Bollywood Roundup: Anil Kapoor, Mouni Roy, Rashmika Mandanna, and more…
Anil Kapoor Cheers Jackie Shroff Ahead of ‘The Great Grand Superhero’ Release
MUMBAI, India — Anil Kapoor is showing support for longtime friend Jackie Shroff ahead of the release of Shroff’s upcoming film “The Great Grand Superhero.”
Kapoor shared the film’s trailer on Instagram Stories and praised Shroff’s return to the screen.
“This one’s special. Jackie bhai, my ram on screen is always a feeling, and this time, with these little superheroes, it’s something else entirely. 29th May, don’t miss it,” Kapoor wrote.
Kapoor and Shroff have shared a long personal and professional bond, appearing together in several Hindi films, including “Ram Lakhan,” “Karma,” “Parinda,” “1942: A Love Story,” “Trimurti” and “Shootout at Wadala.”
In December, Kapoor marked 41 years of friendship with Shroff, writing that their relationship had grown from “a healthy rivalry” into “the deepest respect and love for each other.”
“The Great Grand Superhero” is directed by National Award winner Manish Saini and features an ensemble cast that includes Prateik, Bhagyashree Dasani, Sharat Saxena, Mihir Godbole, Durgesh Kumar, Saharsh Shukla, Shivansh Chorge and Kumar Saurabh.
The film follows a grandfather-grandson relationship shaped by a child’s imagination, with aliens adding a fantastical twist. Backed by Zee Studios and Amdavad Films, the movie is scheduled to open in theaters May 29.
Mouni Roy Seeks Privacy Amid Divorce Rumors With Suraj Nambiar
MUMBAI, India — Actress Mouni Roy has asked media outlets not to publish “false narratives” amid rumors that she and husband Suraj Nambiar have separated.
Roy addressed the speculation in a social media post, requesting privacy as reports about the couple’s marriage circulated online.
“Humbly requesting all the media houses to not publish false narratives and give us space and privacy. Please,” she wrote.
Rumors about the couple began drawing attention after social media users noticed that Roy and Nambiar appeared to have unfollowed each other. Reports also claimed the two had separated and were no longer living together.
As speculation grew Tuesday, Nambiar appeared to deactivate his Instagram account, with users seeing a message that the page was not available. Actress Disha Patani, Roy’s close friend, also reportedly unfollowed Nambiar before the account was deactivated.
Roy and Nambiar married in Goa in 2022 in an intimate ceremony that included both Malayali and Bengali traditions.
On the work front, Roy is set to appear in Madhur Bhandarkar’s “The Wives,” alongside Sonali Kulkarni, Regina Cassandra, Rahul Bhatt, Saurabh Sachdeva, Arjan Bajwa and Freddy Daruvala. She is also part of David Dhawan’s romantic entertainer “Hai Jawaani Toh Ishq Hona Hai,” featuring Varun Dhawan, Pooja Hegde, Kubbra Sait, Maniesh Paul, Rohit Saraf, Rajeev Khandelwal, Nitish Nirmal and Sreeleela.
Rashmika Mandanna Faces Fear of Heights During Kochi Stay
MUMBAI, India — Rashmika Mandanna said her stay in Kochi pushed her to face her fear of heights while working on her upcoming film “Mysaa.”
The actress shared several photos on Instagram, including shots of herself posing on a balcony, and described her time in Kerala as a mix of outdoor shoots, physical training and action work.
“Kochi had been a lot of forests – insects – water falls – trekking – basic workouts – rains – running around – learning action and doing action – taping my ankles and knees – facing my fear of heights – hoping everything is going well – telling all the boys and girls to be careful while walking around – waking up with a loud alarm so that I don’t over sleep and some pazham pori.. actually lots of pazham pori…That’s pretty much it!” Mandanna wrote.
Mandanna recently wrapped a long schedule for “Mysaa” in Kerala. In a separate Instagram Stories post, she thanked the film’s team for their work on the shoot.
“Guys a lil update is that we successfully wrapped up a long schedule for #Mysaa in Kerala!! And these were some of the darlings who worked so so hard and made it all possible! Thankyou guys.. and I’ll see you soon again on set! @rawindrapulle @unformulafilms,” she wrote.
Directed by Rawindra Pulle, “Mysaa” is expected to feature Mandanna in action-heavy sequences. She previously trained for the film in Bangkok, Thailand.
Mandanna’s upcoming slate also includes Rahul Sankrityan’s period drama “Ranabaali” with Vijay Deverakonda and “Cocktail 2,” co-starring Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon.
Rasika Dugal Says She Learned From Saif Ali Khan on ‘Kartavya’ Set
MUMBAI, India — Rasika Dugal said working with Saif Ali Khan on “Kartavya” helped her rethink how she approaches a film set.
Dugal, who shares the screen with Khan for the first time in the Netflix film, said she admired his ability to stay aware of the larger set environment while also focusing on his performance.
“There are some actors who are able to sort of understand what is happening on the set entirely and do their job also, which I saw Saif do very beautifully,” Dugal said.
She said she often tends to stay in her own head while working and found Khan’s approach useful to observe.
“I feel that sometimes when I am on set, I can only be in my own head a little bit and not really be able to carry everybody together with me, and not even sort of take on that responsibility. So I unlearned how to do that because I saw him do that so beautifully,” she said.
Dugal previously said Khan was “so much fun to work with” and praised his sense of humor and ability to sustain and reinvent his career over more than three decades.
Directed and written by Pulkit, “Kartavya” also stars Sanjay Mishra, Zakir Hussain, Manish Chaudhari and Saurabh Dwivedi.
The film is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on May 15.
Akshay Kumar Teases ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ With New Look
MUMBAI, India — Akshay Kumar has teased his next project, “Welcome to the Jungle,” with a new social media post showing him in a stylish look from the film.
The actor shared a photo of himself walking through a jungle set while wearing a dark suit and sunglasses. He captioned the post, “Next… #WelcomeToTheJungle.”
“Welcome to the Jungle” is the third installment in the “Welcome” franchise and features a large ensemble cast that includes Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal, Johnny Lever, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Aftab Shivdasani, Raveena Tandon, Lara Dutta, Jacqueline Fernandez and Disha Patani.
The film also marks Kumar’s on-screen reunion with Raveena Tandon after more than two decades.
Kumar was last seen in “Bhooth Bangla,” a horror-comedy that reunited him with director Priyadarshan.
The actor made his Hindi film debut with “Saugandh” in 1991 and went on to become one of Bollywood’s top action stars with the “Khiladi” films before expanding into comedy with movies such as “Hera Pheri,” “Mujhse Shaadi Karogi,” “Garam Masala” and the “Welcome” franchise.
Lara Dutta Wishes Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on His 70th Birthday
MUMBAI, India — Lara Dutta marked Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s 70th birthday with a heartfelt social media tribute, sharing photos of moments spent with the spiritual leader over the years.
The actress posted a series of pictures with Ravi Shankar, who is also known as Gurudev, and expressed gratitude for his presence in her life.
“Happy 70th Birthday Gurudev!!! Always the happiest in your presence! May you live a looonnggg life and may we be blessed and fortunate enough to exist in your shadow,” Dutta wrote.
The photos included Dutta sitting beside Ravi Shankar in a traditional outfit, a candid moment featuring her daughter, and a throwback picture with him.
Dutta, who was last seen in “Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond,” has often spoken about spirituality and inner strength. A recent throwback video of her discussing beauty and character also gained attention online.
In the clip, Dutta said true beauty comes from confidence, determination and conviction.
“If you are a beautiful person from inside, if you have belief in yourself, if you trust yourself, and you have confidence and determination to fight the odds, the stamina to last forever, conviction from within and a dream to be victorious, that makes you a beautiful person, and it’s not that difficult,” she said.
Dutta won Miss Universe in 2000 and has worked in Hindi films for more than two decades. She is next set to appear in “Welcome to the Jungle,” which reunites her with Akshay Kumar after “Bhagam Bhag.”
Rakul Preet Singh Says Actors Must Tune Out Social Media Noise
MUMBAI, India — Rakul Preet Singh said actors need to distance themselves from online criticism and social media chatter if they want to stay focused on their work.
In an interview with IANS, Singh said newer actors may be more affected by online comments, though social media was not as dominant when she began her career.
“I think when you are newer and when you just start out, you get affected. Luckily, when I started out, social media wasn’t so prominent,” she said.
Singh said online opinions have grown louder in recent years, especially since the COVID-19 lockdowns.
“This is only the last five years, and I think people have started having an opinion only through the pandemic. I think the last five, six years, when there was a lot of time and social media was around,” she said.
She said actors have to block out the noise and avoid letting social media dictate their mindset.
“So, I feel that ultimately as an actor, you have to shut that noise and you have to distance yourself from the chatter. And just put your blinders on and work, and then disconnect. Because if you start getting affected by what everyone is saying on social media, then you will be a disaster,” Singh said.
Singh will next appear in the romantic comedy “Pati Patni Aur Woh Do,” alongside Ayushmann Khurrana, Sara Ali Khan and Wamiqa Gabbi. The film is backed by T-Series and B R Studios and is scheduled to open in theaters May 15.
Urvashi Rautela Shares Cannes Opening Ceremony Look
MUMBAI, India — Urvashi Rautela marked her fifth appearance at the Cannes Film Festival by sharing a glimpse of her opening ceremony look from the French Riviera.
The actress posted a photo on Instagram from the 2026 festival, writing, “MERCI CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2026… OPENING CEREMONY.”
Rautela wore an embellished gown by a Vietnamese designer, featuring silver crystal embroidery, sheer detailing and dramatic cape-style sleeves. She completed the look with a jeweled headpiece and clutch.
The 79th Cannes Film Festival opened May 12 and is scheduled to run through May 23. French actress Eye Haidara is hosting the opening and closing ceremonies, and the festival opened with the French period comedy “The Electric Kiss.”
Alia Bhatt has already appeared on the red carpet, while Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Huma Qureshi and Tara Sutaria are also expected to attend the 11-day event.
Rautela is next set to appear in the second season of “Inspector Avinash,” the crime drama led by Randeep Hooda. She was last seen on the big screen in “Daaku Maharaaj,” alongside Nandamuri Balakrishna and Bobby Deol. (Source: IANS)
