Ahead of the release of Chand Mera Dil, the makers of the romantic film dropped its teaser. It marks the first video asset from the film, which stars Ananya Panday and Lakshya in the lead. Directed by Vivek Soni, Chand Mera Dil promises to be an intense love story.
The teaser opens by showcasing the passionate love shared by the protagonists, Ananya and Lakshya. The couple is seen expressing their love through moments of physical intimacy. The tone then shifts to a more serious one, hinting at a crisis in their relationship.
While the teaser reveals little about the plot, it highlights intense passion followed by an apparent emotional downfall in their relationship.
Netizens took to social media to share their reactions. Some described the film as a tamer version of Kabir Singh, while others criticised the lack of emotional depth in the teaser.
When you make a film after watching Saiyaara , Aashiqui 2 and Kabir Singh 🤡 https://t.co/yA18THppTR
Dharma has no identity left anymore. Chand Mera Dil looks like a Kabir Singh but probably a tamer version. Dharma rom-coms had their own vibes, their own voice; everything is gone. This is just sad, someone like Karan getting inspired by Vanga .
On Monday, the makers of Chand Mera Dil dropped six new posters from the film. Each poster features the lead couple and their different emotions.
The first poster features Lakshya and Ananya sitting on a bed and having a conversation. They are dressed in casual home clothes and seem very much in love. The caption that comes along with it reads, `Falling in love is easy…`
The second sees them seeking comfort in each other`s lap. While Lakshya’s character seems at ease, Ananya appears sad. The caption reads, `Growing up is not.`
The third poster sees the couple sitting in the centre of a classroom with their chairs facing each other. They seem to be lost in each other and unaware of their surroundings. The caption reads, `When life changes the syllabus.`
`When love grows faster than life` is the caption for the fourth poster, where Lakshya and Ananya can be seen walking on the street hand-in-hand.
More about Chand Mera Dil
The film has been directed by Vivek Soni, who has previously helmed films like Aap Jaisa Koi and Meenakshi Sundareshwar. It also marks a fresh pairing of Ananya Panday and Lakshya.
Chand Mera Dil will be Lakshya’s second theatrical outing after the critically acclaimed film Kill, co-starring Raghav Juyal. Last year, he also garnered attention for his performance in Ba***ds of Bollywood, the debut directorial series of Aryan Khan.
Ananya Panday, on the other hand, was last seen in the romantic film Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri, co-starring Kartik Aaryan. The film failed to perform both critically and commercially.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) are “one of the teams to beat” in the current Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, according to former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra. Chopra highlighted PBKS` potent batting unit, which is based on young Indian players, and stated that coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer are doing a good job of leading the club.
PBKS finished second in their previous season after losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the reigning champions this year. PBKS began the 2026 IPL season with two victories in their first two games before sharing a point with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) after weather caused their match to conclude in a draw.
Speaking on JioHotstar, JioStar expert Aakash Chopra said the Punjab Kings are a strong contender this season with their impressive form and the batting approach built around young Indian players.
“Punjab Kings are definitely one of the teams to beat. They were outstanding last season, reached the final, and have started this season strongly as well. What makes them different is their batting. They rely heavily on young Indian players with limited international experience, supported by overseas players, and yet it all comes together really well,” Aakash Chopra said.
Young players Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya excelled for PBKS with the bat during the IPL 2025 season, amassing 549 and 475 runs, respectively. With 604 runs during the season, captain Shreyas Iyer topped the batting charts.
Chopra praises the Iyer-Ponting duo for PBKS
Aakash Chopra further noted that while Punjab Kings` bowling isn`t exceptional, it gets the job done, and praised the leadership of Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting. He added that the team was unlucky with the abandoned match, as they likely would have backed themselves to win based on their current form.
“Their bowling isn`t extraordinary, but it`s effective, and the team is being managed brilliantly by Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting. Having said that, they`ll feel a bit hard done by with this abandoned game because on current form, they would have backed themselves to win it more often than not,” he said.
In the early 2000s, there was much anticipation around the debut of Chiranjeevi’s nephew and Allu Ramalingaiah’s grandson. At the age of 20, Allu Arjun, who was born and raised in luxuries decided to play a village boy for his big debut. While his debut or some of his other anticipated films might not have gone as planned, Arjun danced, fought, groomed and reinvented himself to superstardom nonetheless. On his 44th birthday, looking back at the five eras of his career.
Allu Arjun has been through numerous phases in his career to get to where he is today.
Trolled for his looks
Chiranjeevi is a Megastar who’s known as much for his looks as his acting skills. So when Arjun debuted in 2003 with Gangotri, he was nothing like what fans had expected. Social media didn’t exist back then, but to date, his pictures and videos from the film are cruelly used as meme material. Not because of anything other than how he looked.
Arjun, too, admitted in 2024 at an event that, despite the film being a commercial success, he didn’t get many offers. He said, “Nen ekkado chudadaniki pedda goppa ga lenu anesi naku pedda great films raledu (Gangotri was a hit, but I didn’t look great, so good films didn’t come my way).” Nobody was ready yet to bank on a diamond in the rough.
Resurrected as a lover boy
But then came Arjun’s resurrection as a lover boy with an urban character. A mathematics and physics lecturer from Kakinada was debuting as a director and could see the potential in the actor. Thus came Sukumar’s 2004 debut film, Arya, which showed the actor in a whole new light – as someone who could dance as if his life depended on it. His dance lived up to his uncle’s legacy, and his comedy, his grandfather’s.
At the film’s 20th anniversary, Arjun said, “When I watched Ravi Teja’s Idiot, I wanted to star in a cool film like that. Arya is my Idiot. I knew I could dance well, and I just wanted the opportunity to prove it. I got that with the song, Thakadhimithom.” The film ran in theatres for 125 days, became a massive hit and is much-loved even today.
Earning the Stylish Star moniker
It was not long before Arjun was starring in films like Bunny, Happy, Desamuduru, Arya 2 and Vedam – films that cemented his place as a ‘mass’ yet urban hero. His styling in these films also caught everyone’s eye. His style didn’t just capture the early 2000s cultural zeitgeist, but also earned him the moniker ‘Stylish Star’.
Arjun arrived in Tollywood, and despite competition from his contemporaries like Jr NTR, Siddharth, Prabhas, Nithiin, and Uday Kiran, and eventually from his cousin Ram Charan, the actor managed to carve out his own niche. Fans would hit the markets in hope of bagging something similar to what Arjun wore in films – be it a cool T-shirt or cargo pants.
An unintentional break and slump
Films like DJ: Duvvada Jagannadham and Sarrainodu fared well commercially in the 2010s, but there was a feeling that his films weren’t as fun as they once were. Naa Peru Surya, Naa Illu India was even panned. Arjun had an unintentional two-year gap after that before the release of Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (ALVP) in 2020. He famously said, “Gap ivvaledu… vachindi (I didn’t take a gap, it happened),” at the film’s pre-release event.
ALVP was one of the few films that year which were released before the COVID-19 pandemic hit India. The film was a commercial and critical success. Arjun had gotten his groove back. Everyone was anticipating what he would do next when he announced the film with his Arya director, Sukumar.
The birth of Icon Star
But when Pushpa: The Rise was about to be released in 2021, the sceptics wondered if Sukumar and Arjun could pull it off. The actor was playing a rural character again, this time with a Chittoor accent. Haven’t we seen how this went before? The director was also known for his sophisticated urban films. The promotional material hardly hinted at any scenes in which Arjun would get to dance, unless you counted him dragging his leg in Srivalli. His costumes were as plain-jane as they came.
And then the film hit screens, people realised Arjun was a revelation as Pushpa Raj. Thus was born the ‘Icon Star’. Even when Pushpa 2: The Rule was released in 2024 after a three-year gap, many were sceptical whether the film could live up to the first one. It did and became the highest-grossing film Tollywood had ever seen with an over ₹1800 crore worldwide haul. Arjun even donned a bright blue saree this time while dancing his way again into people’s hearts.
Arjun now has films with Atlee and Lokesh Kanagaraj lined up, in addition to one he had already committed to with Sandeep Reddy Vanga. Where Arjun’s career takes him next from here, and if he continues to define the cultural zeitgeist, is something only time can tell.
Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna reports that the White House has confirmed the US has agreed to suspend all bombing and military attacks on Iran for two weeks, provided the Strait of Hormuz re-opens for safe passage. Trump’s announcement came close to an hour before an original threatened deadline, signalling a breakthrough towards diplomacy.
Punjab Kings (PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer’s sister, Shresta Iyer, has issued a clarification after a video of her comment following the washed-out match between Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders led to reactions on social media.After the match at Eden Gardens was called off, Shresta was seen in a video saying in Punjabi, “Saade Punjabiyan da dil vadda hunda hai, lo de ditta ek point,” which translates to “Punjabis have a big heart. Take the one point.” The clip was widely shared online, with some users saying it was a remark aimed at KKR.On Tuesday evening, Shresta responded through a video on Instagram stories, saying the comment was not directed at anyone and was made in a light manner.“Guys, I don’t understand why the hatred is being spread. It’s just a game. The videos are just for fun, and I am here to support my brother. I will continue to do that. No hate for any team, it’s just a game. Everyone should take it sportingly,” said Shresta.“I understand aggression. I wasn’t trolling anybody. It was my way of celebration, and I am going to continue doing that. I am just here to say no hate for anybody. Only love is a game. We all should have fun. The rivalry should show, no matter what. There were no personal attacks, just chill. Peace out, guys,” she added.The match between Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders was affected by rain. KKR had won the toss and chose to bat, but lost Finn Allen and Cameron Green in the second over to Xavier Bartlett.Rain stopped play after 3.4 overs, and the match was later called off due to a wet outfield. Both teams shared one point. Punjab Kings moved to the top of the table with five points, while Kolkata Knight Riders opened their account and moved to eighth place, ahead of Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings.
Adivi Sesh and Mrunal Thakur’s ‘Dacoit’ is making waves in North America, with over 5,400 tickets sold for premiere shows in the USA, crossing the 100K USD mark in advance bookings. Superstar Mahesh Babu praised the trailer, calling it a ‘solid setup.’ The film, a romantic action thriller, releases April 10, 2026.
Adivi Sesh and Mrunal Thakur’s upcoming romantic action thriller ‘Dacoit’ is generating solid interest in North America even before its release. As of the latest reports, over 5,400 tickets have been booked for the premiere shows in the USA.The film has already crossed the 100K USD mark in advance bookings from 372 shows across 191 locations reportedly.
Strong pre-sales in USA for ‘Dacoit’
According to the latest update from Koimoi, ‘Dacoit’ has sold 5,486 tickets for premiere shows in the USA. The advance bookings have grossed 87.59K USD so far, and the figure has now crossed 100K USD. Canada bookings are yet to open.
Mahesh Babu’s praise for ‘Dacoit’ trailer
Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu has shown his support for the film. He recently shared the trailer on social media and wrote, “From Major to #Dacoit… great to see you push further Sesh… The Trailer is a solid setup for what’s to come. Wishing you and team the very best..”The trailer of Dacoit showcases a gripping tale of two dacoits with layered backstories, intense action sequences, and an evolving relationship. It was unveiled on April 4.Directed by Shaneil Deo, the film is set in a world where romance and high-stakes action come together. The Telugu version of the trailer was launched at a grand event in Hyderabad.
Star cast of this actioner
‘Dacoit’ stars Adivi Sesh and Mrunal Thakur in the lead roles. The supporting cast includes Anurag Kashyap, Prakash Raj, Sunil, Atul Kulkarni, Zayn Marie Khan, and Kamakshi Bhaskarla. It is scheduled to release in theatres on April 10, 2026.DISCLAIMER: The box office numbers and the data in this article are compiled from public and industry sources. All figures are approximate unless explicitly mentioned, offering a fair representation of the movie’s box office performance. These totals may change as official studio data is updated or as additional international market reports are finalized. This data is provided by us for informational and entertainment purposes only.
Saw what Vaibhav Sooryavanshi did on Tuesday in Guwahati? It was an IPL night that rain threatened to swallow whole. But the weather gods eventually blinked, retreating just enough to permit an 11-over-per-side shootout between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals. Scorecard | Highlights
The Barsapara Stadium was brimming with anticipation. The fans braved the rain, they stayed for one of the much-awaited battles of the IPL 2026 season. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stood 22 yards away from Jasprit Bumrah for the first time in his life. It was a teenage phenomenon staring down a generational titan. The world’s best fast bowler.
The result? Sixes. The teenager hit the veteran for sixes.
Deja vu? Have you heard this story before? Well, let’s go back some 37 years.
For those who have only seen Sachin Tendulkar’s assault on Abdul Qadir from 1989 Peshawar in that grainy YouTube video, Guwahati felt like its high-definition echo.
ECHOES FROM PESHAWAR
The world knew Sachin was special. Mumbai knew first, then India, then the globe. But what announced him as an unstoppable force of nature was that one seismic over in Peshawar. It was December 16, 1989. Days after he had enthralled Karachi, Faisalabad, Lahore, and Sialkot in his maiden Test series, Tendulkar did something that left the cricketing world in a state of holy awe: he dismantled one of the greatest spinners of all time, Abdul Qadir, for four sixes in a single over.
It is a story I have lived with. Whenever I discussed Tendulkar with the elders in my family, they would invariably return to that maiden tour of Pakistan. My father, one of the fiercest devotees of Qadir’s legendary bowling action, often recalled the story with a mix of reverence and the scarred memories of a fanboy. The 16-year-old schoolkid hadn’t just played his favourite spinner; he had tonked him into the history books.
Make no mistake. This wasn’t a patronising Abdul Qadir tossing up lollipops to a schoolboy. This was the wily old fox, plotting, baiting, and bowling with the same venom that had tied down some of the greatest batters of all-time, bowled a maiden over to Kris Srikkanth earlier in that match.
Qadir wasn’t offering a lesson. He was seeking a scalp. Sachin simply didn’t care. Down the ground. Lofted. High. The first two over long-on and mid-wicket, followed by an inside-out masterpiece over extra cover.
It was a 20-over game born from the wreckage of a rain-washed ODI. Because the Peshawar stands were bursting at the seams, an exhibition was organised – 20 overs of pure theater. India were chasing 158. They fell agonisingly short, but the result was a footnote to the arrival of a King. Sachin’s 18-ball 53 changed everything. Yes, 18 balls. 53 runs. Read that again.
Tendulkar began by taking apart Mushtaq Ahmed, then just 19. The senior legend, Qadir, couldn’t resist the challenge. He dared the boy to come after him.
History offers two versions: Tendulkar claimed Qadir challenged him to “hit the veteran” instead of the kid. But, Qadir later told India Today he encouraged the boy to hit him so he could make a name for himself. Regardless of the intent, Qadir was plotting a dismissal with every delivery. Instead, he got whacked into silence.
BACK TO THE PRESENT
Fast forward to the humid air of Guwahati, 2026. The weapon of choice had changed from leg-spin to 145 clicks of pure, awkward intensity.
Jasprit Bumrah stood at the top of his mark, the most feared closer in the history of the format. Opposite him stood Vaibhav, a boy whose age sounds more like a shirt size than a birth year. In an 11-over shootout, there is no time for “sighter” balls. But even then, what followed was a subversion of the natural order.
Bumrah started with a rare error: a length ball that strayed into the hittable zone. For any other batter, the sheer weight of Bumrah’s reputation usually acts as a force field; they stutter, they mistime, they respect the name even when the ball deserves none.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi did not care for the name. He treated the world’s best pacer like a net bowler, launching him with clinical disdain over long-on for six.
The stadium fell into a vacuum of disbelief. Bumrah, usually a stoic assassin, could only offer a wry, disbelieving smile. You don’t do that to Bumrah. You don’t do that at 15.
The master adjusted. Attempting to squeeze the life out of the prodigy, Bumrah went to his bag of tricks: a deceptive slower ball, banged in hard and targeting Vaibhav’s hips. It was a ball designed to cramp, to deceive, to humble. But Vaibhav read the length quicker than a math equation. He stayed back, held his shape, and with a terrifyingly calm flick of the wrists, lofted it over deep square leg for another towering six.
The cameras found Jasprit Bumrah again. The smile was still there, but it had changed. It was the smile of someone who knows he’s just seen something rare. It was, perhaps, the look Abdul Qadir might have worn in Peshawar: the fleeting acknowledgement of a master confronted by something unexpectedly fearless.
“He (Vaibhav) set him up. We have seen Bumrah set up batters so many times. But, here, he sets up Bumrah to bowl that slower ball and then hits him for another six. It’s brilliant,” Anil Kumble said, capturing the rare inversion at play.
FEARLESS NEW ORDER
Vaibhav’s 39 off 14 was more than a cameo. It was ‘main character’ energy personified. Just as Sachin’s assault on Qadir proved that age is a secondary metric to genius, Vaibhav’s takedown of Bumrah signaled a shift in the hierarchy of the sport.
In an era of manufactured stars, this was raw, unscripted, terrifying greatness.
Guwahati, like Peshawar before it, became the site of a rare sporting miracle: the exact moment a legend realises he is no longer the most dangerous man in the stadium.
It is not that Vaibhav has not smashed the best in the world before, but the world was waiting to see how he would fare against Bumrah, the best of the best. Eventually, he made a statement that should be heard loud and clear in the BCCI headquarters. This was a message to the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee: put him on the flight to England for the bilateral T20I series immediately after the IPL. Do not wait any longer; realise that age is just a number when the talent is this transcendent.
Netflix is set to premiere Glory on May 1, a first-of-its-kind sports thriller that steps into the ring with a story fuelled by revenge, ambition, a murder mystery, and a dysfunctional family. Set against the gritty, high-stakes world of boxing, the series dives into the brutal ecosystem.
The story, set in the heartland of Haryana, begins with the mysterious death of Nihal Singh, India’s hope for an Olympic boxing medal. As ambition collides with rage and revenge takes over, Glory unravels a volatile web of relationships, power, and betrayal where the fight for glory is as personal as it is dangerous.
Dev and Ravi, both emotionally layered characters, are navigating through life-altering circumstances. Their journey is anything but easy because “glory demands tyaag, balidaan aur kasht” (sacrifice, loss and suffering).
The power-packed cast features Divyenndu, Pulkit Samrat, Suvinder Vicky, Jannat Zubair, Ashutosh Rana, Sikandar Kher, Kunal Thakur, Sayani Gupta, Yashpal Sharma and Kashmira Pardeshi.
Divyendu reflects on his character
Opening up about the intensity of portraying Devinder Singh, Divyenndu shares, “Here, glory doesn’t come from pride; it comes from anger and something deeply personal. Dev isn’t in the ring, but everything around it shapes him. That’s what makes him so unpredictable. This has been one of my most nuanced characters. He is tough and impulsive, wears his heart on his sleeve, and loves and hates with the same intensity. There’s a lot of pain there, but also a kind of restraint… and somehow, he never loses his humour, which speaks to the character’s grounding in the region. Working with Karan Anshuman for the second time was special — he pushes you into uncomfortable spaces and never lets you take the easy route with a character.”
Pulkit Samrat talks about his character
Reflecting on his character, Pulkit Samrat says, “What pulled me into Glory was the truth of that world—it’s tough, it’s unforgiving, and that’s what makes it beautiful, because every win matters and every step is earned. Ravi doesn’t react, he absorbs—calm on the outside, fire within—and that space between control and breaking is where real strength is built. Playing him reminded me that greatness is about showing up again and again, even when it hurts, because champions are made in everything they survive. Grateful for this journey—this is just a glimpse.”
Speaking about his role, Suvinder Vicky shares, “Raghubir Singh is not just a coach, he’s a man who has built his entire life around discipline. His world doesn’t allow for weakness, and neither does he. What fascinated me most was his silence. He doesn’t say much, but everything he does is rooted in years of grit, sacrifice, and an unshakable belief in what boxing stands for. There’s a quiet authority in that stillness. For Coach Raghubir, glory isn’t emotional, it’s earned through routine, through pain, through showing up every single day. The ring isn’t just a place for him; it’s a way of life… almost an obsession that supersedes everything else.”
Created by Karan Anshuman and Karmanya Ahuja, and produced by Mohit Shah and Anshuman under the Atomic Films banner, Glory is written by Anshuman, Ahuja, and Vaibhav Vishal, and directed by Karan Anshuman and Kanishk Varma—marking the banner’s push for bold, distinctive storytelling in entertainment.
The bell rings on Netflix when Glory steps into the ring on May 1.
The Indian Rupee is likely trade in a narrow range near 93 per dollar, supported by the central bank-spurred unwinding of arbitrage positions, while lingering risks of a further flare-up in the Iran war are expected to cap upside.
Traders reckon that the Reserve Bank of India will likely step in to avert a sharp slide in the rupee against the US dollar. (PTI)
Following three sessions of heightened volatility—including one in which rupee swung in a three-rupee range—Monday saw relatively calmer trading, with the currency confined to a roughly 30-paise band.
The price action has led bankers to believe that the rupee may have found a near-term equilibrium around the 93-per-dollar level, after extreme uncertainty over the fallout from the Reserve Bank of India’s steps to support the currency.
The rupee has managed a “respectable” recovery from the 95 level with RBI backing, and the market “will now assess how sustainable this is”, a currency trader at a private sector bank said.
Position unwinding by banks through the week should “in a way” help the rupee hold near 93, though the Iran war-related risk premiums are likely to limit a further up move, he said.
Trump rhetoric on Iran war
The rupee remains vulnerable to any escalation in the conflict, which could push oil prices further higher.
US President Donald Trump warned that Iran could be “taken out” if it misses his Tuesday night deadline to reach a deal, threatening to rain “hell” on Tehran unless it agrees by 8:00 pm EDT on Tuesday (5:30 am IST Wedneday) to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“Overall, our continued assessment is that the path towards peace is narrow and unlikely, given the wide gap in expectations among the different parties in this war,” MUFG Bank said.
Brent crude contract for June delivery climbed to $111 on Tuesday.
Pop star Katy Perry‘s romance with former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau is going strong and the singer has no qualms showing off her beau on social media. Perry sent fans into a tizzy after sharing a loved-up picture with Trudeau, accompanied by her song ‘Legendary Lovers’. She even picked the lyrics of the love track for her caption that read, “Never knew karma could be so rewarding.”
Katy Perry shares pic with beau Justin Trudeau
The post, which quickly went viral, showed the two twinning in all-black attire, joint at the hip as they posed together for photos. The post also included images from the singer’s camera reel that included candid photos from her day out, to an image of her daughter, Daisy Dove Bloom and an image of herself ripping off her prosthetic face makeup. Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau’s romanceWhile Katy and Justin have not spoken publicly about their relationship, the two wasted no time in making their romance Instagram official. The couple, who went public with their relationship last year, have not shied away from posting their photos together.Trudeau and Perry first sparked dating rumours when they were spotted dining out together in July 2025 during the singer’s tour in Montreal. The former PM was hard to miss in his front-row seat at her concert the next day, which he attended with his daughter.Katy and Justin make romance Instagram officialAfter multiple spottings, the two made their first appearance as a couple at Perry’s birthday party in Paris in October 2025. They later made the relationship Instagram official in December 2025 when the singer posted photos of the two of them together in Japan. Since then, Justin has become a regular on Katy’s feed.When not cuddling up for photos, the two are at their goofy best, making funny faces while posing for candid clicks. Katy Perry’s past relationshipsPerry was previously married to comedian Russell Brand from 2010 to 2012. She was in a long-term relationship with actor Orlando Bloom for about 10 years. The two got engaged in 2019 and welcomed their daughter in 2020, before announcing their breakup in July 2025.Justin Trudeau’s past relationshipsJustin who parted ways with his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, on August 2, 2023, after 18 years of marriage, is father to two kids – Xavier Trudeau and daughter Ella-Grace.
