Kannada star Rishab Shetty, who captured nationwide attention with his 2022 blockbuster Kantara, is back with his much-awaited prequel, Kantara Chapter 1. At a recent press meet in Mumbai, he opened up about his journey from working as a driver and office boy in the city to becoming a pan-India actor and filmmaker. Speaking with honesty and gratitude, Rishab reflected on cinema’s power to transform lives and shared insights into the making of his ambitious new film.Your journey from driver in Mumbai to leading the Kantara Chapter 1 is inspiring. How do you look back on it?For me, Mumbai is very special. Back in 2008, I worked as an office assistant in a production house in Andheri West, and also as a producer’s driver. While eating vada pav on the road near that office, I never imagined I would come this far. Cinema has given me so much love, respect, and blessings far beyond what I could dream of. I’m incredibly grateful. Everyone is talking about how your village came together for the Kantara Chapter 1 event. Tell us about that. Everyone in my village, in Kundapura’s Keradi, was part of the filmmaking process. It felt like the entire place had turned into a film village. The whole town became a studio. I’m deeply grateful to my villagers, the crew, my wife Pragathi, professors, cultural dancers, their families, and even the seniors who guided us. This film was built on collective effort. The prequel is set centuries ago. How did you bring that world to life?It was one of the toughest challenges. We had no direct references for the 4th–5th century. Everything production, costumes, sets, was built from reading, listening, and imagining. We were very particular about the look, the backdrop, the characters’ behaviour, and even the language. The goal

Halloween is more than just a day for candy and costumes. It’s a celebration of community, creativity and a touch of spooky fun. As the leaves turn and the air grows crisp, families everywhere are looking for ways to make this holiday special. If you are searching for ideas, Dhanush Kumar brings you some memorable and family-friendly Halloween ideas. Transforming your home into a haunted haven is a fantastic way to get everyone in the Halloween spirit.  Carving pumpkins is a family tradition. Lay out old newspapers, grab some carving tools, and let your family’s creativity shine. For younger children, painting pumpkins is a safer and equally fun alternative. Use warm, orange string lights to create a festive glow. Cast eerie shadows with paper cutouts of bats and spiders on windows. A simple ghost made from a white sheet and a balloon, or a string of paper bats, can add a lot of character without much effort. Choosing a costume is often the highlight of Halloween. Encourage a group of themed costumes for a fantastic family look. Go as a family of superheroes, a collection of farm animals, or characters from your favourite movie. Repurpose old clothes and craft supplies. A cardboard box can become a robot, and a green t-shirt with some design can transform into a friendly frog. The best costumes are often the ones that you make together. While trick-or-treat is a must, there are many activities to enjoy, such as: Monster Movie Marathon: Curl up on the couch with popcorn and a selection of age-appropriate spooky films. Classics like It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, or Hocus Pocus are always great choices. Spooky Story Time: Gather around a fire pit or in a dimly lit room and share not-too-scary ghost stories. Themed Treats: Bake and decorate

Teja Sajja’s superhero spectacle Mirai has lit up cinemas with an overwhelming response from audiences. The fantasy adventure has been praised for its international-scale stunts and VFX while staying rooted in Telugu storytelling. In a candid telephonic conversation with LIPIKA VARMA, Teja shared his journey, the challenges he faced, and his excitement about the film’s reception. Produced by T. G. Vishwa Prasad, directed by Karthik Gattamneni, and presented in North India by Dharma Productions, Mirai also premiered in the US alongside its global release. The film stars Manchu Manoj, Ritika Nayak, Shriya Saran, and Jagapathi Babu, further adding to its star power. On making a Telugu film with Telugu sensibilities and getting an open armed reception with Hindi film-goers I have never imagined, even in my wildest dreams, that I would be standing in a Hindi cinema. But I am happy from the bottom of my heart that they have welcomed me with their open arms. I feel very responsible for delivering something that gives them an experience in the auditorium yet again, and this is reflected in the choice of films I’ve selected as well. I take other languages very seriously, which encourages me. We are promoting it as a mainstream Hindi film because we see a lot of love and potential in it. However, predominantly, I am not trying to get into the Hindi film industry. I’m making a Telugu film with Telugu sensibilities, and the subject matter is relevant in other languages as well. If audiences are interested in coming to watch it in theatres, as a respect, we put in full effort to make everything needed to make the film look authentic in that language. On discipline and commitment to films Yes, this film was tough to make, and it needed utmost attention. It is my

Gone are the days when a sangeet was just about a few family dances and a DJ night. In 2025, weddings are embracing cinematic choreography, viral content moments, and deeply personal performances that reflect the couple’s story. From surprise dhol entrances to projection-mapped backdrops, sangeet nights are transforming into grand entertainment productions that blend emotion, tradition, and high-energy creativity. We sat down with Ruchika Kashelani, a leading wedding choreographer, to explore the hottest sangeet trends, content-driven performances, and the personal touches that are making waves this wedding season. What’s the hottest sangeet trend at weddings this year?This year, sangeets are moving from simple dance evenings to full-blown entertainment productions. Couples are looking forward to performances that feel deeply personal reflecting their journey, family bonds, and unique style. Grand couple entries, storyline-based medleys, live music fusion, and props built into the choreography are all in demand. Recently, I choreographed a “Crash the Baarat with Dhol” moment where, in the middle of the planned DJ BAARAT, family members unexpectedly jumped in with a surprise live dhol players entered, the beats took over, the crowd went wild, and the video went viral. These spontaneous yet planned elements are what’s trending right now making each event not just entertaining, but unforgettable. Reels, drone shots, and live edits how is content creation shaping sangeet performances now?Couples today are creating dedicated Instagram pages for their weddings, while live content creation teams capture, edit, and post moments instantly making even distant family feel part of the celebration. We now design specific steps, formations, and transitions with the camera in mind so that drone shots, slow-motion captures, and perfect Reel-worthy moments are built into the performance often becoming viral highlights. I also intentionally create “content choreographies” fun dance transitions that showcase the couple in each of their wedding