Latest news with #YashRajFilms'
News18
34 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Saiyaara Teaser: Anurag Basu Praises Mohit Suri's Direction, Calls It ‘Outstanding'
Last Updated: Saiyaara teaser earns praise from Anurag Basu. Directed by Mohit Suri, starring Ahaan Panday & Aneet Padda, the YRF romance hits theatres on July 18, 2025. The monsoon season may have just begun, but romance is already in the air—and it's pouring cinematic magic. Yash Raj Films' much-anticipated romantic drama Saiyaara is already turning heads across the industry, with its teaser dropping to an overwhelming wave of praise. Among those quick to shower appreciation is filmmaker Anurag Basu, who lauded director Mohit Suri and praised the teaser's emotional impact, calling it 'outstanding." Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Basu wrote, 'Outstanding teaser!! Mohit Suri never disappoints ❤️"—a powerful endorsement from the Barfi! and Ludo director, known for his own mastery of emotionally resonant storytelling. Mohit never disappoints!! Outstanding Teaser — anurag basu (@basuanurag) May 31, 2025 The teaser for Saiyaara, released on June 7, is less of a preview and more of a sensory experience. Clocking in under two minutes, it delivers a rain-soaked montage of stolen glances, swirling emotions, and soulful background music. Mohit Suri, known for hit romantic dramas like Aashiqui 2, Ek Villain, and Malang, brings his signature emotional weight and visual flair to Saiyaara. True to YRF tradition, the teaser doesn't give away much of the plot but hints at an epic love story wrapped in longing, heartbreak, and quiet intensity. With themes of youthful passion, inner conflict, and bittersweet fate, the teaser has already sparked comparisons to past YRF classics like Fanaa, Veer-Zaara, and Mohabbatein. What truly stands out, though, is the rich, cinematic texture of the visuals—each frame seems built to evoke both nostalgia and newness. While Anurag Basu's endorsement grabbed headlines, he's far from the only one charmed by Saiyaara's teaser. Actors Alia Bhatt, Shraddha Kapoor, and other Bollywood stars have shared the teaser on their social media, calling it 'soulful," 'poetic," and 'the kind of story we've been missing." It's clear that beyond the fan anticipation, Saiyaara is striking a chord within the industry itself. Directed by Mohit Suri and produced by YRF's CEO Akshaye Widhani, Saiyaara is already generating significant curiosity for introducing two fresh faces in leading roles—Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. While Ahaan comes from a prominent film lineage and has spent the last few years cutting his teeth behind the camera on projects like Mardaani 2 and Freaky Ali, this marks his official on-screen debut. His co-star, Aneet Padda, is a rising talent who first made waves in Salaam Venky (2022), directed by Revathy, where she held her own alongside veterans like Kajol. She further solidified her screen presence with her performance in Amazon Prime Video's coming-of-age series Big Girls Don't Cry. Produced under the Yash Raj Films banner and backed by Akshaye Widhani, Saiyaara is all set for a grand worldwide theatrical release on July 18, 2025. In a year when audiences are showing renewed excitement for romantic dramas, especially in theaters, this release couldn't come at a better time. First Published:
News18
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Alia Bhatt Turns Bridesmaid And Photographer At Friend's Wedding In Spain
Last Updated: Just days after her dazzling Cannes debut, Alia Bhatt turned bridesmaid for her close friend's wedding in Spain. After turning heads at the Cannes Film Festival with her stunning red carpet debut as a global ambassador for L'Oréal Paris, Alia Bhatt seamlessly transitioned from international fashion icon to loyal bridesmaid in Spain. The actress flew straight from the French Riviera to attend the wedding of her close friend Tanya Saha Gupta—and the internet can't get enough of her heartwarming switch from couture to celebration. In newly surfaced photos and videos across Instagram and X, Alia is seen donning a chic black strapless gown as one of the bridesmaids during the wedding ceremony. The bride and groom looked ethereal in matching white, while Alia played the perfect bridesmaid—laughing, posing for pictures, and even capturing moments herself on her phone. One photo showed her holding a delicate white umbrella, while another captured her photographing her friend with the picturesque Spanish backdrop behind her. The festivities didn't stop there. Alia, ever the life of the party, was seen letting her hair down at the traditional functions. In one viral clip, she danced energetically to the beats of London Thumakda and High Heels, dressed in a vibrant lehenga paired with a mustard yellow blouse. Her enthusiasm, unfiltered joy, and effortless style made it clear: no matter the continent, Alia knows how to steal the show. This down-to-earth side of the global star is what endears her most to fans. Just days before her bridesmaid stint, Alia walked the prestigious Cannes red carpet in a dramatic off-shoulder fishtail gown by Schiaparelli for the premiere of The Mastermind. At the festival's closing ceremony, she made history by wearing Gucci's first-ever saree, adorned with Swarovski crystals—a look that instantly went viral. Professionally, Alia is on a roll. She's all set to star in Alpha, marking her entry into Yash Raj Films' blockbuster spy universe. She's also gearing up for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Love and War, which reunites her with husband Ranbir Kapoor and brings Vicky Kaushal into the mix. Whether she's lighting up a global film festival or dancing at a friend's wedding, Alia Bhatt continues to embody grace, versatility, and star power—on and off the screen. First Published:
India Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Blending style with substance: Evolving language of espionage in storytelling
Hindi cinema has recently seen a boom in the spy genre. From Salman Khan's 'Ek Tha Tiger' (2012) kickstarting the origins of Yash Raj Films' spy universe, to Neeraj Pandey's 'Baby' (2015) and 'Naam Shabana' (2017), the espionage saga in films and shows has evolved over the years. With Pandey's grounded storytelling or YRF's 'Mission Impossible'-inspired thrillers with a Bond-like flair in the spy genre, the genre has created a new cinematic wave in Hindi cinema. However, when it comes to films and shows, the audiences have grown to appreciate much more than gadgets, glitz and glamour over the years. Where is this genre heading, though? Is it all style and mass, but no meat? spoke to the industry experts to understand more about the genre and where it is thinking of espionage stories, a larger-than-life spectacle often comes into the picture. There has been a template in terms of storytelling in the genre by blending jingoism with the commercial elements of mainstream Bollywood. These stereotypes have now been broken with the OTT boom. Audiences are now rooting for more grounded and relatable characters and are not going to settle for mere style over recent teaser of Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR, Kiara Advani's much-hyped 'War 2' has created a lot of buzz since it was launched. The action-thriller from Aditya Chopra's spy universe is a spin-off to 'Tiger 3' and 'Pathaan' while depicting similar chase sequences, hand-to-hand combat, aerial wire-work action, explosions, beach shots and musical sequences. In spite of movie buffs raving about the upcoming grand spectacle, it is worth noting that some previous big-budget films were mounted on the same yardstick. Despite the moderate or disappointing fate of these films, Bollywood filmmakers still stick to similar formulaic storytelling. At a time when not just OTT platforms but social media and podcast channels have also become an alternative to content consumption, it is crucial to retrospect the future of cinema and the much-needed evolution in film genres and the age of algorithms and market economics, where there is a reel for every teaser and trailer, the X-factor in storytelling needs to come from unique, layered characters and relatable stories, irrespective of the genres. With growing conversations around the future of theatrical releases, it is pivotal to also consider the changing preferences and content consumption habits of audiences. Movie lovers exposed to not just Hindi and English shows, but K-Dramas, Iranian and other languages' cinema are not going to have the same approach towards movie viewing as in earlier shows like 'The Family Man,' 'Special Ops,' 'Mukhbir - The Story of a Spy' and 'The Freelancer' paved the way for more nuanced, research-based stories, do mainstream Hindi filmmakers also need to evolve in their storytelling? On being asked whether the Indian audiences have become more discerning towards the spy genre post the OTT revolution, 'Mukhbir' writer Vaibhav Modi says, "In the pre-OTT era, we did not have too much exposure to that genre. A little bit of that kind of storytelling was there in the American shows, but not many people had access to it. But, if you look at that genre over the last few years, starting with 'Special Ops,' 'Bard of Blood' and 'The Family Man.' So, it has definitely given exposure to Indian audiences."advertisementFilmmaker Siddharth P Malhotra, however, feels that the Hindi film audiences haven't been discerning towards spy films as there have been many such stories being backed by studios like YRF. He says, "Spy content is still very popular on films and streaming platforms. There are an entire spy universe content-based films which are coming out.""Even Alia Bhatt and Sharvari are coming up with a spy film ('Alpha'). So, producers wouldn't be willing to back such movies if it were a discerning audience. If you get it right in terms of the flow, you will always enjoy it. The plot needs to be engaging enough for it not to be discerning. As a genre, it will never go out of fashion," he Gul Panag, who has acted in 'The Family Man', feels that there has been a shift in the audiences' ability to filter content since the OTT boom. She says, "Since the last 4–5 years, the audiences have been discerning towards not just spy content but all kinds of genres. They have been exposed to content from across the world. The viewers have been consuming films and shows available in many different languages. There has also been a shift in their ability to filter content dramatically."advertisementWatch War 2 teaser here: The virality of content and the bridging of language barriers in the current OTT era have also shaped how traditional audiences prefer watching films. Apart from engaging storytelling, is it also time for more research-oriented, nuanced filmmaking when it comes to spy genres? In spite of the charismatic on-screen personas of mainstream stars, does the Hindi film audience also expect character-led espionage films? Are producers willing to back such stories?While reflecting on the same, Modi says, "I would think so because one of the trends has been picking stories from real-life incidents. The other thing is making content from published material. There are a bunch of books out there that are based on declassified information from RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) and IB (Information Bureau). This medium allows time to develop research-based content."The writer also feels the long-form format of storytelling in the spy genres gives them more creative freedom in comparison to films. He further says, "This format of telling a story over eight or ten odd episodes gives you the ability to develop more characters and world-building compared to films where you are only going after one plot. Obviously, producers and writers have gone deeper in terms of geopolitical aspects of a story. In 'Mukhbir', we actually had to create the era where India's relationship with Pakistan was a certain way. We did a lot of deep research related to it."advertisementMalhotra, on the other hand, stresses the need to back writers apart from making projects based on big stars. He says, "If it is a real-life espionage story, then it is better. So, you need a big star and a big setup. Instead of backing stories, producers don't back writers in our film industry; they back stars. I am talking about barring Aditya Chopra, there is no other producer who is going to back the writers."Panag, while weighing on the same, feels that the backing has to come from the platforms. She says, "The producers are certainly open. The backing, however, has to come from platforms. At the end of the day, the numbers are on the platform, and they decide which shows to greenlight."The espionage genre in Indian cinema is not just about nationalism and high-octane action, but also concerns cross-border terrorism and geopolitics. With streaming platforms adapting to more realism and current events, it is imperative for mainstream cinema to also consider the changing trends. The cinematic experience doesn't just have to be about stunts and grand-VFX, but also set a narrative that compliments ongoing politics, national security threats, global terrorism and secret service agencies. Will the success of shows like 'The Family Man' or 'The Freelancer' impact the kind of spy films Bollywood greenlights in the next few years?advertisementPanag points out the diversity in the spy genre on OTT platforms and how the success of these shows depends on the audiences' response. She says, "Espionage is not only 007-style spy stories. That is what big blockbusters have been feeding us. But there have been lots of examples on streaming platforms like 'Jack Ryan,' 'Fauda' and others that have handled the narrative differently. There was this show with Sasha Baren Cohen ('The Spy'), based on a true story as well. The success of these stories, however, also depends on how well they have been received by the viewers."Watch Special Ops 2 teaser here: The future of spy stories largely depends on the ever-changing content-consumption pattern of audiences. Will movie-goers be more inclined towards masala entertainers, musical espionage thrillers, blending 'James Bond' with 'Dhoom'-inspired glamour and gadgets? Or has there been a revolutionary change in the cinematic preferences of film lovers?What is the future of spy stories in Hindi cinema? Panag feels there will always be a theatrical market. However, the actor credits OTT platforms for democratising content. She says, "OTT platforms in today's times have democratised content consumption. I will still go and watch Mission Impossible on the 1st day. So, there will always be a theatrical market apart from OTT platforms. And I don't think the two will cannibalise each other. The consumer is now king and the content creators have to work harder to get a piece of their attention. Earlier, the content was skewed in favour of the supply-side films that were released theatrically and, of course, the content we viewed on traditional television. But today there is a much larger choice and so scope for everyone."Theatrical releases are here to stay irrespective of the rise of streaming shows. The espionage genre - YRF's universe or the Bond franchise - will always appeal to the masses. However, the success and longevity of such stories will only be cinematically relevant if they resonate with the evolving mindset of audiences. Both mainstream films and OTT releases will have to bring a certain novelty and uniqueness to storytelling with a combination of realistic narrative apart from visual appeal in order to ensure audience fate of 'War 2,' 'Alpha,' 'Special Ops 2' and 'The Family Man 3' will define the future course of such films and Watch
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Alia Bhatt shines bright in black strapless gown as bridesmaid at friend's wedding in Spain
Alia Bhatt dazzled at Cannes 2025 with multiple stunning looks, including a gown and a custom saree. After Cannes, she celebrated her friend Tanya Saha Gupta's wedding in Spain, wearing a sleek black strapless gown as a bridesmaid. She's set to star in YRF's 'Alpha' and Bhansali's 'Love & War'. Alia Bhatt had a blast celebrating her close friend Tanya Saha Gupta's wedding in Spain. Right after making a stunning appearance at Cannes 2025, Alia headed to Spain to join the wedding festivities and take on her role as a bridesmaid. Recently, new pictures from the event have surfaced, showcasing Alia's breathtaking look. She wore a sleek black strapless gown, radiating culture and grace at Tanya's elegant white wedding. The bridesmaids all donned coordinated black ensembles, and numerous photos and videos of Alia have been shared widely by her fans. Elegant Bridesmaid Moments A photo recently shared on Instagram features Alia standing with the other bridesmaids behind the bride, who is adorned in a pristine white gown. The actress gracefully holds a delicate white umbrella in one hand and a small bouquet of white flowers in the other. She looks elegant in her black dress, complemented by subtle black earrings that perfectly match her outfit. Her hair is styled in a sleek, tidy bun. In a touching video, Alia and the bridesmaids are seen smiling warmly as they admire the glowing bride. Cannes 2025 Fashion Highlights Meanwhile, Alia recently impressed everyone with her debut at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. For her initial red carpet walk, she chose a graceful nude gown from their Spring 2025 couture line, expertly styled by Rhea Kapoor . Her outfit for the closing ceremony was even more remarkable—a tailor-made Gucci saree, which was the brand's first-ever custom-designed saree. Upcoming Film Projects Professionally, Alia Bhatt is preparing to star in Yash Raj Films' inaugural female-centric spy thriller, 'Alpha', co-starring Sharvari, with a planned release during the Christmas season. Following that, she will join forces with acclaimed director Sanjay Leela Bhansali for his next project, 'Love & War', where she will appear alongside her husband Ranbir Kapoor and actor Vicky Kaushal. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
News18
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
‘My Brother Is A Star': Ananya Panday Gushes Over Ahaan Panday's Saiyaara Teaser
Last Updated: Ananya Panday is all praise for her cousin Ahaan Panday as the teaser of his Bollywood debut film Saiyaara released today. Ananya Panday's cousin Ahaan Panday is all set to make his grand Bollywood debut with Yash Raj Films' upcoming movie 'Saiyaara'. It is directed by filmmaker Mohit Suri, and also stars debutant Aneet Padda. The makers have released the highly anticipated teaser of Saiyaara today! Ananya Panday, beaming with pride, couldn't contain her excitement after catching a glimpse of her cousin brother Ahaan in the teaser of his debut film. She called him a 'star' and showered love on 'Ahaani'. Sharing the teaser of Saiyaara on her Instagram stories, Ananya Panday wrote, 'My brother is a star (heart-eyed emojis, evil eye emojis) love you Ahaani @ahaanpandayy." She further shared that she found the teaser of Saiyaara 'amazing' and 'intense' and that she cannot wait for the film to release. 'This looks amazing!!! Intense!! Can't wait," she wrote. Check out her Instagram story below! Who Is Ahaan Panday? Born on December 23, 1997, in Mumbai, Ahaan is the son of Chikki Panday and Deanne Panday. His sister, Alanna Panday, is a social media influencer who made her on-screen debut last year with Amazon Prime's reality show The Tribe. Ahaan is also the nephew of Bollywood actor Chunky Panday and reality TV star Bhavana Pandey, and cousin to Ananya and Rysa Panday. Alia Bhatt, Shraddha Kapoor And Other Celebs React To Saiyaara Teaser The teaser has struck a chord with fans and Bollywood stars alike. Among the first to cheer on the film were Bollywood actors Alia Bhatt and Shraddha Kapoor, both of whom took to Instagram to show their support for the project and its fresh faces. Alia shared the teaser on her Instagram story, calling it a Mohit Suri love story that she is eagerly awaiting. In a heartfelt note, she wrote, 'A Mohit Suri love story introducing two beautiful actors? I am SEATED!!! This one is hitting the spot and how!!! P.S. – Can we have the song like now? Please." She also extended her best wishes to Ahaan and Aneet as they begin their cinematic journey, calling it a promising new chapter. Shraddha Kapoor, who has previously collaborated with Mohit Suri on beloved hits like Aashiqui 2 and Ek Villain, also shared the teaser on IG with a sweet tribute to the director – 'Isse kehte hai magic. Mohit Suri ka magic." Set to release worldwide on July 18, 2025, Saiyaara promises a fresh take on young love, rich with emotion, music, and soul. First Published:
