Vijaya Mehta's eyes were always twinkling, her smile was always warm, her sari usually a collector's piece. She put on no elder statesman airs. But when she was in director mode, she allowed her actors and technicians no slack. Deepa Gahlot doffs her hat to the undisputed doyenne of Marathi theatre and one of India's most influential directors and actors, who shaped the landscape of Indian experimental theatre.
From franchise finales and superstar sequels, Ajay Devgn and Rajinikanth are all set to lead the October charge.
'These are the little cultures with which Nitesh sir works, Ranbir Kapoor works, Ravie Dubey works, Sai Pallavi, Yash... They are so inspiring when you see them work from such close quarters.'
Vijaya Mehta, a pioneering figure in modern Indian theatre and cinema, has passed away at the age of 91.
'She was not burdened by the knowledge of her craft and the world. She just was a child till her last days.' 'When she smiled, everybody in the room would light up.'
Never a crowd pleaser in the conventional sense, Nana Patekar's knack for not mincing words, if anything his brusque, take it-or-leave it persona -- which made his eccentricity a guilty pleasure of sorts -- contributed to his eminence, observes Sukanya Verma.
'She taught us that acting wasn't something people did because they couldn't do anything else. It was a skill. A skill that needed to be constantly polished and shaped, and the respect you command with that.'
He was intense on screen, equally intense on stage, and yet, from what I remember of those early days, remarkably at ease amongst ordinary people, remembers Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd).
'People started fearing Nana Patekar's frankness. Kuchh bhi bol sakta hai yeh. He once pointed to a major respected politician's belly and asked 'Kya hai yeh?''
From Shahid to Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam, these films bring real-life lawyers, landmark courtroom battles and extraordinary fights for justice to the screen.
'The FFI jury said Gondhal is the best film in terms of overall quality -- the sound, background music and cinematography.' 'In every aspect, I don't think this film can be compared to other Indian films. This may sound like overconfidence, but we know what we have done.'
'Nana left Mumbai, its luxuries and all the roles he could have played, and moved to Pune, where he lived like a farmer.'
That voice, that intensity, that honesty in every performance he was completely his own. Nana Patekar was truly one of a kind.'
From angry young men and ruthless gangsters to comic dons and broken patriarchs, Nana Patekar made almost every shade of a character his own.
'I used to earn Rs 45 for working 12 hours a day at the age of 14.' 'The situation at home was weak, so that money was very important. I did whatever work I could find.'
No shade or genre was a roadblock for Nana Patekar. In fact, some of his movies only age well because we associate them with his terrific presence.
Anant Nag has dedicated the Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024 to the people and unique cultural environment of Karnataka, crediting the state for his unparalleled success in both art and commercial films.
'People often say acting cannot be taught, but it can be learned. I've always believed that, and I've been a sincere student.'
'My parents were crying because they were so excited that I was on screen, that it was an YRF film, and it was opposite Rani Mukerji.'
Bollywood is gearing up for a romantic May, with a diverse slate of films including romcoms, historical epics and family dramas.
'Manoj Kumarji had tears in his eyes after hearing my dad sing Mera Rang De Basanti Chola. He said, 'This is my voice for my desh bhakti songs".'
One of the finest minds in theatre, besides being an exceptional actor and filmmaker. She showed me just how much I still had to learn and understand.'
Awarapan 2, featuring Emraan Hashmi, is set to release 19 years after its original, joining a growing trend of long-delayed Bollywood sequels attempting to capitalise on nostalgia and past successes like Gadar 2 and Border 2, but not all such reboots guarantee box office triumph.
Not only is Samay Raina going the Kapil Sharma route by bringing celebrities as special guests on his show -- which also means he has to be careful that his jokes don't land them in trouble as well -- but he also has to promote sponsors blatantly, observes Sreeju Sudhakaran.
From Arun Govil and Shobana to Vivek Oberoi and Kajal Aggarwal, meet the sprawling supporting cast bringing Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana to life.
Riteish Deshmukh's Raja Shivaji has become the highest-grossing Marathi opener ever, while Aamir Khan's Ek Din faced a disastrous opening at the box office.
'I was very close to Kader Khan. Whenever he wrote dialogues and scenes, he would often write my name next to certain roles. He would personally recommend me to directors. Such was his stature that directors would immediately pay attention to his suggestions.'
It's going to be a busy month on OTT as several series and original movies get ready for release. June's OTT guide also includes quite a few digital premieres of theatrical releases.
Ironically, only three films have crossed over to the Rs 100 Crore (Rs 1 billion) Club so far. We look at the half yearly box office report.
From blink-and-miss song appearances to scene-stealing guest roles, Hrithik Roshan has turned even cameos into memorable moments.
'When a story is presented to you on a large screen, they will know there are a lot of things that are not shown in the history books.'
Screenings of the Marathi film 'Manache Shlok' were disrupted in Maharashtra due to objections to the title. The director, Mrunmayee Deshpande, expressed disappointment, and the film will be re-released with a new title. Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant criticized the protests.
Anurag Kashyap, despite his claims of being done with Bollywood, continues to deliver compelling cinema, with his latest film 'Bandar' set to release on June 5.
As Riteish Deshmukh turns director again with Raja Shivaji, we look at past actors who stepped behind the camera and delivered some of Hindi cinema's most memorable films.
The Indian Navy has been recognized as the best marching contingent among the armed forces at the Republic Day Parade. Maharashtra won for states/UTs, and the Culture Ministry for ministries/departments.
The Bombay High Court has ruled that the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in any form cannot be the subject matter of exclusivity, clearing the path for Mahesh Manjrekar's new Marathi movie, 'Punha Shivaji Raje Bhosale', for release on Friday as scheduled.
They Call Him OG topped the gross domestic box office collection with Rs 224 crore (Rs 2.24 billion).
Aseem Chhabra ranks the Best of 2025's films that released in theatres, or went directly to OTT platforms.
Bollywood seems to have ignored the month of September, with only two Hindi releases coming up in theatres. But cine-goers need not worry, as Hollywood and south cinema makes up for it.
The casting of Marathi theatre and screen actors gives Manvat Murders its stamp of authenticity, observes Deepa Gahlot.
