05HP04A.qxd 04-08-2026 20:37 Page 1 c m y b DO NUMBARI SONG UNVEILED Excel Entertainment and Amazon MGM Studios have unveiled Do Numbari, the first song from the soundtrack of Mirzapur: The Movie, marking the beginning of the film’s music campaign. TRIBUNE ‘Thathastu!’ Life Kabul to Copenhagen, via Bollywood JioHotstar and Colors have unveiled the first teaser of Bigg Boss Hindi Season 20. In the teaser, Salman Khan delivers a cryptic line: “Jo Karan Arjun mein hua tha, woh hoga ab Bigg Boss mein... Thathastu!” LUDHIANA | WEDNESDAY | 5 AUGUST 2026 How Bollywood inspired an Afghan refugee to become one of Europe’s most celebrated ambassadors of Indian cuisine Mona T HE first India that Chef Enayatullah Safi ever knew wasn’t through food. It flickered across a television screen in the war-torn Kabul. Born in 1988, Safi spent his childhood in Afghanistan against the backdrop of conflict. Yet, amid uncertainty, there was one cherished family ritual. Curtains would be drawn, the outside world shut out, and Bollywood would take over. “For two or three hours, we escaped reality,” he recalls. “Indian films gave us hope, joy and another world to dream about.” Those stolen hours watching Shah Rukh Khan romances, Aamir Khan dramas and Sridevi’s unforgettable performances would quietly shape a life that would eventually take him from Kabul to Copenhagen—and to India, this time through food. Today, the Afghan-Pashtun refugee is recognised as one of Europe’s most decorated Indian food chef, with award-winning restaurants, bestselling cookbooks and more than 50 trips across India behind him. Yet, despite his accolades, Safi still describes India with disarming simplicity. “India feels like my second home.” COOKING HIS BOLLYWOOD DREAM When the Safi family fled Afghanistan for Denmark in 2001, Enayatullah was just 13. Moving to a country whose language and culture were completely unfamiliar wasn’t easy. Before opening his own restaurant, Safi had already worked his way through kitchens—washing dishes in a Chinese restaurant, helping in a Mexican kitchen and running an Italian restaurant during his teens. Indian cuisine, however, became his calling. “I realised I could become the hero I watched in Bollywood—not by acting, but by cooking Indian food and telling my childhood story.” He converted a small café into an Indian restaurant. It became the beginning of an extraordinary journey. Winning over Europe—one thali at a time. There was one problem. Customers only wanted butter chicken. “For the first two weeks, every order was for butter chicken,” he laughs. Rather than surrender, Safi introduced tasting menus inspired by Indian thalis. It worked. Today, biryanis rival butter chicken in popularity. ‘ You’re Afghan. Why Indian food?’ It’s a question Safi still hears. His answer is always the same. “When people understand the love behind what I do, they never ask again.” ‘HUMAN BEINGS CAN NEED A BREAK’ Ariana Grande has clarified that her decision to take a break from public-facing work after completing her Eternal Sunshine Tour was planned well in advance. Speaking to fans during her performance at the United Center in Chicago on Monday night, she said, “It is a plan I had quietly made a long time ago and it’s a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place.” WEDDING RUMOURS Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid have reignited speculation about the next chapter of their relationship after they were spotted wearing matching rings on their left ring fingers during a public outing in Paris. The appearance has sparked widespread discussion about whether the couple may have secretly tied the knot. JAAFAR TO STAR IN SUPERMAX On the heels of his breakout turn as his late uncle Michael Jackson in Michael, actor Jaafar Jackson has found his next project in the action thriller Supermax. The actor has joined the cast alongside Will Smith and AnnaSophia Robb. The details of his role are being kept under wraps. FOOD AS DIPLOMACY With a degree in Political Science, Safi believes food can often succeed where politics struggles. He cooked for the Danish Prime Minister at Denmark’s embassy initiatives in India. He even coined a phrase for it —’Open-faced sandwich diplomacy’. “When people break bread together, conversations become easier,” he says. “Nobody hates good food.” CHANGING LIVES BEYOND THE KITCHEN His restaurants don’t only feed customers. In Denmark, Safi regularly hosts free lunches for elderly citizens to combat loneliness. In India, he supports children’s initiatives in Pushkar and follows a simple philosophy: every meal served should help provide another meal somewhere else. “You don’t have to become rich before making a difference,” he says. “You can start with whatever you have.” Despite decades abroad, Bollywood remains woven into daily family life. His three-year-old daughter dances to Bollywood songs at home. One film, however, holds special significance. When Safi showed Dangal to his mother, she was moved to tears. With two daughters of his own— and Afghanistan’s women facing increasing restrictions—the film became more than entertainment. For a boy who once escaped war through Bollywood, it was proof that cinema can still change lives… QUICK SERVINGS Favourite Indian dish: Dal Favourite Afghan dish: Kabuli pulao Favourite Indian actor: Aamir Khan Favourite Indian actress: Sridevi, Alia Bhatt Favourite spice: Green cardamom (elaichi) Favourite Danish dish: Open-faced sandwich Favourite Indian actress: Sridevi & Alia Bhatt Favourite Chefs: Vikas Khanna & Ranveer Brar read ANNUAL EXHIBITION SUFI SWIRLS T P HE Department of Cultural Affairs, Chandigarh Administration, in collaboration with the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi, cordially invites you to the inauguration and awards ceremony of the Annual Art Exhibition 2026 on today at 5:30 pm at the Galleries of Punjab Kala Bhawan, Sector 16-B, Chandigarh. The exhibition will remain open until August 13. AUSE HEAL THRIVE: Raah-e-Ishq with Sagrieka Mittal is set to take place on August 7 from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm at The Lalit, Chandigarh. Designed as a women-only immersive Sufi experience, the two-hour session blends poetry, music, guided meditation, sacred movement and heartfelt conversations. Open to women aged 21 years and above. Tickets are priced at ~3,300. chandigarh HE ongoing Lock The Box Book fair, by Bookchor has become the talk of the town. The exhibition cum sale is being held at the historic Gaiety Theatre at The Mall, which will conclude on August 5. From fiction to non-fiction, story books to spiritual books, one can grab their favourite book in this exhibition. What makes this special is that readers have to pay for the box and not for the books. The books will be offered in three box sizes costing ~1199, ~1999 and ~ 2999. chandigarh shimla love BOOKS IN A BOX T WHAT’S HOT play c m y b ‘Stop immediately’ Mrunal Thakur warns of legal action over AI-generated deepfake content Mrunal Thakur has issued a strong public warning against the creation and circulation of AI-generated deepfake content using her identity, describing the practice as “illegal and unacceptable” and cautioning that any further misuse will invite legal action. In a statement shared on her Instagram Story, Mrunal made it clear that she would not tolerate the unauthorised use of her likeness through AI-generated content. “Creating or sharing deepfake content using my likeness is illegal and unacceptable. Consider this your formal notice to stop immediately. Any further misuse of my identity will result in legal action,” she wrote.