Month: March 2026

Amul India has marked the success of the blockbuster film ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ with a specially crafted topical doodle, highlighting the immense buzz surrounding the movie.

True to its trademark style, the illustration features the iconic Amul mascot alongside a caricature of Ranveer Singh as Hamza and Jaskirat Singh, with witty messaging reading, “Maska Mein hai Doodh Andar” and “superhit butter,” a nod to the film’s box office success.

Released in theatres on March 19, ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ is the sequel to the 2025 blockbuster ‘Dhurandhar’, which had become the highest-grossing Hindi film of its year.

While the latest instalment has received mixed critical reactions overall, Singh’s performance has emerged as a major highlight, with many critics and viewers describing it as a career-best turn.

Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film has earned praise from several notable members of the Indian film fraternity.

Kangana Ranaut lauded Dhar as a “superstar filmmaker,” drawing comparisons with globally acclaimed directors like Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, and Christopher Nolan, and suggested that his success could inspire emerging filmmakers.

Actor Anupam Kher shared an emotional response on social media after watching the film in a packed theatre, describing it as an overwhelming experience that resonated across age groups. In response, Ranveer Singh expressed gratitude to Kher, while Rakesh Bedi called the actor’s reaction “honest.”

Filmmaker SS Rajamouli commended the project for “hitting it out of the park,” while Rakesh Roshan described it as ushering in “a new era of filmmaking.” Actors Mahesh Babu, Jr NTR, and Allu Arjun also expressed admiration for the film.

The ensemble cast of ‘Dhurandhar 2’ includes Ranveer Singh, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Rakesh Bedi, and Sara Arjun, among others. (ANI)

Actress Amanda Peet has publicly shared her breast cancer journey in a heartfelt note, revealing how the diagnosis coincided with her parents’ final days.

The piece, titled ‘My Season of Ativan’, provides an intimate account of the actor’s medical experiences, family challenges, and treatment process.

As per Deadline, Peet, known for her roles in ‘Something’s Gotta Give’ and ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’, wrote in an essay for The New Yorker that she had been undergoing biannual breast checkups when a routine scan prior to Labour Day last year raised concerns.

“Dr. K. usually chatted me up while she examined me, but this time she went silent,” Peet recounted. Following a biopsy, she immediately sensed something was wrong as her doctor personally delivered the sample to Cedars-Sinai Pathology.

The initial report revealed a small tumor, prompting further tests to determine its receptor status, which Peet described as crucial in assessing the cancer’s severity. She shared the anxious moments spent waiting for results alongside her husband, Game of Thrones co-creator David Benioff. The news brought relief: Peet’s cancer was hormone-receptor-positive and HER2-negative, considered more favourable for treatment.

Despite the encouraging results, a subsequent MRI revealed a second mass in the same breast, delaying a planned lumpectomy and requiring an MRI-guided biopsy. Peet described the procedure as “excruciating”, likening the process to a “perverse game of Battleship” due to the precision required, as per Deadline.

Fortunately, the second mass was benign, and her treatment was limited to a lumpectomy and radiation, avoiding chemotherapy or a double mastectomy. Peet confirmed her cancer was Stage I.

Reflecting on the radiation treatment, Peet admitted it was largely manageable but noted discomfort toward the end.

“Radiation wasn’t bad compared with Tom’s waffle iron, until the last stretch, when my nipple became charred and blistered, like an over-roasted marshmallow,” she wrote, as quoted by Deadline.

The essay also details the emotional toll of being present for her parents’ final days. After her father’s passing, Peet helped make funeral arrangements for her mother while witnessing her last moments.

She recalled communicating wordlessly with her mother, emphasising the profound nature of those final interactions. “Time was running out, and, besides, I had already told her everything,” Peet wrote, as per Deadline. (ANI)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi as India’s longest-serving leader, praising his 24 years of uninterrupted public service.

Shah hailed Modi’s “sheer commitment” to the nation, noting that his tenure has reshaped India through development initiatives, welfare measures, and bolstering the country’s global stature.

In a post on X, Amit Shah wrote, “Modi Ji’s decades of Seva have shaped an era of his own. Whether it is giving the poor their rights, setting new landmarks in development or enhancing the nation’s pride on global platforms, the Modi era has transformed India unrecognisably.”

He added, “Fostering this new India required a lifetime’s effort and PM Narendramodi gave it. Serving the nation and its people without taking a holiday for more than 24 years is the manifestation of his sheer commitment. This explains the unprecedented affection he received from people, three times as Gujarat CM and three times as India’s PM. People’s trust, affection and support for him have only grown with every passing day. PradhanSevakModi”

PM Modi’s milestone comes after he surpassed former Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, reaching 8,931 days in office across his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister and Prime Minister, breaking Chamling’s record of 8,930 days.

The achievement underscores Modi’s decades-long leadership and continuous public service. He remains the first Prime Minister born after Independence and has led his party to three consecutive Lok Sabha victories in 2014, 2019, and 2024.

In March, PM Modi crossed the significant milestone of 30 million subscribers on YouTube, further cementing his position as the most-followed world leader on the platform.

Among world leaders, PM Modi has the highest number of subscribers on YouTube. As per the rankings, he is comfortably ahead of others in the category. The second-highest, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, has a subscriber base that is only about one-fourth of PM Modi’s.

PM Modi has more than seven times the number of subscribers compared to US President Donald Trump, underlining the scale of his digital outreach and engagement worldwide.

This achievement comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier crossed the historic milestone of 100 million followers on Instagram, becoming the first world leader and politician to achieve this feat on the platform. (ANI)

Iran on Sunday [Local Time] denied targeting the UK’s military base on Diego Garcia, with a senior official telling Al Jazeera that Tehran was not behind the reported missile attempt.

The denial comes after a report by The Wall Street Journal claimed that Iran fired two intermediate-range ballistic missiles towards the joint US-UK military base in the Chagos Archipelago. However, one missile failed during flight, while the other was likely intercepted.

The report did not specify when the missiles were fired.

Diego Garcia lies about 4,000 kilometres from Iran, and the reported strike attempt, now denied by Tehran as per the Al Jazeera report, would have raised questions about the actual range of Iran’s missile capabilities, which the country has publicly said is limited.

Last month, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the country had capped its missile range at 2,000 kilometres.

Following the WSJ report, the Israel Defense Forces said in a post on X, “The Iranian terrorist regime launched a long-range missile for the first time since the start of Operation Roaring Lion that could reach a distance of ~4,000 km.”

“During Operation Rising Lion in June 2025, the IDF revealed that the Iranian regime has intentions to develop missiles with a range of 4,000 km, which pose a danger to dozens of countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. The Iranian regime denied this,” the IDF said.

They further suggested that Iran is a “global threat”, stating, “We have been saying it: The Iranian terrorist regime poses a global threat. Now, with missiles that can reach London, Paris or Berlin.”

Diego Garcia remains a key strategic facility jointly operated by the United States and the United Kingdom and plays a central role in sustaining US military ambitions across the Indian Ocean region.

The development comes at a time when Washington is reviewing its military options against Tehran.

According to CBS News, the Pentagon has prepared comprehensive plans for the possible deployment of US ground troops into Iran.

Sources familiar with the matter said senior military commanders have made specific requests to ensure readiness as US President Donald Trump considers further action.

While Trump has been examining the option of deploying ground forces, he has not defined the conditions under which such a move would be approved. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said, “No, I’m not putting troops anywhere,” but added, “If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Pentagon’s role is to ensure the Commander-in-Chief has “maximum optionality” in any crisis. She added that preparations do not signal a final decision, stating that “as the President said in the Oval Office yesterday, he is not planning to send ground troops anywhere at this time.”

CBS News further reported that US military officials have also discussed logistics related to capturing and detaining Iranian personnel in the event of an invasion. These include plans for processing and holding detainees.

The United States is also positioning forces in the region. Elements of the 82nd Airborne Division are being readied for potential deployment, along with a Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Army’s Global Response Force.

Thousands of Marines are already moving towards the Middle East. Three naval vessels carrying over 2000 Marines recently departed California, marking the second such deployment since the conflict began.

Another unit, the USS Tripoli ARG, earlier redirected from the Pacific, is still on its way. (ANI)

US President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Iran of obliterating its power plants if it fails to open the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump gave Iran precisely 48 hours for the job.

In a post on Truth Social, he said, “If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP”

Meanwhile, US Central Command said that they were clear in their objectives of eliminating Iran’s ability to project power against Americans.

It said, “U.S. forces remain centered on very clear military objectives in eliminating Iran’s ability to project power against Americans, and against its neighbors.”

Meanwhile, Major General Seyed Majid Moosavi, head of Iran’s IRGC Aerospace Force, said on Saturday (local time) that Iran now dominates the skies of the occupied territories.

Moosavi said that the upcoming waves of attacks in those skies would leave the US and Israel ‘dumbfounded’.

In a post on X, Moosavi said, “From this moment, I declare the missile dominance of Iran’s sons over the skies of the occupied territories. The new tactics and launch systems employed in the upcoming waves will leave the American-Zionist commanders dumbfounded. Tonight, the skies over the south of the occupied territories will remain illuminated for hours.”

Meanwhile, Speaker of Iranian Parliament, MB Ghalibaf, said that if Israeli skies are defenceless.

In a post on X, he said, “If the Israeli regime fails to intercept the missiles in the highly protected Dimona area, it is operationally a sign of entering a new phase of the battle: Israel’s skies are defenseless. As a result, it seems the time has come to implement the next pre-designed plans. Happy Nowruz to the Iranian nation.”

Al Jazeera said that the Israeli air force will investigate how Israeli defences failed to intercept a ballistic missile that made a direct impact in the southern city of Arad. It further said that Israeli media, citing the Israeli military, said there were two failed interception attempts. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday conveyed wishes to the people of Bihar on the occasion of Bihar Day, highlighting the state’s cultural legacy and expressing confidence in its contribution toward building a developed India.

On X, he wrote, “On the occasion of Bihar Day, heartfelt greetings to all my family members in the state. Our province, which imparts grandeur and divinity to India’s heritage, is today engaged in crafting ever-new chapters of progress. I am confident that the dedication and capability of the hardworking and energetic people here will greatly contribute to realizing the resolve of a developed Bihar alongside a developed India.”

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Vijay Kumar Sinha, sent his wishes to the people, citing that this day of pride reminds us of Bihar’s rich cultural heritage.

On X, he said, “On this sacred occasion of Bihar Diwas, heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all citizens of the state. This day of pride reminds us of Bihar’s rich cultural heritage, historical traditions, and the invaluable contributions of its great luminaries. Bihar has, for centuries, given new dimensions not only to the knowledge, civilization, and democratic values of the country but also of the world. Jai Hind! Jai Bihar!”

Along with that, the Chief Minister of Bihar also shared his greetings on the occasion of Bihar Diwas, stating that together, we will take Bihar’s pride to new heights.

“Heartfelt congratulations and best wishes on the occasion of Bihar Day. Bihar’s history has been glorious, and at present, we are shaping a glorious future for Bihar through our determination. I call upon all of you to fulfil the resolve for a prosperous Bihar. Together, we will take Bihar’s pride to new heights,” he wrote on X.

Notably, Bihar Day (Bihar Diwas) is observed every year on March 22, marking the formation of the state of Bihar. It was on this day that the British carved out the state from Bengal in 1912 and is observed as a public holiday in Bihar. (ANI)

Global pop icon Shakira was supposed to perform in India in April, but as per the latest update from the organisers, the concert has been postponed due to “geopolitical situation and regional tensions.”

“Due to the prevailing geopolitical situation and regional tensions, the Feeding India Concert featuring Shakira has been postponed until further. The well-being of our fans, the artist, and the production team remains our foremost priority. All ticket holders will receive a full refund, automatically processed to your original mode of payment,” a post on District Updates’ Instagram handle read.

“We’re working with the artist team to find a new date and will share updates as soon as we have them. Feeding India Concert has always stood for something greater – and that commitment remains unchanged,” the organisers said.

Shakira’s performance was scheduled in Mumbai at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse on April 10 and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi on April 15.

The development comes amid the escalating tensions and conflict that began in West Asia on February 28 with the killing of 86-year-old Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel, after which Iran, in its retaliation, targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries and Israel, causing disruption in the waterways and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability.

Due to the conflict in the region, Iran has virtually closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit route for global energy supply.

Following the death of Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the former leader, was appointed as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. (ANI)

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has decided to withdraw the temporary fare caps on domestic airfares starting Monday (March 23).

The decision marks the end of a price-control regime that the government initiated several months ago to manage volatility in the aviation market.

The Ministry confirmed the development through an official order, noting that the restrictions on ticket pricing are no longer required under the current operating environment.

“Whereas, vide letter dated 6th December 2025, Ministry had introduced a temporary fare cap on domestic airfares with a view to contain abnormal surge in ticket prices arising out of large-scale flight disruptions of IndiGo, and with an objective to safeguard passenger interests and ensuring affordability during a period of constrained capacity,” the Ministry of Civil Aviation stated.

In the official communication, the Ministry observed that the “prevailing situation has since stabilised, with restoration of capacity and normalisation of operations across the sector.” Based on this assessment, the government determined that the fare cap imposed in December “shall stand withdrawn with effect from 23rd March, 2026.” This move allows airlines to once again determine ticket prices based on market demand and supply dynamics.

Despite the deregulation, the Ministry issued a clear directive to carriers regarding their pricing strategies. “While withdrawing the fare cap, it is reiterated that airlines are required to exercise pricing discipline and act responsibly. Airlines shall ensure that fares remain reasonable, transparent and commensurate with market conditions, and that passenger interests are not adversely impacted,” it said.

The Ministry warned that any instance of “excessive or unjustified surge in fares” will be “viewed seriously,” particularly during periods of peak “demand, further disruptions, or other exigencies.”

“The Ministry will continue to closely monitor airfare trends on a real-time basis,” it stated.

The Ministry “reserves the right to take appropriate regulatory or administrative measures,” which could include the “re-introduction of fare controls or other interventions” if such steps are deemed necessary in the “public interest.” (ANI)

Actor Soha Ali Khan marked Eid-ul-Fitr surrounded by her loved ones in a heartwarming celebration.

Taking to Instagram, Soha offered fans a glimpse of her day filled with the rich aroma of biryani, cherished family moments, and heartfelt prayers.

One of the pictures shows Soha twinning with her daughter, Inaaya, in a white suit. In another picture, Soha could be seen sharing smiles with Sara and Inaaya. Soha also gave a glimpse of Kunal in full chef mode, seen preparing something in the kitchen.

“Between celebration and reflection today, may we choose compassion and humanity. And may our prayers reach those who need them most. Eid Mubarak #eidmubarak #eidulfitr,” she captioned the post.

Eid-ul-Fitr marks the culmination of fasting in Ramzan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, which is one of the most sacred times, as it is believed that the Quran came down to the earth from heaven for the very first time.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Soha, who was last seen in ‘Chhorri 2’, is currently busy hosting her podcast titled ‘All About Her’. (ANI)