Bollywood star Akshay Kumar recently shared an interesting story from his early days, recalling how his late mother played a key role in shaping his mindset when he was planning to buy his first home. The actor revealed that while he initially aimed for a modest 2 BHK apartment, his mother encouraged him to think much bigger.
Akshay Kumar talks about his mother`s advice
Speaking during the promotions of his upcoming film Bhooth Bangla, Akshay opened up about the conversation that changed his perspective on success and ambition. At the time, he was still establishing himself in the industry and wanted to make a practical, financially safe decision by opting for a smaller home.
However, his mother had a very different outlook. She reportedly told him to aim higher and consider buying a 5 BHK instead. Her reasoning was simple yet powerful she believed her son was capable of achieving far more than he was allowing himself to imagine. Her advice, often summed up in the phrase “think big,” left a lasting impression on the actor.
Akshay admitted that her words stayed with him and helped him shift his thinking from being cautious to being more ambitious. Instead of limiting himself, he began to see the value in dreaming bigger and pushing beyond his comfort zone. Over the years, this mindset has played a significant role in his journey to becoming one of Bollywood’s most successful and bankable stars.
The actor has often spoken about the influence of his parents in his life, and this anecdote further highlights the strong bond he shared with his mother. Her belief in his potential gave him the confidence to take risks and aim for greater achievements, both personally and professionally.
On the work front
Today, Akshay Kumar enjoys a successful career, multiple properties, and a strong standing in the film industry. Looking back, he credits much of his growth to the early lessons he learned at home, especially the importance of thinking big and not settling for less.
As he gears up for the release of Bhooth Bangla, the actor’s story serves as a reminder of how a simple piece of advice from a loved one can shape one’s ambitions and ultimately influence the course of life.
In the IPL 2026 match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) emerged victorious by five wickets at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
During the match, RCB`s star pacer Josh Hazlewood returned with the figures of one wicket for 20 runs in four overs. Following the performance, he was also named the “Player of the Match”.
Speaking about his performance, Hazlewood said that he was feeling better.
“Felt much better today, in good shape. Got to look at who you are playing against, conditions play a part, slow wicket today, just had to whack that length,” he said.
He also said that assessing the conditions quickly was the key point for the Royal Challengers in the clash against the Super Giants.
“Summing up the conditions as early as we can is a huge plus for us,” said Hazlewood.
The pacer then revealed that he is working on the slower balls to stay effective in the shortest format of the game.
“I`d like to have a few funky deliveries… always working on those slower balls… keep moving forward,” said the 35-year-old cricketer.
IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants: Match summary
Batting first, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were bowled out for 146 runs in 20 overs. Opening batsman Mitchell Marsh was the top scorer for the side. Facing 32 balls, the right-handed batsman scored 40 runs, including three boundaries and two maximums.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Mukul Choudhary scored 39 runs in 28 balls, with the help of three boundaries and two maximums. Ayush Badoni also garnered 38 runs off 24 balls, laced with four boundaries and a maximum.
RCB`s Rasikh Salam returned with the figures of four wickets for 24 runs in four overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed three wickets by conceding 27 runs in four overs. Krunal Pandya and Josh Hazlewood also bagged two and one wicket, respectively.
In the second essay of the game, Bengaluru chased the target by scoring 149 runs for the loss of five wickets in 15.1 overs. Kohli scored 49 runs, which provided a strong start to the side.
Skipper Rajat Patidar managed to register 27 runs in 13 balls, including a boundary and three maximums, whereas wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma scored 23 runs in just nine balls, with the help of two boundaries and the same number of maximums.
LSG`s Prince Yadav claimed three wickets by giving away 32 runs in his spell of three overs. Avesh Khan bagged two wickets by leaking 23 runs in four overs.
Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt has opened up about the joy of being a grandfather to Raha Kapoor, daughter of Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor. In a recent interaction, the veteran director reflected on how Raha’s arrival brought a deeply emotional and almost spiritual shift in his life.
Mahesh Bhatt celebrated the arrival of his granddaughter, Raha Kapoor, describing it as a spiritual experience. (Instagram)
He shared that he was still taking in Alia’s incredible journey when his granddaughter came into their lives, changing everything in an instant. “Raha came into our lives like a drop of divinity. I had barely absorbed the astonishing journey of Alia Bhatt becoming what she has… and then this child arrives,. Just the thought of her brings a smile into every pore of my being. Her vitality is fierce,” he told E-Times. (Also read: Mahesh Bhatt says ‘some artists step away from noise’ after Arijit Singh announces retirement from playback singing )
How becoming a grandfather changed Mahesh Bhatt’s perspective on life
Mahesh spoke about how becoming a grandfather has given him a fresh way of looking at life. Watching his daughter now as a parent and seeing Raha grow up has made him reflect on the passage of time and the continuity of generations.
Describing her presence, he said, “She gives you a sense of time. You stand at a vantage point and watch the stream—your daughter, her child—and suddenly you see the continuity of life that has flowed for millennia and will continue long after you are gone. And yet, I know I am no different from any other grandfather. Each one, in that moment, rediscovers life. To simply speak to her… that is enough for a day.”
What Mahesh reveals about his bond with Raha
Mahesh also recalled a candid family moment that highlighted his bond with both Raha and Alia. During one of Raha’s visits, he noticed that most family members were speaking to her in English, while he chose to speak in Hindi. This led to a playful exchange with Alia, who initially joked, “That will be your only contribution to her life,” before quickly correcting herself.
All about Raha’s family
Raha is the daughter of actors Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor. Her father comes from the illustrious Kapoor family. He is the son of actors Rishi and Neetu Kapoor, and the grandson of the great actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor. Alia, meanwhile, is the daughter of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and his second wife, actor Soni Razdan.
Alia and Ranbir married in April 2022 at their home in Mumbai. Raha, their only child, was born later that year.
CHENNAI: The wait to see MS Dhoni in action will likely be over next week. According to CSK sources, Dhoni’s rehabilitation is on track and he could be available either for the game against Mumbai Indians on April 23 at the Wankhede or the rescheduled match against Gujarat Titans on April 26 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Dhoni had suffered a calf injury in practice a week before the IPL, ruling him out of the first three weeks of the league. CSK have a game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday but he won’t be playing that one. “He is still doing his rehab and we don’t want to take any chances with his fitness,” CSK sources said.Dhoni has been batting at the nets regularly, working on his range hitting. Once fully fit, it will be interesting to see how CSK use him. Sanju Samson has been doing the wicketkeeping and it is likely that he will continue, meaning Dhoni could come in as an ‘Impact Player’.
With the success of Saiyaara, Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat and Tere Ishk Mein, the audience gave the Hindi film industry an insight into their desire to see more of romance on screen, and the makers listened as Bollywood’s upcoming lineup boasts a range of romantic dramas making their way to the big screen
Bollywood romance films in 2026
Ek Din
A big name down South, Sai Pallavi is set to make her big Bollywood debut this year. Before she appear as Sita in the magnum opus Ramayana, she will be seen in the romantic drama Ek Din, opposite Junaid Khan. The film has been extensively shot in Japan, and tells the story of how a day in the life of this duo changes everything. It releases theatrically on May 1.
Chand Mera Dil
After showing his action skills in Kill (2024), Lakshya will show his softer, romantic side opposite Ananya Panday in Chand Mera Dil. Glimpses from the upcoming romance were unveiled yesterday and the film promises the quintessential love story Bollywood is known for. The film will arrive in theatres on May 22.
Main Vaapas Aaunga
Imtiaz Ali is back with an epic romantic tale spanning generations with Main Vaapas Aaunga, starring Vedang Raina, Sharvari, Diljit Dosanjh and Naseeruddin Shah. The film tells a love story set in the time of partition, and features music by AR Rahman. It arrives in theatres on June 12.
Awarapan 2
Emraan Hashmi was the face of romantic dramas in the 2000s and the actor is now coming back to it with the sequel of his cult 2007 film Awarapan. The sequel reportedly stars Disha Patani opposite Emraan and has already gone on floors. As per the latest buzz, it is eyeing an Independence Day release this year.
Kartik-Sreeleela’s film
Kartik Aaryan is teaming up with Anurag Basu for the first time for a romantic drama, also starring Sreeleela. The film was earlier touted to be Aashiqui 3, but due to the legal dispute over the title, the film is yet to be named. It was earlier supposed to release in 2025, but the new release date hasn’t been announced yet. Although, it is expected to arrive later this year.
Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones is expected to become the first person to plead guilty in a gambling sweep that led to the arrests of more than 30 people, including reputed mobsters and other basketball figures.
A change-of-plea hearing for Jones is scheduled for April 28 in Brooklyn federal court, according to a court filing Thursday. It was originally set for May 6, but was moved at the request of the parties.
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Jones, 49, had previously pleaded not guilty to separate indictments charging him with profiting from rigged poker games and providing sports bettors with non-public information about injuries to stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Jones is charged in both cases with wire fraud conspiracy and money-laundering conspiracy.
A message seeking comment was left for his lawyer, Kenneth Montgomery. He told a judge at Jones’s arraignments in November that they “may be engaging in plea negotiations”.
Jones, a onetime teammate of James, was arrested last October along with Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and others, including a sports bettor accused of cashing in on injury information.
Jones was one of three people charged in both the poker and sports betting schemes. He remains free on bail.
A native of Galveston, Texas, Jones earned more than $20m playing for 10 teams in 11 seasons from 1999 to 2009. He and James played together in Cleveland from 2005 to 2008, and Jones served as an unofficial assistant coach for James’s Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022-2023 season.
According to prosecutors, Jones sold or attempted to sell non-public information to bettors that James was injured and wouldn’t be playing in a February 9, 2023, game against the Milwaukee Bucks, texting an unnamed co-conspirator: “Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out.”
James wasn’t listed on the Lakers’ injury report at the time of the text message, but the all-time scoring leader for the National Basketball Association (NBA) was later ruled out of the game because of a lower-body injury, according to prosecutors, and the Lakers lost the game 115-106.
On January 15, 2024, prosecutors said, sports bettor Marves Fairley paid Jones approximately $2,500 for a tip that Davis, the Lakers’ forward and centre at the time, would see limited playing time against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of an injury.
Fairley then placed a $100,000 bet on the Thunder to win, prosecutors said, but the tip was wrong. Davis played his usual minutes, scored 27 points and collected 15 rebounds in a 112-105 Lakers win, prompting Fairley to demand a refund of his $2,500 fee, prosecutors said.
In the poker scheme, according to prosecutors, Jones was among former NBA players used to lure unwitting players into poker games that were rigged using altered shuffling machines, hidden cameras, special sunglasses and even X-ray equipment built into the table.
According to the indictment, Jones was paid $2,500 for a game in the Hamptons where he was instructed to cheat by paying close attention to others involved in the scheme. His instructor likened those people to James and NBA All-Star Steph Curry, prosecutors said. When in doubt, Jones was told to fold his hand, prosecutors said.
In response, according to prosecutors, Jones texted: “y’all know I know what I’m doing!!”
The poker scheme often made use of illegal poker games run by New York crime families that required them to share a portion of their proceeds with the Gambino, Genovese and Bonnano crime families, according to prosecutors.
Members of those families, in turn, also helped commit violent acts, including assault, extortion and robbery, to ensure repayment of debts and the continued success of the operation, officials said in court documents.
A hot hand from outside the three-point arc, Jones once proclaimed himself in an interview with insidehoops.com as “the best shooter in the world”. He played in every regular season game for three consecutive seasons from 2003 to 2006.
After his playing days, he worked as a “shooting consultant” for the Cavaliers and was an assistant coach when the team, led by James, won the NBA championship in 2016.
Since leaving the Kolkata Knight Riders after the 2024 title-winning season, Shreyas Iyer has been on a marauding run in the Indian Premier League. 604 runs in IPL 2025 with the Punjab Kings, and a bright start to IPL 2026 (203 runs at 188 SR), Iyer has constantly sent a reminder to KKR of what a horrible mistake they committed at the end of 2024.
It is not only the unceremonious sacking that hurt Shreyas. To add insult to injury, the credit for KKR’s title win entirely went to Gautam Gambhir, who left for the Indian team after that season.
Iyer went back into the IPL auction pool after many, many years. Ricky Ponting’s Punjab Kings bought him for Rs 26.75 crore, and the rest, they say, is history. Under a more loving ecosystem, Shreyas Iyer thrived and outbatted himself in IPL 2025, hitting 604 runs at a ridiculous strike rate of 175. He was the chief architect behind Punjab reaching their first IPL final in over a decade, but unfortunately, the mission remained incomplete.
THE TRAUMA OF IPL 2025
A horribly off day in the field meant that Punjab failed to chase down 191 runs in the summit clash of the IPL 2025 season. Not only did they fail, they collapsed horribly, at one time tottering at 94/8 as the hopes of a title win slipped away from their hands.
Now keep that figure, 191, in your mind. It is important, but we will come back to it a little later.
But that incredible 2025 run was not enough to propel him into the Indian T20I team, which was building towards the T20 World Cup 2026. Shreyas made his return to the side in January this year as a panic call from the selectors, who wanted to keep replacements ready for India’s struggling middle order.
But that was about it.
This, however, did not deter Iyer and his team, Punjab Kings. Having lost the 2025 final, Punjab returned to the ongoing edition of the IPL with one goal, to win the competition. And they showed that, winning four of their first five matches. They would have won the fifth one too, but rain washed out the game against Kolkata Knight Riders, when Punjab were dominating the hosts in the powerplay.
The likes of Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shashank Singh, and Marco Jansen have come clutch in individual games, guiding Punjab to an unbeaten start in the tournament. But amidst the raging adrenaline, it has been the ice-cool veins of Shreyas Iyer that have continued to keep order in the Punjab side this season.
Now, remember the ‘191’ that we talked about? The target, Punjab bottled in the final of the IPL?
The wound perhaps cut Punjab deep enough that they are not ready to let go of a single chase this season.
Shreyas Iyer, Prabhsimran Singh added 139 runs for the 3rd wicket vs MI. (PTI Photo)
PUNJAB KINGS: THE NEW CHASE SPECIALISTS
Punjab Kings have chased three targets in IPL 2026. They started strongly against Gujarat Titans away from home, which they almost fumbled. Young Cooper Connolly dragged the side out of the ditches, helping Punjab secure 163 runs in 19.1 overs.
If the chase against GT was a lingering one, Punjab rectified their mistakes in the next one. Against Chennai Super Kings, they batted with authority, chasing down a target of 210 runs in just 18.4 overs.
Their next chase against Sunrisers Hyderabad was even better, as Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya thrashed their way to a target of 220 runs in 18.5 overs.
And on Thursday, Punjab did the same thing again, chasing down 196 in just 16.3 overs.
There are two common themes in this: one, that they are steadily getting better at run chases, and second, that since nearly giving up the first game, Shreyas Iyer has taken it upon himself to hunt down targets in IPL 2026.
Against CSK: 50 off 29 balls (SR 172) Against SRH: 69* off 33 balls (SR 209) Against MI: 66 off 35 balls (SR 189)
SHREYAS IYER TEARS DOWN MI
Shreyas’ batting this season has given the vibes of Virat Kohli, who is perhaps the greatest chase-master in the history of the white-ball game. But in Shreyas’ case, it is not the calm, collected and calculated approach that stands out.
But it is the arrogance in his shot-making, the arrogance in his stance aimed at the opposition, which constantly hurls a singular message at them: I am going to smash you out of the park, and you cannot do anything about it.
In his latest chase against the Mumbai Indians, Iyer started his innings with a cover drive off Allah Ghazanfar, who had just picked up two wickets. But the wickets column did not bother Iyer at all. At the start, he gave a lot of strike to Prabhsimran Singh, who had not faced many balls in the powerplay, and then later, took matters into his own hands.
Once set, Iyer really leaned into Jasprit Bumrah and Shardul Thakur, making the duo look ordinary at their own home ground. It is not every day that Bumrah comes out with figures of 4-0-41-0, almost as expensive as Shardul’s 3-0-42-1.
Iyer’s innings was brought to an end by a sensational Naman Dhir catch in the 16th over, but by then Punjab had 184 runs on board, less than 10 runs away from their target.
Punjab’s captain’s confidence brimmed at the post-match presentation ceremony as he took massive confidence from the win.
“Certainly confident and optimistic going forward. I think the way we’ve been playing so far, it’s phenomenal. And also at the same time, we’ve got our heads on our shoulders. We know that each and every game that we’re going to come on to the field, it’s going to be important for us as a team and as a unit. So it’s a collective effort overall and I’m glad that today we came up and we got that comprehensive victory,” Shreyas Iyer said in the post-match presentation.
His swagger was on point as well. Asked about the game-changing moment, Iyer did not talk about his batting, but pointed to the incredible gravity-defying effort that he put in to dismiss Quinton de Kock.
A relay catch, Iyer flung himself backwards over the boundary ropes, saved a six and threw the ball back into play for Xavier Bartlett to complete a safe catch. The scorecard will never remember the effort, but those who watched it will not forget it.
“We’ve got this tendency of pulling back the game, even against SRH the way we bowled after the powerplay, the guys came in together and said that, okay, we are going to see to it that, negate the boundaries as much as possible and be in the present and enjoy the moment rather than thinking way ahead of the game,” Iyer said.
“I’ve seen the crowd coming in numbers and the way they’ve been cheering for the last couple of games. I think the fan following is definitely going high and it’s so good to see people coming in numbers and cheering for us, supporting and showering their love,” Iyer concluded.
He might be out of the Indian T20I team, he might be out of captaincy consideration, but Shreyas Iyer time and again proves that he is right up there with the best in the world when it comes to all-format cricket.
His logic-defying catch, his assault on Bumrah are further proof that this is his time, and it would be a grave mistake for India if they miss out on it, just like KKR did when they let him go after the IPL 2024 season.
Hansika Motwani and businessman Sohael Khaturiya were granted a mutual consent divorce by Mumbai’s Bandra family court on March 11, 2026, bringing an end to their marriage of over three years. The couple, who tied the knot in December 2022, had been living separately since July 2024 due to irreconcilable differences. No alimony was sought by either party. While Hansika did not directly address the divorce, she recently spoke about her personal life and the scrutiny around it.
Hansika Motwani and businessman Sohael Khaturiya were granted a mutual consent divorce by Mumbai’s Bandra family court on March 11, 2026, bringing an end to their marriage of over three years.The couple, who tied the knot in December 2022, had been living separately since July 2024 due to irreconcilable differences. No alimony was sought by either party.
‘I have no regrets’
While Hansika did not directly address the divorce, she recently spoke about her personal life and the scrutiny around it during a conversation with Hauterrfly.“My family doesn’t pressurise me for anything. People wanted clickbait, they got it. They wanted headlines, they got it. I have never clarified it, nor will I because it doesn’t matter to me. It’s fine. I have no regrets. It’s better to get off the train if you got onto a wrong train than suffer. So it’s fine, it’s okay. I have immense support from my family. I have no regrets. So I am very happy where I am,” she said.
The actress also addressed societal expectations around marriage and motherhood, questioning why timelines are imposed on women.“I don’t know… it didn’t happen like that with me. I was never put in that box where people said you’ve reached this age, you should get married. There are too many people out there telling you what to do. But nowadays girls are so strong and independent that they do what is good for them,” she said.“Earlier people used to say get married at 25, then 30, now they say 40. Who are these people? Even after marriage they say now have a baby. But if it doesn’t feel right to you, then don’t do it. Why take that pressure?” she added.
‘Love is beautiful… the universe will guide me’
Speaking about love and relationships, Hansika maintained that she believes in moving on without losing oneself.“Love is beautiful and right now I don’t know when the time is right. I think the universe will guide me. If it’s written for me, it’s written for me,” she said.“Why would you lose yourself in any relationship? First you need to respect yourself, then you can respect someone else,” she added.
The Reserve Bank of India has asked state-run oil refiners to reduce spot dollar purchases and use a special credit line for their foreign exchange needs, as part of efforts to ease pressure on the rupee, according to a Reuters report.The central bank has urged refiners to access the facility through State Bank of India (SBI), reviving a measure used during the Ukraine war to manage currency volatility, three sources told Reuters.A surge in oil prices and heavy foreign portfolio outflows have weakened the rupee, which has fallen more than 3% this year to record lows, making it Asia’s worst-performing major currency.Using the credit line would reduce dollar demand from refiners–among the largest buyers of the US currency for oil imports and help stabilise the rupee, two of the sources said.The facility is available to Indian Oil Corp, Hindustan Petroleum Corp and Bharat Petroleum Corp, which together account for about half of India’s 5.2 million barrels per day refining capacity.Refiners have also been encouraged to route daily dollar purchases through SBI instead of multiple banks, one of the sources said, adding that consolidating flows could help reduce overall market impact.Refiners can either buy dollars at the RBI reference rate or draw on the credit line for their foreign exchange needs, a second source told Reuters.Three spot foreign exchange traders, separate from the sources cited earlier, told Reuters they had observed a decline in oil companies’ activity in the spot market in recent days.The RBI and SBI did not respond to emails seeking comment, while refiners also did not respond.The measures, which sources said have been in place for about two weeks, come as the RBI looks to support the rupee amid pressures linked to the Iran war.The rupee had weakened past 95 per dollar in late March but has since recovered about 2% following steps by the central bank, including selling dollars from its foreign exchange reserves. The currency was last quoted at 93.20 per dollar on Thursday.
Popular playback singer Jubin Nautiyal has reportedly tied the knot with his childhood sweetheart in a private ceremony held in Uttarakhand. The wedding was an intimate affair, attended only by close family members and a few friends, reflecting the singer’s preference for keeping his personal life away from the spotlight.
According to reports, the ceremony took place in his hometown, making it a deeply personal and emotional occasion for the singer. Known for his soulful voice and chart-topping songs, Jubin chose simplicity over grandeur, opting for a low-key celebration rooted in tradition and close-knit relationships.
Jubin Nautiyal tied the knot in an intimate ceremony
While details about his partner have been kept largely under wraps, sources suggest that the two share a long-standing bond, having known each other since their early years. Their relationship, built over time, eventually culminated in marriage, marking a new chapter in the singer’s life.
Jubin, who has often maintained a private stance regarding his personal affairs, did not make a grand public announcement about the wedding. Instead, the news surfaced through reports, adding to the intrigue among fans who have long been curious about his relationship status.
The wedding reportedly featured traditional rituals, in keeping with the cultural roots of Uttarakhand. The serene setting of the hills further added to the charm of the occasion, making it a memorable event for those in attendance. The intimate nature of the ceremony stood in contrast to the often lavish weddings seen in the entertainment industry.
On the work front
Over the years, Jubin Nautiyal has carved a niche for himself in the Indian music industry with hits across Bollywood and independent music platforms. Born and raised in Uttarakhand, he has always expressed a strong connection to his roots, which was evident in his decision to host the wedding in his home state.
The news of his marriage has sparked excitement among fans, many of whom took to social media to express their surprise and extend their congratulations. Despite keeping the event low-key, the development has quickly become a talking point in entertainment circles.
As Jubin embarks on this new journey, fans are eager to see how this personal milestone influences his music and life ahead, while continuing to celebrate his achievements as one of India’s most loved playback singers.
