Fans mob Rajamouli, NTR Jr at ‘RRR’ screening in LA’s Chinese Theatre

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Fans mob Rajamouli, NTR Jr at ‘RRR’ screening in LA’s Chinese Theatre

Ahead of their appearance at the Golden Globe awards evening in Los Angeles, ‘RRR’ director S.S. Rajamouli and NTR Jr are soaking in the love and affection of their fans in the city.

On Monday night, both Rajamouli and Tollywood’s ‘Man of Masses’ NTR Jr attended the film’s screening at LA’s iconic TCL Chinese Theatre on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, where he was cheered by fans.

The iconic Chinese Theatre, which houses one of the world’s biggest IMAX screens, witnessed an epic turnout of ‘RRR’ fans at the screening, whose tickets were sold out in 90 seconds.

NTR Jr was seen smiling and interacting with the swarms of fans who asked for selfies and chanted ‘Jai NTR!’. It was a historic moment for an Indian film at the century-old Chinese Theatre.

Rajamouli and NTR Jr arrived in New York a few days ago and attended a screening of ‘RRR’ followed by a reception at the DGA theatre. Early on Wednesday morning, India time, viewers in India will be able to see them at the Golden Globes.

The historical magnum opus has been nominated for Best Picture – Non-English and Best Original Song (for ‘Naatu Naatu’).

Following the awards event, NTR Jr will begin shooting for his upcoming NTR30, directed by Koratala Siva of ‘Janatha Garage’ fame. The film is due for theatrical release on April 5, 2024.

He also has NTR31 on the cards. It will be helmed by ‘KGF’ director Prashanth Neel.

French PM set to unveil pension reform plan

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French PM set to unveil pension reform plan

Details of pension reform, a major project of French President Emmanuel Macron’s second five-year term, will be presented to the public on Tuesday by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.

The reform was part of Macron’s presidential campaign back in 2017, reports Xinhua news agency.

On January 3 and 4, Borne met the country’s social partners for a final consultation.

Based on its conclusions, she will unveil the plans, which will then be discussed by the Council of Ministers on January 23, with a possible entry into force in late summer.

The government’s initial plan was to raise the legal retirement age from 62 to 65 at a progressive rate of four months per year (63 in 2025, 64 in 2028, and 65 in 2031).

The first generation concerned by the postponement of the retirement age will be those born in the second half of 1961.

Anticipating numerous criticisms of this measure, Macron proposed extending the legal retirement age to 64 years, with a longer contribution period.

However, both proposals are strongly opposed by the public. According to a YouGov poll commissioned by the Huffington Post, 70 percent of the respondents are opposed to extending the legal retirement age to 65, compared to 65 percent who opposed retirement at 64 years.

The government also plans to offer a minimum pension of 1,200 euros ($1,291) — 85 percent of the minimum wage — for future retirees who had a complete career.

As only future retirees will benefit from this measure, criticism arises on the basis of equality for current retirees. Borne said this would be debated further in Parliament.

With its pension reform, the government also plans to increase the employability of senior citizens, which in France is lower than the average in European countries.

The proposal includes the creation of a “senior index”, to be negotiated in each professional field and published in each company with more than fifty employees.

The government also proposes the creation of a “bonus” to be granted to senior job seekers wishing to return to a job that pays less than what unemployment compensation offers.

The government would suspend all current special pension schemes, such as for the national railway company SNCF.

In his New Year address, Macron said that the pension reform was necessary to balance the pension system for the decades to come.

In 2021, France’s expenditure on the pension system equaled 13.8 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

However, the country’s Pensions Advisory Council (COR) said that the share of pension expenditure would rise sharply due to the sharp contraction in GDP and would vary between 14.2 percent and 14.7 percent between 2027 and 2032.

In a report published by the COR in September 2022, the pension system watchdog said that from 2022 to 2032, the country’s pension system would be in deficit.

Pawan Kalyan in Unstoppable Season-2 Program With NBK | Trivikram | Bala Krishna | Telugu Bullet

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YouTube to share ad money with Shorts creators from Feb 1

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YouTube to share ad money with Shorts creators from Feb 1

Tech giant Google has announced that it has restructured the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) terms to include new modules such as the ‘Shorts Monetisation Module’, which allows creators to start making ad revenue on Shorts starting February 1 on the video-sharing platform.

The new modules provide creators more flexibility in the ways they can earn from their content, the tech giant said on a support page.

“After signing the Base Terms, which are the foundational contract terms for all creators wishing to monetize on the platform, creators can pick and choose from contract Modules to unlock earning opportunities.”

The new modules include the ‘Watch Page Monetisation Module’, ‘Shorts Monetisation Module’, and ‘Commerce Product Addendum’.

Users need to accept the Watch Page Monetisation Module to earn ad and YouTube Premium revenue on long-form or live-streaming videos viewed on the Watch Page.

“The Shorts Monetisation Module allows your channel to share revenue from ads viewed between videos in the Shorts Feed,” the company said.

If users already accepted the ‘Commerce Product Addendum’ which unlocks a series of Fan Funding features, then they won’t need to accept its terms again.

All users need to review and understand the new YPP terms as “accepting the Base Terms is required to join or remain in YPP.”

“To remain in the YouTube Partner Program and continue monetizing on YouTube, all monetizing partners will have until July 10, 2023, to review and accept new terms,” Google said.

If users do not accept the Base Terms by that date, their channel will be removed from the YPP and their monetization agreement will be terminated.

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Sasikala urges DMK govt to buy sugarcane of all sizes for Pongal hampers

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Sasikala urges DMK govt to buy sugarcane of all sizes for Pongal hampers

AIADMK former interim general secretary and close aide of late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, V.K. Sasikala has urged the Tamil Nadu government to buy Sugarcane of all sizes for the Pongal gift hampers.

She said that the state government had put the size of sugarcane to be bought in for Pongal gift hampers at 6 feet which were not feasible.

Sasikala said that the size of the sugarcane is based on the soil from where it was grown and that it was not in the hands of the farmers. The former AIADMK general secretary said that the government must not stick to fixing the size of sugarcane and buy sugarcane of all sizes from the farmers. It is to be noted that the state government was buying sugarcane from farmers at a rate of Rs 33 per piece.

In a statement on Tuesday, the former interim general secretary of the AIADMK said that the DMK government was stalling all the pro-people projects initiated by the previous AIADMK governments of MGR and J. Jayalalithaa.

She also charged that the DMK men were indulging in rowdyism and that this was not acceptable. The former aide of Jayalalithaa said that during the regime of Jayalalithaa, the government had taken stern action even if AIADMK men were involved in any malpractices.

Sasikala alleged that “if people don’t pay ‘hafta’ or protection money to the DMK men, no activities, including construction is not allowed”.

She called upon the state government to be more people-friendly and said that the government must take stringent action against anyone who was indulging in violence.

Italian PM reaffirms commitment to EU recovery plan

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Italian PM reaffirms commitment to EU recovery plan

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed the challenges of economic growth and European migration policy here.

Meloni reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to the European Union’s (EU) National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NPRR), which provides the country with around 200 billion euros ($215 billion) in grants and low-interest loans as long as it follows through with a series of reforms to make its economy stronger and more sustainable, reports Xinhua news agency.

Taking to Twitter, Von der Leyen said that issues discussed during the meeting on Monday were “keep supporting Ukraine; ensure secure and affordable energy; boost the competitiveness of EU industry; make progress on Migration Pact” and the rollout of the NPRR.

The top EU official is holding a series of bilateral discussions with leaders of the 27-member bloc ahead of the February 9-10 meeting of the European Council, scheduled specifically to discuss European economic growth and migration.

It comes as the bloc faces challenges ranging from high inflation and slow economic growth sparked by the war in Ukraine to divisions between countries on policies including energy and migration.

1,500 arrested in Brazil over capital riots

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1,500 arrested in Brazil over capital riots

Some 1,500 people have been arrested in Brazil in the wake of the violent riots staged by supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro who stormed the Supreme Court, Congress, and the presidential palace in the country’s capital.

Authorities arrested 1,200 people on Monday in addition to 300 detained on Sunday just hours after the riots took place, reports the BBC.

According to Justice Minister Flavio Dino, some 40 buses which had been used to transport protesters to the capital had been seized.

Also on Monday, heavily armed officers dismantled a camp of Bolsonaro supporters in Brasilia — one of a number that has been set up outside army barracks around the country since the presidential election in October 2022.

Sunday’s violence came exactly a week after Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was sworn in.

Lula, who was President between January 2003 and December 2010, defeated Bolsonaro by a narrow margin in the October 31, 2022 run-off election.

Wearing shirts in the colors of Brazil’s flag — yellow and green — the protesters vandalized the buildings in the capital Brasilia that house the South American nation’s key democratic institutions, reports the BBC.

The police had to resort to firing tear gas when the demonstrators wrapped in the national flag surrounded the presidential palace.

The violence left behind widespread damage — almost every window on the presidential palace building’s ground floor had been destroyed, forcing crews to remove each pane of glass and replace it with a new one.

The cobblestone pavement outside the palace also showed signs of damage, with large patches torn out by the rioters.

In the nearby Congress building, valuable works of art, including several high-profile pieces, were reportedly damaged by water or defaced during the riot, the BBC reported.

Lula and the heads of Congress and the Supreme Court said they “reject the terrorist acts and criminal, coup-mongering vandalism that occurred” on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Braslia Governor Ibaneis Rocha has been removed from his post for 90 days by the Supreme Court after being accused of failing to prevent the riot and of being “painfully silent” in the face of the attack.

Rocha has apologized for the violence.

Heads of state around the world have also denounced the violence, with the leaders of the US, Canada, and Mexico issuing a joint statement on Monday condemning “attacks on Brazil’s democracy and on the peaceful transfer of power”.

Late on Monday, President Joe Biden “conveyed the unwavering support of the US for Brazil’s democracy” during a phone call with Lula, the White House said in a statement.

It added that the Brazilian leader had accepted Biden’s invitation to visit Washington in early February.

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Pravasi Bharatiya Divas: Many NRIs failed to get entry into venue for inaugural session

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Pravasi Bharatiya Divas: Many NRIs failed to get entry into venue for inaugural session

The Madhya Pradesh government hosted India’s 17th ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas’, which was attended by hundreds of representatives from several foreign countries and the Indian diaspora, and was addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Indore on Monday.

Modi addressed the gathering of NRIs and the representatives of business firms, appealing to them to understand the values of India in depth and spread in the countries they were living.

The Prime Minister asserted that “for me, all Indian-origin citizen and their families living all over the world are brand ambassadors of India”.

Hundreds of NRIs and people associated with business firms had arrived in Indore in the last two days while many reached on Monday as well. They wanted to attend the gathering to listen to Modi at the venue. However, many of them were disappointed due to the shortage of space at the venue.

Some of those allegedly denied entry for the inaugural session at the venue (as they claimed), were seen expressing their disappointment and questioning the arrangements.

Due to the lack of space inside the hall, they were told by the staff that they should listen to Prime Minister Modi’s address on TV or watch it on the phone through a live video link.

“If we had to watch Modiji speak on TV or phone only, why did we fly so far from the US to Indore,” said a fuming Julie Jain from the US.

“We came all the way from the US to hear Prime Minister Modi address the Indian diaspora, but once at the entry of the venue of the inaugural session at 8.30 a.m. (around two hours before the PM actually arrived), we were told by the on-duty staff, that the space inside was full. We have invited guests, who had registered in advance for this main event,” she added.

Veena Singh, who arrived from the UK, too, remained dejected after failing to get an entry inside.

“We were here to listen to Modiji from as close as possible and arrived by 9 a.m, still we were denied entry into the venue of the inaugural session. Is this actual ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’?”

Prashant Singh, an overseas Indian from Jamaica, too, was peeved over failing to get entry to hear Prime Minister Modi speak.

“It wasn’t me only, but ministers from Jamaica, who weren’t allowed entry inside. If you can’t even manage 3000 guests, then how can you even dream of becoming a superpower? Overseas Indian guests have been waiting outside, while government officials were sitting inside.”

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, however, apologized and tried to pacify the angry guests while addressing the occasion in the presence of Prime Minister Modi, several Union Ministers, and Governor Mangubhai C. Patel along with his cabinet ministers.

Shivraj Singh said, “The hall might have fallen short of space, but there is boundless love and respect for you in my heart.”

Talking to Media, officials claimed the delegates were clearly told in advance about 8 a.m. being the deadline for entry into the venue of PM’s program, but still many arrived late.

The day NTR became CM was historic for Telugus: Chandrababu

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The day NTR became CM was historic for Telugus: Chandrababu

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president Nara Chandrababu Naidu said on Monday the day party founder N.T. Rama Rao formed the first TDP government in united Andhra Pradesh was a historic one for the Telugus across the globe.

On the occasion of the TDP completing 40 years of forming the government, the former chief minister and TDP national president stated that revolutionary changes came in the lives of the Telugu people both economically and politically only after Rama Rao formed the TDP government.

He noted that the journey of the lives of the Telugu people is now being viewed as before and after the TDP formation.

He recalled that Rama Rao, who personally witnessed the ruthless political situation in the state and the untold hardships that the people were facing, floated the TDP only to ensure a poverty-free society.

It was on January 9, 1983, that NTR, as the legendary actor was popularly known, took oath as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. He created a record by coming to power within nine months after floating the TDP on the slogan of Telugu self-respect. This brought to an end the single-party rule of Congress in the state.

“Exactly, this was the day 40 years ago the late NTR took oath as the chief minister to bring in radical changes in the lives of the poor,” Naidu said.

The entire credit goes only to TDP for introducing revolutionary changes in society by bringing in welfare schemes like the Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme, single Window system, doing away with the Patel, patwari system, rights for women in property, pucca houses for the poor and old age pensions besides distribution of janatha clothes, Chandrababu recalled.

It is the TDP that established separate educational institutions for women like Padmavathi University and created reservations for women in education and employment, the TDP supremo observed.

The Backward Classes (BCs), who form 50 percent of the population, could progress in politics only with the encouragement given by the TDP, Chandrababu Naidu said, adding that even a separate quota was extended to BCs in the administration and local bodies only by the TDP.

The quota for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) was increased and a separate welfare corporation for minorities was created by the TDP to ensure that they progress well both economically and socially, the TDP supremo maintained.

Better education facilities were created for the downtrodden sections of society by setting up more engineering colleges, schools, and other educational institutions and it is the TDP that brought radical changes in the lifestyle of the BCs, SCs, STs, and other sections, he stated.

“While NTR tried to uphold the dignity and self-respect among the Telugus, I tried my best to increase the self-confidence among them,” said Naidu, the son-in-law of NTR.

Observing that he introduced several reforms after he took charge as the chief minister of the state, Chandrababu said that the administration was brought closer to the people.

Since the credit of introducing reforms in information technology (IT), pharma sectors completely go to the TDP following which Telugu are now holding top positions in the world in both sectors.

Naidu became chief minister in 1995 after leading a revolt against NTR a few months after the latter led TDP back to power with a record majority. NTR’s children also supported Naidu as they were unhappy with the alleged attempts by his second wife Lakshmi Parvathi to take control of the party and the administration.

The TDP founder died of cardiac arrest on January 18, 1996, at the age of 72.

Naidu, who led TDP to power again in 1999, remained the chief minister till 2004. After the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, he formed the first TDP government in the residuary state.

Shilpa Shetty to make a killing in Mamaearth IPO

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Shilpa Shetty to make a killing in Mamaearth IPO

Angel investors, including Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, stand to make a killing in the forthcoming IPO of Mamaearth as the company is being valued at Rs 24,000 crore.

Sources said keeping aside the unrealistic high revenue multiple valuations of the Mamaearth IPO, angel investors are going to multiply their investment with this IPO.

“The reported valuation for the Mamaearth IPO is at Rs 24,000 crore which is almost 25x FY22 revenues and 1600x FY22 profits (PE). These are incredibly premium valuations compared to established brands like Marico or Dabur that trade between 50x to 60x PE with legacy brands and deep offline distribution,” a source said.

Sources said investors have already burnt their fingers in IPOs like PayTm, Nykaa, Zomato, and assorted smaller issuances.

Angel investor Devansh Lakhani, Director and Startup Fundraising Expert of Lakhani Financial Service has provided a blow-by-blow account of Mamaearth’s lukewarm profit run in a LinkedIn post, Indian Retailer reported.

“In FY23, H1 the company made a sale of Rs 684 crore with a marketing spend of Rs 272 crore. This gives them an ROI of 2.5 which isn’t that alluring. The company recorded a restated cumulative profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 3.67 crore in the first and second quarters of FY23, according to filings filed with the SEBI. I doubt that investors would be interested in investing in a company that is worth 1,000 times its profit,” Lakhani stated.

Hollywood producer Jason Blum says ‘RRR’ will win Oscar for best film

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Hollywood producer Jason Blum says ‘RRR’ will win Oscar for best film

Hollywood producer Jason Blum is sure that Indian filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli’s magnum opus ‘RRR’ will be feted with the Best Film honor at this year’s Oscar awards.

The founder of Hollywood studio Blumhouse, who has produced Oscar-winning movies such as ‘Get Out’ and horror movies such as ‘Paranormal Activity’ and ‘Insidious’ took to Twitter and wrote: “I’m going with RRR winning best pic. You heard it here first. Mark it down, please.”

“If I’m right, I am awarding myself my own Oscar,” he added.

‘RRR’ stars NTR Jr., Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Shriya Saran, Samuthirakani, Ray Stevenson, Alison Doody, and Olivia Morris.

It centres around two real-life Indian revolutionaries, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem, their fictional friendship, and their fight against the British Raj.

Set in the 1920s, the plot explores the undocumented period in their lives when both the revolutionaries chose to go into obscurity before they began the fight for their country.

Hugh Jackman exposes behaviour on ‘X-Men’ sets that ‘wouldn’t happen now’

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Hugh Jackman exposes behaviour on ‘X-Men’ sets that ‘wouldn’t happen now’

“X-Men” star Hugh Jackman has admitted that the early “X-Men” movies saw on-set behavior “that would not happen now.”

The Hollywood star has spoken about events behind the scenes on the hit film franchise after co-star Halle Berry previously claimed she had clashed with director Bryan Singer, reports ‘The Mirror’.

The Australian star thinks a positive change has occurred in the movie industry since he took on the project – his first big US release. Halle previously told ‘Variety’ how she had gotten in a row with Bryan on the set of the 2014 “X-Men” film, “Days Of Future Past”, claiming he was “not the easiest dude to work with”.

Talking to ‘The Guardian’, Hugh elaborated further on his own experience of the movie business.

“This was my first movie in America, you gotta understand; it was all so new to me. I think it’s fair to say that… there are some stories, you know. I think there are some ways of being on set that would not happen now.”

“And I think that things have changed for the better. There’s way less tolerance for disrespect, marginalization, bullying, or any oppressive behavior. There’s zero tolerance for it now and people will speak out, and I think that’s great,” he added.

‘The Mirror’ further states that Singer has found himself at the center of sexual misconduct claims recently, however, the filmmaker has robustly denied the allegations.

He released a statement to Deadline in 2019 branding the reports “rehashed claims from bogus lawsuits filed by a disreputable cast of individuals willing to lie for money or attention”.

Quizzed on if the accusations had changed his view of the films Hugh admitted it was a “really complicated question” and “there’s a lot of things at stake there”.

“‘X-Men’ was the turning point, I believe, in terms of comic-book movies and I think there’s a lot to be proud of and there’s certainly questions to be asked and I think they should be asked.”

He then admitted feeling the situation was “complex” and that he ultimately looks back “with pride at what we’ve achieved and what momentum that started”.

Dakar Rally: Top contenders in close chase in overall standings after eight stages

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Dakar Rally: Top contenders in close chase in overall standings after eight stages

After one week of racing and eight stages (one canceled) all top contenders are incredibly close in the overall standings of the Dakar Rally.

In the overall standings, Howes Skyler (30h34m16s) of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing is placed on top, Benavides Kevin (30h34m29s) from Red Bull KTM Rally Factory team is in second place, followed by Klein Mason (30h34m29s) and Price Toby (30h36m14s) on third and fourth position respectively.

Monster Energy Honda team’s Quintanilla is ranked fifth with a gap of just 2:45 minutes to the leader, Van Beveren is in sixth position (2:49 minutes gap to the leader) and Nacho Cornejo is ninth (19:32 minutes gap to the leader).

Tuesday is time for the well-deserved rest day at the Dakar Rally. All riders will be transferred to a hotel and be able to recover their energy for another week of action.

In the meantime, mechanics and engineers from the team will work hard to revise the Honda CRF 450 Rally in every detail — starting with a wash and continuing with the check of each component.

“It has been a long and hard week for all, starting with the abandonment of Ricky Brabec after a crash. I have to say that the competition level is really high. All contenders are very close, so I think we are in a good position to start another week and pursue our goal to move into the top standings. Our strategy hasn’t changed so let’s continue to be solid and consistent in a terrain where we know we have the best skills to succeed,” said Ruben Faria, General Manager of Monster Energy Honda Team.

Australian businesses call to boost migrant intake

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Australian businesses call to boost migrant intake

Australian businesses have called on the federal government to increase the permanent migration cap.

In its submission to the government’s review of the immigration system recently, the Business Council of Australia (BCA) called for a post-pandemic migration “reset”, reports Xinhua news agency.

It urged the government to increase the annual migrant intake for the next two financial years to 220,000, with 70 percent of places reserved for skilled workers.

In 2022, the new government announced it would increase the cap from 160,000 to 195,000 places in a bid to address workforce shortages, particularly in the technology and healthcare sectors.

Arguing for an even bigger increase, the BCA said more migrants would be a significant economic and social boon to fill skills’ gaps and offset Australia’s aging population.

“Australia should aim for a reset on migration that not only attracts migrants back to our shores and tackles workforce shortages, but also helps set the country up as a high productivity, high-skill, and high-wage frontier economy,” according to the submission.

“To give certainty for long-term planning, the government should consider setting Australia’s permanent migration intake at a percentage of the total population over the long term.”

Additionally, the peak body said employers should be allowed to bring in any skilled worker from overseas for jobs with a salary above the national average.

The wide-ranging immigration review, which was established by Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil in November 2022, is expected to hand down its reports and recommendations for change ahead of May’s federal budget.

Sonu Sood feels ‘humbled’ as Army calls him ‘real hero’

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Sonu Sood feels ‘humbled’ as Army calls him ‘real hero’

Bollywood actor and humanitarian Sonu Sood said that he is humbled by the appreciation he received from the Indian Army.

Sonu took to Instagram where he shared a slew of pictures of jawans in snow-capped mountains with “Real Hero Sonu Sood” written by hand in the snow.

Overwhelmed with love, Sonu captioned the image: “Somewhere in Himalayas.”

“These pictures made my day. Humbled. My InspirationaIndian Army #indianarmy #himalaya.”

Sonu is known for helping those in need. From helping migrant workers during the Covid wave to medical arrangements amid the devastating pandemic, his work did not get unnoticed.

In September 2020, Sood was chosen for the ‘SDG Special Humanitarian Action Award’ by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for his humanitarian work during the pandemic.

On the Bollywood front, Sonu will next be seen in ‘Fateh’, which is inspired by real-life incidents and will feature high-octane action sequences.

The action-thriller is helmed by Abhinandan Gupta, who earlier worked as an assistant director on films such as ‘Bajirao Mastani’ and ‘Shamshera’.

After ‘Fateh’, he will begin work on another movie ‘Kisaan’.

When Naseeruddin Shah praised Arjun’s performance in ‘Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar’

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When Naseeruddin Shah praised Arjun’s performance in ‘Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar’

Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor revealed how overwhelmed he was when stalwart Naseeruddin Shah appreciated his performance in ‘Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar’.

Arjun, who has again teamed up with Naseeruddin in his upcoming release ‘Kuttey’, said: “So, I’ve already worked with Naseer bhai in Finding Fanny and I had a very nice time, learned so much from him, spent a lot of quality time with him.”

“In ‘Kuttey’, he and I share screen space again, and on the first day that he came on set, it was a night shoot. And he’s somebody who you don’t really go out and talk about your work to. I’m so junior to him. It was really, really nice that he came on set, he hugged me and he said I saw Dibakar’s film where you were fantastic in it.”

He added: “For me, just the fact that he had taken out time to see one of my films, whether it was for Dibakar’s sake or my sake or for Parineeti’s sake, just the fact that he saw it, he appreciated it and he was so vocal about it.”

“I don’t think somebody like Naseeruddin Shah is very easy to please when it comes to working as an actor. So, I hold this compliment and I hold that moment very close to my heart.”

Arjun further added: “And not only that, I had Kumud Sir standing next to me.”

“So, to have Kumud Sir add value to that by saying yes, he also loved the film; he thoroughly enjoyed it and he thought my dialect was absolutely bang on and somebody like Kumud Mishra telling me about my dialect and Naseer Bhai telling me about my performance in a film, gave me so much of warmth and confidence stepping into Kuttey and shooting with Naseer Bhai and Kumud sir at that point.”

‘Kuttey’ is touted to be a caper that also has outstanding actors like Konkona Sen Sharma, Tabu, and Radhika Madan in it.

The film has been directed by debutant Aasmaan Bhardwaj, who is ace film-maker Vishal Bhardwaj’s son. It releases on January 13, 2023.

Excited and nervous for FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup, says young forward Abhishek

TB Team
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Excited and nervous for FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup, says young forward Abhishek

A relatively new addition to the Indian team, young forward Abhishek is all set to make an impression at the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela, starting from January 13.

The 23-year-old, who made his debut in the previous season of the FIH Hockey Pro League, said, “Playing for India at a home World Cup is a dream come true for me.”

“There is a lot of excitement, but at the same time, I am a bit nervous too. This will not only be my first World Cup, but also my first experience playing in front of a huge crowd. People of Odisha are very passionate about hockey, and it will be a great experience for me to play in front of them,” he added.

Abhishek’s hockey journey began in Sonepat, Haryana at the age of 11 when he saw his friends playing the sport in his school. The son of an Army man honed his skills under his school teacher and coach Shamsher Singh.

“After starting from my school, I got selected in the National Hockey Academy, Delhi, and after playing for Haryana in the national championships between 2013-2015, I earned my call-up for the Junior Camp,” he stated.

Abhishek was part of the Indian team that won the 2016 U-18 Asian Cup in Bangladesh. He scored the winning goal in the team’s 5-4 win against the hosts in the Final. However, the forward couldn’t progress further and was dropped from the junior national camp. “I missed out on making the 2016 Junior World Cup squad as I was relatively young, and was dropped from the junior national camp. It was a big disappointment for me,” he reflected.

Almost three years later, Abhishek’s hard work paid off as he got his call-up for the Senior National Camp after helping Punjab National Bank finish third at the 1st Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship 2021. With six goals under his belt, he was the second-highest goalscorer in the tournament.

“Those three years were challenging for me, but my coach and the department supported me throughout. They helped me bounce back from that tough phase. And after having a good domestic season in 2021, I was confident of getting selected for the core problems,” Abhishek said.

The player from Haryana was an integral part of the Indian Team that finished third in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2021/22 and the Silver Medal feat at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

With just four days to go for the World Cup, Abhishek said, “After the Commonwealth Games, my family is now hopeful of a medal at the World Cup. The whole country is hoping for that. I believe we are fully prepared for the challenge and we will give our best to make our country proud.”

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