28022025-LSTL-01.qxd 2/27/2025 8:33 PM Page 1 c m y b COMING SOON FOR MEGHAN Meghan Markle is gearing up for the release of her Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. Days before the premiere of the series, the Duchess of Sussex shared behind-thescenes clips. She posted the video on her Instagram page. TRIBUNE Life Peppy number Actress Pooja Hegde will be seen shaking a leg to a peppy number in director Lokesh Kanakaraj’s upcoming action extravaganza, Coolie. LUDHIANA | FRIDAY | 28 FEBRUARY 2025 PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR What’s the truth? ‘No gun, only fun’ Vinya Singh O N a crisp February morning, an air of excitement hung thick as music enthusiasts, industry insiders, and devoted fans gathered at the Chandigarh Press Club for the launch of a much-anticipated music video of the song Nagini. Present on the occasion was renowned playback singer Sukhwinder Singh, known for songs like Jai Ho, Chaiyya Chaiyya, Haule Haule and more, and lyricist Babu Singh Mann—two artistes who have shaped contemporary Indian music for the launch of their upcoming song Nagini. Many industry personalities, including Harpreet Singh, Bobby Bajwa, Nippy Dhanoa and Vijay Barar, were present too, making it a grand celebration of music and creativity. After the screening of Nagini’s music video, the singer excitedly spoke about the vision behind the visuals. “During my world tour, I was deeply mesmerised by a Mexican Punjabi Club, which was launched back in 1910 by migrants from Punjab. It has a vibrant population now, which speaks Spanish while keeping alive their Punjabi Matthew Perry allegedly received 27 shots of Ketamine before his death Friends star Matthew Perry, who passed away last year, has left a deep scar on the hearts of his fans, friends and family members. A new Peacock documentary looks at his life before he died from an accidental overdose on October 28, 2023. According to his autopsy report, the actor had ‘high levels of ketamine’ in his system, and the documentary claims that was because he received 27 shots of the drug in his final three days. “Allegedly, you have Dr Salvador Plasencia providing ketamine to a live-in assistant who has no medical training whatsoever, and that live-in assistant is administering ketamine to a person whose risk factors are through the roof,” said Martin Estrada, the former United States Attorney for the State of California Central District, in the documentary. In mid-October, Estrada shared that Plasencia ‘had numerous red flags that were flashing in front of him’, yet he allegedly continued to illegally inject Perry. “Allegedly, Dr Plasencia would arrange with Perry different locations to meet and provide the ketamine,” he said. “On one occasion, they met in a parking lot in Long Beach, and he administered ketamine in the back seat of a car. Doctors are not supposed to inject people in parking lots,” he added. At the launch of the music video of the song Nagini, renowned singer Sukhwinder Singh and lyricist Babu Singh Mann say they will never promote weapons roots. I couldn’t get the scene out of my mind, and then I connected the two.” the creative process of the project. Sukhwinder, who brought international recognition to Indian music with his Oscar-winning song Jai Ho, says, “This song is simply for entertainment, and this is a segment of music which is also important”. Maan laughs and adds, “As per the current trends, this music video is the demand of the time.” The duo took a moment to share how their composition evolved from a simple verse into a full-fledged masterpiece, “Nagini as a concept was simple poetry, easy to compose, and it came together naturally within a short period of time.” The music video is a visual treat, with Mexican aesthetics meeting Punjabi language. The visuals have been shot in a Mexican pub in a rural landscape with a Punjabi flavour, creating a perfect blend of the east and the west. It features stars like Isha and Mukesh Rishi. The highlight of the video was ‘No gun, only fun’, a phrase displayed on the sign boards in the pub that Singh deeply resonates with, “We will not promote weapons, even inside a club.” Demand of the times Creative streak The event further delved into a discussion of the storytelling, aesthetics and a deep dive into As the gala progressed, wearing a black suit and combat boots, Sukhwinder took to the stage to serenade the audience with somelines from the song. When asked about the creative process, the singer was quick to credit his mentor. The musicians shared anecdotes of their collaborations beginning in the late 1980s, while discussing the art of balancing Punjabi folk music with the contemporary trends. Maan, who is a celebrated lyricist in the folk scene, adds, “We have to evolve with the music industry, combining folk songs as well as modern songs isn’t different. The notes and rhythm are the same as before, the only difference is of the setting.” The singer also shares a few words about his core values, “Someone told me once, try to have a constructive mind-set, so I try to stay in environments where values like respect, mannerisms and etiquette are essential.” Before the event wrapped up, the singer left the audience with a promise, “This is just the beginning, I am currently working on a series of songs beside my playback work in the movies, which would consist of a variety of standalone music videos about inspiration, youth and historical events.” (Nagini will be available on Sukhwinder Singh’s official YouTube channel and all digital platforms.) “A trained doctor like Dr Plasencia knew much better. One of the overall themes of our indictment is that all these defendants should have known better. They were taking advantage of an individual and letting their greed drive them to endanger Perry’s life,” Estrada said. Perry had a poor reaction to the medicine at this time, and prosecutors believe Plasencia saw Perry ‘freeze up’. Estrada claimed the doctor did ‘nothing about this’. “He allegedly continued to provide ketamine to Perry’s livein assistant, which was then going to be administered to Perry,” added Estrada. Ultimately, that assistant, named Kenneth Iwamasa, gave Perry the shot of ketamine that killed him. The drug was supplied by a woman known as ‘The Ketamine Queen’, Jasveen Sangha. — ANI Tune of ‘My body inspires me to stay healthy’ ‘Modern story, remembrance vintage heart’ free and fit. My body inspires me to stay healthy, and I rely on quick reactions from my body to gain or lose weight when needed. Pankaj Udhas’ track Baithi Ho Kyun Gumsum debuts on his first death anniversary On the first death anniversary of legendary singer Pankaj Udhas, his final track, Baithi Ho Kyun Gumsum, has been released by Bhushan Kumar, honouring the iconic singer’s enduring legacy. The soulful melody serves as a poignant tribute to the late ghazal maestro, keeping his musical legacy alive for fans and listeners around the world. T-Series, led by Bhushan, in collaboration with Neeraj Roy, founder and MD of Hungama Digital Media Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., honoured ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas on his first death anniversary. The song, composed by the late Ananda Shankar, has been recreated by Deepak Pandit and Pankaj Udhas, with lyrics by Udhas himself. The beautiful sargam vocals of Pratibha Singh Baghel are coupled with the voice of Udhas. — IANS How do you maintain your fitness despite a hectic schedule? I pay attention to my diet and workout to stay in shape, even with my busy schedule. I avoid unhealthy food and ensure my fitness routine aligns with my work demands. Staying active in sports and physical activities also helps. Physical fitness is directly linked to mental health. If we’re not fit physically, our mental health suffers and that affects performance. For actors looking fit on screen is essential, so fitness becomes a priority. What exercises do you prefer during your busy days? Do you enjoy any particular activities as part of your workout? During shoots, I do quick exercises like squats, pushups, and stretches to keep my body flexible and active. My body reacts quickly, which helps me maintain fitness without a rigid routine. I love Zumba and dancing. They’re fun and help me stay fit. I don’t have a fitness mentor; my motivation comes from within. When I feel fit, I look good, and that drives me to stay consistent. Have you ever taken a fitness challenge for a role? Do you feel industry pressure to look fit? Yes, I once took up a challenge for a show. I had gained some weight, and the makers asked me to lose it. Within a week, I lost six kg and got back in shape in just eight days. Hritik Yadav, who is currently seen in Apollena—Sapno Ki Unchi Udann, says physical fitness is directly linked to mental health How does physical fitness impact your mental and emotional well-being? Not at all. Before being an actor, I’m a regular guy who wants to stay fit and healthy. It feels natural and easy for me, so I don’t take it as pressure. Do you follow a specific fitness regime? Not really. I focus on warmup exercises to stay stress- c m y b What are your two fitness tips? Eat healthy, think positive and everything will fall into place. That’s the secret to achieving both fitness and well-being. Imtiaz Ali set to create the series O Saathi Re Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali is set to reunite with Netflix for O Saathi Re, a romantic drama series starring Aditi Rao Hydari, Avinash Tiwary and Arjun Rampal. Billed as an ‘evocative exploration of the vintage feeling of love in contemporary times’, the show is created by Ali, who earlier worked with the streamer for crime series She and the critically acclaimed movie Amar Singh Chamkila. Arif Ali, who directed She, will helm the new series. “O Saathi Re surprised me at every turn of its development. It is a modern story with a vintage heart, an enchanted fairy tale set in Metropolitan life,” Ali, who will also serve as writer, showrunner and executive producer, said in a statement. “I feel both relieved and excited at having Arif direct the stellar cast of Avinash Aditi and Arjun and it is the ever-strengthening relationship with Netflix that enabled us to enter the deceptively charming world of O Saathi Re,” he added. O Saathi Re, which will commence production soon, will reunite Ali with Hydari after they worked on Rockstar. Tiwary had featured in Laila Majnu, which was produced by Ali. — PTI