo on the silver screen together for the first time. The song has been sung, penned and composed by Himesh Reshammiya, and also features debutante actor, Amrin. Helmed by Rajkumar Santoshi, Bad Boy also stars Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav, Darshan Jariwala and Saswata Chatterjee in pivotal roles. It is scheduled to release theatrically on April 28. Meanwhile, Mithun is reportedly set to feature in the Bangladeshi father-daughter drama, Hero.

In support

Meanwhile, celebrating Priyanka Chopra’s success on international shores, and for her ability to bring glory to India, Apurva Asrani took to social media to offer support. “Finally Priyanka Chopra reveals what everyone knew, but didn’t say a word [about]. Not the liberals, not the feminists. They hail those that ostracised her, celebrate the kings that tried to destroy her. It is a massive win that she didn’t end up like Parveen Babi or Sushant Singh Rajput,” he shared, referring to the late actors. Speaking of her move to Hollywood, Chopra said that she was being “pushed into a corner” in Bollywood. “I was tired of the politics,” she said. 

No home for nepo kids too?

Musician Amaal Malik has backed Priyanka Chopra’s claims by revealing that he has also suffered due to the industry politics prevalent in Bollywood. “It’s something I face on a daily basis. For fans asking me why I don’t do as many Bollywood films, now you know. The truth about camps, boot-licking and power play within Bollywood needs to come to the fore,” shared Daboo Malik’s son. Revealing the reasons behind his absence from Bollywood, he said he refuses to “suck up to power,” and is “not part of any” camp.