Ananya Raj passes away at 27 after battling physical and mental discomfort

Actor Ananya Raj, known for her work in films including 7 Hours to Go, The Final Exit and Ghost, has died at the age of 27. Her family announced the news through her official Instagram account, revealing that the actor passed away peacefully in her sleep in the early hours of July 15.

According to the family statement, Ananya had been dealing with physical and mental discomfort for more than a year. The note also said that she continued to fight through the difficult period with strength. “This is Ananya's family. With great pain, we have to announce that Ananya passed away in the wee hours of 15th July. She passed away peacefully in sleep. For over a year she was going through physical and mental discomfort. And she fought like a warrior to overcome them,” the family wrote.

The statement further described Ananya as a strong-willed person and requested people to respect the family's privacy during the difficult period. “She was a strong spirited girl and lived like a Queen. Bachcha, your absence will be dearly felt. We urge all of you to pray for her soul. And In these trying times, We wish to maintain privacy and quietitude,” the family added.

 

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Ananya Raj's career

Raised in Mumbai, Ananya worked across Hindi and regional cinema. She entered the entertainment industry through films and music videos and gradually became associated with several projects.

Ananya made her Bollywood debut with 7 Hours to Go in 2016. She later appeared in The Final Exit and Ghost. Alongside films, she featured in music videos associated with prominent labels such as T-Series, Zee Music and Times Music.

Her work also extended to regional cinema. She appeared in the Telugu suspense thriller Thaggede Le, directed by Srinivas Raju, alongside Naveen Chandra, Divya Pillai and P. Ravi Shankar. The film also marked one of her notable regional projects.

Ananya was also part of the trilingual action drama Madrasi Gang, directed by Ajay Andrews Nuthakki. She played Sarita, a woman from Mumbai's slums and the girlfriend of a gangster portrayed by Ranga Jinu. The film also featured Ashmit Patel as a police officer and Adhyayan Suman as a gangster.

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EXCLUSIVE: Industry veterans join hands for Malamaal Weekly 2; Subhash Kale, Chandraprakash Jain announce MEGA collaboration

Bollywood Hungama was the first to confirm that work on the much-anticipated sequel to the iconic comedy Malamaal Weekly is in the works, with Amit Joshi of Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024) fame signed as the director. In recent weeks, we have also made several exclusive reveals regarding the ensemble cast, confirming that Paresh Rawal, Raveena Tandon, Parineeti Chopra, Shilpa Shirodkar, Fardeen Khan, Mahesh Manjrekar and Elvish Yadav have come on board for this comic caper. Now, we bring you another massive trade scoop straight from the production desk.

Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learned that producer Subhash Kale, Founder of Camera Take Films and Vikrant Studio, has forged a strategic mega-association with veteran film financier and producer S Chandraprakash Jain of Sri Mishri Productions to mount Malamaal Weekly 2 on an unprecedented scale.

A source close to the development informed Bollywood Hungama, "Malamaal Weekly 2 is being mounted on a significantly larger and grander canvas compared to the original. The makers wanted a rock-solid production and financial backbone behind a project of this magnitude. Subhash Kale, who has proven his technical prowess on mega-blockbusters like Padmaavat (2018) and Stree (2018), has joined hands with trade titan S Chandraprakash Jain. Their coming together makes this one of the biggest commercial comedy setups in recent times."

S Chandraprakash Jain is a legendary name in the film trade, having financed over 1,800 feature films across South Indian and Hindi cinema, besides producing blockbusters like Thalapathy Vijay’s Thalaivaa (2013). On the other hand, Subhash Kale’s outfits – Camera Take Films and Vikrant Studio – have served as an integral pillar for high-end post-production, line production, and camera services across blockbuster hits like Padmaavat, Kedarnath (2018), Stree, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022), and recent prominent films such as Shaitaan (2024) and Khel Khel Mein (2024).

The source added, "This association is unmatched in every sense. On one side, Subhash Kale brings advanced AI workflows, VFX, and top-tier post and line-production capabilities to the table; on the other hand, S Chandraprakash Jain brings decades of trade experience and a deep distribution network. The team is aiming for a spectacular theatrical release with high-grade production values."

Besides Malamaal Weekly 2, Subhash Kale’s banner is currently managing an impressive slate of high-profile projects, including The Confession (starring Nana Patekar), Bhagam Bhag 2 (starring Akshay Kumar), and the biopic of V Shantaram (starring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Tamannaah Bhatia).

With a power-packed ensemble cast featuring Paresh Rawal, Raveena Tandon, Parineeti Chopra, Shilpa Shirodkar, and Elvish Yadav, combined with this formidable partnership between Camera Take Films and Sri Mishri Productions, Malamaal Weekly 2 has firmly positioned itself as one of the most eagerly anticipated films of the year.

Also Read: Malamaal Weekly 2 EXCLUSIVE: Riteish Deshmukh, Elvish Yadav, Paresh Rawal and Rajpal Yadav locked in leads, shoot begins in November

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Vimal Elaichi ad row explained: Why Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff got FDA notices?

An advertisement for Vimal Elaichi featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff has triggered a regulatory debate in Maharashtra, with the state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) questioning whether the campaign indirectly promotes pan masala.

The notices, issued by Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, relate to a 2024 advertisement in which the three actors promoted Vimal Elaichi. The product is marketed as a cardamom-based mouth freshener, but the FDA has raised concerns over its branding and its association with the wider Vimal pan masala brand.

At the centre of the issue is the concept of surrogate advertising, where a brand promotes a legal product or service in a manner that could also reinforce consumer recognition of a restricted or prohibited product carrying the same or a closely associated brand identity. Why has the Maharashtra FDA questioned the Vimal Elaichi ad? According to the nine-page show-cause notice accessed by NDTV, the FDA believes that the use of the “VIMAL Elaichi” branding could create an association with Vimal Pan Masala.

The notice states that the advertisement “may mislead consumers” and could indirectly promote the identity of a product that is prohibited in Maharashtra. The authority has therefore questioned whether the campaign should be treated simply as an advertisement for elaichi or as a form of indirect promotion for pan masala.

The FDA has directed Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff to discontinue their participation in the campaign and remove related promotional material from their official social media accounts. The actors have also been asked to explain their position. What is Vimal Elaichi and why is its branding relevant? Vimal Elaichi is marketed as a mouth freshener containing cardamom and other ingredients. The controversy does not appear to centre on the legality of consuming elaichi itself. Instead, the FDA's concern is about the Vimal brand identity and whether promoting an associated product can also keep the pan masala brand visible to consumers.

This distinction is important because an advertisement can promote a product that is legal on its own while potentially reinforcing the recognition of another product that is subject to restrictions.

The FDA notice reportedly states that if the use of the Vimal name is intended to “maintain, reinforce or enhance” the brand identity associated with pan masala or tobacco-related products, the communication could potentially be considered surrogate promotion. What is surrogate advertising? Surrogate advertising refers to the practice of promoting one product under circumstances where the advertising may also serve to promote a restricted product from the same brand family.

The concern is particularly relevant to tobacco and pan masala brands because direct advertising of tobacco products is restricted under Indian law. Section 5 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 prohibits advertisements of cigarettes and other tobacco products, including indirect forms of advertising.

The FDA's notice has raised the question of whether the Vimal Elaichi campaign could fall within that broader prohibition if its branding and presentation effectively reinforce the identity of tobacco-linked products. Why were Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff sent notices? The FDA has not only questioned the advertisement itself but also the role of the celebrity endorsers.

The authority has referred to the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022, issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA). The guidelines are intended to ensure that endorsements are not deceptive and that endorsers exercise due diligence before promoting products.

The FDA has reportedly sought information including copies of the actors' endorsement agreements, campaign briefs, payment arrangements and details of the due diligence undertaken before they participated in the campaign.

This means the notices are not an immediate finding that the actors have violated the law. They are show-cause notices, giving the actors an opportunity to respond to the allegations and explain their position. What penalties could the actors face? The notice cites provisions dealing with misleading advertisements and endorsements. Depending on the findings, violations may result in financial penalties and restrictions on future endorsements.

The notices have reportedly cited penalties ranging from Rs 10 lakhs to Rs 50 lakhs, along with the possibility of restrictions on endorsing products for a period of up to three years.

The eventual consequences, however, would depend on the actors' responses and the findings of the relevant authorities. Why is Maharashtra strict about pan masala and gutka? Maharashtra has a long history of regulatory action against gutka and pan masala containing prohibited ingredients.

In 2012, the Bombay High Court dealt with challenges to the state's restrictions on gutka and pan masala. The court considered the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, along with food safety regulations and the state's order prohibiting products containing ingredients such as tobacco, nicotine and magnesium carbonate.

The court ultimately declined to grant interim relief against the implementation of the Maharashtra Food Safety Commissioner's order. It also recognised the Food Safety Commissioner's authority to act against products containing prohibited ingredients under the applicable food safety framework.

The latest notices therefore come against a broader backdrop of Maharashtra's efforts to restrict gutka and pan masala products that fall within its food safety prohibitions. What happens next? Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff will now have an opportunity to respond to the Maharashtra FDA's notices. The regulator's action will also put the spotlight on a recurring question in celebrity advertising: whether promoting an apparently separate product is permissible when the brand is strongly associated with a restricted product.

Also Read: Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff get Maharashtra FDA notice over Vimal Elaichi ad: Report

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EXCLUSIVE: Salman Khan, Sunny Deol, Anil Kapoor and many other prominent celebs attend David Dhawan's grand 75th birthday bash

One of the most successful directors of Bollywood, David Dhawan, celebrated his 75th birthday on the night of August 15 with lot of pomp. Interestingly, as many as 30 to 35 celebrities graced the special occasion, Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learned. The director turned 75 on August 16.

A source told Bollywood Hungama, "The party was held at his house. David Dhawan doesn't really throw bashes but this time, he did so, probably as it's a milestone birthday, and also presumably at the insistence of his family members who dote on him."

The source continued, "Besides son Varun Dhawan and others, the guests included Rajkumar Santoshi, Sunny Deol, Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Pradeep (Tutu) Sharma, Padmini Kolhapure Sharma, Dinesh Vijan, Sajid Nadiadwala, Rumi Jafry, and a few others. A total of around 30-35 guests attended the bash."

Bollywood Hungama also stumbled upon an exclusive picture from the birthday party of David Dhawan. The birthday boy can be seen posing with Varun Dhawan, Tutu Sharma and Padmini Kolhapure. Meanwhile, Rajkumar Santoshi is visible in the foreground.

David Dhawan began his career as a director with Taaqatwar (1989). In these 37 years, he went on to direct 45 films, including super hits like Aankhen (1993), Raja Babu (1994), Coolie No 1 (1995), Saajan Chale Sasural (1996), Judwaa (1997), Hero No 1 (1997), Deewana Mastana (1997), Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998), Biwi No 1 (1999), Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999), Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004), Partner (2007), etc.

David Dhawan's 45th film, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, incidentally released just two months ago. It starred Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde.

Also Read: Govinda urges Sunita Ahuja to “stay within her limits” after she calls him co-star Komal Rani’s “sugar daddy”

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Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff get Maharashtra FDA notice over Vimal Elaichi ad: Report

Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff have received show-cause notices from the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over their association with a 2024 advertisement for Vimal Elaichi. The state food safety authority has alleged that the advertisement could amount to indirect or surrogate promotion of pan masala, which is prohibited in Maharashtra.

The nine-page notice, issued by Maharashtra's food safety chief Tukaram Mundhe, asks the three actors to discontinue their participation in the campaign and remove promotional material related to the advertisement from their official social media accounts. They have also been asked to explain their position within 15 days. Why has the Maharashtra FDA issued the notices? The actors appeared together in a Vimal Elaichi advertisement in 2024. While the campaign promotes elaichi, the FDA has raised concerns over the use of the Vimal brand, which is strongly associated with pan masala.

“Upon examination of the said advertisement, it prima facie appears that the advertisement promotes the VIMAL brand, which is mainly associated with Pan Masala, a product prohibited for manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale in the State of Maharashtra,” the notice stated, according to NDTV.

The authority further said the phrase “VIMAL Elaichi” appears to establish an association with the Vimal pan masala brand. According to the notice, this could mislead consumers and indirectly promote a product that is prohibited in the state.

The FDA also noted that if the use of the Vimal name is intended to maintain or strengthen the brand identity associated with pan masala or tobacco-related products, the advertisement could be viewed as more than a promotion for an independent elaichi product.

The notice reportedly seeks details including copies of the actors' endorsement agreements, campaign briefs, payment arrangements and information on the due diligence carried out before their participation in the campaign. What penalties could the actors face? The FDA has cited consumer protection provisions concerning misleading endorsements. According to the notice, violations can attract penalties, including financial penalties of up to Rs 10 lakh for a first offence, while subsequent violations can carry higher penalties. The actors could also face restrictions on endorsing products for a specified period.

The notices come as Maharashtra's food safety authorities continue their action against banned tobacco products and gutka. The latest development also brings renewed attention to the debate around celebrity endorsements of products that are marketed as alternatives to pan masala. Akshay Kumar had earlier faced backlash over Vimal ad This is not the first time a Bollywood celebrity's association with the Vimal brand has sparked controversy. In 2022, Akshay Kumar faced significant backlash after appearing in a Vimal Elaichi advertisement alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn. Following the criticism, Kumar apologised to his fans and announced that he would step away from the endorsement.

Also Read: Elaichi Universe expands: After Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn for Vimal, Salman Khan comes on board Rajshree

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Ranveer Singh starrer end-of-the-world action thriller Pralay, directed by Jai Mehta, goes on floors in Mumbai

Headlined by Ranveer Singh, Pralay the ambitious new end-of-the-world action thriller, has officially gone on floors in Mumbai, marking the commencement of filming on one of the most keenly-awaited films.

The film marks Ranveer Singh’s next major motion picture release following Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar The Revenge, which emerged as the highest-grossing film of all time. With Pralay, the actor once again ventures into an unexplored cinematic landscape that is new and disruptive. Ranveer not only headlines the film but also serves as a producer, taking on a story that demands both physical intensity and emotional conviction.

For Ananya Birla, Pralay, a Birla Studios production, reflects her ambition to push the landscape of cinema as a creative catalyst who is looking to collaborate with the modern game-changers in India. For Hansal Mehta and Sahil Saigal’s True Story Films, it reflects a belief in creating disruption through content.

Pralay stars Lokah breakout actress Kalyani Priyadarshan in a pivotal role, further bringing together an exciting new generation of talent.

Bringing together an ensemble of creative and technical talent from India and around the world, Pralay is directed by Jai Mehta, whose work on Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, which he co-directed with Hansal Mehta, and Lootere has earned widespread acclaim. The film plunges audiences into a relentless odyssey, unfolding against the terrifying possibility of an end-of-the-world catastrophe.

Set against the unmistakable pulse and landscape of Mumbai, Pralay is an original story that seeks to marry breathtaking spectacle with a deeply human emotional core. At its heart is a journey of survival, courage and the instinct to fight for what matters most when the world as you know it begins to collapse.

The film is being shot at live locations in and around Mumbai, as the makers embrace the physicality and unpredictability of real-world environments. This approach brings heightened scale, texture and realism to a world on the brink of annihilation.

Pralay had been in highly technical and intensive pre-production for several months. It’s unprecedented mounting has already earned it the distinction of being one of the most talked about and highly anticipated projects coming out of Indian cinema in current times.

Also Read: Farhan Akhtar takes a dig at Ranveer Singh over Don 3 exit? says “It was a month away from filming, which seems to be a pattern nowadays”

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Jackky Bhagnani returns to acting after six years with Independence Day anthem 'Tere Rang Mein': "I wanted the street credibility and respect of Gen Z"

Jackky Bhagnani has returned to acting after a six-year gap with the Independence Day anthem 'Tere Rang Mein,' released under his music label Jjust Music. The actor-producer said the song offered him an opportunity to return to the screen with a project that was personally meaningful to him.

Bhagnani described himself as a patriot and said the nature of the song played an important role in his decision to face the camera again. “I am a patriot by heart. It’s been quite some time since I faced the camera. So, I thought the best way to come back is with the right cause,” Bhagnani said.

The actor's return comes after several years of focusing primarily on film production. According to Bhagnani, stepping away from acting was a conscious decision as he worked behind the scenes and became more involved in producing films. Jackky Bhagnani on focusing on film production Bhagnani said his experience as a producer made him rethink the way he wanted to approach his acting career. He explained that producing his own films gave him greater control over the projects he wanted to associate with. “I realised that I should produce my own films because if I do that, no one will question it,” he said.

The actor-producer also spoke about wanting to establish greater credibility among younger audiences. He said that even when some of his films performed well, he felt he had not received the recognition he was looking for as an actor. “I felt that even in the films that were working, I wasn’t getting credibility. I wanted the street credibility and respect of Gen Z, they should see that this is made by me,” Bhagnani shared.

Now that he is returning to acting, Bhagnani said he is not looking to sign projects simply for the sake of being on screen. Instead, he is searching for a role that offers something different.

The actor said he is looking for something “disruptive” for his next acting project, suggesting that his return to films will be guided by the kind of material he finds creatively interesting. Jackky Bhagnani praises wife Rakul Preet Singh Bhagnani also spoke about his wife, actor Rakul Preet Singh, who will soon be seen as Surpanakha in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana: Part 1. The actor-producer expressed confidence in her performance and said the film could introduce another side of her talent to Hindi-speaking audiences. “Rakul is my superstar. She has seen superstardom in the South. She has so much more to offer to the Hindi audience, and Ramayana will do that for her,” he said.

Bhagnani also acknowledged the challenges involved in portraying a character such as Surpanakha. “Surpanakha can be a tricky character, but she has played it with elegance,” he added.

Rakul will feature alongside Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana in the upcoming epic. The film is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on November 6, 2026.

Also Read: Rakul Preet Singh joins #WhatsOnYourPlate challenge, nominates Jackky Bhagnani and Tamannaah Bhatia

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