Entertainment Highlights April 9: Sikandar Drops While Empuraan Holds Steady; Kunal Kamra Rejects Bigg Boss

Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol starrer Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge becomes first Indian film to be honoured at London's 'Scenes in The Square' movie trail in London. Marking the film's 30 years, the bronze statue of the actors will reportedly be installed London.

Pakistani actress Hania Amir lends support to Apoorva Mukhija after she gets rape and acid attack threats. Sharing a post on her Instagram, Hania wrote, “a separate place in hell.”

As the countdown begins for Saif Ali Khan’s much-awaited OTT release Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins, the makers have amped up the buzz by unveiling its first song, ‘Jaadu’. The track brings a wave of nostalgia as Saif effortlessly revives his signature charm, this time alongside Nikita Dutta, who adds freshness and sparkle to the sizzling on-screen chemistry. Set to peppy beats and layered with subtle whistles and vibrant energy, ‘Jaadu’ promises to be a catchy anthem that perfectly sets the tone for this high-octane heist drama.

The makers of Kesari Chapter 2 unveiled a striking new poster featuring Akshay Kumar in an unexpected avatar — dressed as a Kathakali dancer. The bold transformation quickly took social media by storm, with fans flooding the internet with praise and curiosity. Sharing the poster on his Instagram, Akshay Kumar wrote a heartfelt note, leaving fans even more intrigued about the storyline and his unique character in the film. The image showcases him in full Kathakali attire, complete with elaborate makeup and costume, reflecting the film’s cultural richness and dramatic intensity.

Andhra Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister and actor Pawan Kalyan has addressed the media with an update on his son, Mark Shankar Pawanovich, following reports of his injury during a recent school fire in Singapore. In a statement released on April 8, 2025, Pawan Kalyan stated, “Our youngest son, Mark Shankar, was injured in a school fire in Singapore and is being treated in hospital. He is gradually recovering."

Sonakshi Sinha has officially completed filming for her much-anticipated Telugu debut, Jatadhara. Marking her entry into South Indian cinema, the actress had earlier unveiled her powerful first look from the film on Women’s Day, grabbing fans' attention across platforms. Directed by Venkat Kalyan and featuring Sudheer Babu in the lead role, Jatadhara is already being hailed as one of Sonakshi's most promising ventures. With high expectations and strong buzz around the film, fans are eagerly awaiting its release.

Paramount Pictures will theatrically distribute The Angry Birds Movie 3 with Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso, Horrible Bosses), Josh Gad (Frozen, Beauty and the Beast), Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Trolls World Tour), and Danny McBride (The Righteous Gemstones, The Mitchells vs. the Machines) reprising their roles as Red, Chuck, Silver, and Bomb. Rovio and SEGA will produce alongside Namit Malhotra and his production company Prime Focus Studios, in partnership with Flywheel Media, One Cool Group, and dentsu. Paramount Pictures will release the film in theatres worldwide on January 29, 2027.

In a significant update regarding the stabbing incident involving Saif Ali Khan, Mumbai's Bandra Police have submitted a comprehensive chargesheet to the Metropolitan Magistrate Court. The document, spanning over 1000 pages, extensively details the evidence against Shariful Islam, the individual accused of assaulting the actor. The evidence includes results from a facial recognition test, fingerprint analyses, a report from an identification parade, and findings from the forensic laboratory. This development arrives shortly after authorities expressed their opposition to Islam's request for bail, underlining the gravity of the charges he faces.

Comedian Kunal Kamra recently shared that he was invited to join the upcoming season of Salman Khan’s popular reality show Bigg Boss. Taking to Instagram, Kamra posted a screenshot of a conversation with a casting director who had reached out to him with the offer. The post has since sparked curiosity among fans about whether the outspoken comic would consider stepping into the Bigg Boss house. The message from the casting director read, “I am handling the casting for this season of Bigg Boss and your name came up as someone they might find interesting. I know it might not have been on your radar, but honestly, it’s such a mad platform to show your real vibe and win over a massive audience. What do you think? Should we talk about it?" Responding to the message, the comedian stated, “I would much rather check into a mental hospital…"

Prithviraj Sukumaran’s directorial L2: Empuraan, starring Mohanlal, continues to make waves at the box office. As per Sacnilk, the film earned an estimated ₹1.25 crore net on its second Tuesday, bringing its total domestic net collection to approximately ₹101.15 crore. With ₹88.25 crore earned in its opening week, the film has posted remarkable numbers for a Malayalam-language release. During its second weekend, L2: Empuraan maintained strong momentum—earning ₹2.9 crore on Friday, ₹3.35 crore on Saturday, and ₹3.85 crore on Sunday. It collected ₹1.55 crore on Monday and maintained a similar figure on Tuesday. Globally, the film has surpassed the ₹250 crore gross mark, officially becoming the highest-grossing Malayalam film worldwide.

According to Sacnilk, Sikandar has entered a steep decline starting from its second Monday. The film earned ₹1.75 crore on Monday, followed by a further dip on day 10 (Tuesday), collecting just ₹1.35 crore. With this, the film's total domestic earnings stand at ₹105.60 crore. Given the current downward trend, it appears increasingly unlikely that a big-budget film like Sikandar will be able to reach the ₹150 crore mark at the domestic box office—raising concerns about its overall box office viability.