Mumbai, August 26: Veteran actress Aruna Irani looked visibly bereaved as she arrived at the crematorium for the last rites of her husband and filmmaker Kuku Kohli, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 77 after suffering a cardiac arrest.

A video from the funeral ceremony shows a bereaved Aruna, dressed in white, arriving at the venue. She appeared emotional as she made her way towards the crematorium, with people around her helping her get out of the car.

In another frame, the veteran actress is seen holding someone’s hand as she walks towards the venue.

For the uninitiated, talking about Kuku Kohli, he was best known for directing the 1991 action-romance Phool Aur Kaante, which marked Ajay Devgn’s debut. His other directorial ventures include Haqeeqat, Suhaag, Zulmi, Anari No. 1, Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa and Woh Tera Naam Tha.

While Kuku Kohli’s professional contribution to Hindi cinema is known to all, making him highly reputed in the industry, but his relationship with Aruna Irani remained one of the lesser-known chapters of their lives for many years.

Reportedly, the couple’s love story began on a film set and, interestingly, not on particularly romantic terms. Aruna had earlier revealed that she and Kuku initially shared a “love-hate relationship”. She recalled that he would make the actors wait until Dharmendra arrived on the sets, something that would frustrate her because she was juggling multiple films at the time. Kuku would later console her whenever she was upset, and the equation gradually changed.

Aruna also narrated the story during an appearance on the singing reality show Indian Idol earlier this year.

When host Aditya Narayan mmn had asked her about her experience of working with Kuku, Aruna responded with her trademark wit, “Romance wala experience ya director wala?”

Asked to elaborate on their romantic equation, she said, “Romance to ajeeb baat thi, Kuku ji ka aur mera 36 (chattis) ka aakda tha.”

She then recalled an incident that eventually changed their equation. According to Aruna, she and Suresh Bhatt were joking about Kuku on the sets when the filmmaker asked what they were talking about. Suresh jokingly told him that they were discussing how handsome he looked in a white outfit.

Aruna recalled, “He seriously thought ki main unki tareef kar rahi hoon… then ahista-ahista woh soft hone lage, jab woh soft hone lage to main soft ho gayi… aur pata nahi kab chakkar chal gaya.”

Their relationship, however, was complicated from the beginning. Aruna had revealed that Kuku was already married and had children when they met, and she initially did not know that he had a wife and daughters. She said this was one of the reasons she kept their relationship private for years.

Aruna and Kuku married in 1990, when she was 40. Their marriage remained largely under wraps, and Aruna did not publicly discuss it while Kuku’s first wife, Rita Kohli, was alive. She later explained that she felt it was inappropriate to speak about the relationship publicly out of respect for his first family.

Director – Geetu Mohandas, Cast – Yash, Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria, Rukmini Vasanth, Duration – 3h14m, Rating – 4.5

It isn’t an Amar Chitra Katha, but truly a fairy tale for grown-ups — not just in the visual spectacle it promises, but in the layered and complex human emotions that drive its story.

Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups doesn’t fit neatly into one genre. At its heart, it is a Action drama, but the film expands beyond that, weaving together action, love, family, and layered storytelling into a world where every character has a story of their own. Geetu Mohandas brings all these elements together with a distinct visual and narrative style.

Yash takes on a dual role as Raya and his son Ticket, bringing contrasting energies to the film. While Raya anchors the gangster world, Ticket adds another emotional layer to the story.

The film takes its time building its world, allowing its characters and motivations to unfold naturally. Nayanthara’s Ganga and Kiara Advani’s Nadia add emotional depth, with Kiara bringing warmth and vulnerability to her part. Huma Qureshi’s Elizabeth brings a strong presence to the narrative, holding her own within the film’s layered world. Rukmini Vasanth, meanwhile, emerges as a surprise package as Mellisa, bringing an understated yet impactful performance. Tara Sutaria’s Rebecca, Akshay Oberoi’s Tony, Darrell D’Silva’s Salvador and Sudev Nair’s Karmadi each bring their own arc to the story, making Toxic feel like a larger, layered narrative.

The first half has a distinctly massy flavour while keeping the storytelling layered. Geetu Mohandas allows the drama, relationships and gangster elements to simmer before building towards a massive interval block. It is the kind of interval that makes you sit up and wonder what comes next — leaving you wanting more.

But it is the second half that takes Toxic to another level.

The action becomes bigger, more intense, and far more ferocious. What begins as a gangster drama gradually transforms into something much more primal and explosive. The scale is massive, but it is the sheer intensity of the sequences that really stands out. There is a rawness to the world Geetu creates, and the film fully embraces that energy.

At the same time, Toxic never loses its emotional core. Love, family, loyalty, and desire remain woven into the larger gangster narrative, giving the action a personal stake. The relationships between Raya, Ticket, Ganga and Nadia add an emotional layer to what could otherwise have been a straight-up action-driven story.

And just when you think you have figured out where the story is headed, Toxic keeps you guessing. The climax takes an unpredictable turn, adding another layer to the narrative and leaving you with plenty to take away once the film ends. It is a finale that stays with you, rather than simply being about the spectacle of the moment.

Yash anchors the film with a commanding screen presence, shifting between quieter emotional moments and larger-than-life action with ease. His dual performance gives the film another layer, particularly as the differences between Raya and Ticket begin to emerge.

Geetu Mohandas clearly has a larger canvas in mind with Toxic. The storytelling is layered, the characters are given their own arcs, and the film constantly reveals new pieces of its world. It doesn’t always spell everything out, instead trusting the audience to stay with it and connect the dots.

KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations LLP deserve credit for backing a film that aims big and delivers a memorable theatrical experience, and with Yash leading the charge and Geetu Mohandas weaving together gangster drama, love, layered storytelling, and massive action, Toxic emerges as a massy, primal, and ambitious cinematic experience that is now playing in theatres worldwide.

Mumbai, Aug 25: Actor Emraan Hashmi has unveiled the first glimpse of his upcoming action entertainer ‘Gunmaster G9.’

The glimpse sets the tone for an action-packed narrative while also teasing the chemistry between Hashmi and the film’s lead cast. Taking to Instagram, Emraan shared the teaser, writing, “The World of G9 Begins. Romance. Music. Action.#GunmaasterG9 brings it all together in a story that’s ready to take you on a ride. In cinemas 27th November 2026.#G9 #Gunmaaster Produced by @deepakmukut @hunarmukut @sangeetaahirofficial Presented by @sohamrockstrent Pvt Ltd.”

Soham Rockstar Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. and Deepak Mukut have reunited Emraan Hashmi, Himesh Reshammiya and Datt nearly two decades after their first collaboration in 2005 on “Gunmaaster G9.” The reunion also marks another musical collaboration between Hashmi and Reshammiya, with Himesh composing the music for the upcoming film.

Producer Deepak Mukut said, “With the teaser of Gunmaaster G9 we have kickstarted the film’s promotional campaign. This will build anticipation for the film, as the teaser has all the ingredients that make Gunmaaster G9 a big screen experience.”

Director Aditya Datt added, “Gunmaaster G9 is a film which will see Emraan Hashmi leaves no stone unturned in protecting the love of his life from everything that threatens her. The film combines action, romance and music to give all Emraan Hashmi fans a complete entertainer.”

Emraan Hashmi said, “Adi and I have worked together in the past and we share a wonderful relationship as creative collaborators. We get each other intrinsically and when we are on set, we bring out the best in each other. I play Eshwar in the film— an ordinary dairy farm owner who is willing to go to any lengths for his beloved.”

“Gunmaaster G9” stars Emraan Hashmi, Genelia D’Souza, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Singh. The film is produced by Deepak Mukut, Hunar Mukut and Sangeeta Ahir, and presented by Soham Rockstar Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. Directed by Aditya Datt, the action romance is slated for a worldwide theatrical release on November 27, 2026.