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!
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season has never been just about the cricket; it is a high-octane blend of entertainment, brand endorsements, and digital storytelling. However, for popular sports presenter and actor Sahiba Bali, the spotlight has recently turned from the pitch to a growing storm of online criticism. Known for her infectious energy and deep connection with the Punjab Kings (PBKS) fanbase, Bali has found herself at the centre of a cancel culture wave that highlights the volatile nature of being a public figure in the digital age. The controversy did not stem from a recent event but rather from the digital footprint of years past. The backlash intensified following a similar controversy involving Reet Padda, whose comments on certain films sparked national debate. As netizens began scrutinizing the past statements of various influencers and presenters, older videos of Sahiba Bali were pulled from the archives and amplified across platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. The criticism is primarily rooted in two specific pieces of content. The first is a clip from several years ago where Bali describes a teenage visit to Pakistan as "eye-opening," referring to the people she met as "loving." In the current socio-political climate, these comments were stripped of their original context and framed by critics as being "insensitive" to national sentiments, especially given her prominent role in a major Indian sporting league. The second flashpoint involves her views on the film 'The Kashmir Files'. In a resurfaced video, Bali, who herself hails from a Kashmiri Pandit background, criticized the movie's cinematic quality and narrative approach, suggesting it felt like propaganda. For many social media users, this was the tipping point. Critics have accused her of dismissing historical trauma, while her supporters argue that as a professional and a member of the community, she is entitled to her nuanced critique of cinema. Also READ: From Mayanti Langer to Sahiba Bali: Complete list of star presenters for IPL 2026 As the hashtags trended, the conversation shifted toward her professional standing. Bali has been a vital part of the Punjab Kings digital strategy, often seen interviewing players like captain Shreyas Iyer and creating behind-the-scenes content that humanizes the franchise. The backlash has put both the presenter and the franchise in a delicate position: While Bali continues to be a respected name in the industry with a master's degree from Durham University and a background at Oxford's Saïd Business School, this episode serves as a stark reminder of how quickly the tide can turn in the IPL's digital ecosystem. For now, the 'PBKS find' remains under intense scrutiny as fans wait to see if she will address the controversy directly or let her professional work on the field do the talking.
Brendon Kleynhans is a maths teacher at South African College School, one of the country's most prestigious alma maters. It luxuriates in the leafiness all around the most genteel part of Cape Town, with Newlands a mere long boundary away. If that brings to your mind's eye a slight, chinless, reticent, bespectacled individual sporting a combover, a pocket protector and - dread word - slacks who declines to step out of the safety of suburbia, you need that eye tested. "During camps it's half-pace," Kleynhans told Cricbuzz in the Kingsmead nets on Tuesday as the South Africans completed their ...Read More >
Kareena Kapoor Khan brought a deeply personal and touching element to her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi by requesting him to write a heartfelt message for her two sons, Taimur Ali Khan and Jeh Ali Khan, who were unable to attend the event. A memorable highlight from the gathering showcased Kareena watching intently, her expression radiating pride and warmth, as the Prime Minister inscribed a note dedicated to her children, affectionately called "Tim and Jeh."Kareena Kapoor Khan added ...Read More >
CoinEx Charity's Starlink Program, under its "Bridge to Hope" initiative, has launched its first Starlink unit in the Philippines, aiming to bring high-speed satellite internet to remote areas. The first deployment in EB Magalona, Negros Occidental, enhances access to education, economic opportunities, and essential services. Mayor Marvin Malacon highlighted plans for educational seminars on blockchain and cryptocurrency. CoinEx Charity, established in 2022, focuses on global charitable efforts, while CoinEx, a leading crypto exchange, offers user-friendly trading services to over 10 million u ...Read More >
Oxford has chosen "brain rot" as its Word of the Year for 2024. Read on to know more about its meaning and origin. Do you endlessly scroll through Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or memes? If so, there's a term for people who get caught in this mindless scrolling - "brain rot". And Oxford has chosen it as its Word of the Year for 2024. The word was selected from a shortlist of six contenders: brain rot, demure, dynamic pricing, lore, romantasy, and slop. Before diving deep into the origins of the word brain rot, which saw a 230 per cent increase in its usage from 2023 to 2024, let us first ...Read More >
(Also read: Sakshi Dhoni's touching gesture for Bengaluru family who wanted pic with MS Dhoni on flight) Known for his calm and composed demeanour on the cricket field, Dhoni, often referred to as "Captain Cool", surprised his followers with his spontaneous and energetic participation in the cultural dance. The video presented a side of the iconic cricketer that fans don't usually associate with the man famed for his leadership during India's 2011 ICC ODI World Cup and 2007 T20 World Cup victories. The legendary cricketer's willingness to embrace and enjoy local culture while spending time wi ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 11 (PTI) A day after the members of Raj Kapoor's family met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor Khan thanked him for inviting them to "commemorate the extraordinary life and legacy" of their grandfather ahead of the cinema icon's birth centenary. The Kapoor family, including actors Ranbir Kapoor, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, and Neetu Kapoor, met the prime minister on Tuesday and invited him to the Raj Kapoor Film Festival to be held to celebrate the occasion. December 14, 2024 marks the 100th birth anniversary of Raj Kapoor, an actor, editor, a director, and ...Read More >
Video: Kerala Man's 'Gangamma Thalli' Get-Up Goes Viral On The Internet | Vlogger Mukesh Mohan Pushpa 2 was released on December 5 and several fans rushed to the theatres to watch the much-awaited sequel film. While visuals from several areas in India showed excitement and energy among people when the movie hit the big screen, something quite amusing was reported from a cinema hall in Thrissur, Kerala. A topless man covered with body paint was seen raising the Pushpa fervour. He recreated the looks of Allu Arjun as seen in the majestic dance performance to the song 'Kaali Mahaa Kaali'. The K ...Read More >
Bigg Boss 18: Shilpa Shirodkar is termed 'biggest backstabber' after Vivian Dsena... Deepak Kalal fights with passenger in flight? Know the truth behind viral video Delhi court fixes Nov 28 for hearing former CM Arvind Kejriwal's plea over sanction copy in... Where will the Champions Trophy 2025 be played? ICC to take final call on THIS date Amid divorce rumours with Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan recalls telling Amitabh Bachchan he made 'big mistake' by... Deepinder Goyal's Zomato opens Rs 8500 crore QIP share sale, sets floor price at Rs... Delhi Capitals co-owner pens emotional fare ...Read More >
Parth Jindal, co-owner of the Delhi Capitals, welcomed new purchase KL Rahul with open arms and vowed to treat the experienced India batter with 'love and respect'. Rahul had a controversial exit from his previous franchise Lucknow Super Giants. The post-match scenes from the last IPL - which captured LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka publicly having an outburst on his captain, Rahul - were indications of cracks forming between the two. They even met at a dinner soon after to sort everything out, but it only lasted a little while. Finally, when the franchise did not retain Rahul, it became clear that th ...Read More >
Aishwarya Rai recently attended the Global Women’s Forum in Dubai, where her name appeared without the "Bachchan" surname, sparking social media buzz amid ongoing divorce rumors with Abhishek Bachchan. Speculations intensified after Aishwarya attended a wedding solo with daughter Aaradhya, while Abhishek was elsewhere with his family. Rumors also linked Abhishek to actress Nimrat Kaur. Breaking his silence, Amitabh Bachchan addressed these rumors through a blog post, urging readers not to believe unverified information marked by "question marks," emphasizing the harm of baseless speculation. T ...Read More >
New Delhi: Lucky Bhaskar, starring Mollywood heartthrob Dulquer Salmaan and Meenakshi Chaudhary in the lead roles, has returned to the spotlight as it is now available for streaming on Netflix. Directed by Venky Atluri, the film has been making waves online, with millions of viewers praising its captivating storytelling, stellar performances, and music. Upon its release on OTT today, netizens took to social media to express their admiration for the film, calling it a "masterpiece." One viewer praised the film's narrative and performances, writing, "Lucky Bhaskar. The best of 2024. A masterpie ...Read More >
The #ShameOnMTVHUSTLE trend surfaced on Monday with several users coming together to support comedian Rohan Cariappa. It all started when Rohan took to his Instagram Stories to claim that his YouTube channel was getting shut. "50 plus strikes," he wrote in one story along with a screen recording of the strikes on his videos about the show. In another story, he wrote, "The channel shuts down on the 7th ... Killswitch aur Danish ke baad mera bhi elimination ho raha hai (I have been eliminated after Killswitch and Danish)." Danish and Killswitch were contestants of the show. It is being said th ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 4 (ANI): The pre-wedding celebrations of filmmaker Anurag Kashyap's daughter, Aaliyah Kashyap, have officially begun, with her best friend Khushi Kapoor sharing her excitement on social media. On Wednesday, Khushi took to her Instagram Stories to re-share a picture from the festivities. The image featured Aaliyah, her fiance Shane Gregoire, and their close friends, including Khushi, Ida Ali (daughter of filmmaker Imtiaz Ali), and others. The group, dressed in traditional attire, looked stunning as they posed for the camera. Also Read | Maryam Faisal's X ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 11 (ANI): Launched to bring the excitement of street cricket to a professional platform and showcase the country's cricketing talent, the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) became an instant success during its inaugural season earlier this year. According to a press release, the league's second season is scheduled to be held in Mumbai from January 26 to February 15, 2025. "Indian Street Premier League is a great platform for India's cricket talent, and the inaugural season highlighted the immense potential of this tournament. ISPL not only created oppor ...Read More >
Allu Arjun is one of the biggest names in the Telugu film industry. The mass hero enjoys a massive fan following because of his charismatic screen presence and engaging performances. He is currently in the limelight because of Pushpa 2, which hit the screens on December 5 and opened to an earth-shattering response at the box office. Amid this, a photo of Bunny from a wedding has become the talk of the town. Allu Arjun, the star of films such as DJ and Pushpa, recently attended a wedding in Hyder ...Read More >
Melbourne: A celebrity and "public relations maven" from Australia Roxy Jacenko has said she regrets turning her daughter, Pixie Curtis, into a child social media influencer. The 13-year-old's Instagram account had long been used by her mother to generate income via brand sponsorships and online businesses such as Pixie's Bows and Pixie's Toys. But Jacenko is now saying the money wasn't worth the negative effects of Pixie's public persona, which included being bullied at school. This admission, along with the government's decision to ban social media for under-16s, is a timely reminder for p ...Read More >
In an exclusive interview with Firstpost, Gurmeet Choudhary, who is the new entrant of season two, spoke about his character, the way he prepped for the role, and the importance of heroism in cinema Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein on Netflix is a campy and pulpy ode to the kind of cinema that faded away as we progressed towards what we call as 'realistic' cinema. It's a show that oscillates between restrained and heightened sense of drama and tension. It has a wonderful ensemble where every character has its own motivations and conflicts. You're likely to rekindle that essence of nostalgia as it remi ...Read More >
MS Dhoni stole the show with his charming presence and enthusiastically matched the steps with his fellow dancers. It has hardly been a week since MS Dhoni broke the internet with his pout selfie. The former Indian captain has once again gone viral for a video that captured him dancing to a folk song along with his wife Sakshi and some friends. The clip is claimed to be from a wedding ceremony in Rishikesh. Joined by some local folk artists, Dhoni was seen grooving to the beats of the popular "pahadi" song- Gulabi Shahara. The former World Cup winning-skipper stole the show with his charming ...Read More >
Bollywood's OTT couple, Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal, just redefined couple goals as they celebrated three years of marital bliss with a magical jungle retreat. Katrina took to Instagram on Tuesday to give fans a peek into their intimate celebration, and it was the perfect blend of adventure, romance, and aesthetic vibes. Dressed in a sunny yellow outfit, Katrina looked radiant as she posed amidst nature. Another candid shot showed her running through the jungle in a chic white shirt paired wi ...Read More >
Alia Bhatt has always shared a special bond with her sister, Shaheen Bhatt, and their close relationship is often evident on social media. On Shaheen's birthday, Alia made the day even more special by posting a heartfelt wish on Instagram, referring to her sister as "her life." Alia Bhatt shares heartfelt birthday wish for sister Shaheen Bhatt with adorable selfie, watch The Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani star shared an adorable selfie with her sister Shaheen. In the photo, Alia looked radiant in a floral outfit, while Shaheen wore a chic orange dress. Alongside the image, Alia wrote, "Happy ...Read More >
Uber has launched India's first Shikara ride on Srinagar's Dal Lake, offering a unique and scenic experience. This new service allows passengers to enjoy the tranquil beauty of the lake while riding in a traditional Shikara boat. Booking is easy through the Uber app, with rides available daily from 10 AM to 6 PM. This initiative aims to boost tourism in the region while providing locals with a new way to experience the lake. With Uber's entry into the Shikara market, visitors can now enjoy a blend of modern convenience and traditional charm on Dal Lake. ...Read More >
Mumbai: Actor Vikrant Massey recently caused a stir in the entertainment industry with a social media post that many interpreted as an announcement of his retirement. The actor's heartfelt message reflected on his career, gratitude for his supporters, and his plans to take a step back. However, in a recent interview with News18, Vikrant clarified the misunderstanding, explaining that he is taking a long break rather than retiring from acting altogether. In his Instagram post, Vikrant wrote: "Hello, The last few years and beyond have been phenomenal. I thank each and every one of you for your ...Read More >
Bengaluru [India], : For Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar who will be returning to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad for the second time after being picked in the Indian Premier League 2025 auction, feels, it is more than just a professional opportunity it is a heartfelt homecoming and a very special one. Interestingly, both the players have worn the RCB jersey before but never shouldered the bowling responsibilities at the 'Chinnaswamy' in any of the past seasons of IPL. Both are eager ...Read More >
It seems like the lady has found love again. Reports suggest that Malaika Arora has started seeing fashion stylist Rahul Vijay, and here's everything you need to know about him and their growing romance. Malaika Arora seems to have found love again months after breaking up with Arjun Kapoor. The diva recently attended AP Dhillon's Mumbai concert with a mystery boy and the internet quickly recalled that he was the same guy Malaika was spotted with last week on a dinner date. This time, Arora even ...Read More >
The Andhra Pradesh government inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Google. The tech giant will launch its operations from Visakhapatnam in the State. Making the announcement at the district collectors' conference on Wednesday, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said HRD Minister Nara Lokesh's efforts have paved the way for this. The MoU was a significant development and would be a game changer. Visakhapatnam is poised for transformative growth, Mr. Naidu said. The chief minister, in ...Read More >
New Delhi: The IPL 2025 mega auction has concluded, with all teams finalizing their squads of at least 18 players. As is often the case, the RCB management finds itself under scrutiny for its player selections. Retaining only three players -- Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal -- RCB entered the auction with three RTM (Right to Match) cards but opted to use just one, securing Swapnil Singh. Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif expressed his thoughts on RCB's decision to let Will Jacks go to Mumbai Indians for ₹5.25 crore in the IPL 2025 auction. Kaif termed it a "massive miss" for RC ...Read More >
American entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, known for his quest to reverse aging, experienced the effects of Mumbai's air pollution during his India tour. Promoting his book Don't Die, Johnson detailed his discomfort despite using air purifiers and masks. He adhered to his rigorous health routine, carrying all his meals and supplements for the six-day trip. The visit included an exclusive meetup with prominent figures like Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal, showcasing his dedication to health and longevity advocacy.Bryan Johnson, the American entrepreneur renowned for his anti-aging mission, has drawn atten ...Read More >
Bill Gates' comments on India's potential as a 'laboratory to try things' during a podcast have sparked backlash among Indian social media users, who felt the remark was disrespectful. While some saw it as reducing India to a testing ground, others defended Gates, claiming his statement was misinterpreted. Bill Gates' latest comments on a podcast with Reid Hoffman have set off a firestorm of controversy among Indian commentators. In a discussion, he referred to India as a "kind of laboratory to try things," which has caused great outrage and accusations of disrespect. The tech mogul has faced ...Read More >
This is a celebration of everyone who worked so passionately on the film, says the celebrated director. History was made as Payal Kapadia became the first Indian director to have won a Golden Globe nomination for Best Director. Her much talked about movie, 'All We Imagine as Light' has won two GG nominations in total. One for Best Director and the other for Best Motion Picture (Non-English). The two prestigious nominations at the 82nd Golden Globes mark a milestone in Indian cinema. After Canne ...Read More >
The IPL 2025 auction in Jeddah saw records shattered, with Indian players dominating the headlines. Arshdeep Singh broke Yuvraj Singh's nine-year-old auction record, fetching ₹18 crore, only for Shreyas Iyer to surpass it with ₹26.75 crore. Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player, bought for ₹27 crore by Lucknow Super Giants. However, Jitesh Sharma's IPL salary hike was the talk of the auction, as he secured ₹11 crore, a staggering 5500% increase from his previous ₹20 lakh. Royal Challengers Bengaluru picked him up as a wicketkeeper-batter to replace Dinesh Karthik. Other big earners inc ...Read More >