02102026-LSTC-01.qxd 10/2/2026 12:53 AM Page 1 c m y b JAIDEEP TALKS ABOUT DRISHYAM Talking about joining Drishyam The Conclusion, Jaideep Ahlawat shares, “When you enter a successful franchise, I think your first responsibility is to understand the world you are entering. Every franchise develops its own rhythm, its own relationship with the audience, and Drishyam has a very specific tone.” TRIBUNE Life Trailer launch Yami Gautam poses for photographers during the trailer launch of her upcoming film Nayyi Navelly in Mumbai. This Balaji Mohan directorial releases in cinemas on October 16. CHANDIGARH | FRIDAY | 2 OCTOBER 2026 Entertainment & Promotional Features IVF is not always the first step Alia to present Understanding your fertility treatment options Earthshot award I Alia Bhatt will present one of the five awards at The Earthshot Prize 2026 Awards Night in Mumbai. The ceremony will bring together guests from the film, music, sport and entertainment industries, as well as people and organisations involved in environmental initiatives. About 5,000 guests are expected to attend the event. Alia will join Oscar-winning actor Rami Malek, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and British actress Simone Ashley, who are also among the presenters and special guests. The event will be hosted by Karan Johar. Speaking about her involvement, Alia said, “The Earthshot Prize is really about hope…but hope that comes with ideas, action and people who are finding new ways forward.” — ANI ‘Nepalese in India are like Mexicans in America’ Meet Ashim Ahluwalia, Niharika Singh and Vishwendra Singh, the talented trio behind the Busan-bound HindiNepalese film Khoriya, which shines a light on the omnipresent yet often invisible lives of Nepalese migrants in India Nonika Singh T OGETHER they rue how the ecosystem of independent cinema in India is all but nonexistent. Yet, the talented trio behind the Busan-bound Hindi-Nepalese film Khoriya intend to stick behind their vision and individual voices. In a no-holds barred exclusive conversation with us, director Vishwendra Singh, actress-turned-producer Niharika Singh and internationally acclaimed filmmaker Ashim Ahluwalia do not mince words… The idea to make Khoriya, which literally takes off from the word khor, meaning cage, came when Vishwendra decided to make a documentary on the omnipresent yet invisible Nepalese migrants in India. But since Nepalese do not have a high degree of trust in what they call ‘mainland Indians’ people from Delhi and Mumbai, Vishwendra turned towards fiction to tell their story. Niharika, who acted in Ashim’s festival favourite Miss Lovely, came on board as a producer for she had seen independent makers struggle up close and personal. Mainstream cinema might be acquiring woke sensibility but its engine remains masala and is not authentic. ASHIM AHLUWALIA She wanted to help young directors but to begin with it had to be someone they already knew. And who better than Vishwendra, who had been in their team for long! All three had worked together in the popular Netflix web series Class too. When you have known each other for many years at a professional level, Vishwendra admits that the line between personal and professional life often gets blurred. As executive producer, Ashim’s job was to align the film creatively with global sensibilities, make it more accessible to audiences, and ensure that what Vishwendra wanted to say came across effectively. Whether the film is about migrants looking for a home or a city that refuses to let certain sections feel at home, Vishwendra admits, “It’s a bit of both.” At another level the film mirrors the battle between aspiration and survival which in a way is a story of all of us. Yet, Vishwendra feels, “Everything depends on where you fall in the social hierarchy and these specific migrants are often lost for they don’t have power/control over their lives.” Ashim asserts, “We are all migrants, yet not very tolerant of them. Nepalese in India are like Mexicans in America.” Being a Punjabi, would Ashim ever care to tell the story of Punjabis’ quest to migrate to greener pastures? Honestly, he is more keen on individual Punjabi stories. At one point, he had even contemplated making one on the life of Bindy Johal, an Indo-Canadian gangster from Vancouver. He asserts, “Mainstream Hindi cinema is running out of ideas and pilfering from art-house indie An actor is more like a puppet, acting more of a narcissistic exercise while producing is both challenging and rewarding. NIHARIKA SINGH cinema. Since audiences are no longer buying a 55-yearold superstar playing a college student, they copy, paste from indie films but it’s all wall papering and not authentic.” Though his Class won rave reviews, he is equally harsh while rating OTT platforms. He professes, “In web series, the director is no more than a manager, merely carrying forth someone else’s vision. Trying to do your own thing in such an ecosystem can be very tiring and becomes a battle.” Precisely why, he would not direct another season of Class and stick to indie films. An international co-production is in the pipeline about which he can’t divulge much. With Khoriya all set to be screened at Windows on Asian Cinema Section at the prestigious Busan International Film Festival, he observes, “Festival tag elevates a director’s status and ensures there is less struggle while making the second film. Besides, it ensures audiences for the film, almost equivalent to a mainstream movie, if it does a good festival circuit.” For someone who pinpoints glaring flaws in the current ecosphere of entertainment, he is strangely optimistic. “From a time when you could barely finish a sentence while pitching your idea to when you can actually finish an indie film, whatever may be the odds in terms of finance and distribution, things have improved.” If his contribution in keeping indie scene alive can’t be undermined, Niharika is determined to follow the same path. While facing the camera early on, she realised producers are not interested in cinema, ‘only in numbers and box-office figures.’ Hence this winner of Miss India Earth beauty pageant would only act if she is the producer on the project. In Khoriya, essentially revolving around two Nepalese brothers, she does wish the heroine’s part was longer. She winces, “I aspire for that in every film but I guess there is a male gaze which can’t completely get into woman’s skin. Hope Vishy’s (Vishwendra) next has bigger room for women characters.” And, she is there to ensure next happens not only for him but all those who believe in what Charlotte Brontë said, “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” These specific migrants are often lost for they don’t have power/control over their lives. VISHWENDRA SINGH c m y b Jim Carrey weds Min Ah Jim Carrey has married his longtime girlfriend, Min Ah in a private ceremony.According to sources, the marriage comes seven months after the couple were photographed together at France’s Cesar Awards, where Carrey publicly thanked Min Ah and called her his “sublime companion.” VF is not always the first step Understanding your fertility treatment options When a couple faces difficulty conceiving, the word “IVF” can often create anxiety. However, IVF is not necessarily the first or only fertility treatment. The right approach depends on the couple’s age, medical history, duration of infertility and the underlying cause. A thorough fertility evaluation comes first. This may include assessment of ovulation, ovarian reserve, fallopian tubes and uterine health in women, along with semen analysis for the male partner. Identifying the cause helps doctors recommend the most appropriate treatment rather than choosing IVF automatically. For some couples, lifestyle modification, cycle monitoring and ovulation-inducing medicines may be sufficient. DR SAKSHI SHARMA In selected cases, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) may be recommended, where processed sperm is placed directly into the uterus around the time of ovulation. However, IVF may be considered when the fallopian tubes are blocked, ovarian reserve is reduced, spermrelated factors are significant, endometriosis is affecting fertility, previous treatments have not worked, or when age and other factors make time particularly important. Importantly, fertility treatment should be individualised. There is no single treatment that is appropriate for every couple. At EVAA Fertility Centre, Chandigarh, couples receive a comprehensive fertility evaluation and personalised guidance based on their individual needs. The goal is to understand the cause of infertility and select the most appropriate treatment pathway. Take the first step towards understanding your fertility. Consult the fertility specialists at EVAA IVF Centre for a personalised evaluation and discuss the treatment options that may be right for you. Dr Sakshi Sharma, MBBS, MS Gynecologist, Infertility Specialist at EVAA Fertility, Chandigarh can be contacted at : 99152-36908 Disclaimer: The views/suggestion/opinions expressed in the article are the sole responsibility of the experts. Fan moment for Lilly Singh! Actor-comedian and YouTuber Lilly Singh recently had a fan moment at Shreya Ghoshal’s The Unstoppable concert in Los Angeles, where she met the singer backstage. Sharing pictures and videos from the evening, Lilly called it a special moment for her younger self, who grew up watching Hindi films and listening to the music.