Bollywood Roundup: Nushrratt Bharuccha, Sonali Bendre, Salman Khan, and more…

Nushrratt Bharuccha Backs Appeal Against Animal Cruelty

Mumbai — Bollywood actress Nushrratt Bharuccha has spoken out against animal cruelty after sharing Manjari Fadnis’ emotional appeal over the alleged killing of a community dog named Mikey.

Nushrratt reposted Manjari’s Instagram video on Tuesday and wrote, “This is Unacceptable!! This cannot be the world we live in!! I am heartbroken and enraged”.

In the video, Manjari said residents of her housing society had been searching for Mikey for days and alleged that a resident had admitted to attacking the dog while it was asleep. She claimed the dog was struck with an iron rod, dragged away and assaulted further.

By sharing the appeal, Nushrratt joined calls for accountability and stronger protection for community animals.

Sonali Bendre Says ‘Raakh’ Reassured Her as an Actor

Mumbai — Actress Sonali Bendre says her role in “Raakh” helped her realize she could explore difficult emotions on screen without carrying them into her personal life.

Sonali plays Mona Arora in the OTT series, a character shaped by grief, loss and resilience after a major tragedy.

“Over the last few years, I found myself naturally gravitating towards stories that felt lighter emotionally. So when Raakh came along, I did wonder what it would be like to spend so much time in such an intense emotional space. What surprised me was realising that I was able to engage with those emotions without carrying them home with me. As an actor, that was reassuring,” she said.

Sonali said the project also helped her understand that self-protection and emotional openness as an actor can coexist.

“I realised that protecting yourself as a person and being open as an actor are not mutually exclusive. Raakh allowed me to explore emotions that are uncomfortable and complex, while also trusting that I could step away from them when the work was done. That was an important discovery for me,” she said.

“Raakh” stars Ali Fazal, Sonali Bendre and Aamir Bashir. Directed and executive produced by Prosit Roy, the series is set to premiere on Prime Video on June 12.

Salman Khan Gets Emotional at Friend’s Funeral

Mumbai — Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was seen getting emotional on Tuesday at the funeral of his close friend Kumod Raney.

Salman arrived at the funeral venue with security and close associates. The actor appeared grief-stricken as he stood with folded hands and tried to compose himself. Visuals of him breaking down left fans emotional online.

Kumod Raney was said to be a close family friend of the Khans. Salman’s mother Salma Khan, stepmother Helen, brother Sohail Khan and sister Arpita Khan Sharma also attended the funeral. Malaika Arora was among those who arrived to pay their respects.

Earlier, Salman had lashed out at paparazzi outside Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai after being mobbed while walking to his car. The actor told photographers to behave, after which they apologized and stopped filming.

Shraddha Kapoor Hints at ‘Work Mode’ With Playful Post

Mumbai — Shraddha Kapoor gave fans a glimpse of her playful side Tuesday as she hinted at being in “work mode” with a new Instagram post.

Sharing candid photos, the “Stree 2” actress wrote, “Office wale attendance lagao.” In the pictures, Shraddha is seen smiling in a casual purple top and blue trousers. One photo shows her sitting on a couch with coffee in hand and her pet on her lap.

On the work front, Shraddha will next be seen in “Eetha,” a biopic on Marathi folk artist Vithabai Narayangaonkar. The film, also starring Randeep Hooda and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, is set to release on August 28.

Shraddha was last seen in the blockbuster “Stree 2” and also has the third installment of the franchise in the pipeline.

Shilpa Shetty Shares Glimpse of Birthday Celebration With Family

Mumbai — Shilpa Shetty Kundra shared a warm glimpse of her birthday celebration with her family.

The actress posted a video on Instagram showing her cutting a cake with husband Raj Kundra as her children sang the birthday song. She was also seen receiving a special gift that left her surprised.

“Just the perfect Birthday, with my loved ones. Thankyouuuuuu for all your good wishes and blessings. Heart is filled with soooo much love Heartfelt gratitude,” she wrote.

Shilpa also shared a playful birthday post earlier, writing, “Birthday or no, growing up was never part of the plan.”

Raj Kundra and Shamita Shetty were among those who posted heartfelt birthday wishes for the actress on social media.

Rakul Preet Singh Enjoys New York Food Crawl With Jackky Bhagnani

Mumbai — Rakul Preet Singh gave fans a glimpse of her New York food crawl with husband Jackky Bhagnani.

The actress shared photos and videos on Instagram from their outing, showing the couple exploring the city’s food scene and trying pizza, croissants and other snacks.

“A little bit of New York, a lot of good food, and the best kind of company,” Rakul wrote.

Rakul and Jackky married on February 21, 2024, in a beachfront celebration at ITC Grand Goa, with ceremonies following Anand Karaj and Sindhi traditions.

On the work front, Rakul will next be seen in S. Shankar’s “Indian 3,” a continuation of the 1996 film “Indian,” starring Kamal Haasan.

Rakul recently also spoke about online criticism, saying actors need to distance themselves from social media chatter and focus on their work. (Source: IANS)