Sidharth Malhotra, Chris Pratt discuss food, fitness, playing military men

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Sidharth Malhotra, Chris Pratt discuss food, fitness, playing military men

Bollywood actor Sidharth Malhotra and Hollywood star Chris Pratt recently engaged in a conversation over their love for Indian food, and fitness, and essaying the role of an armed force officer on the occasion of the release of Pratt’s upcoming OTT series ‘The Terminal List’.

While Sidharth was seen as the Kargil war hero Captain Vikram Batra (PVC) in the Bollywood film ‘Shershaah’, Chris Pratt essays the role of US Navy SEAL James Reece in ‘The Terminal List’.

The conversation started off with Sidharth expressing his surprise at seeing Chris in a serious role. “It’s kind of surprising to see you in this kind of a role. While watching the trailer, I kept thinking that you will crack a joke!” Sidharth said.

Chris agreed to Sidharth’s statement and said, “It’s true that you would expect some kind of a joke or goofing around from me when you see me in a film. ‘The Terminal List’ is definitely not that, and you will realize that early on, right from the pilot episode of the series.”

Talking about authentic portrayal, Sidharth got talking about playing a Kargil war hero in some of the harshest mountainous terrains of India when Chris praised Sidharth’s physique as an action star.

Sharing insights from his prep for the show, Chris said, “The original author, Jack Carr, is an ex-Navy SEAL, and has fabricated this interesting story about a soldier who has been in similar combat. So, we cast all former navy SEALS to play my men in the combat inside that series of tunnels in Syria, shown in the first episode.”

He added: “We didn’t have to teach them anything, except some of the tricks and trades of the acting, like how to hit a mark, where the camera is placed. But their physicality and body movement are entirely authentic.”

In the video, Pratt also tried to decode Indian foods such as Chicken 65 and Bheja Fry. Chris’ funny guesswork on Chicken 65 left Siddharth in splits, asking for an illustration of Chris’ version of the food. Pratt promised to visit India and try some ‘brain fry’ someday.

‘The Terminal List’ which also stars Constance Wu and Taylor Kitsch, is available for streaming on Prime Video in English, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada.

 

Ranbir’s big dream: To play villain once in his lifetime

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Ranbir’s big dream: To play villain once in his lifetime

Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor, who is set to return to the silver screen four years after his last outing ‘Sanju’ with the upcoming period actioner ‘Shamshera’, harbours the dream of essaying a negative character.

The actor expressed his wish to do so and spoke about his love for the bad boys of Hindi cinema, the towering villains who make the hero bigger, in the third episode of ‘RK Tapes’, a special promotional video series.

The actor listed out some of his favorite on-screen villains — the iconic Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh in ‘Sholay’, Amrish Puri as Mogambo in ‘Mr. India’, Sanjay Dutt as Kancha Cheena in ‘Agneepath’, Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji in ‘Padmaavat’ and Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Darr’.

“We invariably side with the hero,” Ranbir said in the video. “But if there was no villain for the hero to show his heroism, how would a hero be a hero? I have a dream that once I will do a negative role and people will tell their kids ‘so jaa, so jaa nahi toh Ranbir aa jayega’!”

He added: “As our cinema evolves, the villain’s character too is becoming more and more complex and interesting. I’m looking forward to the bad guys we are yet to watch, to the actors who will scare us out of our seats and to the villains that will redefine evil.”

‘Shamshera’, which also stars Vaani Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt, has been directed by Karan Malhotra and has been produced by Aditya Chopra under the banner of YRF.

The trilingual film is arriving in cinemas on July 22 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

 

Manjari Fadnnis on how OTT has changed her career and ‘Miya Biwi Aur Murder’

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Manjari Fadnnis on how OTT has changed her career and ‘Miya Biwi Aur Murder’

After two of her recently released shows ‘Masoom’ and ‘Miya Biwi Aur Murder’ (MBM), which have given her a chance to prove her versatility as an actress and earned her appreciation for her work, Manjari Fadnnis says that, finally, she is feeling satisfied as an artist.

Making her Bollywood debut with the film ‘Jaane Tu Yaa Jane Naa’ in 2008, the actress said that post the success of the film, she was getting typecast for the longest time and never got a real opportunity to grow with her craft.

In conversation with IANS, Manjari said, “I was facing a certain kind of typecasting by most of the casting directors. I was always offered sweet, girl-next-door characters, the girlfriend of a rich boy, etc. I am always told that I give a vibe on-screen with my smile, good looks, and so on.

“But my point was, if it is about my look, a makeup artist can change it. I am an actress so I need the chance to prove my skill. I always wanted to act as some character that is intense or quite opposite of who I am in real life. I was feeling so suffocated for the longest time.”

Though in between she kept working in Hindi, Marathi, and South Indian films, according to Manjari, it started changing in 2019 when she signed up for the web film ‘Barot House’.

She said: “That film and our director Bugs Bhargava changed the game for me and of course, I am thankful for that. But I also mentioned that it is because of OTT shows and films that actors like us are finally getting our due. Whether it is me, Pratik (Gandhi), or Amit (Sadh) who are in the industry from a young age but mostly got sidelined in mainstream Bollywood. Now things are good with us.”

While her performance in ‘Masoom’ starring Boman Irani and Samara Tijori in the lead was quite intense, her character in ‘MBM’ was just the opposite.

In MBM, which is a comedy show, she plays a housewife named Priya who does not get attention from her police officer husband and goes for a Tinder date with another guy.

A murder takes place and as bizarre as it may sound, Priya and her husband try to solve the murder, connecting the dots by taking references from the television show ‘CID’, which Priya used to watch in repeat telecasts while sitting idle at home.

Manjari said, “Yes, it was a bizarre comedy and everything about the character is crazy and it was a laugh riot. I got the script just after the first lockdown back in 2020. We all were going through a tough time then so, it was like comic relief in our real lives too, while shooting.”

‘Miya Biwi Aur Murder’ features Rushad Rana, Ashmita Bakshi, and Prasad Khandekar. It is streaming on MX Player.

 

‘Stranger Things 4’ finale leads to server crash at Netflix

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‘Stranger Things 4’ finale leads to server crash at Netflix

The final two episodes of the sci-fi horror drama series ‘Stranger Things 4’ caused the server to crash at Netflix, the platform that is streaming the show, reports ‘Variety’.

According to the global uptime-monitoring site Downdetector.com, user reports of problems with Netflix spiked around 3 a.m (U.S. Eastern Standard Time), when ‘Stranger Things 4’ Volume 2 went live.

‘Variety’ notes that complaints about errors with Netflix peaked at nearly 13,000 at the top of the hour before the situation seemed to be resolved within half an hour.

‘Stranger Things 4’ already has set the record as the No. 1 English-language series on the service in its first four weeks of release, as reported by Netflix based on total hours watched.

‘Stranger Things’ has been created, written, and executive produced by Matt and Ross Duffer, aka the Duffer Brothers.

The supernatural horror-thriller has an ensemble cast featuring Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Priah Ferguson, Brett Gelman, Cara Buono, and Matthew Modine.

 

Rain, and thunderstorms likely in Chennai, and suburbs during next 48 hrs: IMD

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Rain, and thunderstorms likely in Chennai, and suburbs during next 48 hrs: IMD

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted rains and thunderstorms in Chennai and its suburbs during the next 48 hours.

Maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle at 37 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees respectively. An IMD official told IANS that this is due to the speed in the change of westerlies.

Meteorologists said that the westerlies pushed the thunderstorms or rain clouds forming over the interior areas towards the coast that had led to widespread rains in the city on Friday and this is likely to continue during the next 48 hours.

The weatherman also said that while the westerlies are gaining strength and the southwest monsoon active over the West coast, the western ghats block the flow of winds leading to rains.

The weather department also said that it is likely good if the rains continue for the next five days in Chennai and the adjoining districts of Tamil Nadu.

India logs 17,092 fresh Covid cases, 29 deaths

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India logs 17,092 fresh Covid cases, 29 deaths

India witnessed a marginal rise in its daily Covid tally with 17,092 new cases in the past 24 hours, against the previous day’s 17,070 counts, the Union Health Ministry said on Saturday.

In the same period, 29 Covid deaths were recorded taking the nationwide death toll to 5,25,168.

Meanwhile, the active caseload has also increased to 1,09,568, accounting for 0.25 percent of total positive cases.

The recovery of 14,684 patients in the last 24 hours took the cumulative tally to 4,28,51,590. Consequently, the recovery rate stands at 98.54 percent.

Meanwhile, the Daily Positivity rate has also marginally increased to 4.14 percent, while the Weekly Positivity Rate currently stands at 3.56 percent.

Also in the same period, a total of 4,12,570 tests were conducted across the country, increasing the overall tally to over 86.32 crores.

As of this morning, the Covid-19 vaccination coverage exceeded 197.84 crores, achieved via 2,57,98,020 sessions.

Over 3.68 crore adolescents have been administered with a first dose of Covid-19 jab since the beginning of the vaccination drive for this age bracket.

#SexiestPosterEver: Vijay Deverakonda’s bare look in ‘Liger’ poster trends on Twitter

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#SexiestPosterEver: Vijay Deverakonda’s bare look in ‘Liger’ poster trends on Twitter

If the response to his ‘Liger’ poster is any indication, actor Vijay Devarakonda is well on his way to becoming the next South sensation across India. Saturday saw Vijay Deverakonda take to his social media handle to drop the poster of his pan-India film, ‘Liger’.

The young actor made jaws drop when he unveiled his bold poster, semi-nude with just a bouquet of roses for his highly anticipated next, ‘Liger’. The poster reads, “Saala Crossbreed”.

Vijay stars in the much-anticipated ‘Liger’, directed by Puri Jagannath.

Vijay is a popular star with several Telugu hits to his credit. His movies include ‘Arjun Reddy’ and ‘Geetha Govindam’.

The young actor is the latest star from the South to foray into pan-India movie space after Prabhas, Ram Charan, Jr NTR and Yash.

The actor took over social media within minutes of the launch of the poster. It started trending on Twitter instantly.

Netizens lost no time in heaping praise on Vijay’s sculpted physique. They took to their social media handles to share their admiration.

‘Liger’ hits the big screens on August 25.

Kiara Advani talks about the joys of being helmed by S. Shankar

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Kiara Advani talks about the joys of being helmed by S. Shankar

Kiara Advani, who is enjoying the success of her recently released films ‘Jug Jugg Jeeyo’ and ‘Bhool Bhoolaiyaa 2’, said her first-ever pan-India project, ‘RC15′, starring Telugu actor Ram Charan and directed by S. Shankar, has been quite a unique experience for her.

From the look to the world of the story, it was a very different journey for her, and that was the most exciting part.

Kiara told IANS: “Even though I am not allowed to reveal much about the story and my character just now yet, I can say, it is a different world altogether. We know the genius Shankar sir is, he can turn any story and character larger than life. He is like a magician and working with him is a huge learning lesson for me.”

“I am like a sponge on the set, constantly observing everything happening around us. We have been shooting since November last year and I will go for our next schedule soon. It is my first pan-India film, super excited I am!” she said.

Shankar, multiple award-winning Tamil directors, is best known for his films Gentleman’, ‘Jeans’, ‘Indian’, and ‘2.0’.

From her previous big films, ‘Kabir Singh’ and ‘Shershah’, for instance, to ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’, each one of the characters she has played has a distinct look. Creating a look for the character is very important for her, Kiara pointed out.

“I think the look of the character is the first visual reference we get of the overall imagination coming from the writer, and director. So look is like a mask for me that I wear and it transports me to that world,” Kiara said, and then she cited examples of how it works for her.

“One of the very different looks I had was that of Nanki from the Netflix original, ‘Guilty’. She was so alien to me as a character but her look helped me to play her. Nanki had tattoos over her body, her hairstyle, her clothes, and her whole appearance were so wild! It was because of the look and feel of the character, I got the body language right!” she stated.

She went on adding, “On the other hand, those two characters of Dimple Cheema in ‘Shershaah’ and Preeti in ‘Kabir Singh’ were the opposite of who Nanki was!

For Preeti’s character, I had a no-makeup look because Sandeep sir (Sandeep Vanga, the director) told me that she is exactly the opposite of what Kabir is and it was a love story between opposites. For Dimple Chimma in ‘Shershaah’, it was one of the simple yet much-loved looks I have ever sported. It was just a simple small bindi, kajal, and long hair. She was simple and yet a strong and dignified woman.”

Kiara also finished shooting for ‘Govinda Naam Mera’ which features Vicky Kaushal and Bhumi Pednekar, a Dharma Production film that is expected to release by the end of this year.

 

Anya’s Tutorial: Cyber horror tale of two sisters and demons of their past 

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Anya’s Tutorial: Cyber horror tale of two sisters and demons of their past 

Duration: 30 minutes per episode (seven episodes in all). Director: Pallavi Gangireddy.

Lead Cast: Nivedhithaa Satish and Regina Cassandra.

The paranormal overtakes cyberspace in this tale of two sisters battling the demons from their troubled childhood with an evil spirit in the wings. ‘Anya’s Tutorial’ released in Telugu and Tamil on the OTT platform Aha, is the story of Lavanya aka Anya who sets out to become a social media influencer.

Living all alone in a flat, Anya is also the lone inhabitant of the entire apartment building. She starts streaming makeup tips online only to find that an apparition behind her is stealing the show. Set in covid lockdown times, Anya’s tutorial soon becomes the talk of the town. Even as Anya tries to cope with the situation, she is caught up in a simmering relationship with her elder sister Madhu.

It’s a good thing that the makers decided to stream seven episodes initially. Although initially snail-paced, the twists and turns in the tale make the story interesting as it progresses through the episodes. It’s evident that more episodes are in the offing.

Produced by Arka Media, the team behind Bahubali, Anya’s Tutorial brims with good production values, right from cinematography to special effects and the music.

The story and screenplay by Soumya Sharma, however, seem too cluttered and keeps zig-zagging between the past and present, cyberspace, the supernatural, and the outside world. It gives the impression that the idea was to stuff as many angles or topics into the storyline.

Although a bit shaky in the initial episodes, the director Pallavi Gangireddy soon has the show moving. But the fact remains that too many changes in the scene will require the full attention of the viewer to stay on track.

Casting for the movie is a plus point. Nivedhithaa Satish as Anya lives her role and makes it look effortless, even in contrived situations. Regina Cassandra as Madhu has done a good job while other characters come in and go making it difficult to really keep track.

All in all, with its slick production values and horror factor, Anya’s Tutorial despite its sedate pace should appeal to horror buffs.

Anya's Tutorial: Cyber horror tale of two sisters and demons of their past 

Shoot of Santhanam’s film with Prashanth Raj wrapped up

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Shoot of Santhanam’s film with Prashanth Raj wrapped up

The shooting of director Prashant Raj’s upcoming comedy entertainer, featuring actor Santhanam in the lead, has been wrapped up, its makers have announced.

Fortune Films, the firm producing the yet-to-be-titled film, took to Twitter to make the announcement.

It said: “It’s a wrap of our ‘Santa15’! Get ready to witness one awesome fun entertainer. More updates soon.”

Santhanam too confirmed that the shooting of the film had been wrapped up. He tweeted, “My next ‘Santa15’ shooting wrapped up. It was a super fun journey with director Prashant Raj. Get ready to witness one awesome fun entertainer. More updates coming soon.”

Director Prashant Raj responded to Santhanam’s tweet, saying, “Thanks for one of the most memorable working experiences brother.”

The film features actresses Tanya Hope and Ragini Dwivedi as the female leads and has music by Arjun Janya.

‘Sita Ramam’ made my Kashmir dream come true: Dulquer Salmaan

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‘Sita Ramam’ made my Kashmir dream come true: Dulquer Salmaan

Actor Dulquer Salmaan, who paid a visit to Kashmir for the first-ever time to shoot for director Hanu Raghavapudi’s upcoming film, ‘Sita Ramam’, says Kashmir is nothing less than a paradise on earth.

The ‘Sita Ramam’ crew spent more than 30 days in Kashmir and finished their filming on time. The scenery was stunning, and the entire cast and crew of the movie had an enjoyable experience.

Talking about his first-ever trip to Kashmir to shoot for ‘Sita Ramam’, Dulquer says: “This is my first time to Kashmir. Surprisingly, I had never got a chance to visit Kashmir before ‘Sita Ramam’, and this is my first personal and professional visit. It’s long been a big dream of mine to experience the valley. It was every bit as wonderful as people say it is and I can’t describe how breathtakingly beautiful Kashmir is.

“We got to shoot in Sonmarg and Srinagar and both were equally amazing. Sonmarg has mountains and snow and ski slopes and glaciers. Srinagar was like stepping back in time because of how historic it is. Most of the structures are still preserved as they were. The romantic Dal Lake and Shikharas were like poetry. I’m glad I got to experience all of it.”

The actor says the people around them were extremely kind, welcoming, and accommodating. “From those who looked after us at the hotels and shooting spots to even the local police, who made sure we were okay and told us to come back for more shoots and to encourage more films to be shot in Kashmir.

“Kashmir is so unique, it’s like stepping into a photograph or a painting or a film. It’s hard to take in the depth and beauty of Kashmir with your eyes and believe you are witnessing it in person. It’s that awe-inspiring.

“In a heartbeat. I would love to visit Gulmarg and Pahalgam. I want to someday do a skimobile safari as some friends I know have done. It would be a dream to spot a snow leopard in the wild,” he says.

‘Sita Ramam’, a beautiful love story set against the backdrop of a war in 1965, has Dulquer Salmaan playing the character of Lieutenant Ram, an orphan, serving the nation in the snow-clad mesmerizing terrains and gleaming lakes of Kashmir.

Pairing with Dulquer is Mrunal Thakur as Sita Mahalakshmi, the lead lady of the film, along with Rashmika Mandanna in an impressive role.

The film is presented by the 50-year-old Vyjayanthi Movies and produced by Ashwini Dutt for Swapna Cinema.

 

‘Dune: Part Two’ release pushed, to clash with ‘Hunger Games’ prequel

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‘Dune: Part Two’ release pushed, to clash with ‘Hunger Games’ prequel

The release of the sci-fi epic ‘Dune: Part Two’ has been pushed. The film will now open in theatres on November 17, 2023, instead of October 20, 2023, reports ‘Variety’.

The sequel will now open in theatres alongside ‘Hunger Games’ prequel, ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ and ‘Trolls 3’. Warner Bros., co-producers of the ‘Dune’ franchise, also announced that an untitled ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ is set to release on March 15, 2024.

According to ‘Variety’, Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem are returning for ‘Dune: Part Two,’ with Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, and Christopher Walken set to join the cast.

Director Denis Villeneuve is expected to start filming the ‘Dune’ sequel, which follows the second half of Frank Herbert’s seminal novel, later this year.

‘Variety’ further states that ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ filmmaker Adam Wingard is back to direct the next monster mash-up between Godzilla and King Kong after steering the latest other-worldly blockbuster to COVID-era glory.

There are no details available for Godzilla and King Kong’s upcoming brouhaha. It will mark the fifth installment in Warner Bros. and Legendary’s monster universe following 2014’s ‘Godzilla’, 2017’s ‘Kong: Skull Island’, 2019’s ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’ and 2021’s ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’.

‘Fun-filled’ trailer out for Yogi Babu-starrer ‘Panni Kutty’

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‘Fun-filled’ trailer out for Yogi Babu-starrer ‘Panni Kutty’

Actor Arya on Friday released the trailer of director Anucharan’s much-awaited entertainer ‘Panni Kutty’, featuring comedians Yogi Babu and Karunakaran in the lead.

Lyca Productions, which is producing the film, shared the link to the trailer on its Twitter handle. “Here’s presenting the fun-filled trailer of ‘Panni Kutty’. Get ready for a rooted fun ride at the cinemas from July 8th onwards,” it said.

The trailer of the film, which has been cleared for release by the Censor Board of Film Certification with a clean ‘U’ certificate, gives away the fact that the story of the film is about a piglet owned by Yogi Babu.

Panni Kutty, which means piglet, has a series of comedians playing pivotal roles including well-known Tamil orator and comedian Dindugal Leoni, who will be making a comeback to Tamil cinema after almost 20 years.

Leoni plays a character called Kodangi in the film, the theatrical rights of which for the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka have already been acquired by Dr. Prabhu Thilak’s 11:11 productions.

Shot by cinematographer Sathish Murugan, Panni Kutty has music by K and been edited by director Anucharan himself.

 

‘Alluri’ first-look poster shows Sree Vishnu as a dynamic cop

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‘Alluri’ first-look poster shows Sree Vishnu as a dynamic cop
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PM to reach Hyderabad on Saturday for BJP meet

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PM to reach Hyderabad on Saturday for BJP meet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be arriving in Hyderabad on Saturday to attend the two-day meeting of the BJP’s national executive.

Modi, who will be reaching Hyderabad on Saturday afternoon, is likely to stay at the Novotel hotel at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), the venue of the BJP conclave.

According to the schedule, the Prime Minister will reach Begumpet Airport in the city at 2.55 p.m. He will then leave for HICC by helicopter and check-in at Novotel. He will attend the BJP executive meeting from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Modi will address the meeting to be attended by 360 national executive members, including central ministers, chief ministers of various states, and other key leaders.

The next day, he will attend the national executive meeting from 10 a.m. He will be present during the deliberations on key resolutions including the resolutions on political issues.

He will also give a direction to the national executive on further strengthening the party and preparing it for Assembly elections in various states later this year and next year and also for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Modi will attend the executive till it concludes at 5 p.m. He, along with other leaders, will then reach Parade Ground in Secunderabad to address the public meeting organized by BJP’s Telangana unit.

After the public meeting, the Prime Minister will return to the hotel and on the morning of July 4 will leave for Bhimavaram in Andhra Pradesh.

This will be Modi’s third visit to Hyderabad in five months. His previous visit to the city was on May 26 to participate in the annual day celebrations of the Indian School of Business (ISB). During his brief visit, he also addressed BJP workers at Begumpet Airport.

Modi had earlier visited the city on February 5 to unveil a 216-feet tall statue of equality commemorating the 11th-century Saint Ramanujacharya and to attend the 50th-anniversary celebrations of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) at Patancheru near here.

During his visit beginning Saturday, the Prime Minister is likely to stay at Novotel, the five-star hotel abutting HICC near Hitec City, the information technology district. The stay was earlier planned at Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the governor. However, the state police reportedly raised concern over the proposal.

As Raj Bhavan is located in the heart of the city and surrounded by busy roads, the police had recommended the Special Protection Group (SPG) make arrangements for his stay at Novotel. The police raised the concern over the choice of Raj Bhavan in view of the recent protest there by the Congress party over Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons to its leader Rahul Gandhi and the June 17 violence during the anti-Agnipath protest at Secunderabad railway station.

It was pointed out that PM’s stay at Novotel will also avoid PM’s travel by road from Raj Bhavan to the national executive meet venue for two days. Travel by road would require traffic restrictions along the busy route.

 

Don’t think being an Olympic champion will put pressure on me at Worlds: Neeraj Chopra

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Don’t think being an Olympic champion will put pressure on me at Worlds: Neeraj Chopra

Ace India javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra feels the pressure of being the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games gold medallist is unlikely to affect his performance at the World Championships in Oregon, the USA from July 15.

Continuing his superb form, Chopra broke the national record again with a throw of 89.94m to finish second in the Stockholm Diamond League 2022 in Sweden on Thursday. The Indian javelin ace fell just six centimeters short of the elusive 90m mark but he bettered his personal best of 89.30m, set earlier this month at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland.

World champion Anderson Peters of Grenada broke the 16-year-old meet record with a huge 90.31m throw in his third attempt, which was enough to get him the top spot.

Chopra said he will play with a “free mind” and “perform to potential” in Oregon, where he could bring India only its second medal ever from the World Championships. Only former India long jumper Anju Bobby George has won a medal at the Worlds, clinching bronze in Paris in 2003.

“Well, I don’t know (whether there will be the pressure of being an Olympic medallist or not). I think I’ll come to know about it on the day of the competition in Oregon. Every competition, every day is different. When I start competing, I will know whether I am feeling the pressure of being the Olympic champion,” Chopra told JSW Sports.

“Having said that, I think nothing of that sort should happen because I play with a free mind and perform to my potential. There is no pressure whatsoever. I train well and give my 100 percent in competition,” the 24-year-old Chopra added.

Chopra also said that when Anderson Peters of Grenada breached the 90-meter mark with his giant third attempt on Thursday, he also tried to give it his best shot, but to hurl the javelin that far, everything has to be perfect.

“When Anderson Peters crossed 90m, I also felt that I have to breach that (mark). But for that to happen everything has to be perfect. The javelin has to go in a straight line and the technique to has to be perfect. When everything is perfect only then the throw goes that far.

“We put in a lot of effort in each throw, so the body also tires. Having said that, I am happy with the competition and the fact that all my throws were good. Playing in the Diamond League after a long time (2018), I gave a good performance which has prepared me for the next two completions (Worlds and Birmingham Commonwealth Games).”

Chopra is also happy with the growing popularity of athletics in India and added that it was heartening to see so many Indians turning up to see him compete in Stockholm.

“Feeling very happy and proud that people are watching athletics online in India. Many Indians had come to Stockholm to watch me. The Indian ambassador too came to meet me, so it felt really nice that athletics is getting so much popularity in the country. People are getting to know about the sport,” added Chopra.

 

Missed 90m mark, but happy I came up with my best throw ever: Neeraj Chopra

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Missed 90m mark, but happy I came up with my best throw ever: Neeraj Chopra

India’s ace javelin thrower and 2020 Olympic Games gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has revealed that while he missed the 90-meter mark in the Stockholm Diamond League 2022 in Sweden on Thursday, the fact that it was his best throw ever gave him a really nice feeling.

Continuing his brilliant form, Chopra broke the national record again with a throw of 89.94 meters to finish second in Stockholm. The 24-year-old fell just six centimeters short of the elusive 90-meter mark but he bettered his personal best of 89.30m, set earlier this month at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland.

World champion Anderson Peters of Grenada broke the 16-year-old meet record with a huge 90.31m throw in his third attempt, which was enough to get him the top spot.

A day after the record feat, in a conversation with JSW Sports, Chopra, who was taking part in his first Diamond League event since 2018, said, “It’s feeling very nice (to win silver). There was no such thing in my mind that I have to do it (aim for a giant throw) in my first attempt itself. I just kept my mindset positive.

“The only thing I had in my mind was to play well and put in my best effort, that’s all. The first throw was very nice, just that I missed the 90m mark. Initially, I thought I had done 90m but it was not to be. But since it’s my best throw, the feeling is really nice,” said Chopra, who will be heading to Oregon, the USA for the World Championships from July 15.

There will be expectations from Chopra to win gold at the Worlds in Oregon and earn India’s second medal ever in the prestigious event. Former India long jumper Anju Bobby George is the only athlete to win a medal at the Worlds when she clinched bronze in Paris in 2003. However, Chopra said there was no pressure on him, adding that he will put in his best effort.

“There is no such pressure that we have just one medal at the Worlds. I will put in my best effort, this is my job and this is what I am going to do. I haven’t thought anything other than that. Right now, there is no pressure whatsoever. But it all depends on what mindset I have in Oregon on the day of the competition,” he added.

 

Simbu action thriller ‘Pathu Thala’ to be released on December 14

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Simbu action thriller ‘Pathu Thala’ to be released on December 14

Director Obeli Krishna’s eagerly awaited action thriller ‘Pathu Thala’, featuring actors Silambarasan, Gautham Karthik, and Priya Bhavani Shankar in the lead, will hit screens on December 14 this year.

The makers of the film took to social media to make the announcement. Studio Green, the production house producing the film, tweeted: “The power-packed Silambarasan T R and Gautham Karthik-starrer ‘Pathu Thala’ releasing worldwide in theatres on December 14th, 2022.”

The film will also feature Kalaiyarasan and Teejay of ‘Asuran’ fame among others.

The film has triggered huge expectations as Simbu plays a don called AGR in the film. The story revolves around Simbu, who is a feared don and who has managed to establish a network that is an impregnable fortress.

The cinematography for the film is by Farook J Basha and the music is by A. R. Rahman. The film is edited by National Award-winning editor Praveen K. L.

 

Bill Gates begins to follow Mahesh Babu on social media

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Bill Gates begins to follow Mahesh Babu on social media

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has started following Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu on his official Instagram and Twitter accounts.

The development comes days after Mahesh Babu, along with his wife Namrata Shirodkar, met the well-known businessman in New York.

Mahesh Babu and Namrata had on their social media handles, posted pictures after meeting the billionaire. “Had the pleasure of meeting Mr. @BillGates! One of the greatest visionaries this world has seen and yet the most humble! Truly an inspiration” Mahesh wrote.

In response, Bill Gates quoted Mahesh Babu’s tweet on his timeline, as he wrote, “Being in New York is always fun — you never know who you’ll run into. It was great meeting you and Namrata!”

Bill Gates has recently started to follow Mahesh Babu on his official Instagram and Twitter accounts. Bill Gates only follows one Telugu star on social media, and that is Mahesh.

On the work front, the ‘Sarkaru Vaari Paata’ actor will soon start filming ‘SSMB28′ under Trivikram Srinivas’ direction.

 

Mohan Babu to share screen space with Lakshmi Manchu in ‘Agninakshathram’

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Mohan Babu to share screen space with Lakshmi Manchu in ‘Agninakshathram’

Actor Lakshmi Manchu has announced her next project ‘Agninakshathram’ in Telugu. The actor along with the makers released a motion poster of the movie on Friday. The movie also stars her father and veteran actor Mohan Babu.

This is the first time the father-daughter duo will be sharing screen space. Lakshmi Manchu commented: “I am just way too excited to and really short on words to express what I truly feel. Sharing screen space with dad is beyond a dream come true and to top it off, to produce this gives me that much more extra joy. I just can’t wait for all of you to see the magic we’ve created.”

Mohan Babu added that “During the course of the shoot, I never saw my daughter I only saw the character. Many years ago, she appeared in a film as a child artist alongside me. We never appeared in a film together after she became a professional actor. This is my first and it is most special. Watching her on-screen, she was radiant as ever and exuded effortless charm.”

Director Prateek said: “I would not be here had it not been for Lakshmi Manchu. I consider myself extremely fortunate and privileged to make my debut under their reputed banner, Sree Lakshmi Prasanna Pictures, and Manchu Entertainment. I’m also most excited about the opportunity of bringing together the dynamic father and daughter duo for the first time ever.”

Directed by Prateek, Agninakshathram is being jointly produced by Sri Lakshmi Prasanna Pictures & Manchu Entertainment.

 

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