Bollywood Roundup: Sonakshi Sinha, Amitabh Bachchan, Bhumi Pednekar, and more…
Sonakshi Sinha Refuses to Enter Car as Paparazzi Keep Filming
Mumbai — Sonakshi Sinha refused to enter her car after paparazzi continued filming her outside Akanksha Ranjan Kapoor’s wedding reception.
The actress initially posed for photographers before walking toward her vehicle. She became upset when they followed her closely and continued recording.
“Bas ho gaya guys, ab band karo. Band karo… band karo,” she said, meaning, “Enough is enough, guys. Now stop.”
Sinha waited until the photographers stepped back and warned them not to film inside her car.
She previously confronted paparazzi for continuing to record her parents, veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha and Poonam Sinha, during a family outing.
Amitabh Bachchan Welcomes Three-Day World Cup Break Before Semifinals
Mumbai — Amitabh Bachchan has welcomed the three-day break before the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals, joking that he could use some time off as well.
The veteran actor, an avid sports fan, shared his reaction on his personal blog after the quarterfinal stage of the tournament.
“.. respite from WC 2026 .. a 3 day break .. I need one too .. so short ans very sweet,” Bachchan wrote.
France, Spain, Argentina and England have advanced to the semifinals, which are scheduled to begin July 15. The World Cup final will be played July 19.
Bachchan has frequently shared his thoughts on the tournament on social media and his blog. Earlier, he said he had used ChatGPT to verify a claim that none of the players on Morocco’s World Cup squad had been born in the country.
“I came to know from someone that none of the players of the WC 2026 Moroccan team were born in Morocco. ChatGPT when asked says not entirely true,” he wrote on X.
On the professional front, Bachchan is working on the sequel to “Kalki 2898 AD,” directed by Nag Ashwin. The science-fiction epic also stars Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone and Disha Patani.
The first film is set in a dystopian future and follows a group seeking to protect the unborn child of a laboratory subject believed to be Kalki, the final incarnation of Vishnu.
Bachchan is also reportedly involved in Nitesh Tiwari’s “Ramayana: Part 1,” starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash and Sunny Deol. He was last seen in the action thriller “Vettaiyan,” directed by T.J. Gnanavel.
Bhumi Pednekar Says Bundelkhandi Was Her Toughest On-Screen Language
Mumbai — Bhumi Pednekar has said Bundelkhandi was the most challenging language she has had to speak on screen, requiring months of preparation for her role in “Sonchiriya.”
“I love picking up different languages, but the toughest will have to be Bundelkhandi, which I adopted in ‘Sonchiriya.’ I had training for that for many months,” Pednekar said during an interview conducted while promoting her 2025 film “Mere Husband Ki Biwi.”
Released in 2019, “Sonchiriya” is set in the Chambal region and follows a group of dacoits who describe themselves as rebels. The film’s dialogue is largely in the Bundeli dialect.
Directed and co-written by Abhishek Chaubey, the film also starred the late Sushant Singh Rajput, Ashutosh Rana and Ranvir Shorey.
Pednekar later appeared alongside Arjun Kapoor and Rakul Preet Singh in “Mere Husband Ki Biwi,” directed by Mudassar Aziz. The supporting cast included Shakti Kapoor, Anita Raj, Dino Morea and Aditya Seal.
The romantic comedy was released in theaters on Feb. 21, 2025, but failed to perform strongly at the box office.
Anupam Kher Remembers Sam Neill as an Extraordinary Actor and Gentleman
Mumbai — Anupam Kher paid tribute to Sam Neill following the actor’s death in Sydney at age 78, saying the film world had lost an extraordinary artist and a wonderful gentleman.
Kher shared a photograph of himself with the “Jurassic Park” star and wrote, “DEEPLY SADDENED by the passing of the wonderful #SamNeill.”
Recalling their meeting in Australia, Kher said, “I had the privilege of meeting him in Sydney, Australia, and what stayed with me was not merely the celebrated actor, but the warm, gracious and gentle human being behind that familiar face.”
Kher said he had admired Neill’s career for decades, citing performances in “My Brilliant Career,” “The Piano,” “Jurassic Park” and “The Hunt for Red October.”
“From My Brilliant Career and The Piano to Jurassic Park, The Hunt for Red October and so many other memorable performances, he brought intelligence, dignity and a rare quiet strength to every character he portrayed,” he wrote.
Kher added, “Some actors impress you with their performances. Some human beings touch you with their presence. Sam Neill did both. The world of cinema has lost an extraordinary artist, and the world has lost a wonderful gentleman. Rest in peace, dear Sam. Your work and your warmth will live on. Om Shanti.”
Neill’s family said in an Instagram statement that his death on Monday was “sudden and unexpected.”
“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life,” the family said, adding that he had remained cancer-free.
The family also thanked the staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for caring for Neill and requested privacy.
Shilpa Shetty Calls Gratitude the Foundation of Her Life
Mumbai — Shilpa Shetty began the week by reflecting on the importance of gratitude, describing it as the foundation of her life and a way to reset mentally, emotionally and physically.
The actress shared a video of practicing monk Nityanand Charan Das speaking about gratitude at the Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple at ISKCON Chowpatty in Mumbai.
“Gratitude has always been the bedrock of my life. I truly believe Mondays are a beautiful opportunity to reset, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too,” Shetty wrote.
She said the discourse reminded her that choosing appreciation over comparison can make life feel lighter and more meaningful.
“Sharing a small excerpt from that discourse, with the hope that it inspires you to begin this week with a grateful heart. Because what we focus on, grows,” she added.
Shetty was last seen in the Kannada-language action thriller “KD: The Devil,” directed by Prem and starring Dhruva Sarja, Sanjay Dutt, V. Ravichandran, Ramesh Aravind, Reeshma Nanaiah, Jisshu Sengupta and Nora Fatehi.
She is also hosting “Maa Hai Na,” a reality cooking show in which celebrities compete in pairs with a parent or adult child through cooking challenges and comedy segments.
Earlier this month, Shetty shared photographs from an all-girls family vacation with her mother, sister Shamita Shetty and daughter Samisha, calling the trip an opportunity to create lasting memories across three generations.
Farah Khan Calls Madhuri Grover a ‘Legend’ After ‘Lock Upp’ Exchange
Mumbai — Filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan praised “Lock Upp Season 2” contestant Madhuri Grover after a promotional clip showed her defending her role as manager to her husband, entrepreneur Ashneer Grover.
The video featured Madhuri in a heated exchange after apparently being described as her husband’s manager. She said she was proud to oversee his professional commitments and argued that doing so represented women’s empowerment.
Madhuri also said she made her husband work and earned a substantial salary for managing his career.
Ashneer shared the promotional video on social media and jokingly tagged Farah, writing, “Mata aa gayi isko to aapki instigation se,” suggesting that Madhuri had become angry because of Farah’s provocation.
Farah reshared the post and wrote, “@ashneer.grover I lovvv her.. she’s a legend.. @madsj30.”
“Lock Upp Season 2,” hosted by Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh, has drawn attention for its confrontations, emotional moments and personal revelations.
The show’s contestants include Ram Kapoor, Akanksha Chamola, Dheeraj Dhoopar, Sunita Ahuja, Shilpa Shinde and Shreya Kalra. (Source: IANS)
