Bollywood Roundup: Ayushmann Khurrana, Zeenat Aman, Sidharth Malhotra, and more…

Ayushmann Khurrana Returns to Indian Idol Stage That Once Rejected Him

MUMBAI, India — Ayushmann Khurrana returned to Indian Idol for a performance that carried personal meaning, years after he was rejected from the same singing reality show during his early career.

The actor-singer performed an extended reprised version of “Dil Wale Chor” from his latest film, Pati Patni Aur Woh Do, during a recent episode of the show. Khurrana later reflected on the moment on Instagram, calling it “surreal.”

“This is the extended version of Dil Wale Chor (reprise) which I performed at Indian Idol. The same stage which once rejected me during my struggling days. Surreal. Thanks for loving the song. Thanks for loving the film. #PatiPatniAurWohDo running successfully in cinemas!,” he wrote.

Khurrana, known for films including Vicky Donor and Andhadhun, had auditioned for Indian Idol Season 2 before finding success in Bollywood.

During the episode, he also paid tribute to veteran actress and dancer Helen, crediting her with elevating cabaret performances in Hindi cinema.

“Cabaret ko, jise aaj item songs kaha jata hain, aapne ek artist ka darja diya. Asha Tai ne jitne khoobsurat gaane aapke liye gaaye aur jis tarah aapne unhe perform kiya it was truly tremendous,” Khurrana said.

He also shared a personal connection with Helen, saying his mother is from Burma and grew up proud that Helen came from there as well.

“Meri maa Burma se hain aur unki zindagi ka sabse bada flex yeh tha ki Helen Ji bhi Burma se hain. Main bachpan se yahi sunta aaya hoon. Maa ne mujhe bachpan mein ek rhyme bhi sikhayi thi aur maine socha tha ki jab bhi aapse milunga, woh rhyme zaroor sunaunga,” he said.

Zeenat Aman Credits Mother With Making Her Gawaahi Comeback Possible

MUMBAI, India — Zeenat Aman says her mother’s support made it possible for her to return to the screen in the 1988 courtroom drama Gawaahi after the birth of her first son, Azaan.

In a social media post, the veteran actress recalled that the film came to her at a difficult time, when her marriage was showing signs of strain and she was living with her mother in south Bombay with her young son.

“Gawaahi was shot in 1988, two years after the birth of my first son Azaan and just before the conception of my second born Zahaan,” Aman wrote. “At this point in my life, the rosy picture of domestic bliss that I had conjured up while at the peak of my career was beginning to fade.”

Aman said she was drawn to the low-budget courtroom drama, which was based on Ayn Rand’s play The Night of January 16th and pitched to her by producer Vivek Vaswani and debut director Anant Balani.

She said that after once wanting to escape her professional life, she now wanted to reconnect with an identity beyond “daughter, mother and wife.” Her mother stepped in to care for Azaan, allowing Aman to accept the role of Janhvi Kaul, a murder accused at the center of the film.

The movie was shot entirely in Mumbai and also featured Shekhar Kapur and Ashutosh Gowarikar. Aman said she recently rewatched the film and found it to be a “bold and unconventional whodunnit.”

Sidharth Malhotra Shares Midweek Fitness Push With ‘Muscle & Hustle’ Post

MUMBAI, India — Sidharth Malhotra offered fans a dose of midweek fitness motivation Wednesday, sharing a glimpse of his latest gym session on Instagram.

The Shershaah actor posted a workout video showing him using gymnastic rings to train his upper body before moving into push-ups as part of a core-strengthening routine.

“Muscle & hustle 💪 #SidFit,” Malhotra wrote in the caption. He set the video to “Victory Lap” by British record producer Fred Again.

Malhotra regularly shares fitness clips with his followers. In April, the Kapoor & Sons actor posted another gym video featuring an upper-body workout on gymnastic rings, along with the message, “No shortcuts. Just work.”

His social media feed also features family moments with wife Kiara Advani. On Mother’s Day, Advani shared that Malhotra had surprised her with chocolate pancakes for breakfast as she celebrated her first Mother’s Day after becoming a parent.

“We take our celebrations very seriously! This year was extra special being my first, the husband decided to surprise me with his cooking skills, chocolate pancakes for breakfast, extra cuddles from Saraayu and lots of cake,” Advani wrote.

Kriti Kharbanda Joins ‘Melodi’ Meme Fest With Chocolatey Post

MUMBAI, India — Kriti Kharbanda joined the latest “Melodi” meme wave on social media after Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni a packet of Melody toffee.

The actress shared a series of photos of herself dressed in earthy brown tones resembling the caramel-filled candy and added a playful caption: “Yeh melody itni chocolatey kyun hai.”

The “Melodi” trend combines the names of Modi and Meloni and has become a popular social media shorthand for their friendly exchanges at global events. The hashtag gained wider attention after Meloni posted a selfie with Modi at the COP28 summit in Dubai and captioned it, “Good friends at COP28, #Melodi.”

The meme resurfaced after Meloni shared a video of Modi giving her the toffee. “Prime Minister Modi brought us a gift — a very, very good toffee — Melody,” she said in the clip as the two leaders laughed. She also wrote, “Thank you for the gift.”

Kharbanda was last seen in Rana Naidu 2, an action crime drama starring Rana Daggubati and adapted from the American series Ray Donovan.

She is married to actor Pulkit Samrat. The couple has appeared together in films including Veerey Ki Wedding, Pagalpanti and Taish.

Salman Khan Tells Paparazzi to Behave During Hospital Visit

MUMBAI, India — Salman Khan appeared to lose his temper with paparazzi Tuesday after being surrounded outside Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai’s Mahim area.

The Bollywood star was seen leaving the hospital and walking toward his car when photographers gathered around him. Khan briefly stopped and told them to behave, saying, “Pagal ho kya?” The photographers then apologized and stopped filming.

It was not immediately clear whom Khan had visited at the hospital.

The incident came after Khan recently addressed speculation about his comments on loneliness. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the actor said his remarks were not about his own life and that he is surrounded by family, friends and fans.

“Arre yaar Mai apne bare mai nahi baat kar raha tha. How can I be alone when I have such a large amazing family n friends n how can I be lonely when I have u guys,your wishes n Duas, I would be the biggest na shukra ever,” he wrote.

Khan added that he sometimes needs time away from people when his “social battery” runs low.

“Kabhi Kabhi logon ke saath reh kar pak jaata hun, isliye some me time, Buss… Iss baar koi photo nahi breaking news bana diya, Mummy pooch rahi hai, Kya hua Beta? Chill maro yaar,” he wrote. (Source: IANS)