Mohali | August 22, 2025: The Punjabi entertainment world was plunged into mourning today as news broke of the passing of Jaswinder Bhalla, one of the most iconic comedians and actors in regional cinema. He was 65.
Bhalla breathed his last early Friday morning at Fortis Hospital, Mohali, following an illness he had been battling over the past few months, according to sources close to the family.
A large gathering of fans, colleagues, and fellow artists is expected at his funeral on August 23 at 12 noon at Balongi cremation ground, Mohali, where the final rites will be performed.
Jaswinder Bhalla was more than just a comedian — he was a storyteller who used humour to reflect society, challenge norms, and spread joy. With his sharp wit, earthy humour, and satirical edge, he became a beloved figure not just in Punjab, but among Punjabi-speaking audiences around the world.
He began his career in the 1980s, gaining fame with his university-stage comedy acts and Chhankata audio cassettes. Over the years, he evolved into a cinematic force, delivering hit performances in films like:
Carry On Jatta
Gaddi Chaldi Hai Chhalla Maarke
Jind Jaan
Band Baaje
Each performance left an everlasting smile, embedding his legacy in the very fabric of Punjabi pop culture.
Fans and celebrities from across India’s entertainment industry expressed deep sorrow. Social media platforms were flooded with tributes, memories, and clips of his iconic scenes.
“He was the heartbeat of Punjabi comedy. A genius in every sense,” shared one user on X (formerly Twitter).
Jaswinder Bhalla’s contribution to the Punjabi film industry and comedy will be remembered for generations. His work bridged the gap between satire and storytelling, laughter and learning — making him a rare gem in Indian cinema.
As his admirers prepare to bid him a final goodbye, one thing remains certain — his legacy of laughter will never die.
Terence Stamp, the captivating British actor whose magnetic presence graced more than 60 films across six decades, has died at the age of 87. His family confirmed the news on Sunday, though no cause of death was specified.
Best known to millions for his role as the authoritarian General Zod in the original Superman films, Stamp’s career ranged far beyond capes and comic book villains. From breakout heartthrob of the Swinging Sixties to spiritual seeker and boundary-pushing actor, Stamp remained one of cinema’s most enigmatic and fearless figures.
Born in Stepney, East London, in 1938, Terence Henry Stamp was the son of a tugboat worker and a homemaker. Despite a humble upbringing and early career advice steering him toward bricklaying, Stamp was drawn to the magic of cinema, influenced by his mother’s passion for movies and his own early obsession with Cary Grant.
After working in advertising and briefly in a hospital, Stamp pursued acting against all odds. He secured a drama school scholarship and, at just 24, earned international acclaim with his film debut in Billy Budd (1962). His performance as the idealistic young sailor was haunting and poetic, earning him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor and a Golden Globe for Best Newcomer.
Critics were taken by his “sinewy, boyish frame and the face of a Botticelli angel,” quickly vaulting him into the spotlight of Britain’s new wave of actors.
The 1960s were not just Stamp’s professional peak—they were also his cultural moment. Stylish, brooding, and undeniably handsome, he became one of the era’s most recognizable faces. He starred opposite screen legends and dated some of the most celebrated women of the time, including actress Julie Christie and supermodel Jean Shrimpton.
Stamp’s brief but iconic relationship with Christie was immortalized in The Kinks’ song “Waterloo Sunset,” with the famous lyric: “Terry meets Julie.”
However, as the decade closed, so too did that phase of his career. “When the 1960s ended, I think because I’d been so identified with it, I kind of ended as well,” he reflected on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs.
As leading roles dried up, Stamp made a life-altering decision. Distraught over his waning career and romantic heartbreak, he bought a round-the-world ticket and ended up in India, where he joined a spiritual retreat and studied yoga.
“I thought if I could be good looking, and I could be successful and I could be famous, everything would be solved,” he said. “And when it all kind of came to an end, I thought to myself there’s been a lot of fun but there hasn’t been any real, deep internal satisfaction.”
For a time, it seemed as if the silver screen had lost him. But the universe had other plans.
His unexpected return to mainstream fame came in the form of a telegram sent to a hotel in India: “YOU HAVE SCENES WITH MARLON BRANDO.”
He was being summoned back to London to play General Zod in Superman (1978) and its sequel. The role not only revived his career but also became one of his most recognizable performances, making him a pop culture icon for a new generation.
His co-star Sarah Douglas remembered him fondly, saying:
“So saddened to learn that Terence has left us. I learnt so very much from him… What a start to my career to have spent so many months in his company.”
Never one to shy away from risk, Stamp’s most celebrated later role came in 1994’s The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, in which he played a transgender woman on a road trip through the Australian outback. Initially hesitant to accept the part, Stamp later credited a friend for encouraging him to take the leap.
Critic Roger Ebert praised the performance, writing:
“We’re distracted by the unexpected sight of Terence Stamp in drag, but Stamp is able to bring a convincing humanity to the character.”
The film became a cultural phenomenon, won an Oscar for Best Costume Design, and introduced Stamp to another generation of fans.
He also played standout roles in Far From the Madding Crowd, The Collector, Valkyrie, and worked with legends like Federico Fellini and Pier Paolo Pasolini during his time in Italy.
Stamp was also a writer and thinker. In his memoir, The Ocean Fell Into the Drop, he shared reflections on fame, self-worth, and the spiritual journey that carried him across continents.
He remained deeply introspective, saying of his early fame:
“I never imagined this would happen… I always thought after six months or so some great part would come up—and nothing did.”
Terence Stamp was more than a heartthrob, more than a villain, more than a style icon. He was an artist who dared to vanish, only to return with deeper insight. He defied the arc of typical fame — and instead charted a path that was uniquely his own.
In the end, he didn’t just act. He searched. He risked. He lived.
Rest in peace, Terence Stamp — a man who was never content to kneel.
Bollywood icon Aamir Khan has never shied away from taking risks—and his latest move with Sitaare Zameen Par proves just that.
In a revealing conversation with entertainment journalist Matthew Belloni on The Town podcast, Aamir disclosed previously unknown financial and strategic details about the making and release of his film. The most striking revelation? Sitaare Zameen Par cost him between ₹122 crore and ₹133 crore after his production partner exited the project over creative differences.
According to Aamir, the fallout stemmed from his decision to decline a ₹120 crore offer from Prime Video. The offer, according to trade analyst Komal Nahta, would’ve more than covered production costs. But Aamir was committed to experimenting with an alternative release model: a traditional theatrical run followed by a YouTube pay-per-view release priced at ₹100.
Aamir explained, “They didn’t like me turning down money, so they preferred that I buy them out… So the film has actually cost me about $14 million (₹122 crore).”
Worldwide Reception & Revenue
Despite initial skepticism, the film has performed impressively. Industry tracker Sacnilk reports that Sitaare Zameen Par has grossed ₹276 crore worldwide, and YouTube is now backing the release with its own marketing push. Aamir emphasized that YouTube’s support includes a dedicated marketing budget, separate from the theatrical campaign.
Aamir hinted that his revenue split with YouTube is better than the conventional 50-50 with theatres, though he didn’t reveal exact numbers.
Opening Doors for Indie Cinema
Aamir sees this as more than a personal risk—it’s a potential game-changer for Indian indie filmmakers. “This creates an opportunity for smaller films that struggle to find space in theatres. Now they can consider digital-first models with serious monetization.”
The Cast & Crew
Directed by RS Prasanna, the film stars Aamir Khan, Genelia Deshmukh, and ten debutantes: Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishna Varma, Samvit Desai, Vedant Sharma, Ayush Bhansali, Ashish Pendse, Rishi Shahani, Rishabh Jain, Naman Mishra, and Simran Mangeshkar.
The music is composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya.
What’s Next?
Aamir’s gamble is still unfolding. While he hasn’t made a profit yet, the performance of the YouTube release will determine whether this pay-per-view route can disrupt traditional OTT dominance. Whether it becomes a blueprint or a cautionary tale remains to be seen—but it’s undoubtedly bold.
After two decades, Marsden steps back into the visor as Scott Summers in Marvel’s upcoming multiverse epic.
It’s official: James Marsden is returning as Cyclops in Avengers: Doomsday, set for release in December 2026. In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, the 51-year-old actor opened up about slipping back into the role that introduced him to millions of fans in 2000’s X-Men — and what it means to revisit the Marvel universe after so many years.
“It’s a nice little homecoming to a role that really put me on the map,” Marsden said. “I’m getting a little long in the tooth to put on the superhero costume,” he joked, before adding that the experience has been “a blast.”
Cyclops Returns to the MCU — Officially
Marsden’s return as Scott Summers (Cyclops) is part of Marvel Studios’ broader strategy to integrate the X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe following Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. With Avengers: Doomsday, the studio is going big — teasing a multiverse-spanning storyline that reunites several original cast members.
Confirmed to return alongside Marsden are:
Patrick Stewart as Professor X
Ian McKellen as Magneto
Kelsey Grammer as Beast
Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler
Rebecca Romijn as Mystique
This marks a major pivot from the standalone X-Men films of the early 2000s to the unified, multiverse-driven MCU.
A Long and Winding Road for Cyclops
Marsden originated the role of Cyclops in X-Men (2000), and reprised it in X2: X-Men United (2003) and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), where his character was seemingly killed off. However, Cyclops reappeared via alternate timelines in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), cementing his presence as one of the franchise’s core characters.
“I’m dead. Well, maybe not,” Marsden quipped. “It really has been a blast… a very beloved character, this icon from the comics. And so to step back into that role was pretty special.”
Marvel’s Multiverse Grows Bigger
With Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel is pulling together legacy heroes from across decades, crafting a story that pays homage to its cinematic history while launching a new chapter for fans. For longtime X-Men followers, seeing Marsden back in action is more than just nostalgia — it’s closure, celebration, and a hint of what’s to come.
The dog days of summer are proving to be unpredictable at the box office. Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, once expected to be a dominant theatrical force, is rapidly losing momentum. Now in its third weekend, the superhero reboot is expected to bring in just $18 to $20 million — a steep drop from earlier projections.
So far, the film has earned $200 million domestically and $370 million globally, and will soon surpass Thunderbolts ($382M) and Captain America: Brave New World ($415M). But despite being Marvel Studios’ highest-grossing release of 2025 to date, its performance falls short of being a true blockbuster comeback for the studio.
Challenging its position are two wildly different films: the nostalgic comedy sequel Freakier Friday and the spine-chilling horror film Weapons.
Freakier Friday Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis reprise their iconic roles in Freakier Friday, the sequel to the 2003 body-swap hit Freaky Friday. Directed by Nisha Ganatra (Late Night), the film ups the stakes with a chaotic four-way body swap involving Tess (Curtis), Anna (Lohan), Anna’s daughter, and her new step-daughter.
Produced on a modest $42 million budget, Freakier Friday looks to earn $10 to $12 million internationally during its opening and has already received glowing early reviews. Entertainment Weekly praised the film for “recapturing and strengthening the magic” of the original, crediting its heartfelt humor and ensemble cast, including Chad Michael Murray, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Manny Jacinto, and Julia Butters.
Weapons Zach Cregger, who broke out with the cult horror hit Barbarian, returns with another twisted tale. Weapons, backed by Warner Bros., is a chilling thriller with a $38 million budget. It stars Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, and Alden Ehrenreich and follows the mysterious disappearance of 17 schoolchildren in a small town — a premise that has already left critics shaken.
Variety’s Peter Debruge called it “a cruel and twisted bedtime story […] the kind where characters kill on command and audiences find it difficult to sleep afterward.”
Box Office Outlook Despite Fantastic Four’s strong early numbers, the shift in audience tastes post-pandemic is palpable. Viewers are increasingly drawn to either horror with a bite or light-hearted nostalgia, rather than traditional superhero fare. Disney’s calculated risk in betting on a comedy sequel and Warner Bros.’ focus on a smart horror film may pay off in surprising ways.
Comscore reports the box office is currently 9.5% ahead of 2024, but still 23% behind 2019’s pre-pandemic numbers. Summer revenues just crossed $3 billion, but whether the season can reach the $4 billion benchmark remains uncertain.
With the industry still seeking a reliable formula in the post-COVID world, Freakier Friday and Weapons might just be the unexpected sleeper hits the box office needs to round out summer 2025.
