16122025-LSTL-01.qxd 12/15/2025 8:30 PM Page 1 c m y b PARAG’S TRIBUTE TO SHEFALI Actor Parag Tyagi remembered his late wife Shefali Jariwala on her 43rd birthday with an emotional Instagram post. Sharing a throwback video of Jariwala dancing with his mother, he noted both birthdays fall on December 15. Jariwala, who shot to fame with Kaanta Laga, passed away on June 27 at the age of 42. CHAT UP TRIBUNE Life NonikaSingh RAJINI@75 CELEBRATIONS Superstar Rajinikanth celebrated his 75th birthday on December 12, with fans across Tamil Nadu joining in the festivities through the weekend. In Madurai, the occasion was marked by the re-release of his iconic film Padayappa. A fan in Madurai celebrated the actor’s 75th birthday by organising a special ceremony at the Rajini temple. Karthik, a fan of Rajinikanth, has constructed a “Rajini Temple” in his residence, featuring a 300kg statue of the actor. CELEBS MOURN REINER’S DEATH The demise of actor-director Rob Reiner at the age of 78 has left many stars in sorrow. Reiner first became known for his role in sitcom All in the Family. He went on to direct classic films including Stand by Me, When Harry Met Sally..., and A Few Good Men. He was found dead on Sunday afternoon in his Brentwood home alongside his wife, Michele Singer. The deaths are being investigated as a homicide by the Los Angeles Police. SOHAIL IS SORRY Actor Sohail Khan has issued an apology for riding a bike without a helmet. Recently, a video of Sohail Khan surfaced online showing the actor riding his bike in Mumbai without a helmet. This quickly escalated as many called out Sohail for being careless. Sohail took to his Instagram and explained that he avoids helmets because of claustrophobia, assuring to ‘make a genuine effort to overcome it.’ BOLLY STARS FAWN OVER MESSI Actors Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff met footballer Lionel Messi during his GOAT Tour. Messi visited Mumbai on December 14. During his Kolkata stop, superstar Shah Rukh Khan met Messi with his youngest son, AbRam Khan. No Scorsese F EWdays ago, the newly married Raj Nidimoru, other half of beautiful Samantha Ruth Prabhu, and creative half of the humongous-ly famous Raj & DK, the writer director magical combo, let us into a secret. “During a flight I saw every third person watching the third season of The Family Man.” Clearly, he was not fibbing. For, the third outing of the travails of Srikant Tiwary has turned out to be Prime Video’s most watched series of 2025. Hitting Bull’s eye third time in a row is not easy. Krishna DK explains, “A new series has a lot of unknowns. The franchise has a lived-in quality which people are familiar with but you should still be able to surprise them.” Besides, they deem, “Risk-taking doesn’t diminish with franchise model. We were taking a lot of risks with Season 3. Instead of pitching it as bigger and better, we went deeper and personal.” The geopolitics of their series, the topicality of weapons trade simply came from the world we and they inhabit. Their rationale being, “Our world is fictional but rooted in authenticity. Today corporates have more control than governments. Most wars are driven by business interests.” No quarrels with that argument. However, how do they maintain the tonal balance of their series, at once a social commentary, and a thriller in which humour runs as a thread? Their writers’ room is the creative hub where there are constant reminders of the tone of the story they started with since Season one. Interestingly, if actors like Manoj Bajpayee reprising their parts are almost family, new entrants find the keel as easily. Casting star actor, Jaideep Ahlawat, as lead antagonist Rukma was perhaps a nobrainer. Did they at any point worry Rukma’s character might overshadow that of Manoj’s Tiwary, a sentiment echoed by some? DK horrified by the ‘unfair assessment’ argues, “A formidable antagonist is value addition. Manoj was most excited about Jaideep coming on board. Every good actor wants to work with good ones.” Moreover, they don’t go about casting stars. DK asserts, “The Family Man has very good actors and some of them might be stars…. period. Yes, often you do tend to go with actors whose work you have already seen.” Crossovers like bringing in Vijay Sethupathi, the Michael from Farzi, onto The Family Man 3 is an equally organic process. Raj explains, “We are not tipping the hat to our work or doing fan service. There is natural give and take between different series… because we are writing so much and often simultaneously so.” On their possibility of Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio says he has no interest in direction as he thinks he won’t be able to do what acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese does. LUDHIANA | TUESDAY | 16 DECEMBER 2025 The Family ‘Men’ who keep India hooked With The Family Man 3 becoming Prime Video’s most-watched series of 2025, creators Raj & DK reflect on taking risks within a franchise... spreading themselves thin, Raj shares, “Writing is a habit, a routine we have been following since 15-20 years. Ideas sit on our minds for years. For instance, Stree marinated for 10 years and Farzi for eight years. Also, don’t forget there are two of us.” Refreshingly, the equation between them has not changed over the years, “We are still two college friends working together.” Having crafted a battery of endearing characters, which one is their favourite, deserving a spinoff? DK believes Atamaram from Guns & Gulaabs fits the bill and Raj votes for Mansoor of Farzi, as the right choice. Right now, however, their plate is full with ensuing seasons and fresh pastures too. Would, season four of The Family Man, arriving sooner than expected, bring the curtains down on our ‘favouritest’ spy? The men behind it might like to go ‘season by season,’ yet trust them to weave many more yarns, not just around the unassuming, super-sharp Srikant Tiwary. Dakota steals the spotlight The Fifty Shades actress makes a cameo during Lily Allen’s SNL show A CTOR Dakota Johnson made an unexpected appearance on Saturday Night Live this weekend, joining singer Lily Allen during her musical guest performance. The latest episode of Saturday Night Live season 51 aired with Josh O’Connor as host and Lily Allen as the musical guest. During the show, Allen performed Madeline from her latest album, West End Girl, a song in which the narrator confronts a woman named Madeline who had an affair with her husband. As Allen sang from the side of the stage, Johnson, 36, remained concealed behind a sheer curtain. Before the performance concluded, she stepped forward, revealing herself to the audience and joining Allen at centre stage. “I hate that you’re in so much pain right now ... He told me that you were aware this was going on and that he had your full consent,” Johnson said, delivering lines in character as Madeline. “If he’s lying about that, then please let me know because I have my own feelings about dishonesty. Lies are not something that I wanna get caught up in,” she added. Following the performance, the Fifty Shades of Grey star kissed Allen on the cheek, and the two shared a hug. Johnson has previously hosted Saturday Night Live twice. Allen also performed Sleepwalking from West End Girl, a track that references her split from actor David Harbour. The song features lyrics that reflect relationship struggles and betrayal. Earlier this year, Allen and Harbour, 50, had separated in February after four years of marriage. “Allen and Harbour began dating in 2019 and married in a Las Vegas ceremony in 2020. The wedding was attended by Allen’s daughters, Marnie Rose and Ethel Mary, whom she shares with her former husband Sam Cooper. Released in October, West End Girl features lyrics inspired by Allen’s life experiences and the breakdown of her marriage, though the singer has said some songs are written “in character.” She previously described the album’s storytelling as “autofiction,” blending elements of fact and fiction. — ANI Bakers shine at cake picnic An enchanting blend of flavours, creativity and community spirit unfolded at the Press Club, sector 27, Chandigarh, as the tricity gathered for a vibrant cake picnic. This Winter Wonderland, with over 100 exquisite cakes and desserts on display, the weekend event transformed the venue into a paradise for dessert lovers, celebrating local talent, innovation and the evergrowing baking culture across Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula. The event was brought together by Srishti Garg, Jasreen Kaur, Harjot Kaur Arora, Anshika, Nikita, Mansi, Timmerpreet, Hartriman, Guneet, Rachita whose coordina- tion and teamwork ensured the picnic’s smooth execution. The picnic offered a platform to 200 plus home bakers and professional pastry artists to display their skills, interact with visitors and exchange ideas. Families, children and dessert lovers participated enthusiastically, turning the afternoon into a vibrant celebration of community bonding and culinary artistry. Organisers shared that the objective of the event was to support and promote the growing baking community in the region, while giving the public an opportunity to experience unique flavours and innovative creations. Been there, ‘kissed’ that Actor George Clooney has said he is no longer interested in kissing female co-stars on screen, revealing that the decision came after a conversation with his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney. The 64-year-old actor shared his views in an interview, where he said he has moved past romantic on-screen moments, particularly kissing scenes. "I've been trying to go the route Paul Newman did — 'Okay, well, I'm not kissing a girl anymore,'" George said. Explaining his reasoning,he shared, "When I turned 60, I spoke to my wife, 'Look, I can still play basketball with the boys. I'm in shape. But in 25 years, I'm 85 years old. It doesn't matter how many granola bars you eat, that's a real number.” — ANI c m y b George Clooney says he’s “not kissing a girl anymore” after a conversation with wife Amal