Since the last few weeks, actor Kiara Advani was in the news regarding her casting in Madhubala’s biopic, which is being directed by Darlings (2022) fame Jasmeet K. Reen. It was also suggested that filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali is backing the project. However, this rumour of Kiara’s casting as Madhubala was debunked by Hindustan Times a few days ago. Well, a new report shared by Filmfare now claims that Saiyaara star Aneet Padda has apparently been signed for Madhubala’s biopic and will soon begin filming. The report further states that makers might announce the casting soon. As we wait for confirmation, the internet already has tons to say.

Some netizens are glad that Aneet, and not Kiara, has been roped in to play Madhubala. One such fan claimed, “Far better than kiara,” whereas another gushed, “perfect choice . she CAN ACT and she looks like her too . atleast closest.” But some believe Aneet is not the correct fit for this project. A comment read, “Terrible terrible casting, Looks absolutely nothing like her,” whereas another netizen opined, “Noooo, please such a Misfit As much as I love that girl and her face card, it’s just not for her.” Meanwhile, there is a group of fans who believe Triptii Dimri would be a good choice for Madhubala’s biopic. One such Reddit user stated, “From the new lot only one I can see maybe pulling this off is Tripitii maybe…she has that innocence and acting in her,” whereas another agreed, “Feel like she can – Triptii can act with her eyes and hold the frame even in silence… The acting with eyes is rare and I feel like it’s a requirement to portray Madhubala. With Madhubala, it’s all about the eyes and the pain, joy and emotions they hold.” Another comment read, “Nah not Aneet, but Tripti Dimri would be perfect for Madhubala biopic.”

Update: According to a new report shared by Instant Bollywood, Aneet Padda has apparently not been cast in the Madhubala biopic.

Their latest Instagram post reads: “Reports claiming that Aneet Padda will portray legendary star Madhubala in an upcoming biopic are completely baseless, industry sources confirm.”

South Indian cinema is witnessing a surge in mega-budget productions, with ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ currently leading at Rs 600 crore. However, S. S. Rajamouli’s upcoming ‘Varanasi,’ starring Mahesh Babu, is poised to shatter records with an estimated Rs 1,200-1,400 crore budget, promising a global spectacle. Other high-profile films like ‘RRR’ and ‘Pushpa 2’ also feature prominently.

In recent years, the South Indian film industry has focused on high-budget projects aiming to result in international masterpieces. Epic movies have big budgets, large-scale production, stunning visual effects, ensemble casts, and plots that capture viewers worldwide. Showcasing breathtaking foreign locations, modern equipment, and A-list actors, such films are making their way into the Indian cinema market. Higher audience expectations push filmmakers to create better-quality films, encouraging producers and directors to work harder and compete with global blockbusters.

‘Kalki 2898 AD’ currently holds the record

At present, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ is considered the highest-budget South Indian film, costing around Rs 600 crore, as stated in Deccan Chronicle. Nag Ashwin helmed the future-centered magnum opus, featuring Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, and Amitabh Bachchan in significant roles. The movie performed very well overseas, earning more than Rs 1,000 crore worldwide. The engaging story and stunning visual effects have wowed audiences, and the makers are soon working on a sequel to expand the film’s universe and meet even higher expectations.

‘Varanasi’ is expected to set a new record

The record held by Kalki 2898 AD may soon be surpassed by the upcoming mega project ‘Varanasi,’ directed by S. S. Rajamouli. As per Variety, the film is reportedly being produced on an unprecedented budget estimated between Rs 1,200 crore and Rs 1,400 crore. If confirmed, it would be the most expensive film in the Indian film industry. The hefty budget shows that the production company intends to create a movie with beautiful scenery that is understandable to anyone from any background.

Star-studded cast and globe-trotting storyline

The film features Mahesh Babu in the lead role, along with Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran in important roles. Described by the creators as a globe-trotting adventure-thriller, the story seems to follow an adventurous journey through dangerous terrains and the revelation of ancient mysteries in locations across the world. With the setting shot in several foreign locales and high-end graphic sequences forming a gigantic part of the plot, ‘Varanasi’ promises to set a new benchmark of grandeur and budget in the South Indian film industry.

Other big-budget films in the top list

Other than ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ and ‘Varanasi,’ many South Indian movies are on the most expensive list. ‘RRR,’ directed by S. S. Rajamouli, was made on a budget of Rs 550 crore and went on to become an international blockbuster. ‘2.0,’ starring Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar, also cost about Rs 400-600 crore. Another movie is ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule.’ This movie features Allu Arjun, and its production budget was estimated at 400-500 crores.

It must’ve started with one curious student scanning the QR code on the CBSE Class 12 mathematics question paper, wondering what it’s there for. Soon, social media was filled with videos of students landing on a YouTube video that had nothing to do with the paper or even math at all — it had someone dancing and singing, “Never gonna give you up.”

Meme culture has a name for it: “Rickroll”. We’ll come to that.

First, to be sure, the Central Board of Secondary Education has clarified the QR code is meant to be security feature “to verify the genuineness of the question paper in case of suspected security breach”; and that it was not meant to lead to the song video. The board has confirmed that “the question papers are genuine” and their security “remains uncompromised”.

The Class 12 mathematics exam was held on March 9 from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm.

“The matter has been viewed seriously and necessary steps are being taken by the Board to ensure that such issues are not repeated in future,” said Sanyam Bhardwaj, CBSE’s controller of exams.

Now for the “Rickroll”. It’s a popular online prank whereby someone is tricked into clicking a link that leads to the music video.

And that video is always this one: Rick Astley’s 1987 hit song ‘Never gonna give you up’. There’s no set theory to how this meme originated around 2010, when social media exploded, but it remains a common online prank, most commonly on TikTok.

The song isn’t just any song anyway. It is a chart-topping dance-pop hit of its time.

Released in 1987, the single by the English singer-songwriter Astley reached top of the charts in 25 countries and won awards, before becoming timeless with the “Rickroll” meme. It passed a billion YouTube views in 2021, and as of March 10, 2026, had 1.7 billion.

This was Rick Astley’s debut song, earning the ‘British Single of the Year’ BRIT Award. Astley was nominated for a Grammy for Best New Artist.

Two decades on, “Rickrolling” was born. The song was written and produced by the team Stock-Aitken-Waterman, who became hitmakers for artists like Kylie Minogue, Dead or Alive, and others.

It’s found renewed interest in India after the CBSE question-paper fiasco, rather late as TikTok remains banned in the country for about six years now.

Rick Astley, who is now 60, has been asked about the “Rickrolling” phenomenon, which he has termed “really weird” but embraced. “It was something difficult for me to get my head around at first. Let’s face it, that video is from a long time ago. I look like I’m 11 years old and wearing my dad’s overcoat,” he told Fox News in 2020.

“I wouldn’t say I’ve been accidentally Rickrolled, but I’ve certainly been Rickrolled. Most of my friends and colleagues and people I know say have you seen this one, have you seen this one, I’ve seen them all, I have seen them all,” he told Newsweek.