Chinmaya Mission Houston (CMH) became a beacon of spiritual celebration. -- PAGE 3
Amazing Masala Holi with Nora Fatehi: Massive Crowd, Mast Fun!
Houston: In the aftermath of Maha Khumbh Mela…Holi revelers witnessed the largest IndoAmerican gathering in Clutch City at HOUSTON HOLI on SAT MAR 1 2025 at BH Ranch presented by Masala Radio 98.7 FM. “The Ranch looked like a colorful Bollywood Set!” exclaimed many while taking pics under a 30 foot entry of cascading mirrored Rajasthani umbrellas and tassels.
The last-minute addition of special guest Nora Fatehi sparked fire in the community, “Nora Fatehi happened to be in the US this week for a late night show interview and was enthralled to do her first ever Holi appearance.” God blessed the event with perfect 77-degree weather, and just enough sun to dry the pichkari soakings! “Amazing Holi – no one can do this but Masala!”
“Organization-Layout-DécorEntertainment-Street Foods-Free Kids Rides – cannot see this anywhere but Houston Holi.” “Holi is so inclusive as the differences of race, religion, skin color are completely obliterated amongst a rainbow of color powder, confetti tornados, and blossoming color smoke grenades.” Comments like these poured in.
The highlight was Nora Fatehi entrance in the midst of a happily screaming, hand-outreaching crowd. She blasted color extinguighers and smoke grenades while fresstyle dancing to her latest “Snake” (song with Jason Derula), “Dilbar” and a encore of one of her hottest hits “Garmi.” She extended her hands to connect with countless super charged fans.
Nora is an international star and inspiration for millions - a Canadian-Moroccan singer and dancer whose sheer magnitude of talent and determination made it big in Bollywood. When Sunil T teased her doubting her ability to speak Hindi, she bellowed in true Mumbai style “Areee, mein thumse achi Hindi bolti hun!’
Under a 25 ft tall x 50 ft wide stage rocked a record number of non-stop Bollywood dances performances from 11-1 featuring Any1 Can Dance, Spotlight Dance Studio, Sandya Dance Studio, Synergy Dance Studio, Aditi’s Bollywood Dance Sensation, Khooshboo Dance Studio, Kathak Nritya Kala Kendra, Arya Dance, Etheria Dance Studio, Katy Bollywood Dance Academy, Dhadak School of Performing Arts, Infused Performing Arts, Yuva Dance, India Waale Dance, Swathi Dance Group, ParDesi Pulse and Mayura Dance Academy. Next Sunl T introduced local politicians and sponsors as they prepared for the grand Holi Pooja with Maharaj Hardik Raval from Shiv Shakti Mandir officiating & invoking blessings for all event attendees. From the actual Maha Kumbh Mela Sunil and Sand-
hya brought back Triveni Sangam Ganga Jal which was distributed by the thousands at the Vadtal Dham Mandir booth. Elected Officials included Sugar Land City Council members Naushad Kermally And Carol McCutcheon (both running along with William Ferguson in for Mayor in May), Fort Bend Cnty Commissioner Andy Meyers, represenatives from Pct3 Constable Ali Sheikhani, and TX State Rep Dr Suleman Lalani, Entrepreneurs were recognized for keeping such a large production event available at low cost beginning with Title Sponsors Ramji Law Group & Majestic Developers. Platinum Sponsors included: Sheikhani Group, Amir Dodiya Wealth Preservation & Strategies, Artex Sign & Graphics, Neptune Imports, Know Your
Lingo, and Tara Capital. Bob’s Lounge kept everyone hydrated giving away10,000 bottles of water. Almost 80 individual sponsors came to receive and give blessings on the auspicious occasion of Holi the resounding victory of Good over Evil.
Hard core Holi Revelers flocked to the jam packed stage to dance in a frenzy to the nonstop Color Raves & Battle of the DJs featuring (in order of appearance): DJ Tazmayne “White Guy playing Brown Music” with his annual epic crowd surfing, DJ Kalki “South Side” “Tollywood Fanatic”, DJ Nishad “DJ turned Hero”, DJ Rakib & Dj Boyd “Bombay to Goa” resident DJs @ Bob’s Lounge, Sandeep Sulhan DJ & Dholi “Bhangra Master known to perform with
Young families escaped the crowds entering a lakeside kids zone filled with bubbles, breezy colorful pennants, and free kides rides by Keemat Grocers. New instant hit this year was the Free Cotton Candy booth! Parents relaxed in covered gazebos and tents while kids balanced colorful cotton candy as they raced between the Pirate’s Adventure, Spiderman Giant Obstacle Course, and the Train Rides.
55 Crazy Masala Crew turned this 16th Annual Houston Holi Festival of Colors into one of the smoothest ever! Office Management: Rinku, Jigisha, Vyoma, Aahil, Nilesha, Vidya & Badal. Event Logistics: Ruchir, Ninad, Sohail, & Naila. Stage: Mehran, Suji, Dilip, Preanka, Bhavisha, Josh, Nikhil, Sandeep, Eesha, Sofia, Sahil T, Vinay, Harshin, Alkesh & Jyotsana. Radio Jockeys: Anish, Amit, Ina & Swati. Volunteers: Simran T & Priyanshi. Ticketing Rishita, Abhishek, Varalakshmi, Abhishruth, Priya, Santhosh, Bharadwaj, Victor, Romit. Parking: Surya, Nitin, Krishna, Rahul, Sudheer, Prudhvi. Info: Shivangi & Bindi. Kids Rides Nikhtha, Chitra, Sravani. Ruchira & Santhosh. Photo & Video: Gaurav Hariyant Studios, Joshua Escalante, Aman Amin. Photos & Videos on HoustonHoli.com / Facebook & Instagram Houston Holi and MasalaRadio 98.7FM.
Special recognition for an emerging talent in Houston, Aahil Virani, videographer and editor, who has given Masala Radio 98.7 FM and Houston Holi a paradigm shift as seen in the upscaled their social media platforms. His past work includes the music video Mubarak Ho Salgirah which crossed 1.3 million views on YouTube, and collaboration with Indian rap star Rob C. and Salim-Sulaiman’s label, Merchant Records. Beyond music videos, Aahil plays a key role at Masala Radio 98.7FM, managing screen production for Houston Holi and Diwali establishing recognition nationally for his creativity, technical skills, and ability to handle large-scale productions with precision.
RDB,” Each DJ blasted a unique mix to keep the crowding dancing for 3 hours. Between sets Sunil T created crazy contests for sponsors to give away dozens of AIrPods and even Iphones straight into the crowds. Adding glamour between DJ sets was larger than life St. Stephens Kerala Drummers, Singer & Violinist Reeva Varghese and dancers Neha Shetty & Melissa. Escaping the Jam-packed crowds in the main stage area, the Indian Street Foods Court were brimming with the khushboo of garlic, onions, and Indian spices. From left to right, Desi District belted out Ragada Pani Puri, Dosas, Vada, Hakka Noodles, Jalebi, and Chikoo Shake. Madhuram Mirch Masala featured their famous Raj Kachori Chaat, Pav Bhaji, & Pakoras, Honest attracted long lines for their grilled KGF Sandwiches, Dabeli, Raj Kachori, Manchurian with Veg Fried Rice, and Vada Pao. Desi Delight offered amazing Biryani, Paneer Tikka Masala Wraps, Chow Mein & Hakka Noodles, Samosas & Spring Rolls. Paneer Makhani, Jay Bhavani featured their award winning Vada Pav, Pav Bhaji, Chole Bhature, Paneer Tikka Pasta and Mango Lassi, and newbie Hashtag India hit the market with a bang with their Dosas, Pooris, Gobi 65, Veg Manchurian, and Onion Samosas. . Honest Restaurant was the exclusive caterer for the VIP section with their grilled mini Paneer Sandwiches, Pani Puri, Jaljeera Coolers and Chai.
New President Uma Dama Discusses Ekal Houston, Donor Engagement
By JuHi Varma
Houston: Nonprofit Ekal’s success in educating and empowering underprivileged children in India wouldn’t be possible without its committed leaders. Uma Dama, who became president of Ekal’s Houston chapter in October 2024, spoke with us about the organization and its current and upcoming initiatives.
Inspired by Ekal’s mission, Uma ji joined the organization in 2021 and soon took on the role of product development lead.
“I became a volunteer right off the bat,” Uma ji said in an interview. “After the first six months I was offered a role of the new product development lead, and I said ‘yes’ immediately.”
An IT professional, Uma ji said she was glad to use her skills to develop products that would help sustain Ekal’s ongoing initiatives.
Meet Uma Dama Uma Ji grew up in Hyderabad and moved to the U.S. in 2001 for her studies. She earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of South Carolina.
“I’m the first girl from my mother’s side that passed 10th grade, and I am the only girl child on my father’s side that left India for her education and only one to carry a master’s degree,” she said. “Education, especially women’s education, is very close to my heart.”
Uma ji married her high school sweetheart, Dipu Kakumani, in 2006. They have two children Abhay and Anjali, in 11th and 8th grade respectively.
After spending many years in Portland, Oregon, the family relocated to the Houston area in 2013 and now resides in Sugar Land. She is also a dedicated advocate
for women in tech, frequently speaking at conferences and earning recognition through award nominations.
Legacy Giving and Ekal Yuva Udaan
Like most nonprofits, Ekal relies on donations and fundraising efforts to sustain its programs and services.
“Towards the end of 2022, we launched a legacy giving program,” Uma ji said. “It’s a platform to incorporate Ekal into people’s wills or trusts.”
Legacy giving or planned giving is a way for individuals to make long-term contributions and leave a lasting impact. Legacy gifts can come in various forms and help ensure the continued support and growth of Ekal’s mission.
Find out more about Ekal’s planned giving program here
In an effort to nurture long-term relationships with donors, Uma ji has introduced Ekal Yuva Udaan (which translates to Ekal Youth Wings).
People join Ekal at different stages of their lives, she said— some are introduced to the organization in high school or college,
while others discover it later in their careers, after starting families and raising children of their own. The goal of the program is to develop engagement strategies that are tailored to each life stage.
“I am currently working to mobilize this program across Ekal chapters globally,” Uma ji said.
About Ekal
Ekal operates 83,340 schools across India.
These schools provide basic education to children in remote and underserved areas, often where access to formal schooling is limited or non-existent. The Ekal schools complement government schools, working together to support each other’s efforts.
The Ekal Women Empowerment Centers teach women skills such as tailoring, enabling them to become economically independent and support their families. To date, these centers have trained over 23,000 villagers across more than 100 locations.
Ekal USA, which operates 65
New Trustees Announced by India House
Houston: Dr. Manish Rungta has been elected as Trustee of India House with unanimous approval of the Active Directors who have voted by emails.
Mrs. Nalini Mathur has agreed to be a Trustee after the passing of her husband Dr. Virendra Mathur and as per bylaws has now become a Trustee of India House for the remainder of Dr. Virendra Mathur’s term and she shall be eligible for re-election as usual.
The mission of India House is to unite cultures, create bridges, and help the community by bringing resources, education, services, and Indian culture to Houstonians.
Indo American News
Founder: dr. K.L. sindwani
PuBLisHer: JawaHar maLHotra
editor: Pramod KuLKarni
CorresPondent: sanCHaLi Basu
®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher. Deadline for advertising and articles is 4 pm on Monday of each week. Please include self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of all unsolicited material. Published at 7457 Harwin Drive, Suite 212, Houston, Texas 77036.Tel:713-789-6397, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com, website:
Uma Dhama
chapters nationwide, including six in Texas, mobilizes thousands of
volunteers across the country. Its primary focus is fundraising.
Manish Rungta
Nalini Mathur
Intl Women’s Day at the Consulate Club 24 Visits Indian Doctors Clinic
CG DC Manjunath (center) with speakers at the International Women’s Day celebration at the Indian Consulate in Houston.
Houston: The Consulate General of India celebrated International Women’s Day on Monday, March 10 with a discussion with five successful women in different endeavors. Political commentataor, author and columnist Sunanda Vashist moderated a discussion on the women’s journeys, challenges and triumphs.
The panelists were Dr. Suparna Chibber, MDVIP Physician, Wellness and CHEF coach; Kavya Manyapu, Exploration Spacesuit Lead with NASA, Indira Vishnapet, Senior Vuce President, XTVIA, Inc, Dr. Sunanda Nair with Kalashree, and Lena Ku-
mar, actress and author. CG Manjunath and visiting Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, Lt. Gen. Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik (retired) congratulated the women on their accomplishments and for uplifting the spirit of women everywhere.
A similar observance took place in Dallas through the India Association of North Texas. At the meeting, speakers highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s social media posts in celebration of International Women’s Day. Also highlighted the Government’s theme of “Stronger Her, Healthier Future”.
Houston: On Saturday March 1st “Club24 Plus” Members visited IDCC Clinic located inside GSH event center. This visit was organized by Club24 Founding Member Ashok Garg, who is also on the Board
The objective of the event was to spread the awareness in the community that “Primary Care” and “EYE Care” services are available to the Houston area community at large “FREE”, including Blood Work.
Dr. Swati Joglekar, an IDCC Board member, welcomed Club24 members and introduced IDCC President K.C. Mehta to give a brief history of IDC Clinic.
Clinic was started in 1998-1999 and has completed 25 years of community service. KC joined the IDCC Board in 2006 worked with four volunteer doctors as a medical director of the Clinic. Dr. Sunita Moonat, First President/medical Director. Dr. Rakesh Mangal. Dr. K.T.Shah , Dr. Kiran Gandhi. Under the leadership of
Dr. Ravi Chundru an EYE clinic was started with $20,000 eye equipment to IDCC. KC also explained the Clinic’s sources of funding -- once a year letter writing campaign, community support, organization such IDA, IACF, Spring Branch Rotary Club, and individual donors. Clinic yearly budget is around $70,000. Clinic spends on an average $50/ patients for lab work. Clinic does not have a fundraising event every year.
Dr. Anil Sheth gave an operational overview of the clinic and then Ashok Garg, the founder of the Club 24 to introduce the members and explain the Objective & Goal of Club 24. The Club’s membership consists of active business owners, professionals, and community leaders. who are interested in understanding and participating in Community related activities. Club 24 members continue to thrive and give back to the city that has been the cornerstone of their success. Current President Juhi Ahuja presented donation a check of $10,000 to the IDCC.
Group picture with Club 24 Members and President Mrs. Juhi Ahuja and IDCC President Mr. K.C. Mehta and IDCC Board members.
An Uplifting Mahasivaratri in Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya
Houston: On February 25, 2025, Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya at Chinmaya Mission Houston (CMH) became a beacon of spiritual celebration when the Greater Houston Hindu community gathered to celebrate Maha Sivaratri.
Maha Sivaratri, the sacred night dedicated to Bhagavan Siva, is celebrated annually according to the Chaturdashi of the lunar month of Phalguna or Magha. It is a profound occasion that embodies the reverence for Bhagavan Siva, the infinite auspicious substratum for all existence. This year, it was also the day when the Maha Kumbha Mela was successfully concluded
in the holy city of Prayagraj in India.
Under the guidance of the temple priest, Sri Ganesh Satyanarayana, the morning began with the soul-stirring Mahanyasa Purvaka Rudrabhiseka performed with the melodious and powerful chanting of Sri Rudram – Chamakam and Namakam. The evening followed with the Laghunyasa Purvaka Ekadasa Rudrabhiseka that was serene yet energizing for all the hundreds of devotees who were pouring into the temple. Throughout the day, the Sivalaya resonated with the continuing vibrations of the holy chants of Sri Rudram, uplifting the spirits of all present. Across the courtyard of the main
temple too, in Chinmaya Smrti hall, the devotees experienced an intimate connection with divinity. Surrounded by tranquillity and meditative chants, families performed Rudrabhisheka in a collective worship which brought generations together in a heartfelt celebration full of faith.
As the most auspicious night unfolded, the Sivalaya crowned with the majestic Sivalinga glowed with radiant lights, drawing devotees up its steps and into an atmosphere filled with profound spiritual energy. The orchestra ensemble from Bala Vihar rendered a performance of bhajans, enveloping the temple in an aura of divine bliss. After the puja, at-
tendees embraced an hour of serene, silent meditation, allowing them to reflect and connect deeply with their inner selves.
An inspiring midnight Aarti followed, bringing the day’s rituals and worship to a fulfilling end. This sacred conclusion offered a sense of peace and renewal, a welcome respite from the demands of daily life.
The Maha Sivaratri celebrations came to a meaningful close on March 1st with the Maha Mrtyunjaya Homa. Devotees chanted the Mrtyunjaya Mantra 108 times, invoking blessings for the physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing of their loved ones. The powerful spiritual energy from the Homa as well
as the repeated recitation of the Mrtyunjaya mantra revitalized the devotees leaving a profound sense of inner peace and unity. Like all the years past, the entire week of Maha Sivaratri at Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya transformed the premises of Chinmaya Prabha into a hub of holy worship and deep prayers for all humanity. Hari Om! For more information about Chinmaya Mission Houston, Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya and its activities please visit www.chinmayahouston.org, www.saumyakasi. org or call temple 281 568 1690 or Jay Deshmukh 832 541 0059 or Bharati Sutaria 281-933-0233
Photos by Rajesh Thatte
By uJwaLa BHat
Houston Watch Party for Champions Win
Houston: A watch party, hosted by the Open Forum Radio team at the Indian Summer restaurant, enjoyed the dramatic win against New Zealand by the Indian cricket team at the final last Sunday in Dubai. The room exploded with cheers when Ravindra Jadeja scored the winning four. Until then, there were numerous tense moments as India had never won against New Zealand in the finals of international tournaments.
Indian Summer owner Rajan Radhakrishnan and his staff had arranged for a breakfast of vada sambar and upma when the match had started at 4 am Houston time. Subsequently, the watch party celebrated the win with a full lunch of delicacies such as chicken curry, lemon rice and gulab jamun.
Open Forum RJs Subhodh Bhuchar, Jagat Kamdar, Smriti Singh, Ramesh Anand and Phenil Shah thanked the watch party for
their enthusiastic response despite the fact that the event was organized at a very late stage. Open Forum had hosted a similar watch party at Indian Summer last year for the World Cup T20 final in New York.
Star batter Virat Kohli believes India have a squad that is ready to take on the world for the next eight years. Captain Rohit Sharma also revealed that he is not yet ready to retire, despite rumors.
Major League TT in Katy
Texas Smash players with local fans including Jyoti
Jayant and Kanchan Kabad
the first row at left. Photos by Jyoti
Katy: Major League Table Tennis league is currently in its second season. The league held a series of matches in Katy at the Merrell Center.
There are eight teams in the league with Texas Smash in the West division. The team includes Indian players Nandan Naresh and Jeet Chandra. The Portland Paddlers featured Nikhil Kumar. Texas Smash won the Sunday matchup. For additional information, visit MLTT.com
Match between Porland Paddlers (green uniform) against Texas Smash (red and blue uniform).
Kulkarni,
(second row, right). Team owner Mahesh Joshi is kneeling in
Kulkarni
EDUCATION
Cambridge Scholar from Yale
new HaVen, Ct: Yale College
senior Naina Agrawal-Hardin is among 35 U.S. scholars who have been selected to be part of the 2025 class of Gates Cambridge Scholars, a postgraduate scholarship program that provides full tuition toward study and research in any subject at the University of Cambridge.
The U.S. scholars, along with 65 recipients from across the world who will be announced in April, will begin their studies this fall, joining nearly 200 other scholars already in residence at the U.K. university.
Agrawal-Hardin, who is studying how the effects of climate change are being litigated globally, will pursue a Master of Philosophy degree in the field of Anthropocene studies, with a focus on how climate change projections have historically been received by a wide range of actors, including within government, the fossil fuel sector, and the general public.
“My research will inform the emerging field of transnational climate litigation and sharpen debates about the distribution of responsibility for today’s climate crisis,” she said.
Agrawal-Hardin, who is from Ann Arbor, Michigan, has been part of several research projects as a Yale student. In the summer of 2023, with support from Yale Law School, she worked with research teams at New York University (NYU) Law School and the University of Oxford to study international climate change litigation.
Last summer, with support from the Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs, she conducted a research project on prospects for climate litigation in the Maldives, an archipelago off the southwestern coast of India, traveling to the country to learn about island ecologies and local environmental advocacy.
She has also served as an intern at Earthjustice, a U.S. nonprofit law firm that specializes in environmental litigation, where she learned more about domestic climate cases.
Her research in the Maldives confirmed an interest in expanding her horizons globally, Agrawal-Hardin said. This, along with an interest in better understanding advances in climate litigation in the U.K. and Europe, informed her decision to pursue the M.Phil. degree in Anthropocene studies at Cambridge. That the course is also based in the university’s Department of Geography, which will be a new discipline for her, was also appealing.
“It will mean I will learn a new way of thinking and, combined with my background in history, it will allow me to grow as a scholar,” she said.
The Gates Cambridge Scholars program was established in 2000 through a $210 million donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Since the first class in 2001, it has awarded 2,218 scholarships to scholars from 112 countries.
Save Smart, Prosper Strong Year of the Snake Special CD rates!
new deLHi: The weakening rupee has started impacting Indian corporates that have gone for foreign currency borrowings, compounding concerns at a time when trade wars and economic slowdown are casting a shadow over global growth prospects. The five per cent depreciation in the rupee since April 2024 has directly increased the rupee equivalent of debt repayment for companies relying on external commercial borrowings (ECBs) by the same percentage, pinching the corporate sector.
Naina Agrawal-Hardin
ENTERTAINMENT
‘Nadaaniyan’ : A Rambling Love Story
By renuKa VyaVaHare
Story: To win over her best friends and wriggle out of a sticky situation, poor little rich girl Pia Jaisingh (Khushi Kapoor) convinces her new classmate, a career-driven Arjun Mehta (Ibrahim Ali Khan) to be her rental boyfriend. The Instagram love story looks perfect on reels until things get real between the two.
Review: You can predict this story as soon as it begins. It follows the tropes of any teen romance. Pia offers Rs 25K a week to Arjun, an aspiring lawyer to get him to pretend as her boyfriend. She’s a wealthy Delhi girl; he’s from Greater Noida. He thinks love is a distraction, she thinks her world revolves around love. Her family’s patriarchal, his parents are liberal. Despite the differences, the two make a deal. She soft launches him on her socials before the big reveal. What happens when the two catch feelings?
doesn’t yield the expected impact.
We get that the film doesn’t intend to be a thought-provoking piece of cinema but a breezy glamorous chick-flick cum teen campus romance with sweet K-drama feels.
Relationships aren’t as dreamy as they seem on social media. They take effort, communication and patience. Modern love’s biggest dilemma, our obsession to document everything virtually but inability to communicate our feelings IRL (in real life), lies at the heart of the story. The thought is relevant, and director Shauna Gautam doesn’t sexualise her story, which is refreshing. The patriarchal mindset in wealthy families is a pertinent point that gets skimmed through. Despite the potential, the storytelling and emotions in Nadaaniyan are as shallow and filtered as beautified Instagram posts. Nothing feels real and the dialogues barely scratch the surface. Scenes seem random with no connect and the lead cast’s wobbly performance
But, even this light-hearted genre can create binge worthy narratives like ‘Never Have I Ever’ or ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ did.
Ananya Panday starrer Call me Bae, also written and created by Ishita Moitra (co-writer here) and backed by the same makers had more heart and heft. Nadaaniyan could have perhaps worked better as a series with more time to build characters and their backstories. As a film, it makes you feel nothing. The story moves in a haphazard manner and lacks direction. This takes away from scenes that could have been emotionally charged. What stands out the most in this film are its end credits, where photos of every artist (not just actors) can be seen along with their names. This is a great initiative.
Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh’s son Ibrahim Ali Khan, makes a
pleasant acting debut here. He is easy on the eyes and likeable. We are not sure if his voice was dubbed, but something doesn’t feel organic about the sound. There’s something inherently earnest about Khushi, but beyond working on her acting skills, she needs to loosen up a bit and get comfortable on camera. You sense discomfort and stiffness in her body language. As the quintessential ditzy rich girl, who has more to her than her virtual fame, the newcomer struggles to portray Pia’s inner turmoil.
Suniel Shetty, Mahima Chaudhry, Dia Mirza and Jugal Hansraj bring in that much needed sincerity, but their parts don’t hold much meaning in the bigger scheme of things. The idea of resurrecting Archana Puran Singh’s Miss Braganza character (from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai) falls flat as well.
Sonam Kapoor and Ananya Panday, who often get trolled for their privilege as nepo babies, turned that criticism around cleverly through their portrayal of characters in Aisha and Call me Bae.
Kareena Kapoor’s Poo from K3G too was likeable despite its frothy exterior. Nadaaniyan deserved that sort of central character and performance. While Khushi and Ibrahim look good together, there’s no rush of emotions around first love or fiery chemistry between them. Without these elements, this sweet but rambling situationship doesn’t quite land up. -- ToI
Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.
Send us the correct answer before March 18, 2025. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Please send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.
Solution Next Week
Recent Winners
Kumud Athavale, Krishna R. Vuddagiri, Sanchali Basu, Prabha Barvalia, Ramana Vadrevu, Yudhveer Bagga, Arup Gupta, Pranav Sharma, Jawahar Khandheria, Chetana Naghate, Sahiti Palle, Lorena Galvan
