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!
Mumbai, Nov 19 (PTI) "The Family Man" creators Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK say they decided to take a leap of faith by venturing into the long format with "The Family Man" and are now happy that the risk paid off in a big way. Known for hits such as crime comedy "99", "Shor in the City" and "Go Goa Gone", the filmmaker duo, collectively known to audiences as Raj & DK, were working on a film and prepping for another but decided to pause them for the Prime Video series, which became a runaway hit on the platform after its premiere in 2019. A second season came out in 2021 and was also universally praised. "The Family Man", which is set to return with its third season on Friday, revolves around Srikant Tiwari (Manoj Bajpayee), who is a regular family man but unknown to his wife and children, he works as government agent trying to unmask terror plots. Looking back, the directors, who also wrote the hit horror-comedy "Stree" in 2018, are happy that they took the risk. "We had to pause on the film we were working on at that time, and the next film, and said we want to do long format. We wanted to do this story, we even had 'Farzi' at that time, but we chose this, and said to ourselves, 'We should go into this'. "Not many filmmakers were venturing into long format. So, I'm really glad we did take this detour into long format, and it paid off so well. It became so loved and widely known. Even in interiors, people's faces light up after so many years (because of 'The Family Man'). So, you know you've done something that you should be proud of. It gave us another dimension for the kind of stories we get to tell," Nidimoru told PTI. DK, who along with his creative partner, went on to make OTT shows like "Farzi", "Guns & Gulaabs" and "Citadel: Honey Boney", said it is always a challenge to surprise the audience and yet give them something familiar with the story. "(The challenge is) to be able to surprise you as much as you were surprised in the first season, but also not lose the thing about the early seasons that you've watched," he added. "We want everybody to watch the third season. It has been a long wait. We want that wait to be worth it, and if people watch it, and if they like it, that's step number one. But what I really want is for them to say, 'This is even better than season one and two', then that would be like, 'Wow'. So, hoping for the best," DK said. For the third chapter, one of the hurdles the creators faced was casting the antagonist and after an extensive search, they finally settled on "Pataal Lok" star Jaideep Ahlawat for the role of Rukma. Nimrat Kaur, who is another new entrant to the show, is also stepping into the negative role, alongside Darshan Kumar who returns as Major Sameer, a Pakistani ISI agent. "We had a plot, but we did not have the right antagonist that took a long time. So, we had to kind of leave it there, go do something else, come back and then somewhere we kind of cracked it and then we were all excited. What took so long is that we realized that the antagonists were actually making a mark, there was an expectation. We didn't think about it earlier but with season three, we had to think. "Also, we wanted to bring a fresh angle from the antagonist's side because we've seen two distinctly different antagonists earlier, and how do we up that and do better? You need to let the mind wander for a bit for it to come up with an idea," Nidimoru added. "The Family Man 3 also brings back actors Sharib Hashmi, Priyamani, Ashlesha Thakur, Vedant Sinha, Shreya Dhanwanthary, and Gul Panag. PTI KKP BK RB RB
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 >
NEW DELHI: Axiom-4 crew members, including Shubhanshu Shukla, were welcomed with hugs and drinks as they stepped into the International Space Station on Thursday. The newly launched spacecraft -- the fifth in the Dragon series and named Grace -- successfully completed a soft docking with the International Space Station at 4.01pm while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean."At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4," the National Aeronautics ...Read More >
New Delhi: Actor Kajol says she isn't a fan of horror films and will be watching "Maa", her own entry in the genre, solely for professional reasons. "Maa", directed by Vishal Furia, is the first horror project of Kajol's career of over 30 years. The movie shares the same universe with the 2023 movie "Shaitaan", which featured her actor-husband Ajay Devgn. "I don't watch horror films. I have watched a lot of big films. I'm not a horror film aficionado at all. "I haven't watched 'Maa' yet. Only in parts with lots of green screens behind me so that I don't get scared, and no background music, ...Read More >
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 5 (ANI): Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao on Saturday accused the Congress of misleading the country with its claim that the BJP-led government at the Centre wants to change the Constitution. He added that AICC has now become the 'All India Cheating Congress'. "The words 'secular' and 'socialist' were not there in the Constitution. It was added after the 42nd Amendment. The Amendment was brought during the Emergency. Emergency was a black day in the democratic history of our country. So, the original Constitution did not have the words 'secular' and ...Read More >
Sir OTT Release: The upcoming Tamil Action Drama 'Sir' is all set to premiere on 6th December in Prime Video. The film hit the theaters on 18th October 2024 and opened with positive response from the audience. The story of the film follows the life of a teacher who initiates a fight against the education system who want to turn the whole education system into a profit-making business. The Streaming platform shared the trailer of the film, the teaser begins with a man arriving in the village. The man is a teacher and has arrived in that village to guide the educate the students. However, as ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 27: Punjabi singer Jasbir Jassi has landed in legal trouble for lending his support to Diljit Dosanjh and his decision to work with Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in "Sardaar Ji 3". A complaint has been filed against him in the Parliament Street police station, Delhi regarding the statement made by him in support of Pakistani artists. According to the complaint, releasing "Sardaar Ji 3" starring a Pakistani actress in the backdrop of the horrific Pahalgam attack is against the national sentiment. It further noted that Jassi's statement is going viral on social media, enraging the ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The government on Saturday extended the term of the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Ravi Agrawal by one year, an official notification said.The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the re-appointment of Agrawal, an IRS officer of the 1988 batch, as CBDT chairman for one year from July 1 this year to June 30, 2026, on contract basis.Agrawal took over as the CBDT chairman from Nitin Gupta in June 2024 after Gupta's extended tenure ended. Agrawal has been a member of CBDT. He was member administration and had served as DG investigation in Delhi. The gover ...Read More >
Chandigarh: Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday said the state govt was consistently working to provide better resources to the doctors and quality healthcare services to the citizens.He mentioned that medical colleges were being established in every district.While there were only six medical colleges in 2014, the number has now increased to 15, and nine new colleges are under construction. As a result, MBBS seats in the state increased from 700 in 2014 to 2,185, at present. The state govt aims to increase the MBBS seats to over 3,400 by 2029, said Saini.The CM was addressing a ...Read More >
Chandigarh, Jul 3 (PTI) Newly elected Ludhiana West MLA Sanjeev Arora was inducted as a Cabinet minister on Thursday while Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal was dropped after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann effected the seventh Cabinet reshuffle in the past three years. Arora's induction followed Dhaliwal's resignation from the Punjab Cabinet. His lone portfolio, NRI Affairs, was given to the newly elected MLA. Arora was also given the portfolio of Industry and Commerce and Investment Promotion, which were earlier held by Tarunpreet Singh Sond, who is now left with Tourism & Culture Affairs, Labour ...Read More >
Upcoming Romantic OTT Releases In December: The end of 2024 will definitely end on a romantic note as some of the most popular romantic movies and shows are going to be released. These OTT releases are much awaited which is soon going to hit the digital space. From shows like Mismatched Season 3 to Kannada movies such as Murphy, everything to watch this month on Netflix, Prime Video, Disney + Hotstar, Zee5 and other streaming platforms. Bandish Bandit Season 2 (Prime Video) ...Read More >
New Delhi: Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday said authorities cannot go against demolition orders issued by courts and stressed that displaced residents have been provided accommodation.Her words came in the wake of the recent Madrasi Camp demolition for which the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has criticised her. AAP has targeted Gupta, and alleged that the displaced Madrasi Camp residents were provided homes in faraway Narela, and those lack basic amenities.Attending an event to mark the construction of a Jan Sewa camp at a slum cluster in the Haiderpur area, Gupta told reporters: "In t ...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 >
Srinagar- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said foreign countries were told clearly during the post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach that in case of a fresh provocation, India would repeat its action. Speaking at a discussion at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Tharoor said Indian delegations which visited foreign countries in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor managed to convey that India acted with restraint and responsibility. "In other places, we actually were able to get some very high-placed people to say not only that they respected and supported India's right of self- ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 2 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Drug Controller General of India to consult experts and relevant stakeholders in deciding a plea over drug combinations sold in the market for weight loss treatment. A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela asked the petitioner to give a representation to the DGCI, which was asked to decide the matter within three months. Also Read | 'Janaki' Title Row: Malayalam Film Industry Holds Protest in Front of CBFC Office Against Renaming of Suresh Gopi Film. A plea filed by Jitendra Chouksey said license ...Read More >
Prayagraj (UP), Jul 4 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court on Friday dismissed a plea seeking a direction that the word "disputed structure" be used in place of "Shahi Eidgah Mosque" of Mathura. The application was moved with a prayer to direct the stenographer concerned to use the word "disputed structure" in place of "Shahi Idgah Mosque" in the entire further proceedings of this original suit along with other connected matters. The application was supported by an affidavit of advocate Mahendra Pratap Singh. On the other hand, a written objection was filed on behalf of defendants. The order was ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) The reduction in import duty on edible oils, including palm, soya and Sunflower, is going to help FMCG companies improve their margins and stabilise their input costs, according to experts. Palm Oil, which the FMCG companies use as a key ingredient for the manufacturing of soaps and even food products, will also help cool down consumer monthly inflation, experts said. The move will not only benefit the food companies, for which palm oil is almost 25-30 per cent of their raw material costs but also lower PFAD prices (Palm Fatty Acid Distillate), a byproduct used by soap ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jun 6 (PTI) The Karnataka State Cricket Association had sought permission for RCB's IPL trophy celebrations at Vidhan Soudha, a letter sent by it to the state government has revealed, reaffirming KSCA's assertion that it facilitated approvals for the franchise which is under fire following 11 deaths in a stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium. After an FIR was lodged against them, KSCA president Raghuram Bhat, secretary A Shankar and treasurer E S Jayaram submitted in the Karnataka High Court that the gate management and crowd management were not the responsibility of the associa ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 4: Dreams do come true, says filmmaker RS Prasanna who went from being a cheerleader for Aamir Khan as the accepted an award for "Taare Zameen Par" in 2007 to finally directing him in its sequel "Sitaare Zameen Par". Prasanna, known for "Kalyana Samayal Saadham" in Tamil and its Hindi remake "Shubh Mangal Saavdhan", was still in film school in 2007 when he watched "Taare Zameen Par". "I remember bawling my eyes out while watching 'Taare Zameen Par' with my friends, and my then-girlfriend, now wife. When Aamir sir won the Best Debut Director award at the Gollapudi Srinivas Award, ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jun 27 (PTI) Karnataka High Court on Friday set aside two criminal cases filed against BJP leader and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, which alleged he made objectionable remarks during a protest rally criticising the Waqf Board and the state government over alleged encroachment on farmers' and temples' properties. Justice S R Krishna Kumar, delivering the order, allowed Bommai's plea to quash the proceedings that had been initiated by Shiggaon police under Section 196(1)(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to promoting enmity between different groups on ...Read More >
Cuttack, Jul 3 (PTI) Rejecting a writ appeal of the state government, a Division Bench of Orissa High Court here has recently upheld a three-year-old judgment passed by a single-judge Bench stating that maternity leave and associated benefits cannot be denied to a woman employed by the state on contractual basis. In a recent ruling, the Division Bench of Justices Dixit Krishna Shripad and Mruganka Sekhar Sahoo affirmed the August 2022 decision of a single-judge Bench, which had ruled in favour of a contractual employee of the Health and Family Welfare Department whose maternity leave applicat ...Read More >
Mumbai, July 4: Veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai took to social media to shower praise on Aamir Khan for his continued efforts to elevate the stature of Hindi cinema. Lauding his decision to release 'Sitaare Zameen Par' in theatres and hold off on its OTT release for six months, Ghai called it a move that brings "dignity to Hindi cinema." In his heartfelt note, the director expressed his happiness at how exhibitors across the country honoured Aamir as a "brave filmmaker" for supporting the big-screen experience and showing deep respect for theatrical business. Sharing a photo featuring Aamir Kh ...Read More >
Dhanbad/Gumla, Dec 4 (PTI) Thousands of people from various Hindu organisations on Wednesday took out rallies in Jharkhand's Dhanbad and Gumla cities in protest against the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and the arrest of spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das. Demanding the immediate release of Das, the protesters urged the Indian government to intervene and stop the atrocities being perpetrated on minority Hindus in the neighbouring country. In Dhanbad, Hindu Rashtriya Samanvya Samiti (HRSS) organised the protest, which was attended by members of Dhanbad ISKCON, Bajrang Dal, BJP and other o ...Read More >
Kolkata, Dec 4 (PTI) A five-member delegation of monks went to the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission here on Wednesday to submit a memorandum demanding immediate steps to stop atrocities on Hindus and other religious minorities in the neighbouring country. Kartik Maharaj, one of the members of the delegation, said they had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to take legal recourse to ensure the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh. "Bigger protests will be organised in West Bengal if appropriate steps are not taken to ensure protection of the minorities in Ban ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) Reserve Bank monetary policy action to cut repo rate by large 50 basis points is among the most growth-oriented and borrower-centric interventions seen in recent years, and will reduce repayment burden on individuals as well as corporate, experts said. Home, auto and other loans are likely to cost less as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut interest rates by a larger-than-expected 50 basis points on Friday, and unexpectedly reduced the cash reserve ratio for banks to make available more money to lend in a bid to boost the economy. Also Read | How To Activate Your UAN O ...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 >
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 >
Patna: The Congress's announcement to distribute five lakh sanitary pad boxes under its 'Priyadarshini Udaan Yojana' triggered a political storm in Bihar on Friday after images of party MP Rahul Gandhi appeared on the boxes. The NDA criticised the move, calling it a "direct insult" to women, who have emerged as key voters in recent state elections.Bihar Congress president Rajesh Kumar, speaking in the presence of All India Mahila Congress chief Alka Lamba, said the scheme was aimed at promoting menstrual hygiene awareness among rural women. "We have a special plan for the women folk in Bihar. ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jun 6 (PTI) The Karnataka High Court on Friday, in an interim order, directed the state police not to take any coercive action against the office bearers of KSCA in connection with the stampede outside the Chinnaswamy stadium here which claimed lives of 11 people, until further orders. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) President Raghuram Bhat, Secretary A Shankar, and Treasurer E S Jayaram approached the court seeking to quash the FIR filed against them. Justice S R Krishna Kumar, who heard the case, granted the interim relief to the KSCA officials. The hearing was a ...Read More >
Nagpur: Warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj belonged to the entire country, but British history tried to confine him as a regional icon, said BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, who was in Nagpur on Friday to attend an event marking the 351st anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj's coronation. Trivedi told TOI at the event organized by Shivaji Maharaj Kruti Samiti that Shivaji Maharaj's contribution in 'safeguarding' the southern part of India from Mughal invasion must not be forgotten.Trivedi said, "Shivaji Maharaj belonged to all of us, entire country. Unfortunately, the British p ...Read More >
New Delhi: The second match of the five-match Test series between India and England will be played at Edgbaston in Birmingham. It will start on July 2. In this Test, Shubman Gill has a chance to create history. Actually, the Indian team has not been able to win on this ground so far. Team India played the first match on this ground in 1967. Be it Virat Kohli or Dhoni or Dravid or Sourav Ganguly, no Indian captain has won here in 58 years. However, Gill will have a chance to get his name registered in the history books. If he manages to end the drought of 58 years, he will become the first Indi ...Read More >