Sunny days ahead
Days after mid-day reported that Sunny Deol’s upcoming action thriller had been pushed from its original schedule (Sunny to storm in on set soon, January 23), the makers have officially confirmed the project. Backed by Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, and filmmaker AR Murugadoss, the yet-to-be-titled big-budget film will star Sunny alongside Jyotika Sadannah as the female lead. Directed by Balaji Ganesh, the action thriller was initially slated to go on floors in December 2025 but will now begin filming in this February. The project is currently in pre-production phase.
‘Won’t surrender under pressure’
Vijay
Actor and politician Vijay struck a defiant tone at his first rally amid the Jana Nayagan (titled Jaja Neta in Hindi) film row, on January 25, saying, “We do not bow down to any pressure. Does this face look like it would succumb to pressure?” Addressing a strategy meet in Mamallapuram attended by around 3000 party functionaries, Vijay described the Tamil Nadu polls as “not just an election, but a democratic war”, urging supporters to act as his “commandos”. He also spoke about his journey from film to politics and the perception of established political parties toward him. He said, “For 30 years, these parties have underestimated us, but the people have given me this position at the peak of my career.”
Let go of labels
Deepti Sharma and Rani Mukerji
On the eve of Republic Day, Yash Raj Films released a video featuring National Award winner Rani Mukerji and Indian women’s cricket all-rounder Deepti Sharma, questioning the need to gender-tag achievements. In a candid exchange, the two pointed out how professions are rarely defined by gender, stressing that merit matters most. Shot by an all-women crew, the video ends with the line, “Achievements ka koi gender nahi hota. This Republic Day, let go of labels.” Earlier, reacting to the Mardaani 3 trailer, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur called for “swift and example-setting punishment” for crimes against women, praising the police force. The film releases on January 30.
Salty about spy films?
Taapsee Pannu
On the eleventh anniversary of Neeraj Panday’s spy thriller Baby (2015), Taapsee Pannu marked the occasion with a social media post that unexpectedly drew backlash online. Resharing a celebratory video, the actor wrote, “11 years, when the spy films weren’t the every Friday trend,” adding that the film had “aged like a fine wine”. While Taapsee appeared to be reflecting on Baby’s legacy, some users interpreted the remark as a dig at newer franchises, accusing her of being “salty” and “jealous”.
