Bollywood roundup: Farhan Akhtar on Don 3 uncertainty, Karan Johar plans KANK series, Preity Zinta rebuts loan rumour

Bollywood’s week served up candid confessions and fresh projects. Farhan Akhtar addressed the uncertainty around Don 3 after its lead cast moved on, saying the setback taught him to expect the unexpected and take challenges in stride. Preity Zinta, meanwhile, dismissed rumours about an alleged Rs 18 crore loan as “fake news” and explained why she prefers organic social media engagement over paid PR.

Karan Johar said he will adapt his 2006 film Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna into a long-form series for a streaming platform. He also confirmed that Koffee with Karan will return this year with Season 9. Actor Rakul Preet Singh responded after her husband Jackky Bhagnani’s “situationship” remark about their marriage sparked debate online, calling the clip out of context and clarifying what he meant.

Industry chatter continued around Don 3 as reports claimed Ranveer Singh may have taken a step to resolve his fallout with Akhtar. Elsewhere, Rakesh Bedi reacted with humour to rumours that he received a Rs 1 crore bonus after the success of Dhurandhar 2, saying no such amount had reached him.

On the personal front, Sonam Kapoor shared new family photos featuring husband Anand Ahuja, son Vayu Ahuja and a glimpse of their newborn baby boy, calling this phase of her life “a dream.” Alia Bhatt spoke about why she hopes her daughter Raha Kapoor will pursue sports and credited her mother, Soni Razdan, as the most impactful influence in her childhood.

A wedding clip of Aryan Khan participating in the joota churai ceremony—nearly taking a tumble while sprinting off with the groom’s shoe—went viral. As big-screen spectacles take shape, director Anurag Basu, who previously collaborated with Ranbir Kapoor on Jagga Jasoos and Barfi!, praised Kapoor’s look in Ramayana and highlighted the challenge of the role.

Ramayana will release in theatres on Diwali this year. Reports also suggest Priyadarshan is planning a comedy film with Pankaj Tripathi ahead of his 100th film with Mohanlal. In craft-focused updates, director Suparn S Varma said Yami Gautam spent four months learning the Quran to prepare for Haq and that his team researched Islamic law for nearly a year and a half to ensure authenticity.

Akshay Kumar addressed criticism over his fake moustache in Samrat Prithviraj, saying the look was required for the role and could not be achieved naturally. Filmmaker Suresh Triveni, in an interview, discussed Madhuri Dixit’s comedic turn in his next directorial, Maa Behan, and reflected on his professional rapport with Vidya Balan.

Director Vivek Das Chaudhary said Farah Khan’s cameo in Toaster drew praise and credited Rajkummar Rao and Patralekhaa for bringing her on board, adding that he hopes to see more of Farah on screen.

After the success of Dhurandhar and its sequel, Aditya Dhar is reportedly planning a first-of-its-kind theatrical release of a behind-the-scenes film based on the franchise, featuring exclusive BTS footage and first interviews with stars such as Ranveer Singh and Arjun Rampal.

Separately, a sequel to Bhooth Bangla may already be in the works, with Ektaa Kapoor said to be exploring ways to expand the project.