31102025-LSTC-01.qxd 10/30/2025 7:35 PM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE LEIGHTON TEASES MUSIC RETURN Birthday gal… Life Actor and singer Leighton Meester hinted at a return to music, over 11 years after releasing her debut album, Heartstrings. “I’m just about ready,” said Leighton. Leighton is focusing on TV projects, which include her appearance on Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, and in I Love LA, which premieres on November 2 . Ananya Panday celebrated her birthday with intimate gatherings and sweet messages from loved ones. Kareena Kapoor Khan called her a “shining star”, while Karan Johar shared a fun selfie with Ananya. LUDHIANA | FRIDAY | 31 OCTOBER 2025 A Teacher’s Gift at Tribeca How to celebrate Halloween 2025 in true spooky style! Ravneet Kaur A S October waves goodbye, a mysterious chill begins to whisper through the tricity air. Nights grow longer, the moon glows brighter, and somewhere, a jack-o’-lantern flickers to life — heralding the return of Halloween, that thrilling blend of fear and festivity. Once a Western celebration rooted in folklore, this festival of costumes, candy and creepy charm has cast its spell on India too, now lighting up party calendars and social feeds alike. This year, Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula are all set to scream in style. From dazzling Halloween bashes and eerie cocktails to a movie lineup guaranteed to keep your goosebumps alive past midnight — the tricity promises a frightfully fun celebration. Whether you’re slipping into a witch hat for the dance floor or curling up with popcorn and a spooky flick, here’s your ultimate guide to Halloween 2025. CITY’S PARTY FEVER If loud music, laughter, and devilish fun are your idea of Halloween, Sector 26’s 26 Boulevard is your haunt. Their “Let’s Scream Halloween Bash” begins on October 30 at 8 pm and continues till November 6. Expect ghostly glam, eerie Scream, stream & The NFDC-backed film A Teacher’s Gift has been officially selected for screening at the Tribeca Festival Lisboa 2025, to be held on November 1 at The Theatre, Lisbon. An immigrant British South Asian story has received international recognition over the past year, winning the Best British Asian Film for Bridging Cultures award at the 2025 UK Asian Film Festival. It was also nominated for Best Feature Film at the BAFTA and BIFA-qualifying Iris Prize Film Festival in Wales. Produced by Eric Ollerenshaw OBE, directed by Artur Ribeiro, and co-written by and starring Rajdeep Choudhury, A Teacher’s Gift follows the story of Rohan, a Hindi language teacher in London who develops an unexpected friendship with an Englishman. The film explores themes of identity, belonging and cultural understanding. The cast includes Anthony Calf, Paula Lobo Antunes, Anjali Patil, Dhruv Sehgal, Virgilio Castelo and Varun Buddhadev. — ANI dance décor, and beats by Kalpanik Bass that’ll keep the undead grooving till dawn. From October 31 to November 2, Pyramid, Elante Mall, turns into a cauldron of chaos with its Halloween Party Nights. The event promises a thrilling mix of English, Hindi and Punjabi hits, spine-chilling costumes, and four hours of nonstop dance and drama. If you’re looking to mix fright with fashion, this one’s unmissable. For partygoers in Mohali, The Brew Estate (Sector 80) brews up its own brand of terror with a Halloween Party Night on October 31 from 8 pm to 1 am. With creepy cocktails, a haunted ambience and an inhouse DJ spinning eerie mixes, this one’s perfect for those who like their scares with a pint of craft beer. SPOOKY FLICKS TO STREAM OR SCREEN Once you’ve danced with the devils, it’s time to dive into some cinematic chills. ENGLISH HORRORS THAT STILL HAUNT Bring Her Back (2025): A mother’s grief spirals into terror when she starts receiving messages from her deceased daughter. Until Dawn (2024): Based on the hit video game, this snowbound survival horror traps friends in a deadly web of choices. Bagman (2024): An urban legend comes to life when teens summon the Bagman. HINDI THRILLS THAT CHILL Munjya (2024): A horror-comedy rooted in Indian folklore where a vengeful spirit seeks marriage. Bhoot: Part One – The Haunted Ship (2020): Vicky Kaushal faces ghostly terrors aboard a ship. Tumbbad (2018): A visually stunning mythological horror. Punjabi jolts & jitters Boo Main Dargi (2024): A horror spoof with pranks with mayhem. Kade Dade Diyan Kade Pote Diyan (2023): A horror-comedy that blends family drama with ghostly fun. ISTOCK Family pride shines “My little Simi’s not so little anymore,” Akshay expresses pride Simar makes Bollywood debut Actor Akshay Kumar penned a heartfelt message for his niece, Simar Bhatia, as she made her acting debut in Ikkis, directed by Sriram Raghavan. Taking to Instagram, Akshay expressed pride in Simar’s big-screen debut, sharing the film’s trailer on his story. “My little Simi’s not so little anymore... from your living room performances to the big screen in #Ikkis, heart bursting with pride! @simarbhatia18. And Agastya, what screen presence! Wishing the whole team huge success,” he wrote, extending his best wishes to Simar and her costar Agastya Nanda. Ikkis hit theatres in December 2025. — ANI YOU ARE SPECIAL: AMITABH TO AGASTYA Megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Thursday showered love and blessings on his grandson Agastya Nanda, who is set to make his big screen debut with the upcoming war drama Ikkis. “Agastya...TODAY you play in Theatres all over the World .. You are SPECIAL .. all my prayers and blessings to you...” Enrique greets fans with Namaste; Malaika Arora, Vidya Balan amongst others attend the concert Grammy Award winner Enrique Iglesias set the stage ablaze with his electrifying performance at his Mumbai concert, marking his grand return to India after 13 years. The global pop icon greeted thousands of fans with a warm “Namaste,” winning hearts as he performed on Day 1 of his two-day concert series at the MMRDA Grounds. Bollywood celebrities, including Malaika Arora, Vidya Balan, Rakul Preet Singh, Jaccky Bhagnani, Rubina Dilaik, Anu Malik and Disha Parmar, were among several stars who attended global pop icon Enrique Iglesias’ concerti n Mumbai on October 29. The event marked the Spanish singer’s much-anticipated return to India after 13 years and drew an enthusiastic crowd of over 25,000 fans. — ANI BAILAMOS BOMBAY! CHAT UP KASHMIR CHILLS STARSTRUCK MEMORIES ROCK CONNECTION ONLY LOVE FROM DILJIT The trailer for Netflix’s supernatural thriller Baramulla has been released and gives viewers a chilling look at a mystery set deep in the valleys of Kashmir. Releasing on November 7, the film, directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale, stars Manav Kaul and Bhasha Sumbli in lead roles. The trailer blends supernatural suspense with emotional depth as children vanish and a tormented officer seeks answers. Diane Lane fondly recalls shooting The Outsiders with an all-star cast, including Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe. “It was hot! It was great,” she said. She shared a memorable experience from the drive-in scene with C Thomas Howell, where they were covered in cocoa powder to create a dusty effect. Lane’s experience was a mix of excitement and nerves, working with actors who would become Hollywood legends. Bruce Springsteen deeply relates to Jeremy Allen White’s character in The Bear, citing similarities in emotional struggles. Springsteen believes White can authentically portray his complexities, making him perfect for the biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. White’s portrayal of Carmy has earned him critical acclaim. Diljit Dosanjh will continue spreading love despite criticism and trolls. “There’s only love from my side for everyone,” he says, emphasising unity and positivity. He shared a video message, urging people to focus on love and kindness. The singer’s message comes amid a controversy over his appearance on a TV show where he touched Amitabh Bachchan’s feet. Diljit is currently on his Aura tour in Australia. c m y b