Month: March 2026

In a significant development for one of the year’s most anticipated war dramas, Salman Khan Films officially announced on Monday that the film previously titled ‘Battle of Galwan’ has been renamed.

The project will now be titled ‘Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace.’

The announcement was accompanied by a striking new poster featuring the updated title and tagline, “May War Rest in Peace.”

Produced by Salman Khan under the Salman Khan Films banner, the movie is being helmed by director Apoorva Lakhia.

The film is based on the 2020 Galwan Valley clash between India and China. A teaser released in December last year offered a first look at Salman Khan in the role of an Indian Army officer.

The teaser shows him with a serious and restrained expression. The visuals depict rough terrain, cold weather, and close combat, offering a preview of the challenges soldiers face at high altitudes.

The promotional rollout for the film has already highlighted its diverse emotional scale. In January, the makers released the title track, “Maatrubhumi,” composed by Himesh Reshammiya with lyrics by Sameer Anjaan.

The patriotic anthem, performed by Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal, was designed to showcase the emotional core of the war drama.

In contrast to the heavy themes of conflict, the production house released a romantic track titled “Main Hoon” in February.

The song features Salman Khan alongside Chitrangda Singh, offering a look at the softer side of the narrative.

With the new title now locked in, the film remains on track for its scheduled theatrical debut. ‘Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace’ is set to hit cinemas on April 17. (ANI)

The 98th Academy Awards paid tribute to several icons of world cinema on Monday morning, but veteran Indian star Dharmendra was absent from the televised segment despite being officially acknowledged by the Academy.

The legendary Bollywood actor, who passed away in November 2025 at the age of 89, was included in the Academy’s official online In Memoriam list released on the day of the ceremony.

Meanwhile, the broadcast tribute honoured several well-known names from the global film industry, including Robert Redford, Rob Reiner, Robert Duvall, Catherine O’Hara, and Diane Keaton.

Another iconic Indian actor, Manoj Kumar, who also died last year, was similarly acknowledged by the Academy but omitted from the televised segment.

Legendary Indian filmmaker S. Krishnaswamy, and Indian actress, B. Saroja Devi were also acknowledged by Academy.

Dharmendra remains one of Hindi cinema’s most enduring stars. Over a career spanning more than six decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and delivered memorable performances in classics such as Sholay, Satyakam, and Chupke Chupke.

Earlier this year, the actor received a prominent international tribute at the BAFTA Awards 2026, where he was honoured during the In Memoriam segment. British singer-songwriter Jessie Ware performed an emotional rendition of The Way We Were, accompanied by a montage celebrating the late actor’s life and cinematic legacy.

Meanwhile, the Oscars ceremony concluded with One Battle After Another winning Best Picture. Michael B. Jordan took home the Best Actor award for Sinners, a genre-blending period drama written and directed by Ryan Coogler.

In the Best Actress category, Jessie Buckley won for her performance in Hamnet, while Sentimental Value secured the award for Best International Feature.

Indian-American filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir received nominations in two documentary categories for The Perfect Neighbor and The Devil Is Busy, though neither project won. (ANI)

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Monday assured that there is no shortage of crude oil in the country and that fuel supply remains stable across India.

Speaking on the issue, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing & Oil Refinery) in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said that crude oil is available in sufficient quantity and all refineries are operating at their highest capacity.

“Crude is available in sufficient quantity. All refineries are operating at the highest capacity. Our petrol pumps are operating normally. No dry out has been reported anywhere,” Sharma said.

Her remarks come amid concerns in certain areas regarding fuel availability. The ministry clarified that the petroleum supply chain is functioning smoothly and there is no disruption in the distribution of petrol and diesel. Officials said that oil marketing companies are closely monitoring the supply situation to ensure the uninterrupted availability of fuel at retail outlets.

The Shipping Ministry also confirmed that LPG carrying Indian flagged vessel Shivalik would be docking in Munhdra Port shortly.

Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Shipping Ministry, GoI said, “Shivalik LPG carrier, which sailed from the Persian Gulf, crossed the Strait of Hormuz and headed towards India, will be reaching today around 5 pm, maybe after an hour or so. And before its arrival, documentation, priority berthing, and everything have been arranged at the port so that there is no delay in the discharge of cargo by this vessel. All Indian seafarers in the Persian Gulf area are safe. No incident has been reported in the last 24 hours, and we are keeping a continuous watch on the situation. We are in touch with each vessel and its crew. 22 vessels, as was reported on Saturday, also. 22 Indian flag vessels with 611 Indian seafarers remain in the west of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf…”

“Indian-flag vessel ‘Jag Laadki’, which sailed from the UAE on 14th of March, is carrying about 81,000 tonnes of Murban crude oil, is safely en route to India. The vessel and all Indian seafarers on board are safe. They’ll be reaching tomorrow at Mundra Port,” he added.

Meanhwile, EAM Jaishankar earlier said that Delhi is currently engaging with Iran to facilitate the reopening of the vital waterway, which handles nearly 20 per cent of global oil trade.

In an interview with the Financial Times, he noted that these discussions are “already yielding some results,” suggesting that India finds it more effective to “reason and coordinate” with Tehran rather than disengage.

“Certainly, from India’s perspective, it is better that we reason and we coordinate and we get a solution than we don’t. While this is a welcome development, there is continuing conversation because there is continued work on that,” Jaishankar remarked.

The Minister highlighted the recent passage of two Indian-flagged vessels, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, as a practical success of this diplomatic strategy. The tankers, carrying approximately 92,712 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), are currently en route to the Indian ports of Mundra and Kandla.

However, Jaishankar clarified that a formal “blanket arrangement” for all Indian-flagged ships has not yet been established. He explained that the transit of vessels is currently being managed on a “case-by-case basis.” (ANI)

The ongoing West Asia crisis and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz could create short-term stress for India’s crude supply chain, though diversified sourcing and inventories should help cushion the immediate impact, according to a report by Morgan Stanley.

The brokerage noted that India remains exposed to Middle East oil flows because a significant share of its imports transit the region. “40-50 per cent of India and China’s oil needs pass through the Strait of Hormuz,” the report said, highlighting the vulnerability of Asian energy supply chains to disruptions in the Gulf.

India also sources a large portion of its crude from the Middle East. The report estimates that “46 per cent of India’s crude basket is imported from the region,” underscoring the country’s reliance on Gulf producers for its refining requirements.

However, Morgan Stanley said inventories and alternative sourcing routes should prevent an immediate demand shock. “Crude and petroleum product reserves across Asia Pacific range between 30 and 200 days,” while countries including India are already tapping alternative suppliers.

To mitigate supply risks, India has been increasing purchases of discounted Russian oil and exploring other sources. “India is also ramping up purchases of Russian crude (particularly Urals) after the US waived sanctions on Russian oil imports for 30 days,” the report noted, adding that New Delhi is also in talks with Iran to secure safe passage for tankers carrying LPG and crude. “It is also in talks with Iran to secure safe passage for more than 20 tankers.” the report noted.

Despite the supply concerns, Morgan Stanley believes India’s refining sector could benefit if the disruption persists. Tight supply and export curbs across Asia have pushed refining margins higher. The report said gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, naphtha and fuel oil prices have risen 18-30 per cent in the past week, reflecting the tightening market.

Refiners with diversified crude sourcing, particularly large integrated players and state-run oil marketing companies, are likely to see improved profitability from higher product cracks. Morgan Stanley estimates that “a USD 1-1.5/bbl rise in gross margins for refiners would imply 15-30 per cent earnings upside in 2026.”

Overall, the report said the duration of the West Asia disruption will be critical for the outlook. While inventories and alternative crude sources provide short-term buffers, prolonged supply interruptions could intensify stress across Asia’s energy and industrial supply chains. (ANI)

Shubman Gill expressed gratitude after he was awarded the Polly Umrigar Award (Best International Cricketer – Men) for the 2024-25 season, at the prestigious BCCI Naman Awards 2026, on Sunday in the national capital.

Star Indian cricketer and ODI and Test teams’ captain thanked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and expressed that receiving the Polly Umrigar Award was a great honour, noting that many legends have won it before him.

He credited India’s cricketing achievement of last year to the collective effort of the team and thanked his teammates, as well as his parents and family, for their constant support in his journey.

“Firstly, thank you, BCCI. Many other greats and many legends have received this award. So, it’s a great honour to be here. I think what we have been able to achieve last year as an Indian cricket group has been tremendous. Five ICC trophies, I dont think it has ever happened. And I wanna thank my teammates. Without them, it would not have been possible. Also, my parents and all my family members who helped me get here where I am,” Gill said in a video posted by Star Sports on X.

Notably, this marked the second time that Gill has been named the Best International Cricketer – Men at the Naman Awards. He also received the award for the 2022-24 season.

Shubman Gill had an outstanding 2025 for India, especially in the Test format. During India’s tour of England, he led by example in the five-Test series, emerging as India’s top run-scorer with 754 runs in 10 innings at an impressive average of 75.40. His tally included four centuries, with a highest score of 269. Gill also emerged as the highest run-getter in the world for the year 2025, amassing 983 runs in nine matches at an average of 70.21.

The 26-year-old also made an important contribution to India’s successful Champions Trophy 2025 campaign. He scored an unbeaten 101 against Bangladesh in India’s opening match in the tournament. He ended the tournament with 188 runs at an average of 47, finishing as India’s third-highest run-scorer. (ANI)

India’s star batter Sanju Samson described his T20 World Cup victory as surreal, saying he still wakes up wondering if it really happened. He expressed confidence that with India’s emerging talent, such successes will become more frequent.

Team India made history by securing a record-breaking third T20 World Cup title and becoming the first-ever team to defend the title and win it as a home nation following a brilliant 96-run win over New Zealand at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.

Samson shared that while he had long dreamed of winning a World Cup, his journey followed its own unpredictable path, likening it to a movie. The turning point for him came during the Zimbabwe game, when he shifted focus from personal performance to fulfilling the team’s needs.

“Not yet, I am still like, when I get up in the morning, I’m like, ‘has it really happened’. So honestly, that’s the feeling. But I feel that in the coming years, with the quality of players we have in our country, this is going to be repeated. The number of players who are coming up, and definitely India is going to do this more and more often. You can only dream where you want to go, but you can’t definitely ride the path towards it,” he said. “So my life or my career has been one of the best examples. I definitely wanted to do this a couple of years ago,” Samson said about the T20 World Cup win as per ESPNcricinfo.

“I want to win a World Cup for my country, but it had its own plan, its own script. So, but more like a movie. I enjoyed it. As I said before, I wanted to do something like this, then I got pulled out of my journey, and then suddenly, the team wanted me to come and contribute, and that’s when I actually mentally flipped a bit… I think, before that, in the New Zealand series, the focus was all about me. But in the World Cup, the focus is all about the team, what the team requires. And in the Zimbabwe game, right from that moment, everyone wanted me to contribute. I had a role to play,” he added.

Samson scripted a comeback for ages during the recently-concluded T20 World Cup as he battled inconsistency and benching to emerge as India’s leading run-getter in the tournament, delivering clutch performances when it mattered the most, with a string of half-centuries from the virtual quarterfinal against West Indies to the title clash against New Zealand.

Samson amassed 321 runs in five innings at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37, hitting 27 fours and 24 sixes and ended as the third-highest run-getter in the T20 WC. He also surpassed Virat Kohli’s total of 319 runs in the 2014 T20WC edition to have the most runs by an Indian during a single T20WC edition.

India ace speedster Mohammed Siraj described the triumph as a “miracle” from a personal point of view, as he was not part of the initial squad for the tournament and was included only as a replacement for the injured Harshit Rana.

“I was not in the initial squad, then I got it, played a game, and now I have been part of two World Cup-winning squads. I would say it’s a miracle for me,” Siraj said. (ANI)

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) on Sunday (local time) said it struck more than 200 targets across western and central Iran over the past day, targeting military infrastructure including missile systems, defence installations and operational headquarters.

In a post on X, the IAF said, “In the past day: The Air Force struck more than 200 targets in western and central Iran and continues to strike the ballistic missile array and defence systems of the Iranian terror regime in western and central Iran. Among the targets attacked–headquarters in which soldiers of the Iranian terror regime operated, defence systems, and sites for the production and storage of means of combat.”

The Israeli military said the strikes were part of its ongoing campaign targeting Iran’s ballistic missile network and air defence systems in multiple locations across the country.

In a post on X earlier, the IAF also shared footage of its stealth fighter jets heading toward Iran for the mission.

“He is Adir, and he is also on his way to Iran. Special documentation of F-35I jets on their way to strike,” the post said.

It referred to the deployment of Lockheed Martin F-35I Adir aircraft used by the Israeli Air Force in long-range strike operations.

Meanwhile, an Israeli air strike in southern Lebanon has killed five people and wounded six others, according to Al Jazeera, citing Lebanon’s National News Agency.

The agency, according to Al Jazeera, said the strike targeted the town of Qatrani in the Jezzine district.

Earlier, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its naval forces carried out coordinated missile and drone strikes on four United States airbases at dawn on Sunday (local time), targeting key military infrastructure, Al Jazeera reported.

In a statement, the IRGC said the strikes targeted command centres, air traffic control towers and air defence facilities linked to US forces in the region.

“The IRGC Navy at dawn today, in several assault battalions, simultaneously struck four American terrorist airbases with precise and crushing blows,” Al Jazeera reported the IRGC as saying, adding that missile and drone units targeted multiple sites associated with US military operations.

The Iranian force also claimed that satellite imagery showed extensive damage to the targeted bases. (ANI)

Actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas was among the presenters at the ongoing 97th Academy Awards. The actor took the stage to present the award for Best International Feature Film.

Chopra shared the stage with Spanish actor Javier Bardem as they announced the winner in the category. The award was given to Joachim Trier directorial ‘Sentimental Value.’

The film is a Norwegian drama that tells the story of two sisters who deal with their relationship with their father, a well-known filmmaker named Gustav Borg, after the death of their mother. The story looks at family bonds, memories, and how art can affect personal lives. The movie stars Stellan Skarsgard and Renate Reinsve in key roles.

Chopra arrived at the ceremony with her husband, singer and actor Nick Jonas. The couple walked the red carpet together before the show began.

For the prestigious night, Chopra opted for a stunning strapless white gown from Dior. The fitted bodice accentuated her silhouette, while the gown flowed gracefully with a dramatic high slit and feather-like detailing along the skirt. The actress paired the ensemble with pointed black heels and a dazzling diamond necklace. She kept her hair sleek and straight, while her makeup remained soft and glowing.Jonas complemented her perfectly in a classic black velvet tuxedo with a crisp white shirt and bow tie, giving the couple a timeless red-carpet aesthetic.

Ahead of her appearance, Chopra had also shared a glimpse of her preparations with fans on Instagram Stories. In a short clip posted earlier in the day, the actor was seen getting ready for the ceremony while dressed in the elegant white Dior creation, heading to the big show with Jonas by her side. (ANI)

The biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha to fill 37 seats across 10 states are scheduled on Monday (March 16), with counting of votes set for the same day at 5 pm.

The term of 37 members who were elected from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana will conclude in the month of April, vacating the seats for new members to be elected.

Out of these, 26 candidates have already secured victory unopposed. Voting will now take place for the remaining 11 seats, including five from Bihar, four from Odisha, and two from Haryana.

In key battlegrounds in Bihar, Haryana, and Odisha, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is working to defeat Opposition gains.

So far, 26 candidates have been elected unopposed, with the BJP securing seven, Congress five, the Trinamool Congress four, the DMK three, and Shiv Sena, RPI(A), NCP, NCP(SP), AIADMK, PMK, and UPPL one each. Notable names among the winners include Sharad Pawar, Abhishek Singhvi, Tiruchi Siva, and Vinod Tawade.

As preparations are underway for the biennial elections, all attention has turned to Haryana, Bihar and Odisha, which have emerged as key arenas of contest between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Opposition bloc for four important seats.

The most interesting part of these Rajya Sabha polls is the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Nitish Kumar, Bihar’s longest-tenured Chief Minister for over two decades, announced that he would be heading to the Rajya Sabha and filed his nomination in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, among other leaders.

The 75-year-old also said that the new Cabinet would have his full support.

“I seek to become a member of the Rajya Sabha in the elections being held this time. I want to assure you with complete honesty that my relationship with you will continue in the future as well, and my resolve to work together with you to build a developed Bihar will remain steadfast. The new government that will be formed will have my full cooperation and guidance,” Nitish Kumar posted on X.

Apart from Nitish Kumar, other NDA candidates, including Upendra Kushwaha and BJP chief Nitin Nabin, also filed their nominations for the Upper House.

Amid apprehensions of possible cross-voting and allegations of horse-trading, several political parties, particularly the Congress, have moved their legislators to resorts and locations outside their home states in a bid to ensure unity within their ranks ahead of the polling.

Among those elected without contest are Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar, Republican Party of India (Athawale) president Ramdas Athawale, and senior AIADMK leader M Thambidurai.

The counting of votes will be conducted on the same day as polling at 5 pm. (ANI)

Young Indian batting sensation, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, expressed his desire to win the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season for Rajasthan Royals and contribute as much as he can.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who plays for Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the IPL, attended the BCCI Naman Awards in New Delhi on Sunday, where the India Under-19 men’s cricket team were honoured for their triumph in the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026.

Speaking at the BCCI Naman Awards, 14-year-old Sooryavanshi said his goal in the 2026 IPL season is to win the trophy, and that he wants to contribute as much as possible to help the team achieve that.

“The goal is to win the trophy for the team this season. If we win the trophy, it will benefit the entire franchise as well as my own performance. My aim is to contribute as much as I can to help the team lift the trophy,” Sooryavanshi said in a video posted by Star Sports on Instagram.

Sooryavanshi was the Player of the Match in the finals against England at the U-19 World Cup for his match-winning inning of 175 runs off 80 balls, comprising 15 fours and sixes each, reaching his century in 55 balls, which is one of the fastest in U-19 World Cup history and helped India win the World Cup for the sixth time.

During the IPL mega auction ahead of the 2025 season, he secured a deal worth Rs 1.1 crore with Rajasthan Royals, making him the youngest IPL player ever.

Sooryavanshi also holds the record for the youngest debutant in the IPL at just 14 years and 23 days, the youngest to hit a century in the IPL in just 35 balls against Gujarat Giants in the 2025 season, becoming the fastest Indian to hit a hundred, surpassing Yusuf Pathan’s record. (ANI)