Bollywood Roundup: Malavika Mohanan, Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, and more…

Malavika Mohanan Calls Herself a ‘Closeted Island Girl’ as She Overcomes Fear of Ocean

Mumbai — Actress Malavika Mohanan says she is gradually overcoming her fear of the ocean and discovering a newfound fascination with marine life.

The actress shared several beach photos on Instagram Tuesday, describing her recent experiences swimming and snorkeling.

“Spent most of these few days jumping into the ocean every chance I got, snorkelling for hours and getting far too excited about spotting fish,” she wrote.

Mohanan admitted she was initially frightened of reef sharks but has since grown curious about them.

“I was genuinely scared of reef sharks at first (because sharks), and now I find myself looking for them every time I’m in the water,” she said.

“Slowly getting over my fear of the ocean, bit by bit, and getting more and more fascinated by this whole world beneath the surface…Who knew I was a closeted island girl,” she added.

On the professional front, Mohanan recently completed filming “Pocket Novel,” alongside Vijay Sethupathi.

In a recent Instagram post, she thanked Sethupathi for being a supportive co-star, describing him as caring and encouraging. Although the two previously worked on “Petta” and “Master,” the upcoming film marks their first time sharing screen space.

Varun Dhawan Wishes Pooja Hegde Happy Birthday, Calls Her the ‘Brightest Soul’

Mumbai — Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan shared a playful birthday message for his “Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai” co-star Pooja Hegde on Tuesday, calling her one of the brightest people he knows.

Dhawan posted a photo of the two posing in the water on Instagram Stories, accompanied by a humorous message.

“Poooooja it’s ur bday so I have to be only nice for one day but in all seriousness I wish u get everything u want and keep being the brightest soul I know too many more Aarti’s together,” he wrote.

The actors are known for their playful exchanges on social media. Last year, Dhawan jokingly wished Hegde a happy birthday by asking her to share her beauty secrets and “stop being mean to society.”

The two also shared a lighthearted behind-the-scenes video in which Hegde jokingly accused Dhawan of making her cry while getting her makeup done.

Dhawan and Hegde starred alongside Mrunal Thakur in “Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai,” directed by David Dhawan. The comedy also featured Mouni Roy, Rohit Saraf, Maniesh Paul, Kubbra Sait and Rajeev Khandelwal.

Produced by Ramesh Taurani under Tips Films and co-produced by Gaurav Bose of Maximilian Films, the movie was released June 5, 2026.

Anushka Sharma Recalls Aditya Chopra Telling Her She Was ‘Not the Most Good-Looking Girl’

Mumbai — Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma once recalled how filmmaker Aditya Chopra’s blunt assessment of her appearance left her in tears early in her career.

During an appearance on “Koffee With Karan,” Sharma revealed that Chopra praised her acting talent but told her she would need to work harder because he did not consider her particularly attractive.

“I have a lot of belief in your talent. I think you are a very talented actress, but I don’t think you are very good-looking. You’re not the most good-looking girl, so you have to make sure that you work really hard,” Sharma recalled Chopra telling her when she was selected for “Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.”

Although she remained composed during the meeting, Sharma admitted she became emotional afterward.

“At one point, I stopped the car because I realised I was crying. I was crying so much,” she said, adding that she called her mother to share what had happened.

Sharma acknowledged that she had previously considered herself very attractive but began questioning that perception after seeing herself on a monitor during filming.

“I saw myself the first time on screen, and I was like, ‘He is right. I am not that good-looking,’” she recalled.

Despite facing several rejections early in her career, Sharma made her Bollywood debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the 2008 romantic drama “Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi,” directed by Chopra.

Mithun Chakraborty Recalls How Zeenat Aman Helped Transform His Career

Mumbai — Veteran Bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty once credited actress Zeenat Aman with helping him overcome industry skepticism and establish himself as a leading star.

During a 2023 appearance on the singing reality show “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa,” Chakraborty recalled struggling to secure major roles because several actresses were reluctant to work with him.

“There was a time when I thought I wouldn’t transition from B-grade films to A-grade films. There were times when the actresses walked out even after the film was announced,” he said.

Chakraborty claimed some established actors felt threatened by his potential success and discouraged actresses from appearing alongside him.

He said his fortunes changed when Aman, then one of Bollywood’s leading actresses, agreed to work with him.

“Zeenat ji said, ‘What a good-looking man he is!’ I will do the film with him. It was Zeenat ji who broke the jinx,” he recalled.

According to Chakraborty, Aman’s decision encouraged other actresses to accept projects with him, helping elevate his standing in the industry.

“With Taqdeer’s release, I became an A-category actor,” he said.

Expressing his appreciation, Chakraborty added, “I will forever be grateful to Zeenat ji for helping me attain that. Zeenat ji, if you are listening to me, I offer my ‘pranaam’ to you.”

Anupam Kher, Boman Irani’s ‘Khosla Ka Ghosla 2’ Gets New Release Date

Mumbai — The upcoming comedy “Khosla Ka Ghosla 2,” starring Anupam Kher and Boman Irani, will now hit theaters March 5, 2027, producers announced Tuesday.

T-Series confirmed the revised release date on social media, writing, “Deal Pakki! The Khoslas are ready to take possession of cinemas with #KhoslaKaGhosla2, arriving on the big screen on 5th March 2027!”

The sequel was originally scheduled for release Aug. 28, 2026.

Directed by Priya Mishra and Prashant Bhagia, the film is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Savita Raj Hiremath and Raj Hiremath. Kiran Juneja, Ranvir Shorey and Tara Sharma will also reprise their roles from the original film.

In August, Kher praised Irani after the actor completed filming his scenes, highlighting their friendship despite playing adversaries on screen.

“In the film, he is the intimidating, ruthless and unforgettable #KhuranaSaab. In real life, he is one of the warmest, kindest and most generous friends one could ask for,” Kher wrote.

Released in 2006, the original “Khosla Ka Ghosla” followed a middle-class Delhi family attempting to reclaim land seized by an unscrupulous property developer, played by Irani. (Source: IANS)