AFTER months of specu
lation, Bollywood stars
Katrina Kaif and Vicky
Kaushal have officially
announced that they are
expecting their first child.
The couple shared the
joyous news through a
coordinated Instagram
post, dressed in white,
with Vicky gently cra
dling Katrina’s baby
bump. “On our way to
start the best chapter
of our lives with hearts
full of joy and grati
tude,” Katrina wrote in
the caption.
The post quickly went
viral, drawing an out
pouring of love from
fans and celebrities
alike. Stars including
Janhvi Kapoor, Kiara
Advani, Arjun Kapoor,
and Tamannaah Bhatia
congratulated the cou
ple in the comments,
while fans flooded social
media with heart emojis
and warm wishes.
Rumours of Katrina’s
pregnancy had been
circulating for months,
intensified by viral pho
tos and reports sug
gesting a late 2025 due
date. Sources close to
the couple have con
firmed that Katrina
plans to take a materni
ty break to focus on her
new role as a mother.
Professionally, both
actors remain in the
spotlight, Vicky Kaushal
recently appeared in
Chhaava and will star in
Love & War, while Katri
na was last seen in
Sriram Raghavan’s Mer
ry Christmas.
Entertainment
www.indiaweekly.biz • October 2025
19
Alia creates special on-set space for daughter Raha
BOLLYWOOD star Deepika Padukone
has officially stepped away from the
much-anticipated sequel of Kalki 2898
AD. The announcement, made by Vy
jayanthi Movies on September 18,
2025, marks a significant casting
shake-up in one of India’s most ambi
tious sci-fi franchises.
The production house stated that de
spite the success of the first film, they
were “unable to find the right partner
ship” for the sequel and emphasized that
a movie of this magnitude “deserves that
commitment and much more.”
In their official statement, Vyjayanthi
Movies confirmed that after “careful con
sideration,” they decided to part ways
with the actor. The note implied that
scheduling and creative alignment were
major challenges. While the makers
thanked Deepika for her contribution to
the original film, they highlighted that the
sequel demanded complete dedication.
The news follows weeks of speculation
about Deepika’s limited availability and
her decision to scale down professional
commitments since becoming a mother.
She recently welcomed her daughter,
Dua, with husband Ranveer Singh, and
has publicly expressed her wish to raise
her child personally without compromis
ing on family time.
Sources close to the project suggest
that Triptii Dimri is being considered to
step into lead roles alongside Prabhas in
upcoming Vyjayanthi projects. However,
the production house has yet to make an
official announcement regarding the re
placement.
Deepika responds to controversy over
8-hour work demand
Shortly after her exit from Kalki 2898 AD
and Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit, Deep
ika Padukone addressed the controversy
surrounding her alleged demand for an
8-hour workday. In an interview with
CNBC-TV18, she clarified that her stance
was not unreasonable, emphasizing that
male superstars have been working
8-hour shifts for years without criticism.
“By virtue of being a woman, if that’s
coming across as being pushy or demand
ing, then so be it,” she said. “It’s no secret
that a lot of male actors in the Indian film
industry have worked for eight hours a
day, Monday to Friday, for years—and it
never made headlines.”
Deepika explained that her decision to
insist on fixed working hours was linked
to creating balance in her personal life.
“The industry is called an ‘industry,’ but
we have never really worked like one,”
she said. “It’s still quite disorganized, and
I think it’s time we brought some struc
ture into this culture.”
Her remarks received both support and
criticism within the industry. While sev
eral colleagues praised her for advocating
healthier work standards, others ques
tioned whether such constraints could
affect high-budget, multi-location pro
ductions like Kalki 2898 AD.
Balancing stardom and motherhood
Deepika’s recent choices reflect a con
scious shift toward prioritizing mother
hood over relentless professional sched
ules. Sources close to the actor revealed
that she has become selective with new
projects, ensuring they allow her to spend
time with her family. Her exit from Spirit
was also reportedly linked to her refusal
to extend shooting hours or travel exten
sively during the initial months of moth
erhood. Despite stepping back from some
projects, Deepika’s career remains on an
upward trajectory. She resumed shooting
for Siddharth Anand’s King shortly after
her Kalki exit. The film features Shah
Rukh Khan, Suhana Khan, and Abhishek
Bachchan, and marks another collabora
tion between Deepika and Anand after
Pathaan. She is also set to star in Atlee’s
next, tentatively titled AA22xA6, oppo
site Allu Arjun.
Deepika Padukone’s departure from
Kalki 2898 AD sequel underscores the
growing debate over work-life balance
and gender dynamics in Indian cine
ma. As one of Bollywood’s most banka
ble stars, her decision to set boundaries—
especially in an industry known for
demanding
production
schedules—
has reignited conversations about profes
sionalism and gendered expectations in
the workplace.
While Vyjayanthi Movies prepares
to move forward with Kalki 2898 AD 2
and new faces joining the ensemble,
Deepika’s exit marks the end of a crea
tive collaboration that began with im
mense anticipation.
For the actor, however, it seems less
like a setback and more like a redefinition
of priorities—one that places personal
well-being and family above the pressures
of stardom.
Deepika departs Kalki,
cites work-life priorities
ACTOR CLARIFIES HER EIGHT-HOUR WORK STANCE AS PUSH FOR BALANCED SCHEDULES
FILMMAKER Mahesh Bhatt re
cently revealed a charming detail
about his granddaughter Raha Ka
poor, daughter of Alia Bhatt and
Ranbir Kapoor; she already has
her own vanity van on her moth
er’s film sets.
Bhatt affectionately described
the van as “like a temple,” a pris
tine, sacred space that he chose
not to enter. His revelation offers
a glimpse into how Alia Bhatt is
redefining motherhood in Bolly
wood, balancing her professional
commitments with her role as a
devoted mother.
Speaking about the setup, Ma
hesh Bhatt recalled being on set
with Alia and Amitabh Bachchan
during an ad shoot. When invited
to sit inside Raha’s vanity van, he
declined, saying he didn’t belong in
a space so pure and serene, joking
that “the old man has no place
there.” He described it as more of
a nursery than a traditional vanity
van, which is cozy, child-friendly,
and designed to make Raha com
fortable while her mother works.
The filmmaker’s comments reflect
the growing emphasis among new-
age Bollywood actresses on inte
grating family life into their careers
rather than separating the two.
Alia Bhatt, who recently took
Raha along to Milan for a Gucci
fashion event, exemplifies this new
balance. Her ability to merge work
and motherhood seamlessly has
been widely admired, especially in
an industry that once expected ac
tresses to step away from the spot
light after marriage or childbirth.
Mahesh Bhatt praised his daugh
ter’s modern approach, noting that
actresses today are “parenting
while going to work,” a shift that
marks greater freedom and flexibil
ity for women in Indian cinema.
The revelation also comes amid
a broader discussion in Bollywood
about rising celebrity demands,
from multiple vanity vans to larger
entourages. Filmmakers like Sanjay
Gupta and Anurag Kashyap have
publicly expressed concerns over
inflated production costs and logis
tical challenges caused by star re
quirements. While some produc
tions have struggled to accommo
date these demands, Alia’s ap
proach—providing a dedicated
space for her child rather than per
sonal luxury—has been viewed as
both practical and compassionate.
Veteran actors like Amitabh
Bachchan are often cited for their
simplicity, managing with minimal
staff and resources. In contrast,
many younger stars now request
multiple vans for makeup, meet
ings, and fitness purposes. Yet,
Alia Bhatt’s choice stands apart
that it highlights a maternal in
stinct rather than excess, focusing
on comfort and safety for her
daughter rather than indulgence.
Ultimately, Raha Kapoor’s per
sonalized vanity van has become
more than a behind-the-scenes cu
riosity; it symbolizes a changing
era in Bollywood. Today’s leading
actresses are rewriting norms
around motherhood and profes
sionalism, proving that nurturing
families and leading blockbuster
careers are no longer mutually ex
clusive. Through this thoughtful
gesture, Alia Bhatt embodies the
evolving spirit of modern Indian
cinema—where ambition and em
pathy coexist seamlessly.
Katrina, Vicky
to be parents
© Instagram/@deepikapadukone
CAREER RESET:
Deepika Padukone
© Instagram/@katrinakaif
MODERN MOTHERHOOD:
Alia Bhatt makes nursery
in her vanity van for
daughter Raha
© Getty Images