24102026-LSTL-01.qxd 10/23/2026 7:44 PM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE Madhur Bhandarkar is set to bring the life and legacy of Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee to the big screen with his next project, tentatively titled Syama- The Missing Chapter. The film will go on floors next year. chandigarh WHAT’S HOT eat KARVA FLAVOURS E chandigarh NJOY a special Karva Chauth thali at 24/7 Bar, The LaLit, on October 29. Traditional Indian flavours, merged with festive delicacies, celebrate love and togetherness with a memorable dinner. play LOVE ONLINE P LAY Love Online brings veteran actor Rakesh Bedi to Chandigarh on October 24 at Tagore Theatre Chandigarh. 6:30 onwards. Tickets available Rs 400 onwards. chandigarh Hurt & angry Life A FILM ON SYAMA PRASAD MUKHERJEE shop FESTIVE EDIT E XPERIENCE the world of Farida Gupta, brought to life in an exclusive exhibition. Explore kurtas, bottoms and dupattas. On October 24-27 at Hotel Aroma, Sector 22. Mika Singh is deeply hurt by the alleged disrespect shown to his brother and music icon Daler Mehndi by Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal on stage during an event in Uttarakhand recently. LUDHIANA | SATURDAY | 24 OCTOBER 2026 Electronic energy, Indian soul Mona , aka T 26, Hardik Verardik Verma s H ma is turning his nd passion for music DJ Lukas, ble ic into a career us behind the decks, blending electronic m Bollywood and Punjabi sounds with electronic with a strong music to create high-energy to experiences for audiences. connection Known professionally as DJ Lukas, shortened for ds Seleucus, Macedonian Greek Indian soun general under and the founder A of the Seleucid Empire, a name given to him by his grandfather, Hardik discovered that music offered him a different kind of creative control — the ability to influence a crowd’s energy, get people dancing and connect with thousands through sound. A computer science engineering graduate from Chandigarh University, Hardik initially pursued his degree while nurturing his passion for music. But his interest in DJing gradually grew into a serious career ambition. Inspired by international and Indian DJs such as James Hype, Mochakk and Holy Priest, he began learning the craft, developing his mixing skills and understanding how to build a set that keeps audiences engaged. For Hardik, DJing is about much more than playing tracks. It is about reading the mood of a crowd, controlling the sound in real time and creating an atmosphere that can bring thousands of people together. His musical approach draws on electronic music while retaining a strong connection to Indian sounds, particularly Bollywood and Punjabi music. A Bollywood lover with an appreciation for traditional Indian music, he hopes to take this fusion to audiences across the country. His journey has taken years of learning and persistence. Although his family was not entirely convinced about his decision to pursue music at first, their outlook has begun to change as he takes on bigger stages and receives encouraging responses from audiences. The positive response at fests and garba events in the tricity strengthened his resolve to pursue DJing more aggressively and explore opportunities beyond India. Hardik has been building his presence across Chandigarh, Mohali, Delhi and other cities through club appearances, college festivals and large-scale events. With experience spanning different audiences and event formats, Hardik is working towards establishing a distinct identity as a DJ who can bridge contemporary electronic sounds and India’s popular musical traditions. He also sees music production as the next important step in his evolution, allowing him to move beyond mixing existing tracks and develop an original sound of his own. Keerthy Suresh, Radhika Apte on exploring a new world in Akka Salman Khan, Rashmika Mandanna & Varun Dhawan Jab they met! Kareena Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor reunite at IIFA 2027 press conference, share a hug Kareena Kapoor Khan and Shahid Kapoor grabbed attention as they crossed paths at the IIFA 2027 press conference in Mumbai on Thursday. The former co-stars and ex-lovers shared a warm hug when they met on the red carpet, creating a memorable moment at the star-studded event. Their friendly interaction quickly became a talking point, with the two actors appearing cordial as they greeted each other. It reminded many of a similar instance that took place last year at the IIFA press conference. Bebo and Shahid were in a relationship in the 2000s and starred together in several films, including Fida, Chup Chup Ke and Jab We Met. Their onscreen chemistry made them a fan favourite; however, the two parted ways just before Jab We Met was filmed. Years later, Kareena married Saif Ali Khan and had two sons, while Shahid tied the knot with Mira Rajput and now has a son and a daughter. Kareena Kapoor Khan, meanwhile, opted for an all-black ensemble, completing her look with stylish sunglasses. Shahid looked dapper in a classic white suit. Other celebrities at the event were Salman Khan, Varun Dhawan, Rashmika Mandanna, Abhishek Banerjee, Ali Fazal and Pankaj Tripathi. The IIFA Awards ceremony will be hosted by actor Varun Dhawan along with Ananya Panday. They will be joined by Karan Johar and Manish Paul. The ceremony is also expected to feature performances by Bollywood stars, including Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Janhvi Kapoor. Rashmika Mandanna is set to make her IIFA debut at the upcoming edition and will perform live at the awards ceremony. The event will mark IIFA ’ s fourth showcase in Abu Dhabi and will be held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and Miral. The awards will take place on January 22 and 23, 2027. — ANI Shahid Kapoor & Kareena Kapoor Khan c m y b Keerthy Suresh and Radhika Apte are set to explore a different side of their craft in Netflix’s upcoming femalecentric gangster series Akka. While Keerthy called her character Bhavani “powerful” yet “subtle”, Radhika described her role as complex and different from her previous work. In an interview, director Dharmaraj Shetty said the idea for Akka emerged while he was working on a gangster film and researching matriarchal and matrilineal societies in southern India. “I love challenging roles. I love powerful roles, and this is one such,” Keerthy said, describing her experience of playing Bhavani. She added that the show’s unique world initially made her wonder how the team would bring it to life, but credited the entire cast and crew for making it possible. Keerthy also spoke about the preparation that went into shaping her character, including reading, understanding the language, script readings, look tests and extensive discussions with Shetty. Meet the lady dons! “I love talking to the director because they’ve written the script, they know what it is about, they know what direction they have to take it towards,” she said, adding that she kept asking Shetty questions to understand the depth of the character. The actor described Akka as her first web series and her first project with Yash Raj Films, calling the combination of YRF and Netflix a promising start to this phase of her career. “I couldn’t have asked for a better start. So, I’m very, very glad that I’m here doing this,” she said. For Radhika, the series offered an opportunity to step into a genre and a fictional setting she had not explored before. She said the gangster drama’s theatricality and distinctive world made the experience new and exciting. “It’s also a very fictional, different world as Dharma just put it,” she said, describing the show as “very classy, very dramatic, filmy in a positive way”. Radhika said her character, Ruthra, is traditionally positioned as the antagonist but has been written with layers of complexity. “It’s written very nuanced the character. So, I’ve never done that before. So, it was all very new and exciting,” she said. Shetty said the series grew in scale as he developed the story, leading him to seek the backing of a major production house to realise his vision. He praised YRF for supporting him and helping him find his own voice as a filmmaker. “When I started writing it, you know, I realised this story was becoming really big. And you realise, you know, you needed a big production house to back this, you know, to make this right,” he said. Radhika also spoke about the opportunity to work with YRF saying she , had grown up watching its films and that working with the production house had been a dream. Explaining what makes Akka distinctive, Shetty said the contrast between the grandeur of its fictional world and the human emotions at its centre was central to the series. Keerthy echoed that thought, saying she hoped audiences would find the world convincing despite its fictional setting. “I’m sure by the end of the show, you’ll feel, did this actually exist? Is there something like this?” she said. The makers unveiled the trailer of Keerthy Suresh and Radhika Apte- starrer Akka, offering a glimpse into the rivalry between two “female gangsters” to protect their reign. Produced by YRF Entertainment and directed by Dharmaraj Shetty, the trailer takes viewers into the kingdom of Pernuru and its powerful houses. It teases a world where women lead from the front and fiercely guard what is theirs. Keerthy, portraying the role of an impeccable leader and fighter, faces the challenge from Radhika who wishes to challenge the legacy that has long ruled Pernuru. Akka is set to premiere on October 30 on Netflix. —ANI