Priyamani boards Rohit Shetty’s Golmaal 5 as shoot begins in Mumbai, reunites with Maidaan co-star Ajay Devgn: Repor

Actress Priyamani has been reported to have joined the cast of Golmaal 5, the newest part of Rohit Shetty's popular comedy series. This marks her coming back together with Ajay Devgn, whom she worked with in the movie Maidaan.

  

According to Variety India, the first round of filming is expected to last about a month.

 The filming started on Monday, February 23, in Mumbai, and Ajay Devgn is expected to join the team on February 25. While details about Priyamani's character are not yet shared, there are reports that she has already started shooting her scenes.

The Golmaal series is one of the most successful comedy series in Hindi cinema, known for its group storytelling and returning characters.

 The fifth film will bring back the main cast, including Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Kunal Kemmu, and Shreyas Talpade. Experienced actors like Johnny Lever, Sanjay Mishra, Mukesh Tiwari, and Ashwini Kalsekar will also return in their familiar roles.

There are also rumors that Akshay Kumar might be joining the cast, but this has not been officially confirmed by the film's makers.

The film's production is moving forward shortly after a worrying event at Rohit Shetty's home in Juhu, where five bullets were reportedly fired.

 The Mumbai Crime Branch investigation found that the vehicle used in the shooting was from Pune. Officials earlier said that the accused, including Subham Lonkar, were trying to cause fear in the city. Investigators also mentioned that Rs 40,000 was given to one of the arrested people, who was in touch with Lonkar through a single messaging app.

CBFC asks for 15 cuts and modifications in The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond; reduces kiss and rape visuals by 50%

The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is set to come out on Friday, February 27, and it has made a lot of noise on social media because of its shocking and controversial content. Typically, such movies have very graphic material and are meant only for adults. So it was a surprise to the film trade and industry that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) gave the movie a U/A 16+ certificate.

However, the CBFC asked for 16 cuts or changes in the film.

 The scenes showing kissing were reduced by half, which means the lip-lock scene was shortened by 7 seconds. Similarly, the rape scenes were also cut by 50%, which is 20 seconds. Two scenes - one where a woman is slapped and the other where a woman’s head is hit - were each reduced by 2 seconds.

The visuals of the accused's house being destroyed by a bulldozer were also asked to be modified.

 Three dialogues, found in different parts of the movie, were changed, and a single word was asked to be muted. But the cut list does not have details about these changes.

The makers were told to add a disclaimer that the film is based on real events.

 They were also asked to make the disclaimer text longer by 2 minutes and 3 seconds, along with adding a voiceover. They were instructed to submit the script as per dialogue and proper documents proving the events in the film are real. Lastly, they were asked to provide a consent letter for a minor actor in the film.

After these changes, The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond was given the censor certificate on February 16.

 The movie's length, according to the certificate, is 131.24 minutes, which is 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 24 seconds.

The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is produced by Vipul Shah and directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh.

 Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia, and Aishwarya Ojha play the main roles. The film opens in theaters on February 27.

Akshay Kumar unveils Bhooth Bangla motion poster; Film to release in April 2026

Actor Akshay Kumar and director Priyadarshan have released a new motion poster for their upcoming horror-comedy movie Bhooth Bangla. This marks the start of the film's promotional activities before its release in theaters.

This project brings back Akshay and Priyadarshan after more than ten years since their last collaboration.

 They have worked together on several popular comedy movies, like Hera Pheri, Garam Masala, De Dana Dan, and Bhool Bhulaiyaa. These films were big hits and important parts of Hindi comedy, so fans are excited about this new project.

Bhooth Bangla is made by Balaji Motion Pictures and Cape of Good Films.

 The movie stars Wamiqa Gabbi, Paresh Rawal, Tabu, Rajpal Yadav, and Mithila Palkar. Veteran actor Asrani will also appear in his last on-screen role. The story is written by Akash A. Kaushik, with help from Rohan Shankar, Abilash Nair, and Priyadarshan. Filming has finished, and the movie is now in the final stages of production. Music and other promotional materials will be released step by step.

The movie is set to come out in theaters on April 10, 2026, after some changes to the original release date.

 The team is planning to boost advertising in the next few weeks. It is reported that producer Ektaa R Kapoor will host the launch of the film's first song as part of the promotional efforts.

Chhaava writer Rishi Virmani DEFENDS the film’s impact months after AR Rahman called it divisive: “Hard to change a mindset…”

More than a month after composer A. R. Rahman called Chhaava "divisive," writer Rishi Virmani has replied to the criticism. He said that the epic historical drama has actually created a strong connection with its audience.

In a Zoom interview, Virmani said it's not easy to believe that a film can change people's social or political views in just a few hours.

 "It's hard to believe that an entire mindset can be changed in just a couple of hours of screen time," he said. He also mentioned that he hasn't seen such a strong audience connection with a film in a long time.

Chhaava, directed by Laxman Utekar, is based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the second ruler of the Maratha Empire.

 The film is adapted from the Marathi novel with the same name by Shivaji Sawant. The screenplay and story were written by Utekar and Virmani along with Kaustubh Savarkar, Unman Bankar, and Omkar Mahajan. Virmani also wrote the dialogues for the film.

When talking about the bigger discussion, Virmani said that audiences are able to make their own decisions, which sometimes go against what the industry expects.

 He also pointed out that box office numbers and public responses often don't match what filmmakers or critics predict.

He also said that Sambhaji's story needed to be shown on screen a long time ago.

 "I hope and pray that Chhaava and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj make it to everyone's hearts, both nationally and internationally," he added.

Rahman, who made the music for the film, previously told BBC Asian Network that while the film was fun and focused on bravery, it also "exploited divisiveness."

 He questioned if audiences are easily affected by movies, saying that viewers have an "internal conscience" that helps them tell the difference between truth and manipulation.

Vishal Bhardwaj DEFENDS violence in cinema, says ‘we are born out of Mahabharata’

Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj has spoken about the increasing use of explicit violence in modern movies. He said he doesn't have a problem with it as long as it's shown in a stylish and meaningful way that reflects real-life situations.

In an interview with ANI, he talked about how graphic violence in films is becoming more common.

 He said, "I feel that violence has become too explicit, which is okay for me personally." He compared this to the violence in the Mahabharata, saying it's part of our cultural DNA.

In recent years, many popular films like *Animal*, *Marco*, and *Dhurandhar* have included a lot of intense violence, leading to discussions about what audiences can handle and how responsible filmmakers should be.

 Bhardwaj believes the key is how violence is presented. He mentioned the idea of "poetic violence," pointing to filmmakers like Wong Kar-wai and Quentin Tarantino, who show violence in a visually striking way.

He said, "Poetic violence is a thing.

 Tarantino shows it in his own unique way, and that is also poetic violence." He added that even in violent stories, the visuals and style are very important. When talking about his new film *O' Romeo*, he explained that the characters are gangsters, so violence is a natural part of their world.

He said, "If you're not using the current language of filmmaking, you start to feel outdated.

 But you also need to have good aesthetics." 

Bhardwaj also mentioned that movies often reflect the real world. "

Since there's a lot of violence in our society today, it's not wrong to show it on screen," he said, adding that *O' Romeo* is an adult film.

The movie *O' Romeo*, which came out during Valentine's Week, stars Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri in the lead roles.

After years of delay, Anurag Kashyap opens up about Kennedy

Why did Kennedy take so long to be released?

It took time because the management at Zee Studios changed.

 Then I wanted the film to come out without an interval, which wasn't a good idea for theatres and distributors. That made things even slower. Finally, I decided to release it online because that's where I feel most of my audience is.

The international press wasn't very impressed when Kennedy was shown at Cannes?

Yes, we realized that international viewers didn't fully understand the context of the pandemic and what happened in Mumbai.

 So, they saw it as a film trying to be like John Wick. I'm used to negative reviews and to my films being understood over time, except for a few.

Where do you place Kennedy in your filmography?

Kennedy is very personal.

 It helped me come out of a very dark phase. I don’t have a perspective on my own body of work that only an outsider can judge. But Kennedy is deeply personal to me.

Rahul Bhat is outstanding in Kennedy.

 Was he the first and only choice to play the haunted assassin?

Rahul wasn't the first choice.

 It was the Tamil star Vikram. But I never really saw Rahul in the role until I actually saw him in the look. I tend to be blind sometimes to people around me when casting.

And Sunny Leone?

Sunny was always the only choice.

If you had to make Kennedy again, what would you change?

I would never make it again.

 It's done. And I wouldn't change anything. This is one of those rare films with the least improvisation, and it is the closest to the script.

Aapke bolne ki aukaat honi chahiye”: Shahid Kapoor on dealing with online trolling

Actor Shahid Kapoor talked openly about how online trolling is becoming more common and how public figures have to deal with constant attention. He was on The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra Season 3 and shared his thoughts on staying emotionally balanced while being open to public opinions.

He said, “Aapke bolne ki aukaat honi chahiye,” which means you should have the courage to speak.

 Shahid discussed how dealing with online trolling is tough for actors. He explained that they often walk a tightrope between being vulnerable and protecting themselves. He said, “It’s a difficult journey because you have to open up, but also be careful about what and how much you let into your mind.” He questioned the pressure to always please everyone, asking, “Do you want to wake up every day to make everyone happy or yourself happy?” He stressed that true satisfaction should come from within, not from what people say online. He suggested that people should ask themselves, “Did I enjoy it? Did it help me grow? Was it a real reflection of my creativity?” He said self-evaluation is more important than what's trending.

He also talked about anonymous criticism and said social media has made it easy for people to cross lines.

 He shared, “Aapke bolne ki aukaat honi chahiye, tabhi mooh kholna chahiye… pehle aap dekho ki aap kitne paani mein ho, phir baat karo,” meaning one should check their own situation before speaking about others. At the same time, he admitted that constructive feedback is important but urged staying grounded and positive.

On the work front, Shahid recently appeared in Vishal Bhardwaj’s O’ Romeo with Triptii Dimri, Tamannaah Bhatia, and Avinash Tiwary.

 He is set to appear in Homi Adajania’s Cocktail 2 with Rashmika Mandanna and Kriti Sanon later this year.