Salman Khan’s upcoming film Maatrubhumi is one of his major releases this year. Before the film hits theatres, his co star Chitrangada Singh has spoken about her experience of working with him. She also addressed the common belief that Salman is difficult or unprofessional on set.

Speaking at the Yuva event with NDTV, Chitrangada revealed that many people had warned her about Salman before she started shooting. However, she said her experience was very different from what she had heard.

“People said a lot of things about Salman, like schedules would be stretched and he might not be on time. People used to say he is unprofessional, but he is amazing,” she said.

Chitrangada also spoke about how Salman behaves with people on set. She highlighted that he is respectful and caring, not just towards actors but also towards the crew members who often go unnoticed.

She shared, “He treats everyone with love, looks after others, and shows concern even for crew members. He was very approachable and has that amazing quality of noticing the least visible person on set, whether it is a lightman or the fourth AD. He would ask whether they had a break and their food on time, and how they were being treated. To still have that concern after so many years in the industry is amazing. People said he wouldn’t come early, but he came early because I was shooting early.”

Maatrubhumi is a war drama inspired by real events related to the Galwan Valley clash. The film is directed by Apoorva Lakhia and produced by Salma Khan under Salman Khan Films. In the movie, Salman plays the role of an Indian Army Colonel, while Chitrangada plays his wife. The story focuses on themes like courage, sacrifice and patriotism.

Apart from Maatrubhumi, Salman Khan is also working on another film currently referred to as SVC63. It is being directed by Vamshi Paidipally, who is known for Varisu. The film has already started shooting with a muhurat in Mumbai.

This project is expected to be a big action film and is planned for release around Eid 2027. It will also be Salman Khan’s first film with Nayanthara. Reports suggest that the shooting may be completed by August or September this year.

Karan Johar has once again sparked a discussion, this time about how Bollywood depends heavily on public relations and image-building. During a recent interaction with The Week, the filmmaker spoke openly about how actors today are focusing more on creating a public image rather than improving their actual skills.

Talking about the issue, Karan said, “I think Bollywood should stop doing PR. It will be much better. They should let their achievement speak for itself because unfortunately all of the PR is now paid PR. If you want to say ‘You are looking gorgeous’, you just have to pay. If you want to say that you are the best actor on planet Earth, you have to pay.”

His comments came after a question mentioning actors like Janhvi Kapoor and Shanaya Kapoor. However, Karan made it clear that he was not targeting anyone specifically but was speaking about a wider trend in the industry.

He explained further, “So I think we are on over drive mode when it comes to PR. So whether they are doing method marketing or not is secondary. They should stop marketing themselves and let their work speak for themselves. I don’t mean the people you are talking about I mean everyone in general. Because I think PR’s becoming into overdrive mode. There’s a certain way of doing it. Publicity, marketing- these are very important work categories and this should be treated in that specific way.”

Karan also pointed out that paid promotions have made it hard to tell what audiences genuinely like. He said, “Now everything is available at a price and that is something that could be deeply upsetting because then you really can’t gauge what’s connecting and what’s now. Are people liking it or are paid to like it? I don’t know, I can’t tell half the time. Its confusing me because even I am sometimes paying for it.”

His statements have led to mixed reactions online, especially since he himself has been a key figure in Bollywood’s promotion system.

On the work front, Karan shared that the ninth season of Koffee With Karan is expected to release around Diwali 2026.

When 7 Khoon Maaf was released in 2011, it gained attention not only for its story and performances but also for a controversy involving Annu Kapoor and an intimate scene in the film. His comments at that time led to discussions about consent, comfort, and beauty standards in the film industry.

Now, nearly 15 years later, Annu Kapoor has spoken again about the incident and explained the reason behind his earlier statement. In a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, he said that his comment was made out of frustration after being repeatedly asked the same question by journalists.

He said, “What else could it be? More than my looks, the problem was that I am not a hero. I don’t really know. When we worked together in Vishal Bhardwaj’s film Saat Khoon Maaf, several journalists kept asking me if Priyanka refused to kiss me.” He added, “They kept pestering me, and I eventually got irritated and said, ‘Maybe she would have if I was a star.’”

Kapoor also spoke about the filming of the scene and said that he was aware that Priyanka Chopra was not fully comfortable with it. According to him, he respected her feelings and even suggested that the scene should be removed.

He said, “Vishal Bhardwaj told me she was hesitant. I said that makes sense. I even suggested removing the scene, but Vishal refused. We had to go ahead with it. Actors can’t appear uncomfortable on camera, so we did it professionally.”

At the time of the film’s release, Priyanka Chopra had reacted strongly to Kapoor’s remarks. She had called them inappropriate and expressed her disagreement with how the situation was being discussed publicly.

The film was directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and was based on Susanna’s Seven Husbands by Ruskin Bond. It featured a large cast, including Irrfan Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh, and Alexander Dyachenko.

Annu Kapoor played one of the husbands of Priyanka Chopra’s character in the film. Even today, the film is remembered not only for its performances but also for the discussions it started around sensitive topics in cinema.

Jio Studios and Mumbai Film Company’s Raja Shivaji is inching closer to its release date. Ahead of its grand theatrical storm, Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia Deshmukh offered prayers and sought blessings at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Temple in Bhiwandi. The couple performed a traditional aarti, offering prayers for the film’s success, and also spent time interacting with the fans, warmly acknowledging their outpour of love and support for the film.

The duo was welcomed with a dhol-tasha performance by the localities, making the welcome more grand and energetic! It was followed with a maha aarti and a traditional aarti, with females decked up in traditional navvari sarees, marking a smooth interplay of culture and celebration. Villagers arrived in large numbers to catch a glimpse of Maharashtra’s favourite star couple, and fans went the extra mile by creating an eye-catchy ‘Raja Shivaji’ themed rangoli.

Raja Shivaji brings together a formidable ensemble from Hindi and Marathi cinema, including Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Boman Irani, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Amol Gupte, and Genelia Deshmukh, with Riteish Deshmukh, who has written, directed, produced, and headlined the film at its helm.

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Presented by Jio Studios, Raja Shivaji, a Mumbai Film Company production, is produced by Jyoti Deshpande and Genelia Deshmukh. Raja Shivaji, a historical epic based on the life and legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, is set to release in cinemas worldwide on 1 May 2026 in Marathi and Hindi, bringing to life an epic that celebrates India’s history with scale, soul, and spectacle.

Actor Avinash Tiwary is currently in the news for his film Ginny Weds Sunny 2. In a recent interview, he spoke about what he feels are key issues in the film industry. He pointed out that there is often a gap between what audiences say they appreciate and what they actually support in theatres.

Avinash mentioned actors like Manoj Bajpayee, Vikrant Massey, and Pratik Gandhi. He said these performers are often called “underrated,” but this praise does not always lead to strong box office collections for their films. He also added that in industries like South cinema and Hollywood, performances based on talent are more consistently supported by audiences.

During his conversation with Siddharth Kanan, Avinash raised questions about the focus on physical appearance in Bollywood. He said, “Aapko kahin pe bhi, kisi industry mein… I know I might get flak for this, par kahin pe bhi 60 saal ke log 6-pack, 8-pack bana ke ghoom rahe hain? (Anywhere, in any industry… I know I might get flak for this, but where else do you see 60-year-olds walking around with six-pack or eight-pack abs?) Even in Hollywood, Arnold Schwarzenegger is not doing that, Sylvester Stallone… there is no need to. There is no vanity or desirability that needs to be sold off. Not even in the South, why is it only in the Hindi film industry? That is a question we all need to answer.”

He further spoke about how much importance is given to box office numbers. He said, “There’s no value for the skill, craft. Audience baithke box office numbers dekh rahi hai. Kahan hota hai yeh sab? Main 20 saal se acting kar raha hoon (Audience is looking at box office numbers. Where else does this happen? I have been acting for 20 years), and there are various projects that I have done, and we can always debate what is good and bad.”

Avinash also explained that he was talking about actors who are respected for their work but may not get enough support from audiences. According to him, a lot of attention goes to surface level things, such as a shirtless photo creating buzz, while strong performances are sometimes ignored. He added that if looks are the main focus, then films might as well feature models instead of trained actors.

Although he did not mention any specific names, fans of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Akshay Kumar reacted strongly. The interview clip has been widely shared on social media, where it has received both criticism and discussion from viewers.