10022026-LSTL-01.qxd 2/9/2026 8:15 PM Page 1 c m y b Zahan Kapoor and Shalini Pandeystarrer musical dramedy Bandwaale is set to release on Prime Video on February 13. The series is created and written by Ankur Tewari and Swanand Kirkire. It is directed by Akshat Verma and Ankur Tewari. TRIBUNE Fall & rise Life CHAT UP Mona LADY GAGA’S SURPRISE ACT Lady Gaga made a surprise appearance during Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl 2026 halftime performance at Levi’s Stadium on February 8. About midway through the show, the 16time Grammy winner took the stage alongside Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, delivering a show-stopping rendition of Die With a Smile, her 2024 duet with Bruno Mars. THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE TRAILER OUT The Mushroom Kingdom is trading its green pipes for the stars. During the 2026 Super Bowl clash between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, Universal Pictures and Nintendo officially launched the Level Up trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, confirming a theatrical rollout beginning April 1. It is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic. BRAD PITT’S NEW ADVENTURE Brad Pitt is set to reprise his Oscarwinning role in the highly anticipated followup to 2019’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Netflix unveiled a surprise teaser trailer for The Adventures of Cliff Booth during Super Bowl LX on Sunday. The film sees Pitt, 62, returning as stunt performer Cliff Booth, the character he portrayed alongside Leonardo DiCaprio’s Rick Dalton in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 hit. THE ‘ACCUSED’ LOT! Konkona Sen Sharma and Pratibha Rannta are set to headline the Anubhuti Kashyap’s directorial film Accused, produced by Dharma Productions. Accused centres on a celebrated London-based doctor whose life begins to unravel after being accused of sexual misconduct. Accused streams on Netflix from February 27. A S one of the world’s largest international theatre festivals, Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2026, opened in Chandigarh on Monday, the air at Tagore Theatre was thick with anticipation. The participating troupes were at various stages of preparation: at the centre of the stage, a courtroom set was being assembled, while sound checks echoed through the hall. Groups occupied every available space, rehearsing and finding their bearings. From director Abhishek Sharma overseeing the arrangements to a mali squabbling with guards over a missing plant, the afternoon unfolded with drama both on and off the stage. In the midst of it all, we spotted renowned theatre director, set designer and actor Avtar Sahni, watching the technical rehearsal by the Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts group as they prepared Khamosh! Adaalat Jaari Hai, the festival’s opening play. With over five decades of experience on stage, Sahni admitted to having butterflies in his stomach. “That’s the beauty of theatre,” he said. “No two performances are ever the same. From an actor’s health and mood to the audience’s response, every outing becomes a completely new experience.” Vijay Tendulkar’s play Khamosh! Adaalat Jaari Hai has been staged countless times. What made him pick this one? “When it was written in the 1960s, women occupied a far more subordinate position in society,” he said. “Even in 2026, despite all our talk of women’s liberation and freedom, I don’t think things are very different from the ’60s or ’70s.” Questioning the divide between men and women, Sahni added, “The only difference is sex. Emotions, intellect, capability — aren’t they the same? This unequal treatment of the sexes has never felt right to me. So, without changing a single line, I have presented Leela Benare and her rebellion against the system.” Interestingly, Sahni’s long journey in theatre had a modest beginning. He played a monkey in a Ramleela performance in Shimla. Fascinated by Anupam Kher’s comic interludes during the production, he too started at the very basics — first as a background performer, and gradually moved on to monologues on the school stage. It was during his college years in Ambala that someone told him about the National Rapper Cardi B had a mishap while dancing with a robot in San Francisco. Both Cardi B and the robot lost balance, causing the rapper to fall to the ground with the robot on top of her. LUDHIANA| TUESDAY | 10 FEBRUARY 2026 Aplay-full week RAJESHWAR SEETOHUL (CENTRE) WITH HIS TROUPE Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2026 opens in Chandigarh with Khamosh! Adaalat Jaari Hai, directed by Avtar Sahni Samay Chakra FROM MAURITIUS, WITH LOVE School of Drama. The idea that he could be formally trained, and even get paid, to pursue theatre, which at the time was far from mainstream, left Sahni pleasantly surprised. He cleared the NSD entrance exam and secured a scholarship. In his early years, Sahni recalled his mother’s concern about his chosen field; whether theatre could provide a livelihood. “I managed,” he said simply, with modesty. Though he has appeared in films like Dil Se, Sarfarosh, Omkara, Highway and The Accidental Prime Minister, commanding substantial fees, Sahni’s heart belongs the stage. “Films are basi (stale),” he said, “nothing matches the magic of live shows. When you choose to follow your passion, you have to be completely honest with it.” With that, he signed off and headed back to his troupe. On the second day of Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2026, Chandigarh will see a performance from Mauritius — Samay Chakra, staged by Vacoas Rang Bhoomi Kala Mandir. Directed by Rajeshwar Seetohul, Samay Chakra addresses pressing environmental concerns, with Seetohul himself portraying the character of Samay.. A TREAT FOR TRICITY Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2026 by the National School of Drama, New Delhi, under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Affairs, Chandigarh Administration, is a feast for tricity theatre lovers. Here’s what to watch: February 11: Kaal Roopam February 12: Mahabhoj February 13: Mahanagar Ke Jugnua All the plays are at Tagore Theatre, Sector 18-B, Chandigarh, 6:30 pm daily. AVTAR SAHNI ‘It was Sonam redefines very easy maternity fashion to say yes’ In Anurag Kashyap’s films, spontaneity is the only script. That ethos shaped Kennedy, the director’s night-soaked thriller, as actors Sunny Leone and Rahul Bhatt revealed in an interview about the film’s unique journey from concept to international applause. Sunny recalled the first call from Kashyap and said, “He called me and said that I should come for the audition, and that he wants me for this role of Charlie. And of course, I said yes.” Leone said the audition “went well,” and added, “Main Anurag sir ke saath kaam karna chahti thi... it was very easy to say yes.” Yet working on the film was far from conventional. Sunny Leone, Rahul Bhatt reveal Anurag Kashyap’s unconventional filmmaking process in Kennedy Leone revealed, “I didn’t get the full script; I only got my scenes. I kept asking every day, ‘please give me the full script,’ and he said no, I wouldn’t get it. So, I only had my own scenes.” She learned the full story only later, discovering how integral her character was to the narrative. Rahul Bhatt’s preparation for the film was even more extreme. He recounted, “He once called me to his room and told me about a cop story, to which I said, “This is amazing, mindblowing,” but he didn’t say anything or give any hint that maybe he wanted to make this story.” “At first he said, go and lose some weight, you should look like a ghost... I did it... and after sometime he (Anurag Kashyap) said, now go and bulk yourself. I was like... Have you gone mad? I did so much of hardwork for losing the weight, and now you are asking me to bulk...,” Rahul said. He further revealed undergoing dramatic physical transformations for his role and said, “So, after two months, I hadn’t heard from him... I didn’t know what was going on... So one night, around 12, I sent him a photo of mine... He immediately called me within 2 seconds and said, ‘This is my Kennedy.” The film will stream on Zee5 from February 20. c m y b Sonam Kapoor’s Mumbai home turned into a picture of quiet celebration and couture as she marked her second baby shower with an intimate yet star-studded godh bharai ceremony. The Kapoor household was transformed on Sunday into a floral sanctuary, featuring lavish arrangements and whimsical hanging paper birds that set a warm, ethereal tone for the traditional puja. Surrounded by husband Anand Ahuja and father Anil Kapoor, the 40-year-old mom-to-be radiated a distinct maternity glow as she greeted a guest list including cousins Arjun, Khushi, Anshula Kapoor, Btown friends including Kareena Kapoor Khan, veteran actor Shabana Azmi, the gathering was a soulful family affair. The highlight of the afternoon was undoubtedly Sonam’s customdesigned lime green lehenga. Crafted from a fluid, lightweight fabric, the ensemble featured delicate pastel floral embroidery scattered across the skirt, paired with a matching embroidered choli. Instead of a traditional dupatta, Sonam opted for a floor-length cape styled in a relaxed pallu drape, offering ease of movement while adding a contemporary silhouette. The high-waisted lehenga was designed to cradle and highlight her baby bump. Sonam wore her hair in a sleek bun, paired with a small red bindi and a striking red lip. Heavy gold jewellery. — ANI PHOTOS: PRADEEP TIWARI BANDWAALE SET FOR RELEASE