Month: August 2025

Veteran actor Madhan Bob, who is known for appearing in many Tamil films, left for a heavenly abode at the age of 71 on August 2. Remembering the late star, choreographer, director and actor, Prabhudeva, paid a heartfelt tribute to him.

Taking to X, he recalled sharing screenspace with him and wrote, “We shared the screen, and his presence always brought joy to the set. Cheerful, kind, and full of humour he made everyone feel happy around him. Heartfelt condolences to his family. He’ll always be remembered..”

We shared the screen, and his presence always brought joy to the set.
Cheerful, kind, and full of humour he made everyone feel happy around him.
Heartfelt condolences to his family.
He’ll always be remembered 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Ji5sqMlsDW

— Prabhudheva (@PDdancing) August 2, 2025

Prabhudeva and Madhan Bob worked together in the 2000 romantic drama film ‘Pennin Manathai Thottu’, written and directed by S. Ezhil. The film stars Prabhudeva and Jaya Seal. Madhan Bob was in a supporting role.

Bob had also shared screen space with actors like Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Ajith, Surya, and Vijay.

Born as S. Krishnamoorthy on October 19, 1953, Madhan Bob was widely recognised for his roles as a comedian in Tamil films and as a host and judge on various television programs.

He began his career in the film industry as a music composer before making his acting debut in 1984 through Balu Mahendra’s film ‘Neengal Kettavai’.

Madhan Bob’s signature facial expressions, infectious laughter, and expressive eye movements became his trademark style, heavily inspired by veteran comedian Kaka Radhakrishnan, and his contribution to Tamil entertainment spanned decades, leaving behind a legacy cherished by audiences across generations. (ANI)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Yogendra Chandolia has alleged illegal occupation by Rohingyas of a land acquired for college construction in Singhu Village, Narela. In a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, he sought their eviction.

Chandolia represents the North West Delhi Lok Sabha constituency and the land allegedly occupied by the Rohingyas comes under his constituency.

“I am writing to bring to your attention a pressing issue that required immediate action. During my recent visit to Singhu Village, Narela where a college was proposed to be constructed, I was dismayed to find that the area is currently occupied by illegal majars and Rohingyas,” Chandolia said in his letter dated August 1.

He said that the land for construction of college was donated by the villagers but no further action has been taken. The situation has become even more concerning with he presence of numerous stray animals, including neel cows and monkey, roaming in the area, he said.

“Furthermore, I was shocked to discover that the Rohingyas have managed to obtain illegal electricity connections. This not only highlights a serious tapse in the enforcement of law and order but also results in the misuse of public resources,” he said.

He requested the Chief Minister “to remove the illegal majars and Rohingyas from Singhu Village”, disconnect the unauthorized electricity connections provided to the Rohingyas, conduct a thorough enquiry to determine how these electricity connections were made, and fix responsibility. (ANI)

Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Odisha government after a 15-year-old girl who was allegedly set on fire in Puri district died during treatment, calling it a complete failure of law and order in the state.

He demanded the Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s resignation, alleging police inaction and delay in arresting those responsible for the attack.

Speaking to ANI, Saptagiri Ulaka said, “I had raised this issue two days ago in the Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour… Yesterday, the girl died during treatment at AIIMS Delhi. This is the second such incident in a month… As per the police investigation, nobody killed her. The three people who killed her have not been arrested yet.”

“The police said no one is involved in killing her. We don’t know what’s going on. The law and order situation in the state is in ruins. We want the central government to take cognisance. The President comes from Odisha, and we would like her to pay particular attention to the state. The CM must resign since he is unable to handle his post…” he added.

The victim succumbed to burn injuries on Saturday while undergoing treatment at AIIMS in the national capital, after she was allegedly set on fire by miscreants in the Balanga area of Odisha’s Puri district on July 19.

According to the police, the minor girl went out with her friends, but she was allegedly abducted midway and taken to the riverside, where she was set on fire.

The brother of the minor girl of the victim expressed grief over her demise and said that she was “fine” till Saturday morning.

Speaking to ANI, the victim’s brother said, “Yesterday morning, we were told she was talking and was fine. We don’t know what happened in the afternoon; she was in a lot of discomfort and was put on a ventilator. By the evening, we had lost her.”

Mourning her death, he said that the family had hoped she would return home. (ANI)

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Sunday slammed former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar over his remarks on Operation Sindoor, saying that Aiyar should appreciate the efforts made by the Indian delegation and understand that action speaks louder than words.

Aiyar has reportedly criticised the government’s global outreach following ‘Operation Sindoor’ and said that “none of the 33 countries that Shashi Tharoor and his team visited blamed Pakistan for the Pahalgam terror attack.”

Speaking to ANI, the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP further criticised Aiyar for his past actions and statements, particularly his efforts to improve relations with Pakistan.

“I think he is an expelled Congress leader. He is not in Congress anymore and let’s not forget Mani Shankar Aiyar’s past history and how he was a vocal and vociferous voice to have better relations with Pakistan. He has visited Pakistan several times and he has spoken about ‘Aman ki Asha’ at a time when there are 26 people who lost their lives, at a time when tourism has badly impacted the economy of J&K, at a time when we have Operation Sindoor ongoing,” Chaturvedi said.

She highlighted the efforts of the Indian delegation in raising concerns about terrorism emanating from Pakistan and noted that the TRF (The Resistance Front) has been declared a terrorist outfit by the US.

The Sena UBT MP stated, “As Indians, all of us as part of the delegation, all members of the delegation did the best that they could do and put in their best efforts. What is important is that the TRF is now declared a terrorist outfit by the US. Very soon UN will declare it. Also, FATF has strongly spoken about how we also need to understand where the money for the loans is going…Sometimes words do need to be spoken, action speaks louder. Probably he has not heard that.”

“So, it will be nice if he realises that every Indian puts their best foot forward to raise the concerns emanating out of Pakistan, terrorism that has been coming to India for over 7 decades and might as well understand that the attempt that was and appreciate it,” she added. (ANI)

The wait is over for Thalaiva fans!

The trailer for his much-awaited film ‘Coolie’ has finally been released.

The film, which stars Rajinikanth in the lead role and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, is set to hit theatres on August 14.

The trailer, unveiled on Saturday, shows Thalaiva in a powerful new look with intense action scenes, dramatic moments, and strong dialogues. Fans will also see actor Nagarjuna playing the villain.

The film has officially received an A (Adults Only) certificate from the censor board. This marks the superstar’s first A-rated film in many years, hinting that the film will be packed with intense and unfiltered action.

One major highlight of the much-awaited film is the reunion of ‘Thalaiva’ and actor Aamir Khan after nearly three decades.

The two last worked together in the 1995 film ‘Aatank Hi Aatank.’ In ‘Coolie,’ Aamir Khan will be seen as Dahaa. A poster showcasing Aamir’s rugged new look was recently shared by the makers.

The music for Coolie is composed by Anirudh Ravichander. So far, three songs from the film, “Monica,” “Chikitu,” and “PowerHouse”, have been released and have received a positive response online.

Coolie is produced by Kalanithi Maran under the Sun Pictures banner and is scheduled to hit theatres worldwide on August 14, just a day before Independence Day. The film is set to clash at the box office with another big release, War 2, which stars Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR. (ANI)

Music lovers, get ready to dive into nostalgia as the global hitmaker, Akon, is all set to enthrall the audience in India with his special tour.

This November Akon will be seen performing on November 9 in Delhi, November 14 in Bengaluru, and November 16 in Mumbai.

Excited about the tour, Akon in a press note said, “India has always shown me so much love — it’s like a second home. The energy, the culture, the fans… it’s on another level. I’m beyond excited to be back and perform live for y’all. This tour is gonna be something special — let’s make history together!”

“Bringing Akon back to India is a celebration. This is the night fans have been waiting for. We promise an extravagant experience that will be remembered for years to come,” said Aman Kumar, co-founder of White Fox.

Last year, Akon set the stage on fire with his special performance at the pre-wedding festivities of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant.

On day three of the gala event, Akon also performed his hit track ‘Chammak Challo’ from the sci-fi action thriller film ‘Ra.One’ which got superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan to shake a leg on the dance floor.

Taking to Instagram, Akon shared a video of his performance at the grand event which he captioned, “Best pre wedding party of the year. Got to bring my whole Indian family on stage to perform my biggest record in India. @iamsrk, @beingsalmankhan, @sukhbir_singer, and the bride and groom Anant and Radihka. Unforgettable evening.”

The video also featured a glimpse of King Khan hugging his daughter Suhana on the stage with his wife Gauri by his side and the ‘Dabangg’ actor playing the drums. (ANI)

RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav’s name is there in the Draft Electoral Rolls published as per Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and no records have been found for second EPIC number yet, Election Commission sources said on Saturday, noting that it is quite likely that the second EPIC (Election Photo Identity Card) was never made through official channel.

ECI sources rejected Tejaswi Prasad’s allegation that his EPIC number was changed, saying that the RJD leader used the Electoral Roll with EPIC No. RAB0456228 for filling his nomination papers on affidavit in 2020.

The sources said he was having this EPIC number even in the electoral roll in 2015 and his name with this EPIC number exists in the draft Electoral Rolls.

They said the other EPIC number – RAB2916120 has been found to be non-existent, and more than 10 years of records have been checked, and further inquiries are being made to understand “whether that is a forged document”.

The sources said that RJD leader’s “baseless argument” that his name was removed from the electoral rolls has already been refuted by the Election Commission of India.

“The other EPIC number – RAB2916120 has been found to be non-existing. More than ten years old records have been checked. No records have been found for the second EPIC number yet. It is highly likely that the second EPIC was never made through the official channel. Further inquiries are on to understand that reality of the second EPIC number, whether that is a forged document,” a source said.

Tejashwi Yadav, a former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, had made allegations against the ECI over the draft electoral rolls published yesterday, first saying that his name is missing and then stating that his EPIC number has been changed.

“If my EPIC number could be changed, then how many people’s EPIC number was changed? These are the questions we are posing to the Election Commission. This is a conspiracy to cut people’s names from the voter list,” he alleged.

Yadav, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, alleged that his name was missing from the voter list amid the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar. “My name is not there in the electoral roll. How will I contest the elections?” Tejashwi Yadav asked.

ECI clarified that Tejashwi’s name is included in the draft voter list at serial number 416. “It has come to our attention that Tejashwi Yadav has made a mischievous claim that his name does not appear in the draft electoral roll. His name is listed at Serial Number 416 in the Draft Electoral Roll. Therefore, any claim stating that his name is not included in the draft electoral roll is false and factually incorrect,” the poll panel said.

The District Administration of Patna also clarified the situation and mentioned that his name is included at polling station number 204, Library Building of Bihar Animal Science University. District Magistrate of Patna said, “It has been learned from some news sources that the name of the Leader of Opposition, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, is not in the draft voter list of special intensive revision. An investigation was conducted in this regard by the District Administration, Patna. It has become clear in this that the name of the Leader of the Opposition is recorded in the draft voter list.”

“At present, his name is recorded at polling station number 204, Library Building of Bihar Animal Science University, serial number 416. Earlier, his name was recorded at polling station number 171, serial number 481, Library Building of Bihar Animal Science University,” Patna DM added. This comes after the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday released the draft voter list for Bihar, following a month-long special intensive revision (SIR) process.

The EC said the public has one month to submit claims and objections, assuring that “no name will be removed from the draft voter list without a stated reason.” “The draft voter list has been released today in Bihar. One-month period for claims and objections begins; draft list shared with political parties. Still a full one month to get names added. No name will be removed from the draft voter list without a stated reason,” the Commission sad in a post on X.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal leader, in a post on X, alleged that approximately 65 lakh voter names have been arbitrarily removed from the electoral rolls, and the new draft list still lacks clarity and explanation. He accused the Election Commission of going back on its promises of transparency and fairness. “There has been deliberate manipulation in the process of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2025 of the electoral rolls. The Election Commission is now going back on its own commitments. Even after removing nearly 65 lakh voters, the new draft list remains ambiguous. It is unfortunate that the Commission continues to alter its decisions, withdraws from transparency, and disregards suggestions, complaints, and demands from the opposition while releasing a half-baked list,” Yadav said.

Bihar will go to the polls later this year. (ANI)

India has dramatically increased its crude oil imports from the United States since President Donald Trump returned to the White House for his second term, according to sources familiar with the trade data.

The surge represents a significant shift in India’s energy procurement strategy, with imports jumping by more than half compared to the previous year.

Government sources revealed the scale of the increase in bilateral energy trade between the world’s largest democracy and the US.

“From January to June 25, India increased its imports of US average crude supplies by 51 per cent compared to the same period last year. (From .271 mb/d in January to June 2025 as compared to 0.18 mb/d in the same period last year).”

The trend has been particularly pronounced in recent months, with the April-June 2025 quarter showing an even steeper rise of 114% compared to the same period in 2024. The financial value of these imports has more than doubled, climbing from $1.73bn in the first quarter of 2024-25 to $3.7bn in the corresponding period of 2025-26.

The momentum appears to be accelerating, with sources indicating the upward trajectory has continued through the summer months.

“So, in July 2025, India imported 23 per cent more crude oil from the US compared to June 2025. In India’s overall crude imports, while the US share was only 3 per cent, it increased to 8 per cent in July. Furthermore, in the financial year (2025-2026), Indian companies would increase their crude oil import by 150 per cent”, sources say.

The increased trade extends beyond crude oil to other energy products. India’s imports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from America have also risen sharply.

LNG imports reached $2.46bn in the 2024-25 financial year, nearly doubling from $1.41bn the previous year – an increase of almost 100%.

Sources suggest this is just the beginning, with discussions underway for a major long-term LNG contract worth tens of billions of dollars.

The energy trade surge comes as both countries express optimism about their broader relationship. On Friday, India’s foreign ministry signalled confidence that bilateral ties would continue strengthening despite global uncertainties.

Speaking at a regular press briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised the resilience of the partnership between New Delhi and Washington.

“India and the United States share a comprehensive global strategic partnership anchored in shared interests, democratic values, and robust people-to-people ties. This partnership has weathered several transitions and challenges. We remain focused on the substantive agenda that our two countries have committed to and are confident that the relationship will continue to move forward,” he said.

The comments reflect India’s approach of maintaining stable diplomatic and economic relations regardless of political changes in Washington, with energy cooperation emerging as a key pillar of the bilateral relationship. (ANI)

Heavy rainfall lashed several parts of Delhi on Sunday, bringing relief from humidity but also leading to waterlogging in various areas across the national capital.

Areas including Vijay Chowk, Connaught Place, Minto Bridge, Sarojini Nagar, AIIMS, and Panchkuian Marg witnessed intense showers.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier predicted light to moderate rainfall in the Delhi-NCR region on Thursday morning.

Rainfall was also reported in areas such as Janpath, Lajpat Nagar and the Minto Bridge, a day after heavy showers affected routine life across parts of the city.

“Light to moderate rainfall accompanied by light thunderstorm and lightning is very likely to occur at NCR (Bahadurgarh, Manesar). Light rainfall is very likely to occur over the entire Delhi-NCR, including Loni Dehat, Hindon AF Station, Ghaziabad, Indirapuram, Chhapraula, Noida, Greater Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, and Ballabhgarh,” the IMD said in a post on social media platform X.

On July 29, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal criticised the BJP-led government in Delhi, headed by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, over persistent waterlogging issues in the capital.

Kejriwal shared a purported video of waterlogging at Connaught Place, questioning the performance of what he termed the “four-engine” government.

In a post on social media X, Kejriwal remarked that it was “hard” to believe the conditions of the heart of Delhi, Connaught Place.

“When this is the condition of Connaught Place, the heart of Delhi, it’s not hard to imagine the state of the rest of Delhi. Just 10 minutes of rain and the roads have turned into ponds. In 5 months, where has the BJP brought Delhi to? Is this the speed of the ‘4-engine’ government?” Kejriwal’s post read.

The heavy rain in the national capital has led to widespread waterlogging, inconveniencing residents and office-goers alike.

On the same day, AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj also took a swipe at Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena and Public Works Department Minister Parvesh Verma over their earlier claims of effective waterlogging control measures.

In a post on X, Bharadwaj sarcastically remarked, “This is Delhi’s ITO. On July 9, LG Sahab and PWD Minister Parvesh Verma had come here to inspect the waterlogging work, congratulating each other for the good work. Today, with waterlogging again, please accept my congratulations as well.”

On Tuesday, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inspected the waterlogging situation at the ITO area. She said clear instructions had been issued to officials for effective drainage arrangements.

“Today, a surprise inspection of the waterlogging situation was conducted in ITO. Interacted with local people to gather information about the actual situation. Clear instructions have been given to officials to ensure proper arrangements for prompt water drainage during heavy rainfall,” CM Gupta posted on X.

“The Delhi government is identifying all those areas in the capital where waterlogging occurs repeatedly during the rains. Work is being expedited on a plan for modern drainage systems, real-time monitoring, and rapid response units to provide permanent solutions at these locations. Our goal is- a Delhi where the monsoon becomes a relief, not a trouble,” she said. (ANI)

Actor Kartik Aaryan has officially denied any involvement in an alleged upcoming Independence Day event in Houston, USA, after the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) raised strong concerns about the show being allegedly linked to a Pakistani-owned entity.

Earlier, FWICE sent a letter to the actor urging him to “withdraw” from the event, citing concerns over national interest, especially following the terror attack at Pahalgam on April 22.

However, on Saturday evening, Kartik’s team issued a clarification stating that the actor is “not associated with the event” and that he never made an “official announcement” about participating in it.

In the statement, the team said, “Kartik Aaryan is not associated with this event in any capacity. He has never made an official announcement about participating in it. We have contacted the organisers and requested that all promotional materials featuring his name and image be removed.”

FWICE, in their letter to the actor, wrote, “As you are well aware, FWICE has issued a directive for all members and stakeholders of the Indian film industry to completely boycott Pakistani artists, technicians, and performers in light of Pakistan’s continued involvement in terror attacks against India, including the recent brutal attack in Pahalgam, where innocent Indian civilians and tourists lost their lives. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B Ministry) has also issued a similar directive that is very much in force and must be followed strictly by all Indian citizens and performers working in public life.”

Before the actor’s team issued the statement, FWICE President BN Tiwari had also spoken to ANI, explaining their concerns in detail. “The show is scheduled for August 15 in Houston, USA, and Kartik Aaryan was named as the chief celebrity guest. The organiser of the show is a Pakistani national.”

“After Operation Sindoor, this is the second such incident. We are doing our best to take a stand of non-cooperation against any artist who supports such events,” he added.

FWICE General Secretary Ashoke Dubey also mentioned that he tried contacting the actor and his team multiple times but received no response.

“On July 20, when I learned about the show, I texted the contact number we had. But there was no response. I also tried calling, but the call was not picked up. Even today, I sent a letter and the show details to his manager, but got no reply. That’s why we decided to send an official letter to him.” (ANI)