Desi Talk

www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 2 2 ENTERTAINMENT June 20, 2025 Sunjay Kapur Dies At 53 Following Rare Medical Emergency During Polo Match In England B usiness magnate and former celebrity spouse Sunjay Kapur has died at the age of 53 after a tragic medical incident during a polo match in England on June 12. Kapur, a U.S. citizen, report- edly suffered a fatal heart attack brought on by a severe allergic reaction after inadvertently swallowing a bee while on the field. Sources say the sting occurred in or near his mouth, triggering anaphylactic shock, a rapid and life-threat- ening allergic response. Despite urgent medical efforts, Kapur could not be revived. Kapur was best known in corporate circles as the Chairman of Sona Comstar, a major international automotive technology and component supplier. He as- sumed control of the company in 2015 after the passing of his father, Surinder Kapur, who founded it in 1995. Un- der Sunjay’s leadership, the company grew significantly, expanding to 12 manufacturing plants and employing over 5,000 people globally. His net worth was estimated at $1.2 billion, as reported by Forbes. While his contributions to industry were substantial, Kapur also remained a fixture in the public eye due to his personal life. He was previously married to Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor, with whom he had two chil- dren—Samaira and Kiaan. The couple’s 2003 marriage ended in a highly publicized divorce in 2016, which in- cluded legal disputes and allegations of domestic issues. After his separation from Kapoor, Kapur married fash- ion designer Nandita Mahtani, and later former model Priya Sachdev. With Sachdev, he fathered a son named Azarias and became stepfather to her daughter from a prior relationship. Kapur’s sudden death has left many in both the busi- ness and entertainment industries stunned. He was known for his strategic leadership, love for polo, and his ability to balance public life with a growing industrial legacy. Tributes from friends, colleagues, and public figures continue to surface, mourning the untimely loss of a man who made his mark in boardrooms and on social pages alike. By a StaffWriter PHOTO:ANI Sunjay Kapur Chhal Kapat Is Taut And Slick, So Was The Post-Climax Needed At All? Prime Video Drops Much-Awaited Trailer Of Panchayat Season 4 U nder 30 minutes of seven episodes, each tightly structured and crisply narrated. No side issues, flirting with characters, red herrings, needless sex sequences—just focused storytelling. And a sort of unexpected climax. And—Wow!!—no gay angle either in any relationship! Applause Entertainment’s latest offering, Chhal Kapat—The Deception ticks all the right boxes. If was a binge-watcher, I would have watched the story at one go, for the total length is less than 170 minutes, and it would have made for a first-class whodunit thriller as a film. But, but, but…..! A post-climax, as unnecessary as a postal stamp on a couriered parcel, spoils the pleasure of this taut murder saga. The murder, obviously made to look like either a suicide or an accident, happens at a destination wed- ding venue where the victim, Shalu (Yahhve Sharma), a social media ace, is found dead in a “pond”. The wedding is of her best friend, Alisha (Kamya Ahlawat) with Jugal (Smaran Sahu). Their two other close friends are Mahek (Ragini Dwivedi), who is married to political heir Vikram Chandel (Anuj Sachdeva) and Ira (Tuhina Das), who has a physically-challenged child. Bit by bit, newly appointed (and just-widowed) SP Devika (Shriya Pilgaonkar) unravels the complex threads of lies (which everyone tells for assorted reasons!) and deception, aided by her devoted aide, inspector Dubey (Vijay Kaushik), and homes in on the truth. The series’ strength lies in its lack of garnishing and the gripping narrative, but, as I said at the beginning, the impact is a shade vitiated with the needless post-climax. If this is related to a new season to come, maybe my view might get modified, but as of now, I was a shade disap- pointed! Ajay Bhuvan is the director, and we see him using weird close-ups of the eyes and hands of Devika and the various people she interrogates. All that looks a little weird overall, as if a prose narrative in third person (“Devika saw that X was wringing his hands nervously!”) has been attempted to be shot with a camera! The BGM (Soutrik Chakraborty) is competent, and so is Rajkumar Chaturvedi’s razor-sharp editing. The script is taut, with a rare scene that may be extra- neous. I loved the character of Devika, and her menac- ingly sweet smile, and Shriya Pilgaonkar is superbly in sync with her character’s seemingly whimsical yet terrific traits. I also liked Vijay Kaushik as Dubey—he was a complete delight and his smile was genuinely infectious, though not meant to be humorous. Yahhve Sharma as Shalu is quite a find, but Anuj Sachdeva as Jugal and Kamya Ahlawat as Alisha need to work on the acting de- partment. Pranay Pachauri as Rohan and Keshav Lokwani as Sapan fare better. But overall, except for Shriya, Vijay and Yahhve, no one is exceptional, while Kamya, Ragini and Smaran need to brush up on their skills from a little bit to a lot. However, despite these significant shortcomings, the series worked for me as I did not see the post-climax (related only to Shriya’s character) coming. No spoilers. Watch and enjoy the show until the denouement! Rating: *** P roduced by The Viral Fever, Panchayat Season 4 is created by Deepak Kumar Mishra and Chan- dan Kumar, written by Chandan Kumar, and directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra and Akshat Vijaywargiya. The new show is now set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video in India and over 240 coun- tries and territories worldwide on June 24. In the latest season of this popular rural comedy drama, fan-favorite characters including Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta, Raghubir Yadav, Faisal Malik, Chandan Roy, Sanvikaa, Durgesh Kumar, Sunita Rajwar and Pankaj Jha are returning to the show. Set in the fictional village of Phulera, the new season promises to bring fresh challenges, familiar faces, and plenty of comic twists capturing the rhythms of small-town life with humor, warmth and nuance. The trailer for the latest season offers a hilarious sneak peek into the turf war brewing between two spirited frontrun- ners—Manju Devi and Kranti Devi. With rally songs, lofty pledges and lots of fanfare, the village turns into a buzzing battleground. As both camps race to out- shine and out-scheme the other, Phulera transforms into a carnival of chaos. And while the smiles are wide and slogans louder, behind the scenes it is all about planting whispers, questioning each other’s “values,” and throwing just enough shade to keep things spicy. With foot- tapping, desi anthems setting the mood, the trailer promises viewers a full-blown rural ruckus—packed with the chaos of Phulera’s fiercest showdown yet. Ahead of the launch, fans played a pivotal role in shaping the release date. Through a specially designed interactive website —www.panchayatvoting.com, a record 6.5 million votes were cast for their favourites—TeamManju Devi or Team Kranti Devi—each vote pushing a live me- ter closer to its final point. What started as a virtual showdown quickly turned into a massive celebration, ultimately leading to the release date being moved to June 24 in response to the fans’ enthusiasm to have their beloved series on screen sooner. Chandan Kumar, creator and writer of Panchayat Season 4, shared, “Writing Panchayat has been a journey of deep discovery and gratitude. What makes this series special is how each season unfolds organically—building naturally on the one By RajivVijayakar By RajivVijayakar PHOTO:TrailerVideo Grab Shriya Pilgaonkar in ZEE5’s Chhal Kapat—The Deception. - Continued On Page 27