Bollywood
India has one less reason to laugh; our favourite ‘Gajodar Bhaiyya’ is no more
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.
Bollywood
Delhi HC adjourns Salman Khan’s plea against release of ‘Kala Hiran’ till July 1

New Delhi, June 19: The Delhi High Court on Friday adjourned the hearing on Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s plea seeking to restrain the release of the proposed film “Kala Hiran”, without granting any interim relief at this stage.
A vacation Bench of Justice Madhu Jain directed that a complete copy of the plaint and accompanying documents be supplied to the respondent filmmaker and listed the matter for hearing on July 1.
During the hearing, Salman Khan’s counsel, advocate Nizam Pasha, submitted that the film is purportedly based on the actor’s life and has been produced without his consent.
While pressing for interim relief, Pasha also informed the high court that the poster and trailer of the film had already been released, though the release date of the movie is yet to be announced.
Opposing the plea for urgent relief, counsel appearing for the filmmakers submitted that they had not been served the complete set of documents in the case.
“On Wednesday, they served me only a copy of the application, not the plaint,” the counsel argued, adding that the filmmakers were receiving death threats over the project and that an FIR had already been lodged.
After hearing the parties, the Delhi High Court directed Salman Khan to furnish the complete set of documents, including the plaint, to the respondent and fixed the matter for arguments on July 1. Shortly thereafter, the actor’s counsel mentioned the matter again and contended that the filmmakers had already been served, seeking an earlier hearing date.
However, Justice Jain observed that the matter had already been listed in July and declined to advance the hearing.
The dispute reached the Delhi High Court days after Salman Khan’s legal team issued a notice to the makers of “Kala Hiran: The Battle for Legacy”, asking them to halt the release of the film and remove all promotional material, including posters and publicity content.
Directed by Bharat S. Shrinet and produced by Amit Jani, the film is inspired by the blackbuck poaching case involving Salman Khan and also portrays his alleged rivalry with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The makers have described it as a blend of courtroom drama and crime thriller mounted on an international scale.
The controversy surrounding the film has intensified in recent days, with producer Jani alleging that he has been receiving death threats ahead of the movie’s release. On June 18, Jani claimed that a Pakistani terrorist had threatened him with a drone and grenade attack over the film and said that he had informed the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Rajasthan Police, and CRPF officials. Subsequently, Jani alleged that he received a second death threat within 24 hours.
In a complaint lodged with police in Jodhpur, he claimed that an unidentified caller, identifying himself as a Salman Khan fan, threatened to kill him within three days. The producer urged authorities to immediately register a case and arrest the accused.
Bollywood
AICWA demands high-level investigation into actor Sanchita Ugale’s suicide

Mumbai, June 15: The sudden demise of actress Sanchita Ugale has left the entire television industry in a state of shock.
All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) President Suresh Shyamlal Gupta has now urged the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, to order a high-level inquiry into the death of Sanchita Ugale.
AICWA has requested an in-depth investigation into every possible angle of the case to ensure justice to the deceased and his family.
An official statement shared by the Association read, “Her untimely departure has left her family shattered and the entire Indian film industry mourning the loss of a young talent whose memories will live on forever.”
“Every life is precious. The truth behind this tragic incident must come out, and the family of Sanchita Ugale deserves nothing less than a fair, impartial, and thorough investigation. AICWA urges the authorities to leave no stone unturned and to ensure that all aspects of this case are examined with complete transparency,” they further shared
AICWA has further urged the Government of Maharashtra and the concerned authorities to establish a dedicated committee to examine the increasing number of deaths and mental health-related crises being reported within the entertainment industry.
Additionally, they have also asked to review the safety, well-being, and support systems available to the artists.
“In recent years, the Indian entertainment industry has witnessed several deaths and alleged suicide cases. In many instances, questions raised by family members, colleagues, and the public have remained unanswered. Therefore, it is essential that investigators examine all available evidence, circumstances, and possible angles in this case with complete transparency,” the statement further read.
According to police reports, Sanchita Ugale died by suicide at her residence in Sai Santoshi Building, in Nalasopara East, Mumbai. The unfortunate incident took place on June 14 between 7:00 pm and 7:30 pm.
Bollywood
Ajay Devgn’s ‘Dhamaal 4’ gets a release date, movie to hit theatres on July 10, 2026

Mumbai, June 10: The makers of ‘Dhamaal 4’ have officially announced the theatrical release date of the much-awaited comedy entertainer.
Bollywood superstar Ajay Devgn on Wednesday, shared a brand-new poster from the film, revealing that the latest installment of the popular ‘Dhamaal’ franchise will arrive in cinemas on July 10, 2026.
Earlier on Tuesday Ajay had shared another poster that featured Ajay Devgn himself and veteran actor Sanjay Mishra hanging precariously from a rocky cliff as they appear to be on a treasure hunt.
Sharing the poster on, Ajay wrote, “Inn dono ka hai ek hi goal, to get their hands on gold.”
Directed by Indra Kumar, Dhamaal 4 will bring back the franchise’s signature blend of slapstick humour, treasure hunts and larger-than-life comic situations.
The film stars Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Riteish Deshmukh, Jaaved Jaaferi and Sanjay Mishra in key roles.
The ensemble cast also includes Esha Gupta, Sanjeeda Shaikh, Anjali Anand, Upendra Limaye, Vijay Patkar and Ravi Kishan.
For the uninitiated, Dhamaal franchise began with the 2007 hit Dhamaal, followed by Double Dhamaal in 2011 and Total Dhamaal in 2019.
Produced by Ajay Devgn, Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Ashok Thakeria, Indra Kumar, Anand Pandit and Kumar Mangat Pathak, Dhamaal 4 is presented by T-Series in association with Devgn Films, Maruti International and Panorama Studios.
Earlier, Riteish Deshmukh had also unveiled a quirky new character poster from the upcoming comedy entertainer. The poster showed Riteish hanging precariously from a cliff edge in the middle of a dense jungle while a frightened Anjali Anand is seen struggling to hold on to him. Adding to the chaos, a monkey is seen swinging nearby and a snake is wrapped around his leg.
Sharing the poster, Riteish wrote, “Get ready to join the most unplanned and unstoppable treasure hunt ever”.
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