Month: March 2025

At the IIFA 2025 awards, Kartik Aaryan was honoured with the prestigious Best Actor (Male) award for his remarkable performance as Rooh Baba in ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’.

His acceptance speech not only moved the audience but also reflected on the hurdles and triumphs that shaped his career, especially his association with the ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ franchise.

“I don’t have words right now. I am not Chandu, I am the champion. I know this is not an award for that film, but I have the same feeling,” Kartik began, referencing his role from the film ‘Chandu Champion’, for which he garnered much acclaim.

“The whole journey with Bhool Bhulaiyaa has been full of thorns,” he continued, recalling the doubts and questions that arose when he first joined the franchise.

“From the beginning, when I was cast for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, people questioned whether I could carry the film on my shoulders. And even during Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, we didn’t know if we would succeed on the big day,” he said.

Despite the challenges, Kartik expressed deep gratitude to his fans for their unwavering support.

“Thank you to the audience for always supporting the entire franchise and for giving so much love to both Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. This year, when the film was released during Diwali 2024, we were incredibly happy to see the love it received.”

Kartik’s emotional tribute continued as he thanked the film’s director, Anees Bazmee, for giving him the iconic role of Rooh Baba, a character that has now become an identity in itself. “A big thank you to Anees Bazmee sir for creating such a huge character, Rooh Baba, which has truly become a legacy across generations,” he said.

‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ proved to be a milestone in Kartik’s career, marking his biggest box-office success.

The film, which clashed with Ajay Devgn’s Singham Again, triumphed, grossing over Rs 400 crores globally.

Looking ahead, Kartik expressed excitement for his upcoming projects.

“The biggest thank you also goes to the team behind Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, and I’m excited to take on new roles,” he shared.

Fans are eagerly anticipating his next films, including ‘Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri,’ directed by Sameer Vidwans and produced by Dharma Productions.

The rom-com, set for a 2026 release, promises to be a fresh and humorous love story, with Kartik voicing his excitement on social media, saying, “Super excited to return to my fav genre, Rom-com!”

Additionally, Kartik is all set to star in ‘Aashiqui 3’, helmed by Anurag Basu.

The romantic drama, which features a fresh pairing with South actress Sreeleela, is expected to hit theatres on Diwali 2025.

The film’s first look, showcasing Kartik with a beard, playing guitar, and romancing in the mountains, has already caught the attention of audiences. (ANI)

As Team India lifted the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the nation and the film industry came together to celebrate the monumental victory.

The Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, triumphed over New Zealand in a thrilling final, claiming their third Champions Trophy title.

Bollywood celebrities, sports enthusiasts, and other public figures took to their social media to congratulate the team for their stunning win.

Among the first to express his joy was Telugu actor Allu Arjun, who took to Instagram Stories to congratulate Team India.

He wrote, “Heartiest congratulations to our men in blue on winning the #ChampionsTrophy2025,” sharing in the excitement of the victory.

Actor Vicky Kaushal also took to Instagram to cheer for Team India. He posted, “UNSTOPPABLE!! The absolute best,” and complemented his post with the energetic song ‘Soorma’ from his own film URI: The Surgical Strike.

NTR Jr also shared his thoughts on the match. He wrote, “Congratulations to Team India on a well-deserved and dominant Champions Trophy victory! Going undefeated all the way is no small feat.”

Superstar Mahesh Babu also joined in the celebrations, sharing his pride with his followers. “Overwhelmed with pride! Huge congrats to Team India for clinching the Champions Trophy…true champs! #TeamIndia,” he posted.

Madhuri Dixit also expressed her admiration for the Indian team. “An amazing match and a true testament of their skill, dedication, and team work! The whole nation is so proud!” she wrote on her Instagram, joining the chorus of celebratory messages from fans and celebrities alike.

The support didn’t end with these actors. Other celebrities, including Bobby Deol, Varun Dhawan, and Alia Bhatt, shared their congratulations on social media.

Film producer Madhur Bhandarkar, who is currently in America, also expressed his happiness for the team’s win.

“Congratulations to the entire Indian team for winning the Champions Trophy. I am not in India right now but in America, and I watched the entire match on mobile. I felt very good watching it. Everyone played very well,” he said, showcasing how Team India’s victory brought together fans from all over the world.

India emerged victorious by defeating New Zealand by four wickets in the final of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, marking their third title in the tournament’s history.

This victory solidified their position as the top-ranked team in both ODIs and T20Is.

The final match saw New Zealand opting to bat first, putting up a total of 251/7, with contributions from Glenn Phillips (34) and Daryl Mitchell (63).

Despite an early setback, Team India’s chase was led by explosive knocks from openers Rohit Sharma, who scored 76 runs, and Shubman Gill, who contributed 31 runs.

The middle order, including Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, and Hardik Pandya, provided the finishing touches to guide India to a four-wicket win.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended his congratulations to the team through his official social media handle, sharing a post that read, “An exceptional game and an exceptional result! Proud of our cricket team for bringing home the ICC Champions Trophy. They’ve played wonderfully through the tournament. Congratulations to our team for the splendid all-around display.” (ANI)

Actor Athiya Shetty shared a special moment with her fans on Instagram, celebrating her husband KL Rahul’s match-winning performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final, where India triumphed over New Zealand.

Athiya, who is expecting her first child with the cricketer, expressed her joy and support with a heartfelt post as she cheered for Rahul from home.

The actress, who has been keeping a low profile during her pregnancy, shared a picture on her Instagram Stories after Team India’s victory on Sunday.

In the image, Athiya is seen standing next to the television, watching Rahul’s jubilant celebrations after the Indian team clinched the prestigious trophy.

Her baby bump is clearly visible in the picture. She tagged Rahul in the post and added a heart emoji.

KL Rahul, who played a pivotal role in Team India’s success, helped lead the team to their third ICC Champions Trophy title.

Following a tense final match against New Zealand in Dubai, India emerged victorious by four wickets, cementing their status as the first team to win three Champions Trophy titles.

Athiya Shetty and KL Rahul tied the knot on January 23, 2023, in an intimate ceremony at Suniel Shetty’s farmhouse in Khandala.

In November 2024, Athiya and KL Rahul announced their pregnancy, sharing an adorable post that read, “Our beautiful blessing is coming soon. 2025,” accompanied by baby feet emojis. (ANI)

Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat directed the country’s Citizenship Commission to cancel the Vanuatu passport issued to former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner, Lalit Modi following recent revelations in international media, as per Vanuatu Daily Post.

The cancellation of the passport was based on reports in the international media which suggested that Lalit Modi was avoiding extradition to India. A statement from the office of the Prime Minister’s office said that since the Interpol had twice rejected request for an alert on Lalit Modi the application of a Vanuatu Passport was not rejected and standard background check did not show any criminal conviction.

Lalit Modi, who previously served as the vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), is accused of alleged bid-rigging, money laundering, and violating the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA). He left India in 2010 while under investigation for alleged financial misconduct, including unauthorized fund transfers.

On March 7, while responding to a question on reports that Lalit Modi had acquired the citizenship of Vanuatu, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that they are aware of his application for surrendering his passport in the High Commission of India in London and they are continuing to pursue all cases against him as per the law.

The Spokesperson further added, “The same will be examined in light of extant rules and procedures. We are also informed that he has acquired citizenship in Vanuatu. We continue to pursue the case against him as required under law.”

Earlier in a post on X on March 8 Lalit Modi wrote, “No court of law in India has a case pending against me personally. It’s only media fiction. Fifteen years have gone. But they keep saying we are going after me – more than welcome to. But first file an application for any wrongdoing, instead of just imagining that I have been charge with something wrong…. This is called fake news…. Only thing that I have done single handedly is create a global loved product called IPL which you lap it up like there is no tomorrow.”

Lalit Modi is currently based in London and had applied to surrender his Indian passport on acquiring Citizenship of Vanuatu. (ANI)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK party chief MK Stalin on Monday lashed out at Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan who during Lok Sabha proceedings today termed the State government as “dishonest” and “ruining” the future of students.

In a strongly worded post in Tamil on his X platform, Stalin called out the “arrogance” of the Union Minister and said that he was speaking like an “arrogant king” and the one who had “disrespected” the people of Tamil Nadu “needs to be disciplined.”

“Union Minister Dharmendhra Pradhan who thinks himself as king speaking with arrogance should have control over his tongue,” Stalin posted.

Pradhan in his remarks during Question Hour alleged that the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government had initially agreed to implement the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme in the state but later went back on their promise. The DMK staged a protest,over the union minister’s remarks that led to an adjournment of proceedings of the Lower House of Parliament.

“They (DMK) are dishonest. They are not committed to the students of Tamil Nadu. They are ruining the future of Tamil Nadu students. Their only job is to raise language barriers. They are doing politics. They are doing mischief. They are undemocratic and uncivilised,” Pradhan said.

Stalin in his post on X said that the Centre was the one who had cheated by not giving funds to Tamil Nadu and called the Tamil Nadu MPs as uncivilized.

Speaking to ANI today in the Parliament complex, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran said, ” …Dharmendra Pradhan lied by saying that DMK government had agreed (to sign NEP). DMK never agreed to NEP or the three-language policy, all we said that we can’t…why should our students in Tamil Nadu learn three languages whereas students from north India learn only one language…we are not against Hindi…if there are students who want to learn Hindi, they are free to do so but it should not be compulsory…”

DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said, ” DMK MP raised the issue where Union government has not released funds for Tamil Nadu saying that unless the State government agrees to sign the NEP, the three-language policy, funds more than Rs 2000 crore won’t be released for the schools. The (Union Education) Minister got up and said that MPs from Tamil Nadu and opposition parties had met him and agreed to sign NEP, which is far from truth…our CM has written to the (Union Education) Minister and PM that we won’t be signing the NEP…our CM has made this very clear and we have not changed it…Union Education) Minister called our govt, people and Parliamentarians from Tamil Nadu liars, he hurt our feelings and Tamil Nadu’s pride by calling us uncivilised…we condemn this strongly…” (ANI)

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has ordered an inquiry into a controversial fashion show held in Gulmarg, which has sparked criticism for allegedly offending societal sentiments.

Abdullah condemned the event, emphasizing that it should not have been conducted, particularly during the month of Ramzan.

“We have ordered an inquiry. A private party was organized, a 4-day event, a fashion show was organized and some things in the fashion show have hurt the sentiments of society. What I have seen there, it should not have been conducted anytime of the year or in Ramzan month,” Omar Abdullah said.

Abdullah made it clear that the event was organized by private parties, without any government involvement or permission. “This was a private party and there was no government involvement, no permission was taken, and we will act tough if any law was broken,” he stated.

Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Awami Ittehad Party MLA Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh called the fashion show a direct attack on the state’s culture.

“During Ramzan time, organising such an event is shameful, this is a direct attack on our culture…we condemn this. We want CM to take the strictest action against this.” he said.

Tanvir Sadiq, JKNC MLA said, ” It should not have happened. J&K is a place of Sufi saints…even in normal circumstances, semi-nude shows should not take place in J&K, this is not acceptable. Omar Abdullah (CM) has taken cognisance of the incident and sought a report, he has assured action”

BJP MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia said, ” PM Modi, Amit Shah and central govt want normalcy to return to J&K… after 5th August 2019, a peaceful atmosphere has come in Kashmir, people across the world and country want to visit Kashmir. But, some people don’t want peace and normalcy in Kashmir…so it’s some people’s old habit, they create issues for no reason and try to spoil the atmosphere in J&K”

Meanwhile, JK CM Omar Abdullah also commented on the tragic killing of three civilians in Billawar, Kathua, and raised concerns over the investigation and political interference.

“The investigation is ongoing. What happened in Billawar has to be investigated,” Omar Abdullah said, emphasizing that the cause of the deaths remains under investigation. He also questioned the political handling of the situation, saying, “This matter is being politicized.”

Abdullah further criticized the decision to prevent Deputy Chief Minister from visiting the area, stating, “Deputy CM also wanted to go but he was also told not to go. He called me, so I told him not to go there.”

According to Abdullah, the SSP Kathua had advised against the Deputy CM’s visit, but he pointed out the inconsistency in how the situation was handled. “I want to ask then, how was LOP Sunil Sharma allowed to go there?” Abdullah said, referring to Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma’s visit to Billawar despite the restrictions on other officials. (ANI)

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi while speaking in the Lok Sabha stated that the House needs to discuss the issue of voters list.

He said, “Question is being raised on the voter list in every states. In Maharashtra, questions were raised on black and white voter list. The entire opposition is just saying that there should be a discussion on the voter’s list.”

Earlier, TMC’s Saugata Roy said Mamata Banerjee had shown the same EPIC numbers in the voters list in Haryana, West Bengal. “This shows serious flaws, pointed out earlier with regard to Maharashtra, Haryana. They are preparing for a jump in the Bengal, Assam polls next year. Total voter list should be totally revised,” he said, adding that ECI should reply on its mistakes.

Speaking to ANI, AAP MP Sanjay Singh accused the Election Commission and the central government of misusing the government machinery to make the list of fake voters. He went to say that they have used the same thing in Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi and is now preparing for the same in West Bengal.

“Election Commission and central govt, that is the party in power, together, by misusing government machinery, fake voters are being made. They did that in Maharashtra, Haryana and Delhi, now they have started the same in Bengal as well…if the election process is not fair…Only one party will keep coming to power and they will do corruption as well…” Singh stated.

On March 6, a delegation of the Trinamool Congress met Election Commission officials in Kolkata regarding their complaints about the same Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number.

After the meeting, West Bengal Minister, and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim told the reporters that every voter should have a unique ID number and demanded a physical verification to ensure this.

“Every voter should have a unique ID number; there should be physical verification, and people from outside should not have a voting right here,” Hakim told ANI.

Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee formed a committee to check the alleged irregularities in the voters’ list in every district of West Bengal. She alleged that the BJP had added fake voters to the voters’ list to manipulate elections in Maharashtra and Delhi, and they were trying the same trick in West Bengal.

“Sitting in the Election Commissioner’s office, they have created a fake voter’s list online, and in every district of West Bengal, fake voters have been added. Using this trick, they have won elections in Delhi and Maharashtra. The opposition in Maharashtra could not find out these facts. Most of the fake voters are from Haryana and Gujarat. BJP is manipulating voters list with the blessing of EC, Bengal’s culture gave rise to independence,” Banerjee said earlier this week.

However, ECI on March 2 clarified that having the same Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number doesn’t mean there are duplicate or fake voters.

The ECI’s clarification comes after concerns were raised on social media and in media reports about electors in different states having identical EPIC numbers.

“Irrespective of the EPIC number, any elector can cast a vote only at their designated polling station in their respective Constituency in their State/UT where they are enrolled in the electoral roll and nowhere else.” ECI clarified in an official statement.

This issue arose because different states and union territories used the same alphanumeric series for EPIC numbers before switching to the ERONET platform.

“The allotment of identical EPIC number/series to some electors from different States/UTs was due to a decentralized and manual mechanism being followed prior to shifting of the electoral roll database of all States/UTs to the ERONET platform. This resulted in certain State/UT CEO offices using the same EPIC alphanumeric series and leaving a scope for the possibility of duplicate EPIC numbers being allotted to electors in different Assembly Constituencies in different States/UTs,” the statement read. (ANI)

US President Donald Trump jested that tariffs against neighboring countries Mexico and Canada could go higher in the future, Fox News reported on Sunday (local time).

Trump said that the global community has been ripping off the US for ages.

“I think [the business community could see clarity on tariffs],” he said, addressing CEOs’ desire to see predictability for Capital Expenditure spending and shareholder purposes. “But the tariffs could go up as time goes by, and they may go up…” he added, as per Fox News.

“For years, globalists have been ripping off the United States. They’ve been taking money away from the United States, and all we’re doing is getting some of it back, and we’re going to treat our country fairly,” Fox News quoted Trump as saying.

Trump said that the US would get back at the other countries for the same, as per Fox News.

“This country has been ripped off from every nation in the world, every company in the world. We’ve been ripped off at levels never seen before, and what we’re going to do is get it back,” he said.

Trump has imposed tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, citing the countries’ alleged border control issues leading to fentanyl pouring into the US and killing American citizens, Fox News reported.

Earlier on March 7, Trump delayed tariffs on Mexico and Canada for a short-term period for certain products before the “big one” from April 2. He said he agreed after having “fruitful conversations” with Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum while he slammed Canada for being a “high tariff nation”.

As per an official, the modifications in tariffs against Canada and Mexico are being brought in to “protect American car manufacturers and American farmers”.

It was noted that this will thus exclude the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)-eligible goods from existing tariffs. As per CNN, the USMCA was negotiated by Trump during his first term, which makes the three North American countries a free trade zone. (ANI)

Karnataka police has apprehended the third accused in the Hampi rape case, the police officials said on Monday. He had been on the run since the incident.

The accused has been identified as Saranabasava (27) who was working as a carpenter. He was arrested by Gangavathi Rural police from Tamil Nadu’s capital city Chennai and has been brought to Karnataka.

Speaking to ANI, Superintendent of Police of Koppal, Ram Arasiddi said that if it would be necessary then the accused would be taken into the police custody as well.

“As I had told previously, we have taken this incident very seriously and we had formed teams… We visited the spot as well. Based on the information and some technical help, we had earlier arrested two persons. The other person, Saranabasava (27), who was absconding, has been arrested from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. We have brought him here. All the legal procedures will be done today. If necessary, we will take him into police custody also,” Arasiddi told ANI.

The official stated that the police have heightened the security measures and increased patrolling in the areas in view of the incident.

He said, “As a matter of seriousness, we have increased patrolling in these areas and even inspecting these areas… Now repeatedly, we have been checking all the resorts during the night also… We have been using NDPS kits also for this and have booked ten cases in the last three months. So, in the coming days also, we will continue the surprise visits, if any contraband or any violation, we will register the case.”

Two women, including an Israeli national, were allegedly raped by three men near the Hampi heritage site in Karnataka’s Vijayanagara district on the night of March 6, Koppal police said on Saturday.

A male tourist accompanying them was later found dead, they added.

According to police, a 29-year-old homestay operator, three male tourists, and an Israeli tourist had gone to the Tungabhadra Canal near Sanapur Lake to stargaze. They were sitting near the canal, playing guitar and stargazing, when the accused approached them and asked where they could get petrol.

“On the night of March 6, after dinner, we decided to go and watch the stars at night. We took our scooters and rode to the bank of the Tungabhadra Canal, near Durgamma Gudi, near Sanapur Lake. While we were watching the stars and playing the guitar, around 10:30 pm, three men approached us on a motorcycle, asking for petrol in Kannada,” the homestay operator alleged.

She told them that there was no petrol station nearby and that they could find petrol in Sanapur. One of the three men suddenly demanded 100 rupees. “Since they did not know us, I told them that I did not have any money with me. However, as they repeatedly insisted, one of the male tourists gave them 20 rupees,” the complainant said.

When they refused to give them more money, the accused started arguing and threatening them with stones. Two of the accused allegedly assaulted and raped the homestay operator and Israeli tourist, while the third pushed the male tourists into the water canal, she alleged.

According to the FIR, two of the accused assaulted the homestay operator, and the third man aggressively pushed the three male tourists into the canal. The accused also hit her with stones. “I was seriously bleeding…Two of the accused joined forces and dragged me to the side of the canal. One of them strangled me and took off my clothes. One by one they forcibly beat me and raped me,” the homestay operator alleged in her complaint.

She further said that the accused also snatched her bag and took away her two mobile phones and Rs 9500 in cash.

Similarly, one of the accused dragged the Israeli tourist away and raped her.

“While we were screaming and crying, the three men left with their motorcycle,” she alleged.

She also mentioned that the accused spoke Kannada and Telugu and that she might be able to recognize them.

Based on their complaint, a case has been registered at Gangavathi Rural Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, including charges of attempt to murder, robbery, and rape.

Koppal Superintendent of Police Ram Arasiddi said that two suspects have been arrested in Gangavathi in connection with the case.

“On March 6, five people – two women and three men – were attacked by three miscreants. The attackers assaulted the three men and sexually abused the two women. Based on the victims’ complaint, we have registered a case of attempted murder, robbery, and rape,” SP Arasiddi said.

“Based on the information provided, we have arrested two suspects, Sai Mallu and Chethan Sai, both from Gangavathi. A third accused is still at large, but we have identified him and will catch him soon,” he added.

The police were further looking into the case. (ANI)