04102025-LSTL-01.qxd 10/3/2025 8:40 PM Page 1 c m y b FINAL DESTINATION ON OTT Following a decent box office run, Final Destination: Bloodlines, a sixth film in the iconic Final Destination franchise, is set to premiere on JioHotstar on October 16 and will be available in multiple languages, including English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The film is directed by Adam Stein and Zach Lipovsky. TRIBUNE Watch out Life Shelter, headlined by Jason Statham, is set to release in theatres on January 30, 2026. The upcoming action thriller is directed by Ric Roman Waugh. LUDHIANA | SATURDAY | 4 OCTOBER 2025 Meet the new crop of pan-India actors who have bridged the gap between the North and South Beyond Bollywood B OLLYWOOD’s younger generation is blurring regional boundaries, building careers that span multiple film industries. These rising stars are not just limited to Hindi cinema — they’re earning recognition in South Indian films and beyond, carving a niche as pan-India actor. These actors represent a new era where boundaries between regional cinemas are fading. By working across industries, they’re not only expanding their artistic horizons but also creating stories that connect with audiences nationwide. As the term pan-India actor gains popularity, these rising stars are leading the way toward a more unified cinematic future. Here’s a look at some of the most promising names leading this exciting shift... WAMIQA GABBI ADARSH GOURAV From playing a young Shah Rukh Khan in My Name Is Khan to becoming an internationally acclaimed actor, Adarsh has shown unmatched versatility. His powerful performances in Rukh, Mom, Leila, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, Superboys of Malegaon and Netflix’s Guns and Gulaabs made him a standout. His breakthrough role in The White Tiger led to global projects like Extrapolations and Alien Earth. Later this year, he makes his Telugu debut in a psychological drama and is currently shooting Anand L Rai’s Tu Ya Main opposite Shanaya Kapoor. The blue-eyed beauty has explored nearly every major Indian film industry. Her impressive performances in Grahan, Modern Love: Mumbai, Jubilee, and Charlie Chopra and The Mystery of Solang Valley cemented her as a versatile star. She’s now set to appear in Goodachari 2, followed by Tamil films Iravaakaalam and Genie. ROHIT SARAF Known for his boynext-door charm, Rohit Saraf debuted in Dear Zindagi and went on to shine in Hichki, The Sky Is Pink, Ludo and Vikram Vedha. He earned praise for his performances in web series like Mismatched and Feels Like Ishq. Rohit made his Tamil debut with Kamali From Nadukkaveri and appeared in the panIndia film Thug Life. His next big release is Dharma Productions’ Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumar. SAIEE MANJREKAR SHANAYA KAPOOR Bollywood’s new face Shanaya Kapoor began her journey with Aankhon Ki Ghustakhiyaan opposite Vikrant Massey. She’s now stepping into Malayalam cinema with Vrussabhha, co-starring Mohanlal, followed by Bedhadak and Tu Ya Main. Her expanding filmography hints at a promising pan-India appeal. The daughter of veteran actor-filmmaker MaheshManjrekar, Saiee debuted in Hindi cinema opposite Salman Khan in Dabangg 3. She quickly expanded her horizons with Telugu sports drama Ghani and the pan-India hit, Major. Saiee followed up with Skanda (Telugu) alongside Ram Pothineni, and in Hindi films like Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha and Kuch Khatta Ho Jaye. This year, she headlined the Telugu film Arjun S/O Vyjayanthi and is now filming The India House, Ram Charan’s maiden production. SREELEELA Adam Sandler reacts to SARA ARJUN A popular name in Telugu and Kannada cinema, Sreeleela is ready to step into Bollywood with Kartik Aaryan in Anurag Basu’s Tu Meri Zindagi Hai (earlier titled Aashiqui 3). Rumors also suggest that she has projects lined up opposite Varun Dhawan and Ibrahim Ali Khan. Her entry into Hindi films makes her a talent to watch across industries. Sara, daughter of actor Raj Arjun, began as a child actress in Hindi and Tamil films. Her notable role in Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan: Part I and Part II earned her praise. She’s now stepping up as a lead actress opposite Ranveer Singh in Durandhar (Hindi) and will soon make her Telugu debut with Euphoria, followed by the pan-India project Quotation Gang: Part 1. IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack Netflix India gets nine nominations at Asian Academy Creative Awards 2025 Oscar buzz VARUN DHAWAN & ALIA BHATT Alia Bhatt revealed an adorable birthday gift for her daughter Raha for her 18th birthday on Two Much With Kajol & Twinkle on Amazon Prime. Alia arrived on the show alongside former co-star and friend Varun Dhawan, and they got candid about their relationship with each other and marriage. In the chit-chat, Kajol told Alia that they had heard that she wrote daily emails to her baby. So, you get this idea from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Does Karan get credit for it? Alia replied, “Not really. It was my friend Aarti or some- Alia Bhatt’s gift for Raha’s 18th birthday one who gave this idea. Basically, it’s not a daily email. It’s like a monthly combination of images and that sort of thing that happens. I am just giving her the pictures and other items.” She added, “But I write one line...you loved this so much and the only thing I wish for you is to be, etc. So, this is my game plan that I will gift to her when she is 18. I don’t know why. I mean, maybe she would demand it from me when she is 13 or 12.” Alia also opened up about her relationship with her father-in-law, Rishi Kapoor. She shared, “Actually, I spent a lot of time with him when we were filming Kapoor and Sons. At that time, I wasn’t dating Ranbir or anyone else. But we used to hang out every evening. He had the most wonderful stories to tell. He used to love hanging out. After the shoot, he was like, just sit and you know, chill and have dinner together. That ambience was just too good. Like I really, really miss him.” — ANI c m y b Actor Adam Sandler responded to buzz about a potential Oscar nomination for his role in Jay Kelly, at the movie’s New York City premiere, where he was joined by his wife, Jackie Sandler, and their daughters, Sadie, 19, and Sunny, 16. “Well, that’s real cool and real nice of everybody to say, and I’m just happy I got to be in it,” said Sandler, adding, “My man Noah Baumbach wrote it, kind of put it all together, got the performances he wanted out of everybody, and I’m proud to be in it.” Jay Kelly will be streaming on Netflix on December 5. — ANI The forerunners... Netflix India has secured nine nominations at the Asian Academy Creative Awards (AACA) for their shows including Black Warrant and IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. The nominees are going to represent India and compete in the Grand Awards, across the APAC region, in December in Singapore. The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan, and Modern Masters – SS Rajamouli are also nominated. Black Warrant led the tally with five nominations across key categories — Best Promo or Trailer, Best Editing (Tanya Chhabria), Best Sound (Kunal Sharma), Best Screenplay (Satyanshu Singh and Arkesh Ajay), Best Cinematography (Saumyananda Sahi), and Best Actor in a Leading Role (Zahan Kapoor), the streamer said in a release. Modern Masters – SS BLACK WARRANT Rajamouli was nominated for Best Documentary Programme (One-Off), while The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan earned a nod for Best Documentary (Series). IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack was recognised for Best VFX, credited to Dipen Bhaskar and Vivek Dey. Zahan, who received a nomination for Best Actor for his performance in Black War- rant, said, “Being a part of Black Warrant has been an unforgettable journey, and to be recognised by the Asian Academy Creative Awards for this role feels truly surreal. In 2024, Netflix India received nominations for Amar Singh Chamkila, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, The Railway Men and The Hunt For Veeruppan. — PTI