23102026-LSTL-01.qxd 10/22/2026 8:09 PM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE DSP’S ACTING DEBUT Romantic escape Life Music composer Devi Sri Prasad is set to make his acting debut with Yellamma, which will arrive in theatres on March 5, 2027. DSP is known for composing music for several popular Telugu films, including Allu Arjun-starrer Pushpa: The Rise, for which he won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction. Saiee M Manjrekar is in Estonia for an upcoming romantic drama, reportedly set against the backdrop of an autumn in the country. LUDHIANA | FRIDAY | 23 OCTOBER 2026 Kaushal Oza’s Little Thomas celebrates curiosity, innocence and the magic of growing up A trip down memory lane NonikaSingh ‘Where do babies come from’…. many of us have lived with this innocent query of children. Only two-time National Award winning writer director Kaushal Oza decided to turn it into a film Little Thomas. If the genesis stemmed from a deep personal desire to have a little brother, the churning of the ideas came from a mature realisation that we never treat children as equals. Today, as the film is being compared to RK Narayan’s Malgudi Days and Ruskin Bond’s stories, Kaushal is mighty pleased. Rather he adds, “I even had creator of Aestrix René Goscinny’s Little Nicholas’ first person point of view of childhood in mind. I am glad what they achieved in literature, I was able to get the same tone in my film.” Interestingly, it was during his training at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune that Kaushal read all of Bond’s and Narayan’ s works. Having passed out from hallowed FTII, he can’t pinpoint any particular lesson that he may have learnt in his alma mater. The biggest strength of being the film school’s alumnus he asserts is, “The community of students who all understand the language and the rigour of cinema. We all stand by and make every resource available for each other.” He laughs and adds, “Why at one point, there were over 30 film school students on the sets.” If you believe Hindi cinema does not take children’s films as seriously as they should, he reminds us of some sterling ones like Masoom, Taare The mystery of one night Divya Dutta promises a suspenseful ride in Gajab Raat Actor Divya Dutta seems to be looking forward to the release of her upcoming suspense thriller Gajab Raat, which brings together Manoj Bajpayee, Saqib Saleem, Akshay Oberoi, Kiku Sharda and Nushrratt Bharuccha. The actress believes the film will keep viewers interested as its story unfolds over a single night, with unexpected events and suspense keeping them curious. Speaking about the film, Dutta said the story has the potential to keep viewers hooked because of its unusual setting and the events that unfold in a short period. “Manoj plays a cop, and several characters become part of the story. It makes you curious to know what happens that night and how the story unfolds. That is what makes it exciting, as there is an element of thrill and suspense,” Divya said. Dutta went on to speak about working with Manoj Bajpayee again. Gajab Raat marks their second project together after Last Man in Tower. Divya said the actor brings something different to each role, making his performances interesting to watch. “There is definitely something fascinating about this film, and Manoj, as always, is wonderful in it. This is my second project with him after Last Man in Tower. The characters and stories we have worked on before are different, but every time I see him on screen, he brings a completely different look to the role. He transforms himself each time, which makes his performances so interesting to watch,” she said. Directed by Ritesh Shah and produced by Neeraj Pandey’s Friday Film Works, the film follows a police officer whose night takes an unexpected turn after he spots a severely injured girl being abandoned from a moving car in Delhi. The incident leads him towards an international conspiracy, forcing him to face difficult choices as the story unfolds. The suspense thriller centres on a series of events that take place over one night, with a single decision setting off a chain of consequences. The crime thriller will be available to stream on Netflix starting today. — ANI NASEER LENDS WEIGHT TO JUNAGADH Whether short films are a stepping stone to feature films or feature films lead one to micro-dramas who knows. But Kaushal Oza, who’s much acclaimed short The Miniaturist of Junagadh has travelled to 25 festivals, can go on and on about his lead actor ‘God of acting’ Naseeruddin Shah. More than Naseer Sir’s craft, he is bowled over by the person that the thespian is. Kaushal avers, “He has been part of so many great films yet is ready to act in short films just to inspire young makers.” Zameen Par, The Blue Umbrella and Makdee. Undisputedly, more films on children should be made and more importantly, children’s films need not be childish or simplistic and can certainly tackle mature themes. Working with child actors, he feels is neither easy nor challenging, requires a different skill set. He reveals, “My approach would change while directing Hridansh Parekh who plays Thomas and other child actors as compared to seasoned ones like Gulshan Devaiah and Rasika Dugal.” Indeed, both Gulshan and Rasika are brilliant actors and Kaushal shares, “Their onscreen dynamic is so good that it’s hard to believe they are not a real life couple.” Interestingly, was he tempted to cast Anurag Kashyap who happens to be his producer and is lately being seen as an actor too? He winces, “On hindsight, yes.” Anurag’s Crochet with a cause Karan Tacker begins shoot for his next project, shares first glimpse Lara Dutta has worn her clothes, and so has Kirron Kher. Pali Waraich, 85, has even designed for Tarun Tahiliani’s studio. Yet in her 40 years of work, the story she returns to is about an old man in a lane, whose daughters made crochet that nobody paid for properly. “That really touched my heart,” she says. “I thought I would start crochet work and pay them well.” As an Army wife, she was already deep in welfare work. “I used to do a lot of welfare for jawans’ wives,” she says. That meant teaching them handwork like crochet. Her husband’s last posting, in Mumbai, gave that work its big break. “In Mumbai, Tarun Tahiliani noticed my work and approached me with a big order: an all-hand-crochet exhibition in England. It was a great success,” she says. It also gave her the push to go further. “Gradually, I went from slum areas to all types of areas, wherever I could find poor women to employ.” Over 200 women now work with her, and it is Rabia she talks about first. “She was divorced, and the way her inlaws treated her was really shocking. So I thought, why not make her economically independent, so that she can earn her own money? She stayed with me, and she is still with us. Now if you meet her you’ll see how confident she is, and she is financially Ananya Verma Actor Karan Tacker has kickstarted the shoot of his next project in Scotland, offering fans a glimpse into his latest venture. The actor took to social media to share a behind-the-scenes picture from Day 1 of the shoot, accompanied by a note hinting at an exciting new chapter in his professional journey. Sharing the picture, Karan wrote, “A new project. A new chapter. A big punt.” The actor has been sporting a rugged look, with grown-out hair and a fuller beard, marking a distinct appearance. love PAPDI CHAATREIMAGINED MOHIT SHARMA LIVE SAFAR:A QUEST TO EXPLORE A mohali ISTOCK mohali energetic evening as Mohit Sharma performs live, serving up popular Bollywood favourites and crowdpleasing melodies designed to keep the audience singing along. It’s on at Studio XO, Mohali, on October 25. n chandigarh eat A Singer Diljit Dosanjh’s fans in Delhi may have to wait longer to see him perform in the city, as Delhi Police have denied permission for his scheduled October 30 concert at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium due to security concerns. The singer’s show, part of his Aura India Tour, reportedly did not receive security clearance after police reviewed the request to organise the event. According to a letter reportedly addressed to ticketing platform BookMyShow by the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, South Delhi, the request could not be approved due to threat-related inputs, security requirements during the festive season and other law and order concerns. The decision comes as fans were looking forward to watching the Punjabi singer perform live in the national capital. Scotland calling WHAT’S HOT play reinvented papdi chaat with a yoghurt explosion and a delicate Roohafza veil, plus cocktail and chai pairings — an extraordinary dining experience that lives up to the hype. Ethr, Sector 67, Mohali directorial choices might be vastly different but Kaushal asserts, “He is not limited as person. Nor does he carry the weight of his persona, ‘I am a senior director’.” Instead of gyan, Anurag gave him full freedom. Setting Little Thomas in Goa of 1990s, Kaushal’s reasons for choosing the picturesque city, in particular Fontainhas, were vastly different from the regular touristy eye. “I was looking for a magi- cal fairytale kind of place and Fontainhas, with its quaint lanes, coloured houses just fit the bill.” Placing his story in Goa with a culture dating back in time and some buildings like a seminary older than Taj Mahal was an added advantage. You bet, the film captures the nostalgia and many motifs of the period which have all but vanished. A gold spot bottle and references straight out of Mario Miranda’s sketches are some of the Easter Eggs viewers can find and relate to in the film. Above all, Little Thomas not only speaks to children but the child in us. In a week where YRF production Udta Teer hits the screens and a Manoj Bajpayee film releases on Netflix, why should people bother to watch this feel-good film? Kaushal’s quick repartee is, “For that priceless trip down the lanes of childhood.” At once a lament and an ode to lost innocence of childhood, Kaushal decided to make Little Thomas for he was missing lighthearted films with a comedic tenor. Diljit Dosanjh’s Delhi concert faces delay C handigarh Lalit Kala Akademi and Majlis Art Forum present an art exhibition by a group of artists from Delhi, Chandigarh, Panchkula and Bathinda. It’s at CLKA Gallery, Under Pass Sector 17, on till October 27. c m y b Pali Waraich, 85, has dressed celebrities but is happiest empowering underprivileged women independent.” Her collection, Pali’s Zameen-Asmaan, is named for the two ends of that chain, the ones who make and the ones who wear. “The people who are making are on Zameen, and the people who are wearing it are on Asmaan,” she says. Everything is handmade, and the designs are sophisticated on purpose. “One should look graceful. That is designing,” she says. She has never thought of it as a career. “I never did it as a professional. I just kept making designs and holding exhibitions to continue my welfare work. It gives me satisfaction.” The exhibition is at Hotel Aroma, Sector 22, Chandigarh, until October 23, from 10 am to 8 pm.