Hollywood icon Robert Redford has passed away at the age of 89. His publicist said he passed peacefully in his sleep at his home in Utah. Redford was more than just a movie star. He had a quiet charm, a calm confidence, and a way of drawing audiences in without ever trying too hard. He was a storyteller at heart, whether in front of the camera, behind it, or through the Sundance Film Festival, which he co-founded to give new filmmakers a chance to be heard.

 Born Charles Robert Redford in Los Angeles in 1936, he discovered his love for acting after leaving the University of Colorado and training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He started small, taking TV and stage roles, but his talent soon shone through on Broadway in Barefoot in the Park. Early film roles like Inside Daisy Clover showed his potential, but it was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in 1969, opposite Paul Newman, that made the world take notice and launched him into superstardom.

The 1970s were Robert Redford’s defining decade. He starred in films that have since become classics including Jeremiah Johnson, The Way We Were, The Sting, The Great Gatsby, Three Days of the Condor, and All the Presidents Men. He could be charming, intense, funny, or quietly heroic, and he did it all with a natural ease that made every role feel real. In 1980, he moved behind the camera with Ordinary People, winning Best Director as the film also took home Best Picture, proving his talent extended far beyond acting.

Even later in life, Redford continued to inspire. He gave unforgettable performances in The Natural and Out of Africa, directed A River Runs Through It and Quiz Show, and used his voice for causes he believed in, especially protecting the environment. He leaves behind a legacy of talent, integrity, and heart, a man who shaped Hollywood and independent film alike and whose influence will be felt for generations.

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On Monday, the highly anticipated trailer for Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari was released by the makers. During the launch, Varun Dhawan shared his thoughts on the ongoing discussion regarding the increasing entourage costs of actors, saying that the responsibility should not only be placed on them and that producers should also act like family. 

Varun shared that when he is involved in a film produced by Dharma Productions, he feels as though it is his own, as Dharma is known for its exceptional care of its actors. He also mentioned that he has a team of four people in his entourage and, after a rule made by his father, filmmaker David Dhawan, he never includes his managers on set, prioritizing the producers’ needs. He said, “This is quite clear in the current landscape, with OTT and satellite prices fluctuating. Producers are the ones with the biggest risk. It is like going back to how people used to make films. Hopefully, people won’t have to go to the extremes seen in the past; those times had their own horror stories as well. In my childhood, I saw friends lose houses. People need to make the film together.” 

Varun added, “If I start to consider all production houses as my own, then all producers also need to behave as family members. That doesn’t happen. We can keep blaming actors. Stories and blind items come out, we get trolled. All the muck is thrown on the actors. We need good producers as well. They should foster a collaborative, family-like atmosphere on set. If an actor still wants to be arrogant, don’t work with them.” 

Recently, filmmaker Sanjay Gupta shared that certain Bollywood actors request six vanity vans on set to accommodate their various requirements, while some couples in the industry have been known to ask for up to eleven, including a separate van for their kitchens. Previously, Rakesh Roshan and Farah Khan also discussed how the increasing costs associated with entourages impact producers and contribute to the inflation of film budgets.

Directed by Shashank Khaitan, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, is produced by Dharma Productions and Mentor Disciple Entertainment. The cast includes Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Sanya Malhotra, and Rohit Saraf, with Maniesh Paul and Akshay Oberoi in supporting roles. The theatrical release is scheduled for October 2.

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