30052026-LSTL-01.qxd 5/30/2026 12:22 AM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE SPECIAL SCREENING Life Salman Khan hosted a private screening of the rough cut of his upcoming film Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace. Subhash Ghai shared a group picture from the screening on social media, offering a glimpse of the star-studded gathering. Ohdid it! boy, he Subash K Jha IMDB (Internet Movie Database) lists the most popular Indian celebrities every week, based on how often their profiles are visited by internet users. This week, as IMDB India dropped the latest Top 30, a surprise name was at the top. He is actor Yudhvir Ahlawat, who beat superstars like Ranveer Singh, Kartik Aaryan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Vijay and Mohanlal. Yudhvir played a 16-year old sharpshooter in Pulkit’s Kartavya. Here’s what the boy-wonder (who is actually 33!) has to say… Yudhvir Ahlawat beats Ranveer Singh, Kartik Aaryan and Aishwarya Rai to claim the top spot on the IMDB’s Most Popular Celeb of the Week list! Yudhvir, how does it feel to top the IMDB list beating the biggest superstars? Honestly, it still feels surreal. I had no idea about it at all. I was actually preparing a self-test for a project when one of my friends called me and told me that I had come first on the IMDb list. It was completely new for me… something I had never experienced in my life before. It took me time to process what was actually happening. But at the same time, I don’t see it as “beating” anyone. I deeply respect all the senior artistes and superstars. For me, it feels more like audience love reflecting in a very unexpected way. And moments like these just motivate me to work harder and stay focused on the journey ahead. Nonika Singh I N times when releasing even a big ticket film in theatres is a major risk, an animation film, Return of the Jungle, locking its date with cinema halls seems a real dare. But for Emmy- nominated animation creator and director Vaibhav Kumaresh, “Everything is a risk and yet no risk. We have made this film with labour of love and unyielding passion.” Besides, if the teaser boasts ‘Indian animation like never seen before’, he also believes that Indian audiences have always been ready for animation. Live example is the stupendous success of Mahavatar Narsimha, which did a business of over Rs 300 crores. Mythology can certainly be called the superhero of Indian animation or as Vaibhav puts it, “is leading the way.” Yet, he would rather dig into Indian folktales and give it a contemporary spin. Indeed, jungle seemed not just an ideal place to let his imagination run wild, but also is a metaphor for something deeper. He nods, “Jungle is a parallel world, one full of wisdom. Something, which has been missing in our lives and we need it back. Hence the title.” Among the many life lessons that his jungle world contains is how children face everyday challenges. But the film about children is not Wild & animated for children alone. Since he first and foremost makes films for himself, he has no target viewers on his mind. His animated series Lamput may have won him an International Emmy nod and many awards, international audiences are never on his radar. Whether Indian animation is on par with global standards, he reminds us of the Indian connect in the 2019 version of The Lion King nominated for Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. A huge team of Indian artists of the Moving Picture Company studio in Bengaluru was involved in the film. He says, “In India, there are two kinds of animation ecosystems, one which are like service providers for European and American studios. Then there are people like us, and Animation filmmaking is no different from live action, only in the highly imaginative world of animation, we can tell stories which live action doesn’t. the husband-wife duo of director Ashwin Kumar and producer Shilpaa Dhawan behind blockbuster Mahavatar Narsimha, who tells Indian stories the Indian way.” Of course, today Indians are using the same tools which the world is using but he also points out how our definition of a good film does not always rest on technical finesse. “The heart is at the core of our filmmaking and touching hearts our endeavour,” opines Vaibhav. An alumnus of National Institute of Design, his alma mater taught him fundamentals of animation, but more importantly it motivated him to give back to society. So, whatever may have been the challenges en route his first feature film, he and other mad people at Vaibhav Studios decided to put their money where their mouth is. To aspiring animators his advice is, “Get both education and clarity of purpose.” For someone who grew up on a staple diet of Amar Chitrakatha, Asterix and later admiring men like RK Laxman and Mario Miranda, inspiration comes from everyday life too. But passion that fuels motivation is not commonplace. Aditya Seal, Anushka CHAT UP REAL INSPIRATION Ranjan to become parents One day, I received a call from (casting director) Mukesh Chhabra sir’s casting team. They told me they were casting for Kartavya and wanted me to audition for a role. I went to their office fully prepared and gave the audition. Interestingly, they only took one take from me, and after that I was simply told, “Okay, you can go.” I already had this feeling that I was part of the project. About a week later, I got a call from Red Chillies’ office confirming that I had been selected for the role of Harpal. Aditya Seal and Anushka Ranjan are all set to embark on the journey of parenthood. On Friday, Aditya and Anushka shared the good news with their fans and Instagram followers, announcing their first pregnancy. “I’ve waited a hundred years, but I’d wait a million more for you. Nothing prepared me for what the privilege of being yours would do,” Aditya’s post read. The couple also shared adorable pictures from their pregnancy photoshoot. Aditya and Anushka are seen twinning in black outfits. Aditya donned a customised T-shirt with baap (dad) written on it. Anushka looked lovely as she flaunted her baby bump. As soon as the duo shared the exciting news, fans and members of the film industry chimed in the comment section and conveyed their heartfelt greetings to the parents-to-be. “Wow!! Congratulations doston!! Much love!!,” actor Pulkit Samrat commented. — ANI Interestingly, you look 15 when you are actually more than double that age—is that an advantage? Not really. I usually don’t talk about my real age until I’ve been selected for a role. But if there’s any advantage, it’s that I am able to understand emotions of characters and films quite deeply compared to many co-actors. What was it like working with your director Pulkit and your co-star Saif Ali Khan? Working with Pulkit sir was a very good experience. Even before going on set, during group readings and narration sessions, I developed a strong connection with him. Every day on set, I learned something new from him—especially about discipline, preparation, and honesty in performance….Working with Saif sir was equally amazing. He is very considerate towards his co-actors. Ram Charan on playing a crossover athlete in his new movie, Peddi LUDHIANA | SATURDAY | 30 MAY 2026 Emmy- nominated animation creator and director Vaibhav Kumaresh, whose animated film Return of the Jungle released in theatres, believes that Indian audiences have always been ready for animation How did you land the role in Kartavya? RAM CHARAN Watch out! Dia Mirza attended the IIFA CONNEX event in Mumbai recently. The event featured industry leaders and celebrities converging to celebrate collaboration across the worlds of cinema, media, and culture. ‘It’s the story of our soil’ Ram Charan says that his next film Peddi has a story rooted in rural identity and he is confident that it will resonate with people of every generation. The RRR star plays the titular character in the Telugu-language sports action drama, written and directed by Buchi Babu Sana. In the movie, Peddi is shown as a gifted sportsman who masters multiple sports — cricket, wrestling and sprinting — to earn his daily wage. Loved by every child in the village, his rising popularity irks a jealous landlord who throws him the biggest challenge of his life. “It’s a blend of three sports coming together. It’s like a crossover athlete. It’s a very rooted movie, it’s a story of our soil and I’m happy to be a part of such a rooted and inspiring story. This is one film that will inspire everyone,” Charan says. Peddi features Janhvi Kapoor as the female lead. It also stars Kannada star Shiva Rajkumar as well as Jagapathi Babu, Boman Irani and Divyenndu. It features music by AR Rahman. — PTI BOMAN IRANI & DIVYENNDU JANHVI KAPOOR c m y b The grandson of Titanic survivor Fang Lang has revealed that his grandfather’s real-life survival story inspired the iconic floating door scene in James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster, Titanic. Fong revealed that filmmaker James Cameron had acknowledged Fang Lang’s influence on the scene. “James Cameron does reveal that my grandfather was the inspiration for the Jack and Rose end scene,” he said. OP COVER-UP! Jennifer Lopez appears to have subtly covered the tattoo dedicated to her former husband Ben Affleck after their divorce earlier this year . The original tattoo featured an infinity sign with the names “Jennifer” and “Ben” written in cursive.