Bollywood superstar Ranbir Kapoor recently shared a heartwarming anecdote about Amitabh Bachchan.

He highlighted how the megastar would make time for his son Abhishek Bachchan despite his busy work schedule.

Ranbir revealed that Amitabh would even fly to Switzerland, where Abhishek was studying, just to watch his school basketball matches for two hours before flying back to the studio to resume work.

The anecdote came up during Ranbir’s appearance on ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’, hosted by Amitabh Bachchan. Speaking about the bond between the father and son, Ranbir said Abhishek had often told him how his father would make sure to be present for all the important moments in his life.

Recalling what Abhishek had shared with him, Ranbir said, “Aur Abhishek mujhe hamesha kehta tha ki jab woh Switzerland mein padh raha tha aur aap itne busy the, aap itne kaam kar rahe the, par koi bhi agar ek important event ho uski life mein… ek basketball game ho, school ka basketball game ho, aap flight leke wahan pahunch jaate the, do ghanta basketball game dekhkar flight leke wahan wapas direct studio jaate the”

“Toh aapne bhi itni mehnat ki… aur ek zamana tha jahan pita aur bete ka rishta kuch alag tha, ek doori thi, you know aap itne busy the, shayad time nahi milta tha, lekin Abhishek hamesha kehta tha ki papa jitne bhi busy ho, woh hamesha time nikal ke jo bhi hamare zindagi ke mahatva moments the, important moments the, you were always there for that and I really, I congratulate you for that..”

(Abhishek always told me that when he was studying in Switzerland, despite how busy you were and how much work you had, you would make it a point to be present for every important event in his life. Whether it was a basketball game at school, you would take a flight there, watch the game for two hours, and then fly straight back to the studio)

(You made so much effort to be there for him. There was a time when the relationship between fathers and sons was quite different, with a certain distance between them. You were so busy that perhaps you didn’t always have the time. But Abhishek would always tell me that no matter how busy his father was, he would always make time for the important moments in their lives. You were always there for those moments, and I truly congratulate you for that)

Responding to Ranbir, Amitabh said that it was a father’s responsibility to encourage his children and be present for them whenever possible.

Amitabh said, “Yeh pita ke nate hamara kartavya banta hai ki jo santaan ho unko prerna di jaye aur kartavya karte rahe… agar unko achha lagne wala hai paanch minute ke liye bhi toh hum pahunch jayenge wahan aur agar pahunch sake toh avashya wahan thherenge… lekin ye baat jo aapne kahi thi na ki prem mein jo hai kartavya jo hai woh apne aap aa jata hai, hai ki nahi? … Toh jab prem hota hai toh kartavya bhi hota hai..”

(As a father, it is our responsibility to inspire our children and continue fulfilling our duties towards them. If something is going to make them happy, even for just five minutes, we will make the effort to be there. And if we can reach there, we will certainly stay for a while. But what you said earlier is so true: when there is love, a sense of duty comes naturally, doesn’t it? When there is love, there is also responsibility)

During the same conversation, Amitabh also spoke about how he has always tried to support Abhishek, especially when his films have not performed well. He said he has never criticised his son because he already faces enough criticism from people outside.

Sharing his thoughts, Amitabh said, “Alochana dekhiye karne ke liye bahut sare hazaron karodon log baithe hue hain, ji… agar ek aur ghar mein aa jayega alochak toh achha nahi lagta, ji… toh humne kabhi alochana nahi ki, humne bas kewal aashirwad diya ki koi baat nahi ye aaj film nahi chali hai, aage aur bhi filmein aayengi aur aur bhi kaam milega.”

(Look, there are thousands and crores of people out there to criticise him. It wouldn’t feel right if he had one more critic at home. So, we never criticised him. We simply offered our blessings and reassurance, telling him that it was okay if a film didn’t work today, as there would be more films and more opportunities in the future.)

A special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court here on Tuesday sent Suneha Pandit, the 13th accused arrested in connection with the firing incident on Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff, to police custody till November 16.

The Mumbai Crime Branch had arrested Suneha Pandit, the sister-in-law of gangster Anil Pandit, who had claimed responsibility for the October 18 firing case, from Haryana’s Karnal district.

She was produced before a special MCOCA court in Mumbai on Tuesday, where investigators sought her police custody for further questioning.

According to officials, Suneha Pandit is the wife of Abhishek, who allegedly operates a cryptocurrency account.

Funds have reportedly been received in this account from abroad, and investigators suspect that the money may be proceeds from extortion.

Abhishek Pandit is the brother of Anil Pandit and is accused of running two other groups along with his network and is said to handle payments for all operations.

The other accused persons in the firing case were assigned special codes through which Abhishek Pandit allegedly transferred money to them, police said.

The Mumbai Crime Branch had sought 15 days of police custody for Suneha Pandit.

However, her lawyer opposed the police custody request, arguing that the police have already obtained all the information they required.

The Mumbai Crime Branch also informed the court that the funds allegedly used in the Tiger Shroff firing case came from foreign sources.

In its order, the MCOCA court sent the accused woman to the custody of the Mumbai Crime Branch until November 16.

Last week, a special MCOCA court sent Amar, the 12th accused arrested from Haryana’s Sonipat, to police custody till November 6.

Prior to that, the MCOCA court had sent 11 other accused arrested in connection with the firing on Shroff’s car to police custody till November 6.

Amar was arrested from Rohna village in Sonipat.

According to officials, Amar is accused of having transferred money, allegedly used in the commission of the crime, online. The funds were reportedly used for various expenses, including the purchase of a motorcycle and booking hotel rooms linked to the case.

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to re-upload the public awareness video of actor Dia Mirza that urged citizens not to burst firecrackers on public roads during Diwali.

She had uploaded the video on the court’s earlier directions aimed at curbing pollution.

A division bench of Justice Girish Kulkarni and Justice Dr Neela Gokhale expressed strong displeasure over remarks made by certain political leaders against the actor for participating in the awareness campaign.

The court also reiterated that India is a secular country and emphasised the importance of following judicial directions issued in the public interest.

The BMC had enlisted Dia Mirza as part of its Diwali awareness drive to sensitise citizens about air pollution and compliance with court-imposed restrictions on bursting firecrackers in public spaces. However, the civic body removed the video from its social media platforms after objections were raised by BJP leaders, including Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam and BMC Mayor Ritu Tawde.

Tawde had criticised Mirza’s appeal, alleging that her opposition was consistently directed against Hindutva and those associated with it. She argued that Hindus did not require lessons on how to celebrate Diwali and accused the actor of pursuing a selective agenda.

Responding to the controversy, Dia Mirza defended the video, saying it was recorded on the directions of the Bombay High Court and was intended to promote public awareness about air pollution.

“Diwali celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair. The video was recorded in the interest of public awareness, with the intention of encouraging a healthier and more mindful celebration. Air pollution is a matter of public health, and every effort towards reducing it is a step towards a better environment for all,” Mirza told media on Monday.

The BMC’s Diwali campaign featured several public figures, including actor Madhuri Dixit and cricketer Ajinkya Rahane, advocating environmentally responsible celebrations. However, objections were raised to Mirza’s participation, with critics questioning the involvement of celebrities in advising the public on festival practices.