09052026-LSTL-01.qxd 5/9/2026 12:44 AM Page 1 c m y b BRENDAN IN THE MUMMY SEQUEL Actor Brendan Fraser has confirmed that a new sequel in The Mummy franchise is in development and hinted that the original cast will reunite for the project. During an appearance on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, Fraser shared details about the upcoming film. TRIBUNE Kelly returns Life Why is Vijay Finding the suddenly everyone’s favourite? Singer and television personality Kelly Clarkson is set to return as a coach on Season 30 of The Voice, marking her comeback to the competition show after three years. LUDHIANA | SATURDAY | 9 MAY 2026 divine in music Sonam Kalra speaks about her recent concert, Ibadat, which explored the poetry of mystic writers whose works revolve around the theme of universal love Subhash K Jha It is hard to believe that just a few days ago Vijay’s future seemed uncertain, if not entirely bleak. Controversies seemed to mar his political ambitions, what with a messy divorce compounded by an outed love affair….Experts said Vijay’s career not only as a politician but also as actor seemed endangered. On September 27, 2025, a fatal stampede occurred at a campaign rally for actor-turned-politician Vijay in Karur, Tamil Nadu, killing at least 40-41 people and injuring over 100 others. After this incident all of Vijay’s colleagues fell silent. There were no comments in support as Vijay went from crisis to crisis. After his roaring triumph, Vijay’s colleagues have reached out in full strength. “It is the way of the world. The minute we feel a failure, we recoil. But the minute we smell a success, we embrace it. Right now Vijay is the man of the moment. Everyone wants to be his friend,” says filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. Says Ram Gopal Varma, “Until last week, everyone thought Vijay was on a sticky wicket. But the very factors that seemed to go against him, finally helped him win. His honesty about his life, really connected with the voters. It is astonishing what Vijay has done. To make this impossible leap from acting to politics! The last time an actor in Tamil Nadu made such an impact in politics was when MGR was voted into power. Most of the people in the film industry I spoke to before the elections felt Vijay was going to lose even his deposit. He proved all of them wrong.” Mona Sonam Kalra’s music flows beyond boundaries with ease and openness. Trained in both Indian classical and Western, she has carved a distinctive artistic path that beautifully blends Sufi, gospel, bhakti and global spiritual sounds. For Kalra, the journey into Sufi music was not a calculated shift but a deeply organic unfolding, shaped by faith and a natural coming together of diverse musical and spiritual influences. “I’ve always been spiritual in many ways… faith-oriented from the time I was a child,” she reflects. Her initial spiritual performances were in gospel music. This sur- Sunburn Festival announces its 19th edition EDM lovers, there’s great news for you all. The 19th edition of Sunburn Festival was officially announced on Friday. It is scheduled to take place on December 18 and 19, with the festival moving to Mahalaxmi Racecourse, one of Mumbai’s most famous and centrally located live event venues. The celebration will culminate in a massive closing party at NSCI Dome on December 20. — ANI Shakira once more! The Columbian singer unveils 2026 FIFA World Cup song, Dai Dai A decade after giving the blockbuster FIFA World Cup anthem Waka Waka in 2010, Colombian pop star Shakira is back with a new anthem for the 23rd edition. On Thursday, Shakira unveiled her official song for the 2026 World Cup. Titled Dai Dai, the complete track will be out on May 14. Taking to Instagram, the Hips Don’t Lie hitmaker posted a one-minute video on Instagram from Brazil’s Maracana stadium to tease the track that will be out on May 14. The song also features Nigerian music star Burna Boy. This will mark Shakira’s second official FIFA World Cup song following the timeless Waka, Waka (This Time for Africa). — ANI c m y b prised many who questioned why a Sikh woman would sing Christian devotional music. Her response was simple yet radical, “Faith is something that calls to you… God is not religion and religion has no God.” For her, devotion was never confined to a single tradition but belonged to what she calls the “religion of humanity.” That philosophy found its defining moment at the dargah of Sufi Inayat Khan in Nizamuddin, where she was invited to perform. “A Sikh girl singing gospel music was now being invited into a Islamic space,” she recalls. “That made me want to blend all these faiths, allowing them to flow seamlessly into one another.” From this realisation was born The Sufi Gospel Project — an ambitious musical experiment that fuses Sufi, gospel, bhakti, Gaelic chants and Buddhist influences into a single expressive language. Over the last 15 years, Kalra has travelled across nearly 30 countries, including performances at the Sydney Opera House, the Pyramids of Giza, and major festivals like Jahane-Khusrau and the Jaipur Litera- ture Festival. “It’s been quiet special- we have had standing ovations everywhere we have performed,” she says, noting that the message of equality and inclusion resonates universally. For Kalra, the appeal of Sufi music lies not in tradition alone but in its message. “I truly believe in this language of equality and inclusion,” she says, drawing inspiration from mystic poets like Kabir and Bulleh Shah whose words transcend religion and geography. Her recent concert, Ibadat- Songs of the Mystics, was presented with HCL Concerts. “It was called Ibadat, because I explored the poetry of mystic writers who consistently return to the idea of universal love. In this context, ibadat — meaning worship — moves beyond ritualistic practice or the confines of walls. In the Sufi tradition, it becomes something far more expansive: an expression of love, surrender and deep connection with the divine. At its core, it also reflects the belief in the equality of all beings and the presence of the divine in everyone.” Kalra hails HCL for promoting non-filmy music. The show goes on… Singer-songwriter Billie Eilish has revealed that acclaimed filmmaker James Cameron personally emailed her mother, Maggie Baird, to pitch the idea of turning her world tour into a 3D concert film. Speaking at the premiere of Billie Eilish—Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D), Eilish shared how the unusual collaboration with the Avatar director first began. “Cameron wrote an email to my mom because his wife is friends with my mom, or they had worked together,” Eilish said. “He literally had the full idea already. He was like, ‘Why hasn’t anybody filmed Billie’s concert in 3D? Can we? Can I?’” she added. The upcoming film, directed by Eilish and Cameron, transforms the singer’s sold-out 2025 world tour into a 3D theatrical experience. Calling the concept “an insane idea,” Eilish expressed admiration for Cameron’s vision. “Where did that come from, how did he think of it? I have no idea, but thank God he did. That’s the story. We got on the phone and we made it happen,” she said. The Grammy-winning singer also said she agreed to the collaboration immediately. “Oh, my God, I didn’t even hesitate. Are you kidding?” Eilish said. Reflecting on working with Cameron, Eilish praised the filmmaker’s dedication and energy on set. “Watching him in action is really inspiring because he has so much energy and is just ready to do whatever it takes to get the shot,” she said. Cameron, meanwhile, credited Eilish for shaping the concert experience long before filming began.“What you have to realise with Billie is she knows exactly what she’s doing as an artist,” Cameron said. “I shot it, but she created the show. So, as my codirector, she’d already done so much of the work before I even showed up,” he added. — ANI Billie Eilish says James Cameron emailed her mother to pitch ‘insane’ idea for 3D concert film (Clockwise from top) Billie Eilish, Suzy Amis Cameron and James Cameron attend the Premiere of Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard And Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) in Los Angeles