Who’s the gaali-galoch expert?

Filmmaker Vidhu Vinod revisited the casting journey of Vidya Balan in Parineeta (2005), as the film gears up for a re-release. Speaking at a special screening in Mumbai, he recalled, “A lot of top heroines wanted to do Parineeta. But Pradeep Sarkar said there’s a new girl from Chembur. So I said, ‘Test this girl from Chembur’.” Chopra also revealed that Vidya went through an exhaustive process with nearly 20–25 rounds of testing. “She was so exhausted by the process that she actually muttered gaalis [expletives] before her final audition,” he chuckled. 

Mollywood bromance

(L-R) Mohanlal and Mammootty

Malayalam superstar Mammootty recently took to his secretary, George Sebastian’s social media handle to confirm his “full recovery”, thanking fans and well-wishers for supporting him in the journey. The announcement ended months of speculation about his health. His close friend Mohanlal marked the moment by posting a photo kissing Mammootty on the cheek, a gesture that quickly went viral among fans. Earlier, Mohanlal’s prayer at Sabarimala for Mammootty’s well-being had sparked debate but was widely seen as a touching expression of their enduring friendship.