Radhikka Madan has opened up about the pressure she faced to meet conventional beauty standards, recalling how she was told she was “too fat” to become a heroine after gaining weight for a film. The actress also spoke about the consequences of trying to meet those expectations, revealing that her efforts to lose weight eventually began affecting her health.

Recalling her transformation for Pataakha, Radhikka shared that she had gained 15 kilograms for the film and subsequently began losing the weight while working on Shiddat and Angrezi Medium. During this period, she faced comments about her appearance that pushed her to continue losing weight.

“I had gained 15 kgs for Pataakha, and I was losing that weight through Shiddat and Angrezi Medium. I was told that I was 'too fat. Heroine kaise banegi ye'. I kept losing weight and shooting back-to-back and fully became like bones. It started affecting my health, so I took a break,” she said.

The actress explained that the criticism continued even after her appearance changed, making her question why she was trying to satisfy other people’s expectations. She eventually decided to prioritise feeling healthy instead of chasing a particular body size. “Earlier, I was too fat, now I was too thin, and in between, I was neither here nor there. I asked myself why am I trying to please people when they will never be happy? So, I started focusing on feeling healthy rather than chasing a particular body size. Once you do that, others' opinions don't affect you as you become wiser. You don't know what insecurity they are coming from. But I have that security of knowing that now, I am chasing health,” she added.

Radhikka also reflected on how societal conditioning shapes perceptions of the so-called perfect woman, particularly for young girls who grow up seeing a narrow representation of beauty in magazines. She went on to share, “Us time pe aisa hota nahi hai (didn’t have money at that time) because we have this manicured idea and this burden, especially on girls, about how to look and what's a perfect size. And if you aren't fitting in that, you are going wrong. That conditioning comes from childhood as you see such women only on magazine covers. We have to realise that the idea of a perfect woman is fed to us.”

Looking back at her school years, the actress recalled having a unibrow and being very hairy but credited her positive upbringing with helping her develop self-confidence early on. She stated, “In school, I even had a unibrow and was really hairy, but because my parenting was quite positive, I was hyped so much that I felt people don't realise but I am beautiful.”

Radhikka was last seen alongside Ali Fazal in Lust Stories 3, which is currently streaming on Netflix.

Also Read: Radhikka Madan, Vijay Varma open up on intimate scenes leaking online: “You have to keep in mind that a leak is always a possibility”

In July, Bollywood Hungama was the first to inform readers that Imtiaz Ali and Mahaveer Jain were planning to introduce fresh faces as the female lead in their upcoming friendship comedy, Side Heroes. We have now learned that the makers have zeroed in on playback sensation Heer for one of the female leads in the film.

A source told Bollywood Hungama, “Heer is not just a talented singer but also a promising performer. She gave an impressive audition, and the makers felt that she would be perfect for the part. Interestingly, her character in the film is also a singer. Hence, casting a real-life playback singer would lend authenticity to the character.”

The source further revealed, “The makers are in advanced discussions with Heer and are expected to make an official announcement about her casting soon.”

About Heer

Heer has lent her voice to several notable songs in recent times. In Aamir Khan's production Batwara 1947, she sang 'Tabassum' alongside Sonu Nigam and 'Chal Anjaane'. Both songs were composed by A R Rahman, who also composed the music for Ram Charan-starrer Peddi. In this Pan-India film, Heer lent her voice to the song 'Hellallallo'.

Her other recent songs include 'Roop Di Rani' from Pati Patni Aur Woh Do, alongside Guru Randhawa, and 'Chhaap Tilak' from Ginny Wedss Sunny 2. Both songs were composed by Tanishk Bagchi.

About Side Heroes

Side Heroes is a hilarious friendship-reunion film with a touch of nostalgia, set in the heartland of India. Besides Heer, ot stars Varun Sharma, Abhishek Banerjee and Aparshakti Khurana. It is produced by Imtiaz Ali, Mahaveer Jain, Mrighdeep Singh Lamba and Shikha K Ahluwalia, written by Siddarth Sen (director of Good Luck Jerry) and Pankaj Matta, and directed by Ssanjay Tripaathy.

In September, Bollywood Hungama exclusively reported that Side Heroes would be among the rare Hindi films to be shot entirely in Bihar. The film is scheduled to release on Friendship Day 2027.

Also Read: Imtiaz Ali reveals how Subhash Ghai SAVED Socha Na Tha: “He bought the film at a price higher than its actual value”; admits Showman was once FURIOUS with him: “He signed me for a film, but I backed out”

The Siddharth Anand directed King is among the most awaited films of 2026 as it marks the return of Shah Rukh Khan to the big screen after 3 long years. The action-packed thriller is touted to be one of the most expensive films ever made, with a reported cost of production of Rs. 450 crores, and the insiders can't stop raving about the scale of this Siddharth Anand entertainer. With just 70 days left for its big theatrical release all across the globe, Bollywood Hungama has an earth-shattering update on King.

According to very reliable insiders, Siddharth Anand is all set to unleash an action-packed teaser of King on Shah Rukh Khan's birthday - 2nd November 2026. "It's a birthday gift from team King to all Shah Rukh Khan fans, and Siddharth Anand is going to deliver a new SRK experience. The teaser cut is apparently mind-blowing with Shah Rukh Khan like never before, delivering larger-than-life dialogues with style and suave," a source told Bollywood Hungama discreetly.

We hear that the teaser will mark the global launch of the marketing campaign for King, as the intent of the team is to deliver a project that's unlike anything seen before from India in the genre. "If audiences loved the scale of Pathaan and Jawan, Sid has taken things a notch higher with King. The action, thrill, and most importantly music will take the audiences on a ride this Christmas," tells the source.

King also features Kareena Kapoor in a special appearance, as she will be seen shaking the legs with SRK on a song titled Daddy Cool. The makers plan to shoot it in South Africa in October, and it is said to be one of the major highlights of the film. Produced by Red Chillies and Marflix, King is slated for release on December 24, 2026.

Also Read: Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Alia Bhatt reunite for a new and fun Rungta Steel ad, and the internet can’t get enough

Less than a month is left for the release of Ramayana, and the excitement is steadily building. Yesterday, the makers finally announced that the much-awaited film will release in cinemas worldwide on November 5. They also revealed that advance bookings will commence on Dussehra, October 20. Meanwhile, the makers are working round the clock to ensure an unprecedented release in overseas markets.

A trade source told Bollywood Hungama, “Producer Namit Malhotra and the core team of Ramayana are determined to make it the biggest release ever for an Indian film. They have been working towards this goal for a long time. The film's promotion at CinemaCon 2026 and San Diego Comic-Con was a step in that direction. Getting Sony Pictures on board for international distribution was also a huge shot in the arm.”

The source continued, “To make the film accessible and appealing to audiences across the globe, Ramayana has been dubbed in nearly 40 languages. As a result, viewers across the world will be able to experience the film in all its glory in a language they understand, without having to rely on subtitles. This is the first time an Indian film has been dubbed on such a massive scale. The complete list of languages in which the film has been dubbed will be unveiled in a week or two.”

Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. It is directed by Nitesh Tiwari of Dangal (2016) fame and produced by Namit Malhotra. The music is composed by A R Rahman and Hans Zimmer.

The mythological epic is being made as a two-part saga, with the first instalment arriving in cinemas on November 5, 2026, that is, in the Diwali week. The second part is scheduled for release during Diwali 2027.

Also Read: Ramayana makers announce worldwide release of Part 1 on November 5, 2026 with new poster featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Ravie Dubey and Yash

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan extended birthday wishes to her father-in-law, Amitabh Bachchan, as the veteran actor turned 84 on October 11. The actor shared an unseen photograph of Amitabh with his granddaughter, Aaradhya Bachchan, on social media, accompanied by a heartfelt note for him.

Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Aishwarya posted a picture capturing a moment between Amitabh and Aaradhya. In the photograph, the veteran actor is seen wearing a tracksuit and a beanie, while Aaradhya hugs her grandfather as they pose together. The picture offered a glimpse into their family bond, with Aishwarya marking the special occasion with a personal message.

Sharing the photograph, she wrote, “Happy Birthday dearest Pa-Dadajiii. Love and God Bless always.”

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  A post shared by AishwaryaRaiBachchan (@aishwaryaraibachchan_arb)

Aishwarya’s birthday post came as Amitabh received wishes from fans and members of the film industry on his special day. Several celebrities, including Sanjay Dutt, Shatrughan Sinha and Chiranjeevi, also extended their greetings to the actor through social media.

Amitabh Bachchan celebrates his 84th birthday

Amitabh celebrated his birthday on October 11, continuing a tradition that sees fans gather outside his Mumbai residence, Jalsa, to catch a glimpse of him. The actor stepped out to greet the crowd and acknowledge the wishes of his admirers, who assembled outside his home to mark the occasion.

The veteran star’s birthday is often marked by tributes from colleagues, fans and members of the film fraternity, reflecting his long-standing association with Indian cinema.

Amitabh Bachchan’s work front

On the work front, Amitabh Bachchan continues to host the 18th season of the television quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati. He is also associated with the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD, returning to the science-fiction franchise following the first film.

Also Read : Abhishek Bachchan shows interest in doing ‘Kajra Re’ 2.0 while recalling the song’s shoot, says, “You have got to convince Aishwarya and my dad”

Mumbai Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against actor Imran Khan, his girlfriend Lekha Washington and several others following their detention during a protest at August Kranti Maidan on Saturday, October 10. The demonstration was organised in support of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest in Delhi, which called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The FIR was registered at Gamdevi police station under Sections 223, 126(2), 189(2), 189(3) and 189(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), according to reports. The provisions cited in the case relate to disobedience of orders issued by public servants, wrongful restraint and offences associated with unlawful assembly. The complaint was filed by police personnel following the gathering, which took place amid heightened security arrangements in the area.

According to reports, more than 400 people were detained during the protest, with some accounts putting the number at around 600 across Mumbai. Those detained included Imran, Lekha and Imran’s cousin, Zayn Marie Khan. They were released later that night.

Ahead of the demonstration, police personnel had barricaded roads surrounding August Kranti Maidan and deployed additional staff to prevent the gathering from proceeding. The detentions took place as authorities maintained security in the area.

Following his detention, Imran took to Instagram to share a selfie from inside a police van. The actor accompanied the picture with the caption, “Apparently I'm going for a drive.”

Lekha also shared updates on social media following the detention. She said she did not know where the police were taking them. After their release, she alleged that the police were not allowing them to return home or arrange a vehicle. She later reassured her followers that they were safe and on their way home.

The Mumbai protest was held in solidarity with the CJP’s demonstration in Delhi, where protesters were also detained during a major police operation. The movement has been demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over allegations concerning the revision of electoral rolls.

With the registration of the FIR, the legal proceedings against Imran, Lekha and the other individuals named in the case have become a fresh development following Saturday’s demonstration. Further details about the case and any subsequent police action remain awaited.

Also Read : Imran Khan to showcase his drift skills at Royal Enfield GRRR Nights × Underground in Mumbai on August 23

Ramesh Taurani and Kumar Taurani spoke to Komal Nahta about remixes and recreated versions of old songs. While many believe that recreations are a worrying trend and that music composers should focus only on original compositions, Kumar Taurani had a different take.

He said, “More recreations should be made. Every film should have recreated songs. Certain classic songs have a long legacy, have been promoted extensively and enjoy strong recall value. When these songs are presented in a new avatar, they tend to work big time. This happened with the recreated versions of ‘Chunari Chunari’ (Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai; 2026) and ‘Chamma Chamma’ (Fraud Saiyaan; 2019). Recently, ‘Aankhon Se Tune 2.0’ (Bhai Tera Star Hai; 2026) also worked. Usually, songs would get around 20,000 streams. But after being recreated, their streams suddenly jumped into the millions! This benefits the original versions as well.”

Ramesh Taurani added, “There was a film called Crew (2024). Two of its songs became famous, ‘Naina’ and ‘Choli Ke Peeche’. The signature ‘Ku Ku Ku Ku’ hook of ‘Choli Ke Peeche’ was also used extensively in the film's background score.”

Kumar Taurani revealed, “Shobha Kapoor ji herself told me, ‘Kumar ji, because of ‘Choli Ke Peeche’, I made Rs. 25 crores more in my pocket’. Imagine!”

Ramesh Taurani continued, “Dhurandhar is another huge example. It’s a Rs. 1000 crores grosser, and look at how many old songs were recreated, including ‘Tamma Tamma’, ‘Hum Pyaar Karne Waale’, ‘Na Toh Karvaan Ki Talaash Hai’, etc. They were so well woven into the narrative that they enhanced the impact of the scenes.”

Kumar agreed, “That’s because you are already familiar with most of these songs, and hence, you enjoy them even more.”

Also Read: Ramesh Taurani hails Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, takes a DIG at actors scared of flops: “Bhale 10 hit chhoot jaaye lekin 1 flop nahin chahiye!”; reveals, “I always tell Aamir Khan, ‘Aap zyaada picturein karo’”