mid-day recently reported about Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth shooting together for the latter’s next, Vettaiyan, in St Xavier’s College, Mumbai (Legends are the new cool kids on campus, May 3). Bachchan shared his joy of collaborating with his old friend, several years after Hum (1991). Alongside a picture of them together, he wrote, “I am honoured and privileged to be with the Thala, the great Rajini again. He hasn’t changed at all… the same, simple, humble, down-to-earth friend despite his stratospheric greatness!” Previously, when Big B was signed on for the film, Rajini had shared his excitement on social media, saying, “After 33 years, I am working again with my mentor, the phenomenon, Shri Amitabh Bachchan in Lyca’s upcoming production, Thalaivar 170, directed by TJ Gnanavel. My heart is thumping with joy!”

Kya scene tha!

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Even though Dev Patel’s Monkey Man is yet to be cleared by Central Board of Film Certification for its India release, it has come to light that he edited Makarand Deshpande’s crucial scene from the final cut. Interestingly, the actor-filmmaker himself broke the news to Makarand before its US première, attributing it to ‘political reasons’. Sharing the details in an interaction online, Makarand recalled asking Dev, “Wasn’t that scene the philosophy of your film?” In response, he was told that the role still remained powerful. Reiterating that the scene would have made an impact, Makarand reportedly added, “It had that punch, an edited scene won’t matter to the audience, but it matters to the actor. In my understanding, it was the rooh [soul] of the film, it may not be for Dev. It is getting a lot of critical acclaim; it might [be] in the Oscar race later and is like their Satya.”

‘Join us and shine’

Amid reports that he is teaming up with Ranveer Singh, Prashanth Varma is inviting new artistes and technicians to join his cinematic universe. The Hanu-Man director has promised audiences a global experience with Jai Hanuman, the sequel to his January hit. Having struggled nearly a decade before getting the opportunity to direct his first film, Prashanth said, “I realised this is the best way to give back to the industry that made my dreams come true. Now that we have initiated this universe, I want to give an opportunity to new talents out there to join us and shine.”

Water phobia no more

Debattama Saha is excited about her new television show, Krishna Mohini, in which her character Krishna puts her sibling Mohan’s (Ketaki Kulkarni) happiness above everything else. Inspired by her fierce character, Debattama faced her fear of water head-on by plunging into a river for a pivotal sequence. “Krishna’s character has different layers, and one of them is her fierce attitude.

When the scene demanded me to jump into a river, I was initially hesitant due to my water phobia,” the actor admitted. Since the role required her to battle her fears, Debattama took the leap with the help of the harness. She added, “The rush of adrenaline that followed was hard to put into words, and I felt an overwhelming sense of achievement. It felt fulfilling to have the director and my co-actors commend my courage. This experience taught me the power of confronting fears and gave me the satisfaction that comes with pushing past limits to create something meaningful on screen.”

Bebo’s new role

On the occasion of its 75th year of association with India, UNICEF announced Kareena Kapoor Khan as the new National Ambassador. She will support UNICEF India in furthering every child’s right to early childhood development, health, education and gender equality. Having been a celebrity advocate for the organisation for nearly a decade, she expressed pride in her work for children over the years. “I am inspired every day and I am looking forward to our continued partnership,” she said. Honoured to step into the new role, Bebo added, “I will strive to use my voice and influence for vulnerable children and their rights, especially around early childhood, education and gender equality.”

Thrice as nice

Mona Singh is currently juggling her three offerings, Ma Ka Sum, Pan Parda Zarda and Aryan Khan’s directorial debut, Stardom. She is not perturbed that the three projects are being shot in different cities­—Mumbai, Goa and Delhi. Mona is ensuring that she gets into the skin of her characters and brings them to life on screen. A source says, “Mona understands the importance of grasping the intricacies of each script and her character. Hence, she makes sure to re-read the script thoroughly before reporting on that particular set.”