04082025-LSTL-01.qxd 8/3/2025 8:27 PM Page 1 c m y b AKON’S INDIA TOUR Music lovers, get ready to dive into nostalgia as the global hit-maker, Akon, is all set to enthral the audience in India with his special tour. Akon will be seen performing on November 9 in Delhi, November 14 in Bengaluru, and November 16 in Mumbai. TRIBUNE Cancelled Life Netflix has cancelled the Arnold Schwarzeneggerstarrer FUBAR after two seasons. Despite the success of Season I, the second installment failed to attract the audience and had its viewing declined by 73 per cent. LUDHIANA | MONDAY | 4 AUGUST 2025 The ‘wicked’ charmer Nonika Singh W Sonam on a high! To be recognised at the national level is a blessing, says Sonam Bajwa as Godday Godday Cha wins the National Award for Best Punjabi Language Film Sonam Bajwa’s Punjabi film Godday Godday Cha won the National Award for Best Punjabi Language Film. A trailblazer in both commercial cinema and stories driven by strong female characters, Sonam shared her thoughts. “Winning the National Award for Best Punjabi Film for Godday Godday Cha is a truly humbling and special feeling! The film received so much love at the box office, and now, to be recognised at the national level is a blessing,” she says. This marks Sonam’s second Punjabi film to win a National Award. Her first was Punjab 1984, directed by Anurag Singh, who also helmed Kesari and the upcoming film, Border 2. Sonam adds, “I’ll continue being part of both commercial and path-breaking cinema in Punjabi and Hindi. That’s what gives me a real high as an actor— being part of stories that entertain, engage, and are celebrated by both audiences and the nation.” ‘Never made any official announcement’ ICKEDNESS has rarely been as delectable as Tahir Raj Bhasin’s Sudhir in Special Ops Season 2. A charmer by all means, we wonder if Tahir’s dimpled charm works in his favour or becomes a detriment in his bad guy act. “Indeed, it is a razor’s edge, a delicate balancing act to match style with gravitas,” says Tahir. But he is more than happy that directors like Neeraj Pandey build on the character arcs of antagonists as much as that of protagonists. He is excited that viewers also pay attention to the smallest details. While many fans keep asking him about the brand of his sunglasses and suits, critics even compare his sartorial choices to that of ace villain Ajit. But neither he nor his creator-director had the ‘Mona darling’ badman in mind while conceiving the character. “Mr Pandey has no reference points ever. Probably I derived more from Al Pacino’s Tony Montana mind-set in Scarface,” he shares. Since Tahir created a splash back in 2014 with the chilling portrait of a kingpin of human trafficking in Mardaani, he has been naturally gravitating towards disruptive ‘out of the box,’ parts. Though Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein begins as a love story, his character soon acquires grey shades. Between reprising a part as in Yeh Kaali… Season 2 and becoming a new entrant in an already successful franchise (Special Ops), he finds both challenging. “On the sets of Special Ops 2, for a few days I felt like a new kid in school. I had to fit in. Fortunately, both the cast and the director were very welcoming.” Right from his Mardaani days, Tahir has been in the company of some great actors. From Rani Mukerji he learnt how to get into the character at the snap of fingers. Nawazuddin Siddiqui made him understand the confidence which comes with being self-made. With Kay Kay Menon, he realised how ‘less is more.’Interestingly, though he has already worked with celebrated Tahir Raj Bhasin had to blend style with gravitas to bring flamboyant baddie Sudhir to life in Special Ops 2, but hey, he is not complaining! directors like Pradeep Sarkar, Kabir Khan and Nitesh Tiwari, he still has a wish-list. He would love to be part of Reema Kagti and Shoojit Sircar’s cinematic world. Headlining a web series or smaller part in blockbusters? He admits, “Bigger part in big budget films indeed is every actor’s dream.” Right now he sure is living a dream and is on cloud nine. On terra firma, talking of his roots, this Punjabi lad from Delhi is not so fluent in Punjabi. But since he rubbed shoulders with Ammy Virk in ‘83 and shared a round table conference with Diljit bhaji, he is not unfamiliar with Pollywood. Acting in a Punjabi film is aye aye, but he is more fascinated by Punjabi music videos. Having already walked in the shoes of Sunil Gavaskar (’83) and actor Shyam (Manto), one character he would like to etch is of Rakesh Sharma, India’s first space hero and former IAF officer. He refuses to spill the beans on why the handsome actor, who has figured in the top 50 most desirable men list, is still single. All he would say is, “There, was a certain mystique about earlier actors for they kept their personal lives private and I am old school in that sense.” Mayhemunleashed by Rajinikanth Sun Pictures has detonated a cinematic bomb with the grand unveiling of the official trailer for Coolie – The Powerhouse that promises mass mayhem and entertainment. Helmed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, the trailer redefines what it means to be a commercial cinema. The trailer roars with highvoltage drama, stylised may- Kartik Aaryan has officially denied any involvement in an alleged upcoming Independence Day event in Houston, USA, after the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) raised strong concerns about the show being allegedly linked to a Pakistani-owned entity. Kartik Aaryan’s team says the actor is not attending any event linked to Pakistan-owned entity Earlier, FWICE sent a letter to the actor urging him to ‘withdraw’ from the event, citing concerns over national interest, especially following the terror attack at Pahalgam on April 22. However, on Saturday evening, Kartik’s team issued a clarification stating that the actor is ‘not associated with the event’ and that he never made an ‘official announcement’ about participating in it. In the statement, the team said, “Kartik Aaryan is not associated with this event in any capacity. He has never made an official announcement about participating in it. We have contacted the organisers and requested that all promotional materials featuring his name and image be removed.” — ANI hem, whistle-worthy dialogues, Rajinikanth’s swag, mannerism, Nagarjuna’s spine-chilling villainous act, Aamir Khan’s stylish and brand new avatar, and an undercurrent of rage, rebellion, and redemption — all underscored by Anirudh Ravichander’s electrifying score that sends shivers down the spine. With an ensemble cast featuring Sathyaraj, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, and Shruti Haasan, the film blends a true pan-India casting approach with mass elevation, balancing gritty realism with fanservice spectacle. The film is scheduled for a pan-India release in cinemas on August 14. Imtiaz Ali announces Friendship Day-special film Side Heroes with Aparshakti, Varun and Abhishek Acclaimed filmmaker Imtiaz Ali has announced his latest project, on the occasion of Friendship Day. In an Instagram post, Mahaveer Jain Films shared a video of the director with the lead cast that includes the dynamic Abhishek Banerjee, Aparshakti Khurana and Varun Sharma. The trio is known for their bone-tickling comic performances in the Stree and Fukrey franchises. In the video, Imtiaz appears to be discussing the plans for the potential film titled Side Heroes with the actors, bringing to the fore a surprising Bhojpuri accent as he interacts with a friend over the phone. Further in the video, the c m y b For friends, by friends filmmaker teases a story based on lifelong friends through a filter of humour and emotions. “Dosti celebrate karne ka time aa gaya hai! To all the friends on the eve of Friendship Day,” the makers wrote in the caption. Directed by Ssanjay Tripaathy, the film is written by Siddharth Sen and Pankaj Matta. Imtiaz will produce the film alongside Mahaveer Jain, Reeyan M Shah, and Mrighdeep Singh Lamba. Sharing an update on the project, Varun expressed his delight over working with a dream team on a film, which he said is “made by friends and for friends.” “A team with all heart and so much love. With a big smile on my face and a lot of gratitude in my heart, I can’t express the happiness to be working with this amazing dream team. A film made by friends, for all the friends out there. Dosti ka jo emotion hota hai na usse upar kuch nahi. Can’t wait for the magic to unfold and the world to witness this amazingly beautiful Script. Milte hai agle Friendship Day 2026 ko Cinemas main Side Heroes ke saath,” he wrote on Instagram. —ANI