Mumbai: Actor RajKummar Rao was among one of the first Bollywood celebs to cast his vote as polling for the Maharashtra Assembly elections began early Wednesday morning.

While speaking to the media, the ‘Stree’ actor said, “It is very important (to vote). Everyone, please step out and vote. This is the voting day, it is very important.”

The actor was also seen interacting with security personnel stationed outside the voting booth, even taking selfies with them.

Filmmaker Kabir Khan also cast his vote.

Voting began at 7 am on Wednesday for the single-phase Maharashtra assembly elections and will conclude at 6 pm. Polling is taking place across 288 assembly constituencies.

A total of 4,136 candidates are contesting the elections, including 2,086 independents. The BJP is contesting 149 seats, Shiv Sena 81, and the NCP 59. The Congress has fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) 86. The BSP is contesting 237 seats, while other smaller parties are also in the fray. The state has approximately 9.7 crore registered voters.

Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure the smooth conduct of the polls. Mumbai Police has deployed over 25,000 personnel, including riot-control teams and home guards. According to the Brihanmumbai Police Commissionerate, more than 2,000 police officers and over 25,000 police personnel are on duty to maintain law and order during the elections.

Shifting alliances, ideological conflicts, complex caste dynamics, and emotional appeals have characterised the battle for power in the Maharashtra Assembly. The primary contest is between the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction), while the opposition MVA comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).

In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and the Congress won 44. In 2014, the BJP claimed 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42. 

Even though he was Prithviraj Kapoor’s cousin, this actor was relegated to side roles and uncredited cameos for years.

The Kapoor family has been called everything from the first family of Indian cinema to the Barrymores of Bollywood. The clan, which began with Prithviraj Kapoor entering films almost a century ago, has survived and thrived to date. It has given countless stars and superstars during this time, and almost every member of the extended family to have entered films has earned some amount of fame. The ‘almost’ here is key because one actor from this illustrious family had to work as an extra to feed himself, not even getting offers from his famous nephew Raj Kapoor. (Also read: Kapoor family’s forgotten hero gave more hits than Raj Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor; but was never called a superstar)

Kapoor family’s ‘most unsuccessful actor’

Ravindra Kapoor was an Indian actor who was the first cousin of Prithviraj Kapoor and the brother of famous character artist Kamal Kapoor. He followed his cousin, brother, and nephew into films, starting with small roles in films like Thokar (1953) and Paisa (1957). After not getting much mileage in Hindi films, he began working in Punjabi cinema in 1960, starting with the hit Chambe Di Kali. Even as Ravindra continued to work in Punjabi films, he did side roles in Bollywood hits like Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke and Yaadon Ki Baraat. His most memorable outing was as Jeetendra’s friend in the 1971 hit Caravan.

But by the 1980s, Ravindra Kapoor had been reduced to bit roles and uncredited appearances in big films such as Manzil Manzil, The Burning Train, and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Often, his roles were so minuscule that his characters did not even have names.

Ravindra Kapoor’s later years

Ravindra Kapoor is perhaps one of the only Kapoor family actors who has worked for this long and has never worked in a film by RK Films, Raj Kapoor’s production company. His brother Kamal Kapoor worked in a few RK productions, including Aag, but Ravindra had no such luck. However, neither he nor any other member of the family ever spoke about the reason behind this.

Later in his career, Ravindra Kapoor was often confused with another Punjabi actor named Ravinder Kapoor, aka Goga Kapoor. The latter was famous for his appearances in films and TV shows like Shakti, Shahenshah, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, Buniyaad, and Mahabharat. Ravindra, however, never ventured into television. He quietly quit cinema in the late 1980s, a couple of years before his death. His last release was the 1991 film Benaam Badsha.

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Upasana shared a picture in which her husband, Ram Charan, was seen bowing his head and keeping his hands on his chest inside a dargah.

Upasana Konidela has penned a note for her husband-actor Ram Charan after he visited a dargah recently. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Upasana shared a photo of Ram visiting a dargah. (Also Read | Ram Charan visits temple and dargah in Kadapa; police thrash fans to control overwhelming crowd)

Upasana shares pic of Ram inside dargah, pens note

In the picture, Ram was seen bowing his head and keeping his hands on his chest. He was seen in a traditional black outfit. The actor also had a huge garland around his neck. Several other people, including singer Mohit Chauhan, were seen around him.

Upasana wrote, “Faith unites, never divides. As Indians, we honour all paths to the divine (folded hands emoji) our strength lies in unity. (National Flag emoji). #OneNationOneSpirit #jaihind. @AlwaysRamCharan respecting other religions while following his own (saluting face emoji).”

Upasana reacts to a negative remark

When a person wrote, “Ma’am respecting other religions doesn’t mean you go to their dargah in ayyappa Mala. We can respect their religion by not insulting their faith and respect what they do without interfering in our religion!”

Upasana reacted to the comment by sharing a Times of India article the headline of which read: Embracing Harmony: Sabarimala’s Unique Tradition of Praying at the Mosque of Vavar.

As per the article, “devotees pay their respects (at the mosque) before embarking on the journey to the renowned Sabarimala temple in the Periyar Tiger Reserve.”

About Ram’s recent dargah, temple visits

Ram recently visited Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh. She was accompanied by Buchi Babu Sana, the director of his next film. On Monday evening, they went to the Ameen Peer Dargah and Sri Vijaya Durga Devi temple. Ram flew from Hyderabad to Kadapa as part of his Ayyappa mala and barefoot to attend the 80th Mushaira Ghazal event. Ram also offered a chaddar made of flowers at the dargah.

About Ram’s upcoming films

Ram was last seen in RRR and Acharya, both released in 2022. He also had a cameo in the song Yentamma, from Salman Khan’s 2023 film Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. He recently wrapped up shooting for Shankar’s maiden Telugu film, Game Changer. It also stars Kiara Advani. The film will release in theatres on January 10 next year. Ram’s movie with Buchi will feature Janhvi Kapoor as his co-star.

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Shah Rukh Khan has opened up about the paradox of success leading to failure due to isolation, reflecting on his career and the changes in the film industry. Speaking at the Global Freight Summit in Dubai, he shared insights from his journey as a Bollywood superstar, revealing how his immense success has sometimes distanced him from the evolving world around him.

Shah Rukh Khan, often hailed as the ‘King of Bollywood,’ has captivated audiences for over thirty years. However, he acknowledges that this fame comes with its challenges. He stated, “Success somehow leads to failure as well because you get very isolated, not just physically… you get isolation of ideas because you are so driven by the success.” This isolation can create a disconnect between the audience and the changing landscape of cinema.
Reflecting on his pre-COVID film releases, SRK admitted that his focus on maintaining success blinded him to significant shifts in audience preferences. He recalled, “I was just getting up in the morning, saying, ‘Okay I’m successful; I need to keep doing this; I need to keep working hard… But I didn’t realize that the world around me was changing.” This realization emphasizes the importance of staying attuned to public sentiment and adapting accordingly.

Shah Rukh’s candidness about his struggles highlights a critical lesson: awareness is key to navigating success. He explained that when one becomes too engrossed in their achievements, one risks losing touch with their audience. “The worst part is, you don’t realize that you’re getting isolated because everything seems nice. You have to change according to the consumers, as per what they like and dislike”
For the ‘Dunki’ actor, this understanding has been humbling and essential for mitigating potential failures. Despite acknowledging that failure is inevitable, he believes in embracing it as part of growth. “You just need to evolve and say, ‘Okay, I failed. I need to get on with it.’” He humorously recounted a time when he considered becoming an Italian chef and making pizzas, jokingly noting that “my pizzas were not half as good-looking as I am or taste as good as me.”
When asked what advice he would give his younger self, he expressed a reluctance to change his past decisions. With over 35 years in the industry, he values the experiences that shaped him. “If I didn’t take those decisions then, it was possible that I wouldn’t have reached where I am now”. He humorously added that perhaps he would suggest better hairstyles or fitting suits instead.
SRK’s journey is not just about personal success, it also reflects a deep respect for his audience and the industry. He emphasized that while he enjoys being a star, he recognizes that his status is a result of collective support from fans and colleagues alike. “I work for the myth that Shah Rukh Khan is, I am an employee of this myth, I am not the owner of this myth.
Looking ahead, Shah Rukh Khan is set to star in ‘King’, directed by Sujoy Ghosh. This film will mark a significant moment in his career as it features his daughter Suhana Khan alongside him for the first time.

Mumbai: Bollywood actor John Abraham was spotted at a polling booth as voting for the Maharashtra Assembly elections began on Wednesday morning. John, dressed casually in an all-black outfit was spotted interacting with fans outside the polling booth after casting his vote.

John was all smiles as he posed with a thumbs-up sign while stepping into his car.

Among the many celebs who arrived early to cast their votes were Akshay Kumar, RajKummar Rao and Kabir Khan. Voting began at 7 am on Wednesday for the single-phase Maharashtra assembly elections and will conclude at 6 pm.

Polling is taking place across 288 assembly constituencies.

A total of 4,136 candidates are contesting the elections, including 2,086 independents. The BJP is contesting 149 seats, Shiv Sena 81, and the NCP 59. The Congress has fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) 86. The BSP is contesting 237 seats, while other smaller parties are also in the fray. The state has approximately 9.7 crore registered voters.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure the smooth conduct of the polls. Mumbai Police has deployed over 25,000 personnel, including riot-control teams and home guards. More than 2,000 police officers and over 25,000 police personnel are on duty to maintain law and order during the elections.

Shifting alliances, ideological conflicts, complex caste dynamics, and emotional appeals have characterised the battle for power in the Maharashtra Assembly. The primary contest is between the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction), while the opposition MVA comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).

In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and the Congress won 44. In 2014, the BJP claimed 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42. 

It seems that singer Sabrina Carpenter has left her Disney days far behind. The former child star-turned-singer is in the line of fire currently for a simulated sex act on stage at her recent concert in Los Angeles. The act has divided her fans, with some defending her, saying it is part of the act, while others criticise her for being a bad role model for her younger fans. (Also read: Sabrina Carpenter reduced to tears after being nominated for 6 Grammy Awards)

What Sabrina Carpenter did

Sabrina performed in Los Angeles on Monday night as part of the final show of her Short n’ Sweet tour. At one point during the concert, the singer went down on her knees on stage, holding the mic in front of her stage and holding her own hair in an act that mimicked oral sex. The singer even leaned into the mic and pretended to gag on her words as she asked the fans, “Have you ever tried this one?!”

While Sabrina is known to perform sexy poses on stage and asking the fans this question, many felt that this one was a step too far. One fan commented on Instagram, “She’s trying to fit in way too much.” After the video was shared on social media, man wrote, “This looks so inappropriate.”

However, many defended Sabrina, saying it’s part of her act. “She doesn’t wanna be a role model for young girls. She wants to be herself. Leave her be,” wrote one fan. Another argued that Sabrina, 25, is no longer a Disney child star, and her music is known to be provocative and sexy. “As far as kids being in the crowd…this was a parent fail. What else do you expect? Should have listened to the lyrics prior,” one fan said.

Fans outrage

Yet, many continued to advise the singer to exert more caution, given that kids follow her and her music. One tweet argued, “People defending her need to realize she knows her audiences are full of kids. She was literally a Disney Channel actress, and I’m pretty sure that’s why she has a music career in the first place. If she doesn’t want kids going to her concerts she should make that heard. Kids are easily impressionable.” The concert was attended by many Hollywood stars, some of whom brought along their children too. For instance, Beyonce was present in the audience with her daughter Blue Ivy.

Sabrina Carpenter first gained recognition starring on the Disney Channel series Girl Meets World when she was 15. The same year, she released her debut single, followed by her first album – Eyes Wide Open – the following year. From 2021 onwards, she moved to a different brand of edgier, more provocative music, shedding her Disney star image.