Bollywood's biggest stars ignite the screen! From the dazzling premiere of [mention a recently released film or event] to the brewing controversies surrounding [mention a current entertainment scandal], India's entertainment scene is ablaze. This week saw [mention a significant entertainment event, e.g., a music launch, award ceremony, or box office milestone], further cementing India's position as a global entertainment powerhouse. The battle for box office supremacy heats up as [mention competing films or actors], while the digital realm witnesses the rise of [mention a trending OTT series or online sensation]. Beyond Bollywood, regional cinema continues to flourish, with [mention a noteworthy achievement in regional cinema]. From the vibrant world of music to the captivating realm of television, Abtak.com brings you the pulse of Indian entertainment. Dive in and stay updated on the latest news, reviews, and exclusive interviews—your ultimate destination for all things entertainment. Explore the captivating stories unfolding now!
New Delhi, Jul 4 (PTI) "Tum Hi Ho" singer Arijit Singh has edged past global pop stars Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran to emerge the most followed artist on music streaming platform Spotify with 151 million followers. American singer Swift, one of the biggest names in the pop music circuit, is in second place with 139.6 million followers and Britain's Sheeran, who came out with his India-set track "Sapphire" recently, is at number three with 121 million, according to the listing released by data tracking websites Chartmasters and Volt.fm this week. The websites provide in-depth analysis of artists' commercial success, streaming data and overall popularity on Spotify. With 114 million followers, Billie Eilish is fourth on the list. The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, is at number five with 107.3 million followers. The top 10 also includes Ariana Grande (105.9 million), Eminem (101.7 million), Drake (99.7 million), Bad Bunny (97.3 million) and Justin Bieber (83.1 million). The other Indians who feature in the list are -- A R Rahman (14 with 65.6 million), Pritam (21 with 53.4 million), Neha Kakkar (25 with 48.5 million). Late music legends Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar feature in the list at the 100th and 144th spots with 22 million and 16 million followers respectively. The monthly count of listeners, however, throws up a different picture. Though Spotify itself does not come out with data about the followers of musicians, the streaming service does show the number of listeners of every artist on its platform. Arijit's listeners count is 47.4 million every month, while Swift's listeners stand at 82.3 million. Sheeran and Eilish have 98.4 million and 95.1 monthly listeners, respectively. The Weeknd has 112.2 million listeners. Spotify listeners and followers represent two distinct yet equally important aspects of an artist's audience. "Listeners refer to unique individuals who stream an artist's music within a specific time frame, reflecting the reach and popularity of the music during that period. In contrast, followers are users who actively choose to follow the artist's profile, signalling a deeper level of engagement and interest in staying updated with their future releases," according to the streamer. Arijit's rise in the Indian music industry has been nothing short of meteoric. The 38-year-old started out as a contestant on reality show "Fame Gurukul" in 2005 but broke into the big league eight years later with the soulful hit "Tum Hi Ho" from "Aashiqui 2" in 2013. The success of the song made him a household name. After that, Arijit quickly became the voice of many moods, be it love, heartbreak or happiness. Over the years, he has delivered a string of chartbusters, including "Channa Mereya", "Raabta", "Kesariya", "Phir Le Aaya Dil" and "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil". PTI RB MIN MIN
Mumbai, June 5: The reality show 'Hip Hop India 2' has decided its winner for its second season. Contestant Shubhankar, who is known by his stage name, Hectik, was crowned the winner. With Remo D'Souza and Malaika Arora added at the helm as the judges, Bollywood actors Sara Ali Khan and Adtiya Roy Kapur graced the season finale. They were there to promote their upcoming film 'Metro...In Dino'. The finalists included Hitesh, Rule Breakerz, Aman-Kunal, and Lil Pool, each of whom brought their own signature styles to the stage. Shubhankar owned the stage and raised the winner's belt in a moment ...Read More >
Ed Sheeran, Shah Rukh Khan, and Arijit Singh unite for a song?: Fans worldwide have been enthralled by British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran's recent trip to India, particularly because of his encounters with Bollywood's Shah Rukh Khan and Arijit Singh. Sheeran posted some sweet moments of friendship on Instagram, including Shah Rukh Khan jokingly repeating the hook of Sheeran's upcoming song "Sapphire," and a calm coffee conversation with Arijit Singh on a barge. Sheeran immersed himself in Indi ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out searches at 15 places in Mumbai and Kochi in connection with the Mithi River desilting scam that caused a wrongful loss of more than Rs 65 crore to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), official sources said. The massive crackdown is underway at the premises across Mumbai and Kochi linked to the accused and suspects as part of an ongoing probe into alleged financial irregularities. According to the sources, the searches are being carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at locat ...Read More >
Mumbai, July 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Singer Shilpa Rao, who has crooned the female version of "Barbaad" in upcoming film "Saiyaara", said that for her music has always been about connecting with people's emotions. "Music, for me, has always been about connecting with people's emotions," said the singer. She said that Barbaad is a heartbreak song, and singing the female version allowed her to explore a different emotional perspective. "I've been receiving so many messages from people saying they're moved by the song, feeling heartbreak through it -- even when they haven't gone through one themse ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 17 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Thursday quashed 16 cases against 70 Indian nationals for housing foreign attendees of Tablighi Jamaat congregation in March 2020 allegedly in violation of COVID-19 norms. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna said, "Chargesheets quashed." Also Read | BJP Blasts Rahul Gandhi's Stealing Charge of 'Election Chori' at EC Regarding 'SIR' Exercise in Bihar, Scoffs at Jail Swipe on Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. The court passed the judgment on 16 petitions relating to 70 Indians, who were represented by advocate Ashima Mandla, seeking quashing of FIRs regist ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 27 (PTI) Veteran movie star Rekha recreated her look from the 1981 film "Umrao Jaan" at the theatrical re-release premiere of the film that brought out the who's who of Bollywood in attendance, including Aamir Khan, Alia Bhatt, Tabu, and Hema Malini. Directed by Muzaffar Ali, the period drama has been restored and re-released in cinemas on June 27. The film has been restored by the National Film Development Corporation-National Film Archive of India under the National Film Heritage Mission. Rekha turned heads as she appeared in a stunning white and gold anarkali by Manish Malhotr ...Read More >
VISAKHAPATNAM: Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar inaugurated Andhra Pradesh's first Super ECBC (Energy Conservation Building Code) compliant building at Sagar Nagar in Visakhapatnam on Friday. Terming it a landmark in sustainable infrastructure, he emphasised the government's commitment to energy efficiency and green design in public facilities. The facility will serve as a national-level training hub for power sector staff. He urged power utilities to expedite 20 lakh rooftop solar connections, targeting 10,000 in each Assembly segment. He reaffirmed nine-hour uninterrupted power for agri ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 14 (PTI) The nomination of BJP Kerala Vice President C Sadanandan Master to the Rajya Sabha has drawn sharp criticism from the Congress and CPI(M) in Kerala. They alleged on Monday that the Centre is misusing the Rajya Sabha nomination process, which was meant to honour people with special achievements. The President of India on Sunday nominated four individuals to the Rajya Sabha --former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, historian Meenakshi Jain, and C Sadanandan Master, a senior leader from the politically sensitive Ka ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana joins names such as Kamal Haasan, Ariana Grande, and Jeremy Strong at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this year. Ayushmann along with names such as Kamal Haasan Naomi Ackie, Gillian Anderson, Branford Marsalis, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Graham, Jodie Comer and Jason Momoa are among 534 individuals who were invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences on June 26. "We are thrilled to invite this esteemed class of artists, technologists, and professionals to join the Academy," said Ac ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 28 (PTI) Actors Jaideep Ahlawat and Nimrat Kaur are the new nemesis of Manoj Bajpayee's spy Srikant Tiwary in the upcoming third season of "The Family", streaming service Prime Video has announced. The OTT platform on Friday shared the first glimpse of the new season of the series, which will see Bajpayee reprise his character of Tiwari, a middle-class guy and a world-class spy. "The wait is over. New season. New mission. #TheFamilyManOnPrime, coming soon in 2025," Prime Video posted on its official social media handles along with the teaser. Created and directed by Raj Nidim ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 12 (PTI) Bollywood star Sunny Deol has completed shooting for his upcoming film "Border 2". Directed by Anurag Singh, the project is a follow-up to the 1997 blockbuster film "Border", which featured Deol alongside Suniel Shetty, Jackie Shroff and Akshaye Khanna. The war epic was helmed by J P Dutta. The 67-year-old actor announced the news on his Instagram handle with a video post on Friday. "Mission Accomplished! Fauji, signing off! My Shoot wrapped for #Border2. Jai Hind," he wrote in the caption. The post featured him in a soldier's uniform. "Border 2" also stars Varun Dh ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jun 7 (PTI) A 26-year-old man allegedly beheaded his wife following a heated argument on the outskirts of Bengaluru after he suspected her of having an extra-marital affair, police said on Saturday. After killing Manasa, Shankar travelled with her severed head on his scooter to the nearest police station and confessed to the crime, they said. The man was later arrested, police said, adding that the incident occurred at Heelalige village, near Chandapura, Anekal taluk late on Friday. According to the police, the couple were married for over five years and have a four-year-old daug ...Read More >
Srinagar, June 7: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, on Saturday, congratulated the University of Kashmir for getting an A++ grade in the NAAC inspection. The Lt Governor extended his heartiest congratulations to the Vice Chancellor, faculty, staff, and students of the University of Kashmir for attaining the prestigious A++ Grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and securing an outstanding Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.68 on a seven-point scale. Calling it a proud moment for J&K UT, the Lt Governor said, "The A++ Grade places the Un ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 26 (PTI) India has evacuated over 3,400 Indian nationals from Iran so far in 14 flights under Operation Sindhu launched on June 18 to bring home its citizens amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, according to data shared by the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday. At his weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in response to queries on Operation Sindhu, also said, New Delhi was "assessing the situation on ground" and depending on that a decision would be taken whether to "continue with it or not". On June 24, while India remained "deeply concerned about ...Read More >
VIJAYAWADA: The State government on Friday accorded approvals to a slew of industries. Among those are Krishnapatnam Power Corporation Limited (KPCL), which is set to establish a 350 MW Solar and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Thamminapatnam and Mommidi villages of SPSR Nellore district with a Rs 1,225 crore investment, creating 575 jobs. Furthermore, the government also waived off a Rs 54 crore extension of time fee, contingent on project completion within two years as per the Andhra Pradesh Integrated Clean Energy Policy-2024. The government also allocated 22.80 acres at MPSEZ in N ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jul 4 (PTI) Actor Parag Tyagi has penned a heartfelt tribute to his wife, Shefali Zariwala, remembering her not just as the iconic "Kaanta Laga" girl, but as a woman of deep strength, grace, and boundless love. Jariwala, who shot to fame with her breakout appearance in the remix track "Kaanta Laga", passed away on June 27 at the age of 42. In a post on Instagram on Thursday evening, Tyagi shared a photo of Zariwala and called her "fire wrapped in grace". "Shefali, Meri Pari -- the ever-eternal Kaanta Laga -- was so much more than what met the eye. She was fire wrapped in grace -- sh ...Read More >
TIPS Music, one of India's leading music labels, has received a 'Buy' rating from YES Securities as it initiated coverage on the firm, with a target price of Rs 1,050, indicating a potential upside of 18% from the current market price of Rs 888.65. Shares of TIPS Music climbed as much as 1.7% on Tuesday to Rs 888.65 on BSE. Yes Securities has valued TIPS Music at a Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio of 47 times based on projected earnings per share (EPS) for September 2026, reinforcing its bullish recommendation. The bullish stance comes as TIPS Music leverages industry tailwinds, such as the rapi ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
Thug Life box office collection Day 3: Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam's latest collaboration Thug Life is struggling at the box office. After a drop of 53.87% in collections from Day 1 to Day 2, the gangster drama earned Rs 7.14 crore on Day 3 of its release, according to trade tracker Sacnik. On Saturday, Thug Life earned Rs 6.38 crore from the Tamil version, while the Hindi and Telugu versions brought in Rs 0.24 crore and Rs 0.52 crore, respectively. By the end of Day 3, the film's total box off ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, 26 Jun: India has evacuated over 3,400 Indian nationals from Iran so far in 14 flights under Operation Sindhu launched on 18 June to bring home its citizens amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, according to data shared by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday. At his weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in response to queries on Operation Sindhu, also said that New Delhi is "assessing the situation on ground" and depending on that a decision would be taken whether to "continue with it or not." On 24 June, while India remained "deeply concerned ab ...Read More >
Mumbai: Actress and dancer Shefali Jariwala, best known for her sensational performance in the 2002 music video 'Kaanta Laga', has tragically passed away at the age of 42. She was reportedly found unresponsive at her Mumbai residence late Friday night and rushed to Bellevue Multispeciality Hospital by her husband. Despite immediate medical efforts, doctors declared her dead-on arrival. While the official cause of death has not yet been confirmed by the family, early reports suggest that cardiac arrest may have been the cause. Her body has been sent to Cooper Hospital for a postmortem examinat ...Read More >
Hyderabad: In a tragic turn of events, actor and reality TV personality Shefali Jariwala passed away late Friday night. She was just 42. According to Mumbai Police, the exact cause of her death is still not confirmed. "Her body was found at her residence in Andheri. We received the call around 1 am on Saturday. The body has been sent to Cooper Hospital for post-mortem. The cause of death will be known only after the medical report," said a police official to PTI. A mobile forensic team and local police visited her apartment in the Golden Rays-Y building in Andheri to examine the scene. Autho ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 29 (SocialNews.XYZ) Actress Elnaaz Norouzi, who is known for her work in 'Sacred Games', 'Tehran' and others, recently exited the reality streaming show 'The Traitors'. After stepping out of the show, the actress is "overwhelmed with all the love that she has been receiving, of late. Elnaaz's journey on the show became one of the most talked-about -- and now, one of the most cherished. Talking about the response, the actress said in a statement, "I'm honestly overwhelmed... I never imagined this kind of love. The messages, the DMs, the edits every word has touched me deeply. I g ...Read More >
Bengaluru: A physics lecturer from a private college in Dakshina Kannada and two of his friends have been arrested by Bengaluru police for allegedly blackmailing and raping a student.When the mental torture by the trio became intolerable, the girl narrated to her parents how she was being exploited. Subsequently, she went to Marathahalli police station along with her parents on July 5 and lodged a complaint seeking action against the perpetrators. Acting swiftly, the cops arrested the trio the following day. The accused are Narendra, a physics lecturer, Sandeep, a biology lecturer -- both work ...Read More >
Imphal, June 7 (UNI) Three militants were nabbed in separate incidents during the last 24 hours in Manipur, police said on Saturday. Manipur Police arrested a militant from Moidangpok Awang Leikai from Khumbong Bazar under Imphal West District, they said. Security forces arrested a militant from the Elangkhanpokpi Mayai Leikai area under Kakching district. Security forces apprehended a militant from Wangoo Samushang in Bishnupur district and elected members from Kumbi area. In an operation, one M16 rifle, one bolt-action rifle, three pull-mechanism rifles, three improvised mortars, and fiv ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana, who was part of the all-party parliamentary delegation to Europe, said that during their recently conclued visit they successfully communicated India's development story and its resolute stand against terrorism, particularly emanating from Pakistan. Highlighting the delegation's key discussions during the tour, Khatana told ANI, 'We discussed how we dismantled the terrorism factory in Pakistan by responding... We also talked about tourism infrastructure, G20 Summit, and projects like the six-lane roads, bridges, solar initiatives, our ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 27 (PTI) India has so far evacuated more than 4,400 Indian nationals from Iran and Israel in 19 special flights under Operation Sindhu launched on June 18 to bring home its citizens amid an ongoing conflict between the two countries, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The evacuated Indian nationals included "more than 1,500 women and 500 children", the MEA said in a statement on Friday. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi To Begin 5-Nation Tour on July 2 To Strengthen Global Partnerships. "The government of India is deeply committed to the safety and well-being of ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jul 14 (PTI) Amidst protests by opposition parties over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, BJP's Assam unit on Monday extended full support to the exercise, stating that it is necessary to weed out illegal voters from the rolls. The state unit of the ruling party maintained that such an exercise was needed in the northeastern state to detect illegal voters included in electoral rolls allegedly by the Congress. "Assam BJP has extended its full support to the SIR. The party also extends its gratitude to the Election Commission for initiating thi ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 6 (PTI) Streaming service Prime Video on Friday unveiled its latest docuseries "In Transit", a four-part exploration of the lives of trans and non-binary individuals navigating identity, love, and belonging in India. Directed by Ayesha Sood and produced by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti through their Tiger Baby banner, "In Transit" will premiere on the streamer's platform on June 13. Through the stories of nine individuals from different parts of India -- including a classical musician from Bengaluru, a school educator from Tripura, and a corporate professional in Mumbai -- the serie ...Read More >
Online Azan, has been developed by a Tamil Nadu-based companyThe app will come completely free of costThe mobile app will relay the azan directly to homes In the backdrop of curbs over the use of loudspeakers, half-a-dozen mosques in Mumbai have registered on a dedicated mobile phone application which relays the 'azan', or call to prayer, directly to the faithful in real-time. The app, Online Azan, has been developed by a Tamil Nadu-based company. Given the restrictions and sensitivities surro ...Read More >