United News of Bangladesh

Sonam Kapoor’s signature sense of style is not limited to the red carpet — it also defines the elegant London home she shares with her husband, businessman Anand Ahuja. Celebrated as one of Bollywood’s most fashionable stars, Sonam has built a strong design identity over the years, and that aesthetic is clearly reflected in their thoughtfully curated residence in London. As she turned 41, a closer look at her home reveals a warm, art-filled space shaped with personal touches and global influences. Located in Notting Hill, West London, the home opens into a cosy living room designed for comfort and gatherings. The space features deep forest-green wall panelling paired with cream wallpaper decorated with subtle nature-inspired patterns. Velvet sofas add a soft, luxurious feel, while a chandelier casts a warm glow, making the room suitable for both relaxed reading afternoons and evening get-togethers. The décor carries a classic charm, with ornate silver frames placed across side tables and rich wooden flooring layered with a Persian rug. Colourful seating, including red and yellow sofas, along with a decorative fireplace, adds character and frames family moments in the space. The couple’s bedroom continues the home’s nature-inspired theme, with softer tones and organic textures. A wooden and rattan headboard sits against wallpaper featuring leafy patterns, creating a calm and restful atmosphere. Fresh flowers, framed photographs and carefully placed artwork add a personal touch, while a large art piece near the bed completes the design. The dressing room stands out with hand-carved doors made by Mumbai artisans, adorned with antique floral panels sourced from Paris, according to *Architectural Digest*. In the dining area, a sunflower-yellow accent wall sets a bright tone, complemented by curated artworks and a large window that fills the space with natural light. A rectangular dining table sits at the centre, paired with a sideboard for silverware, while the table décor echoes the artistic elements of the room. With inputs from NDTV

Actor Arjun Rampal has spoken about what he described as the “darkest phase” of his life, revealing that he was dealing with a failing marriage at the same time his mother was diagnosed with cancer. In a recent interview on YouTube talk show Cancelled to Crown, Rampal said the period left him feeling deeply isolated and emotionally drained. “I think the loneliest I have ever felt is when I was not connected with myself the way I am today,” he said, adding that his personal relationships were falling apart while he was struggling internally. He said his marriage was going through serious difficulties and reflected on how relationships often change over time. “Love is not constant. Everything in life is not constant. We are not constant,” he said, adding that sometimes people simply do not grow in the same direction. Rampal said the situation became even more difficult as his mother was battling cancer at the same time. He also mentioned that he had recently lost his father and was drifting away from friends, leaving him feeling as though he was “losing everything” he had built. On the personal front, Rampal is now in a relationship with model and designer Gabriella Demetriades, whom he met in 2018. The couple have since built a family together, welcoming their son Arik in 2019 and Ariv in 2023. The actor separated from his former wife, model and producer Mehr Jesia, in 2018. Reflecting on Gabriella’s role in his life, Rampal said she became a strong support system during a turbulent period. “I was very lucky because I got somebody like Gabriella into my life who I think was a very strong anchor,” he said, adding that she was also going through her own struggles at the time. He said both leaned on each other through difficult circumstances and eventually moved forward together. Rampal also stressed the importance of taking responsibility during hardships instead of blaming others. “You can’t blame. If you blame, you are going to become even more miserable,” he said. With inputs from NDTV

Veteran Bollywood actress Meenakshi Seshadri has expressed her desire to return to acting after spending nearly three decades away from the film industry. In a heartfelt video shared on Instagram, the actress said she has moved back to Mumbai from the United States and is now looking for meaningful acting opportunities in films and OTT platforms. Meenakshi said she spent the last 30 years in the US focusing on her family life but has now returned to what she called her “karmabhoomi” or workplace, Mumbai, with renewed hope and passion for acting. Addressing her followers, she thanked fans for their continued love and support and said she is open to strong and impactful roles, whether as a lead actor, supporting character or even in short-format projects. “I’m looking forward to meaningful opportunities. It could be films or OTT shows. The role does not matter as long as it is impactful,” she said. The actress also clarified that she is not trying to prove anything through her comeback. “I’m not here to prove any point. I’m simply doing what truly makes me happy,” she added. Meenakshi revealed that she had received several offers over the years, but some projects were not exciting enough while others did not materialise. She also said she is currently managing her comeback journey on her own without any agency support. In the caption of her post, Meenakshi mentioned that she is currently in Boston, USA, celebrating her son’s graduation from Harvard University. She requested fans to continue supporting her and wished that someone’s blessings might help her find the right opportunity in the entertainment industry. Meenakshi Seshadri was one of Bollywood’s top actresses during the 1980s and 1990s. She made her debut in the film ‘Painter Babu’ and later starred in several hit movies including ‘Hero’, ‘Meri Jung’, ‘Shahenshah’ and ‘Ghayal’. Her performance in the film ‘Damini’ is still widely regarded as one of the most powerful female roles in Hindi cinema. Apart from acting, Meenakshi is also a trained Bharatanatyam dancer. She moved to the United States after marriage at the peak of her career to focus on family life. Source: NDTV

The Hindi film Dhurandhar 2 has broken a series of box office records within just one month of its release, setting new benchmarks both in India and globally. Released on March 19, with paid previews starting a day earlier, the film made a strong impression even before its official opening. It earned around Rs 43 crore from previews alone, the highest ever in India, signalling massive audience interest. The film also recorded the highest advance booking in history, selling nearly 925,000 tickets across national cinema chains ahead of release. On its opening day, the film collected Rs 102.55 crore nett in India, the biggest-ever Day 1 figure for a Hindi film. Of this, the Hindi version contributed Rs 99.10 crore, marking the highest single-day collection for a Hindi-language movie. Including previews, the domestic Day 1 total reached Rs 145.55 crore. Globally, the film earned about Rs 236.63 crore on its first day, making it one of the biggest worldwide openings for an Indian film. The strong momentum continued over the opening weekend, with total earnings of Rs 674.17 crore nett in India, among the highest ever. By the end of the first week, the film had collected around Rs 745 crore domestically, the highest first-week total for a Bollywood film, with the Hindi version alone contributing over Rs 546 crore. The film maintained steady earnings in the following weeks, with its third-week performance ranking among the strongest for Hindi cinema. In terms of milestones, the film became the fastest Hindi movie to cross Rs 500 crore, achieving the feat in just six days. It crossed Rs 800 crore within 11 days and went on to surpass Rs 1,000 crore in India by Day 18, becoming the first Hindi film to reach that mark. Dhurandhar, the first instalment of the franchise, had collected around Rs 840 crore in its lifetime, a figure the sequel surpassed within just 11 days. Internationally, the film also performed strongly, crossing Rs 1,000 crore globally within a week. Overseas collections exceeded Rs 260 crore early on and went past Rs 400 crore by the end of the first month. The film also set a unique record by becoming the highest-grossing Indian movie excluding the Gulf and China markets, with global earnings crossing Rs 1,700 crore within weeks. By the end of its first month, the film’s India nett collection had crossed Rs 1,100 crore, making it the highest-grossing Hindi film in the country. Worldwide, the film’s total earnings have reached over Rs 1,700 crore, placing it among the top three highest-grossing Indian films of all time and close to challenging long-standing records.   With inputs from NDTV    

The Karnataka State Commission for Women has asked the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to take strict action over alleged obscene and derogatory lyrics used in films, particularly in a song from the movie ‘KD: The Devil’. In a letter to the CBFC’s regional director, the Commission expressed concern about the song ‘Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke’, saying it portrays women in a disrespectful manner. The move came after receiving multiple public complaints. The Commission said such lyrics violate film certification rules and could negatively affect women’s safety and social well-being. It stressed that any content that demeans or presents women in an obscene way should not be approved for public release. It urged the CBFC to carefully review such scenes and lyrics and ensure they are removed or modified before granting certification. It also called for action against those responsible for including such content. In a separate letter to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, the Commission raised similar concerns and asked for steps to regulate the use of offensive language in films. It warned that such content could encourage harassment, especially among young people. Meanwhile, actor Kangana Ranaut criticised the song, calling it a “new low” and urging stricter control over vulgar content in Bollywood. The issue has also reached legal authorities, as a lawyer filed a complaint seeking action against the song, alleging it contains highly vulgar and sexually suggestive content that may harm public decency. Source: NDTV

Actress Priyanka Chopra, who made her film debut in the Tamil movie ‘Thamizhan’ and later in Hindi cinema with ‘The Hero: Love Story of a Spy’, revealed why she left Bollywood at the height of her career to pursue opportunities in Hollywood. In a recent podcast, the former Miss World said she dislikes staying “in the shit” and believes in pivoting when life gets tough. “We all have battles, but I don’t like getting used to the smell,” she said. “I pick myself up, grieve, feel the pain and then pivot. I have done that many times in my career.” Priyanka admitted she had no clear roadmap when she took the leap abroad. “There wasn’t much precedent. I just gave it a shot. I knew I was a hard worker and could hold my own with any filmmaker or co-actor,” she said. She also cited a lack of Indian representation in global entertainment as a motivation. “In American pop culture, I had only seen people like Mindy Kaling and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Very few Indians, male or female, were working in Hollywood. I wanted to explore why and create more space for Indian talent,” Priyanka explained. The actress, last seen in the Hindi film ‘The Sky Is Pink’ (2019), will return to Indian cinema with Mahesh Babu in SS Rajamouli’s pan-India project ‘Varanasi’(2027). She has also expanded into film production and appeared in international films including ‘Love Again’, ‘Tiger’ (2023), ‘Heads of State’ (2025), and ‘The Bluff’ (2026). Priyanka Chopra’s journey reflects her drive to constantly challenge herself and broaden the global presence of Indian actors. Source: NDTV

Rani Mukerji’s crime thriller’ Mardaani 3 ‘continues to perform steadily at the Indian box office, with its total earnings nearing the Rs 25 crore mark within five days of release. The film, which hit theatres on January 30, collected Rs 2.50 crore on its fifth day, slightly higher than its Monday earnings, according to trade website Sacnilk. With this, the movie’s total box office collection stands at Rs 22.25 crore so far. Directed by Abhiraj Minawala, the third installment of the popular’ Mardaani ‘franchise recorded an overall Hindi occupancy of 20.72% on Tuesday. Night shows drew the highest audience turnout at around 33.62%, followed by evening shows at 21.45%. Afternoon and morning shows saw lower attendance, largely due to regular working days. Among cities, Jaipur reported the highest occupancy at 33.75%. It was followed by the National Capital Region (29.50%), Mumbai (26.25%), Lucknow (22.50%) and Pune (21.25%). Trade analyst Taran Adarsh praised the film’s opening performance, saying it posted a “healthy” collection during its first weekend. He noted that while competition from ‘Border 2’ affected business in some mass-market areas, major cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Bengaluru showed encouraging audience response. He added that holding steady weekday collections will be crucial for the film’s continued success. Music rights of "Dhurandhar 2" shift from Saregama to T-Series ‘Mardaani 3’ also features Janki Bodiwala and Mallika Prasad in key roles. Produced by Yash Raj Films, the movie marks another strong outing for Mukerji in a female-led action franchise. With steady earnings and positive word of mouth, the film is expected to cross the Rs 25 crore milestone soon. With inputs from NDTV

Bollywood producer Shailendra Singh has praised Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra, calling them “like-minded personalities” with similar approaches to their careers. Shailendra said many fans wished the two stars had appeared together more on screen. He added that despite taking different career paths, they share a focused and professional attitude. Speaking about Priyanka Chopra, Shailendra said the industry did not value her properly. “Priyanka should have been the voice of Bollywood, but we treated her so badly that she left the country. She could have carried Bollywood’s reputation globally,” he said. Priyanka later moved to the United States and built a successful career in Hollywood. Shailendra also highlighted Shah Rukh Khan’s understanding of cinema and business. “He is a thorough professional, knows his work, and never puts anyone down. Both Priyanka and Shah Rukh should be ambassadors of our industry,” he said. The producer said the two stars have a no-nonsense attitude and are very similar in the way they handle their careers. He described them as supremely talented and focused on their work. Shailendra’s remarks come amid ongoing fan interest in collaborations between Bollywood’s top stars and recognition of Priyanka Chopra’s international success.   With inputs from NDTV

Indian music fans are in shock and paying tribute after beloved singer Arijit Singh announced he is stepping away from Bollywood playback singing, ending an era that defined contemporary Indian cinema music. Taking to Instagram on Tuesday,Arijit Singh said, “I am calling it off. It was a wonderful journey.” Social media quickly flooded with heartfelt posts praising his voice, described by many as “the soundtrack of our joys and heartbreaks” and “a part of every moment in our lives.” Playback singing, where singers record songs that actors lip-sync on screen, has been central to Bollywood storytelling. Singh’s voice became inseparable from this tradition, lending depth to romantic ballads and hit soundtracks for over a decade. He has also worked with global stars like Ed Sheeran and performed to sold-out crowds at venues including London’s Wembley Arena. While he did not reveal his reasons for quitting, reports suggest Singh will complete ongoing projects and continue creating music independently, exploring personal and experimental ventures outside commercial films. Known for his soft-spoken personality, Singh has long avoided the spotlight, rarely giving interviews and keeping public appearances low-key. Born in 1987 in Jiaganj, West Bengal, he grew up surrounded by classical music, training in vocals and tabla from an early age. His first national recognition came in 2005 on the reality show Fame Gurukul, though he did not win. His breakthrough arrived in 2013 with Tum hi ho song from Aashiqui 2, a song that redefined romantic music in Bollywood with its raw, intimate emotion. Singh’s career flourished afterward, recording in multiple languages and collaborating with top composers like AR Rahman, Pritam, and Vishal–Shekhar. Despite fame, he preferred a simple life in his hometown, often spotted riding his scooter or meeting friends, rather than embracing city glamour. Read More: Arijit Singh announces retirement from playback singing Fans now speculate what the future holds for the singer, interpreting his decision as a personal move away from commercial pressures or a new creative chapter. Whatever path he chooses, Arijit Singh’s voice will remain a defining presence in India’s music scene. With inputs from BBC  

Filmmaker Karan Johar on Sunday declared that Bollywood has made a strong comeback, citing the back-to-back box office success of Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar and the war drama Border 2. Sharing his reaction on Instagram, Johar said the recent commercial performance of the two films had reaffirmed the long-term strength of the Hindi film industry, dismissing critics who had questioned its future. Referring to the strong audience response, Johar said emotionally driven films were once again connecting with cinema-goers, adding that such successes proved Bollywood’s resilience and relevance. His remarks came as Border 2 recorded one of the biggest openings in recent years and moved steadily towards the Rs 100 crore mark at the domestic box office. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh said the film earned Rs 32.10 crore net in India on its opening day, performing strongly in mass belts and single-screen theatres, while urban centres saw improved turnout later in the day. Although heavy rainfall affected collections in parts of north India, industry observers expect strong word of mouth and the Republic Day holiday to further boost earnings. Directed by Anurag Singh, Border 2 was released on January 23 and features Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty in lead roles. Meanwhile, Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna, recently completed 50 days in theatres. Despite stiff competition from new releases, the Aditya Dhar-directed film emerged as the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time, surpassing Pushpa 2: The Rule. The film is planned as a two-part franchise, with its sequel scheduled for release on March 19, 2026.   With inputs from NDTV