18012026-LSTL-01.qxd 1/18/2026 12:11 AM Page 1 c m y b MATT DAMON ON CANCEL CULTURE Matt Damon has shared his views on cancel culture in Hollywood, stating that being publicly “cancelled” can have long-lasting consequences that follow a person for life. Damon will be seen in Netflix film The Rip. CHAT UP TRIBUNE All for love Life Billie Eilish showed her support for boyfriend Nat Wolff following the release of his new selftitled album with brother Alex Wolff on January 16. She reshared a post announcing the album’s release. LUDHIANA | SUNDAY | 18 JANUARY 2026 Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt, Dia Mirza and Bipasha Basu share their special moments from 2016 ‘VERY DANGEROUS COMMENT’ Shobhaa De has termed AR Rahman’s recent remark on Bollywood as “very dangerous”, stressing that the film industry has always been a space where talent, not religion, determines opportunity. Addressing a session on her new book at the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival, De said she disagreed with Rahman’s claims of religious bias in Bollywood. Rahman had in a recent interview said that work from the Hindi film industry has slowed for him in recent years, which he attributed to changing dynamics in the industry over the past eight years. SPIRIT TO HIT THEATRES IN 2027 The much-awaited film Spirit, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga and starring Prabhas, has finally locked its release date after months of buzz and debate surrounding the project. Director Vanga took to X on Friday evening to announce that Spirit will arrive in theatres on March 5, 2027. Initially, Deepika Padukone was supposed to play the female lead in the film. However, due to scheduling conflicts, she left the project, which eventually led to Triptii Dimri being cast in the role. KARAN, DIVYAA IN THE 50 Divyaa Agarwal and Karan Patel have joined the upcoming reality show, The 50. The show is the Indian version of an international format by Banijay and will bring together popular faces from TV and the digital space for a game-based strategy, social play and survival. With this, Divyaa will also be seen returning to a reality format. Karan Patel, who has also been confirmed as one of the contestants, said that the idea of staying in a house for a month away from family was not something he had planned before, but the concept of the show made him say yes. KAREENA KAPOOR’S 2016 PHOTO DUMP A WAVE of nostalgia has swept across Instagram as users revisit snapshots from a decade ago, particularly from 2016. The trend, dubbed “2026 is the new 2016,” sees people recreating old photos, reviving fashion and aesthetics, and reflecting on a simpler digital era. Kareena Kapoor has become the latest celebrity to join the viral 2016 trend on Instagram. Taking a stroll down memory lane, Kareena dug out several priceless pictures from 2016, the year when she was blessed with her firstborn, Taimur. From sharing her unseen pregnancy pictures to posting adorable pictures with her husband, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena’s “2016 photo dump” phase is quite adorable. Sharing the throwback pictures, Kareena wrote, “The year of the bump.” Alia & her 2016 ki kahani Taking part in the viral 2016 Instagram trend, Alia Bhatt reflected on the year with gratitude, offering a glimpse into some of her most precious memories. From sharing the screen with Shah Rukh Khan in Dear Zindagi to seeking ALIA BHATT’S MEMORABLE MOMENTS B-town goes big on 2016 trend blessings at the Golden Temple, Alia’s 2016 photo dump gave fans a sneak peek into the unforgettable moments from her life a decade ago. Bipasha’s wedding album Like many, Bipasha Basu hopped on the viral 2016 social media trend as well. On Saturday, Bipasha took a stroll down memory lane, sharing several priceless pictures from 2016. Notably, 2016 was an extremely special year for Bipasha as she tied the knot with Karan Singh Grover on April 30. So honestly, calling her latest Instagram post a “photo dump” feels wrong; it’s basically her wedding album, full of love and glow. Jashan Singh gears up for his next release Naina Mile NOT ‘PRETTY ENOUGH’ Jennifer Lawrence said that she missed out on the role of Sharon Tate in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, attributing it in part to online backlash about her looks. On the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Lawrence said that she lost the part, ultimately played by Margot Robbie, because some people online felt she wasn’t “pretty enough.” “Well, everybody was like, ‘She’s not pretty enough to play Sharon Tate,’” Lawrence recalled. RANI MUKERJI INTERACTS WITH FANS Rani Mukerji attended the DY Patil Medical College in Pune to promote her upcoming film Mardaani 3. The actress had a greet-and-meet session with her young fans at DY Patil Medical College. Along with her young fans, the actress was also seen performing traditional martial art techniques using a bamboo stick. I’m a soft-hearted man, more inclined toward romance, says the Mohali-based singer-actor Mona Punjabi singer-actor Jashan Singh is used to standing out in a crowd — quite literally. At 6 feet 5 inches, the lean, soft-spoken artiste often has to bend down to talk to people, a gesture that matches his grounded and humble personality. Born to renowned singer Hardeep Singh, Jashan moved to Australia at the age of 16 to pursue his education. His father encouraged him to complete his studies before taking the plunge into the entertainment world — a decision Jashan feels shaped him deeply. “That move really paid off. I’m equally at ease in Mohali, Mumbai and Perth,” he says. Singing has always been my passion and I’m happy that my songs have found so much love Brief acting stint, music remains his pulse Jashan made his Punjabi film debut Dushman: A Story of the Enemy Within, a film presented by Mahesh Bhatt. Though the film earned him notice, acting didn’t become his main pursuit. “The roles I’m offered are mostly dark. I’m a soft-hearted man, more inclined toward romance,” he admits. While acting took a back seat, his music career has only grown steadier. “Willingly, I’m going slow,” he smiles. Over the last decade, he has delivered several Punjabi and Hindi singles and even featured on Coke Studio, earning love for tracks like Allah Veh and Sada Viah Hoya Ji. Jashan is now gearing up for his upcoming release, Naina Mile featuring Malti Chahar, known from Bigg Boss. He’s visibly excited about this new phase, “Singing has always been my passion and I’m happy that my songs have found so much love.” Between three homes Having lived in Australia for over 20 years, Jashan considers it a second home. “It’s a great country to live in. The people are good, there’s room for growth, and I’ve never faced any incident of racism.” Yet, his heart remains rooted in Mohali, where his parents live, and Mumbai, where the work thrives. He hopes the future brings him playback opportunities in major Hindi films — and maybe even a return to acting, “if the right script comes along.” c m y b Dia recalls RHTDM memories Dia Mirza took fans back in time as she joined the viral trend and shared a set of old pictures that brought back memories for people who loved her early films. Taking to Instagram, Dia posted a few behind-the-scenes and photoshoot images with her Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein (RHTDM) co-star R Madhavan, popularly known as Maddy, as the film approaches its 25th anniversary this October. The caption of her post read, “This was 2016. On 19th October 2026, it will be 25 years. A gift that keeps on giving. The film released in 2001. Name the film. Oh Maddy Maddy, look what showed up? — ANI DIA MIRZA WITH R MADHAVAN BIPASHA BASU SHARES HER WEDDING PICTURES On a happy note Music platform titled Goongoonalo that was launched in Mumbai allows artistes to own their music and shape their future. On its very first day, the Goongoonalo app released 100 original songs. Across these 100 songs, singers, composers, producers, and lyricists collaborated as equals, charging no fees to one another. The artiste investors present at the launch included Javed Akhtar, Hariharan, Shankar Mahadevan, Prasoon Joshi, Shreya Ghoshal, Sameer Anjaan, Shaan, Papon, Milind Shrivastava, Anand Shrivastava, Vijay Prakash, Lalit Pandit, Akriti Kakkar and Akshay Hariharan. Javed Akhtar, Shaan, Shankar Mahadevan join other artistes to launch Goongoonalo Lyricist Javed Akhtar explained how Goongoonalo works and why it is special. He said unlike other apps that use pre-existing songs, this platform is owned by its creators themselves. “Other apps use songs that are already made. But it is owned by the creators. The music directors, songwriters, and singers are the owners of it. Each of us will put in at least four new songs every year,” he said. Singer and composer Shankar Mahadevan called the day a significant one for music and creativity. “Today is a very special day for the world of music, poetry, and creativity. This is a one-of-a-kind platform where artists get complete creative freedom.” Singer Shaan shared: “Nowhere in the world has there been such a music company created by artists— musicians, composers, lyricists, and singers.” — ANI