24122025-LSTC-01.qxd 12/23/2025 7:57 PM Page 1 c m y b ZENDAYA JOINS HOLLAND FAMILY OUTING Zendaya joined fiancé Tom Holland and his family at ‘The Traitors: Live Experience’ over the weekend. The outing included Tom’s parents, Nikki and Dominic and brothers Sam, Harry, and Paddy. Sam shared pictures of the couple posing together. TRIBUNE Life Unveiled Universal Pictures India has released the trailer for Christopher Nolan’s mythic action epic The Odyssey, starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway and Zendaya. The film is set to releases theatrically in multiple Indian languages. LUDHIANA | WEDNESDAY | 24 DECEMBER 2025 Faith, fortitude, fearlessness Nonika Singh ‘ Punjabi aa gaye oye…’ With gusto, he reiterates the iconic catchphrase of Diljit Dosanjh. Karan Tacker — yet another reminder that good looks and talent often run in Punjabi blood — might call himself a ‘synthetic Punjabi’. Born and brought up in Mumbai, his ‘pakad’ over his mother tongue isn’t quite resolute. But trust him to break into a Punjabi song — AP Dhillon’s Di Nu — with the slightest prompt. A proud Punjabi among his many traits, the one that truly wins you over is his earnest candidness. Ask him anything and there is no dilly-dallying or doublespeak. Karan Tacker on Punjabi pride, good looks bias & why honesty is his only acting mantra Given Bhay repeatedly echoes the line ‘knowledge cancels fear’, does he feel the series sends contradictory signals by dealing with a realm unexplained by science? He is firm in his rebuttal. “I don’t think Bhay fuels superstition in any way. One particular scene shows me going over the tantramantra of coconut to quell any such beliefs.” Yes, considering Gaurav Tiwari died in mysterious circumstances at the age of 32, his story can, at one level, be seen as a cautionary tale. But Tacker views it differently. “As actors, we are constantly trying to find a new human being to portray, find a new world to be a part of.” ‘DARPOK’ IN A HORROR WORLD The actor who delighted audiences with stellar turns in Special Ops and Khakee: The Bihar Chapter is now spooking viewers with his latest outing, Bhay: The Gaurav Tiwari Mystery. He admits he isn’t exactly a horror junkie. In fact, this is the first horror show he has watched from start to finish. Like most of us, he is chicken-hearted — a self-confessed darpok who spent sleepless nights after watching the show. That said, he does not dismiss the paranormal outright, nor did he find it difficult to relate to the journey of India’s first paranormal investigator, Gaurav Tiwari, whom he plays with a fair degree of conviction. “As an actor, I go into a project with 100 per cent belief in the world we are creating. Otherwise, I won’t be able to bring the truth of the character,” he says. SCRIPT OVER SUPERSTITION Whether the character is real or fictional (Khakee and now Bhay), Tacker insists he doesn’t take the burden lightly. He is aware of the responsibility and would never want to mock the subject. The fact that both projects are based on books does not influence him either. “The script is my Bible,” he states simply. FROM TELEVISION STAR TO ACTOR OF METTLE As for new ground, the transition from being a television star to an actor of mettle has been anything but easy. He laughs, “Rush of young blood, stupid courage I guess… something I may not have today.” “Behind every success,” he reflects, “lie many rejections, many failed auditions, those number of cold calls, doors slammed.” He adds wryly, “Half of India wants to be a cricketer and the rest actors. So you can imagine how competitive this world is, where everyone is trying to take away your job.” Ironically, his good looks — often considered a passport to better opportunities — became a bias he had to fight. “Often, I have been dismissed as a good-looking fella from television. Even for Bhay, many felt I was too handsome to play the lead.” AUDIENCE IS THE ONLY VERDICT ‘ You can use him in a different way,’ is a comment he has heard often enough. Yet, throughout his journey, he remains deeply grateful to audiences who have stood by him at every juncture. Unsurprisingly, he prefers fans’ love over critical acclaim. “Time,” he believes, “has shown that the audience is the real testament of what the pulse is.” On critics, he offers a pointed critique. “They must understand they are critiquing for entertainment and realise how much hard work goes into getting any project off the ground.” When his role is praised but the project is not, it leaves him dissatisfied. Bhay, however, has drawn only positive reviews, and he smirks, “We are in the green.” A final salute on screen Raghavan said Dharmendra, who had been unwell during the final dubbing sessions in October, never got the chance to see the film in full. “I met him in October. That time he was okay, but he was not too well. He did watch the first half and waited for the second half. I wanted him to see the film in its entirety. Somehow, that couldn’t happen,” the director said. “He is not here to enjoy the work he had done, and people appreciate that. That is a regret we have.” Recalling Dharmendra’s preparation, Raghavan said the actor would write his dialogues in Urdu ahead of the shoot and even penned lines for the principal actor. “He’s old school. He was extremely well-prepared,” he added. Producer Vijan said Dharmendra’s family has yet to watch Ikkis. “I think they’ll only cry. I just wish our kids could love us as much as they love him. It was heartbreaking to see them. But it was also beautiful,” he said. The film has also marked a milestone for the Bachchan family. Amitabh Bachchan attended a recent screening and later wrote an emotional blog post praising his grandson Agastya Nanda’s performance. Recounting memories from Agastya’s birth to seeing him on the big screen, Bachchan described watching the film with “eyes filled with tears of joy and pride”. “When he is in the frame you only watch him,” Bachchan wrote, adding that this was not a grandfather speaking but “a hardened viewer of cinema”. He praised the film’s writing and direction, and said the experience left him silent with emotion. Amitabh Bachchan attended the screening with his son Abhishek Bachchan, while Agastya’s sister Navya Naveli Nanda was also present. Alongside Nanda and the late Dharmendra, Ikkis features Jaideep Ahlawat, Suhasini Mulay, Sikander Kher and Rahul Dev. As it heads towards its New Year 2026 release, the film stands both as a tribute to a decorated war hero and as an emotional farewell to one of Hindi cinema’s most enduring icons. — ANI c m y b across two worlds Even as she divides her life between continents, global icon Priyanka Chopra Jonas says staying connected to her Indian roots remains a priority — especially when it comes to raising her daughter, Malti Marie Jonas, in the United States. Appearing recently on The Great Indian Kapil Show, Chopra spoke candidly about how she ensures her daughter grows up closely connected to Indian culture and traditions, despite being based abroad. Responding to a question from veteran actor Archana Puran Singh about what Malti Marie might miss by not growing up in India, Chopra offered a reassuring and heartfelt answer. “She travels to India often,” Chopra said. “She accompanied me to Hyderabad, she’s been to Mumbai, she’s been to Delhi and even came with me to Ayodhya. I’ve always tried my best to make sure that she is familiarised with Indian culture and traditions, as much as possible.” The actor made it clear that giving her daughter the best of both worlds — American upbringing and Indian values — is deeply important to her. One of the most endearing moments came when Chopra described her daughter’s fondness for traditional Indian attire. “Whenever she puts on her ‘ghagracholi’, she calls herself an ‘Indian princess’,” she said. “She loves her ghagras and bindis and bangles, which I always take for her,” adding with visible pride. Priyanka Chopra Jonas on nurturing daughter Malti Marie’s Indian roots while living in the US Call of Duty creator dies in crash Dharmendra’s swansong, grandfather’s pride frame Sriram Raghavan’s Ikkis The upcoming war biopic Ikkis has taken on an added emotional weight following the death of veteran actor Dharmendra, whose posthumous screen appearance coincides with a deeply personal moment for the film’s cast and creators. Dharmendra passed away on November 24 in Mumbai, weeks before the completion and appreciation of his work on the film. Directed by Sriram Raghavan and produced by Dinesh Vijan, ‘Ikkis’ stars Agastya Nanda as Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, the youngest recipient of India’s Param Vir Chakra, and is set for release on January 1, 2026. Motherhood Vince Zampella, co-founder of Infinity Ward and Respawn, killed in LA car accident Vince Zampella, the video game creator best known for the Call of Duty franchise, has died in a car accident at the age of 55. The single-vehicle crash occurred at around 12.45 pm on Southern California’s Angeles Crest Highway in the San Gabriel Mountains, north of Los Angeles. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) said the vehicle veered off the road, struck a concrete barrier, and became fully engulfed in flames. The driver, Zampella and a passenger both died, with the passenger pronounced dead at a hospital. Zampella was reportedly driving a Ferrari at the time. Tributes have poured in from the gaming community. The Game Awards tweeted: “The Game Awards mourns the loss of Vince Zampella, cocreator of Call of Duty and cofounder of Infinity Ward and Respawn Entertainment.” Respawn called him “a titan and legend of this industry” who shaped games including Call of Duty, Titanfall, Apex Legends, the Star Wars Jedi series and Battlefield. Zampella co-founded Infinity Ward and Respawn Entertainment with Jason West and led EA’s Battlefield development team. — ANI Aneet Padda’s lyrical ode to Ahaan Panday Actor Aneet Padda has penned a heartfelt birthday tribute for her Saiyaara co-star Ahaan Panday, sharing a deeply personal note that has delighted fans. Taking to Instagram, Aneet posted a message alongside a series of photographs of Ahaan, including behind-the-scenes glimpses from the sets of Saiyaara. The note was rich with intimate observations and anecdotes that reflected her admiration for both the actor and the person. “I’ve seen the future. I’ve seen passersby smile when you laugh out loud, they can’t help it,” she wrote, going on to describe his curiosity, kindness and artistic sensibility. She spoke of his habit of finding beauty in the mundane, his thoughtful scribbles in a notepad and his camera lens that searches for meaning in everyday life. Aneet also wrote about how Ahaan is trusted and loved by those around him, including her own parents. She recalled moments involving his fam- ily, particularly his mother, Deanne Panday, whom she described as being moved to tears whenever she sees her son’s film poster. “I’ve seen a stranger having a better day after talking to you. I’ve seen the security guard waiting for his daily chat with you at 2 pm sharp,” she added, portraying Ahaan as someone whose warmth leaves a lasting impression on everyone he meets. — ANI