25062026-LSTC-01.qxd 6/25/2026 1:08 AM Page 1 c m y b COMPETITION? WELCOME! Superstar Akshay Kumar says it has been always challenging to make people laugh, but the job has become tougher in the age of social media where everyone is exposed to funny reels, memes and stand-up acts. Akshay is gearing up for the release of comedy film Welcome To The Jungle. TRIBUNE Life WHAT’S HOT eat Zendaya attended the Italian premiere of film Spider-Man: Brand New Day in Rome recently. She turned heads in an archival sheer tulle Giorgio Armani gown. CHANDIGARH | THURSDAY | 25 JUNE 2026 ‘My world is TASTE EVERY WORLD chandigarh Sheer delight very richand T ALEZ Patisserie & Kitchen is a bespoke bakery-cafe with a multicuisine menu spanning European, Japanese, and Italian flavours. It serves pastries, sushi, pizzas, sizzlers, and premium desserts. Known for cozy decor and a unique Eurasian theme, it’s open daily 11 am–10 pm, located in Sector 26, Chandigarh. satisfying’ ISTOCK Subhash K Jha play T ludhiana amritsar love ICE IMMERSION CE immersion has surged from a niche athletic recovery tool into a booming global wellness trend. In Amritsar, the trend has caught up with fitness and wellness enthusiasts, who are taking a cold dip in scorching weather to reap health benefits. Several such events were hosted at Vamos Club, BeWell Wellness Centre and privately by certified wellness therapists. Any regrets for not spending more time with him, and for being the rebel that you were when you were young? No, not emotional … proud moment. I know what a legend Tiger was in Winchester. The records were still standing till very recently. He was probably the best all- round sportsman they ever produced. This recognition was a lovely thing for them to do. He would have been very proud and happy. It was a very elegant ceremony in a very great school. S PLASH N Play, India’s biggest water carnival, arrives at ISTOCK Paragon Waterfront, Ludhiana on June 27 and 28. The family event features slides, foam parties, water trampolines, mascots and interactive fun games for kids. Sessions run from 11:30 am–2:30 pm and 4:30 pm–7:30 pm. I suppose now, when I’m older, I am closer to his ideal and his way of doing things (not really though). It is always a great honour for me if someone says, ‘He is like his father.’ But I fear I fall short. But he is my standard and benchmark of a man. You unveiled a plaque at Winchester College in your father’s memory. Was it an emotional moment? WATER CARNIVAL I Saif Ali Khan on his father, legendary cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and the choices he made in life HE unveiling of a commemorative plaque in honour of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi at Winchester College was a deeply emotional moment for Saif Ali Khan. Standing at the historic Hunter Tent cricket pavilion where his father’s cricketing journey first took shape, Saif reflected on the profound influence Tiger Pataudi had on his life. He admitted that cricket was very much a part of his upbringing and that he could easily have followed in his father’s footsteps had he not inherited his passion for the arts from his mother, Sharmila Tagore. In a rare and heartfelt conversation, Saif spoke about his admiration for his legendary father, recalling his grace, resilience, and quiet strength. I’m very happy to be able to say I made an effort, and so did he, to go on trips and holidays together. I wish there had been more. And I miss him whenever there are things to ask his guidance for. We lived in different cities. But he was so supportive at so many important moments! How close were you to your father? We were very close! He was always there, always solid. He would always understand the problem I discussed with him and offer insightful solutions. He was a class apart as a man and a great father. We all adored him. How much has he influenced the person that you are? Any regrets about not being a cricketer like your father? No regrets at all about not playing cricket! I played a lot in school and I have reverence for the game. But my life and world is very rich and satisfying: I wouldn’t swap it for anything. Jo biktahai, woh dikhtahai… Nonika Singh W EEK after week, but for a rare Dhurandhar, I have often been one of the handful audiences in cinema halls. Often for a small-budget film like Vadh 2, I have to check beforehand whether the first day first show will actually run. As a film critic it’s my job to watch a film — good, bad and ugly. But as someone who loves cinema, it breaks my heart to see near empty halls for majority of releases, especially small films sans star power. And my heart broke further more when the much feted director, Anurag Kashyap, slammed theatres/cinema halls for killing Bandar and Imtiaz Ali’s Main Vaapas Aaunga. That a man of his calibre should attribute the underwhelming audience turnout for his latest film, Bandar, to a lack of shows is, in itself, a sad reflection of the state of the industry. Anurag’s Bandar opened to rave reviews. But as is with most films, there is a gap between what critics think and what audience desires. Thus despite Bobbly Deol’s stellar act, the dark slice of unsettling cinema, which is indeed Anurag’s wont, Bandar went begging for audiences. Strangely enough, he pinned the blame on theatres for giving precedence to REWIND & RAMBLE Should distributors prioritise desi cinema over Hollywood blockbusters? Filmmakers like Anurag Kashyap think so. But while cinema may portray an ideal world, the real one runs on market forces a Hollywood film Obsession. In an act of camaraderie, Anurag expressed his frustration over not just his film’s poor show but also Imtiaz Ali’s Main Vaapas Aaunga. Interestingly, while Main Vaapas... opened low, it has been picking up not just numbers but also more shows. Typically, a film with no big stars does not get enough shows unless word of mouth publicity pushes up the numbers. In the Covid phase, the whole dynamics of film making and distribution changed. More and more films released on OTT and even after theatres reopened, the number of films premiering directly on streamers remained steady. While answer to whether OTT viewers are any different from cinegoers is hard to decipher, streaming platforms have become a safe bet. Even Anurag’s Kennedy had its India release on Zee 5. Like us, Anurag too is unable to fathom why his fans who love watching his kind of cinema won’t go to theatres for his films. A sure-shot anomaly… but can Hollywood be blamed for it? Should distributors give preference to desi cinema over Hollywood biggies? But then, the same logic can be applied to regional cinema. This is the demand which Punjabi filmmakers have been making for a long time. In Maharashtra, there are some caveats in place, which work in favour of Marathi films. But while cinema is as much an art as business, its distribution clearly and solely is a business enterprise. Unless the government pitches in with some kind of subsidy model to protect cinema, cinema halls can’t be expected to pick up the tab. Besides, this is not the first time a Hollywood film is giving Bollywood run for its money. India has emerged as a huge market for Hollywood. Next month as Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey will have an all-India release, even a star- studded premiere in Mumbai, one wonders whether any Hindi film would dare to clash with it. Nolan’s fan base in India is so legendary that when the world watched Barbie, we were hooked to Oppenheimer. In an ideal c m y b situation, Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light should have done roaring business. Alas, cinema might depict utopian society, the real world does not follow its idealism. Audiences might diss bad movies, but they don’t care much for supporting quality cinema if it does not appeal to their sensibilities. No one can dictate audiences’ tastes; not cerebral critics, certainly not the acclaimed and disgruntled filmmakers. If makers have the choice of creating what they want, so do audiences. The buck does not stop at the distribution system either. Anurag will certainly find a place in the annals of cinematic history, but nothing can guarantee, not even more shows, the boxoffice success of his qualitative cinema. The only good thing is he or an Imtiaz won’t stop making the kind of films they believe in. Once in a while audiences might resonate with it, might rediscover its magic in the week after it is released or even during a rerun …. The mantra, however, will always be ‘jo bikta hai, woh dikhta hai.’ Sholayset for screening at Royal Albert Hall Ramesh Sippy’s 1975 cult classic, Sholay, is all set to make its Films in Concert world premiere at London’s Royal Albert Hall. The screening will be held on October 10, with Melvin Tay conducting the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra performing RD Burman’s score live to screen. The screening will showcase Sholay: The Final Cut — a recently restored 4K version of Ramesh Sippy’s film that reinstates footage cut by the Indian censor board in 1975. The print will be projected in Hindi with English subtitles.