05112026-LSTL-01.qxd 11/4/2026 11:13 PM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE EKTAA’S NEW PAIRING Ektaa Kapoor brings Gaurav Khanna and Shraddha Arya together for the first time in Dil Ki Bewafaiyaan. The family drama will premiere on November 24. His choice Life Pierce Brosnan has given his seal of approval to Callum Turner as a potential contender for the next James Bond. Brosnan played the British spy across four films from 1995 to 2002. LUDHIANA | THURSDAY | 5 NOVEMBER 2026 Celebs spread festive cheer Inside Ramesh Taurani’s star-studded Diwali bash REWIND & RAMBLE THE BLAME GAME As violent incidents rock the country, accusatory fingers are increasingly being pointed at films like Dhurandharand Animal.But does cinematic violence really translate into violence in real life? with horror at best/worst only makes us flinch or squirm. The fact, that ultra-violent films find resounding successes at box office is proof that shock value of violence is the new default setting of entertainment. And there is more than one defender of makers whose films, according to one school of critics, glorify violence. Noted director Ram Gopal Varma is one such vociferous champion. To counter Rathee’s criticism, he came up with a rather strange analogy with his rebuttal running, “Blaming films for rise in violence is like blaming the Ramayana for rise in kidnappings.” The verbal sparring didn’t end with his repartee. Prakash Raghavadass, director of upcoming Tamil film Theenkirai, also chipped in. His observation reminded us that in Ramayana, it was the villain who committed the kidnapping and he was ultimately killed. He wrote, “Today in the new-age, highoctane action films, it is the alpha-male heroes c m y b WHAT’S HOT watch chandigarh Violence begets violence… is a widely held belief. But each time our world is rocked with appallingly brutal incidents, we tend to shift the blame to the easiest target; cine-world. Cinema, which has a finger on our pulse, often sends our pulse racing in not so desirable direction. More recently as an eight-year-old boy near fatally attacked a five-year-old girl in a school in Panchkula and a 21-year-old man assaulted two girls with power chainsaw in Andhra Pradesh in a classroom, once again the chatter is growing. Accusatory fingers are pointing towards Dhurandhar, Animal and many of the ilk. Right now, Akka too is coming under flak. Without a doubt, graphic violence depicted in cinema is rising many notches above the usual. Multiplier effect of shock value of repugnance is being exploited in full force. Whether the aim of that violence is to titillate or a serious creative requirement of the script is always open for debate and often becomes the reason for critics to take polar opposite positions. But is it fair to co-relate brutal happenings in the world we live in to certain onscreen examples? Does violence in cinema breed violence in life? YouTuber Dhruv Rathee thinks so. He can’t resist but blame films like Animal and Dhurandhar, which he believes have given the “template” to the Andhra chainsaw attack accused. Many others nod in unison. At a party I attended recently, Chandigarh’s elite were busy dissecting violence in cinema and how it is creeping in our real lives affecting young, susceptible minds. Severed heads, mutilated bodies and blood soaked canvass have become almost De rigueur, so have our thick-skinned responses. What should ideally make us flinch themselves who are responsible for all the violence and sexual assaults.” Indeed, as we the people of India are in a moral flux, our onscreen heroes too are no longer Satyakaam variant of virtues personified. Clearly few things not only in Animal, Dhurandhar, Akka and other movies can be deemed problematic. Much can be said about makers’ responsibility too. But the very fact that all of these films are blockbusters is also a reflection of what people want to see. Besides, let’s also not forget much of violence ridden cinema is adult rated content. If the eight-year-old boy indeed sought inspiration from the violence in films it, it’s not really the makers’ responsibility? World over, there are parental controls. So, if in India children have access to cinema not meant for them…. the buck should stop with parents and not filmmakers. Men like American director Robert Aldrich argued that real-world violence inspires cinematic depictions rather than the other way around. Whether cinema mirrors reality or shapes it, is the classic chicken and egg argument that has been revisited time and again. Back in time producer actor Rahul Mittra reminded us, ‘You can’t expect a holy sermon from a film that is called Animal and is ‘A’ rated.” The bloodshed you see in Quentin Tarantino’s much lauded cinema comes from his belief, “cinematic violence is an artistic palette rather than a reflection of real-world horror.” Kabir Singh and Animal director Sandeep Reddy Vanga has in interview after interview defended the violent impulses of his protagonists. Undeterred by criticism, he has already threatened to turn more violent with Animal Park. And his fans perhaps couldn’t be happier…. and therein lies the rub. Society, of which viewers are an integral part, can’t escape its share of blame for savouring blood-curdling violence and putting its stamp of approval on blood-soaked signatures of cinema. Time to remember, we all, parents, citizens, teachers and media professionals make society, not just filmmakers. (Clockwise from top) Ayushmann & Tahira Kashyap Khurrana, Raveena Tandon, Salman Khan, Raj Kundra & Shilpa Shetty, Divya Dutta, Urvashi Rautela, Aparshakti Khurana, Sanya Malhotra, Guneet Monga Kapoor & Genelia Deshmukh DIM SUM DELIGHTS D ISCOVER authentic Cantonese flavours at OKO, The LaLiT Chandigarh, with a curated selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dim sum, paired with traditional dipping sauces and accompaniments. It’s on till November 10 at OKO, The LaLiT Chandigarh. mohali Nonika Singh vertical gold detailing and structured borders near the hem. She completed the look with a sheer pink dupatta adorned with gold sequins and a scalloped border. Statement drop earrings and soft curls finished her festive appearance. Siddharth complemented her outfit in a maroon and cream Indo-Western ensemble. He wore a structured maroon bandhgala jacket with subtle gold motifs and a bright green embroidered pocket square. An asymmetrical layered kurta and tailored cream trousers completed his look. Ayushmann Khurrana attended with his wife, Tahira Kashyap, while Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra, and Bobby Deol with his wife also attended the party and posed for the paps. Genelia D’Souza, Urvashi Rautela, Rajpal Yadav, Tanuj Virwani, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Manish Paul with his wife, Meezaan Jafri, Rasha Thadani, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Iulia Vantur and Shalini Pandey were also among the attendees. Producer Anand Pandit was also present at the celebration. — ANI play S XO VIBES TUDIO XO hosts Dishika Sachdeva live for an evening of soulful melodies and Bollywood hits, with magical vocals and plenty of room to sing along. At Studio XO, Mohali on November 7. chandigarh F ILM producer Ramesh Taurani and his wife Varsha Taurani hosted a starstudded Diwali bash in Mumbai, bringing together some of Bollywood’s biggest names, including Salman Khan, Raveena Tandon, Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth. Salman Khan’s noticeably leaner appearance emerged as one of the highlights of the evening. The superstar made a stylish appearance in a black shirt paired with jeans. Raveena Tandon embraced the festive spirit in a vibrant mustard yellow ethnic ensemble. Her long kurta featured elaborate gold floral zari embroidery around the neckline, yoke and sleeves, complemented by scattered motifs. Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth made a stylish joint appearance in coordinated traditional outfits. Aditi wore a vibrant fuchsia pink lehenga choli featuring elaborate gold embroidery and geometric gota work on the blouse. Her voluminous skirt carried matching love CRAFT YOUR GLOW D EEPAKRITI Institute of Creative Arts hosts a moon lamp workshop, guiding participants through sculpting, painting and assembling their own glowing lamp. It’s on till November 6.