United News of Bangladesh

Actor Akshay Kumar's production company, Cape of Good Films, has issued a public notice claiming exclusive worldwide rights to Hera Pheri 3 and warning the film industry against any unauthorised use of the movie's intellectual property. The notice cautions distributors, cinema owners, OTT platforms, television channels, advertisers and other industry stakeholders not to sign any agreement with individuals or companies claiming rights to the film without prior written approval from Cape of Good Films. According to the notice, Cape of Good Films LLP holds the sole and exclusive worldwide licence to produce, distribute, market, commercialise and otherwise manage Hera Pheri 3. The company said its rights cover all forms of media, platforms, technologies and formats, both existing and future. The production house also urged everyone in the film industry to recognise it as the only authorised rights holder for the film. It warned that anyone entering into deals with third parties claiming rights to Hera Pheri 3 without its written permission would do so at their own risk. The company added that it reserves the right to take legal action against any unauthorised use or agreement involving the film. The public notice comes as Hera Pheri 3 continues to face several controversies and production setbacks. In recent weeks, director Priyadarshan announced that he had withdrawn from the project, alleging that producer Firoz Nadiadwala had repeatedly insulted him during their interactions. The film was originally expected to reunite the franchise's popular trio of Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal, with Priyadarshan returning to direct. The project has, however, faced multiple obstacles. In May 2025, Paresh Rawal announced that he was leaving the film before later rejoining the cast. Despite his return, the movie has continued to face delays and legal disputes over its production and ownership rights. Source: NDTV

Bollywood actor Aamir Khan has married his longtime partner Gauri Spratt in a private ceremony at his residence in Bandra, Mumbai, after the couple dated for more than two years. According to NDTV, the couple officially registered their marriage by signing the required legal documents during the intimate ceremony. Aamir, 61, publicly confirmed his relationship with Gauri on June 4, saying they had known each other for 25 years before beginning their relationship two years ago. The wedding was attended by close family members, including Aamir's three children and Gauri's son. Aamir was previously married to film producer Reena Dutta, with whom he has two children, Junaid Khan and Ira Khan. He later married filmmaker Kiran Rao in 2005. The couple separated in 2021 but continue to co-parent their son, Azad. Gauri, who keeps a low public profile, also has a six-year-old son. Around 150 guests, including relatives who travelled from abroad, attended the wedding. Originally from Bengaluru, Gauri is the daughter of Rita Spratt, a former salon owner. According to her LinkedIn profile, she studied at Blue Mountain School and completed a fashion course in Styling and Photography at the University of the Arts London in 2004. She currently manages a BBlunt salon in Mumbai, according to the profile.

After spending four years caught in censorship hurdles, "Satluj", previously known as Punjab '95, has finally been released on Zee5, drawing widespread praise for its powerful storytelling and uncompromising portrayal of political oppression and human rights abuses. Directed by Honey Trehan, the film explores the dark chapter of Punjab's militancy era in the 1980s and 1990s. Critics have described it as a hard-hitting political drama that examines how state institutions and police can violate the very laws they are meant to uphold. The film is inspired by the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who investigated cases of disappearances, illegal detentions and mass cremations in Punjab before he himself disappeared in the mid-1990s. While the film changes some names, its central story remains largely faithful to real events. The story follows Jaswant, played by Diljit Dosanjh, a bank employee whose search for a missing friend uncovers evidence of widespread human rights violations. His investigation leads him to police stations, morgues and crematoriums, where he discovers records of hundreds of unidentified bodies, exposing a much larger pattern of abuse. Despite threats from authorities and political leaders, Jaswant continues his investigation with the support of his wife Paramjit, portrayed by Geeta Vidya Ohlyan. His childhood friend, police constable Satnam Singh, played by Saurabh Sachdeva, secretly helps him by sharing information, despite putting his own life at risk. The film also features Suvinder Vicky as a ruthless senior police officer accused of abusing power in the name of fighting militancy. One of the film's most praised scenes shows the officer intimidating Satnam's family, highlighting the fear and misuse of authority during the period. Arjun Rampal plays a senior Central Bureau of Investigation officer who arrives from Delhi to investigate Jaswant's disappearance, while Varun Badola appears as a lawyer representing families seeking justice for victims of alleged extrajudicial killings. Reviewers say the film offers a disturbing but compelling look at the dangers of unchecked state power and the erosion of democratic values. Although some parts are considered slightly longer than necessary, the film has been praised for its gripping narrative, strong performances and emotional impact. Diljit Dosanjh's performance has received particular acclaim for portraying Jaswant with restraint, determination and quiet courage. Critics say he fully immerses himself in the role, allowing the story rather than his star image to remain at the centre of the film. Despite its title change from Punjab '95 to Satluj, reviewers say the film has retained its original message and emotional strength, making it one of the year's most significant political dramas. Source: NDTV

Global pop superstar Taylor Swift and American footballerr Travis Kelce tied the knot in a closely guarded ceremony at Madison Square Garden on Friday evening, attended by an array of celebrities from the worlds of entertainment and sports. The wedding was officiated by actor Adam Sandler, while the couple opted against having traditional bridesmaids and groomsmen. Swift's younger brother, Austin Swift, served as her man of honor, while Kelce's brother and podcast co-host, Jason Kelce, was his best man, according to a statement from Swift's publicist. Following the ceremony, a marquee outside the iconic New York arena displayed the message "JUST&T MARRIED," confirming the marriage after weeks of speculation. Swift and Kelce wore custom Christian Dior Haute Couture outfits designed by Jonathan Anderson, paired with bespoke Christian Louboutin shoes. Swift also wore Cartier jewelry. The guest list featured prominent names from film, music and sports, including Bradley Cooper, Hugh Grant, Zoë Kravitz, Steven Spielberg, Chris Rock, Gigi Hadid, Karlie Kloss, Camila Cabello and author Jenny Han. The National Football League (NFL)  personalities, including Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, several Chiefs players, retired quarterback Tom Brady and broadcaster Stephen A. Smith, also attended. The ceremony remained largely private despite intense public interest, with guests reportedly prohibited from using mobile phones inside the venue. Outside, hundreds of fans gathered around Madison Square Garden hoping to witness the occasion, though most details remained hidden from public view. Swift and Kelce began dating in 2023 after the Kansas City Chiefs tight end attended one of Swift's Eras Tour concerts. Their relationship quickly became one of the most closely followed celebrity romances, culminating in Friday's highly anticipated wedding.   

UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has announced that she and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will stop using Elon Musk's social media platform X, saying it no longer supports healthy public debate. In what appeared to be her final post on X, Nandy said the platform had become harmful to democracy and communities. She said a platform that was originally created to promote free speech and expression now gives greater space to abuse and misinformation than to meaningful discussion. Nandy added that she would continue communicating through Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Her decision was criticized by Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, who argued that the DCMS should confront misinformation rather than leave the platform. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's office said the government regularly reviews its use of social media but confirmed that Downing Street would continue using X. The spokesperson added that individual ministers and government departments can decide for themselves whether to remain on the platform. DCMS is the second UK government department to leave X after the Attorney General's Office stopped posting on the platform last month. Attorney General Lord Hermer defended that decision, telling lawmakers in June that X frequently became a place for racism and misogyny and that his department could better engage in respectful and detailed public discussions through other channels. He said while some government departments may need to interact with the public on X, the Attorney General's Office did not. Prime Minister Starmer has also been critical of X owner Elon Musk, accusing him of using the platform to increase divisions in the UK following the murder of student Henry Nowak last month. The case sparked violent protests in Southampton after police body-camera footage showed officers handcuffing the 18-year-old as he lay dying. His killer, Vickrum Digwa, had claimed he was acting in response to a racist attack. The release of the footage triggered widespread political debate and drew criticism from Musk over the police's handling of the incident. Earlier this year, several Members of Parliament, including Liberal Democrats Layla Moran and Vikki Slade and Labour MP Darren Paffey, also left X after reports that its Grok artificial intelligence tool had been used to create sexualized images, including images involving children. X has previously said that anyone who uses or prompts Grok to create illegal content will face the same consequences as users who upload such material.

The makers of ‘Jailer 2’ have announced that the much-awaited sequel starring Rajinikanth will hit theatres on ‘October 15, 2026’, during the Dussehra festival. The release date was revealed on Thursday through a special action-packed promotional video. Directed by Nelson, the teaser builds excitement without revealing key details about the story. The promo mostly shows Rajinikanth in silhouette before ending with the superstar making a powerful walk down a road. Anirudh Ravichander's background score adds to the dramatic atmosphere, but the teaser does not reveal Rajinikanth's full look or provide hints about the plot. The original ‘Jailer’, released on August 10, 2023, marked Nelson's first collaboration with Rajinikanth. The action film became a huge box office success and was the highest-grossing Tamil film of the year. The movie also drew praise for special appearances by Mohanlal and Shivarajkumar, while Vinayakan received acclaim for playing the main villain. Alongside Rajinikanth, the first film featured Ramya Krishnan, Tamannaah, Vasanth Ravi, Yogi Babu, Mirnaa Menon and Sunil in key roles. For ‘Jailer 2’, Vijay Kartik Kannan is handling cinematography, while R. Nirmal is in charge of editing. The film is being produced by Sun Pictures, with Anirudh Ravichander returning as the music composer. Rajinikanth is also preparing for another major release. He will next appear in ‘Dharman’, which reunites him with Kamal Haasan. Directed by Ashwath Marimuthu and produced by Raaj Kamal Films International, the film is among the most anticipated upcoming Tamil releases. Source: NDTV

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay's much-awaited film Jana Nayagan is expected to hit theatres in July, with its long-awaited censor certificate likely to be issued this weekend, according to sources. The film has faced months of delay due to complications in the certification process. Sources had earlier told NDTV in May that the Revising Committee of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had cleared the movie, bringing it a step closer to release. Although the film was initially reviewed by the CBFC's Examining Committee in December 2025, which recommended a few cuts that the makers said they implemented, the certification process stalled after a member of the committee reportedly objected to certain scenes and wrote to CBFC chairperson Prasoon Joshi. Following the objections, the CBFC referred the film to its Revising Committee for another review. The delay prompted the film's director to seek legal intervention, first approaching the Madras High Court and later the Supreme Court over the pending certification. According to sources, the certificate was also held back because of the Model Code of Conduct. The producers are now waiting for the final censor certificate before announcing the official release date. The film has attracted widespread attention because it stars sitting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, making it one of the most anticipated Tamil releases in recent years. Producer Venkat K Narayana, founder of KVN Productions, recently told NDTV that the team is ready to release the film as soon as the CBFC issues the final certificate. "We are awaiting the certificate from the CBFC. Once they give their final approval, we will immediately release the film in theatres," he said. Venkat also said Vijay's political rise has given the film's title a new significance. He noted that many fans have suggested replacing the opening title "Thalapathy Vijay" with "Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu." "When we started the film, we never imagined this situation. It is a happy moment that Vijay sir has become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and truly the 'Jana Nayagan' (People's Leader) of the state. Perhaps it was destined that the film would release after he became Chief Minister," he said. Explaining the certification delay, Venkat said the film was initially expected to receive a U/A 16+ certificate after the Examining Committee completed its review in December 2025. However, instead of receiving the certificate, the producers were informed that a complaint had been filed against the film, leading the CBFC to refer it to the Revising Committee. The producers challenged the move in court, arguing that objections had been raised before the film's release. During the proceedings, they learned that the complaint had reportedly come from a member of the Examining Committee, who had earlier approved the film. Venkat said the producers immediately applied to the Revising Committee and have since been completing the required formalities while waiting for the final certificate. Directed by H. Vinoth and produced by KVN Productions, Jana Nayagan also stars Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol and Mamitha Baiju. The film recently made headlines after an illegal online leak. According to PTI, a freelance assistant editor and several others were arrested in connection with the incident. Source: NDTV

Veteran actor and activist Danny Glover has revealed that he is living with Alzheimer's disease, saying he is still trying to come to terms with the diagnosis. Glover, widely known for playing the calm and dependable police officer in the Lethal Weapon film series, said he was diagnosed with the progressive brain disease three years ago. The four-time Emmy Award nominee, who will turn 80 on July 22, shared the news in separate interviews with NBC's Today show and People magazine. "I'm still not accepting in my mind all parts of it," Glover told People. "There are the moments that you keep remembering that validate the fact that you can remember stuff. And there are moments I'll never forget." Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. It gradually affects memory, thinking and daily functioning. More than 6 million people in the United States and millions more worldwide are living with the condition. Throughout his career, Glover has received four Emmy Award nominations and was honoured with an honorary Oscar in 2022. He has also been recognised by the NAACP and Black Entertainment Television, and has earned nominations from the Screen Actors Guild. Beyond acting, Glover has been active in humanitarian work. From 1998 to 2004, he served as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme, supporting efforts to address poverty, disease and economic development in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Actor Kangana Ranaut gave television star Ram Kapoor a stern reality check during the latest episode of Lock Upp Season 2, telling him to stop defending his behaviour if he wanted to improve. Kangana entered the reality show as "Janta Ki Awaaz", joining hosts Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh, and interacted with the contestants during the episode. Addressing Ram Kapoor, known for the television series Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, Kangana said he appeared to be taking the competition too seriously. "Ramji, you shouldn't have taken the game so seriously. And if you think that you are too big for this jail, then why did you come here? To show your stupidity?" she said. Ram defended his approach, saying, "When the time comes, I will own my truth as well as, or better than, anybody here." Kangana responded with another piece of advice, saying, "Don't defend yourself if you want to improve." Earlier in the show, filmmaker Farah Khan had also criticised Ram during the "chargesheet" segment, saying he had failed to stand out despite usually playing lead roles in his projects. "I want to ask you, in every show you do, you're playing the lead. But after coming here, you have become a background actor," Farah told him. Ram, however, did not appear to welcome the feedback and casually raised his hand as if to stop her from speaking. Reacting to his gesture, Farah said, "From what I can see, I don't want this Ram. It is not funny." Ram remained firm, replying, "For me, it is funny. I am the way I am, just like this." Farah made another attempt to convince him, saying, "What you are doing, this lecturing, you're not like that at all." But Ram refused to change his stance. "Toh nikaal do. I am not going to change. I am the way I am," he said. Farah then joked, "Those people who don't change become dinosaurs." Ram replied with a smile, "I will become a dinosaur." The second season of Lock Upp premiered on June 27. #From NDTV

Milwaukee paid tribute to legendary Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker on Tuesday with the unveiling of a giant mural in downtown Milwaukee, celebrating the man whose voice became synonymous with the team's baseball history. Fans gathered for the dedication ceremony to honor Uecker, who spent 54 seasons calling Milwaukee Brewers games before his death on Jan. 16, 2025, at the age of 90. Standing before the mural, which stretches 80 feet wide and 100 feet high, former broadcast partner Lane Grindle said Uecker's legacy would continue to inspire both the local community and the baseball world. "We always said Bob was larger than life, and now he literally is," Grindle said. Although Uecker became a nationally recognized figure through movies, television appearances and commercials, he remained devoted to Milwaukee throughout his career. The new artwork shows Uecker wearing one of his signature plaid blazers and includes his autograph along with his famous nickname, "Mr. Baseball." It is displayed on the north side of the Wintrust Financial Center at 731 N. Jackson Street. The mural was created by artist Mauricio Ramirez, who also designed the large downtown mural of former Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2022. Work on the Uecker mural began in mid-May. The dedication ceremony featured Brewers manager Pat Murphy, outfielder Christian Yelich, president of baseball operations Matt Arnold and several members of Uecker's family. Murphy remembered Uecker as someone who genuinely cared about players at every level of the team. "He cared about everyone, whether it was a star like Christian Yelich or a young player just called up from Triple-A," Murphy said. "The clubhouse was like family to him." Yelich said spending time with Uecker off the field was one of the highlights of his career. He recalled Uecker's endless stories about baseball, acting, television appearances, and memorable experiences with celebrities, astronauts and even U.S. presidents. "It was a privilege just to listen to his stories and learn about the incredible life he lived," Yelich said. As part of the celebration, the first 500 attendees of legal drinking age received a complimentary can of Miller Lite from Molson Coors for a toast in Uecker's honor. Brewers president of business operations Rick Schlesinger said Uecker turned down opportunities to work nationally and with other Major League Baseball teams because of his deep connection to Milwaukee. "He had chances to leave, but Milwaukee was always his home," Schlesinger said. "Loyalty defined who he was, and he never left us."