Alia Bhatt continues to dominate Bollywood with an impressive lineup of upcoming projects. After Jigra, the actress is gearing up for YRF’s spy thriller Alpha and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love And War. Now, reports suggest that Alia might soon collaborate with producer Dinesh Vijan for Chamunda, a new addition to Maddock Films’ expanding Horror Comedy Universe (MHCU).

Director Amar Kaushik, who has helmed several MHCU films, recently addressed the speculation in an interview with Filmfare. He said, “When it happens, everyone will know. I’m not denying or accepting anything right now. We focus on the story first and think about casting later. Thankfully, we don’t write scripts based on actors.” He added that the team strives to maintain honesty in filmmaking: “We make films for the audience. If we make a mistake, tell us on Instagram or anywhere else. We just want to keep it pure, like our first film, Stree.”

According to a Pinkvilla report, Alia is enthusiastic about partnering with Maddock for the project. A source revealed, “Alia has been in talks with Dinesh Vijan for a while. She’s loved a psychological supernatural thriller, which could be her next after Love And War. Talks are on, and things may be finalized by early 2025.”

Earlier reports also suggested that Shah Rukh Khan was approached for Chamunda alongside Alia. However, Bollywood Hungama reported that the actor declined, as he preferred to start a new cinematic universe with Maddock and Kaushik instead of joining an existing one.

Meanwhile, the latest MHCU film Thamma, featuring Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, recently hit theatres. The film introduced Aneet Padda as Shakti Shalini, replacing Kiara Advani in the role.

Ever since Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh introduced their daughter Dua to the world, her adorable pictures have taken social media by storm. Fans have been showering love on the little one, fondly calling her “DeepVeer’s princess.” Amid all the excitement, social media influencer Shreyashi Debnath Gupta recently made headlines after claiming that her daughter looks strikingly similar to Dua.

Taking to Instagram, Shreyashi shared a collage featuring her husband, their daughter Daisy, and a photo of Deepika and Ranveer with Dua. Alongside the image, she wrote, “How can they look so much similar? For a moment, I truly thought it was my Daisy! Anyone else see the resemblance?” Her post quickly drew attention, sparking mixed reactions among netizens.

Some users agreed with Shreyashi’s observation, noting that the two babies do appear quite alike. One comment read, “Same here! When Deepika and Ranveer posted those pictures, my first impression was that Dua looked just like Aura… ”

However, others criticized the influencer for allegedly seeking attention. “Why do people do such things only to gain reach? Both are very cute but not similar,” one user commented. Another added, “There’s no similarity between them. Every child is beautiful in their own way—why compare your baby to a celebrity’s?”

Deepika and Ranveer revealed Dua’s face for the first time during Diwali, sharing the heartwarming family photos on Instagram with the caption, “दीपावली की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ.” In the pictures, Ranveer looked elegant in a beige kurta-pyjama with a matching jacket, while Deepika twinned in maroon with her daughter, wearing a traditional gown-suit paired with statement jewellery.

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Bollywood star couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt are still winning hearts both on and off screen. Only a few days after celebrating Diwali with their family members, the couple was seen together in Mumbai, radiating their characteristic charm and effortless flair. The duo, who are popular for their friendly behavior with the paparazzi, smiled and hugged photographers outside a building, creating another furor among fans online.

Alia maintained a relaxed yet trendy look, wearing an oversized white tee with black trousers, her hair tied up in a simple, low bun. Her no-makeup, fresh face showcased her natural beauty and easy-going nature. Ranbir took a simple approach to dressing with a black hoodie and pants, a side sling bag, and his now-famous moustache providing a touch of character to his outfit. While their destination for the outing is not revealed, fans did not waste any time in showering the couple with praise, complimenting their grounded attitude and chemistry.

The week had started earlier with Alia and Ranbir posting peeks at their cozy Diwali celebrations, which soon went viral. The pair turned their Diwali update into a picture-perfect family album. In one of the adorable photos, Ranbir had Alia in his arms and both were smiling for the photo. Alia was looking stunning in a light pink chikankari kurta and lime-green skirt, while Ranbir opted for a traditional white chikankari kurta, revealing the couple’s sophisticated festive look.

Adding a light-hearted touch to her festive posts, Alia also posted unguarded pictures and videos with her sister Shaheen Bhatt and close friend Ayan Mukerji, director of Brahmāstra. The three were caught up smiling and making silly faces at each other, treating fans to a glimpse of their happy Diwali moments. Alia captioned her post, “Dillwali Diwali. Happy Diwali to you and yours.”

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On the professional front, both actors have an exciting lineup of projects ahead. Alia is gearing up for her action-spy film Alpha under Yash Raj Films’ spy universe, as well as Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s much-anticipated period drama Love & War, co-starring Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal, slated for a March 2026 release. Meanwhile, Ranbir is immersed in Nitesh Tiwari’s epic Ramayana, which also stars Sai Pallavi, Yash, Sunny Deol, and Ravi Dubey, with the first part expected to release on Diwali 2026.

Also Read: Alia Bhatt’s Mint Green Skirt is the Perfect Complement to Her Pink Kurta!

As per Mid-Day, Alia can also reunite with Karan Johar for their third project together, after Student of the Year and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. With both stars juggling behemoth projects and domesticity, Alia and Ranbir keep defining modern Bollywood royalty poised, grounded, and harmoniously in sync on all fronts.

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After over four years of probe, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has found that there is no evidence of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput having been illegally detained, intimidated, or incited to kill himself by Rhea Chakraborty or anyone else. The agency’s closure report, seen by Hindustan Times, also found no evidence of financial misappropriation or diversion of Sushant’s property by Rhea or her family.

The CBI noted that even Sushant had addressed Rhea as “family” when they were together, according to officials privy to the report. The report mentioned, “None of the accused persons had lived or stayed with him between June 8, 2020, and June 14, 2020—the day he was found hanging in his Bandra flat.” The report added further that though Sushant was in contact with Rhea’s brother Showik Chakraborty on WhatsApp on June 10, he did not have any contact with Rhea at that time. His sister Meetu Singh was with him from June 8 to June 12, two days prior to his passing.

The report rejects charges of wrongful confinement, coercion, or financial exploitation. The report also makes it clear that Rhea and Showik walked out of Sushant’s house on June 8 with just personal items—an Apple laptop and a watch presented by Sushant. The report categorically mentions, “No evidence has emerged of any property dishonestly taken out of Sushant’s possession.”

The CBI probe included two concurrent cases — one by Sushant’s father, K.K. Singh, in Patna against abetment and financial irregularities, and another filed by Rhea against Sushant’s sisters in Mumbai. The investigators concluded that Sushant’s affairs were taken care of by his chartered accountant and attorney, who had complete control of his accounts. The report further added that cost incurred for Rhea, including the 2019 European tour of the couple, was within rules and done willingly by Sushant.

But Sushant’s family has disputed the CBI findings, terming the report as incomplete and misleading. Their attorney, Advocate Varun Singh, remarked, “This is nothing but an eyewash. If CBI really wanted to come out with the truth, it would have submitted all supporting case documents including chats, technical records, statements, and medical reports.” He further said that the family will seek a protest petition against what they term as a “shoddy investigation.

Also Read: Sushant Singh Rajput’s Death Anniversary: Karan Veer Mehra’s Powerful Tribute

The case, which had sparked nationwide outrage and political debates between Bihar and Maharashtra, will next be heard on December 20, when a Patna court reviews the CBI’s closure report. Despite the agency’s conclusion, Sushant’s family insists they will continue their fight for what they believe is long-overdue justice.

Director Karan Johar has once again demonstrated that no one can beat his sense of humor combined with candor. On Twinkle Khanna and Kajol’s talk show Two Much, Karan finally broke his silence on the ongoing gossip regarding his sudden weight loss — and did so with his characteristic sense of humor.

The internet has been buzzing about Karan’s makeover for months, with many congratulating his healthier appearance and others speculating that he had been using Ozempic, a diabetes medication now trending for speeding up weight loss. Putting the speculation to rest, Karan joked about the rumors at the beginning of the episode. When Twinkle jokingly referred to him about the opulent buffet arranged for him, he retorted, *”But if you read anything on the internet, they think I don’t eat because I am on chemical substances — like Ozempic!

Twinkle played along, teasing him further: “Beta, itna injection mat liya kar! Itna dubla ho gaya hai. Mummy kya bolegi?” (Son, stop taking so many injections! You’ve become so thin. What will your mother say?). Laughing, Karan replied, “Mummy bechari kuch nahi bolti aajkal.” (My poor mother doesn’t say anything these days).

As the three approached the food table, Karan appeared visibly tickled at the number of dishes laid out. “I haven’t seen so many carbs in a while,” he stammered before joyfully spotting his favorite — katsu curry. Co-guest Janhvi Kapoor chipped in as well, revealing her comfort food of preference was paya curry.

Karan’s physical make-over has been extensively debated ever since 2024, with the director attributing his fitness regime to discipline, rigorous diet, and regular exercise. Even after his explanations, the internet gossip regarding weight-loss shots never really dissipated — until his tongue-in-cheek on-air acceptance brought the buzz full circle.

The episode also included one of Karan’s signature raw moments. In a lighthearted “Truth or Lie” segment, Janhvi dared him to tell a juicy truth and a lie. Without batting an eyelid, Karan said, “I lost my virginity when I was 26 years old, and I’ve been intimately involved with a member of your family.”

The comment left Janhvi speechless and Twinkle and Kajol laughing out loud. A few seconds later, Karan explained, “I was late to that party — that part is true — but I have not been intimate with any member of your family. Though the thought has crossed my mind a couple of times!”

With his signature blend of self-deprecating humor and frank candor, Karan Johar again converted gossip into humor — demonstrating that there’s no controversy too big when dealt with a grin.