07082026-LSTL-01.qxd 8/7/2026 12:23 AM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE Mini triumph Life Mona F Honour for Michelle Yeoh The Oscar-winning actor will receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award at the 31st Busan International Film Festival for her contribution to Asian & global cinema Oscar-winning actor Michelle Yeoh has been named the Asian Filmmaker of the Year at the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), an annual honour that recognises an Asian film professional or organisation for exceptional contributions to the advancement of Asian cinema. Yeoh will receive the award during the festival’s opening ceremony on October 6 at the Busan Cinema Centre. The ceremony will be hosted by Kim Minha. Yeoh began her screen career in Hong Kong action cinema with Yes, Madam!, followed by acclaimed performances in Police Story 3: Supercop and Wing Chun, helping redefine the image of the action heroine. Her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once made history as she became the first Asian to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. — ANI ILMMAKER Amit Rai was in Chandigarh on Wednesday for a special screening of his latest family entertainer, Ohh My Dog. Interacting with audience after the screening, Rai reflected on the deeply personal inspiration behind the film, why he chose to postpone its release to avoid a box-office clash, and why travelling with his films remains an essential part of understanding audience responses. The director with hit OMG 2 to his credit also spoke about the message he hopes viewers will carry home from Ohh My Dog, that’s running in cinemas. Are you happy you pushed the release date? Do you think Indian films need some sort of reserved shows or they like to compete with Hollywood films with mega budgets? Every filmmaker wants the film to reach the widest possible audience, so sometimes you have to take practical decisions about the release. We shifted the date because we wanted Ohh My Dog to get the breathing space it deserves. I have always believed that a good story eventually finds its audience, but we should also create a fair ecosystem where Indian films, especially content-driven ones, get equal opportunities in theatres. Hollywood films come with massive budgets and global marketing. Our stories may not Mini Mathur won Prime Video’s inaugural reality show Alliance, hosted by Kunal Kemmu, taking home the trophy and ~50 lakh. Aly Goni finished runner-up, while Ruhee Dosani came third. LUDHIANA | FRIDAY | 7 AUGUST 2026 Pet theory has been a journey of understanding coexistence, empathy and respect for every living being. As the film is set for release, what is your message to movie buffs? In Chandigarh, filmmaker Amit Rai talks about the inspiration behind Ohh My Dog, why he delayed its release and his perspective on pet parenting have those resources, but they carry our emotions and culture. If there are mechanisms that ensure balanced exhibition without compromising audience choice, it would certainly help meaningful cinema thrive. Do you travel with each of your films to see the audience response? How has Chandigarh’s response been? Yes, I genuinely enjoy travelling with my films because cinema is incomplete until it meets its audience. Sitting inside a theatre and watching people laugh, cry or fall silent tells me far more than any box office number. Chandigarh was incredibly special. The audience connected deeply with the emotions of the film, and many stayed back to talk about compassion, kindness and the bond between humans and animals. Those conversations reassure me that the film is reaching people in the way it was intended. Since you have written, produced and directed the film, please share with us the most memorable aspect of this journey. The most memorable aspect of this journey has been discovering how a simple personal experience evolved into a story with a universal message. The inspiration came from my own pet dog. When I brought him home, I believed I was taking care of him, but over time I realised he was teaching me some of life’s most important les- eat WHAT’S HOT play love TEA SHOP TALES FAKE WEDDING RAAH - E - ISHQ HIS monsoon, Burma Burma at Elante Mall, Industrial Area, brings Yangon’s beloved tea shop culture to Chandigarh with a limited-edition menu featuring PaukSe (steamed buns) and Palata (flaky flatbreads), paired with flavourful teas and fun desserts. This is a menu meant for people who enjoy life at a slow pace, especially when it’s pouring outside. On till August 31 at 12:30 pm. TUDIO XO presents the most fun wedding you will ever attend — and nobody is actually getting married. Fake Wedding is a grand B2B club gig featuring Tejas x Anamica live, with Bollywood and Punjabi beats, festive energy, glam ambience and a celebration made entirely for the dance floor. Bring your crew, dress the part, and turn the night into a full-blown party. Event at Studio XO on August 7 at 9 pm. CHAT UP AWARAPAN 2 TRAILER OUT A chandigarh S mohali chandigarh T women-only immersive Sufi experience comes to Chandigarh with Raah-e-Ishq, led by Sagrieka Mittal. Through poetry, guided meditation, sacred movement, Sufi whirling, and timeless qawwalis, the evening invites women to slow down, soften, and reconnect with the divine within — exploring Sufism not as a religion but as the universal path of love. Come exactly as you are. On August 7 at The Lalit, Chandigarh for women only. Not a Suit-able boy! If you are expecting another pepGuru py Suit Suit or the catchy Guru Randhawa’s Lahore, release Randhawa’s latest Fine Shyt might catch you off guard. new single Fine The singer has traded familiar Punjabi pop flavours for Shyt takes a a quirky, satirical take on corporate culture and ‘slang’ turn net slang. Randhawa’s Interlatest drop is a high-energy number, adopting the ultimate Internet slang—Fine Shit— for top-tier confidence, aura and style. The vibrant music video leans heavily into digital-first star power, featuring a powerhouse lineup of top-tier female creators and professional Internet dance sensations, including Ruhee Dosani, Divinity Bisht, Arshia Sinha, Raema Grover, Darlene Laura and Mehar Kaur. The collaboration honours Randhawa’s long-standing The trailer of Awarapan 2 was unveiled on Thursday, bringing back Emraan Hashmi as Shivam Pandit nearly 20 years after the original film gained cult status. Directed by Nitin Kakkar and produced by Vishesh Films, the sequel is set to release worldwide on August 14. The trailer introduces a darker chapter in Shivam’s journey, showing him caught between redemption, love and his return to the dangerous world of crime. Alongside Hashmi, the film features Disha Patani as Zara in an action-oriented role, while veteran actor Shabana Azmi essays the antagonist Nafisa.. ADNAN SAMI DROPS ISHQ TAMASHA PHOTOS: ISTOCK c m y b sons about love, loyalty and compassion. That changed the way I looked at relationships between humans and animals. From writing the script to producing and directing the film, every stage was driven by the desire to tell this story with honesty and sincerity. My son Maahi made his acting debut in the film, and our own pet dog is also a part of it, which made the experience deeply personal for me. More than making a film, it I would simply request everyone to experience Ohh My Dog with their families on the big screen. Dogs teach us the purest form of love and loyalty without expecting anything in return. Through Ohh My Dog, I wanted to tell a story that is emotional, entertaining and meaningful for every family. This is not just a film about a child and a dog; it is about learning to coexist with all living beings with compassion. If audiences walk away with a little more kindness in their hearts towards animals, I will feel this film has truly achieved its purpose. I sincerely thank the people of Chandigarh for the warmth they have shown us, and I hope they continue to support stories that celebrate humanity. industry reputation for launching new faces and providing them with a massive global platform. Fine Shyt is built around boss girl themes. The music video serves as a satirical take on the mundane realities of the 9-to-5 grind, positioning itself as some high-energy celebration of independent women. Randhawa delivers a direct, tonguein-cheek message to his audience regarding the video’s over-the-top, fictional workplace environment — “As always all artists in this video are above 18, including me. This video is a work of fiction, camp, and satire. Highly advise you don’t try this at your actual 9-to-5 unless you want to be permanently banned from the office by HR. No corporate policies were harmed.” Randhawa states, “With Fine Shyt, we wanted to capture that high-energy, top-tier Gen Z confidence and bring it into a fun, stylised boardroom setting. We have an incredible all-women crew driving things behind the camera, and sharing the screen with phenomenal creators has been an absolute blast. ” Singer-composer Adnan Sami has unveiled his brand new song Ishq Tamasha. Released by Zee Music Company, the song looks at love through a contemporary lens. “Love has always been an emotion that evolves with the times, but at its core, it remains universal. Ishq Tamasha is a song about emotions that sometimes go beyond words. Love, longing, heartbreak, joy, sadness or even anger — each of these feelings has its own language, and dance can express them in a way that words sometimes cannot,” said Sami. A GAME SHOW Indian Game Show with Bharti and Harssh is set to premiere on August 24 at 8 pm on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV. Designed as a one-of-a-kind entertainment spectacle, it promises action-packed games, unpredictable challenges and celebrity participation. Bharti Singh said, “Every episode of Indian Game Show is filled with fun, madness, and moments that will leave families smiling together. Sharing the stage with Harssh again after so many years makes this journey even more special because we know how much audiences enjoy seeing us together.”