Month: July 2025

Bollywood hunk Sidharth Malhotra has extended the sweetest birthday wish for his wife, actress Kiara Advani. The ‘War 2’ star, who recently embraced motherhood, is celebrating her first birthday after welcoming her daughter.

Marking the special occasion, Sidharth took to his Instagram handle and shared a picture of Kiara, from what appears to be a vacation.

“My favourite face, in any place. Happy Birthday love,” the actor wrote in the post.

The actress could be seen enjoying a walk at an exotic location, radiating in a pink bodycon dress.

Kiara Advani has also received an outpouring of wishes and love from her fans and friends from the industry. Celebrities like Gajraj Rao, Mira Kapoor, Manish Malhotra, Rakul Preet Singh, Varun Dhawan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Patralekhaa, and Samantha Ruth Prabhu penned heartwarming messages for the diva.

Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra recently became parents to their first child, a daughter. In a joint announcement, they confirmed the baby’s birth and wrote, “Our hearts are full and our world forever changed. We are blessed with a Baby Girl. KIARA & SIDHARTH.”

On the work front, both actors have their slates occupied. Kiara will soon be seen in Ayan Mukerji’s ‘War 2,’ opposite Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR. The trailer for the film was recently unveiled, showing Kiara as a soldier. She will play the love interest of Hrithik’s character.

‘War 2’ will be released on August 14, 2025.

On the other hand, Sidharth Malhotra’s ‘Param Sundari’ is also gearing up for its theatrical release next month. The actor features opposite Janhvi Kapoor in the upcoming rom-com film.

The first track from the film titled ‘Pardesiya’ is already out.

Made under Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Films and directed by Tushar Jalota, ‘Param Sundari’ will hit theatres on August 29. (ANI)

The Supreme Court on Thursday quashed the FIR registered against veteran Telugu actor and former MP Manchu Mohan Babu and his son Vishnu Vardhan Babu, in a case relating to a protest rally held in 2019 over the issue of student fee reimbursements in Andhra Pradesh.

A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and KV Viswanathan set aside the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s decision refusing to quash the criminal proceedings against them and allowed Mohan Babu and his son’s plea.

Since the elections were scheduled in the state, a complaint was lodged by the then Model Code of Conduct Officer, saying that the protest involved a rally and dharna that allegedly obstructed traffic for over four hours. Police had registered an FIR on the basis of the complaint.

A protest led by Mohan Babu and his sons Manchu Vishnu and Manchu Manoj, and two other senior staff members of Sri Vidyaniketan Educational Institutions was held on March 22, 2019.

They demanded the release of pending student fee reimbursement funds by raising slogans against the then-ruling government of Andhra Pradesh for not granting students’ fee reimbursement to their educational institutions.

The High Court had refused to quash the FIR, saying the allegations levelled against them required trial. (ANI)

After entertaining audiences for six weeks straight, ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show’ is back with another hilarious episode, this time featuring the popular couple Parineeti Chopra and Member of Parliament Raghav Chadha.

The “neta-abhineta” duo will be seen sharing laughs, stories, and lighthearted moments in Saturday’s episode on Netflix.

Now, a promo shared on Instagram shows Pari and Raghav entering hand-in-hand, but the attention quickly shifts to Raghav’s bare feet. Host Kapil Sharma can be seen joking if he always manifested that he would come to the show barefoot post-marriage. Raghav hilariously responds that his shoes were stolen, leading to more laughs when Krushna Abhishek and Kiku Sharda, dressed as Mona and Sona, appear holding his shoes and asking for money in true “joota-churai” style.

In another fun moment, Parineeti reveals that she first met Raghav in London and was so curious after their meeting that she Googled his height. Raghav keeps the humour going with a cheeky comment saying, “Yeh jo bolti hai, uska ulta ho jaata hai. Isne kaha, ‘I’ll never ever marry a politician,’ aur politician se shaadi ho gayi. Ab main roz subah isse uthake bolta hoon, ‘Tu bol Raghav Chadha will never ever become the Prime Minister of India.'”

This left the audience and Kapil in splits.

Take a look

Parineeti and Raghav tied the knot on September 24, 2023, at the Leela Palace Hotel in Udaipur, Rajasthan, in the presence of close friends and family members. Several well-known faces from the entertainment industry and politics attended the ceremony.

Parineeti was last seen in Amar Singh Chamkila alongside Diljit Dosanjh. (ANI)

The Election Commission will publish the draft electoral rolls of Bihar, and physical as well as digital copies will also be given to all recognised political parties in Bihar in all 38 districts, Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar, has said.

“Dear Electors of Bihar, as per Para 7(4) of SIR orders (Page 3), the draft electoral rolls of Bihar are being published tomorrow ie Friday, the 1 Aug 2025 at https://voters.eci.gov.in/download-eroll?stateCode=S04,” the CEC said in a message, according to Voters’ Services Portal.

“Physical as well as digital copies will also be given to all recognised political parties in Bihar in all 38 districts by all the 38 District Election Officers (DEOs) of Bihar,” he added.

The CEC said that the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar and 243 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) will also be inviting any elector of that assembly constituency or any recognised political party in Bihar to come forward and give claims and objections from Aug 1 to Sep 1, 2025 for adding names of any missing eligible elector, removing names of any ineligible elector or correction of any entry in the draft electoral rolls.

The Election Commission had said on Sunday that out of 7.89 crore registered voters in Bihar, over 7.24 crore electors have submitted their enumeration forms under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) held from June 24 to July 25, reflecting a 91.69 per cent participation rate.

The Commission described the SIR as a “massive and successful citizen participation effort” across the state, aimed at enhancing the accuracy of the electoral rolls ahead of upcoming assembly elections.

Election Commission said in a press release that the enumeration exercise was launched to verify and update voter records across all 38 districts of Bihar.

“The first aim of SIR was participation of all electors and all political parties,” adding that the role of Booth Level Officers (BLOs), Booth Level Agents (BLAs), volunteers, and political party workers contributed significantly to the process.

Booth Level Officers (BLOs) visited each registered elector’s residence, distributing and collecting forms in at least three rounds. Additional efforts targeted urban voters, young first-time voters, and temporary migrants from Bihar.

The ECI had clarified that names in the electoral rolls will not be deleted without a proper notice and written order by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), as per SIR guidelines.

Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise has also revealed that approximately 35 lakh electors are either untraced or have permanently migrated from their registered addresses.

The Supreme Court had earlier this week posted for hearing a batch of pleas challenging the Election Commission of India’s move to conduct SIR of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar. The pleas are listed for August 12 and 13.

On petitioners’ apprehension that 65 lakh voters are going to be excluded from the draft list to be published by the Election Commission of India in the SIR process on August 1, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said that if there is any mass exclusion of voters, then the court will step in.

On Monday, the top court again asked ECI to consider including the Aadhaar card and electoral photo identity card as admissible documents to prove the identity of voters during the SIR of electoral rolls being undertaken in Bihar. It had also refused to stop the Election Commission from publishing the draft electoral rolls for Bihar on August 1 as per the schedule.

Earlier, the bench had allowed the Election Commission to continue with its exercise of conducting a SIR of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.

Bihar will face assembly polls later this year. (ANI)

Did MS Dhoni just drop the coolest hair makeover of the year? Well, the internet certainly thinks so.

Former Team India captain and Chennai Super Kings star, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, surprised fans with a bold new hairstyle, and social media can’t stop talking about it.

Popular celebrity hairstylist Aalim Hakim shared photos and videos of Dhoni’s latest haircut on Instagram.

The cricketer now sports a sharp fade with ash and blonde highlights, giving fans a fresh new version of their “Captain Cool.”

“Mahendra Singh Dhoni… when Captain Cool goes edgy — you know it’s game on! Crafted a sharp, bold, and effortless look for the legend himself. Just like his game — clean, fearless, and always ahead of the curve,” Aalim wrote in his caption, sharing Dhoni’s pictures.

Take a look

He also posted a video showing Dhoni’s transformation, with the caption:

“Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Mr. Cool. Serving hot. @mahi7781 just turned up the heat. Effortless, fearless, and iconic — just like the man himself. Warning: This much swag might overheat your screen.”

In no time, fans took to the comment section to share their love for his new look.

One fan called him a “King,” while another said, “Freaking handsome!”

Even Dhoni’s wife, Sakshi, couldn’t resist joining in. She commented, “Bas bas, Aalim,” and added, “Looking so young…” on another post. Actor Ronit Roy also chimed in, saying, “He looks so good… like a superstar.”

Dhoni was recently part of a disappointing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), finishing at the bottom with four wins and 10 losses in 14 matches. He also scored 196 runs in 13 innings, with an average of 24.50, and his highest score was 30*. (ANI)

The teaser for the much-awaited ‘Bigg Boss 19’ is finally out, with the grand premiere taking place on August 24.

This season brings a major shift in the format. Titled “Gharwalon ki Sarkaar!”, the show will no longer be controlled by a single person. As per a press release, “For the first time, power won’t rest with one; the house will run on everyone’s say. This change will make way for the democracy of drama, alliances, and fiery confrontations.”

Salman Khan returns once again as the host.

The teaser dropped by JioHotstar on Thursday shows Bhaijaan dressed in a Nehru jacket, flanked by black cat commandos, representing the power struggles expected this season.

Take a look at the post

As per a press note, Salman, while speaking about the new twist, says, “I have been a part of Bigg Boss for a very long time now and as we all know, Bigg Boss reinvents the game every year, aur iss baar, it is gharwalo ki sarkar. And when too many people start pulling the strings, it’s bound to get messy. That’s when the cracks show, and the house turns into a warzone. After all these years, I can honestly say I’m just as kicked as you are to see how it all plays out.”

The show will stream on JioHotstar at 9:00 pm and air on COLORS TV at 10:30 pm. (ANI)

After the NIA court acquitted all the accused in the 2008 Malegaon Blast case, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said it feels like “Godse’s Constitution” is now in effect in the country, accusing the BJP of undermining the rule of law.

Mufti also compared their BJP’s celebration of the acquittal to their support for the release of the rapists in the Bilkis Bano case.

Speaking to ANI, Mehbooba Mufti said, “The new norm is that there is no rule of law anywhere… The BJP is distributing sweets for a woman’s acquittal who shot at Mahatma Gandhi’s photo… It seems that Godse’s Constitution is currently in effect in the country. These people have destroyed Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution… The way BJP is celebrating now is exactly how they celebrated when the rapists of Bilkis Bano were released… Godse was the biggest terrorist. He was the first terrorist. What can be a bigger example than this for who are terrorists…”

Mufti also responded to US President Trump’s “dead economy” remark, saying that India is spending too much of its budget on defence, particularly on maintaining hostility with Pakistan.

“… We are spending all our budget on defence… It is sucking us dry… The money we are spending on maintaining enmity with Pakistan has weakened our country’s economy. After Operation Sindoor, all we hear is what weapons we bought. When all our money is being spent on this, the economy will definitely go down,” she added.

Earlier today, US President Donald Trump said that he did not care about what India does with Russia and that the two “can take their dead economies down together”.

“I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care. We have done very little business with India, their tariffs are too high, among the highest in the world. Likewise, Russia and the USA do almost no business together. Let’s keep it that way, and tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President, to watch his words. He’s entering very dangerous territory!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Mufti further said that India’s domestic policy, focused on pleasing voters, has become its foreign policy.

“During Operation Sindoor, our chief of defence staff himself said that we were fighting both Pakistan and China. But no one mentioned China’s name in the Parliament. Our leadership must realise that our domestic policy can not be our foreign policy. They have made their domestic policy of pleasing people for votes, their foreign policy… That’s why Trump, whom we respected so much, has attacked our country the most,” Mufti said.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said that India will pay a 25 per cent tariff and an additional penalty for the trade deficit. (ANI)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed a coordination meeting with the organisers of the Durga Puja Community in Kolkata on Thursday. She announced Rs 1 lakh 10 thousand as a grant to each Durga Puja committee in the state.

Addressing a huge gathering, Mamata Banerjee said, “Each Durga Puja committee in West Bengal will now receive Rs 1 lakh 10 thousand as a grant fund from the West Bengal government. We organise this meeting every year ahead of the Durga puja for proper coordination, and there should be no shortcomings in traffic arrangements, drinking water, health facilities, or electricity.”

“People from every religion are included, as there is a culture in Bengal. We participate in cultural festivals of every religion. Durga Puja is inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, so it is our responsibility to organise it properly,” CM Banerjee said.

She further said that some people allege that Mamata Banerjee does not allow the conduct of Durga Puja.

“It is alleged that I do not allow the conduct of Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja, but the fact is that Saraswati Puja is conducted in every home. There are no festivals which are not conducted here. 45,000 pujas are conducted in clubs, in the state police area, it is over 42,000, in the Kolkata police area, it is nearly 3000,” CM Mamata highlighted.

“Idol immersion will take place on October 2,3, and 4. Mobile patrolling team, quick response team, drone, CCTV, all facilities will have to be provided. The police control room will work for 24 hours. A stampede-like situation should be averted,” she instructed.

The West Bengal CM announced an 80 per cent concession in electricity bills for the puja committees.

She said that a one-window system is available for NOC-related permission for the Puja committees.

The Hindu festival of Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is a yearly celebration that honours the Hindu goddess Durga and commemorates her victory over Mahishasur. Hindu mythology holds that the goddess comes to her earthly abode at this time to bless her devotees.

The significance of Durga Puja goes beyond religion and is revered as the celebration of compassion, brotherhood, humanity, art and culture. From the reverberation of ‘dhaak’ and new clothes to delicious food, there remains a merry mood during these days. (ANI)

Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit, one of the accused acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case on Thursday, hailed the verdict, saying that he is extremely grateful to the country and those who stood by him.

Speaking to mediapersons, Lt Colonel Purohit said, “I am extremely grateful to the country and those who stood by us. I am grateful to the judiciary for understanding the case and delivering justice to all of us. During the fight, the Armed forces stood by me. I have no words to express my gratitude to all of them.”

Soon after the verdict, celebrations broke out outside Lt Colonel Purohit’s residence, where supporters burst firecrackers and distributed sweets to mark the court’s decision.

The Mumbai Special National Investigative Agency Court (NIA) acquitted all seven accused of being involved in the 2008 blasts in Malegaon, with the court saying the prosecution failed to establish the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Seven accused, including former MP Sadhvi Pragya, Major (retired) Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhankar Dhar Dwivedi (Shankaracharya) and Sameer Kulkarni, are charged under the UAPA, Arms Act and others.

The 2008 Malegaon blast case was transferred to the NIA in 2011 from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). After a 17-year-long wait and examination of hundreds of witnesses, the NIA special court today acquitted all seven people accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act and all other charges.

On September 29 2008, six people were killed and 95 others injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon City’s Bhikku Chowk. Originally, 11 people were accused in the case; however, the court ultimately framed charges against 7, including former MP Sadhvi Pragya.

The lawyer representing the victims’ families said that he will be challenging the acquittal of the seven people in the High Court. (ANI)

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly believes judging Anshul Kamboj with his first Test being the parameter won’t be ideal. He admitted that Mukesh Kumar’s omission from India’s tour of England left him “surprised” and hopes an opportunity will knock on his door in future.

Before the commencement of the fourth Test in Manchester, Kamboj was flown to Manchester after an injury crisis marred the Indian camp. Akash Deep nursed a groin niggle, Arshdeep Singh sustained a blow on his hand, while Nitish Kumar Reddy was ruled out of the entire series.

A couple of days after his arrival, the 24-year-old was straightaway thrown into the final XI and handed the burden of bearing the responsibility with the new ball. In his Test debut, he bowled with the new ball ahead of mainstay Mohammed Siraj but failed to cast magic with it.

He consistently strayed off his line, leaked runs in abundance and failed to ask the necessary question from English openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett. After a relentless battering, he found some respite after scything his maiden scalp by robbing Ducket of a century and returned with figures of 1/89.

“Don’t judge Anshul on one Test. He is a young kid, and he has picked wickets in domestic cricket. Give him five to eight Tests before passing a judgment on him on how good he is,” Ganguly said in a press conference on Thursday.

Before the commencement of the series, there were plenty of pacers who were tried and tested during the two unofficial Tests between India A and England Lions. Mukhesh was a name in that pool and scalped a three-wicket haul in 25 overs at 30.66 in his sole appearance.

Even in first-class cricket, Mukesh boasts 252 wickets in 52 appearances at 21.55 average for Bengal. While assessing India’s pace attack, the former BCCI president felt the English conditions were ideal for Mukesh to bask in success with his skillset.

“I was surprised not to see Mukesh Kumar in the squad. His red-ball numbers in domestic cricket are phenomenal. These conditions would have been suitable for him. Hopefully, in future, he will get his chance,” he added. (ANI)