Sobhita Dhulipala and Naga Chaitanya got engaged in August this year.
Nagarjuna on Chaitanya, Sobhita’s wedding
Nagarjuna told the publication that the wedding would be held at the family-owned studio gardens, calling it a ‘warm, intimate’ celebration. The wedding will be a tight-knit affair, with the guest list comprising 300-400 family members, closest friends and colleagues.
He said, “Chaitanya didn’t want a big wedding; he and Sobhita both preferred a gathering of close family and friends. They told me to leave the arrangements to them. They wanted to do it their way, and honestly, it was a huge relief! I said, please do,” adding, “Sobhita’s parents were clear about wanting to include all the rituals, and I was completely on board. I find the chants and ceremonies so soothing — they bring a sense of peace. It’s going to be a lovely wedding, simple and heartfelt, just like the couple.”
Given that the studio hosts at least ‘ten mock weddings’ every year during film shoots, Nagarjuna also joked that it was the ‘easiest choice’ as the lights and sets were already there. The actor remained tight-lipped about whether there would be a wedding reception, though.
Chaitanya, Sobhita’s love story
Chaitanya was previously married to Samantha Ruth Prabhu. They married in a lavish two-day wedding in Goa in 2017 and separated in 2021. Both actors have since spoken about their split but have not revealed the reason for it. Chaitanya dated Sobhita for two years before getting engaged to her in August this year. Fans often spotted the couple on vacations, but they only made it official after their engagement.
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Microsoft has introduced a new artificial intelligence (AI) model that can generate hyper-realistic videos of talking human faces. Dubbed VASA-1, the AI image-to-video model can generate videos from just one photo and a speech audio clip. The company says the created videos will have synchronised lip movements to match the audio as well as facial expressions and head movement to make it appear natural. Notably, the tech giant does not intend to release a product or API with the VASA-1 model and claims that it will be used to create realistic virtual characters.
In a post on its Research announcement page, Microsoft detailed the workings of its under-development AI model and highlighted its capabilities. The company claims that the VASA-1 model can generate videos of 512 x 512p resolution at up to 40 FPS. The AI model is also said to support online video generation with negligible starting latency. X (formerly known as Twitter) user Kaio Ken shared a video of the AI model in action.
While the biggest achievement of VASA-1 is to render up to one-minute-long videos (as per the demos) in high quality with a single static image, the company also highlighted its ability to generate lip movements that match the audio file and facial expressions to go along with it. The AI video generation model also offers granular control to the user to control different aspects of the video such as main eye gaze direction, head distance, emotion offsets, and more. These attribution controls over disentangled appearance, 3D head pose, and facial dynamics can help modify the output closely as per the user’s directions.
Further, the AI model was also able to generate videos using artistic photos, singing audio, and non-English speech. Microsoft researchers point out that the capability for these functionalities was not present in its data, hinting at its self-learning ability.
The AI model’s hyperrealistic video generation of real people with any audio is impressive, but it also raises a question about its unethical usage, especially to create deepfakes. The company highlighted that it does not intend to release the AI model to the public and wants to create virtual interactive characters using it.
Microsoft also said that this technique can be used for advancing forgery detection. “While acknowledging the possibility of misuse, it’s imperative to recognize the substantial positive potential of our technique. The benefits – ranging from enhancing educational equity, improving accessibility for individuals with communication challenges, and offering companionship or therapeutic support to those in need – underscore the importance of our research and other related explorations. We are dedicated to developing AI responsibly, with the goal of advancing human well-being,” the company added.
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Vishwak Sen starrer ‘Mechanic Rocky‘, has officially hit theatres today, November 22, 2024, and early audience reactions are pouring in. Directed by Ravi Teja Mullapudi, the film also features Meenakshi Chaudhary and Shraddha Srinath as the female leads. Initial reviews on social media have a mixed response to the film. Many viewers praised Vishwak Sen’s performance, that he truly shines in the lead role as Rocky, a character who takes over his father’s mechanic shop. One reviewer on social media described it as a “one-man show,” and that the second half is filled with twists and thrilling moments that kept them entertained. The reviewer on X wrote, “#MechanicRocky — @VishwakSenActor’s one man show with a standout performance. Decent first half & engaging 2nd half with some great twists and good theatrical moments. Watch it!” Some viewers found it lacking excitement and described it as substandard. They felt that apart from a few jokes, the first half failed to captivate and at times became irritating due to an outdated screenplay and over-the-top comedy. Some pointed out that the storyline was weak and needed a stronger foundation to support the film’s overall impact.
Another viewer wrote, “#MechanicRocky Review :- #VishwakSen as Rocky – Action & Sequences in 2nd half – #MeenakshiChaudhary & #ShraddhaSrinath peak Acting – #JakesBejoy Music & BGM TopNotch 1st half With comedy Will not entertain much but 2nd half Intense U more 2nd half >> 1st half”
Another user said, “#MechanicRocky Substandard 1st Half! Apart from a few jokes here and there, this film offers nothing interesting so far and irritates at times. The screenplay is outdated. Comedy is over the top for the most part and does not work. Not much of a storyline either. Need a big second half to save this.”
A tweet reads, “#MechanicRocky is a MASS BLOCKBUSTER! Vishwak Sen’s electrifying performance, Meenakshi & Shraddha Srinath’s captivating charm, and bejoy’s pulsating music make it a must-watch! Rating: 3.5/5 #MechanicRockyReview”
Several audience members appreciated the chemistry between the lead actors, especially praising Meenakshi Chaudhary and Shraddha Srinath for their performances. The music composed by Jakes Bejoy also received positive remarks for enhancing the film’s action sequences. Another says, “Enjoyed #MechanicRocky! @VishwakSenActor owns the screen with his high-voltage energy and performance as Rocky #MeenakshiChaudhary & #ShraddhaSrinath are brilliant! @JakesBejoy’s music amplifies the action. 2nd half elevated the movie turning it on to full-on mass entertainer! Rating: 3/5” As reviews continue to roll in, many fans agree that while the first half may not have delivered as expected, the second half of ‘Mechanic Rocky’ elevates the viewing experience.
Red Magic 10 Pro series is set to launch in China on November 13. It is expected to include a Red Magic 10 Pro and a Red Magic 10 Pro+ variant, succeeding the Red Magic 9 Pro and Red Magic 9 Pro+, which were unveiled in the country in November 2023. Previously, the company has confirmed the chipset and display information of the awaited handsets. Now, a senior Red Magic executive has revealed the cooling system details of the lineup.
Red Magic 10 Pro Cooling System
The Red Magic 10 Pro series will come with the Ice X cooling system, which uses composite liquid metal, according to a Weibo post by Red Magic Gaming Products General Manager James Jiang. He claims that these will be the first phones in the industry to use this technology. It is said to be able to reduce the temperature of the handsets by up to 21 degrees. If true, this will be helpful for users, especially mobile gamers.
Jiang explains that the new cooling technology used in the Red Magic 10 Pro series phones has a “sandwich structure” where the “upper and lower layers are made of low-temperature alloys, and the middle layer is indium-based.” The liquid metal layers are said to have higher thermal conductivity than “heat dissipation gel” and “quickly absorb heat, change from solid to liquid, and return to solid after cooling,” he adds.
Apart from the new cooling technology, the Red Magic 10 Pro series is confirmed to get upgraded fans, “high conductivity graphene under the screen”, and other improved heat dissipation components, according to the executive.
Red Magic 10 Pro Series Features
The Red Magic 10 Pro series smartphones will be powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite SoCs. They are confirmed to sport 6.85-inch 1.5K BOE displays with a 144Hz refresh rate, 2,000nits of peak brightness level, under-display front cameras, and 95.3 percent screen-to-body ratio.
Previous leaks suggested that the Red Magic 10 Pro series handsets may get support for 100W wired fast charging. The Red Magic 10 Pro+ is tipped to carry a 7,050mAh battery and an in-display fingerprint sensor.
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Eight tumultuous days after US President-elect Donald Trump picked Matt Gaetz to be attorney general, the firebrand congressman has withdrawn from consideration for the post.
It was a nomination that stunned Washington and sent a shiver through the corridors of the justice department.
Trump settled on Gaetz, 42, during a two-hour flight from Washington to Florida last week, according to reports.
Still basking in the glow of his election victory, the president-elect was flying back to West Palm Beach last Wednesday afternoon after a cordial meeting with President Joe Biden.
That morning Gaetz was not even on the shortlist for the position of America’s top law officer, according to Politico, but Trump had felt underwhelmed by his other options.
A plan hatched on a plane
On so-called Trump Force One that day were Gaetz himself, Elon Musk, Trump’s incoming White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and his top legal adviser, Boris Epshteyn, reports the New York Times.
Epshteyn reportedly set about convincing Trump that Gaetz should lead the justice department, which had conducted a sex-trafficking investigation into the lawmaker before dropping the matter.
Gaetz, a lawyer, has been one of Trump’s most strident defenders on Capitol Hill.
He helped prepare the Republican nominee for his televised debate against Biden that effectively knocked the Democrat out of the White House race.
One Trump adviser explained why the president-elect – who has himself been criminally investigated by the justice department, and accuses its prosecutors of witch hunts – took a shine to Gaetz as opposed to other contenders.
“Everyone else looked at AG [attorney general] as if they were applying for a judicial appointment,” the unnamed aide told the Bulwark.
“Gaetz was the only one who said, ‘Yeah, I’ll go over there and start cuttin’ [expletive] heads.’”
Getty Images
Gaetz emerged as one of Trump’s most loyal allies in the House
Prosecutors outraged
While Republicans on Capitol Hill reacted tepidly to the nomination, career lawyers at the justice department told US media they were stunned and outraged.
Speaking at a conservative conference last year, Gaetz had suggested that the justice department and the agencies it oversees, including the FBI, ought to be abolished, as he argued they were being weaponised against conservatives. The current Attorney General, Merrick Garland, has rejected these claims.
Critics said Trump – who has also named three lawyers that defended him in criminal cases for senior positions at the justice department – was more interested in hiring loyalists than appointees who will uphold the rule of law.
Former Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton dismissed Gaetz as the “worst cabinet-level appointment in history”.
But the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr, said the furore from the Washington establishment showed his father’s unconventional cabinet picks were just the kind of change-makers that American voters had elected him to usher in.
Ethics Chair says Gaetz withdrawal should end report discussion
A ticking timebomb
After being nominated last week for attorney general, Gaetz resigned as representative for Florida’s 1st congressional district, a seat he has held since 2017.
His resignation came as the House Ethics Committee was due to decide whether to release a report on its investigation into allegations of misconduct involving drugs, bribes and paying for sex, including with an underage girl.
Gaetz dismissed the claims as a smear. But his resignation triggered a drip feed of leaks in subsequent days as the ethics panel wrangled over what to do about the report.
Few Republicans seemed willing, meanwhile, to circle the wagons round one of the most unpopular lawmakers in the House.
Last year, the combative Gaetz came under fire from his own side of the aisle when he proved instrumental in ousting Republican Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker.
Markwayne Mullin, a former House member turned senator, told CNN at the time there was a reason why none of Gaetz’s colleagues would defend him from allegations of sexual misconduct.
“Because we had all seen the videos he was showing on the House floor,” said the Oklahoman last October, accusing Gaetz of bragging about his sexual exploits.
Gaetz said Mullin was lying.
Watch: Gaetz confirmation would have been ‘challenging’ – Lindsey Graham
A confirmation ‘on steroids’
As the backlash to his nomination for attorney general began to build this week, Trump made calls to senators in an effort to shore up support.
Trump seemed to be holding firm on Gaetz as he attended a SpaceX rocket launch in Boca Chica, Texas, on Tuesday with Musk.
Asked if he was reconsidering, the president-elect said: “No.”
There was more encouraging news for Gaetz on Wednesday as House Ethics Committee Republicans voted not to release its investigation into him.
It happened as Vice-President-elect JD Vance ferried the attorney general nominee around the Senate in a charm offensive.
Gaetz said it had been “a great day”. But there were hints of turbulence ahead.
When asked how messy the confirmation process could become, incoming Senate majority leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said the hearings could be “on steroids”.
A successor is swiftly picked
Getty Images
Pam Bondi has been picked to fill Gaetz’s shoes
On Thursday morning, Trump was still calling Republican senators to gauge Gaetz’s chances.
But by lunchtime, the nominee had come to the conclusion he didn’t have the votes and he again shocked Washington with the announcement that he was showing himself the door.
“While the momentum was strong,” he posted on X, “it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition.”
Trump’s post on Truth Social confirming the volte-face – his first political setback since his election 16 days earlier – was unusually muted for the president-elect.
“I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General,” he wrote, adding that the nominee did not wish to be a “distraction”.
Hours later, Trump nominated former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi instead for the post.
While Trump predicted a “wonderful future” for Gaetz, a question mark hangs over what he will do next.
He was comfortably re-elected this month, but there are already plans for a special election to fill his vacated seat.
Randy Ross, a Florida-based fundraiser for Trump, told the BBC that America had not heard the last of Matt Gaetz.
“My opinion is there’s still a spot in Trump’s administration, Florida or our country’s future leadership for this patriot,” said Mr Ross. “We all look forward to his next steps.”
Meanwhile, Ginger Gaetz, who wed the congressman in 2021, posted an old photo on X following his withdrawal of them both on the steps on Capitol Hill.
“The end of an era,” she commented.
Getty Images
Matt and Ginger Gaetz walk down the Capitol steps last year
Perplexity added two new features to its platform on Monday to offer users a new shopping experience. The artificial intelligence (AI) search engine is rolling out ‘Buy with Pro’ and ‘Snap to Shop’ features for paying subscribers. With the former, Perplexity Pro users can now purchase products directly on the platform after asking for recommendations. The latter is similar to Google Lens and allows users to capture an image of a product and share it with the AI search engine to find a match.
In a blog post, the AI firm detailed the two new features. Both of these AI commerce features are currently available to Perplexity Pro users in the US. Buy with Pro will allow users to run a query about a specific product or product recommendations for a particular scenario. When the results show, users will also see a curated list of recommended products that they can purchase with a single click.
Perplexity’s Buy with Pro interface Photo Credit: Perplexity
Users will first have to add shipping and billing information on Perplexity’s portal. Once that is done, they can click on the Buy with Pro button next to the products to directly make a purchase without having to leave the app. The company is also offering free shipping on all orders made on the platform. In case Buy with Pro is not available for a product, the AI firm says it will redirect the user to the merchant’s website.
Alongside this, the company is also introducing a Snap to Shop feature. Just like Google Lens, users can use this feature to point their smartphone’s camera at a product and run a search on it. The AI will either find the exact match or similar products, which can then be purchased using the Buy with Pro button. Perplexity says this feature is aimed at times when one does not know the name of the product or can think of its description.
On the retailer side, the AI firm has started the Perplexity Merchant Programme which allows retailers to share product specifications and similar data with the AI firm without paying anything. The company is also offering payment integrations and free application programming interface (API) access to let them create a seamless experience for buyers.
Recently, AI commerce has emerged as a new online shopping experience for buyers. With this, the AI streamlines and automates processes such as product discovery, customer support, setting dynamic pricing, AI assistants to answer product queries and more. Amazon’s Rufus AI, Shopify Magic, and Salesforce’s Einstein AI are some examples of tools enabling AI commerce.
The documentary ‘Deep Rising’, narrated by ‘Aquaman’ star Jason Momoa, explores the deep seabed. It also showcases how earth’s last pristine wilderness, largest living space and largest carbon sink, is facing an imminent threat of deep-sea mining.
Jason also serves as an executive producer on the documentary, as it proves to be thematic with his role of DC superhero Aquaman who resides in the deep sea. The documentary is directed by Matthieu Rytz. The film unveils the high-stakes battle over deep seabed mining, exposing the grave environmental and geopolitical risks that threaten the last untouched frontier on our planet.
It explores the mysteries of the deep ocean, revealing its crucial role in Earth`s survival while calling for urgent action to protect these fragile ecosystems. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival, and has received multiple awards for its powerful storytelling and environmental message.
Deep Rising aims to empower individuals and communities worldwide to reclaim their birthright and safeguard the deep ocean for future generations.
The film aims to educate the global population about the significance of the deep seabed and halt deep-sea mining before it starts, ensuring that this precious, and largely unexplored, ecosystem remains untouched by destructive extraction practices. While the deep-sea mining is yet to begin, people are uniquely positioned to prevent deep sea mining before irreversible damage is done, making this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect our planet’s most vital ecosystems.
The documentary is currently available for purchase and rental on deeprising.com and is set to make its way on major global streaming platforms, making it accessible to audiences worldwide.
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Google Chat will now allow sending messages to Microsoft Teams and Slack with its new interoperability support. The cross-platform messaging feature was first announced by the tech giant at the Google Cloud Next 2023 event, but so far the feature was available only in beta to a limited number of users. With the new update, all paid subscribers of Google Workspace will be able to send messages to Teams and Slack users. Notably, users and organisations will need to use the Mio app to access the functionality.
The new feature was announced via a Google Workspace update. The company said, “Interoperability will enable organisations that use Google Chat and other messaging platforms within their domain to provide a more seamless experience for their users.” This means users will only be able to use this feature to send messages to people within their own organisation. This could be useful to text coworkers in different teams who use a separate app for communication.
However, there is a caveat. The cross-platform messaging feature is not built into Google Chat. So, users will need to download and install the Mio app to create the interoperability. This will be the tricky part since organisations will need to purchase an additional license in order to use the feature. Despite the extra steps, it can be a useful feature for large organisations that are not exclusively using a single communications platform for all the teams.
Cross-platform messaging feature between Google Chat, Microsoft Teams, and Slack was being tested by the company for the last one year and its availability was limited to some users. Google earlier announced in this year’s Cloud Next event that the feature will be rolled out to all paid customers of Workspace, and starting last week, this feature is being rolled out globally.
Separately, Slack released its artificial intelligence (AI) features to all paid users globally. Now, users with a paid subscription of the platform can purchase an add-on to activate features such as recaps, search, and conversation summaries. The company also intends to add note-taking summary generation feature for its voice and video calling feature Huddle.
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If movies are fated, All We Imagine as Light definitely was for Kani Kusruti. This, even before director Payal Kapadia had penned the story. Kusruti shares that the director, then a student at the Film & Television Institute of India, had reached out to her right after developing the idea. “Payal said she was thinking of me while developing the protagonist. She had liked my work in a short film. I just wanted to be a part of her film,” she smiles.
In the Cannes Grand Prix-winning movie, Kusruti plays a nurse, Prabha, who develops an unlikely friendship with another nurse, Anu. She reveals that Kapadia had first chosen her for the role of Anu. “Then years passed [without the film going on floors]. Since I had aged, I thought the chance was gone. Then Payal asked me if I wanted to audition for Prabha.”
While she jumped at the idea, there was a longer wait for Kusruti. Her first audition, held two years ago, didn’t quite go well, and Kapadia began auditioning other Malayali actors. The actor laughs that at one point, many actors she knew in Kerala were screen-testing for the film. What’s more, she not only encouraged Divya Prabha to audition for the role of Anu, but also requested Kapadia if she could audition again. Lady luck smiled on her this time. Kusruti recounts, “After the second audition, when Payal asked me whether I’d like to be part of the film, I was in tears.”
All We Imagine as Light, which released today, is centred on three women’s friendship and their relationship with the city of Mumbai. Kusruti says the city is aspirational for people of Kerala. “When I was living here, a friend from Kerala visited me. She looked outside my beach-facing house and said, ‘Lovers, lovers everywhere. This is heaven.’ We discussed how you can just go out and sit. In Kerala, even that is difficult.”
