The World Insider

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan is set to step into the shoes of a national hero for his next film, as reports confirm that he will portray Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu, the brave heart who laid down his life during the 2020 Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops. The film will be directed by Shootout at Lokhandwala and Mission Istaanbul director Apoorva Lakhia and is scheduled to go on floors in July 2025. The project is said to be based on the real-life story of Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu MVC, who served as the commanding officer of the 16 Bihar Regiment. He was killed in action during the 2020 China–India skirmishes in the Galwan Valley, becoming the first Indian Army officer to be KIA against the PLA since 1967. His heroic actions, despite being outnumbered, are chronicled in the acclaimed book ‘India’s Most Fearless 3’ by Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh. “Colonel Babu’s character is heroic. He had proved his mettle in several counterinsurgency and infiltration op...

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has once again sparked a debate with his unapologetically blunt take on the state of Indian cinema. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Varma compared Indian filmmakers to Hollywood’s approach, specifically praising Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which marks the last chapter in the globally popular spy franchise led by Tom Cruise. In his post, Varma wrote, “The difference between them and us is they assume the audience to be intelligent and push their intelligence further up, by making films like #MissionImpossibleTheFinalReckoning. On the contrary, we assume the audience to be dumb and we push their dumbness further down in the hope of even reaching the dumbest of the audience by making films like ____________.” While he left the last bit open-ended, many followers shared their disappointment over the filmmaker’s attitude—especially given his own track record in recent years. Social media users were quick to “fill in the blank” with titles from Varma...

Telugu superstar Jr NTR is all set to make his much-anticipated Hindi film debut in War 2, and recent reports suggest his character is not just a one-time appearance. According to a source quoted by ETimes, the actor's role has been crafted as a key player in the YRF Spy Universe, with plans extending far beyond the upcoming action film. “His character won’t just be limited to War 2. Expect standalone films, spin-offs, and major crossover appearances,” the insider revealed to ETimes, hinting at the studio’s larger plans to integrate him across multiple projects which are a part of the franchise. Directed by Ayan Mukerji, War 2 stars Hrithik Roshan reprising his role as RAW agent Kabir, with Jr NTR playing an antagonist. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on August 14, 2025, and is being pitched as one of the biggest face-offs in Indian cinema. With this sequel, YRF is not only expanding the narrative of War (2019) but also strengthening the interconnected web of its e...

After the huge success of Stree 2, fans have been eagerly waiting to know about Shraddha Kapoor’s next film. There were recent reports that she was in talks to star in filmmaker Rahi Anil Barve’s next, backed by producer Ektaa Kapoor. Readers may recall that Bollywood Hungama had reported that Shraddha had charged a fee of Rs 17 crore along with a profit share for the project. A well-placed industry source told us, “This is among the highest upfront fees received by Shraddha Kapoor, as also one of the highest pay cheques in today's time for a female lead in Hindi. Ekta Kapoor was more than happy to splurge Rs. 17 crore to sign Shraddha, as the Rahi Anil Barve film will be Shraddha's follow-up to the highest-grossing film of Hindi Cinema - Stree 2.” However, as per the latest report by PeepingMoon, the actress has now reportedly walked out of the film due to a disagreement over payment. A source told the portal, “Shraddha is no longer doing Ektaa’s upcoming film.” The report a...

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sent a show cause notice to actor and BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty for allegedly building an illegal structure in Malad’s Madh area. The notice says that a ground-floor structure was built on a plot in Erangle village without the required permission from the authorities. The BMC has asked Mithun Chakraborty to explain the changes made to the property. If he fails to give a proper explanation, the structure could be demolished. The BMC has also warned of possible legal action. This action is part of a larger crackdown on unauthorised constructions in the Madh area. So far, the BMC has identified 101 illegal structures in the locality. These include bungalows built using fake documents. The civic body plans to demolish all illegal constructions by the end of May. According to civic officials, during a recent inspection near the Hira Devi Mandir in Erangle village, they found two one-plus-mezzanine-storey buildings, one ground-floor str...

Shehzad Khan spoke exclusively to Bollywood Hungama last month, not just about Andaz Apna Apna (1994) and its re-release, but also about other aspects, including his father’s epic reaction to his character Bhalla, the sidekick of the villain, Teja (Paresh Rawal). Shehzad Khan mimicked his father, Ajit, in the film. When asked how he reacted to it, the actor revealed, “He was very angry. He didn’t see the film for a very long time. When people informed him about my act in the film, he finally saw some portions of the film. Then he told me, ‘Dobara aisi himakat mat karna’ (impersonates Ajit)!” Was Ajit not in favour of being mimicked? Shehzad Khan explained, “Yes, he had a very serious persona. Also, you need to understand that it’s not my doing entirely. A film is a director’s medium. Hum toh katputli hai. Agar director bolega ‘utho’, toh hum uthenge; agar director bolega ‘naacho’, toh hum naachenge. Agar director bolega ...

Bollywood actor Taapsee Pannu, along with her sister, has purchased an apartment in Goregaon West, Mumbai, for Rs. 4.33 crore, according to property registration documents reviewed by Square Yards on the website of the Inspector General of Registration (IGR) https://ift.tt/T7wULEX. The transaction was registered in May 2025. Strategically located between key commercial centres like Andheri and Malad, Goregaon West offers seamless access via the Western Express Highway, Link Road, SV Road, and the suburban railway, making it highly accessible for professionals and businesses alike. The area has emerged as a significant commercial and residential hub, with a vibrant mix of office spaces, IT parks, co-working environments, high-street retail, and malls. According to the IGR property registration documents reviewed by Square Yards, the property is located in a ready-to-move-in residential project known as Imperial Heights. The purchased apartment features a carpet area of 1,390 sq. ft. (...