There were quite a few female-led shows in 2025, and actresses got to play some interesting, non-cliched parts.
Trade analyst Girish Wankhede puts together a curated list of the 25 biggest hits in the first 25 years of the century.
Zomato was not just recovering, it was rebuilding and reinventing, showing signs of maturing as a business. Chaos had been turned into momentum. A fascinating excerpt from Megha Vishwanath's book, UNSEEN: The Untold Story of Deepinder Goyal And The Making Of Zomato.
Indian automakers are reviving legacy nameplates to leverage brand recall and stand out in a crowded market, as classic badges like Sierra, Safari, Baleno and Scorpio return to attract buyers.
I once asked him why he hadn't written scripts for his sons Vineeth and Dhyan. 'I made some suggestions about their scripts, and they haven't discussed their scripts with me after that,' he said with his trademark laugh.
'When I met him on the Bigg Boss set, he greeted me in the same way that he would during Dabangg, 'Aur Chedi Singh, kaise ho?''
'The stamina and junoon you see in him, for acting, singing, dancing, working out, just about everything, makes age just a number as far as Salman Khan is concerned.'
During their visit to Haridwar, Ziva was asked by an activist about her future ambitions. Without hesitation, she replied, 'I want to become a naturalist!'
As the year draws to a close, Rediff's Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya takes a look at the hits and misses, the highs and lows, the newsmakers and the dealbreakers in alphabetical order.
Several companies across sectors like finance, healthcare, wellness, retail technology, and asset management are bracing up to hit the D-street. With an unprecedented 1.7 lakh crore raised in 2025, the momentum is likely to sustain in 2026.
From stealing hearts in couture to ruling OTT charts, Tamannaah Bhatia has officially earned her crown as Bollywood's latest 'It Girl.'
In half a century, actors have aged or passed away, the shape of the city has altered, the film industry has changed beyond recognition, most single screens have made way for multiplexes, audiences tastes have changed, rural life is very different now, and inflation has devalued the rupee. But a great film is forever. Deepa Gahlot salutes Sholay, as it re-releases in theatres.
'What is it about the institution of faith that makes somebody get a sense of impunity, that they believe they can get away with anything?'
Farah Khan and Ananya Panday are poles apart and that's exactly what made the latest episode of Too Much With Kajol And Twinkle so interesting. From funny anecdotes to candid confessions, the duo spilled it all out.
Veteran actor Asrani, who cemented a special place in the hearts of audiences through his portrayal of the eccentric jailer in Sholay and best known for his comic roles, passed away in a hospital in Mumbai on Monday, his manager said.
New York's newly elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani, flaunted his Indian roots during his first victory speech, quoting Nehru and playing 'Dhoom Machale'.
TasteAtlas has unveiled its global line-up of top chicken dishes. It's no surprise that Butter Chicken is No 5.
It was a merry evening at Mumbai's iconic Prithvi Theatre, which is celebrating its 47th year with a 17-day theatre festival.
'We had just shared the warmest of hugs just a week back at the shoot of Haiwaan.'
'Dhoom Machale...' The exuberant, celebratory track from the 2004 blockbuster Dhoom rounded off Zohran Mamdani's victory speech, more evidence that New York's newly elected mayor embraces his many identities with a light-as-souffle touch.
'I don't see what the fuss was about.'
National-award winning actor, producer, hotelier, ex-politician, cricket team owner, philanthropist, highest tax payer, reality show judge, animal lover and, above all, people's hero -- Mithun Chakraborty -- who has been conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award -- is truly a force of nature, notes Sukanya Verma.
S D Burman enjoyed a productive partnership with Dev Anand's production house Navketan for two decades, but their collaboration reached its apogee with Guide.
'I disagree with much of Modi's politics, but it cannot be denied that in these years in office, he has carved more than a niche for himself in history,' points out Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, author, Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times.
Born on June 25, 1951, Shah was a prominent figure in Indian cinema and television. His career spanned several decades, during which he earned acclaim for his comedic timing in movies such as Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Maalamaal, Hero Hiralal, Main Hoon Na and Kal Ho Naa Ho.
What if Sholay were produced now, in our technologically advanced era, with AI vying for our attention?, asks Atanu Biswas.
After Gandhi made its premiere at the festival, Huma Qureshi made heads turn, thanks to her fashionable take.
'Panchamda created an exclusive theme music for Gabbar Singh, which is used throughout the film every time the dacoit makes an appearance, and in both concept and sound, is so eerie and evil.'
'The way Helen ma'am grooves, she's so seductive.'
'Personalities are temporary, policies provide for stability.' 'With the former, when personalities change so does the nature of the relationship.' 'Policies and structures, on the other hand, are idiot-proof, as well as maverick-resistant,' explains Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Despite the rally in equities over the last few years, India, according to Christopher Wood, global head of equity strategy at Jefferies, is still in early stages of an equity cult. Any changes to the capital gains tax for equities - both long-term and short-term - in Budget 2024 scheduled to be announced on July 23, he believes, can trigger a bigger correction that what the markets witnessed post the Lok Sabha election outcome on June 4 that saw the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lose majority, though it was able to form the government with the help of coalition partners.
'The way the anticipation is built up for Gabbar Singh's introduction scene with sound, image and details of his personality, like the combat boots he wears.' 'The camera comes so close -- not a tele lens shot, but a wide-angle close-up -- that you can almost smell Gabbar's breath.'
Arjun Menon celebrates his 70th birthday on August 22 by looking at his most memorable films.
'I wouldn't change a single shot even if I could, the film is just perfect even with a supposedly flawed script!' Celebrating Sholay's 50th anniversary on August 15 with a special series, where contemporary film folk analyse the cult classic.
'Sholay had a sargam of human emotions.'
There's an obvious attempt to startle with its gruesome imagery of severed heads skewered on chopped limbs and peeled-off faces but it's too tacky to elicit any real dread, observes Sukanya Verma.
'When India opened its doors to the world, moving away from an agrarian to a market economy, everything, whether life or love, was commodified.'
Sanju Samson, then a skinny 14-year-old, curled on the bed in his hotel room, watched Kolkata Knight Riders' Brendon McCullum hammering a 73-ball 158 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the first-ever IPL match.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey emphasised the crucial role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the party's electoral success, stating that the several sections which did not vote for BJP earlier now support the party and it has broken new ground in many states.
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