Mumbai, Dec 16: The tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain left for the heavenly abode on December 15, leaving a huge void in India’s music. With his excellence and humility, the Ustad touched many lives, young and old, people in positions of power and the common man. Such is the impact of one of the greatest tabla players that his demise feels like a personal loss to many.

Several members of the film fraternity like Kamal Haasan, Akshay Kumar, A. R. Rahman, Mohanlal, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Hansal Mehta, and others shared their condolences on his demise.

Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar took to his social media and shared an image of Zakir Hussain. He wrote, “Very pained to know about the sad demise of Ustad Zakir Hussain Sahab. He was truly a treasure for our country’s musical heritage. Om Shanti”.

Veteran Tamil megastar Kamal Haasan took to his X, formerly Twitter and shared an old image in which Zakir Hussain could be seen giving the taal to the actor as the latter plays tabla. He wrote, “Zakir Bhai! He left too soon. Yet we are grateful for the times he gave us and what he left behind in the form of his art. Goodbye and Thank you”.

Oscar and Grammy-winning music composer A. R. Rahman called Zakir an inspiration and expressed his regret for not collaborating with him in recent years. He wrote, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. Zakir Bhai was an inspiration, a towering personality who elevated the tabla to global acclaim. His loss is immeasurable for all of us. I regret not being able to collaborate with him as much as we did decades ago, though we had planned an album together. You shall be truly missed.

May his family and his countless students worldwide find the strength to bear this immense loss”. Veteran Malayalam superstar Mohanlal wrote on his X, “Ustad Zakir Hussain’s passing leaves an irreplaceable void in the world of music. His rhythms united hearts across borders. My deepest condolences to his family and admirers”.

Actress Kareena Kapoor Khan, who was recently seen along with Akshay Kumar in ‘Singham Again’, also paid tribute to the legendary musician with a heartfelt image that featured her alongside Zakir Hussain and her father, Randhir Kapoor. She wrote, “Maestro forever”.

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta, who recently directed Kareena in ‘The Buckingham Murders’ also took to his X, and wrote, “The maestro who made so many sleepless nights at Hindustani classical concerts memorable. The man who knew how to engage with an audience through his artistry. The Ustad who made the tabla sexy. Goodbye Ustad Zakir Hussain”.

Playback singer Sonu Nigam expressed his shock at the demise of the late musician, as he took to his Instagram, and wrote, “Zakir bhai… What is this?”.

Actress Nimrat Kaur recalled the last time she saw Ustad Zakir Hussain perform live earlier this year. She took to her Instagram, and shared a picture and a video of the late musician. She wrote in the caption, “On Feb 28th, ’24, when I last watched Ustad Zakir Hussain live at Prithvi Theatre, I recall my heart beating to the beats of the sheer flawless genius of his talent. His international superstardom and the zenith of his achievements are forever here to inspire and energize us”.

“As a human being, to remain the most humble, gracious, and generous through his incomparable life journey is what remains etched as a life goal in my heart. Your kind eyes and mystical being shall outlive generations…rest in glory Ustad ji. Never shall there be another”, she added.

Mumbai, Dec 12: Actress Shruti Haasan and Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan are in pink city, Jaipur for the shooting of their upcoming movie ‘Coolie’.

The film stars Tamil cinema icon Rajinikanth in the lead role, and has been creating a buzz since its announcement. This project reportedly marks the first-ever collaboration between Shruti and Aamir, sparking immense excitement among fans eager to witness their on-screen chemistry.

According to insiders, Shruti Haasan has already begun shooting alongside Aamir Khan in Jaipur. Having previously filmed portions of Coolie in Vizag and Chennai, Shruti has been deeply immersed in the project. With Aamir now joining the cast, expectations for this cinematic venture have soared even higher.

The film is directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, who is known for ‘Vikram’, ‘Kaithi’ and ‘Leo’.

The team is currently engaged in an intensive 10-day shoot in Jaipur, capturing pivotal scenes for the film. ‘Coolie’ promises to be a cinematic treat, poised to mesmerize audiences with its gripping narrative and stellar performances.

The film also stars Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj, Reba Monica John and others in pivotal roles.

Composer Anirudh Ravichander, editor Philomin Raj and cinematographer Girish Gangadharan are part of the technical team.

Produced by Sun Pictures, ‘Coolie’ is slated for a grand release in 2025.

Shruti, who is the daughter of Tamil cinema icon Kamal Haasan and actress Sarika Thakur, is also an established playback singer. She has also sung songs in Hindi films including ‘Aazma’ for ‘Luck’, ‘Alvida’ for ‘D-Day’ and ‘Joganiyan’ for ‘Tevar’.

She began her career as a music director with her father’s production ‘Unnaipol Oruvan’ and has since formed her own music band. She won the Best Music Director award for ‘Unnaipol Oruvan’ at Edison Awards.

Last year, the actress released her single ‘Monster Machine’ which is a hard edged, industrial rock track, the song is an edgy and trippy celebration of the misfit attitude.

Days after comedian Sunil Pal was kidnapped near Meerut, actor Mushtaq Khan has revealed that he too was kidnapped in a similar fashion on November 20. The actor’s business partner stated that Khan was tortured for 12 hours before he could escape.

Khan’s business partner Shivam Yadav stated that the actor was called for an award show in Meerut on November 20. He even received the advance payment in his bank account and flight ticket details. However, when the Stree 2 actor landed in Delhi, he was made to sit in a car, which was then driven to the outskirts of Delhi, near Bijnor, and the actor was kidnapped.

The report stated that the Welcome actor was kidnapped and tortured for 12 hours, and the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs 1 crore. They then took Rs 2 lakh from the actor and his son’s account.

The next morning, Khan heard azaan at the place where he was held captive, and realising that a mosque was nearby, he managed to run away from the place and reached the mosque. He then sought help from the people there, who contacted the police, and Khan managed to return home.

Yadav said that they are now in the process of filing an FIR and they have all the proofs of flight tickets, bank account transactions and CCTV footage from outside Delhi airport. “Khan also recognises the neigbhourhood, even the house where he was kept. I think the police team will surely get the culprits soon,” he said.

It was only last week that comedian Sunil Pal was invited for an event in Delhi, but was then kidnapped and taken to Meerut. He was eventually let go after he paid a ransom of Rs 7.5 lakh.