20112025-LSTC-01.qxd 11/19/2025 7:46 PM Page 1 c m y b LONG WAIT IN HOLLYWOOD Lucy Liu, known for her roles in Kill Bill and Charlie’s Angels, revealed that she had to wait over 30 years to get a leading role that challenged her and tapped into her potential. Her next, Rosemead, will release on December 5. TRIBUNE Reflections Life Aishwarya Rai Bachchan attended the birth centenary celebrations of Sri Satya Sai Baba in Puttaparthi. At the event, she reflected on the teachings and principles of Sri Satya Sai Baba. LUDHIANA | THURSDAY | 20 NOVEMBER 2025 CHAT UP A GLIMPSE OF ‘NEER’ The latest parents in the town, Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha, have finally offered a glimpse of their newborn son and revealed the little one’s name. In a joint post, the couple shared adorable pictures of their son, featuring his tiny feet as they held him with much love and care. “Our hearts found peace in an eternal drop of life. We named him ‘Neer’ — pure, divine, limitless,” the caption read. AFTAB SHIVDASANI, RITEISH DESHMUKH AND VIVEK OBEROI NOMINATIONS FOR EUROPEAN AWARDS The European Film Academy has unveiled the nominations for the 2026 European Film Awards, recognising outstanding cinematic achievements in Europe. The nominations include Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident and Olivier Laxe’s Sirat, among others, in the Best European Feature category. Emotional, grateful, bundle of nerves — Milan Milap Zaveri, who started as a writer for the Masti franchise, awaits the release of his directorial Mastiii 4 HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRO Ayushmann Khurana has shared the sweetest wish for his brother Aparshakti Khurana. Taking to his Instagram handle, Ayushmann shared a candid video, showing the brothers goofing around and enjoying fun moments in what appear to be BTS glimpses from work. In the clip, the actors could be seen laughing their hearts out and working together. “Happy birthday to the world’s best brother @aparshakti_khurana I love you!!!!” the Thamaa actor wrote in his caption. EMMY AWARDS IN SEPTEMBER The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards will take place on September 14, 2026, at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, and will be broadcast on NBC. The Creative Arts Emmys will precede the main event, taking place on September 5 and 6. Nominees are expected to be announced in July. Shows that aired between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026, will be eligible for consideration. THIS TEMPTING MADNESS AT IFFI Bridgerton fame Simone Ashley, NCIS: Origins star Austin Stowell, and Life of Pi actor Suraj Sharmastarrer psychological thriller This Tempting Madness will premiere at the International Film Festival of India at Goa on November 27. Masti ke side-effects Living up to Indra Kumar’s legacy Mona W RITER-DIRECTOR Milan Milap Zaveri is stepping into a full-circle moment this November with the release of Mastiii 4 — a franchise he helped build from the ground two decades ago. Having written the first two films alongside legendary filmmaker Indra Kumar, Zaveri now takes the captain’s chair for the fourth installment. “Mastiii 4 is very special,” he begins. “I wrote part 1 and 2, and I started the Masti franchise as a writer with Induji (Indra Kumar). Life has come a full circle as now I’m directing the franchise. It’s a big responsibility, and I’m grateful to Induji and Ashokji (Ashok Thakeria) that they’ve trusted me with the project.” For Zaveri, the emotional weight is immense. “It is honestly an extraordinary feeling, and I’m really, really happy and grateful that I’ve gotten this opportunity.” On success, setbacks and reinvention The biggest stress, Zaveri admits, was the weight of expectations, “I had to live up to Kumar sir’s expectations. And, to the faith that this incredible cast placed in me. Taking over a franchise is a big responsibility and I hope I’ve done justice to its humour and legacy.” Zaveri acknowledges the highs and lows of his journey. “Some films worked, some didn’t . You keep learning and improving. Satyameva Jayate, Marjaavaan and now Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat have given me the highs, and I hope Mastiii 4 carries that forward.” He is gearing up for his next film, Tera Yaar Hoon Main. The ultimate critic is the audience The Masti franchise has had its share of debates and criticisms over the years. But Zaveri accepts them with calm. “I’m always humble and open to criticism. Everyone has a point of view. As long as it’s not biased, it’s healthy. But for me, the ultimate critic is the audience—they decide what works.” Chandigarh, a special connection For Chandigarh readers, Zaveri shares a warm note, “We shot Deewaniyat in Chandigarh. It was a great experience and the hospitality of the people was wonderful.” As Mastiii 4 nears release… With the film set to release on November 21, Zaveri stands at a defining crossroads. “I’m just enjoying the success of Deewaniyat and the stress of Mastiii 4,” he laughs. “Hopefully, audiences will love it just as much as they’ve loved the journey so far.” Not without Riteish, Vivek and Aftab Talking about the evergreen trio — Riteish Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi and Aftab Shivdasani — Zaveri can’t help but smile. “They are the original tigri. Umar badal sakti hai, kamar badal sakti hai, but their masti stays the same. Masti Ritesh, Vivek aur Aftab ke bagair kabhi ho hi nahi sakti. They stand for what Masti is.” The upcoming film also sees new characters, including Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor and Shaad Randhawa, adding fresh comedic equations to the chaos. Will Mastiii 4connect with OTT-era audiences? In a time of diverse OTT storytelling, Zaveri remains confident that audiences still crave entertainment above all. “A film that entertains always works.” He points out how the year’s biggest box-office successes reaffirm one truth, “Audiences ko entertainment chahiye. Masti has a very loyal fan base.” ELNAAZ NOROUZI, RUHI SINGH AND SHREYA SHARMA ‘Unapologetically Indian’ Ranveer Singh brings the Wrath of God down on terrorists in the trailer of his upcoming spy thriller, Dhurandhar The much-awaited trailer of Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar was launched in Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon, giving fans their first full look at the spy thriller. The four-minute-and-eightsecond trailer introduces all key characters one after another. It begins with a brutal torture c m y b It’s raw, it’s gritty… scene that brings in Arjun Rampal as Major Iqbal, aka Angel of Death, who promises to “bleed India with a thousand cuts.” R Madhavan appears as the Indian spymaster Sanyal, who believes that entering enemy territory is the only way to stop the threat. Akshaye Khanna is seen as Rehman Dakait, a sharp and dangerous figure, while Sanjay Dutt joins the team of villains as SP Chaudhary Aslam. In the latter part of the trailer, Ranveer enters as the man who is sent to counter them. The rest of the trailer is packed with action scenes, gunfire and fast-moving shots. Speaking about the film, Ranveer said “We wanted to create a feature presentation that’s at par with any film in the world. Our attempt was to level up in every aspect of the cinematic process to create a film that we as Indians can be proud of. Its raw, it’s gritty and is unapologetically Indian. Aditya has pitched it perfectly. It’s an incredible and complex story, with world class technical execution and intense performances. We wanted to make an unapologetically Indian film that gets counted amongst the most elite instalments in this genre worldwide. I believe it is India’s moment to shine on the global stage. And we aim to be at the heart of that moment whilst honouring and staying true to our roots.”— ANI They wanted my lips to look thinner: Maddy Cinema buffs have been raving over Dhurandhar ever since the makers released the film’s trailer. At the launch, R Madhavan, who will be seen playing the role of Indian spymaster Sanyal in the film, opened up about how it took him 4 hours to get ready for his character. “I was doing the look test for this character, it took us almost three to four hours to get everything right.. Aur jab main apne aap ko dekh raha tha, lag raha tha ki ek cheez missing hai. Aditya aake bolte hain, ‘Maddy, apne hoonth patle karo...’ Toh poori film mein maine hoonth patle karke hi kiya hai,” he recalled. — ANI