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The Nightingale will live forever in her 50,000 songs in 14 languages

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As the flames leapt up to consume the mortal remains of Lata Mangeshkar, Gulzar’s words set to R.D. Burman’s music, which the Nightingale immortalised with her ageless voice — “Meri awaaz hi pehchaan hai …” — kept swirling in the hearts and minds of her followers around the world.

There couldn’t have been more appropriate words to encapsulate the truth that only a few souls are able to stir the consciousness of generations, transcending all boundaries. Lata Mangeshkar was one of those rare souls.

The Nightingale’s radiant image seemed to shine above the political and tinsel stars who had converged at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park to pay their final respects to the departed soul. More than her smile, that famous twinkle in her eye seemed to assure Lataji’s countless fans that she was very much there.

And how can she ever go away? Each of her more than 50,000 songs in 14 languages will ensure her immortality.

As much as her voice is mesmerising, equally her carefully draped saree and tightly held hair with a small round ‘bindi’ in the middle of her forehead will remain etched in the memory of every Indian. She looked very much like a goddess in ‘avatar’. It wasn’t without a reason that generations has regarded Lataji as Goddess Saraswati incarnate.

Lata Didi, as the nation fondly calls her, has forever set the standards that perhaps may never be matched. Singing will never be like hers, although clones are in thousands.

Songs for every mood, every age, all seasons, festivals, celebrations, all occasions of happiness or sadness. From spiritually uplifting bhajans to soothing romantic numbers, to racy, pacy tracks, she did them all in her 73-year career as the voice of the nation.

Not a day or hour goes by when her songs are not being aired, sung by talent hunt participants, or remixed by sound engineers. remixed is not being aired or even hummed. Even for the upcoming generation, her songs are the lessons to be learnt and in musical talent shows aired on TV channels or FM radio, it is mostly her songs that are sung.

Lataji continues to live in her songs. She has been immortalised in her songs, and each time a song by her is sung, Lataji will come alive.

All her songs are iconic; each is unique in its own style. There is no one that is the best, because all are the best. Her voice gave that magical touch to Hindi movies that have always been mostly about song and dance.

Lataji is every singer’s dream, and for the masses her songs are emotions that they have grown with. Listening to her songs on the radio and TV, seeing them picturised in movies, singing them in school and college competitions, or in ‘antaksharis’, and dancing to them in wedding sangeet ceremonies, we have lived Lataji’s songs for decades. They have been a part of the growing-up years of all Indians. Lata Mangeshkar has always been there, the quintessential diet of our emotions.

“Meri awaaz hi pehchaan hai … chehra ye badal jayege … meri awaaz hi pechaan hai … ghar yaad rahe” (My voice will be my identity even if the way I look changes). Gulzar sahab seemed to have written these words, which Lataji sang with Bhupinder Singh in ‘Kinara’ in 1977, inspired by her life.

Lata Didi, as the world will always remember her as, her voice and her face radiating magnanimity will never fade away.

Bollywood

Ajay Devgn’s ‘Dhamaal 4’ gets a release date, movie to hit theatres on July 10, 2026

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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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Actor Salim Kumar under expert medical supervision in Kochi hospital

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Salim Kumar

Actor Salim Kumar under expert medical supervision in Kochi hospital Kochi, June 6 Popular Malayalam actor and National Award winner Salim Kumar has been admitted to Amrita Hospital in Kochi following health related concerns. The 56-year-old actor, who had been undergoing treatment for various health issues over the past few days, has been placed on ventilator support after doctors assessed his condition to be serious. A team of specialist doctors of the hospital is closely monitoring Salim Kumar’s health and continuing treatment. However, hospital authorities and family members have not released detailed information about his present medical condition.

Salim Kumar has been facing liver-related health issues for the past few years. The actor had earlier spoken about being diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and clarified that the condition was not related to alcohol consumption but was a hereditary health issue. He had revealed that his brother, who did not even consume tea, had also suffered from a similar condition.

Salim Kumar had also spoken about the emotional challenges he faced while dealing with his illness, including periods of isolation and personal struggles related to the deadly disease. Known for his exceptional comic timing and natural style of acting, Salim Kumar has been one of the most popular and versatile performers in Malayalam cinema. Starting his career with comedy roles, he later established himself as a serious actor through powerful character portrayals.

His performance in films across different genres earned him critical acclaim, and he went on to win the National Film Award for Best Actor for his role in ‘Adaminte Makan Abu’. He has also been recognised with several state and film awards for his contribution to Malayalam cinema. The news of his hospitalisation has led to an outpouring of support from colleagues, fans and well-wishers, who have expressed hope for his recovery. Known for his liking for the Congress party, the hugely popular actor has time and again come out in support of the party, especially during the election times.

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Bollywood

Don 3 Row: FWICE Withdraws Non-Cooperation Directive Against Ranveer Singh Following Legal Notice, Says ‘No One Has Won Or Lost’

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Actor Ranveer Singh received major relief in the ongoing Don 3 controversy, with the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) officially withdrawing its non-cooperation directive against him. The decision was announced on Wednesday (June 3) after discussions involving several key industry bodies, including the Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA), the Producers Guild of India (PGI) and the Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA).

The move comes days after FWICE issued the directive over Ranveer’s reported exit from Farhan Akhtar’s much-awaited film Don 3. The matter later escalated when the actor sent a legal notice to the organisation.

Speaking to reporters, FWICE president BN Tiwari confirmed that the directive had been revoked with immediate effect.

“We are taking back our non cooperative directive from immediate effect after a request by IMPAA, the producers’ guild and CINTAA. We have been told that we should all sit together with the producers’ body and take an appropriate decision where neither the producers and directors nor the actor face any issues,” FWICE president BN Tiwari told reporters in Mumbai, according to PTI.

Tiwari also clarified that the organisation does not view the development as a victory or defeat for either side. “No one has won or lost in this matter. Our legal department will respond to his legal notice,” he added.

The controversy began on May 25 when FWICE announced a non-cooperation directive against Ranveer following a complaint filed by Farhan and his producing partner Ritesh Sidhwani with the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA).

The matter was subsequently referred to FWICE for intervention.

According to reports, Don 3 has been in development for nearly three years and is yet to go on floors. The producers have reportedly claimed that more than Rs 45 crore has already been invested in the film’s pre-production process.

Amid the growing dispute, Ranveer Singh chose not to comment publicly on the issue. However, his spokesperson issued a statement emphasizing the actor’s respect for everyone associated with the project and the film industry.

“Throughout the recent developments surrounding ‘Don 3’, he has consciously chosen to maintain silence, believing that professional discussions and personal equations are best handled with dignity, maturity and mutual respect,” the statement said.

The spokesperson also stated that Singh continues to hold “deep respect and goodwill” for all those connected to the film and the industry.

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