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Indian Film Festival Of Melbourne 2026 Announces Winners: Rishab Shetty, Dulquer Salmaan, Kirti Kulhari, Vijay Varma and Rasika Dugal take top honours

By dev at August 13, 2026 Features & Specials No comments

The 17th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2026 has unveiled its winners, recognising a wide range of films, filmmakers, actors and storytellers from India and across the subcontinent. The awards celebrated diverse cinematic voices, notable performances and stories reflecting the changing landscape of Indian cinema.

Among the leading names honoured this year were Rishab Shetty, Dulquer Salmaan, Kirti Kulhari, Vijay Varma and Rasika Dugal.

Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra won Best Film, while The Great Shamshuddin Family received a Special Mention in the category. Rima Das’ Not a Hero was named Best Indie Film, with Kikkran De Phull (Flowers of Acacia) receiving a Special Mention in the Indie Film category.

Rishab Shetty emerged as one of the evening’s major winners. He received the Best Director award for Kantara: A Legend - Chapter 1 and was also honoured with the Leadership in Cinema award for his contribution to contemporary Indian filmmaking and storytelling rooted in cultural identity.

Dulquer Salmaan won Best Actor for Kaantha, while Kirti Kulhari received Best Actress for Full Plate. Shahrbanoo Sadat’s No Good Men was named Best Film from the Subcontinent, and Madhushree Dutta’s Flying Tigers won Best Documentary Film.

The People’s Choice Award went to Saiyaara, while Sitaare Zameen Par received the Equality in Cinema Award, presented by La Trobe. Simran Mangeshkar received a Special Mention for her work on the film.

The festival also recognised diverse storytelling through the Rainbow Storyteller Award, presented to Lala and Poppy. In the Short Film Competitions, The Weight of Soil won in Australia, while Jo’s Turn emerged as the Indian winner.

The streaming categories saw Vijay Varma win Best Actor (Series) for Matka King, while Rasika Dugal was named Best Actress (Series) for Delhi Crime 3. Freedom At Midnight, Season 2 won Best Series.

Beyond the competitive categories, Pankaj Tripathi received the Artist of Distinction honour. IFFM also marked Rani Mukerji’s 30 years in cinema with a special recognition. Veteran actor Rekha was presented with the Excellence in Cinema award for her decades-long contribution to Indian cinema.

The 2026 edition once again highlighted the range of Indian storytelling, bringing together mainstream films, independent cinema, documentaries, short films and streaming projects. Through its focus on cinema, diversity, equality and cultural exchange, IFFM continues to offer an international platform for filmmakers and artists from India and the subcontinent.

IFFM 2026 Winners

- Best Film: Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra

- Best Film – Special Mention: The Great Shamshuddin Family

- Best Indie Film: Not a Hero – Rima Das

- Special Mention – Indie Film: Kikkran De Phull (Flowers of Acacia)

- Best Director: Rishab Shetty – Kantara: A Legend - Chapter 1

- Best Actor: Dulquer Salmaan – Kaantha

- Best Actress: Kirti Kulhari – Full Plate

- Best Film from the Subcontinent: No Good Men – Shahrbanoo Sadat

- Best Documentary Film: Flying Tigers – Madhushree Dutta

- People’s Choice Award: Saiyaara

- Equality in Cinema Award, presented by La Trobe: Sitaare Zameen Par

- Special Mention – Equality in Cinema: Simran Mangeshkar – Sitaare Zameen Par

- Rainbow Storyteller Award: Lala and Poppy

- Short Film Competition (Australia): The Weight of Soil

- Short Film Competition (India): Jo’s Turn

- Best Actor (Series): Vijay Varma – Matka King

- Best Actress (Series): Rasika Dugal – Delhi Crime 3

- Best Series: Freedom At Midnight, Season 2

- Artist of Distinction: Pankaj Tripathi

- Special Recognition: 30 Years of Rani Mukerji

- Leadership in Cinema: Rishab Shetty

- Excellence in Cinema: Rekha

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Rani Mukerji honoured at IFFM with special citation for acting excellence: “Success is the love that remains… year after year and only grows with time"

By dev at August 13, 2026 Features & Specials No comments

Rani Mukerji was honoured at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) with a special citation recognising her excellence in acting. The honour marks her three-decade journey in Indian cinema and acknowledges the lasting connection she has built with audiences in India and around the world.

Mukerji became emotional while reflecting on her 30 years in the film industry and the affection she has continued to receive from audiences. Speaking at the festival, she described the journey as one filled with memories, dreams, achievements, setbacks and, above all, love.

“Thirty years! When I say those words out loud, they don’t feel like a number. They feel like a lifetime of memories… of dreams, of victories, of people, of failures and above all, of love,” she said.

The actress also spoke about how she defines success, stressing that for her, it is not simply about professional achievements but the love that remains with an artist over the years. “Success is the love that remains… year after year and only grows with time … that’s the only kind of success I have strived for,” Mukerji said.

Reflecting on her international journey, she recalled how she never imagined that the characters she portrayed early in her career would eventually connect with audiences beyond India. She acknowledged the warmth she has received from audiences in Australia and spoke about the reach of Indian cinema across borders.

“When I entered the Indian film industry as a young girl, I never imagined that one day my films and the characters that I have been fortunate enough to play, would take me across oceans … and that people in a beautiful country like Australia would embrace me with so much warmth,” she added.

Rani further highlighted the importance of audiences in completing an actor’s work. “As actors, we perform in front of a camera. But the real story begins only when that performance reaches someone’s heart,” she said.

The IFFM citation recognises Mukerji’s three-decade career, marked by successful films and memorable characters that continue to find new audiences across generations and countries.

Also Read : EXCLUSIVE: Adnan Sami reveals Amitabh Bachchan, Govinda, Rani Mukerji, Raveena Tandon and others featured in his music videos for FREE: “Not one of them charged a penny”

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EXCLUSIVE: Scam 1992 writer Sumit Purohit to co-direct Scam 2010 with Hansal Mehta; shooting underway

By dev at August 13, 2026 Bollywood News No comments

In 2020, Hansal Mehta made his digital debut with Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, a biographical financial thriller that became a groundbreaking success for SonyLIV and one of the most acclaimed Indian web series of its time. Mehta directed the Pratik Gandhi-led show with his filmmaker son Jai Mehta. Three years later, the franchise returned with Scam 2003: The Telgi Story; however, Hansal served only as showrunner, handing over directorial duties to Tushar Hiranandani. As the third season of the franchise, Scam 2010, takes shape, Hansal is set to return to the director’s chair, this time alongside a new co-director.

Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learned that Sumit Purohit will co-direct Scam 2010 with Hansal Mehta. Purohit was among the writers of the first season and is intimately familiar with the franchise’s tone and storytelling approach, making him a natural fit for the job. The screenwriter made his directorial debut with the espionage thriller series Saare Jahan Se Accha and has also directed the satirical comedy-drama Baaghi Bechare, starring Pratik Gandhi, Abhishek Banerjee and Faisal Malik, which is yet to be released. Scam 2010 will mark a significant step forward for Purohit as he transitions from writer on the first season to co-director of the third instalment.

Scam 2010 delves into the financial scandals surrounding maverick businessman Subrata Roy of Sahara India Pariwar. Marathi actor Siddharth Bodke (Devmanus, Drishyam 2) essays the role of Roy, while Kritika Singh (Rangbaaz), Moon Banerjee and CID fame Aditya Srivastava round out the principal cast. The show went on floors in late May and has since been shot across multiple locations, including Lucknow, Kanpur, Delhi, Mumbai and Dehradun. The series is expected to wrap production by mid-September, with a global premiere on SonyLIV targeted for early 2027.

Produced by Applause Entertainment and Birla Studios, Scam 2010 will chronicle the meteoric rise of Roy’s vast business empire and the prolonged legal battles that followed. Based on Tamal Bandyopadhyay’s 2014 book Sahara: The Untold Story, the new season will explore the contradictions in Roy’s public image while examining the complex intersections of markets, governance and accountability in modern Indian finance.

Also Read: Scam 2010 begins production: Hansal Mehta to direct Siddharth Bodke in new chapter

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Munawar Faruqui lashes out after The Traitors Season 2 elimination: “They are all scared, insecure bunch of people”

By dev at August 12, 2026 Features & Specials No comments

The second season of The Traitors has started with high drama, unexpected eliminations and accusations among the contestants. Hosted by Karan Johar, the reality show returned with its first three episodes, introducing viewers to a game filled with suspicion and betrayal. Comedian Munawar Faruqui became one of the biggest talking points after he was eliminated during the first Circle of Shaq.

During the first round, Munawar openly accused Mallika Sherawat of being a traitor. However, his strategy raised suspicions among several contestants, who felt that he was behaving like a traitor himself. As the voting began, Munawar received the highest number of votes and was eliminated from the game.

The actual traitors at that point were Kullu, Krystle D’Souza and Harman Singha, while Shahneel Gill was later recruited as the fourth traitor in the second episode.

After his elimination, Munawar addressed the contestants and said that he had expected to be targeted. He said, “I had expected this to happen to me. I knew I would have to face it. This often happens to me. It is not the first time. This is not the first time that I have been targeted.”

He further accused the contestants of acting out of insecurity, adding, “Call me a soft target or someone too good to be there. I can clearly see through the insecurities of other people, and you will see how end up looking. Because your insecurities will be visible.”

When Karan Johar asked Munawar to reveal whether he was a traitor or an innocent, the comedian appeared emotional and strongly reacted. “F*** off, guys! I was playing the game! I wanted to play it well! I am an innocent! F*** off, insecure bunch of people. They thought I would eat them up here. They are all scared. Now recognise who is the one amongst you,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dalip Tahil became the first contestant to leave the game after receiving the least number of gold coins, while Karan Singh Magic became the first contestant to be murdered by the traitors. The Traitors Season 2 is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Also Read : Samay Raina roasts Munawar Faruqui’s second marriage by comparing him with Aamir Khan: “Aamir sir jaise game toh Munawar ne khela hai”

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

By dev at August 12, 2026 Bollywood News No comments

In February, Bollywood Hungama exclusively revealed that Priyadarshan’s 2006 comedy Malamaal Weekly is getting a sequel. Since then, we have been regularly updating about the film and we recently also unveiled the leading female cast, which includes Parineeti Chopra, Raveena Tandon and Shilpa Shirodkar. Now, we can reveal the male leads of the project.

Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learned that Riteish Deshmukh, Elvish Yadav, Paresh Rawal and Rajpal Yadav have been locked for Malamaal Weekly 2. Though Riteish is leading the film, sources close to the production have said that he is still reading the script and is yet to sign on the dotted line. The sequel is moving ahead with the original trio of Riteish, Paresh and Rajpal returning for the leads, along with Elvish Yadav joining as a new casting addition to the principal cast. Yadav is a popular YouTube content creator and the winner of Big Boss OTT Season 2 (2023), and this film will mark his second Bollywood outing following his debut with Tiger Shroff and Remo D'Souza's upcoming action drama. All the actors have verbally been confirmed, with the formal paperwork currently underway.

Malamaal Weekly 2 will feature a completely new storyline. However, it will retain the core thematic flavour of the original — a group of ordinary people in a small town, driven by poverty, greed and the prospect of sudden wealth, finding themselves caught in an increasingly chaotic situation. Amit Joshi, who co-directed Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon's robotic rom-com Teri Baton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, has been brought on board to helm this film. He's currently fine-tuning the script, with plans to take it into production by November 2026.

Released in 2006, Malamaal Weekly was a box office success and was remade in three Southern languages, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, with Priyadarshan himself directing the Malayalam adaptation. The comedy revolved around Lilaram, a lottery ticket seller and the only literate villager. After one of his customers dies from the shock of winning a lottery, he hatches a plan to have that money all for himself. However, others from the village have also got their eyes on the money, leading to chaotic greed and comedic rivalry among the villagers. Malamaal Weekly 2 is expected to retain the comic spirit of the original while delivering a full-fledged comedy of errors for audiences.

Also Read: MEGA EXCLUSIVE: Raveena Tandon and Parineeti Chopra join the cast of Malamaal Weekly 2

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Nitish Sharma on being rejected as Lakshman in Ramayana; says, “It was clear there would be big stars”

By dev at August 12, 2026 Features & Specials No comments

For newcomer Nitish Sharma, his journey to Nitesh Tiwari’s much-awaited Ramayana took an unexpected turn. After facing several rejections and being replaced in a major film, Sharma auditioned for the role of Lakshman. Although he did not eventually get the part, his performance impressed the filmmaker, who offered him the role of Shatrughn in the epic.

In an exclusive conversation with Mid-Day, Nitish opened up about his journey, working with Ranbir Kapoor and the criticism surrounding the film’s casting. Recalling the difficult phase that eventually led him to Ramayana, Nitish said that he had gone through hundreds of auditions before finally landing a major role in a big film in 2023. However, he was later replaced by a senior actor. The setback left him disappointed, but he found comfort in reading the Ramcharitmanas.

“I was trying to find peace by reading the sacred book. When I was reading the Bharat Milap scene, I received a call from Mukesh Chhabra's office saying that Nitesh Tiwari was making a pilot film of Ramayana and they wanted to test me for Lakshman. So I did,” he recalled.

During the audition, Nitish was asked to perform scenes as Lakshman before Nitesh Tiwari asked him to play Ram. His performance impressed the director, who assured him that he would be part of the main film. Nitish was eventually cast as Shatrughn, while Lakshman is being played by Ravie Dubey.

Explaining why he was not selected as Lakshman, Nitish said, “For the actual film, it was clear that in every character there would be big stars. And in such a big-scale movie, there are many things involved. But I have zero complaints about it.”

Nitish also spoke about his experience of working with Ranbir Kapoor, who plays Lord Ram. He praised the actor’s humility and professionalism, particularly the way he continued giving cues to co-stars even after finishing his own scenes.

“Whenever we were shooting together, the way he gave all the cues to me, even when his scene was over, was amazing. He always gives his cues by himself to every actor, no matter if it is 10 times, 12 times or 15 times. He treats everyone with humility,” he said.

Addressing criticism of Ranbir’s casting, Nitish said, “It is actually very sad that people judge someone by just one look. Ranbir is the greatest actor we have in this industry right now. After watching the movie, I am telling you, they will praise Ranbir as Ram. No one could have done it better than RK.”

He also defended Sai Pallavi, who plays Sita, amid criticism of her appearance and casting. “Sai, she looks divine in real life. She is the best casting for Sita. There are many trolls about her as well. But that is how a 99 per cent Indian beauty looks like,” he said.

Nitish remains confident that Ramayana will connect strongly with audiences. “I am very sure that Ramayana will create magic once again, just like it did in 1987 with Ramanand Sagar,” he concluded.

Also Read : BREAKING: EXCLUSIVE footage of Ramayana to be screened at Big Cine Expo 2026, Chennai; Rakesh Roshan to receive Special Achievement Award

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Nora Fatehi sets the stage on fire at MYRCH Fest in Amsterdam with her electrifying performance; watch

By dev at August 11, 2026 Features & Specials No comments

Nora Fatehi once again proved her star power on the global stage as she headlined MYRCH Fest in Amsterdam, one of the city’s biggest Desi music festivals. The much-anticipated event brought together music enthusiasts from diverse cultural backgrounds, creating a vibrant celebration of South Asian music, international sounds and cross-cultural entertainment. Nora’s electrifying performance emerged as one of the major highlights of the festival.

The performer delivered a high-energy set packed with several of her popular tracks, keeping the crowd entertained throughout her performance. Her setlist included fan favourites such as ‘Dilbar’, ‘Kusu Kusu’, ‘Saaki Saaki’, ‘Payal’, ‘Snake’, ‘Siir Siir’, ‘Slay to the Rhythm’, ‘Champions’ and ‘Pepeta’, among others. With her powerful dance moves, commanding stage presence and energetic choreography, Nora had the audience singing and dancing along.

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Nora has built a reputation as a performer who brings a distinctly international flavour to her live shows. Her performances often feature dancers, singers and artists from different parts of the world, creating a diverse entertainment experience that extends beyond music and dance. This approach also provides a platform for local performers, allowing them to become part of large-scale international productions.

One of the key elements that sets Nora apart is her ability to combine different cultural influences into a single performance. She seamlessly brings together the high-energy appeal of Bollywood, the richness of Arabic influences and elements of Western pop culture. Her artistic journey has also expanded into global football anthems and international collaborations, further strengthening her presence beyond the Indian entertainment industry.

Her appearance at MYRCH Fest reflects her growing international reach and her ability to connect with audiences across cultural and geographic boundaries. Through music, dance and collaborations, Nora Fatehi continues to present a contemporary cultural blend that resonates with fans around the world.

Also Read : Nora Fatehi breaks silence on Yassine Bounou dating rumours; says, “He is my friend”

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Happy birthday Sara Ali Khan: 5 Fashion moments that define her evolving style

By dev at August 11, 2026 Features & Specials No comments

As Sara Ali Khan celebrates her birthday, it is the perfect moment to revisit the sartorial choices that continue to define her fashion identity. She carries a poise, a refined synthesis of classic lineage and a sharp contemporary focus. In her recent style choices, Khan moves beyond traditional fashion tropes, embracing structural silhouettes, precise proportions and an intentional balance between restraint and high-octane glamour. Across five defining looks, her wardrobe emerges as a masterclass in modern sartorial authority, seamlessly transitioning from cool architectural minimalism to fiery, tailored statements.

Diana’s Revenge Dress Constructed with an off-the-shoulder, structured boat neckline, this architectural gown features short capped sleeves resting just below the collarbone, revealing an exposed neck and shoulder line. The fitted bodice extends past the hip into a draped peplum accent before falling into an asymmetrical high-low hemline that flows into a subtle rear train, all rendered in an ink-black satin weave. The strength lies in the interplay between structured weight and liquid movement; by pairing the heavy satin frame with a statement diamond-and-sapphire choker, pointed black pumps, and a sleek low-slung chignon, the ensemble creates a strong vertical line that echoes classic European high-fashion codes.

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