07112025-LSTC-01.qxd 11/6/2025 7:30 PM Page 1 c m y b RETURN OF DULQUER The much-awaited trailer of Kaantha, starring actor Dulquer Salmaan, is finally out and offers a powerful look at the intense story fans can expect. Dulquer took to social media the trailer. Along with the trailer, the actor added a caption that read, “The world of Kaantha unfolds today!” CHAT UP TRIBUNE Playing Piggy Life The Muppet diva Miss Piggy is finally getting her own movie, and Hollywood stars Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Stone and Cole Escola have teamed up to bring it to life. LUDHIANA | FRIDAY | 7 NOVEMBER 2025 Mona HERE COMES EKLEEN Star couple Prince Narula and Yuvika Chaudhary, who became parents to daughter Ekleen in October 2024, have finally revealed her face on the auspicious occasion of Gurpurab. The family visited a Gurdwara to celebrate the auspicious day. Taking to his Instagram handle, Prince Narula shared the pictures with the caption, “Waheguru.. Tera he sab bus sada apne mehr rakhyoo ekleen teh Babaji” DHOOM M OVE over, Bollywood — the Big Apple’s got a new hero who knows how to bring that masala energy to the mayor’s office. New York’s mayorelect Zohran Mamdani has been spotted (and memed) enough to make us all say, “Arre yaar, is he secretly from Delhi?” From street swagger to chai charm, here are five times the mayor-elect went full desi mode — knowingly or not. MACHALE DHOOM… Zohran’s kurta game can’t be matched Was it linen? Was it FabIndia? Nobody knows — but Zohran’s off-white kurta that he recently stepped out in had ‘Diwali party at your cousin’s house’ written all over it. And it’s not a one-off — whether it’s a Nehru-collar shirt under a blazer or an embroidered kurta with sleek pants, he knows exactly how to channel the power of desi attire, adding to it the power of folded hands in a Namaste! Five times New York’s mayor-elect channelled major desi vibes RAHMAN UNVEILS ROOH-E-NOOR Music maestro AR Rahman has launched Rooh-eNoor, an all-women band. The band has been formed under the leadership of AR Rahman’s daughter Katija Rahman. Rooh-e-Noor is a six-member allwomen vocal ensemble comprising Pooja Tiwari, Sana Aziz, Shaoni, Khatija Rahman, Amina Rafiq, and Shifa Ruby. Zohran’s got the support of not just his mama and baba, but also a whole squad of aunties — whom he didn’t shy away from invoking in his now-famous victory speech. His mother, Mira Nair, a well-known filmmaker, has been constantly and consistently by her son’s side. Cheekily declaring herself the “producer of the (Mayor)” in her Instagram story, she has been one of his biggest cheerleaders. On Eid, she reached out to the people of New York with a heartfelt message: “Eid Mubarak to all who love humanity. All New York wallahs, listen to this mama: If you want a progressive mayor, remember to vote for our son @zohrankmamdani!” Calling herself a proud OG mom, she also urged mothers across New York to support her son! Food and chai for the win Food has always been at the heart of desi life — and Zohran clearly knows it. PHOTOS: REUTERS Mama, baba & aunties by his side From mango lassi cameos in his campaign videos to a now-viral clip of him tucking into a hearty plate of biryani, the mayor-elect has embraced desi food culture with zero hesitation. Of course, the internet did what it does best — the biryani video sparked memes, jokes and, unfortunately, a round of racist trolling. Not deterred by the racist comments, he professed his love for chai over coffee when asked by a reporter. And just like that, every desi aunty in Queens collectively sighed with approval, “Beta, good choice.” Carrying on, his first day at mayor elect, chai, momos and aloo showed on his plate! FOREVER ETCHED The mayor who went full Bollywood Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana marked Team India’s historic maiden ICC Women’s World Cup triumph with special tattoos. Harmanpreet took to Instagram and shared a picture of the tattoo, which features the World Cup Trophy. “Forever etched in my skin and my heart, waited for you since Day 1, and now I will see you every morning and be grateful,” Harmanpreet wrote. Now, what’s a desi without invoking Bollywood at every turn in life? From Deewaar references in his campaign video to signing off with Dhoom Machale after his victory speech, Zohran has been unabashed in borrowing from the films that shaped generations. He’s got the voice Ambala boy Abhijeet Sharma is in Top 16 of Indian Idol Nitish Sharma From Ambala Cantonment to Mumbai, Abhijeet Sharma, a young and versatile singer, has impressed his listeners and the judges of the Indian Idol Season 16 with his soulful voice, securing his place in the Top 16 in the singing reality show. The 17-year-old, who is in Mumbai for the weekly performances, says, “I am happy to be among the Top 16. I am youngest among the boys. Though the others are also singing very well, I am confident that I will advance further in the show and continue to perform well. The judges have been giving a very good and positive response, and I also want to continue to impress everyone with my voice.” Abhijeet, who also composes, adds, “So far in this journey, I have been signing the songs which are given to me but at some stage I would like to present my own compositions too. Like Arijit Singh, I want to become a big singer. I have been getting a positive response from everyone and I am hopeful of winning the title this year.” The confidence comes from the fact that Abhijeet’s talent is firmly rooted in Indian classical music. He first performed on stage at the age of three and half. That caught the attention of his teacher, who suggested Abhijeet’s parents to focus on his singing. “He started learning music at the age of 4, and since 2020 he has been learning music from renowned music director Santosh Kataria. We travel to Mohali every day around 4 in the morning for music lessons, and Kataria has played a major role in shaping his voice and personality. He taught Abhijeet how to catch the soul of the song and feel the emotions,” says Abhijeet’s father Rajeev Sharma, who runs a business in Ambala Cantonment. Abhijeet had auditioned for the previous season as well. However, he didn’t get a chance then. This year he managed to clear all the rounds and secured his place in the Top 16. Rajeev says, “Initially, when he started sharing his music videos on social media platforms, people used to comment that he was only lipsyncing, but over the years, the number of such comments has gone down. He is receiving an overwhelming response from the people as well as the judges (Vishal Dadlani, Shreya Ghoshal, and Badshah) of the Indian Idol. He has won many awards in music competitions across the country.” Meanwhile, his mother Geetanjali Sharma, who is also in Mumbai with Abhijeet, says, “There is no pressure on him and everybody is cooperative here. He has been practising well with other participants, and if he continues to sing well, we are confident that he will win.” c m y b Throughout his year-long journey from political unknown to viral sensation, he’s sprinkled his campaign with full-on filmy flair. Posing with the dhol, that bhangra move…iconic. The arms-wide-open SRK pose? New Yorkers didn’t just watch — they joined in, returning his energy with love, and, of course, the win. Add to it his love story with Rama Duwaji, from Hinge to City Hall power couple, melting hearts all over. Bhaiyo aur behno… Yes, that’s how Zohran legit kicked off one of his campaign reels — straight out of the Indian political playbook. From quoting Gandhi’s timeless “Be the change” during a campaign rally to invoking Nehru’s in his victory speech, the man who championed ‘unity in diversity through his campaign knows exactly how to blend his Indian roots with his New York swagger. Peak Indian politician crossover moment. Here’s one globally tuned-in neta. New York’s mayor-elect may run America’s loudest city, but he’s clearly got that quiet desi confidence down — equal parts Namaste and no chill. In support of Deepika Soha Ali Khan, known for her roles in Rang De Basanti and Ahista Ahista, has spoken out about the ongoing debate surrounding actresses limiting their work hours, referencing Deepika Padukone’s decision to set boundaries on her shooting schedule. She expressed her support for Deepika’s demand for an 8-hour workday, citing her own experiences as a working mother. She emphasised the importance of work-life balance, especially for mothers in the film industry. She said, “There are not too many Deepika As a mother, I empathise..., says Soha Ali Khan on 8-hour work Padukones out there. So, she may be able to get what she wants. And what she’s asking for, I feel, I empathise with as a mother. I would want to have it all. I want a system that allows me to work eight hours a day. And then spend some time with my child.” Deepika’s demand for an 8-hour shift sparked debate after she reportedly exited Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s film Spirit — ANI Meghan Markle returns to acting After years of being away from her acting career, Meghan Markle is now all set to make her return to films. According to reports, Meghan will be featured in the upcoming comedy film, titled Close Personal Friends, also starring Lily Collins, Jack Quaid, Brie Larson and Henry Golding. Even though Meghan will be seen in a cameo, details surrounding her character have been kept under wraps. The shooting is currently underway in Los Angeles. Speaking about the Duchess of Sussex’s part, a source said, “Meghan was on the set today. She has a small part. She seemed very relaxed and happy. She introduced herself to everyone and was very sweet and down-to-earth.” Among other cast members are Melissa Villasenor, Natasha Demetriou, Anna Konkle, Patti Harrison, Jack Shalloo, and Dustin Demri-Burns.Close Personal Friends reportedly focuses on the story of a “regular” couple that meets a celebrity couple during their trip to Santa Barbara. However, it is when the two couples become friends that things start getting awkward and lines are crossed. — ANI