The air is buzzing with excitement as we gear up for Yardley London presents 4th Edition of Filmfare Middle East Most Influential Women 2025! A dazzling event that will have some of the most inspiring and motivating women visionaries and leaders celebrated for their courageous journeys and achievements. An evening of honoring trailblazers – who don’t just break, but shatter glass ceilings and have made a habit of it, women who lead by courage, who rise with grace and grit and overcome obstacles with strength that defines them and paves the way for the future generations to be more empowered.
Choosing the best amongst the best, where everyone is a winner and achiever in their own right is no easy task and we have a power-packed and an esteemed panel of judges comprising some of the most celebrated names to help us do that. Mr Rizwan Sajan – Founder and Chairman of Danube Group; Ms Khadija Al Bastaki – Senior Vice President of Dubai Design District; Ms Aysha AlJneibi – Director of Talent Management, Creative Media Authority (CMA); Ms Vimi Joshi – Global Makeup Artist; and Dr Vidya Yeravdekar – Pro Chancellor of Symbiosis International University and Principal Director of the Symbiosis Society. The campaign that kickstarted in January will culminate into a grand finale event where joining us in the celebrations will be Bollywood’s young star Sharvari. From a power-packed performance in Vedaa to her heart-winning outings in Munjya and Maharaj, the gorgeous and immensely talented actress is simply unstoppable with an impressive line-up of big-ticket films to boast of, including YRF’s first women-spy thriller Alpha! Well, we can’t wait to meet and celebrate all you fabulous achievers, so see you on 25th February at Lapita Dubai Parks and Resorts!
Talking of all things fab, as always, we present to you the best and the most happening buzz from the world of cinema, entertainment, fashion, beauty and lifestyle, all packed into this unputdownable Love Edition! And on the cover this month is the dashing Arjun Kapoor! The actor who most recently had been garnering acclaim for his impactful role as an antagonist in Singham Again, once again proved his versatility as he follows up a high-octane action release with a rom-com Mere Husband Ki Biwi. Currently basking in this new-found momentum of his 2.0 Version, we caught up with the star for an exclusive interview and in our candid tête-à-tête, Arjun talks all about his versatile roles, his fearlessness in pushing the envelope, and also reveals why inspite it all, a validation from the audience is something that he, like every other actor, looks forward to the most! And while our February Cover Star rocks our issue and Bollywood, there’s another entrant ready to carve her niche in B-Town!
Presenting the South sensation Sreeleela, who is also our Filmfare Middle East February Digital Cover Star. Young, vivacious and talented, the actress has already proven her mettle in the South with her dazzling performances and dance skills. One of the most sought-after names there, she is now gearing up to wow Bollywood too with her highly-anticipated big-ticket debut opposite Kartik Aaryan that is all the buzz since the teaser dropped. Undoubtedly the next big thing, she’s on a meteoric rise as besides the Kartik starrer, her much-talked-about lineup includes buzz of a film with Ibrahim Ali Khan, and her Tamil debut Parasakhti alongside Sivakarthikeyan! Interestingly, even as Sreeleela preps to take on a new chapter in her career, she is also actively pursuing a medical degree. Her infectious energy and undeniable talent make her a delight on screen and off it as we caught up with her for our exclusive interview. Read all about this gorgeous star in the pages ahead.
Also flip the pages to check out our exclusives with some of the most brilliant actors in the industry – from R Madhavan to Shahid Kapoor to Unni Mukundan to Pooja Hegde and Triptii Dimri. The issue is packed with insightful interviews with these industry heavy-weights as we got them at their candid best!
Meanwhile there was also much action to be seen on the fashion front. Stars shone down as ace couturier Manish Malhotra presented the first-ever runway showcase of his World Collection: Dubai at the Grand Finale of Dubai Fashion Week, making him the first Indian designer to headline the closing show that had supermodels Adriana Lima and Valery Kaufman as showstoppers! Guests included Ms Khadija Al Bastaki, Mr Rizwan Sajan, Michael Cinco, and also seen cheering Manish were B-Towners including Sanjay and Maanayata Dutt, Karan Johar, Malaika Arora, Vijay Varma, Rasha Thadani, Urmila Matondkar, Punit Malhotra, Lakshya, amongst others!
While these stars set the temps rising with their oomph factor, winters in Dubai seem to be passing by in a rush. Preps are also underway for the Holy month of Ramadan as the city is gearing up for fasting, praying and feasting!
February also spells Valentine’s Day, so on that note, here’s wishing everyone love, light and happiness!