Global Covid caseload tops 504.9 mn

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Global Covid caseload tops 504.9 mn

The global coronavirus caseload has topped 504.9 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 6.19 million and vaccinations to over 11.18 billion, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In its latest update on Tuesday morning, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and the death toll stood at 504,990,510 and 6,199,732 respectively, while the total number of vaccine doses administered increased to 11,181,442,274.

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world’s highest number of cases and deaths at 80,686,315 and 988,898 respectively, according to the CSSE.

India accounts for the second-highest caseload at 43,044,280.

The other countries with over 10 million cases are Brazil (30,261,088) France (27,980,729), Germany (23,437,145), the UK (21,916,961), Russia (17,820,486), South Korea (16,471,940), Italy (15,730,676), Turkey (14,999,479), Spain (11,627,487) and Vietnam (10,475,819).

The nations with a death toll of over 100,000 are Brazil (662,271), India (521,965), Russia (366,209), Mexico (323,944), Peru (212,630), the UK (172,014), Italy (161,766), Indonesia (155,903), France (145,242), Iran (140,854), Colombia (139,751), Germany (132,953), Argentina (128,344), Poland (115,838), Spain (103,104) and South Africa (100,181).

Ram Charan clearly outperforms Chiranjeevi in ‘Bhale Bhale Banjara’ song

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Ram Charan clearly outperforms Chiranjeevi in ‘Bhale Bhale Banjara’ song

Musician Mani Sharma’s song titled ‘Bhale Bhale Banjara’ from Koratala Siva’s directorial ‘Acharya’ is out with Ram Charan stealing the show from his megastar dad Chiranjeevi.

The creators of ‘Acharya’ released the single, as they took to their social media platforms to publicize it.

Chiranjeevi, who took to his social media handles, wrote, “A memorable song for me. Happy to tap my feet with my energetic @AlwaysRamCharan for #BhaleBhaleBanjara. Hope I dominated him with my grace”.

But, all that megastar’s fans are talking is about how Ram Charan has easily outperformed his father, the legendary actor Chiranjeevi.

Both the heroes dressed in full black attire play comrades who protect the holy regions in the forest.

The theme of the song goes quite well with the lyrics and the choreography.

As Chiranjeevi and ‘RRR’ actor Ram Charan sizzle in a very composed and stylized manner, the steps for ‘Bhale Bhale Banjara’ have been kept classy.

Sekhar Master choreographed it beautifully, and the duo’s combined screen space adds a vibe to the single song released by the makers of ‘Acharya’.

‘Acharya’ will hit the screens on April 29.

IPL 2022: Knight Riders win toss, elect to bowl first against Rajasthan Royals

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IPL 2022: Knight Riders win toss, elect to bowl first against Rajasthan Royals

Kolkata Knight Riders won the toss and elected to bowl first against Rajasthan Royals in Match 30 of IPL 2022 at the Brabourne Stadium here on Monday.

After the toss, KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer said he chose to bowl first as they like to chase.

“The wicket looks amazing and hard. One side seems short and one is long, so that’s another reason why we want to chase. It’s something we thrive on. We just practice a lot in the nets; we’ve seen the videos and have had chats in the meetings. Important to execute what we’ve discussed in the meetings,” he said.

KKR made a change in their playing XI, bringing in Shivam Mavi for Aman Khan.

Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson said they also would have liked to bowl first on this wicket but were ready to bat first too.

“We would have also liked to bowl first, but need to be ready to do both. Our team is well set to do both. New venue for us, and we need to understand conditions quickly. Everyone has to contribute to whatever is the team’s requirement, the talk is always about understanding the situation and being smarter. Everyone is looking to contribute, but failures are accepted. We’re looking forward with a positive mindset,” he said.

Royals have made three changes — Karun Nair, Obed McCoy, and Trent Boult come in, replacing Rassie, Kuldeep Sen, and Jimmy Neesham.

Playing XIs:

Kolkata Knight Riders:

Venkatesh Iyer, Aaron Finch, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Sheldon Jackson (wk), Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins, Shivam Mavi, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy.

Rajasthan Royals:

Jos Buttler, Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson (c/wk), Karun Nair, Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna, Obed McCoy, Yuzvendra Chahal.

IPL 2022 Umran Malik is knocking at Team India doors, say cricket greats

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IPL 2022 Umran Malik is knocking at Team India doors, say cricket greats

Sunrisers Hyderabad fast bowling sensation Umran Malik is leaving everyone impressed with his express pace and accuracy in the IPL 2022.

Cricket greats like Ian Bishop, Sunil Gavaskar, and Dale Steyn are excited to watch this seamer from Jammu and Kashmir do so well in the tournament, and everyone is of the view that he has a bright future ahead.

Umran started his IPL stint as a net bowler for Sunrisers Hyderabad is now a vital cog in the team’s pace attack.

While giving a peek at his formative years, the right-arm quick revealed that he earned a reputation in his neighborhood with his natural ability to bowl at a genuine pace.

“I always got the support from my family to play cricket. My father is a vegetable vendor in Jammu and he’s worked very hard in our upbringing. I grew up playing in the neighborhood at Tawi Ground and impressed the seniors there with my fast bowling. The clubs used to call me to play for them whenever a big team was visiting, and I would win matches for them. So it all started from there,” the 22-year-old Malik narrated how his family supported him on Cricket Live on Star Sport.

While speaking about how he came in the eyes of state selectors, Malik said, “I used to get scared thinking about trials as I hadn’t even played at district level so, I never went for the trials. But I made up my mind and went for J&K U-19 trials. The selectors were surprised after I bowled the first delivery. They asked me who I was and how I could bowl so fast. From then on, my journey in professional cricket began.”

Former West Indies cricketer Ian Bishop has been watching Umran Malik since his IPL debut last year and the legendary pacer believes if he keeps himself fit, he’ll play for India.

“I’ve been excited about this guy since I saw him bowl last year. Genuine pace, you cannot go to a supermarket and buy that. You can train someone to master line and length but can’t teach someone how to bowl fast. He’s bowling with hostility which means even the best of batters will be uncomfortable facing him. He scares you the same way Lockie Ferguson and Jofra Archer do, and Dale Steyn loves him. It’s just fascinating to me what Umran Malik can become. If he stays fit, he’s going to play for India and international cricket. I would also repeat how many Umran Malik’s around this vast nation are yet to be discovered,” Bishop said on Cricket Live on Star Sports.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar is impressed with Umran’s pace and accuracy. The batting great claimed the right-arm quick is going to play for India.

“Umran Malik has been very-very impressive with his speed but more than his speed, it’s his accuracy (that’s impressed). A lot of guys who bowl at that speed tend to spray the ball around but Umran bowls very few wide deliveries. If he can control the wides down the leg side, he will be a tremendous bowler because that will mean he’ll be attacking the stumps all the time, and with his pace, it’s not easy to hit straight. If he bowls wicket-to-wicket, he’s going to be pretty much an unplayable bowler. He’s going to play for India,” he said.

Legendary South Africa pacer Dale Steyn, who has intimidated even the best of batters with his fiery bowling, is mentoring Umran in the SRH.

“My job with Umran is to ensure he runs fast and make players play differently. My job is to try and make him forward-thinking as to what the batters are planning on doing. It’s exciting for us to sit back and watch what a genius he is. I don’t want to turn him into what I was, all I want is his geniuses to come out,” Steyn said.

Former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan, who has mentored Umran during his stint with Jammu and Kashmir Ranji side, also spoke highly of the young talent.

Irfan, who is the only India pacer to pick up a hat-trick in the first over of a Test match, said, “If a bowler has that extra pace then a batter is never comfortable facing him. The more he plays, the better he will get. If you observe his front foot, it stays very straight, and also the follow-through is impressive. His run-up is fantastic. All this will take him the distance. He made his debut in first-class cricket and that must have given him some experience of bowling with the red ball.

“Umran is also special because despite bowling at such a pace he’s looking to try and get the ball to swing. Just look at the seam position with which he releases the ball. He is a special player.”

‘F3’ shoot concludes with Pooja Hegde’s special song

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‘F3’ shoot concludes with Pooja Hegde’s special song

Pooja Hegde, who has been delivering one big bang release after another, has been confirmed to star in a dance number in the upcoming Telugu film ‘F3’.

The makers of ‘F3’ unveiled a poster of Pooja Hegde looking super glamourous in a glossy pink dress, earlier on Monday.

Pooja Hegde, who recently appeared alongside Vijay in the Tamil movie ‘Beast,’ is now set to dazzle in a special dance number in Anil Ravipudi’s ‘F3’.

Pooja’s song in the film was shot in Hyderabad, and the shoot was completed with Pooja’s song.

Before Pooja’s first glimpse, Ravipudi piqued our interest by teasing us with a silhouette of Pooja, which was enough to drive the fans crazy.

This is Pooja’s second special dance number, following the popular ‘Jigelu Rani’ in Ram Charan and Samantha-starrer ‘Rangasthalam’.

The film ‘F3’ is a sequel to ‘F2’ and stars Venkatesh Daggubatti, Varun Tej, Tamannaah Bhatia, and Mehreen Pirzada, which is billed as a commercial family entertainer.

Pooja will be seen in Salman Khan’s ‘Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali’ and ‘Cirkus’ opposite Ranveer Singh.

The ‘Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava’ actress is also roped in to play the female lead opposite Mahesh Babu in his next, under Trivikram Srinivas’ direction.

Samantha’s advice to her younger self: Never get tattooed

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Samantha’s advice to her younger self: Never get tattooed

Actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu recently had a question-and-answer session on Instagram.

One of her fans had asked the ‘Majili’ actress to reveal what kind of a tattoo Samantha wants to see herself inked with.

The ‘Rangasthalam’ actress bluntly replied saying that she now dislikes getting inked. “My advice to my younger self would be not to get a tattoo. Ever!! Never ever get tattooed”, the actress stressed.

Samantha is known to have three tattoos, all of which are related to her ex-husband Naga Chaitanya. Samantha’s first tattoo reads ‘YMC,’ which is an abbreviation for Sam and Naga’s first film together, ‘Ye Maaya Chesave.

The second tattoo, which reads ‘Chay,’ is inked on her right rib, while the third tattoo is more unique, as both Chaitu and Samantha inked the same tattoo of two arrows on their forearms.

On the work front, Samantha will be seen in ‘Shakuntalam’ and ‘Yashoda’ next.

PM condoles demise of Table Tennis player Vishwa Deenadayalan

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PM condoles demise of Table Tennis player Vishwa Deenadayalan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed deep grief over the demise of Table Tennis player Vishwa Deenadayalan.

In a tweet, Prime Minister Modi said: “The demise of TT champion Vishwa Deenadayalan is shocking and saddening. He was admired by fellow players and distinguished himself in several competitions. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with his family and friends. Om Shanti.”

Condoling the demise, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur tweeted: “Heartbreaking to learn that Tamil Nadu paddler, Deenadayalan Vishwa passed away in an accident in Ri Bhoi District. He was on his way to Shillong to participate in the 83rd Senior National Table Tennis Championship. Sincere condolences to his family and friends.”

Deenadayalan, a Table Tennis player from Tamil Nadu, died and his three teammates were injured in a road mishap in Meghalaya, police said. The tragic incident occurred on Sunday when Vishwa, 18, and three other Tamil Nadu Tennis players were on their way in a tourist taxi from Guwahati airport to Shillong to take part in the 83rd Senior National Table Tennis Championship.

The taxi in which the four players were traveling, collided with a 12-wheel truck in Ri-Bhoi district injuring them critically while Vishwa died on the way to Nongpoh Civil hospital.

The other three injured players were rushed from Nongpoh to North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) in Shillong. Doctors at the NEIGRIHMS said the three injured players are in stable condition and out of danger.

IPL 2022: Kolkata need combination of Narine, Chakravarthy to get going, says Graeme Smith

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IPL 2022: Kolkata need combination of Narine, Chakravarthy to get going, says Graeme Smith

Former South Africa skipper Graeme Smith feels that Kolkata Knight Riders will need the spin combination of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy to get going against Rajasthan Royals at Brabourne Stadium on Monday.

A large chunk of Kolkata’s success has been provided by the off-spin and mystery spin combination of Narine and Chakravarty stifling the opposition’s batters and stemming the run flow.

But in IPL 2022, the duo is yet to set the stage on fire. While Narine has picked four wickets with an average of 30 and economy rate of just five, Chakravarthy hasn’t been at his controlling best, picking four scalps at a high average of 47.75 and economy rate of 8.30.

With the second half of IPL 2022 approaching, Kolkata hoping that Narine and Chakravarthy coming into their top form will be key for the two-time champions.

“Now we are moving into the second half the wickets are going to be a bit worn. So, the spin combination are going to be key in the second half. So, they need Chakravarthy bowling well. They need that combination of Narine and Chakravarthy to get going,” Smith was quoted as saying by cricket.com.

“Spin is going to start playing a bigger and bigger role now as the tournament goes on. As the wickets get worn, more and more games, we are going to see spin come to the fore. That combination is going to be key to their success,” added Smith, who won IPL 2008 with Rajasthan Royals.

Smith pointed out that both Kolkata and Rajasthan have fared badly in death overs in the tournament, making the final five overs phase with the ball a concern for sides led by Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson respectively. Kolkata has the third-worst economy rate for teams at death overs in IPL 2022 with 12.97 while Rajasthan are fourth-worst with an economy rate of 12.78.

“Closing the game down is important. Having a clear mind, not getting caught up in the pressure, having a clear plan with your captain so that you’re bowling to your fields, you know what you’re going to do.”

In the light of death bowling concerns, Smith thinks that role of Narine and Chakravarthy becomes even more crucial in middle overs for Kolkata. “That’s why we talk about the spin options. Can a Narine, can a Chakravarthy pick up one or two wickets in the middle and take the pressure off the death overs? They have got enough experience with Russell, Cummins, Narine, and Umesh Yadav. Coming into these final over, there should be more control on the KKR side.”

Smith signed off by saying that he is more worried for Rajasthan in death overs bowling owing to the lack of experienced bowlers operating in that phase. “What worries is me that the Royals really don’t have that experience on their side. That could be the change in this game between the two teams.”

Modi mourns loss of lives in road accident in Amethi

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Modi mourns loss of lives in road accident in Amethi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a road accident at Gauriganj in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi.

Taking to Twitter he said: “The road accident in Gauriganj is very shocking. I express my deep condolences to families who lost their kin in this accident.”

He also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.

As many as six people were killed and four were injured when a jeep and truck collided near Babuganj Sagra in the Gauriganj Kotwali area of Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi on Sunday night.

According to Amethi police officials, the people were returning from a wedding when the incident took place. The injured were taken to the local hospital for treatment and further investigation into the incident is underway.

First-of-its-kind technology used for Prabhas’ ‘Project K’

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First-of-its-kind technology used for Prabhas’ ‘Project K’

Prabhas will next appear alongside Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone in the highly-anticipated movie ‘Project K’.

Sources suggest that the creators are to incorporate new technology in the making of this movie.

The film is being shot with Arri Alexa technology, making it the first Indian film to use this cutting-edge technology.

Arri Alexa Technology is a digital motion picture camera system, which is used in the cinematography of sci-fi thrillers.

The goal is to enhance the visual experience, while the technology will not interfere with the emotions in the drama.

‘Project K’, directed by Nag Ashwin, is expected to be one of the most expensive projects in Indian cinema.

Billed as a sci-fi thriller, the makers have collaborated with top IT company Mahindra, to deliver the best output possible.

Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and other biggies are to play major roles in the film.

Hansika wraps up shooting for web series ‘MY3’

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Hansika wraps up shooting for web series ‘MY3’

Hansika Motwani has wrapped up shooting her portions for her first web series ‘MY3’.

The actress, who distributed sweets to everybody in her unit on her last day of shooting, took to Instagram to pen a post about working on the series.

She wrote, “It’s a wrap-up for ‘MY3’! A journey to cherish forever! Emotionally gleeful to have got such a wonderfully talented team, who made me feel like a princess on the sets every moment. It’s been wonderful yet again to work with director Rajesh sir after ‘Oru Kal Oru Kannadi’. He has been so generous, by giving me so much space to do whatever with both my characters. I am truly elated to have got an opportunity to work with him again.

“The entire direction team comprising Karthick, Rozar Shekar, Maddy, and everyone has been great. I thank my producer Sanjay sir (Trendloud) for being so supportive. It’s been an immense pleasure working with them.

“The entire cast and crew have been awesome. Mugen is a wonderful actor. I wish him all the very best. Shanthanu, Janani, Shakthi, Abhishek, and others have been friendly on the sets. It was a lovely experience to work with them.

“The roles of Mythri and MY3 are so special to me. I have never been emotional about my roles, but this one is close to my heart. I thank the entire crew, the directorial team, my co-stars, and producer Sanjay sir for endowing me. I can’t wait for the audience, who will love the show and characters as I love them. I thank Pradeep sir for being a perfect curator.

“Tons of love to my Mom for encouraging me to do what I always love. I thank my team (Hmu stylist )and everyone for nurturing my journey with great support on ‘MY3’.”

The web series, which is being directed by M Rajesh, is a unique robotic love story and is to be streamed on Disney+ Hotstar.

Karthik Muthukumar is the cinematographer of this series, which will have music by Ganesan and editing by Ashish.

Alia Bhatt’s mehendi lehenga by Manish Malhotra took 3,000 hours to make!

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Alia Bhatt’s mehendi lehenga by Manish Malhotra took 3,000 hours to make!

Celebrated fashion designer Manish Malhotra has revealed on social media that the fuchsia pink lehenga for actress Alia Bhatt’s Mehendi ceremony took 3,000 hours to make and that it featured 180 textile patches.

Reminiscing about the work that went into creating this masterpiece, Manish wrote: “A treasure of traceability and trust. The very beautiful #ManishMalhotraBride. The very beautiful #ManishMalhotraBride @aliaabhatt chose to personalize her Mehendi ensemble with a sustainable approach, where approximately 180 textiles patches come together to mark her momentous occasion, the most special one indeed.”

Malhotra said that the “custom touches reminisce about her journey and depict symbolic elements of her memories. Inscribed through Kashmiri and Chikankari threads, the passionate 3,000-hour intricate handwork of #Mijwan women features a fuchsia pink Lehenga and a blouse embellished in real gold and silver nakshi and kora flowers, and vintage gold metal sequins from kutch.”

Talking about the technique, the designer shared: “The patches are woven together using a couture technique of cross-stitches with three tar and six tar anchors. Edged in real gold zari and appliques, this handwoven silk ensemble also carries Banarasi brocades, jacquard, bandhani, Kachha Resham knots, and some scraps from brides’ earlier outfits and detailing from #ManishMalhotraArchives.”

“Every love story is unique, and @manishmalhotra05 beautifully narrates her beginning tale of a joyous forever,” added Manish.

Ranbir and Alia got married in an intimate wedding on April 14.

The marriage was followed by a party on Saturday night which was attended by celebrities such as Gauri Khan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Karan Johar, Ayan Mukerji, Shakun Batra, Malaika Arora, Arjun Kapoor, Aadar Jain with his girlfriend Tara Sutaria, Anushka Ranjan with husband Aditya Seal, and Akansha Ranjan Kapoor.

‘KGF: Chapter 2’ mints magic at BO over weekend with record Rs 193.99 cr gross in Hindi belt

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‘KGF: Chapter 2’ mints magic at BO over weekend with record Rs 193.99 cr gross in Hindi belt

After a flying start at the box office in the Hindi markets, ‘KGF: Chapter 2’ continued to dominate the weekend with record collections.

After emerging as the highest Day 2 grosser, the film successfully collected Rs 228 crore gross in the Hindi belt on its fourth day.

Film trade analyst Taran Adarsh noted that the movie is making the fastest entry into the Rs 200 crore club beating ‘Baahubali’ in the process.

“R#KGF2 CREATES HISTORY AGAIN… FASTEST TO ENTER ? 200 CR CLUB…? #KGFChapter2: Will cross 200 cr today [Mon, Day 5]? #Baahubali2: Day 6 #KGF2 is REWRITING RECORD BOOKS… Thu 53.95 cr, Fri 46.79 cr, Sat 42.90 cr, Sun 50.35 cr. Total: 193.99 cr. #India biz. #Hindi.” he tweeted.

Released nationwide on April 14, in Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam, ‘KGF 2’ is written and directed by Prashanth Neel, and produced by Vijay Kiragandur, under the Hombale Films banner.

One of the emerging pan-India production houses, Hombale Films is set to showcase some of the biggest films in Indian cinema over the next two years, including the much-awaited film ‘Salaar’ starring Prabhas.

The film is being presented in north Indian markets by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment and AA Films.

‘Thar’ trailer fuses Spaghetti Western with rustic Rajasthan

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‘Thar’ trailer fuses Spaghetti Western with rustic Rajasthan

The trailer of the upcoming OTT film ‘Thar’, starring Anil Kapoor and Harshvarrdhan Kapoor, was released on Monday.

The film traces the journey of Siddharth, an antique dealer in a remote village in Rajasthan that has of late been witness to a series of violent killings. As the local cop Surekha Singh investigates these killings he crosses paths with Siddharth.

Talking about the film, Harshvarrdhan Kapoor shared, “The wait is almost over and we’re very excited to be handing our film over to audiences all over the world. We’ve paid attention to the little details and they have added up to create a world and a narrative that is unique. Netflix is the perfect platform for ‘Thar’ to reach audiences globally who will connect with the film.”

Anil Kapoor spoke about working with his son again after ‘AK Vs AK’, “I love working with young and new talent and with ‘Thar’ bringing onboard young actors and filmmakers it gives me a completely different perspective on films.”

“Returning to Netflix after ‘AK vs AK’ and the audiences across the globe it traveled to, I can’t wait for Thar to premiere on the streaming service and for it to reach people across continents since it’s a unique story that audiences anywhere will enjoy,” he added.

The film also stars veteran actor Satish Kaushik, who has delivered many successful films with Anil Kapoor in the 1980s and 1990s, and ‘Dangal’ star Fatima Sana Shaikh and ‘Sacred Games actor Jeetendra Joshi.

Sharing his thoughts on the film, Satish said, “I’m thrilled to be a part of this project and to get the chance to work with Anil ji and the rest of the cast and crew. When I was offered this character, I thought it would be a fantastic opportunity to play the part because it is something I had not done before in my acting career.”

For Fatima, it was an opportunity to try something completely different, as she said, ” I’ve got the opportunity to work on a very distinct character that I haven’t played in the past.”

She further said, “Working with Raj Singh Chaudhary, Harshvarrdhan, Anil sir, Satish sir, and Jitendra Joshi was lovely. As always, I am excited to collaborate with Netflix again and am looking forward to how the audiences react to this film and to my character.”

Director Raj Singh Chaudhary calls the film, “a unique and engaging genre” that he’s “extremely excited to present to the audience”.

He said, “This film has taken many years to come to fruition and has been an enthralling experience from beginning to end. Working with such powerhouse performers and the team has been a wonderful journey for me and I am looking forward to this film reaching audiences globally through Netflix.”

The film is set to premiere on Netflix on May 6.

No better player than Sehwag who could play my spin: Sunil Narine

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No better player than Sehwag who could play my spin: Sunil Narine

Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Sunil Narine has said that in all the years of playing IPL for his franchise, he has not come across a better cricketer than Virender Sehwag who could play his spin.

The West Indian mystery spinner, who will play his 150th game for KKR later on Monday completing 10 years with the franchise, when asked who he thought played him best, said, “I will probably have to say Virender Sehwag. I always found it tough because he was a guy who always kept the game going no matter what situation the team was in, he kept batting the way he did.”

Even though KKR is placed in mid-table in the IPL following three wins and the same number of losses, Narine has so far in the season emerged the most economical bowler, with an economy of around five runs per over. He has also conceded the second-fewest boundaries for any bowler to have bowled a minimum of 15 overs this season.

Asked how he manages to bog down the hard-hitters in a tournament like the IPL, the 33-year-old said that it basically comes down to keeping things simple.

“It’s basically if I bowl a bad ball and get hit for a six, obviously i have to bowl a better ball. If I bowl a good ball and the batter hits it for a six, I don’t try to read too much into it. I try to bowl may be the same ball because batters don’t quite the same shot consistently, they try something else. I try to keep it as simple as possible.”

Quizzed about a reported request made by Sachin Tendulkar to the broadcasters of the 2012 Champions League T20 tournament to provide him with the footage of his bowling, Narine said it felt nice knowing that the greatest batter ever wanted to study his deliveries.

“It gives you a good feeling knowing that one of the greatest batters to ever play the game wants to focus on you but it shows that he is dedicated and he wants to be on the top of his game and doesn’t want to be surprised when the game comes. I think for any player or youngster coming up, always strive to be the best and work on the fine details.”

The spinner said that competing for 10 years for KKR gave him a sense of achievement, adding that he hoped that he doesn’t have to pay for any other franchise, given the love he has got at KKR.

“Yeah I have always told Venky (Mysore, KKR CEO) that hopefully, I don’t play for any other franchise, I have loved my stay at KKR so hopefully I start and finish here. I think it’s a great achievement. You don’t see many overseas players stay with one franchise. Luckily, I am one of them and hopefully, I can continue to be with them in the future.”

Nani’s ‘Ante Sundaraniki’ teaser on April 20

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Nani’s ‘Ante Sundaraniki’ teaser on April 20

Nani’s upcoming film ‘Ante Sundaraniki’ has been in the spotlight for quite some time. The release of the teaser for the film has increased the level of excitement.

To announce the teaser date, the creators have released two posters. One of the posters depicts the lead couple in traditional Hindu wedding attire, with a caricature of a church in the background.

Similarly, the second poster depicts Nani and Nazriya in Christian wedding attire, with a caricature of a Temple in the background.

Two of the posters released, establish that the lead couple marries according to both Hindu and Christian traditions.

The teaser of the movie will be dropped on April 20th. As previously stated, Nani will be seen as a Brahmin named Sundar, while Nazriya will be seen as a Christian named Leela.

‘Ante Sundaraniki’, which is being directed by Vivek Athreya under the leading production house Mythri Movie Makers, will introduce Nazriya Fahadh to the Telugu audience.

Niketh Bommi handles the cinematography, while Raviteja Girijala is the editor for the film.

‘Adade Sundara’ is the title of the Tamil version, while ‘Aha Sundara’ is the title of the Malayalam version of the movie released simultaneously in three languages on June 10.

Koratala Siva clears the air on ‘NTR30’

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Koratala Siva clears the air on ‘NTR30’

Koratala Siva, the director of ‘Acharya’ spoke about his upcoming film recently.

While promoting the Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan-starrer, the director was quizzed on a variety of topics, to which he responded.

Amid the ongoing talks and assumptions about ‘RRR’ actor NTR’s next with Koratala Siva being shelved, the director’s clarity came as a source of relief to NTR’s fans.

Siva says of ‘NTR30’, “I’ve written a strong story for NTR. Pre-production work is underway, and filming will begin in June 2022.”

This statement from Koratala Siva has sent relief across NTR’s fans, as a few Telugu websites had reported on the project being shelved a few weeks ago.

‘NTR30’s casting team is scouting for a Bollywood actress to pair up with NTR in this highly-anticipated movie.

NTR is currently prepping for ‘NTR30’, while Koratala Siva is promoting ‘Acharya’, which is slated for a grand release on April 29.

Divyansh, Manuraj lift the trophy on ‘India’s Got Talent 9’

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Divyansh, Manuraj lift the trophy on ‘India’s Got Talent 9’

Beatboxing and flutist duo, Divyansh Kacholia and Manuraj Singh Rajput, have become the winners of ‘India’s Got Talent 9’.

Their performance stunned the judges including Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Kirron Kher, Badshah, and Manoj Muntashir.

The finale became more entertaining as singer and comedienne Sugandha Mishra joined the host Arjun Bijlani. Divyansh and Manuraj, who hail from Jaipur and Bharatpur respectively shared their happiness on winning the trophy. Both were known for their amazing jugalbandi on the show.

Divyansh mentioned: “I am happy because this is revolutionary in the history of Indian reality shows where two musicians who collaborated to find their own sound, have been declared as winners of ‘India’s Got Talent 9’. I feel that now all the instrumentalists, may it be beatboxers, sitar players, or flutists, will grab the spotlight and feel confident that their dreams can also come true.”

Manuraj also expressed his joy in winning the winner’s title.

“I could not imagine that there even was a level of happiness beyond being ecstatic. I am not only floating on cloud 9 but I think I’ve reached what’s called the nirvana of happiness. Collaborating with Divyansh came to us out of the blue but the play of the fates was such that we have now become the winners of the show where we met.”

“Our win is a win for all the instrumentalists in the country who are still in the background. It’s time to come forward and be recognized for your talent because the Indian music industry is ready and thriving for a change! This win is an invitation to musicians to find their sound and make the best of it,” he added.

Not only for the winners but even for the judges it was a moment of pride and they gave all their best wishes to them.

Kirron Kher shared: “I am so very happy for Divyansh and Manuraj! They have been an outstanding pair since the beginning. All their efforts have come to fruition and have led to this day where they have rightly been declared the winner of this season.”

On the other hand Shilpa Shetty Kundra said that as judges they might have played an important role but it was the audience who became prominent in choosing the winners.

“While we have played a catalyst in choosing the greatest talent from the country, the real deciding factor and the true judgement came from the audiences which has been proven with Divyansh and Manuraj’s win. While every talent is different from the other and cannot be compared, I feel personally that their talent is of international standards and sets another kind of benchmark. They created history.”

Badshah praised the duo saying: “Honestly saying, Divyansh and Manuraj deserved the win! They have been fantabulous throughout the show, never faltering and always giving their best every time they took over the stage.”

While Manoj Muntashir added, ‘They came, they saw, they conquered. He was amazed by their performance and appreciated their dedication to their craft.

“I am overjoyed with emotions and goodwill for Divyansh and Manuraj. Both brought variety, style, quirk, and devotion to this platform. My heart swelled with pride as I saw them crowned as the winner.”

Arjun Bijlani concluded by wishing the winners all the success in the future.

“Divyansh and Manuraj deserve the win! Watching them lift the trophy made me feel so proud. I wish them the very best and hope that they achieve all the success in the world.”

Divyansh and Manuraj were awarded a cheque of Rs 20 lakhs from Sony Entertainment Television followed by Maruti Suzuki Wagon R cars, respectively.

Of the Best 7 Finalists, Ishita Vishwakarma from Jabalpur was declared the first runner-up, and the Bomb Fire Crew from Delhi was declared the second runner-up.

When will PM terminate Teni?, Cong after SC decision

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When will PM terminate Teni?, Cong after SC decision

After the Supreme Court on Monday canceled the bail granted to Ashish Mishra, the main accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, and directed him to surrender within a week, Congress stepped up its attack on the Centre and questioned when will MoS home Ajay Mishra Teni be terminated.

Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said: “When will PM sack the minister from his council, when will BJP stop protecting people who have ditched farmers?”.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli asked the Allahabad High Court to examine afresh whether Mishra should be granted bail or not.

The bench noted that the victims have been denied a chance of an effective hearing and the high court overlooked relevant considerations. It further added that the tearing hurry shown by the high court merits the setting aside of the bail order and remanded the matter back to the high court for fresh consideration. The bench said the high court order cannot be sustained and is thus set aside.

Earlier, the apex court had objected to the high court order giving credence to “irrelevant” details in the FIR and post-mortem reports to grant bail to Mishra.

On April 4, the Uttar Pradesh government told the Supreme Court that Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, where eight people lost their lives, was a grave offense, but no untoward incident happened after Ashish Mishra, the prime accused in the case was granted bail, and he was also not a flight risk.

Amid continued protests, SL Prez appoints new cabinet sans Rajapaksas

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Amid continued protests, SL Prez appoints new cabinet sans Rajapaksas

Amid the growing public agitation with protests continuing for the ninth day occupying the entrance to his office, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed a new cabinet on Monday.

The President appointed a 17-member cabinet, dropping most of the old and senior MPs who were in the previous cabinet. No Rajapaksa family member was included in the new cabinet in contrast to five Rajapaksas, including Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, his son, Namal, young brother Basil, and elder brother Chamal and his son Shashindara who held important ministries in the previous cabinet.

Amid a major financial crisis without some of the basic needs such as fuel, electricity, food, and medicine, Sri Lanka has been in agitation since March 31. A major protest started on April 2 blocking the entrance to the President’s office at the iconic city square facing the Indian Ocean continued for the ninth day and President Rajapaksa was forced to relocate his office. The apolitical protests demand all Rajapaksas, including the President and Prime Minister, to step down.

As anti-government protests spread defying the curfew and social media ban on April 3, the former cabinet with 26-ministers en masse resigned from their positions.

With shortages in forex reserves, Sri Lanka has been unable to pay for almost all imports, including fuel for power generation leading to hours-long daily power cuts and a major breakdown in the transport system.

On Tuesday (April 12) to save remaining foreign reserves for emergency supplies, Colombo announced that it would stop external debt payments pending a bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). On Sunday, a team including the Finance Minister left for the IMF to secure at least $4 billion to import essentials and pay creditors.

Since January India has helped Sri Lanka with nearly $ 2.5 billion in financial assistance in food, fuel, and medicines. According to reports, the Indian Ocean island nation has requested for further $2 billion from its immediate neighbor, to which New Delhi has responded positively.

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