Sidharth Malhotra eyes 2026 reunion with mentor Karan Johar post-Yodha, negotiating a heartfelt drama by Sharan Sharma. Talks near finalization; shoot starts summer Mumbai. Next: ‘Vvan’ with Tamannaah on May 15. Dharma’s ‘Nagzilla’, ‘Chand Mera Dil’ upcoming despite recent flop.
Sidharth Malhotra could soon team up again with longtime mentor Karan Johar in 2026. Following their 2024 joint venture ‘Yodha’, the actor is deep into negotiations with Karan’s production house. Reportedly, it’s a heartfelt drama delving into intricate bonds, with Sharan Sharma at the helm, the same director behind ‘Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl’ (2020) and ‘Mr & Mrs Mahi’ (2024).
Sidharth Malhotra in final talks
According to Mid-day, the studio is keen to collaborate with Sidharth again and feels that the subject suits his persona. He had liked the idea when it was shared with him last year. He gave a verbal go-ahead at the time, and wanted to read the script before committing formally. Now, it’s in the last stages of conversation. If all goes as planned, the film could go on floors by summer 2026 and will be shot in Mumbai.
Sidharth Malhotra’s upcoming project
On the work front, Sidharth Malhotra is preparing for his upcoming release ‘Vvan’, starring opposite Tamannaah Bhatia. Helmed by Arunabh Kumar and Deepak Kumar Mishra, and produced by Balaji Motion Pictures and TVF Motion Pictures, the film is set to hit screens on May 15. Heading into 2026, the actor seems set for yet another strong chapter in his career.
Dharma slate
Meanwhile, Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions’ latest film ‘Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri’ crashed at the box office. The banner’s upcoming slate features ‘Nagzilla’, led by Kartik Aaryan, and ‘Chand Mera Dil’, starring Lakshya and Ananya Panday.
Virat Kohli’s all-time Royal Challengers Bengaluru XI was revealing not because of the star names in it, but because of the way he built it. In a franchise video, Kohli did not approach the exercise like a fan listing favourite players from memory. He approached it like someone still constructing a T20 side – starting with the obvious batting giants, then quickly shifting to overseas balance, bowling strength and role clarity.
AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli. (X images)
That was the first thing that stood out. RCB’s history has often been framed through batting firepower, but Kohli’s selections showed he was just as alert to the other side of it. He wanted an attack that could hold shape, not just a line-up full of reputation.
“Okay, I would say Gayle and myself to open. AB at three. Okay, let me get the four overseas out of the way.” That start was as expected, formidable. Chris Gayle, Kohli and AB de Villiers remain the most iconic batting core in RCB’s history, and Kohli wasted no time putting that spine in place. But the more interesting part came immediately after, when he began using the overseas slots with a clear tactical idea in mind.
“AB, Chris, Mitchell Starc, because he played for us… I think Dale, because I would like the bowling to be even stronger in that eleven. So yeah, you got two seamers. You got Chris, myself and AB.” That line told the story of the XI better than any list could. Kohli was not trying to build an all-time highlights package. He was trying to build a team. Mitchell Starc and Dale Steyn gave him pace quality and wicket-taking threat, and with that, the shape of the side became clearer: this was not only about glamour, but it was also about balance.
He then moved into the middle order with picks that blended class, modern relevance and function. “At four, I would have KL. He had an amazing season, I think, batting at four for us. Five, I would say… give five to Rajat, maybe, because he plays spin amazingly well and he’s one of the best Indian talents that we’ve had. Six would be Dinesh, for sure.”
KL Rahul’s inclusion brought control and pedigree, Rajat Patidar’s pick reflected Kohli’s regard for his spin game, and Dinesh Karthik was the natural finisher in the combination. Kohli closed out the side by strengthening the bowling further.
“Yuzi at eleven for his batting ability… Anil bhai at eight… Okay, I’ll go Harshal. With his little bit of batting ability as well. And he fits in as the perfect third seamer. He’s been bowling in different phases.” Taken together, Kohli’s XI felt less like a nostalgia exercise and more like his version of what RCB at their strongest should have looked like – explosive at the top, secure through the middle, and far more complete with the ball than the franchise often managed to be.
Virat Kohli’s all-time RCB XI
Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, KL Rahul, Rajat Patidar, Dinesh Karthik, Anil Kumble, Harshal Patel, Mitchell Starc, Dale Steyn, Yuzvendra Chahal.
The Oscars are over for this year, and with that, the awards season comes to an end with One Battle After Another winning the top awards- Best Picture and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson. Fans will know that PTA has long been due an Oscar, given that he won his first this evening after scoring nominations for his previous films. But truth be told, he does not hold a candle to the woman with 17 nominations and no wins- a record she continues to break with ever new nom. That woman is American songwriter Diane Warren.
The woman scored her 17th Oscar nomination this year. (AP Photo/John Locher) (AP)
Diane Warren vows to be back!
Diane scored her first Oscar nomination in 1987 for the song Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now from Mannequin. This year, she was nominated for Dear Me, performed by Kesha, which features in the documentary Diane Warren: Relentless. She lost to Ejae, 24, Ido and Teddy Park for their song Golden from KPop Demon Hunters. This was Diane Warren’s ninth consecutive nomination in the Best Original Song category and 17th in total.
Meanwhile, Diane has not lost heart yet, as she took to her Facebook account and wrote, “Well at least I’m consistent! And I set a new record tonite!! But U know me, I will be back if you’ll have me!!!” Diane has not won a competitive Oscar yet, but in 2022, she was awarded with the honorary Academy Award at the Governors Awards.
More details
Earlier, she had told the Times, “It’s not validation. It would just be fun. And now I just keep beating my own record, I guess. Right now, I’m tied with my friend Greg Russell; we both have lost 16 times. But I’ve never taken awards as validation. The work is validation. When people love the songs, that’s validation. Who doesn’t want to win, right? But you can’t live and die by that because it’s out of your control. What’s in my control is to do the best work I can.”
Notably, Glenn Close has 8 Oscar noms and no wins. Actor Amy Adams also found no luck at the Oscars so far, scoring 6 nominations without any wins. Bradley Cooper has scored 12 nominations across multiple categories and no wins.
Over the course of her career, Diane Warren has written nine number-one songs and 33 top-10 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, giving artists like Cher, Celine Dion, and Aerosmith some of their biggest hits.
Kavya Maran and Abrar Ahmed (Photo: AP, Getty Images)
NEW DELHI: The signing of Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed by Sunrisers Leeds, an outfit owned by the Sun TV Network headed by Kavya Maran, has sparked a major controversy in India, drawing a sharp reaction from legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar. The former captain said Indian-owned franchises should refrain from signing Pakistan players, arguing that such payments could indirectly contribute to harm against India.
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Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Abrar was bought for £190,000 during the inaugural men’s auction of The Hundred in London, making him the first Pakistani cricketer to be picked by an Indian-owned team in the competition. The move triggered strong backlash online, with the franchise’s social media accounts facing heavy criticism and even a temporary suspension.Writing in his Mid-day column, Gavaskar said the outrage was understandable given the long-standing stance taken by Indian cricket since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, after which Pakistan players were effectively barred from the Indian Premier League. “The furore created by the acquisition of a Pakistani player by the Indian owner of a franchise in The Hundred is hardly surprising,” Gavaskar wrote.He argued that payments made to Pakistan players ultimately flow back to their government through taxes. “The realisation that the fees that they pay to a Pakistani player, who then pays income tax to his government which buys arms and weapons, indirectly contributes to the deaths of Indian soldiers and civilians is making Indian entities refrain from even considering having Pakistani artistes and sportspersons,” he said.Gavaskar added that whether the payment comes from an Indian company or an overseas subsidiary, the responsibility still lies with the owner. “If the owner is Indian then he or she is contributing to the Indian casualties. It’s as simple as that,” he wrote, questioning whether success in a franchise tournament was more important than national sentiment.He also warned that fans could express their anger publicly. “It won’t be a surprise that for every game that this team plays there will be massive demonstrations by Indian fans protesting at this hard-to-believe buying,” Gavaskar said, adding that crowds might even boycott matches despite the presence of star players.Meanwhile, Sunrisers Leeds head coach Daniel Vettori defended the decision as a purely cricketing one, explaining that the franchise moved for Abrar after missing out on England leg-spinner Adil Rashid during the auction. According to Vettori, Abrar’s variations and ability to strike in powerplays made him an attractive option, particularly at Headingley.India board vice-president Rajeev Shukla also clarified that the Board of Control for Cricket in India cannot intervene in the matter as the signing involves a foreign league, leaving the final call to the franchise itself.
Families displaced by Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon have found shelter at the Saints Peter and Paul Monastery in the village of Qattine. Clergy there opened their doors to those fleeing the violence, offering food, shelter and a place to pray as thousands across the south remain unable to return home.
Vedanta Ltd on Monday said its committee of directors has approved raising up to Rs 2,575 crore through the issuance of non-convertible debentures (NCDs), as the company looks to diversify funding sources and strengthen its balance sheet.According to a filing with the BSE, the panel has cleared the allotment of 2,57,500 unsecured, redeemable, rated and listed NCDs of face value Rs 1,00,000 each, aggregating to Rs 2,575 crore on a private placement basis, PTI reported.The fundraising is part of Vedanta’s ongoing efforts to refinance debt and reduce borrowing costs. The company has witnessed strong investor interest in recent debt issuances.In October 2025, its $500 million bond issue was oversubscribed three times, while an NCD offering in June last year saw nearly 60 per cent oversubscription.Vedanta has also been gradually deleveraging its balance sheet. Vedanta Resources Ltd, the parent company, has reduced net debt to about $4.8 billion as of December 2025 from around $8.9 billion in March 2022.The sustained investor interest comes amid robust operating performance across businesses, supported by higher volumes, cost efficiencies and favourable commodity trends.The group is also undertaking a corporate demerger that will create five separate listed entities, a move analysts say could help unlock value and simplify its structure.Vedanta Ltd is a leading global producer of metals, critical minerals, oil and gas, power and technology.
Fresh off his Best Actor win for Sinners at the Oscars 2026, Michael B Jordan celebrated the milestone in the most unexpected way – with a late-night burger run. Still dressed in his tuxedo, the star was spotted ordering a burger and fries at a joint. And the trophy joined the meal, as a beaming Jordan posed with his golden statue right at the counter.
Michael B. Jordan won the first Oscar of his career for Sinners.
Michael B Jordan’s celebratory meal after Oscar win
On Sunday, Michael B Jordan won his first Oscar of his career. Jordan went to In-N-Out Burger to celebrate his Oscar win. Several pictures and videos of the actor in the joint have surfaced on social media.
In the video, which is already catching attention on social media, Jordan is seen clad in his tailored tuxedo. He was spotted walking up to the counter, to place an order: some burgers and a side of fries. Later, he was also seen signing autographs at the counters.
And the golden statue didn’t leave his side. He was seen at the joint with his trophy, which got the people at the joint even more excited.
Videos from the outing show Jordan walking into the burger joint with his security team, as the crowd quickly swelled at the sight of the newly crowned Oscar winner, and paparazzi trailed close behind. In later clips, the actor is seen settling in and enjoying his meal at the spot.
The videos quickly made their way onto social media, where fans couldn’t get enough of the wholesome moment. Many social media users praised Jordan for keeping his celebration simple and relatable, with several calling the burger run the “most real post-Oscar moment.”
One shared, “He has an incredible attitude for that situation. It doesn’t look like he just expected it to be easy, just quickly getting in and”, with another writing, “That’s a way to celebrate”. One wrote, “Michael B. Jordan celebrates his #Oscars win the real way… at In-N-Out Burger.”
“Michael B. Jordan was just spotted at In-N-Out Burger showing love to workers and fans while holding his Oscar after winning Best Actor in a Leading Role for “Sinners” at the 98th Academy Awards,” one commented.
Michael B Jordan wins best actor Oscar for Sinners
On Sunday, Michael B Jordan took home the lead actor statue for playing twin brothers Smoke and Stack in the supernatural thriller Sinners. His victory makes him the sixth Black man to triumph in the lead actor category.
The actor gave shout-outs to Denzel Washington and Halle Berry in his acceptance speech. “I stand here because of the people that came before me,” Jordan said before naming Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker and Will Smith, as well as Halle Berry, the first and only Black woman to win for lead actress.
He added, “To be amongst those giants, those greats, amongst my ancestors, amongst my guides… Thank you everybody in this room and everybody at home for supporting me over my career. I feel it. I know you guys want me to do well, and I want to do that because you guys bet on me. So thank you for keeping betting on me.”
For the accolade, Jordan was competing with Timothee Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon) and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent).
“Man, God is good. God is good,” Jordan said on stage before shouting out his family members in the audience, adding, “Momma, what’s up? You know how I feel about my mother. And my father is here. Pops, where you at? My dad came from Ghana to be here.” The 98th Academy Awards were held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday night.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Review: There are some phones that have made a cult following for themselves. Of course, this exists for the iPhone. Asus ROG phones are popular for their performance. Pixels are popular for their refined software. Another phone that enjoys this status quo is Samsung’s Galaxy S series, which a few years ago replaced the Note lineup. Now Samsung’s S series, especially the Ultra variant, represents the top-end and the latest and greatest you can buy from Samsung.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra in the hero colourway, Cobalt Violet. (Shaurya Sharma – HT)
Shaurya Sharma is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, covering consumer, gaming, and AI technology. He has previously worked for reputed media houses, including CNN-News18 and Guiding Tech, and has nearly half a decade of experience in tech journalism. He enjoys cinematography, reading sci-fi, and camping. Instagram and X: @barelysure
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Naturally, people have a lot of expectations from Samsung’s top-end flagship. In fact, it is the de facto choice for most people on the Android side of things looking to buy a premium phone. In this case, it is quite premium at ₹1.4 lakh. Yes, Samsung is bundling offers, including the ability to get more storage for the same price. But at the end of the day, you are still going to be spending a lot of money to get the S26 Ultra.
On paper, you might think this is not enough to justify an upgrade. In many ways you would be right, but in many ways you would be wrong as well. The answer is much more nuanced. I have now spent more than 15 days with the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra as my main phone of choice. I have done all kinds of things with it. I made videos, used navigation, shot photos, took calls, and more. While the phone sits at the top of the Android flagship food chain and does justify its position, there are several areas where Samsung should not play safe.
Samsung has nailed the weight balance on the S26 Ultra. (Shaurya Sharma)
Let’s address the elephant in the room first: The Privacy Display
I did talk about the Privacy Display in a separate article, so you can read about it in full detail here, where I discussed a popular use case I found, which was using the phone during flights to edit videos. Yes, it is about privacy, and it helps me get more done without having to worry about people peeking into my phone.
In many ways, it is genuinely useful. It is one of those features you have to use in order to understand how useful it can be. For me, I think this is definitely one of the most intuitive features introduced by any phone maker in the last few years and it solves a big privacy problem for many people.
Galaxy S26 Ultra in the Maximum privacy protection mode. (Shaurya Sharma)
Yes, the display does get a bit dim when you turn it on, but it is barely noticeable. The important part is that the phone’s brightness and peak outdoor visibility remain quite legible. In fact, I would say this is one of the brightest screens I have used outdoors. I remember using the phone in the bright Jaipur sun at around 3 p.m., and the phone was perfectly legible with direct sunlight falling on it. See the image below for reference.
Galaxy S26 Ultra allows for a peak brightness of 2600 nits but the more important part is – it can sustain it bright outdoor conditions, more than most phones out there. (Shaurya Sharma)
Yes, despite the Privacy Display, the screen remained quite legible, and I can confidently say that it does not hamper the display experience. But again, not everyone is going to take a microscope and inspect the display. If you are a normal user who wants functionality from their phone, wants a bright display with great colour accuracy and a flagship-grade panel, I do not think you can go wrong with the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
So the Privacy Display is genuinely useful. It can actually block notifications from specific apps, and you can also tweak it accordingly. For instance, you can make sure it becomes active only while using apps such as WhatsApp. You may not want to use the privacy display while watching YouTube, and that is doable. This granular control is what actually separates the feature from simply toggling it on. This is exactly what separates it from using a traditional privacy screen guard.
Samsung displays are generally considered top-end, so is this one?
Well, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra’s display did have a bit of a controversy in the past. The phone features a 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED panel. It is a top-end panel, supports 120Hz, and is what you would expect from a flagship Samsung phone.
As mentioned earlier, it was perfectly legible even in bright outdoor sunlight. The good thing about Samsung phones is that the display stays bright consistently without dimming. Yes, the iPhone can appear brighter in certain outdoor conditions, but the S26 Ultra stayed bright for as long as I used it under the sun.
This is definitely a real-world use case because many people use their phones outdoors and often complain that the brightness is not great despite high peak brightness claims. So yes, I have no complaints here.
When it comes to colours, Samsung has largely become a master at tuning its displays to strike a balance between being punchy and realistic. Here, the panel simply looks gorgeous. It is sharp, and I do not see any concerns where people were criticising it for not being as sharp as the S25 Ultra because of the new privacy layer or display arrangement.
Do note that by default the panel is set to Full HD+ resolution. It would be in your best interest to switch it to QHD+ as soon as you receive the phone. I tested the phone with both resolutions and the battery consumption was not significantly different. If you are paying ₹1.4 lakh, you might as well get the most out of it.
So yes, when it comes to the display, I have no complaints whatsoever. It is a really good panel and the cherry on top is Samsung’s anti-reflective technology, which disperses light and is far superior to most other Android phones out there. Yes, the latest iPhones also have this coating, but they are no match for the Samsung S26 Ultra in this regard.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra doesn’t skip a beat and OneUI 8.5 is great
This is a Samsung flagship and it is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. Let me make one thing clear. This phone absolutely flies in everyday operations. There are no skipped frames, no app crashes, and apps load almost instantly while remaining in memory for long.
I also tried my fair share of performance intensive tasks, such as editing in the Edits app for Instagram. Here I would say the experience was pretty smooth. Consistently, the phone rendered videos faster than the iPhone 17 Pro that I am also using. Yes, it is that fast. I exported the same video on both phones and the Samsung always finished faster.
This also shows in synthetic benchmarks. In our Geekbench testing, the phone scored 10963 in the multi core test and 3633 in the single core test (more than what you get with the A19 Pro on the iPhone 17 Pro models), which goes on to show how powerful this device is.
As for the software, the phone runs One UI 8.5 based on Android 16. The experience with One UI 8.5 is top-notch. It feels polished, the animations are slick, it looks modern unlike some recent Android skins, and there are several nifty AI features built in.
Now Brief has been a mainstay and I use it quite a lot, and it has become really handy to track my day. However, the Now Nudge AI feature barely came into play for me and I have not yet found a compelling use case for it.
Apart from this, there are several AI features built in, including Call Assist, which offers real-time translation during voice calls. I think this is a really handy feature. There is also Writing Assist, Interpreter, Browsing Assist, Creative Studio, and of course the full set of AI functionality built into things like the Gallery (wherein you can simply enter a prompt and accordingly make edits).
Powerful camera system but Samsung needs to take more risks
Samsung, like Apple, has been making reliable camera systems for a while now, especially on flagships such as the S series. The S26 Ultra is no different. There are meaningful upgrades over the S25 Ultra, including a larger aperture for the primary camera. However, the sensors largely remain unchanged.
You get a quad camera setup on the back with a 200MP primary. There is a 10MP 3x telephoto, a 50MP 5x telephoto, and a 50MP ultra-wide lens. Right at the beginning, let me tell you that the weakest link of this camera system is the 3x telephoto. It is not as sharp and not at the level of the other sensors on this phone. It sits somewhere between the primary and the 5x shooter, but this could be mitigated if Samsung decides to consolidate the telephoto setup into one larger sensor, similar to what Xiaomi has done with the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, and choose a focal length between 3-4.3x.
That said, the 5x telephoto lens consistently produced sharp results. I do not see a problem there. It offers good background separation and portrait shots from this lens are generally very sharp. Images have good depth and excellent detail with strong dynamic range.
Another thing I liked about this camera system is the colour consistency across lenses. You can expect a similar colour profile from the ultra-wide, the 5x telephoto, and the primary sensor. The 3x telephoto is slightly different, but overall your images and videos look consistent when switching lenses.
Now let’s talk about the primary sensor. I have quite a few inputs here. The images look very detailed. I tested it alongside the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and sometimes the Samsung produced even more detailed images. This was also reflected in our Instagram test, where many users preferred the S26 Ultra over the Xiaomi 17 Ultra in most situations. The images are typical Samsung. They are bright, punchy, and social media-ready, with excellent dynamic range and sharpness. You really cannot go wrong with the primary camera.
One underrated upgrade this year is on the video side. The phone now supports Log video recording along with the ability to apply LUTs. This allows you to change the look of the footage even after shooting, making the workflow much more flexible.
As for the quality of the Log video itself, it is right up there with the iPhone. I tried grading the footage and it came out really well. Combined with fast autofocus and Samsung’s signature look, this is a welcome addition to the S26 Ultra.
Portrait video is also dependable. This is one of the few phones that allows you to capture portrait video from both the front and rear cameras. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Pixel 10 do not support this. In this regard, Samsung is quite close to the iPhone.
The edge cut-outs are decent and the depth of field fall-off looks natural. In portrait photos as well, the edge detection is among the best in the Android world and the bokeh appears natural.
One thing I would want Samsung to improve is colour tuning. Sometimes the images appear slightly oversharpened, which makes them look more like typical phone photos rather than images from a dedicated camera, something phones like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra handle better.
So while this is definitely an A+ camera system, there is still room for improvement, especially considering the Ultra branding and the price tag.
The most comfortable Samsung Galaxy Ultra ever
Design has been one area where Samsung has made incremental upgrades over the years. The S26 Ultra marks a departure from titanium, which was first introduced with the S24 Ultra and continued with the S25 Ultra. The S26 Ultra now switches to aluminium, similar to what Apple did with the iPhone 17 series. Truth be told, I do not mind the change. This is one of the most comfortable Ultra phones Samsung has made yet.
The weight distribution is excellent and the phone does not feel heavy in the hand. In fact, it feels surprisingly comfortable despite the large 6.9-inch display. The corners are more rounded, which adds to the comfort and prevents the phone from digging into your palms.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra looks just like its siblings, and that is both a good and a bad thing. (Shaurya Sharma)
However, because of the rounded design, the S Pen can technically be inserted both ways, but if inserted the wrong way it will stick out slightly.
As for durability, the phone feels extremely solid. I used it without a case for the last 15 days and there are no scratches or dents at all, not even a micro-scratch on the display. This suggests that you may not even need a screen protector, especially considering the privacy display.
That said, not everything is perfect. The camera module is quite large and if you place the phone flat on a table, it does rock slightly. But this is easily fixable using a good quality case.
Battery life, cellular reception, and more – Dependable across the board
The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 5000 mAh battery, which Samsung has been using for quite some time now. On paper, an Ultra phone with a 5000 mAh battery might sound odd, especially when devices like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra come with a 6000 mAh battery and phones such as the Realme GT8 Pro or OnePlus 15 go upwards of 7000 mAh.
So on paper you might expect poor battery life, but in reality it is not that simple.
In my experience, the S26 Ultra delivered stellar battery life. Standby time is excellent and you can easily get around 8 to 9 hours of screen-on time over a full working day. It can even last a full day for light users, although I would not stretch it much beyond that.
So while the battery may seem concerning on paper, in practice the optimisation is quite good. It is not a silicon-carbon battery. It is a standard lithium-ion battery, yet it still delivers excellent endurance. That said, it is not quite on the level of phones like the OnePlus 15, which can deliver an extra hour or two of screen-on time.
Coming to cellular reception, it was stellar. I consistenly used mobile data, using my Vodafone SIM card. And it is safe to say that the phone always caught on to networks, even in dense areas like Delhi’s Chandni Chowk, and Jaipur’s MI Road, and even remote areas while I was travelling via the Mumbai-Delhi expressway.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra should be the default Android flagship (for most)
Extremes are easy, but sometimes striking a balance is the key. I think Samsung excels here. The brand has time and again created a premium offering for Android lovers, and this S26 Ultra is not an exception. It nails the basics, delivers a solid camera experience (with room for improvement though), is comfortable in-hand, and even delivers industry-first features like the Privacy Display. That said, the price of entry is ₹1,39,999 now, and this is a big price hike over the last generation. So, if you don’t have budget constraints and want the absolute bleeding edge that Samsung has to offer, the S26 Ultra is a no-brainer. It should be the default Android flagship for most.
Team India scripted history by clinching the T20 World Cup 2026 on March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
One of the heroes for the “Men in Blue” was wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan. Having played nine matches, the left-handed batsman scored 317 runs.
Speaking about his selection, Team India`s captain Suryakumar Yadav said that Kishan`s inclusion was completely on gut and the captain also expressed disappointment with Jitesh Sharma`s snub.
“It was completely on gut, little bit on data. It (the decision) was very harsh on Jitesh Sharma at that time because he was playing with the team for over an year. And he was playing, had he not been playing then the story would have been different,” he said.
“I was also very sad when we had to pick Ishan over Jitesh. But we needed an opener who could fire at the top, so someone had to miss out,” added Suryakumar.
Suryakumar called the 27-year-old and asked “Chhotu, World Cup jitayega?” (Will you get us the World Cup?). Kishan responded, “Bharosa karogey?” (Do you trust me?) to which Suryakumar said “Chal kiya” (Done).
“And the way he played was amazing … I always knew that he can be the X-factor because he has no baggage,” he recalled.
In the title clash, the “Men in Blue” defeated New Zealand by 96 runs. India became the first team to win two consecutive global titles in the shortest format. The “Men in Blue” also became the first team to win three T20 World Cups in the history of the tournament.
IPL 2026: Tournament-opening match`s date and venue
After the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2026, most of the international players will gear up to participate in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The cash-rich league is all set to kick off from March 28. The first match is scheduled to be played between the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Earlier, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Secretary, Santosh Menon, confirmed that the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will host five of the RCB`s IPL 2026 home games. The venue will also host one of the play-off matches and the title clash of the tournament.
Bengaluru`s remaining two home matches will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
Wheel of Fortune witnessed a truly magical beginning as host Akshay Kumar made a soulful and captivating entry, playing the Krishna flute. The serene melody instantly created a divine and heartfelt atmosphere. Setting the tone for an evening filled with inspiration and emotion, Akshay then warmly welcomed the cast of the Gujarati film Laalo – Krishna Sada Sahaayate onto the stage.
Akshay introduced the film’s cast, Shruhad Goswami, Reeva Rachh, and Karan Joshi, along with director Ankit Sakhiya. While welcoming them, he shared the deeply moving and inspiring journey behind the film, speaking with admiration about how three friends pursued their dream of making a movie despite having no money, armed with nothing but an unshakable belief in each other.
Akshay Kumar shares the inspirational story behind the making of Laalo
Sharing the story with the audience, Akshay said, “Lekin unke paas paise nahi the, actors kaise hire kare, cameras kahan se leke aaye, costume ka kharcha kaise kare. In sawaalon ke bawajood inhone haar nahi maani, 1 dost se camera udhaar liya, 2 doston ko acting karne ko kaha, aur ek hi location par uss camera ke saath poori ki poori film banana shuru kar di. Aur phir kya, phir aisa kamaal ho gaya ki yeh film Gujarati film industry ki sab se, sab se badi blockbuster ban gayi. Jisne 100 cr bhi paar kar diye, aur aapko pata hai yeh film kitne mein bani thi, sirf Rs 48 lakhs.”
Later, the mood turned reflective as Akshay turned to director Ankit Sakhiya and spoke about the early days after the film’s release. He mentioned with a heavy heart that the movie did not perform well initially and was on the verge of being taken down from theatres within two to three weeks.
Ankit revealed that every morning, he and his team would visit the theatres. They would interact with the audience members, asking them how they felt. According to him, the reactions were overwhelming; people often liked the film so much that they had tears in their eyes. However, despite the positive reactions, he could not understand the empty seats and why audiences were still not coming to theatres in large numbers.
At that point, Akshay stepped in to reveal the sheer sacrifice Ankit made next, saying, “Ye logon ko paise dete the ki jaao meri film dekho. Ye lo, main ticket deta hoon. Agar acchi lage toh jaake apne doston ko batana.” Ankit nodded, explaining how he used whatever little money he had left to buy a chance for his film to be heard, encouraging people to watch and spread the word.
Akshay Kumar says his dad watched all his films 18-20 times
Sharing a personal connection, Akshay shared a cherished memory from his early days in the industry. He said, “Main aapko ek baat batana chahta hoon ki yeh cheez aur mere mein kya common hain.” He recalled, “Mere father, jab tak woh zinda the, unki death 2000 mein huyi thi. Tab tak mere jo bhi films release hoti thi, woh logon ko pakad pakad kar le jaate the aur meri film unhe dikhate the. Har film unhone mere 18 se 20 baar dekhi hogi.”
Akshay added that while it was a father’s unconditional love in his case, the passion and selfless dedication shown by Ankit and his team for their film was truly remarkable. He noted that the kind of history created by the film is a rare miracle that happens when heart meets hard work. Akshay then asked Ankit what he had learned from this gruelling journey. Ankit said, “Ek hi baat sikhai hain, jo hum discuss karte rehte the, agar kuch karna hain toh nikalna padega.”
Later, Akshay engaged in a humorous exchange with Karan and Ankit Sakhiya about what makes the Gujarati community a global powerhouse in the world of business. He asked Karan, “Aap ke hissab se Gujarati ache businessman kyu maane jaate hain? Voh aisa kya khaate hain ki voh itne ache hote hain business mein?” Karan and Shruhad instantly pointed out that the foundation of their success lies in bravery. Karan simply stated “Gujuratiyon ka Jigra Bada hota hain”.
Ankit expanded the response by explaining that the drive to achieve something substantial is often a legacy passed down through generations. He statee “Sir, jaise inhone bola jigra bada hota hain, kuch bada karke dikhana hota hain, kyuki humare papa ya dada ne aisa hi mahol banake rakha hota hain ki kuch karke dikhana hain, sir mujhe lagata hain sab soch ka khel hain”.
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