Month: January 2025

Actor Allu Arjun visited KIMS Hospital in Begumpet, Hyderabad, to meet Sri Teja, the child who was seriously injured during the tragic incident at Sandhya Theatre.

The incident, which occurred on December 4, 2024, during the premiere of ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’, resulted in the death of a woman named Revathi and left her child, Sri Teja, in critical condition.

The visit comes amidst Allu Arjun’s ongoing legal proceedings related to the chaos that unfolded when the actor waved to the crowd from the sunroof of his car, during the ‘Pushpa 2’ premiere.

Allu Arjun expressed his concern for the injured child, who had been on a ventilator for several weeks following the incident.

As of December 24, 2024, there had been positive signs of recovery, with Sri Teja reportedly responding for the first time after being unresponsive for 20 days.

His father, Bhaskar, expressed gratitude for Allu Arjun’s support, saying, “The child responded after 20 days. He is responding today. Allu Arjun and the Telangana government are supporting us.”

In addition to his visit to Sri Teja, Allu Arjun has been fulfilling his legal obligations.

On January 5, 2025, Allu Arjun complied with the conditions set by the Nampally Court by visiting the Chikkadpally Police Station as part of the bail process.

The actor had been granted regular bail following the incident, but the court imposed certain conditions, including attendance at the police station.

This visit was a necessary part of the ongoing legal process stemming from the tragic events at Sandhya Theatre.

Earlier, on January 4, Allu Arjun appeared before the Metropolitan Criminal Court at Nampally, where he submitted the required sureties and executed a bond of Rs 50,000.

His arrival was met with heightened security, as police personnel escorted him through a crowd of media representatives.

After the court’s decision, his lawyer, Ashok Reddy, addressed the press and confirmed that the actor had been granted bail on the grounds that the incident was not deemed “culpable homicide not amounting to murder.”

Reddy further clarified, “The conditions have been imposed that he (Allu Arjun) has to attend the police station. Bail has been granted… The court was convinced that this was not a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Therefore, the court granted bail.”

He also mentioned that a quash petition is pending before the Telangana High Court, with the next hearing scheduled for January 21, 2025.

The tragic sequence of events began when a large crowd gathered outside Sandhya Theatre to catch a glimpse of the star during the ‘Pushpa 2’ premiere.

As Allu Arjun waved to fans from his car’s sunroof, the situation quickly spiralled out of control. During the chaos, Revathi tragically lost her life, and her son, Sri Teja, sustained serious injuries, leading to his hospitalization.

To support the victim, Allu Arjun also extended financial assistance to the bereaved family.

His father, film producer Allu Aravind, announced a contribution of Rs 2 crore to help the family of Revathi, who tragically passed away in the incident. (ANI)

Singer Monali Thakur has finally issued a detailed statement after she walked off the stage mid-performance during her Varanasi concert in Uttar Pradesh on December 22.

For the unversed, the incident took place when Monali exited the stage after performing for just around 45 minutes.

In videos that went viral on the internet, Monali was seen addressing the audience, saying, “I am disheartened that my team and I were so excited to perform here. Let’s not talk about the infrastructure and its condition, as that is the management’s responsibility. I can’t explain what they have done to the stage just so they can steal money.”

The singer took to her Instagram account on Monday where she shared details about the alleged mismanagement, and mistreatment against her and her team by the event organizers. “I had hoped not to end 2024 or begin the new year 2025 by addressing the horrific and negative incident my team and I faced in Varanasi. However, after much reflection, I feel it is important to share these unfortunate truths-not only to raise awareness but also to call for reforms in how such matters are handled. Attached is a confession and apology letter issued by the founder of the event-organizing company. Hope this letter is sufficient to clear any confusion anyone might have had about the credibility of any of the false defamatory accusations made against my team and me, as well as the treacherous and unethical conduct of the organizers,” wrote Monali.

Monali also shared that her team faced “severe negligence” in basic infrastructural safety that forced her to leave the stage in the middle of her performance.

“It has been deeply troubling for me to process the reckless and irresponsible behavior of the event management company’s team. Especially, their misuse of laws designed to protect against sexual harassment-laws that are vital for safeguarding people, specially women in our society-is both appalling and unacceptable. Weaponizing such laws for personal vendetta, ego satisfaction, or retaliation against those who refused to comply with unethical practices is not only a gross abuse of rights but also deeply disrespectful to genuine survivors of these heinous crimes,” the singer wrote.

“Thise reckless behavior undermines the credibility of survivors who show immense courage in seeking justice and hampers the hard work of those fighting to eradicate such crimes. It is particularly disheartening to see young women participating in such actions, as it damages the cause and creates distrust around an issue that should always be treated with the utmost seriousness,” she added.

Monali also criticized the “treatment of vendors” and those “working behind the scenes” at the event. “It is absolutely unacceptable to treat vendors poorly, cheat them of their hard-earned money, or con them in any way,” she said. “Disrespecting and harassing those working behind the scenes… is not the way forward. Such behavior should never be tolerated or entertained.”

The highlight of the post, though, was the confession and apology letter from the organisers that she had attached.

“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Team Monali Thakur for their kindness, humbleness, support, and encouragement from the very beginning,” wrote Aman, co-founder of Backroom Entertainments.

Take a look at her post

Monali Thakur is best known for her superhit Bollywood tracks that include ‘Sawar Loon’, ‘Zara Zara Touch Me’, ‘Chham Chham’ among others. (ANI)

After facing multiple delays due to clearance issues with the Central Board of Film Certification, the trailer of the much-awaited political drama ‘Emergency’ starring actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut has been unveiled.

The film, which was initially planned for a release on September 6 last year, looks into one of the most crucial chapters in India’s history. The film is directed by Kangana herself and features a stellar cast, including Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, and Mahima Chaudhary.

Produced by Zee Studios and Manikarnika Films, Emergency is set to hit theatres on January 17.

The movie revolves around the life and times of Indira Gandhi, India’s first female Prime Minister, and the controversial Emergency period of 1975.

The trailer opens with Anupam Kher, who plays Jayaprakash Narayan, penning a letter to Indira Gandhi from prison. Kangana Ranaut, as Indira Gandhi, is seen delivering some impactful lines, such as, “Main hi cabinet hun” (I am the cabinet) and “Indira is India.” Shreyas Talpade plays a young Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Milind Soman plays Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, while Mahima Chaudhary appears as Pupul Jayakar. The late Satish Kaushik is seen in one of his final roles as Jagjivan Ram.

Sharing the trailer on her Instagram, Kangana captioned it, “1975, Emergency — A Defining chapter in Indian History. Indira: India’s most powerful woman. Her ambition transformed the nation, but her #EMERGENCY plunged it into chaos.”

Check out the trailer

Speaking about the film, Kangana in a press note shared the film’s team, said, “After a long journey filled with challenges, I’m glad that our film Emergency will finally hit the big screen on 17th January. This story isn’t just about a controversial leader; it delves into themes that remain profoundly relevant today, making the journey both difficult and significant. Releasing just a week before Republic Day, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the resilience of our Constitution and experience the film with your loved ones.” (ANI)

Noting that the vision of India-US civil nuclear cooperation laid nearly 20 years ago by then President George W Bush and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has not been fully realised, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Monday said that United States is now finalizing the necessary steps to remove long-standing regulations that have prevented civil nuclear cooperation between India’s leading nuclear entities and US Companies.

Speaking at IIT Delhi during the session, ‘The United States and India: Building a shared future’, Sullivan said his visit to India is likely the last trip overseas that he will lead as NSA and he cannot think of a better way to end his tenure in the White House.

“Although former President Bush and former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh laid out a vision of civil nuclear cooperation nearly 20 years ago, we have yet to fully realize it. But as we work to build clean energy technologies to enable growth in artificial intelligence, and to help US and Indian energy companies unlock their innovation potential, the Biden administration has determined that it is past time to take the next major step in cementing this partnership,” he said.

“So today I can announce that the United States is now finalizing the necessary steps to remove long-standing regulations that have prevented civil nuclear cooperation between India’s leading nuclear entities and US Companies. The formal paperwork will be done soon but this will be an opportunity to turn the page on some of the frictions of the past and create opportunities for entities that have been on restricted lists in the United States to come off those lists and enter into deep collaboration with the United States, with our private sector, scientists and technologists to move civil nuclear cooperation forward together,” he added.

He expressed optimism that the technological cooperation between the United States and India will get strengthened in the coming years.

“This is likely the last trip overseas that I will lead as NSA and I cannot think of a better way to end my tenure in the White House, visiting India on my final overseas trip to mark the advances that we have made together over the past four years. This is a shared and historic achievement…I have every reason to believe that within the next decade, we will see American and Indian firms working together to build the next generation of semiconductor technologies, American and Indian astronauts conducting cutting-edge research and space exploration together,” he said. (ANI)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday reviewed preparations for Gangasagar Mela and alleged that the central government supports Kumbh Mela by giving crores of rupees but they do not even look at Gangasagar.

“The central government supports Kumbh Mela by giving crores of rupees but they do not even look at Gangasagar. On one side of Gangasagar is Sundarban, on one side is forest, on one side is sea, temples and devotees, it is very amazing,” Mamata Banerjee said in Gangasagar.

She further said that the state government has held coordination meetings so that the devotees do not face any problems during the Gangasagar Mela.

“People have to come to Gangasagar by water. For this, the central government had to build a bridge but they could not do so. Now the state government has invited tenders for building the bridge. After this, there will be a lot of convenience… We hope that all the devotees coming to Gangasagar have a pleasant journey. We have held meetings with all departments including police, PWD, PHE… We have also held coordination meetings so that the devotees do not face any problems,” she said.

The second-largest fair after Kumbh Mela, the Gangasagar Mela starts on the pious day of Makar Sankranti, which generally falls between January 14 and 15 every year.

The annual fair at one of the oldest and leading pilgrimage sites in the country draws devotees every year, who also take a holy dip in the sacred waters of the Ganga at Sagardweep, from where the river merges with the Bay of Bengal.

The main bathing rituals (Shahi Snan) of the Kumbh will take place on January 14 (Makar Sankranti), January 29 (Mauni Amavasya), and February 3 (Basant Panchami). (ANI)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Minority Wing National President Jamal Siddiqui has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting the renaming of the iconic India Gate as “Bharat Mata Dwar”. Siddiqui said that under PM Modi’s leadership, the spirit of patriotism and dedication towards Indian culture has grown immensely among the people.

In his letter, Siddiqui highlighted several initiatives undertaken during PM Modi’s tenure that aim to heal wounds inflicted during the colonial era and strengthen Indian cultural identity.

“The way wounds inflicted by the Mughal invaders and plundering British have been healed and the stains of colonialism have been wiped clean during your tenure has brought joy across the nation,” he said.

“You renamed the road previously named after the cruel Mughal Aurangzeb to APJ Abdul Kalam Road, replaced the statue of King George V at India Gate with a statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and linked Indian culture by renaming Rajpath to Kartavya Path,” the BJP leader added.

Jalam Siddiqui asserted that renaming India Gate to Bharat Mata Dwar would serve as a tribute to the people whose names are inscribed on its pillar.

“In the same spirit, I humbly request you to consider renaming India Gate to ‘Bharat Mata Dwar.’ Renaming India Gate to Bharat Mata Dwar would serve as a true tribute to the thousands of patriotic martyrs whose names are inscribed on its pillar. I earnestly request you to kindly consider my proposal and rename it Bharat Mata Dwar,” the BJP Minority Morcha chief said.

In 2022, PM Modi inaugurated the renamed Kartavya Path, replacing the colonial-era name “Kingsway.” During the inauguration, PM Modi said, “A new era has begun in the form of Kartvya Path. Symbol of colonialism ‘Kingsway’ will be history and has been erased forever. I congratulate all the people of the country as we come out from another symbol of colonialism.”

He said the Rajpath was for the British Raj, to whom the people of India were slaves. “Rajpath was also a symbol of slavery and its structure was also a symbol of slavery. Today its architecture has also changed and its spirit has also changed,” PM had said during the event. (ANI)

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met his US counterpart Jake Sullivan here on Monday and the two leaders reviewed progress in their high-level dialogue including in diverse fields such as defence, cyber and maritime security.

According to a joint press release after meeting of the two NSAs, Sullivan briefed the Indian side on the updates brought out by the Biden administration to US missile export control policies under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) that will boost US commercial space cooperation with India.

“Reflecting the progress the United States and India have made–and will continue to make–as strategic partners and countries with a shared commitment to peaceful nuclear cooperation, NSA Sullivan announced US efforts to finalize necessary steps to delist Indian nuclear entities, which will promote civil nuclear cooperation and resilient clean energy supply chains,” Ministry of External Affairs said in a release.

The release said that the two NSAs have engaged regularly in a high-level dialogue through extensive discussions on a broad bilateral, regional and global agenda.

“Following the launch of the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) by Prime Minister Modi and President Joseph Biden on the sidelines of the Quad Summit in Tokyo on May 24, 2022, the two NSAs have driven concrete initiatives between the two countries across a range of areas including Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Semiconductors, Telecommunications, Defence and Space,” the release said.

“The current visit gave them the opportunity to review ongoing progress in their high-level dialogue, including in diverse fields such as defence, cyber and maritime security,” it added.

At an event at IIT Delhi earlier in the day, Sullivan said that United States is now finalizing the necessary steps to remove long-standing regulations that have prevented civil nuclear cooperation between India’s leading nuclear entities and US Companies.

Sullivan also said his visit to India is likely the last trip overseas that he will lead as NSA and he cannot think of a better way to end his tenure in the White House.

“Although former President Bush and former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh laid out a vision of civil nuclear cooperation nearly 20 years ago, we have yet to fully realize it. But as we work to build clean energy technologies to enable growth in artificial intelligence, and to help US and Indian energy companies unlock their innovation potential, the Biden administration has determined that it is past time to take the next major step in cementing this partnership,” he said.

“So today I can announce that the United States is now finalizing the necessary steps to remove long-standing regulations that have prevented civil nuclear cooperation between India’s leading nuclear entities and US Companies. The formal paperwork will be done soon but this will be an opportunity to turn the page on some of the frictions of the past and create opportunities for entities that have been on restricted lists in the United States to come off those lists and enter into deep collaboration with the United States, with our private sector, scientists and technologists to move civil nuclear cooperation forward together,” he added.

Sullivan expressed optimism that the technological cooperation between the United States and India will get strengthened in the coming years.

“This is likely the last trip overseas that I will lead as NSA and I cannot think of a better way to end my tenure in the White House, visiting India on my final overseas trip to mark the advances that we have made together over the past four years. This is a shared and historic achievement…I have every reason to believe that within the next decade, we will see American and Indian firms working together to build the next generation of semiconductor technologies, American and Indian astronauts conducting cutting-edge research and space exploration together,” he said. (ANI)

An important list of reports is pending to be tabled in the Delhi Assembly, but none of these reports have been presented so far.

Highly placed sources familiar with the development of these reports have told ANI that these reports likely include critical audits and assessments of various government programs and initiatives. The delay in presenting these reports may raise concerns about transparency and accountability in the Delhi Assembly.

According to a highly placed source reports relating to Government of NCT of Delhi not laid in the legislature are:

1-State Finances Audit Report for the year ended March 2021

2-Revenue, Economic, Social and General Sectors and PSUs for the years ended 31 March 2020 and 2021

3-Performance Audit of Prevention and Mitigation of Vehicular Air Pollution in Delhi for the year ended 31 March 2021

4-Performance Audit of Children in Need of Care and Protection for the year ended 31 March 2021

5-State Finances Audit Report for the year ended March 2022.

6-Performance Audit on Liquor Supply in Delhi

7-State Finances Audit Report for the year ended March 2023

8-Performance Audit on Public Health Infrastructure and Management of Health Services

9-Performance Audit Report of Comptroller & Auditor General of India on “Functioning of Delhi Transport Corporation

10-Performance Audit Report of Comptroller & Auditor General of India for the year 31 March 2022.

Earlier in December 2024, The Delhi LG censured Delhi CM Atishi for failing to present CAG reports before Assembly. Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena expressed concerns over the Delhi government’s failure to table the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports and urged the Legislative Assembly to convene a special session on December 19-20.

In a letter to Chief Minister Atishi, Saxena emphasized the government’s constitutional duty to present statutory audit reports before the legislature. He reminded the CM that these reports are crucial for ensuring transparency and accountability in government operations.

Saxena pointed out that despite consistent reminders, the CAG reports had been withheld for two years. He described the government’s failure to lay these reports as a “deliberate lapse” and criticized the administration for its lack of transparency.

Referring to the Delhi High Court’s recent order, Saxena highlighted an assurance from the Delhi government’s counsel that the reports would be forwarded to the Speaker within two to three days. Saxena also criticized the government for convening only five sessions in the last five years.

With the current Assembly’s term ending in February 2025, Saxena urged Atishi to consult with the Speaker and convene a special session to lay the CAG reports. He concluded the letter by sharing it with the Speaker and the Leader of the Opposition, underlining the bipartisan call for transparency. (ANI)

Kajal Aggarwal has expressed her happiness about being a part of Kannappa, which also stars Akshay Kumar and Prabhas.

On Monday, Kajal took to Instagram to share her look as Parvati Devi. She was seen donning a white saree paired with heavy jewelry.

“A dream role indeed! Happy to be starting 2025 on this divine note #Kannappa #HarHarMahadev #MAAParvatiDevi,” Kajal captioned the post.

Her divine look left fans in awe, exuding spiritual elegance. Reacting to her appearance, actor Tamannaah Bhatia commented, “So beautiful.”

The poster’s tagline read: “Mother who rules over the three worlds! The Trishakti who protects her devotees! In the sacred Sri Kalahasti shrine, resides the holy Jana Prasunambika!”

Kannappa is directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh and produced under Vishnu Manchu’s banners, AVA Entertainment and 24 Frames Factory. The film also features Preity Mukhundhan, Mohanlal, Mohan Babu, R. Sarathkumar, Brahmanandam, Madhoo, and Mukesh Rishi.

The movie is set to release in multiple languages, including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, and English. Kannappa is a mythological fantasy slated to hit theatres on April 25.

The story revolves around the legendary warrior Kannappa, one of the greatest devotees of Lord Shiva. His transformation from a hunter to a warrior and eventually to a saint earned him the revered title of Nayanar.

The film’s music is composed by Mani Sharma and Stephen Devassy, while cinematography is handled by Sheldon Chau. (ANI)