Srikanth honoured with National Film Award for Best Hindi Film; producer Bhushan Kumar receives prestigious honour from President Droupadi Murmu

From bringing the extraordinary journey of Srikanth Bolla to the screen to being honoured on one of the most prestigious stages of Indian cinema, Srikanth marked a moment of immense pride today as the film received the National Film Award for Best Hindi Film at the 72nd National Film Awards.

The prestigious honour was presented by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, at the official awards ceremony held at Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, Gujarat. Producer Bhushan Kumar and director Tushar Hiranandani took the stage to receive the National Film Award for Srikanth, marking a significant milestone in the journey of the film and its entire team.

Bhushan Kumar, Producer, said, “Receiving the National Award for Srikanth is an incredibly proud and humbling moment. When we chose to tell Srikanth Bolla’s story, we were deeply moved by his determination, resilience and refusal to let circumstances define his dreams. Tushar Hiranandani brought immense sensitivity and conviction to the telling of this story, while Rajkummar Rao, Jyotika, Alaya F and Sharad Kelkar brought their characters to life with remarkable sincerity. To see the film receive this honour makes this moment truly special. This recognition belongs to the entire team who believed in the story and gave their best to bring Srikanth Bolla’s extraordinary journey to audiences.”

Tushar Hiranandani, Director, said, “Srikanth Bolla’s life is not just a story of overcoming challenges, but of having the courage to dream beyond what the world believes is possible. As a filmmaker, I feel deeply grateful that we had the opportunity to bring his journey to the screen. Receiving the National Film Award from the Hon’ble President of India is a moment I will cherish for the rest of my life. This honour is a tribute to Srikanth Bolla and to the belief, perseverance and spirit that his story represents.”

Nidhi Parmar Hiranandani, Producer, said, “For me, the most rewarding part of making Srikanth has been seeing how deeply audiences connected with the film and with Srikanth Bolla’s journey. Stories like these remind us of the power of cinema to introduce us to extraordinary lives and leave us with something to carry forward. This National Film Award is a beautiful recognition of that journey, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who made this film possible.”

Inspired by the remarkable life and achievements of industrialist Srikanth Bolla, Srikanth celebrates determination, resilience and the power of believing beyond limitations. The film brought his inspiring journey to audiences across the country, highlighting how his vision and unwavering spirit enabled him to overcome challenges and build an extraordinary path for himself.

The National Award marks another significant milestone for the film, celebrating its impact as a story that continues to inspire audiences across the country.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: G V Prakash Kumar reflects on National Award win for Amaran: “It is a deeply emotional recognition”

EXCLUSIVE: Vivek Oberoi keeps his promise; donates his ENTIRE Ramayana remuneration towards treatment of 50 children battling cancer to mark his 50th birthday

Vivek Oberoi has marked his 50th year with a gesture aimed at making a difference in the lives of children battling cancer. On the occasion of Cancer Rose Day, the actor fulfilled a promise he had made last year by taking responsibility for the treatment of 50 children battling the disease.

The gesture is particularly significant as Vivek had revealed in October 2025 that he had decided not to take home his remuneration from Nitesh Tiwari’s ambitious Ramayana, co-starring Ranbir Kapoor, Yash and Sai Pallavi. Instead, the actor had pledged to use the entire amount towards supporting children undergoing cancer treatment.

Speaking to Hindustan Times at the time, Vivek had said, “I told Namit (Malhotra, producer) that I don’t want a penny for this. I want to donate it to a cause I believe in – kids with cancer.”

He had further explained why he wanted to be a part of Ramayana and support producer Namit Malhotra’s vision, saying, “I told him I want to support you because I just love what you’re doing, and I think this will take Indian cinema on the global stage with a bang.”

Nearly a year later, Vivek has now followed through on that commitment. Coinciding with Cancer Rose Day and his milestone 50th year, the actor has taken responsibility for the treatment of 50 children battling cancer, effectively turning the remuneration from one of his biggest upcoming films into assistance for young patients and their families.

Vivek Oberoi has been associated with initiatives supporting cancer patients for several years. Hence, his decision to dedicate his Ramayana earnings to the cause was an extension of his long-standing involvement with cancer-related charitable efforts.

With the latest initiative, the actor has ensured that the promise he publicly made in 2025 has translated into action – with his 50th year becoming an occasion to extend support to 50 children in their fight against cancer.

Also Read: Ravie Dubey defends Ranbir Kapoor’s Lord Rama casting amid Ramayana debate; says, “Ranbir is simply the best we have, he is a superstar of epic proportions”

Veteran actor Radha files complaint against sister Ambika and brother over alleged Rs 50 crores cheque fraud

Veteran actor Udayachandrika, popularly known as Radha, has filed a police complaint against her sister and actress Ambika Nair and their brother, Mallikarjuna Kunjan Nair, also known as Arjun Nair. In her complaint, Radha has alleged that the siblings conspired to take and misuse old cheques belonging to her and attempted to defraud her of nearly Rs 50 crores.

According to news agency PTI, Radha submitted a detailed petition to the Greater Chennai Police Commissioner on Monday. She stated that she received an email alert from the IDBI Bank branch in Porur on September 17 informing her that five high-value cheques had been presented for encashment in Ambika's name. The cheques were reportedly for Rs 11 lakh, Rs 13.17 crores, Rs 27.73 crores, Rs 7 crores and Rs 1.79 crores.

After receiving the alert, Radha immediately requested the bank to stop the payments. She maintained that there had been no financial transaction or legally enforceable debt between her and Ambika that would justify the cheque payments.

Radha has further alleged that the cheques were filled in the handwriting of their brother, Mallikarjuna. In her complaint, she also claimed that Mallikarjuna is facing financial liabilities related to proceedings under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999, and alleged that he is under pressure to pay a penalty following a 2025 FEMA case before the Madras High Court.

The actor has accused her siblings of "trespassing" into her room and taking the cheques with the alleged intention of using them for their financial requirements. She stated that the cheques were part of a 50-leaf cheque book issued in 2022 for her business, which was then operating under the name ARS Garden Studio.

Radha said the business name was officially changed to RR Gardens under GST regulations in January 2025, after which she obtained a new cheque book. As a result, she considered the older cheques invalid and had kept them aside as scrap in her room.

Radha also stated that because of her frequent business travel, she kept five or six signed blank cheques in her room for routine maintenance expenses and salary payments during her absence.

According to the complaint, Radha lives on the ground floor of her Valasaravakkam residence, where Ambika also resides and had access to her portion of the house based on their relationship and trust.

Radha has further alleged that she is now being prevented from checking her valuables and important documents kept in the same room, including gold and diamond ornaments and property papers. She has requested the police to investigate the alleged conspiracy and take criminal action against her siblings under the applicable provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The allegations are part of Radha's complaint and will be subject to police investigation.

Indian Festival of Perth to debut in November 2026, showcase 30+ films across Indian and South Asian languages; details inside!

Indian cinema is set to make its mark in Western Australia with the announcement of the inaugural Indian Festival of Perth, taking place across multiple locations in Perth from November 12 to November 15, 2026. The four-day festival is the latest expansion of the team behind the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) and the Indian Film Festival of Sydney (IFFS), two established celebrations of Indian cinema in Australia. The Perth edition marks the team’s expansion into a third major Australian city, bringing the diversity of Indian and South Asian cinema to audiences in Western Australia for the very first time.

The special announcement was made during Western Australian Premier Roger Cook’s visit to India, where he announced the inaugural festival during his keynote address, highlighting the growing cultural and creative ties between India and Western Australia.

The inaugural edition will showcase more than 30 films across Indian and South Asian languages, offering audiences an opportunity to discover stories and filmmakers from across the subcontinent.

Announcing the festival, Western Australian Premier Roger Cook said, “I am pleased to announce the inaugural Indian Festival of Perth, which will take place across multiple locations in Perth from November 12th to November 15th this year. The festival will showcase more than 30 films across Indian and South Asian languages. And the inaugural festival will welcome a select group of celebrated Indian Filmmakers who will get to witness Western Australian hospitality and visit Perth Film Studio".

Mitu Bhowmick Lange, who is behind both the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and Indian Film Festival of Sydney, said, “We are incredibly excited to bring Indian cinema to Perth for the very first time. The launch of the Indian Festival of Perth is a natural extension of what we have been building across Melbourne and Sydney, and it is wonderful to now create a platform for audiences in Western Australia to experience the incredible diversity of Indian and South Asian cinema. Beyond the films, we hope the festival will create meaningful connections between filmmakers, audiences and the wider creative community, and open up new conversations and collaborations between India and Western Australia.”

The launch further strengthens the cultural bridge between India and Australia, with the festival creating a new platform for Indian storytelling in Western Australia and expanding the footprint of Indian cinema across the country.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Sai Tamhankar on Bol Bol Rani releasing in Melbourne and Perth on August 16, “It’s a wonderful feeling to see the film travel beyond borders”

The Vvaan makers acquire sync rights after Sargam Vaish’s copyright claim over ‘Aigiri Nandini’

The makers of The Vvaan: Force Of The Forrest have acquired the sync rights to a recording of ‘Aigiri Nandini’ after musician Sargam Vaish alleged that his master recording was used in the film’s trailer without his permission.

Vaish had raised the issue on September 20, when he took to Instagram and claimed that a recording of ‘Aigiri Nandini’ created by him had been used in the trailer of the Sidharth Malhotra-starrer without obtaining his consent. The recording, according to Vaish, was originally created for a Ram Gopal Varma film, and he holds the master rights to it. Balaji Motion Pictures legal team meets musician Within 24 hours of Vaish publicly raising the issue, Balaji Motion Pictures’ legal team met with the musician. Vaish told Mid-Day that executives and lawyers from Ektaa R Kapoor’s production house met him on the evening of September 21 and subsequently acquired the sync rights for the recording.

Speaking about the meeting, Vaish said, “Balaji’s executives and lawyers have been cooperative. We met them today; they were kind and apologetic, even though they didn’t cause [the leak]. They are taking the sync rights for the track. I am grateful for the fact that we were able to resolve it so smoothly.” Sargam Vaish says he was not approached for permission Vaish recalled being surprised when he heard his version of Aigiri Nandini in the trailer of the Deepak Kumar Mishra-directed feature. “This is the version I had created for Ram Gopal Varma’s film. I own the master rights. No one had approached me for an NOC or permission,” he said. Source of recording leak remains unknown While the sync rights have now been acquired, Vaish said that he and the concerned parties are still trying to determine how his recording reached the Vvaan team in the first place. “The source of the leak is not known to us yet. We are trying to trace how this happened,” he added.

The Vvaan: Force Of The Forrest stars Sidharth Malhotra in the lead and is directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra. The film is backed by Balaji Motion Pictures and is scheduled to release on September 25.

Also Read: Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia bring their dance moves to The Vvaan’s ‘Thummak Thummak’; song out now

Manoj Bajpayee moves Delhi High Court over alleged misuse of image, voice and AI-generated identity

Actor Manoj Bajpayee has approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his personality rights, raising concerns over the alleged unauthorised use of his image, voice and aspects of his identity. The 57-year-old actor filed the petition on Monday, with the matter coming up before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav.

According to a report by Live Law, Senior Advocate Swathi Sukumar appeared for Bajpayee during the hearing. The petition reportedly raises concerns over the use of the actor’s photographs for commercial purposes, along with the use of artificial intelligence to recreate his voice and elements associated with his personality.

One of the entities named in the proceedings is H2PG Designs Private Limited. Bajpayee has alleged that the company used his photographs in a manner that suggested he was wearing suits manufactured by the brand. Another defendant has allegedly used AI technology to reproduce the actor’s voice. The actor has also sought protection against AI chatbots that may use identifiable aspects of his personality.

During Monday’s proceedings, the court also considered the issue of jurisdiction. Justice Kaurav questioned why the matter had been brought before the Delhi High Court when Bajpayee is primarily based in Mumbai. Sukumar submitted that certain defendants are located in Delhi, providing a basis for the court to exercise jurisdiction.

The judge also discussed how such personality rights matters could potentially be dealt with more efficiently, particularly in cases where defendants do not appear to contest the proceedings. Justice Kaurav observed that there would be “no point of burdening ourselves” if matters of this nature could routinely be handled by the Registrar rather than requiring a detailed court hearing.

The court has asked Bajpayee’s counsel to compile interim and final orders from earlier personality rights cases. She has also been directed to place on record how similar cases have been considered by other High Courts.

The Delhi High Court has previously dealt with personality rights petitions involving several public figures. Among those who have received protection in earlier proceedings are actors Tabu, Allu Arjun, Mohanlal, Kajol, R Madhavan and Jr NTR, along with cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Sunil Gavaskar, singer Jubin Nautiyal and others. Similar proceedings have also involved public figures including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Nagarjuna, Karan Johar and Salman Khan.

Bajpayee’s latest petition comes amid growing legal questions surrounding the use of artificial intelligence to replicate recognisable aspects of public figures, including their voices, images and identities. The Delhi High Court’s consideration of the matter will determine the next steps in the actor’s plea.

Also Read: Manoj Bajpayee to play Mahatma Gandhi for the first time in Sudhir Mishra’s next

Karan Johar announces film on R&AW founder R.N. Kao, sets August 11, 2028 release!

Filmmaker Karan Johar has announced the release date of his long-gestating film on Rameshwar Nath Kao, the founder of India's external intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). The film is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on August 11, 2028. The announcement was made by Karan on social media, although details about the cast have not been revealed yet.

Sharing the announcement, Karan described Kao as “The Man, The Myth, The Legend” and wrote, “RN Kao - The Man, The Myth, The Legend. The founder of R&AW, who led India to an unprecedented win in the 1971 War against Pakistan. The story of R&AW, it's founder and the first ever mission in cinema hall / 11th August, 2028!”

In another caption, Karan elaborated on the project and revealed that it is based on Nitin Gokhale's book Gentleman Spymaster. He wrote, “He built the invisible…but history remembers his impact. Today marks 58 years of R&AW and we’re thrilled to announce our film on the story of RN Kao, the man who operated in the shadows & brought to light an institution we know today as R&AW - and its first mission. Based on the book Gentleman Spymaster by Nitin Gokhale, his story comes alive on big screens on 11 August, 2028.”

 

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Karan Johar first announced the project in 2020 Karan had first officially announced the project in January 2020. At the time, Dharma Productions and Still and Still Media Collective announced their collaboration on a film based on Nitin Gokhale's R.N. Kao: Gentleman Spymaster.

Karan's announcement described the project as “The Untold Story of the Real Life Indian Spymaster - Rameshwar Nath Kao.” He had also said that the film would explore Kao's role in founding R&AW and his journey in international espionage.

The project has now received an official theatrical release date, more than eight years after its initial announcement. The makers are yet to announce the cast or provide further details about the director and other members of the creative team. Who was R.N. Kao? Rameshwar Nath Kao (1918-2002) was an Indian intelligence officer and bureaucrat who played a key role in the country's intelligence establishment. In 1968, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi appointed him as the founding Secretary of R&AW. Kao headed the agency until 1977.

The upcoming film is expected to focus on the formation of R&AW, Kao's role in building the organisation and its first mission. Karan's announcement also positions the project around the historical events associated with the agency and its founder. Another R.N. Kao project was announced for OTT Karan Johar's film is not the only project that has previously been announced around R.N. Kao's life. In 2022, filmmaker Hansal Mehta was announced as the creator and showrunner of an upcoming OTT series based on R K Yadav's book Mission R&AW.

The series was set to chronicle Kao's journey and work as the first chief of R&AW. However, there have been no significant updates on the project since its announcement.

Karan's newly announced film, meanwhile, now has a confirmed theatrical release date of August 11, 2028. Further details, including its cast and other production information, are awaited.

Also Read: SCOOP: Hrithik Roshan approached by Dharma Productions for film on Indian spymaster RN Kao