Entertainment Highlights (Jan 23): Guneet Monga's Anuja Gets Oscars Nomination; Kapil Sharma Gets Death Threat

Indian short film Anuja earns the Oscars nomination in the best live action short film category. The Guneet Monga film marks the third nomination of the producer after her earlier wins with The Elephant Whisperers and Period: The End of Sentence.

Ahead of the release of Deva, Shahid Kapoor advised stars to respect their privileges as many don't get the same. He said in a podcast with Raj Shamani, “Yes, I still feel that way. When you’ve given 250 to 300 auditions, when you’ve been around people and seen the way they look at you, wondering whether they should cast you, and you realize that your work is good—it’s a privilege to eventually get the spotlight. There are so many people who don’t get that privilege. If you don’t respect that privilege, you shouldn’t be there. That spotlight has to be treated like a temple. It’s sacrosanct, it’s sacred. You are truly blessed to be standing there.”

Ever since its announcement, the movie Emergency, featuring Kangana Ranaut, has been the center of attention. According to a report published in Sacnilk, Emergency saw a massive drop in numbers on first Monday. The movie minted Rs 1.05 crores on day 4 (first Monday) followed by a collection of Rs 1 crores on day 5 (first Tuesday). Interestingly, Emergency was seen struggling to rake in Rs 1 crores on day 6. The movie minted Rs 87 lakhs on day 6 (first Wednesday) which took the overall collections of the Kangana starrer to Rs 13.27 crores

Streaming service Prime Video on Thursday announced that veteran actor Boman Irani's directorial debut "The Mehta Boys" will debut on its platform on February 7. Irani has produced and co-written the film with Academy Award-winning writer Alexander Dinelaris. The movie explores the complexities of family relationships and the emotional intricacies of a father-son bond. The veteran actor also stars in the movie along with Avinash Tiwary, Shreya Chaudhry and Puja Sarup.

BaalVeer fame Dev Joshi is now engaged! The actor-turned-pilot has gotten engaged to his fiance Aarti at the iconic Kamakhya Temple in Nepal. Announcing the same, Dev shared a beautiful picture on Instagram with the caption, "Together, in faith, love and life! 💞🫶🕉️ @aartii29_ (sic)."

A soulful ballad, Kaun Kinna Zaroori Si is the heartbreak anthem of the year, capturing the pain of longing and love. With poignant lyrics and emotional depth, the song explores the turmoil of separation. Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor’s heartfelt performances bring the emotions to life, making it a touching portrayal of heartbreak.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 2018 magnum opus 'Padmaavat' is all set re-release in cinemas once again. Starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor in the lead, the period drama was first slated to re-release in cinemas tomorrow (Jan 24). However, the makers have postponed the re-release to February. The film is now all set to hit big screens once again on 7th February 2025.

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has expressed his gratitude to auto-rickshaw driver Bhajan Singh Rana, who provided critical assistance by rushing him to the hospital following a knife attack at Khan's residence in Mumbai last week. In an interview with PTI, Rana said that Khan not only thanked him for his timely help but also offered him financial support, although the exact amount remains unclear. Reports suggest that Rana, originally hailing from Uttarakhand, may have received around Rs 50,000, though the driver has chosen not to confirm this figure, citing a promise to Khan.

Singer Monali Thakur recently attended the Dinhata Festival in Cooch Behar, West Bengal for a live show. According to News18 Bangla, the singer started facing breathing issues on stage. She had to leave her live show midway when her health deteriorated. The singer was rushed to the Dinhata Sub-District Hospital. Later, she was transferred to a private hospital in Cooch Behar.

In a shocking of turn of events, popular comedian-actor Kapil Sharma has become the latest target of a death threat. As per Free Press Journal, the 43-year-old received a death threat via email from Pakistan. The email read, "We are watching your recent actions closely. We believe it is necessary to bring a sensitive matter to your attention. This is not a public stunt or an attempt to harass you. We request that you take this message seriously and maintain confidentiality. (sic)".

With the 97th Academy Awards rapidly approaching, Oscars 2025 nominations announcement will finally take place today (Thursday). This year's nominees will be announced during a live broadcast on Thursday at 8:30 AM ET/5:30 AM PT. For the Indian audience, the event will start today at 7 PM IST. To watch the 97th Oscars nomination announcement event live, you can tune into the Academy's official social media platforms along with Disney+, ABC, Hulu, Oscar.com and Oscars.org.

1 day ahead of the of the grand theatrical release, Akshay Kumar and Veer Pahariya starrer 'Sky Force' has recorded a decent pre-sales. According to Sacnilk, the patriotic aerial-actioner has sold 63,467 tickets for the opening day as of now, grossing around Rs 2.44 cr approximately (with block seats). The film is set to hit cinemas tomorrow, January 24, 2025.