Have you heard? Aamir Khan says he will retire after making Mahabharata

The retirement plan

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan recently revealed that his dream project, Mahabharata, which he is working on, will probably be his last. In a podcast with Raj Shamani, Aamir said, “There is layeredness, there is emotion, there is scale, everything is there in it. Everything that is there in the world, you will find it in Mahabharata. I hope that I die with my shoes on, but because you are asking me, I am thinking that probably after doing this, I won’t have any emotion left in me to be able to act.” According to reports, the project is in pre-production and he aims to take it on floors next year. His next film is Sitare Zameen Par, releasing in cinemas on June 20.

Pav to paisa

Laxman Utekar

Laxman Utekar recently got candid about his rags-to-riches story. Born in a small village in Maharashtra, the filmmaker relocated to Mumbai as a kid and did various odd jobs to earn a living, including selling boiled eggs and vada pav. He would even immerse Ganpati idols for mere `5. He shared, “I came into the industry by chance, and I had no backing.” He even revealed that he got his first break after responding to a job listing and became a sweeper at a film studio. He recently helmed Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava.

Nasal and proud

Himesh Reshammiya

Himesh Reshammiya brought the house down in Mumbai, with a power-packed performance as part of his Cap Mania Tour, on May 31. The sold-out concert saw fans singing along to his iconic tracks. During the show, Himesh playfully addressed his critics, who often mock his nasal singing style. He asked the audience, “Thoda regular gaaun ya naak se gaaun?” The crowd cheered for him to sing nasally, and he confirmed, “Are you sure?” before delivering two lines in his signature style. 

Preparing for additional responsibilities, again

(From left) Jankee Mehta and Nakuul Mehta with their son Sufi

Actor Nakuul Mehta and his wife, singer Jankee Parekh, are expecting their second child. The couple has a four-year-old son, Sufi, and shared a collaborative post on social media, on June 1, announcing the news. Sharing a family portrait with his wife, Jankee showing off her baby bump, he wrote, “The boy is ready for additional responsibility. So are we. We are accepting blessings.” Nakuul and Jankee have been married for over 13 years. On the work front, Nakuul has shot for a web series with Tamannaah  Bhatia and Diana Penty, backed by Karan Johar. Its working title is Daring Partners.

Ajay Devgn didn’t ditch

(From left) Ajay Devgn and Ileana D’Cruz in Raid

Ileana D’Cruz has been away from films for some time and is currently expecting her second child with husband Michael Dolan. During a recent  Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Instagram, the actor, who played the female lead in Ajay Devgn’s Raid (2018), revealed that she was offered a role in Raid 2 as well. During the AMA session, when a social media user asked her about her absence from the sequel, she wrote, “I would have loved to be a part of Raid 2. Raid was a special film but Malini was such a special character to play and working with my director Raj Kumar Gupta was a wonderful experience as was working with Ajay again.” Ileana turned the offer down, citing a shift in priorities after giving birth to her first child. She played played Malini Pathak in Raid, and was replaced by Vaani Kapoor in the sequel. 

Met-a-date

(From left) Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra just can’t get over the recently concluded Met Gala 2025. She took to social media to share a string of sultry photos of herself and husband Nick Jonas, taken before the event. In one picture, she is seen donning a white dress with black polka dots, reminiscent of her look from Don (2006). In yet another picture, the couple is seen gazing into each other’s eyes, with Nick kissing her. Fans showered love on the couple, with some calling them “scorching hot.” This was their fourth Met Gala appearance together. Peecee, on Instagram, wrote, “Still thinking about this date night.” They had first appeared together at the 2017 Met Gala, following which they tied the knot in 2018 and welcomed daughter Malti Marie via surrogacy in 2021. On the work front, Peecee will be seen in Heads of State, and a film with SS Rajamouli.

Fake it till you make it

Gajraj Rao

Gajraj Rao’s artistic journey began in Delhi’s theatre scene, where he honed his craft as a passionate theatre artist. However, to support his passion, he unexpectedly ventured into journalism. In the latest episode of mid-day’s podcast series The Bombay Film Story, he shared that he’d befriend journalists and photographers , who would get information about celebrities’ whereabouts. “The real challenge was approaching them.” He also shared how he landed an interview with  filmmaker Yash Chopra. He shared, “Imagine sitting in a suite at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, being served tea by Pamela Chopra, and having a respectful conversation with Yash Chopra. It wasn’t like I was asking for a role.”

This article first appeared on Mid Day