Now that summer’s finally here, it suddenly feels so much easier to get out and make the most of it. Tomorrow kicks off a long weekend for me, and I’m excited to get a chance to ring it in properly. But before that, this week’s newsletter covers some pretty realistic CGI in music videos, Bollywood’s horror-comedy multiverse of madness (who knew) and the latest in South Asian music and news this week. Let’s get into it. 

— Jeevan 

July 6 - PopShift Summer - Chicago Boat Cruise

Now Trending 🔥🔥🔥

1. Deepika Padukone + Ranveer Notice Koad’s Single Deepika.

Koad, an artist from California, released a song called Deepika, expressing his love for the actress Deepika Padukone. She has finally noticed, and so has Ranveer, who showed love for the song on his Instagram story. I'm not going to lie; it must feel pretty cool.

2. South Asian Designer Creates a Short Film On the Origins of Her Fashion Brand.

Sheel Yerneni, the founder and chief designer of SVARINI, a fashion brand that premiered at the South Asian New York Fashion Week, is making a short film! And based on these screenshots alone, it looks pretty epic.

The film titled Moksha features Sheel (@artzysheel) in the lead role, along with several guests, including popular social media personalities Anjali Chakra (@anjalichakra) and Aman Jaisinghani (@a.magic.man).

If you’re in New York City, go check out the premiere on July 11 In Brooklyn.

3. Karan Aujla Takes Apple Music Around Surrey, Canada.

As part of the rollout for his most recent EP, Four You, Punjabi Singer Karan Aujla takes Apple Music around Surrey, B.C., his home away from home. The four-minute videos show a glimpse of life in Surrey from Karan Aujla’s perspective.

4. Indian Sci-Fi film Kalki A.D. 2898 Releases in Theaters To Good Reviews

India’s biggest Sci-Fi film, Kalki A.D. 2898, was released in theaters last night to positive reviews from critics all over the internet. The film stars Prabhas in the lead role, with Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Hassan all playing prominent roles.

If the box office numbers match the positive reviews, it will be huge for Indian cinema! Catch it in a theater near you!

Stefflon Don Uses CGI to Feature Sidhu Moosewala in New Music Video

The legacy of Sidhu Moosewala, iconic Punjabi singer and rapper, continues to resonate throughout the music world, even after his untimely passing. On Monday, British-Jamaican rapper Stefflon Don released Dilemma, a tribute featuring Steel Banglez, GuiltyBeatz and Sidhu himself. The video, a fusion of Stefflon Don's dynamic style and Moosewala's powerful persona, has created waves in the music industry. Utilizing advanced CGI technology, the production team managed to bring Moosewala's likeness to life, allowing him to appear posthumously alongside Stefflon Don.

Filmed in Moosewala’s village of Moosa in Punjab, the video is rich with local imagery and cultural references, providing a vivid backdrop that underscores the artist's roots. The location is a poignant nod to Moosewala’s origins and the community that shaped his musical journey. 

Fans have praised the video for its respectful and heartfelt portrayal, noting how it captures the essence of Moosewala’s spirit and the vibrant culture of Punjab. 

This touching homage, coupled with an incredible song that is bound to stay on our playlists for years, also comes with a lot of reflection on where Moosewala would have been had he been alive today. With his incredible reach within the music industry, thinking about the possibilities is easy. Maybe he would have performed at Coachella like Diljit Dosanjh, or perhaps even have been one of the early Punjabi artists to win or perform at the Junos like Karan Aujla or AP Dhillon. 

This may not be the last song to come posthumously out of Moosewala’s vault, but it shows us that he still has a lot to give despite not being here. 

Bollywood’s Horror-Comedy Universe is Coming in Hot

Munjya, a Hindi-language horror-comedy starring Sharvari and Abhay Verma, has taken the box office by storm. This sleeper hit has already crossed 100 crores at the box office and is performing quite well compared to the recent Kabir Khan (Bhajrangi Bhaijaan) directed sports film, Chandu Champion.

Mythology and folklore-inspired Bollywood horror-comedies are making waves at the box office and with audiences—and the production house Maddock Films is taking advantage of it. 

Stree was the first movie in this genre which blended folklore with a comedic twist. Its success paved the way for Bhediya, a film that was appreciated by the audiences as well.

After Yash Raj Films' spy universes (War, Pathaan) and Rohit Shetty's cop universes (Singham, Sooryavanshi), Maddock Films has been building out a Bollywood horror universe of their own. Recent hits like Stree and Bhediya with their star-studded casts, have opened doors for more horror-comedy films. 

While classic horror comedies of the 2000s and early 2010s were written off (think, Bhoothnath), Maddock films is proving that this subgenre can thrive in 2024. Riding on the success of Munjya, Maddock Films has already greenlit another exciting project, Vampires of Vijaynagar, featuring Ayushmann Khurrana, set to release next year.

As fans eagerly await the release of Stree 2 and others like it, one thing is clear, the horror comedy universe is here to stay, and it's only getting better.

Upcoming Events

July 6 - PopShift Summer - Chicago Boat Cruise

New Music

• Heems releases Manto with Vijay Iyer and Sid Vashi.

• Karan Aujla’s new EP, titled Four Me, dropped last night.

• Hasan Raheem + Ritviz Collaborate on Mehrbhaan and it’s 🔥🔥🔥.

• Rhea Raj releases a brand new single titled HUSH.

• PDNY, HYDR, and YDV collaborate on their latest single, Kamli.

Other News 📰

• Texas Democrat Taral Patel was arrested for allegedly faking racism against himself.

• Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha (most recently in Heeramandi) got married to longtime partner Zaheer Iqbal. 

• A long-lost Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan album, Chain of Light, was recently discovered in one of his old storage spaces. It will be released on September 20.

• Never Have I Ever’s Maitreyi Ramakrishnan was cast in Freaky Friday 2

Written By Jeevan Sangha, Upkar Singh, Jessie Brar