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India has one less reason to laugh; our favourite ‘Gajodar Bhaiyya’ is no more

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Known for his earthy humour and inimitable delivery style, comedian Raju Srivastav, who became a household name in his delightful ‘Gajodhar Bhaiyya’ persona, breathed his last on Wednesday, September 21, aged 59. The popular comedian battled for his life for 43 days.

He passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where he had been rushed on August 9 after he complained of chest pain and collapsed in the South Delhi gym where he was working out.

Srivastav was at once moved to the Intensive Care Unit and put on a ventilator. Doctors had then said that he had suffered brain damage.

Born on December 25, 1963, Satya Prakash Srivastava, who later became famous as Raju Srivastava, came from a middle-class family in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

A gifted mimic, the comedy star had his share on initial struggles before attracting notice by mimicking megastar Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic baritone voice. That got him invited to stage shows both within and outside India.

He first appeared in small roles in Bollywood films, such as the 1989 Salman Khan-starrer ‘Maine Pyaar Kiya’, where he essayed the role of Shambhu, a house help. He then appeared in Shah Rukh Khan’s defining film ‘Baazigar’, which was released in 1993.

Srivastava was then seen in films such as ‘Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiyaa’ (2001), ‘Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon’ (2003), ‘Big Brother’ (2007) and ‘Bombay To Goa’ (2007), among many others.

His big breakthrough came in 2005, however, with the first season of ‘The Great Indian Laughter Challenge’, which opened the doors for him in the world of stand-up comedy.

He finished as second runner-up and then took part in the spin-off, ‘The Great Indian Laughter Challenge – Champions’, where he was feted with the title of ‘The King of Comedy’.

In 2009, he took over the cameras, quite literally, as he joined the reality show ‘Bigg Boss 3’. Following that, he was seen in ‘Comedy Ka Maha Muqabala’.

The beauty of his life was that he constantly kept pushing the envelope. In 2013, Srivastava, along with his wife Shikha, participated in the popular dance show ‘Nach Baliye’ Season 6. Soon thereafter, he also appeared on ‘Comedy Nights with Kapil’.

He even branched out into politics! The Samajwadi Party fielded Srivastava from Kanpur in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, but he returned the ticked and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi named him to be a part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, for which he has shot various TV commercials and social service video.

He is survived by Shikha, whom he married in 1993, and their children Antara and Ayushman.

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‘Ghajini 2’ in works? Aamir Khan and Allu Aravind drop subtle hints

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Mumbai, Jan 31: Aamir Khan recently graced the trailer launch event of Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi’s “Thandel”. During the event, Mr Perfectionist and ace South producer Allu Aravind dropped a massive hint about the much-discussed sequel, “Ghajini 2”.

Addressing the media, Allu Aravind shared, “I should make 1000 crore film with you. Maybe ‘Ghajini 2’. Reacting to this, Aamir Khan said, “A lot on the net has been going around Ghajini 2”.

Reports have been doing rounds for some time now that Allu Aravind is planning to make the sequel in both Tamil and Hindi. If the reports are to be believed, Suriya will play the lead role in the Tamil version of “Ghajini 2”, whereas Aamir Khan will be roped in for the Hindi rendition.

The 2008 action thriller “Ghajini” was made under the direction of A. R. Murugadoss. The project also marked the Bollywood debut of the filmmaker. Theatrically released on 25th December 2008, it became the highest-grossing Indian film of the year and the first Bollywood film to cross the ₹100 crore mark.

“Ghajini” talks about a rich business tycoon, Sanjay Singhania (Aamir Khan) who suffers from short-term memory loss due to being hit by a metal pole during an attempt to save his girlfriend Kalpana Shetty (Asin).

On another front, the Tamil version of “Thandel” trailer was unveiled by superstar Karthi, whereas Aamir Khan was the chief guest at the trailer launch event.

Helmed by Chandoo Mondeti, the movie will be released in multiple languages on 7th February 2025. Produced by Bunny Vasu under the banner of Geetha Arts, the project has been presented by Allu Aravind. With Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi in lead roles, the film will also see

Prakash Belawadi, and Karunakaran in supporting roles.

“Thandel” talks about the horrific experiences of fishermen from Srikakulam, who found themselves accidentally drifting into Pakistani waters during a routine fishing trip.

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Deva X Review: Netizens Declare Shahid Kapoor’s Cop Drama A ‘Blockbuster’, Praise His Action Scenes & Intense Performance

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Mumbai: Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor has returned to the silver screens in a brand new avatar with his film Deva. Directed by Rosshan Andrrews, the film also stars Pooja Hegde, Ashutosh Rana, Kubra Sait and Pavail Gulati. It hit the big screens on Friday (January 31) and those who have watched the early morning shows of the film have flooded social media platforms with their reviews.

A section of X (formerly known as Twitter) users already declared Deva a ‘blockbuster’. While some lauded Shahid’s action-packed scenes and his intense performance, others were all praise for Pooja.

An X user said Deva is Shahid’s ‘career-defining’ performance and called it a ‘must-watch’ film. “#Deva Review 🚨🔥 MASTERPIECE ALERT! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ #ShahidKapoor delivers a career-defining performance as the fierce & unhinged cop, and Rosshan Andrrews crafts an absolute banger of an action thriller! The intensity, #Deva a must-watch,” wrote the user.

Another early review read, “#Deva Review 4/5⭐️ #ShahidKapoor is in his top of his game his Acting is just Truly Outstanding #PoojaHegde shines in her role – The best part about the film is it doesn’t feel dragged a bit because of only 1 song in the film – Climax is 🔥 ( Not Remake doubt clear).”

The film promises to show Shahid in a never-seen-before cop avatar. The actor plays an angry, young cop in the film, and can be seen packing some intense punches and delivering impressive gun-toting scenes.

Hours before the film’s release, Shahid took to social media to share an emotional message with his fans, expressing his deep connection to the project and the effort that went into bringing it to life. He reflected on the years of hard work, dedication, and passion he poured into the role of Deva, a character that he describes as being close to his heart.

“One year of blood sweat and tears. 2024 was all DEVA !!! MERA DIL MERI JAAN. MERA KAAM MERI SHIDDAT. MERA ACTING KE LIYE PYAAR. MERI AUDIENCE KE LIYE MOHOBBAT. MERA SAALON KA EXPERIENCE MERA ANDAR KA CREATIVE BACHHA. SAB HAI IS DEVA MEIN….. Till today he was mine. From tomorrow he is yours,” he wrote.

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Hrithik Roshan’s says ‘What a joy’ after attending Joy Awards 2025

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Mumbai, Jan 29: The prestigious entertainment awards from the Arab world, Joy Awards were held in Riyadh a couple of days ago. Hrithik Roshan represented India at the global event, along with actress Shraddha Kapoor. Now, the “War” actor has taken to his official Instagram account to pen a thank you note.

Showing his gratitude for being a part of the prestigious event, Hrithik Roshan wrote, “What a joy it was to be at the @joyawards 2025 in the presence of some of the best talents from across the globe! Thank you @turkialalshik for having me be a part of this celebration of Global Entertainment and cinema.”

Previously, the official Instagram handle of Joy Awards shared a group portrait of numerous celebrities from around the world who were a part of the event. While Hrithik Roshan looked all handsome in a red pantsuit, Shraddha Kapoor was a sight to behold in an abaya-inspired corset gown.

In the meantime, Hrithik Roshan recently used social media to wish his sister Sunaina Roshan on her birthday. Posting a picture of his sister after her incredible weight loss journey, the ‘Super 30’ wrote, “Happy birthday Didi. Your newfound attitude to life and the things you have accomplished this past year are nothing less than extraordinary! In fact it’s almost magical. Keep going didi ! You are amazing and I love you”.

Furthermore, Hrithik Roshan celebrated 25 years of his debut film “Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai” with a special Instagram post. Sharing many pictures of the notes that he wrote ahead of the shooting of the film as part of his preparation, he wrote in the caption, “My notes from 27 years ago. Prepping as an ACTOR for my first movie ‘Kaho Na Pyaar Hai’, I remember how nervous I was. Still am when starting a movie. I’d be embarrassed sharing these, but after 25 years of being in the industry I guess I can handle it. Then to now, what’s changed? I see these pages and realise, absolutely nothing. Good thing? Bad thing? It’s just how it is (sic)”.

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