Entertainment roundup: Ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas no more; Shark Tank India controversy; Asha Bhosle live show at 90; Karan Johar to host Miss World

Ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas passed away, aged 72, on February 26, following a prolonged illness. (Image via X)

1.   Obituary: Pankaj Udhas is known for his poignant hits ‘Chitti Aayi Hai’, ‘Aaj Phir Tum Pe Pyar Aaya’: Pankaj Udhas was born on May 17, 1951, in Gujarat and died on February 26, aged 72, in Mumbai. With his earthy renditions and profound understanding of poetry, the late ghazal singer captivated hearts across generations. Whether it was the superhit tear-jerker ‘Chitthi Aayi Hai’ from Mahesh Bhatt’s Naam (1986) or the heart-wrenching love song ‘Jeeye to Jeeye Kaise’ from Lawrence D'Souza's Saajan (1991) or the love song of all times that received cult status with its remake, Aaj Phir Tum Pe Pyar Aaya (Dayavan, 1988), he changed the face of ghazals in the Hindi film industry. Read More

2.   Laapataa Ladies to open Indian Film Festival of Melbourne on Feb 29 ahead of theatrical release: Kiran Rao’s second directorial, the much talked about Laapataa Ladies, slated to release on March 1 in Indian theatres, will be the opening film at IFFM Melbourne. Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies, which had first had its world premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival, has been appreciated by critics and has received many rave reviews. The film will have its Australian premiere on February 29 at the IFFM Summer Festival. Read More

3. Friday OTT releases: What to watch on Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, HoiChoi, Zee 5: From Vijay Sethupathi and Katrina Kaif's unusual pairing in Sriram Raghavan's Merry Christmas to HanuMan and Lal Salaam, what to watch on OTT platforms this weekend. This Friday, March 8, 2024, get ready for some thrilling new OTT releases and exciting theatrical releases. Emraan Hashmi's new series Showtime and Netflix's fantasy drama Damsel starring Millie Bobby Brown are among the highlights. With such a wide range of movies and shows, your weekend entertainment shall be sorted. Here’s our list of movies and shows arriving on Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Hoichoi, ZEE5, and more. Read More

Saumya Mishra and Peyush Bansal (right) on Shark Tank India 3.

4.   Shark Tank India season 3: Saumya Mishra Calls Peyush Bansal 'Worst' on the reality TV show: Shark Anupam Mittal also labelled Mishra as 'arrogant' during her pitch, leading her to express disappointment that the focus shifted to her character. In a recent episode of Shark Tank India 3, Peyush Bansal provided comfort to Saumya Mishra, who experienced emotional distress following his pitch and an ensuing disagreement with Anupam Mittal. Bansal's compassionate gesture earned him praise. However, new allegations have now surfaced. In an interview with a prominent news portal, Mishra asserted that Bansal, regarded as the 'worst' shark on the show, exploited her reputation for personal gain, describing it as a clever strategy. Read More

Legendary singer Asha Bhosle performed a live stage show at the age of 90.

5.   Asha Bhosle at 90: Iconic singer gears up for concert at Jio World today: 'Have been singing since I was 10 years old': Asha Bhosle turned 90 in September 2023. A special concert in Mumbai on March 9 hopes to be a celebration of her work, comprising more than12,000 songs, in her own voice. With over 12,000 songs to her credit in multiple languages, Asha Bhosle is rightly referred to as the epitome of timeless melodies. Morya Entertainment, a Mumbai-based event management company, is now set to showcase "ASHA@90: Woh Phir Nahi Aate” at the Jio World Garden BKC, Mumbai, on Saturday, March 9, 2024, starting at 7:00 PM. Read More

Bollywood producer-director Karan Johar.

6.   Miss World 2024: Karan Johar to co-host 71st Miss World finale, with performances by Shaan, Neha Kakkar: The 71st Miss World Finale is back in India after a gap of 28 years, which is a significant moment in the international pageant's history. The finale will be held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai on Saturday, March. It is all set to be a grand affair, with former Miss World Megan Young and filmmaker Karan Johar as the hosts. Read More

7.   Oscar nominations 2024: From Mission Impossible 7 to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, VFX creators in the running for an Oscar: It's all coming to a head at the 96th Academy Awards at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre. A particularly interesting Oscars shortlist this year is for the Visual Effects Oscar. Some critics say that the fact that the five shortlisted films have no overlap with the Best Picture category (not even Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer with its now-famous recreation of the Trinity blast), means it could be any film’s Oscar! If either Godzilla: Minus One or Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One wins the Oscar for outstanding visual effects this year, it will be the first Oscar for that long-running and commercially successful franchise. Read More