Have you heard? Shraddha Kapoor to collaborate with Ektaa Kapoor

The winning spirit

Prabhas and Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone is all set to make a comeback after her maternity break and seems like she is going to be all packed till the end of 2026. Along with King with Shah Rukh Khan. Now she will apparently also star in Telugu star Prabhas’s Spirit, which is being directed by filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga. The two stars had earlier collaborated for Kalki 2898 AD (2024). According to reports, Deepika seems to be keen on Spirit for its well-written and nuanced female lead role. However, reports suggest that she had initially turned down the offer due to her pregnancy, but agreed after the shooting timeline was revised in a way that she could get back on sets after completing her maternity break. The film will reportedly go into production in October, with a release planned for the first half of 2027. She is also prepping for the second instalment of Kalki.

Running to the bank

Shraddha Kapoor

After the success of Stree 2 (2024), Shraddha Kapoor seems to be flooded with offers. For her next, she has apparently signed a standalone woman-led film with producer Ektaa Kapoor. We have learnt that the project will be helmed by Rahi Anil Barve and will go on floors in the second half of 2025. According to reports, Shraddha is commanding a fee of  R17 crore for the film.

A boost for content makers

Ashwini Vaishnaw

At the summit, the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) was launched to place India on the global Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) map. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “The institute has already commenced operations.” The IICT is being set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting with global tech players like NVIDIA, Google, and Apple on board. The institute will have cutting-edge facilities, including gaming and animation labs, and virtual production set-up. A 10-acre dedicated campus at Film City is planned for phase two. Vaishnaw added, “It is poised to create vast opportunities for young creators, technologists, and entrepreneurs.”

This article first appeared on Mid Day