Ramesh Taurani recalls Alka Yagnik’s rise in the ’90s: “She was getting the most songs”

Producer Ramesh Taurani recently reflected on the changing dynamics of Hindi film music in the 1990s and recalled how Alka Yagnik emerged as one of the most sought-after female playback singers of the decade. Taurani was speaking alongside his brother Kumar Taurani on Komal Nahta’s Game Changers: The Music Series.

Discussing the music landscape of the period, Ramesh Taurani recalled that established voices such as Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle continued to be important choices for filmmakers, while a new generation of singers was gaining prominence.

“Back then, Lata Ji and Asha Ji were already established. When we used to make music, Lata Ji was our first preference, followed by Alka and Anuradha,” Taurani said.

He went on to recall the emergence of singers including Kumar Sanu, Anuradha Paudwal, Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan. According to him, films such as Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Aashiqui, Saajan and Phool Aur Kaante helped establish the new voices in the industry as their songs became popular with audiences.

“The idea was that in the ’90s, when new singers like Shanu, Anuradha Paudwal, Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan came in, these four made it big. Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Aashiqui, Saajan and Phool Aur Kaante were hits, and their songs became superhits,” he recalled. How Alka Yagnik emerged as a leading female voice Taurani also drew a comparison between the newer singers and the established female playback voices of the previous generation. He recalled that Anuradha Paudwal was being viewed as a successor to Lata Mangeshkar, while Alka Yagnik was increasingly being positioned as a voice comparable to Asha Bhosle.

“The idea then was that Anuradha Paudwal was the new Lata Mangeshkar, while Alka Yagnik became the new Asha Bhosle,” Taurani said.

According to Taurani, the shift in Anuradha Paudwal’s film career eventually created more opportunities for Alka Yagnik. He recalled that after Paudwal stopped singing for films and became associated exclusively with T-Series, Alka began receiving a wider variety of female playback assignments.

“Luckily, Anuradha Ji stopped singing for films and made herself exclusive to T-Series. This worked in Alka Ji’s favour, as she got both Lata Ji and Asha Ji type songs, whether they were solos, duets or shayari,” he said.

Taurani further recalled the scale of Alka Yagnik’s presence during the period, saying she was receiving a significant number of songs compared with some of the leading male playback singers of the time.

“The situation was such that, among Udit, Sanu and Sonu, Alka Ji was getting the most songs,” he added.

The conversation featured Ramesh and Kumar Taurani discussing their experiences in the Hindi music industry and the changes they witnessed during the rise of the 1990s playback generation. The episode is part of Komal Nahta’s Game Changers: The Music Series, which focuses on conversations with singers, composers and other figures associated with Indian film music.

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FIR register against Imran Khan and others over August Kranti Maidan protest: REPORT

Mumbai Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against actor Imran Khan, his girlfriend Lekha Washington and several others following their detention during a protest at August Kranti Maidan on Saturday, October 10. The demonstration was organised in support of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest in Delhi, which called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The FIR was registered at Gamdevi police station under Sections 223, 126(2), 189(2), 189(3) and 189(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), according to reports. The provisions cited in the case relate to disobedience of orders issued by public servants, wrongful restraint and offences associated with unlawful assembly. The complaint was filed by police personnel following the gathering, which took place amid heightened security arrangements in the area.

According to reports, more than 400 people were detained during the protest, with some accounts putting the number at around 600 across Mumbai. Those detained included Imran, Lekha and Imran’s cousin, Zayn Marie Khan. They were released later that night.

Ahead of the demonstration, police personnel had barricaded roads surrounding August Kranti Maidan and deployed additional staff to prevent the gathering from proceeding. The detentions took place as authorities maintained security in the area.

Following his detention, Imran took to Instagram to share a selfie from inside a police van. The actor accompanied the picture with the caption, “Apparently I'm going for a drive.”

Lekha also shared updates on social media following the detention. She said she did not know where the police were taking them. After their release, she alleged that the police were not allowing them to return home or arrange a vehicle. She later reassured her followers that they were safe and on their way home.

The Mumbai protest was held in solidarity with the CJP’s demonstration in Delhi, where protesters were also detained during a major police operation. The movement has been demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over allegations concerning the revision of electoral rolls.

With the registration of the FIR, the legal proceedings against Imran, Lekha and the other individuals named in the case have become a fresh development following Saturday’s demonstration. Further details about the case and any subsequent police action remain awaited.

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Arjun Rampal begins his new journey with Billionaire on the auspicious occasion of Navratri

Arjun Rampal has embarked on an exciting new journey with Billionaire, which commenced with a traditional mahurat puja on the auspicious occasion of Navratri.

The big-scale business drama, directed by Hansal Mehta and Robbie Grewal, marks the first-ever collaboration between the two acclaimed filmmakers. Produced by Prabhleen Sandhu under the banner of Almighty Motion Picture, the series is set to begin its extensive 45-day shooting schedule in the United Kingdom from November 15.

Arjun Rampal also took to his Instagram handle to share his joy and excitement about the new beginning.

The actor is currently enjoying the enormous success of the Dhurandhar duology. Directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar, the first film, released in December 2025 and became a blockbuster after taking just a decent start at the box office. The second film, Dhurandhar The Revenge, which released in March this year, turned out to be a blockbuster of mammoth proportions and the highest grossing Hindi film till date by earning over Rs. 1000 crores at the domestic box office itself. Arjun’s act as the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) chief Major Iqbal was also highly praised.

Written by Anubhav Chopra and Shantanu Sagara, with dialogues by Karan Vyas, Billionaire promises a gripping tale of ambition, power and the high-stakes world of business.

The series will premiere exclusively on Prime Video.

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EXCLUSIVE: Mahaveer Jain Films to present ambitious Kannada sci-fi thriller Lambodhara 2.0, starring Kunal Kapoor and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Simple Suni; set for November 20 release

Mahaveer Jain Films, which has been backing several exciting projects across genres, is all set to present an ambitious Kannada sci-fi social thriller, Lambodhara 2.0. Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learned that the film, directed by acclaimed Kannada filmmaker Simple Suni, will release in cinemas on November 20, 2026, in Kannada and Hindi. Its exciting first look will be unveiled later this week, on Wednesday, October 14.

The film stars the talented and dashing actor Kunal Kapoor, Saachi Bindra and debutant Anil Shetty. Interestingly, Lambodhara 2.0 also features a real humanoid robot named JIA, making it one of the most intriguing aspects of the project.

Set in a world increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence and digital validation, Lambodhara 2.0 raises an interesting question: Can technology truly make human beings happy? Blending suspense, humour, entertainment and thought-provoking ideas, the film explores the intersection of artificial intelligence, human emotions, happiness and free will.

Meanwhile, Mahaveer Jain has an interesting slate of films lined up. He, along with Rajshri Productions, is also producing Yeh Prem Mol Liya, directed by Sooraj Barjatya and starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Sharvari. He has also announced RamBola, which will be directed by Vishal Chaturvedi of Hanuman Ansh fame. Another exciting project associated with Mahaveer Jain is Naagzilla, starring Kartik Aaryan, which is scheduled to release in cinemas on February 12, 2027. A few weeks ago, Bollywood Hungama had exclusively reported that Mahaveer Jain Films is producing a devotional drama fronted by Ravi Kishan.

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Ramayana makers announce worldwide release of Part 1 on November 5, 2026 with new poster featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Ravie Dubey and Yash

Marking the first day of Navratri with a special announcement, the makers of Ramayana have unveiled a new ensemble poster featuring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Yash as Ravana, while announcing that Part 1 of the two-part epic will release worldwide on November 5, 2026. The makers also confirmed that the advance bookings will open this Dussehra.

The poster captures Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama alongside Sai Pallavi as Sita and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman in the foreground, while Yash’s Ravana towers over them, creating a visual contrast between the characters at the heart of the story.

Taking to social media, the makers shared the announcement with the caption: “On the auspicious occasion of Navratri, we celebrate the beginning of a new era. Yeh Ram ke Yug ka Aarambh hai. 🏹 Namit Malhotra’s Ramayana Part 1: In cinemas WORLDWIDE, across all premium formats, from 5th November. Advance bookings open on Dussehra.”

 

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Bringing one of the world’s most revered epics to the big screen, Ramayana features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Rocking Star Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman.

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in collaboration with 8-time Oscar-winning DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, Ramayana is envisioned as a two-part epic. Part 1 will release worldwide on November 5, 2026, followed by Part 2 in Diwali 2027, in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam across India. The film will release in IMAX, with Sony Pictures distributing the film globally (excluding India), while Dharma Productions will act as distributors for the Hindi-speaking market.

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Salman Khan gears up for 50-day close-combat final schedule of Monster, deets inside

Superstar Salman Khan is all set to get onto intense work mode as his upcoming action drama Monster enters its final and most intense stretch of filming. Directed by Vamshi Paidipally, the Pan-India project is officially charging towards the finish line, with the superstar gearing up for a 50-day schedule dedicated entirely to high-stakes, close-quarter combat sequences.

The team has set up base at a studio in Mira Road to film these action sequences. Moving away from slick, glossy effects, the makers are aiming for a raw and grounded action experience, with Salman at the centre of intense, hand-to-hand combat against his opponents.

Ever since principal photography began in Mumbai in mid-April 2026, Monster has been mounted on a massive scale. The film completed a packed six-week schedule in Goregaon this August, featuring large-scale action set-pieces, crowd sequences and an elaborate Afghan village setup. This was followed by a focused 10-day combat training schedule in Mumbai in September.

Salman Khan is balancing his Bigg Boss 20 commitments with the physically demanding action schedule, keping the film firmly on track for a November wrap. With filming entering its final lap, the team will move directly into post-production to prepare for its Eid 2027 theatrical release.

Produced by Dil Raju under the banner of Sri Venkateswara Creations, Monster stars Salman Khan alongside an ensemble cast featuring Nayanthara, Jackie Shroff, Arvind Swamy, Rahul Dev, Ronit Roy and Seema Biswas.

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Imran Khan detained by Mumbai Police during protest at August Kranti Maidan; says, “I am here to see why people’s voices are being suppressed”

Actor Imran Khan was detained by Mumbai Police while participating in a protest at August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai on October 10. The protest was held in solidarity with the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) protest in Delhi, which called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Following his detention, Imran shared a selfie from inside the police van on Instagram and captioned it, “Apparently I’m going for a drive.”

Before being detained, the actor spoke about his reasons for participating in the protest, clarifying that he was present as a citizen and was not representing any organization. He told the news agency ANI, “I don't have demands. I am here as a citizen, as someone who lives in this city. I am here to see why freedom of movement is being restricted—why people’s voices are being suppressed. That is why I am here. I am not in a position to make demands of anyone. Nor am I part of any organization. I am just here as a representative.”

 

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Imran Khan, known for films such as Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na and I Hate Luv Storys, has largely stayed away from the limelight in recent years. But he had participated in the protests held in July this year for the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as the Education Minister following the leak of NEET question paper.

Also Read: Imran Khan to showcase his drift skills at Royal Enfield GRRR Nights × Underground in Mumbai on August 23