In a case that reads like the script of a Bollywood thriller minus the catharsis, actress Alia Bhatt finds herself at the center of a deeply personal and professional betrayal. And at the center of it all is a woman she once trusted with her life: her ex-executive assistant, Vedika Prakash Shetty. For almost three years, between 2021 and 2024, Vedika was not merely an employee. She was the right hand to one of the most bankable stars in the nation. Whether she had to organize Alia’s packed schedule or deal with paperwork for Eternal Sunshine Productions, Vedika was present, seen, dependable, and above all, trusted. But that trust, it now appears, might have been grossly misplaced. It all began with a gut feeling. In January this year, Alia was reviewing an invoice for an event fee when something didn’t feel right. The contact details listed seemed off. On a whim or maybe out of rising suspicion, she called the number. On the other end was not an event manager but a friend of Vedika’s. That moment triggered a deeper look into her financials. What followed was a full-blown audit, and the results were shocking: forged invoices, falsified vendor names, payments to unfamiliar bank accounts, and tech products bought under company expense but delivered to unrelated addresses. According to the Juhu police, the scam ran deep, and the amount allegedly siphoned off stands at a staggering ₹77 lakh. Investigators believe Vedika used the names of personal acquaintances Satvik Sahu (₹43 lakh), Chandni Prasad Dixit (₹18 lakh), and Manish Sukhij (₹6 lakh) to mask the trail, redirecting funds and possibly laundering them through their accounts. Whether they were complicit or merely used as pawns is still not clear. But just when the money scandal appeared to be the heart of the tale, the plot took a sinister turn. What began as embezzlement can now have global consequences. Insiders to the case have come forward with information that Vedika is also under investigation for leaking confidential internal information from Alia’s production house to some unknown person residing in the United States. These range from confidential scripts and financial documents toeven unreleased content. Cybercrime teams are now in the picture, attempting to follow digital trails, establish the recipient, and identify the motive. Was this an act of desperation to make money? Or was Vedika working with someone who had a stake in Bollywood’s inside world? The answers remain to be seen. As the news exploded in the media, another family came forward, bringing back memories they had long tried to forget. Meera Rautela, mother of actress Urvashi Rautela, alleged that Vedika had previously worked as Urvashi’s assistant between 2015 and 2017 and had left behind similar wounds. According to Meera, Vedika was “like family” at the time, with access to their home, their private moments, and even their elderly mother’s room. One particular memory still stings: during the Miss Universe India crown ceremony in 2016, Meera says she caught Vedika red-handed, her hand inside a purse that wasn’t hers. That same day, a large sum of cash reportedly went missing from Urvashi’s grandmother’s suitcase. Despite Vedika’s denial, the incident haunted them for years and resurfaced now with fresh relevance. “She used to casually mention big names like Shilpa Shetty and Suniel Shetty to boost her credibility. We never thought to question it back then,” Meera said in her statement. “Now, it all makes sense.” Despite the mounting headlines and police involvement, Alia Bhatt has chosen not to comment publicly, perhaps out of legal caution or sheer emotional fatigue. Urvashi, also, has remained silent, allowing her mother’s testimony to go unchallenged. For both sets of parents, though, this is about something more than money lost or devices gone missing. It’s a betrayal of trust and a crossing of boundaries. Particularly in a field where professional lines tend to blur into personal, the breach hurts all the more. The larger question this case brings up is chilling: How many other families has Vedika purportedly exploited? And how many other “assistants” in Bollywood are given unqualified access without proper background screening or accountability? Until now, the police have arrested Vedika under various sections of the IPC, such as criminal breach of trust, cheating, and fraud. The cybercrime wing is pursuing the online leak aspect, particularly the link to an American-based party. As this investigation continues, one can hardly envision the unspoken tension rippling like a wave through showbiz. Assistants are stars’ behind-the-scenes lifelines, paying bills and patching breakdowns. Vedika’s case is a reminder, however, that the biggest threat sometimes lies not outside, but among your closest friends. This isn’t a stolen money case. It’s a case of stolen trust, shattered bonds, and the irreparable harm that was left in its wake. Guilty or not guilty, whatever comes of Vedika Prakash Shetty, the wounds she’s left behind on families, on reputations, and on relationships could heal a lot slower than even any monetary loss.

Rajkummar Rao’s highly awaited metamorphosis into a coarse, massy gangster with Maalik was poised to upend the box office. With the actor on a high from recent theatrical success and good word on the trailer, the hopes were unmistakably sky-high. Yet, as the film opens in theaters this Friday (July 11), the initial numbers are painting a different picture, one that speaks of an indifferent opening, disappointing footfalls, and fallen milestones. Maalik, which was produced by Pulkit and also starred Manushi Chhillar, Prosenjit Chatterjee, and Saurabh Shukla, opened its advance bookings on Wednesday afternoon. However, despite Rajkummar’s growing popularity and the action-packed genre, the response has been far from encouraging. As of Thursday evening, Maalik had only managed to sell around 6,500 tickets across the top three national cinema chains, PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis. This figure is not just below expectations; it’s alarmingly low for a commercial film trying to tap into the mass market. Typically, massy action films thrive on single-screen hype and early bookings in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. But for a film boasting a genre pivot for its lead actor, the lack of excitement at the ticket counters is telling. To put things into perspective, Rajkummar Rao’s previous release, Bhool Chuk Maaf, a quirky time-loop comedy, had a relatively strong start with a ₹7.2 crore opening. Even Jaat, a massy actioner starring Sunny Deol, clocked in ₹9 crore on Day 1 earlier this year. Compared to these films, Maalik is not just lagging; it might not even manage to earn half of those numbers. Industry insiders are cautiously pegging Maalik’s Day 1 collection between ₹2 and ₹4 crore, with some conservative estimates leaning towards the lower end of that range. That means the film could potentially open at just 50% of Bhool Chuk Maaf’s opening, or even less. If that happens, Maalik will struggle to break into the Top 10 Bollywood Openers of 2025, a list the makers were likely hoping to crack. The Maalik trailer had indeed promised a lot. It got audiences used to Rajkummar’s dark, gritty persona, with stylish visuals, relentless action, and a complex storyline. It initially created some good word-of-mouth on social media. But beyond that initial impression, the movie could not keep its marketing momentum going. Post-trailer, promotional content for the film, be it songs, posters, interviews, or digital campaigns, failed to create the kind of chatter a big-ticket action release requires. Rajkummar’s fanbase, which largely connects with his grounded, relatable roles, may not have fully bought into his new avatar just yet. And with not many mass-level promotions in small towns or regional markets, Maalik lost the opportunity to tap into a possible crowd-attracting audience. With the genre, budget, and size of Maalik, there is much more at stake than a cult indie release. Trade experts suggest that for the film to even break even, it will need to earn around ₹60-70 crore at the domestic box office. Without a solid opening weekend to build upon, this target is looking increasingly out of reach. Naturally, box office fortunes can change. Word-of-mouth is a major player, particularly for mid-budget action thrillers. If audiences respond to the story, performances, or execution, the movie can bounce back from a slow start. But in a crowded market filled with new releases and streaming competition, time is never an ally. Despite the lukewarm opening predictions for Maalik, Rajkummar Rao’s current form at the box office cannot be ignored. He’s coming off three back-to-back successful releases: Stree 2, Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, and Bhool Chuk Maaf. Every one of these movies not only demonstrated his versatility but also attracted good figures as well, reasserting his box office viability. Maalik is a risk, a genre experiment with a view to broadening Rajkummar’s reach. Although the beginning isn’t great, the actor’s performance and the narrative of the movie could nonetheless set things aright. It’s not the first time a film has defied predictions and surged ahead after an average start. Maalik was touted as Rajkummar Rao’s big ‘mass turn,’ a gritty gangster flick that would position him in a new light. Unfortunately, preliminary indications are that the movie may not roar at the box office as expected. With pre-bookings at a mere 6,500 tickets, lackluster buzz, and reserved Day 1 projections, Maalik is set to stumble into the start. Whether it can gain momentum on the weekend and earn fan affection remains to be seen. Sometimes the box office is a battleground, and Maalik may need a miracle in order to emerge from this war victorious.