'THE AFRICAN IN ME ALWAYS WANTS TO CELEBRATE AFRO MUSIC AND DANCE,' SAYS NORA

MUMBAI, (IANS)

Actress-dancer Nora Fatehi and Nigerian singing sensation Rema set the stage on fire during his performance in Mumbai.

Rema aka Divine Ikubor's much hyped three city debut tour of India has kicked off.

Nora jammed with Rema on Guru Randhawa's 'Dance Meri Rani' which is also India's very first Afrobeats song. Prior to taking to the stage the duo exchanged pleasantries in the vanity van about their mutual love for Indian and African culture and music and their individual contribution to the Afrobeats industry.

The 23-year-old Nigerian superstar sported outfits by Manish Malhotra on stage and also waved the Indian flag.

Nora said: "Rema's show was truly spectacular and I enjoyed myself thoroughly on stage. He's such a talented artist with such a warm vibe and collaborative spirit. Being a North African, it's such a proud moment for me to witness how the Afro music and dance movement has become a mainstay in India now."

"It's amazing to witness how Afrobeats, just like Indian music, has become such a massive movement worldwide and it's a moment of joy for me since I've been largely associated with the genre for a long time." Nora looks forward to collaborating with Rema and many more Afro artists in the future.

She added: "The African in me always wants to celebrate Afro music and dance on a big scale through my art."

Rema is happy to have met Nora Fatehi.

He added: "She is a house on fire and her energy is infectious. I thoroughly enjoyed vibing with her on stage in Mumbai tonight on some Bollywood moves!"

ALI FAZAL CALLS VIN DIESEL THE SOUL OF 'FAST' FAM, 'KINDEST MAN' HE KNOWS

MUMBAI, (IANS) Actor Ali Fazal, who made his international debut with the seventh installment of the mega-action film 'Fast and the Furious', has heaped praise on his co-actor Vin Diesel as he joined him for the premiere of Fast X' in Rome.

Ali took to Instagram, where he shared a video where he is seen posing and chatting with Diesel. In the backdrop, the iconic Colosseum is seen as the two posed.

"AND THE FAST X PREMIERE WENT DOWN HARD RIGHT HERE AT THE COLOSSEUM .. cuz #Wheninrome you go gladiator style.. #fastx #reunion #furious7 Thank you for all the love Vin @vindiesel. You are the kindest man i know and the soul of the Fast fam. Feel proud to be part of the team. (disclaimer - am not in fast X guys, but there for Love)," Ali wrote as the caption.

On the work front, Ali will soon be flying off to the US, where he will be promoting his next big Hollywood release, 'Kandahar' with Gerard Butler. In addition to his international work, Ali is also busy on the work front in India. He will soon be seen in 'Khufiya' with Tabu, 'Metro In Dino' with Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sara Ali Khan, and the third season of India's biggest OTT series, Mirzapur.

JENNIFER LAWRENCE 'DIED LAUGHING' OVER THE AD THAT INSPIRED 'NO HARD FEELINGS'

Hollywood star Jennifer Lawrence recently shared that she "died laughing" when reading the real-life Craigslist ad that inspired her upcoming raunchy R-rated comedy 'No Hard Feelings'.

Directed by Lawrence's longtime friend Gene Stupnitsky, the film casts the Oscar-winning actor as a Montauk Uber driver facing bankruptcy who accepts a Craigslist ad to date and seduce an awkward 19-year-old (Andrew Barth Feldman), reports Variety. His helicopter parents don't want him leaving for college as a virgin. Stupnitsky and Lawrence first let it slip at CinemaCon last month that 'No Hard Feelings' was based on a real-life Craigslist ad. The director told Entertainment Weekly that it was the film's producers, Marc Provissiero and Naomi Odenkirk, who sent him the Craigslist ad.

"I read it, and I thought, 'This is wild. Who is the woman that answers this ad?'" Stupnitsky said, quoted by Variety. "And I thought, 'Oh, that'll be a great role for my friend Jennifer Lawrence.'"

"Gene read the Craigslist ad to me, and I died laughing," Lawrence added. "I thought it was hilarious, but there wasn't a script or anything. I just thought he had a funny idea. And then a couple years later, he handed me the funniest script I've ever read in my life."

"A theatrical release these days is, uh...It's a test," Lawrence also said in the EW interview. "You get tested publicly, and everyone knows if you pass through. But I feel we're putting our best foot forward."

NETFLIX PLANS TO CUT $300 MN IN SPENDING THIS YEAR: REPORT

Streaming giant Netflix is reportedly slashing its spending by $300 million this year, including related to hiring.

According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, one of the reasons behind the spending cut is that Netflix delayed its plans to crack down on password sharing from the first quarter to the second quarter this year.

It means that the revenue Netflix expected from the move is now shifted to towards the second half of the year, the report said.

SUSHMITA SEN: JUST LIKE AARYA, I CAN GO TO ANY EXTENT FOR MY TWO DAUGHTERS

MUMBAI, (IANS) Ahead of Mother's Day on Sunday, actress and former beauty queen Sushmita Sen has drawn parallels between her real self and her reel character Aarya.

Sushmita represents strong women and especially mothers who could kill or die for their children in any circumstances.

Talking about motherhood and her character of Aarya, Sushmita said: "Aarya is synonymous with motherhood. She is the epitome of grace and strength. I am elated to be associated with her story and her journey of motherhood. I admire Aarya for being a warrior and surpassing every hurdle that comes her way."

Sushmita describes Aarya as "bold and has emerged as a fierce lioness who wants to protect her children at any cost."

"I have raised my two daughters single-handedly and I know I can go to any extent for them just like Aarya does in the series. I thoroughly resonate with her zeal to move ahead, no matter what and prevail through every hindrance."

She added: "Motherhood is the most beautiful thing in the world and I absolutely enjoy playing such a strong mother, on-screen as well. Moreover, I hope audiences are looking forward to Aarya season 3." Sushmita is currently shooting for 'Aarya' season 3. The show will stream on Disney+ Hotstar.

Hollywood

SIMON PEGG SAYS HE HID ALCOHOLISM WHILE FILMING 'MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III'

LOS ANGELES, (IANS) Actor Simon Pegg has talked about his personal struggles and shared that he concealed his alcoholism while working on the set of 'Mission: Impossible III' in the 2000s. The actor discussed the matter on a recent episode of the BBC's 'Desert Island Discs', via the Guardian, reports 'Variety'.

"You become very sneaky when you have something like that in your life," he told Lauren Laverne, host of the radio program. Pegg, who plays IMF technical field agent Benji Dunn in the series, disclosed that he developed an addiction after suffering a series of mental health issues. He kept the matter private while filming 'Mission: Impossible III', which was released in 2006. "You learn how to do it without anyone noticing because it takes over. It wants to sustain itself and it will do everything it can to not be stopped," said Pegg.

"But eventually it just gets to a point when it can't be hidden, and that's when, thankfully, I was able to pull out of the dive."

Pegg attributes his road to recovery to the birth of his daughter in 2009. While speaking with Laverne, Pegg also shared some details about his relationship with 'Mission: Impossible' star Tom Cruise, who he has appeared alongside for four 'MI' entries, with the fifth, 'Dead Reckoning Part One' releasing this summer. "My relationship with him is just very simple and amiable," said Pegg. "It's always been a very easy relationship. I think you realize, when you meet the person rather than the thicket of mythology that's built up around them, it's a different experience. I mean, he loves (the fame) and he really relishes it. It's all he knows. It energises him and spurs him on."

EVERYTHING'

LOS ANGELES, (IANS) Singer Shania Twain has said that "there's a first time for everything" after she signed a fan's thigh while on-stage during a gig in Canada.

Performing her Queen of Me tour, Shania made a permanent mark on one dedicated fan, reports mirror.co.uk.

Taking to Instagram, Shania shared a clip from her sold-out show which had around 15,000 fans in attendance. The country icon, 57, shared a video that saw a fan standing onstage, with the singer crouched down and armed with a permanent marker.

With his thigh on full display and in eye-line with the Canadian star, the fan hitched up his shorts to show off even more flesh. Shania is seen scribbling her signature above a tattoo that the fan already had, which was of a bed with some boots underneath it. The fan's tattoo was probably a nod to Shania's 1995 track 'Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?', which played in the background of the video she shared.

Shania crouched down, donning a cobalt blue chiffon dress and some knee-high cowboy boots. While her fan donned shorts, a black t-shirt with Shania on the front of it, and a a beige cowboy hat. Leaving her fans gobsmacked - as well as the crowd that watched on, and her fans online - Shania autographed the top of her fan's thigh while grinning in the process.

Swedish Singer Loreen Wins Eurovision For The Second Time

LONDON, (IANS) Swedish contestant Loreen came first with her song 'Tattoo' at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, beating out 25 other countries to garner 583 points, reports 'Variety'. Loreen's win means the contest will likely be held in Sweden next year. Traditionally the winning country hosts the following year's contest. Sweden was followed by Finland's Kaarija with 526 points and Israel's Noa Kirel with 362 points, who took second and third place respectively, 'Variety' adds.

It is Loreen's second Eurovision win: she previously won the contest in 2012 with her song 'Euphoria'.

Eurovision, which is run by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), features musical acts from around Europe as well as a number of countries outside it, including Israel and Australia, who participate by virtue of their membership of the EBU, 'Variety' notes. This year's Eurovision took place in Liverpool, UK, on behalf of last ye ar's winner Ukraine after it was deemed too dangerous to hold Eurovision in the country following the Russian invasion. Ukrainian entry Kalush Orchestra won last year's contest, followed by the UK's Sam Ryder, who came a close second.

'SIRF EK BANDAA KAAFI HAI' GETS STANDING OVATION AT NEW YORK INDIAN FILM FEST

MUMBAI, (IANS) National Award winning actor Manoj Bajpayee's upcoming film 'Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai' recently received a standing ovation after its screening at the New York Indian Film Festival. Manoj was particularly chuffed with the response that the film garnered at the prestigious film festival. He said: "It's an overwhelming feeling to see such an amazing response from the audience on the International stage. I literally got goosebumps when our film received a standing ovation at the New York Indian Film Festival. I am thankful to everyone."

The film shows that in the battle between an ordinary man's willpower and the power of a self-styled godman, it is always the victory of willpower and no man is above the law. It shows the fight of a rape survivor.

Director Apoorv Singh Karki shared: "A film made with all heart and hard work to send out an important message to the viewers and getting appreciated is a humbling feeling. I am happy that our efforts are getting the reward that it deserves."

A Zee Studios and Bhanushali Studios Limited presentation, Suparn S. Varma's courtroom drama 'Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai' is produced by Vinod Bhanushali, Kamlesh Bhanushali, Asif Sheikh & Vishal Gurnani and co-produced by Juhi Parekh Mehta. The film is all set to premiere on ZEE5 on May 23, 2023.

JYOTIKA RETURNS TO HINDI FILMS AFTER 25 YEARS WITH AJAY DEVGN'S SUPERNATURAL THRILLER

MUMBAI, (IANS) Actress Jyotika will be joining Ajay Devgn, R Madhavan in the upcoming supernatural thriller, directed by Vikas Bahl. Jyotika is returning to Hindi films after 25 years and will be seen sharing screen space with Ajay for the very first time. The film will go on floors this June and is being extensively shot in Mumbai, Mussoorie and London. Details about the films are still under wraps. The film will be produced by Ajay Devgn, Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak under the banner Ajay Devgn Ffilm and Panorama Studios. The makers will be unravelling more information about the film soon.

KERALA FLOODS MOVIE '2018 EVERYONE IS A HERO' SMASHES MOLLYWOOD BO RECORDS

Kerala Story" and not the one that claims to be one.

The film is centred around stories of humanity triumphing over adversity in the backdrop of the 2018 floods that devastated parts of Kerala. It is the second Tovino project to attract national attention and draw an adulatory audience response after the 2021 superhero movie 'Minnal Murali'. And it also brings back memories of his performance in 'Virus', the 2019 film about the Nipah outbreak in Kerala. Tovino, incidentally, volunteered his services for flood relief back in 2018. In the film, he plays a young man who leaves the Indian Army with a fake medical certificate and redeems himself during the floods.

The ensemble cast includes top Malayalam talents, notably Asif Ali, Kunchacko Boban, Lal and the National Award-winning actress, Aparna Balamurali, who plays a TV reporter.

JACQUELINE FERNANDES GROOVES TO BLACKPINK JISOO'S 'FLOWER'

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, (IANS) The Malayalam Tovino Thomas-starrer

'2018 Everyone Is A Hero', directed by the award-winning popular director, Jude Anthany Joseph, is having a dream run and moving toward the Rs 100-crore club, a rare feat for a Mollywood movie. And coming as it does at a time when 'The Kerala Story' is attracting nationwide attention, people close to the Malayalam film industry are saying that '2018' is "the real

The movie, which was released on May 5, raked in around Rs 5.18 crore on its ninth day from Kerala alone, which is an all-time record in Mollywood history. The worldwide collection is reported to be more than Rs 80 crore in the first nine days. The film is reported to be getting a standing ovation in theatres across the state.

Produced by Venu Kunnappilly, C.K. Padma Kumar and Anto Joseph under the banner of Kavya Film Company and P.K. Prime Productions, the film is the second back-to-back blockbuster from Kavya after the 2022 action adventure drama 'Malikappuram' starring Unni Mukundan.

DIMPLE KAPADIA'S MOST INTENSE SCENE IN 'SAAS, BAHU AUR FLAMINGO' REVEALED

Homi recalled when Dimple was doing that, it's just a walk and it's difficult for an actor because an actor cannot see you.

"I am as a director seeing the visuals that will be intercut within the scene. But to get that intensity of those visuals, memories for the actor is much more difficult because some of those scenes have not been shot, some have not been seen - so she needed to get that intensity and go through each memory and keep it climbing in that walk."

MUMBAI, (IANS) Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandes jumped on the trending song 'Flower' bandwagon and shared a video on social media.

'Flower' is a viral track by singer Jisoo, who is a part of the KPop all girls super band BLACKPINK.

Taking to Instagram, Jacqueline shared a transition video from her 'Dabangg' tour, where she was seen doing the hook step of the track which is currently all over social media.

In the first half of the clip, Jacqueline sported a casual look and then the video transitioned to her wearing her stage outfits. She captioned the video: "Dabangg the Tour Reloaded KOLKATA. Thank you for so much love!!" On the professional front, Jacqueline will be next seen opposite Sonu Sood in 'Fateh'.

PARINEETI CHOPRA'S MOTHER PENS EMOTIONAL NOTE ON DAUGHTER'S ENGAGEMENT

MUMBAI, (IANS) Actress Parineeti Chopra's mother Reena Chopra wrote an emotional note for her daughter, who got engaged to AAP leader Raghav Chadha on May 13. Reena took to Instagram, where she shared an engagement picture of Parineeti and Raghav and penned down her thoughts for them. She wrote: "There are reasons in your life that make you believe all over again and all the time that there is a God up there This is one of them ....#trulyblessed#thankyougod I wish to thank all of you who have reached out and poured your blessings and wishes for them." Parineeti and Raghav's engagement took place at the Kapurthala House in New Delhi and was attended by close friends and family members of the couple. After staying mum for over a month about their relationship, on the day of the engagement the couple took to Instagram to confirm. Raghav wrote: "Everything I prayed for .. She said yes!" While, Parineeti said: "Everything I prayed for .. I said yes!"

WHEN ANGAD BEDI WAS DROPPED FROM FILMS, PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE HELD HIM UP

MUMBAI, (IANS) Actor Angad Bedi, who will be seen in the R. Balki film 'Ghoomer', witnessed a phase of rejection as he was dropped out of movies. But the actor feels that patience and a thick skin goes a long way in the ruthless world of showbiz. The actor said: "I have been dropped from films. One's initial reaction is shock, but then you learn to take it in your stride. You have to be patient and have to build a thick skin to face rejection. Being dropped from a film after having been confirmed for it is a painful process, but I believe destiny has another plan for you." He further mentioned: "It's not too uncommon that suddenly another gives a hit film and you're replaced, and that's the business and you have to learn to take it well.

MUMBAI, (IANS) Filmmaker Homi Adajania has talked about the most intense scene he shot with veteran actor Dimple Kapadia on the shoot of 'Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo' and what all went behind creating it. Talking about the most intense scene he shot with Dimple Kapadia, Adajania said: "I think the most intense scene was when Dimple's character Savitri walks through her atrium to her room after she leaves the celebration when she came back from attacking the Monk and she realises that her master plan has not worked out."

"There is something way more devious, which is beyond her at this point in the narrative and she goes through all the tragic milestones that has were extremely sort of prominent for making her the character she is today." He added: So she goes through all the milestones from whether it's the murder of her husband - what made her when she was left to die in the desert, and how she rose like a phoenix rather than crumbled up and died, how Monk shot her, she lost everyone close to her in various tragedies and she goes through those milestones."

He added: "Then she reaches the pinnacle of emotional threshold where she starts beating this door and she was wearing one of those massive rings, along with our other chunky accessories, which broke one of the fingers because it was swollen like a little watermelon, but she did it in one take." "In spite of me being good with the take, she wanted to do more takes and she actually ended up doing four takes and in fact, it was so emotionally draining to direct it that I can't even imagine what she must have gone through to en act it." Homi said that Dimple won't stop until she's happy or he would tell her to go off the set.

The show also stars Radhika Madan, Angira Dhar and Isha Talwar in pivotal roles along with a talented cast, Ashish Verma, Varun Mitra, Udit Arora, Deepak Dobriyal and Monica Dogra amongst others. Saas, Bahu aur Flamingo is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

'SCOOP' TRAILER SHOWS HOW ONE PHONE CALL HAS FAR-REACHING REPERCUSSIONS

PARINEETI SAYS THANKS POST ENGAGEMENT: 'RAGHAV, I ARE OVERWHELMED WITH THE LOVE'

MUMBAI, (IANS) Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra has penned a thank you note for all the love she and her fiance Raghav Chadha are getting. Two days after their intimate engagement, Parineeti took to Instagram on Monday and wrote: "Raghav and I are overwhelmed with the love and abundance of positivity we have received over the past few weeks, particularly on our engagement."

"We both come from different worlds, and it's amazing to know that our worlds also unite with our union. We have gained a bigger family than we could have ever imagined."

It further read: "We are so touched by everything we have read/ seen, and we cannot thank you all enough. We embark on this journey knowing that you all are standing with us.""A special shout-out to our amazing friends in the media. Thank you for being there through the day and cheering for us. Love, Parineeti and Raghav." Raghav took to Twitter to thank the Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal who shared two pictures from the engagement ceremony. Raghav wrote: "Sir, apne apna aashirwaad dekar khaas din ko aur bhi khaas bana diya. Parineeti aur meri taraf se aapka aur apke parivaar ka tahe dil se abhaar."

HIBA NAWAB OF ‘WOH TOH HAI ALBELA' ON HOW HER MOTHER INSPIRES HER

MUMBAI, (IANS) Television actress Hiba Nawab, who can be currently seen in ‘Woh Toh Hai Albela' essaying the role of Sayuri opposite Shaheer Shaikh, recently spoke about her character's transformation as she becomes a mother. Hiba said she could relate to her character without being a mother in real life as she is very close to her mom in real life and draws inspiration from her. She spoke about her bond with her mother and wished her ahead of Mother's Day (May 14). The actress said, “I share a very friendly relationship with my mother. We are more like best friends to each other. We share things with each other, we fight but eventually come back to each other. I believe there's no particular day to celebrate our mothers and it goes for everyone. I feel I'm always going to be a child for my mother." She added: "As she's not here in town this time, I'm going to make her feel special since I'm too loud on my gestures and I always like to spoil her so I'll be sending her lots and lots of gifts. I hope I spend every Mother's Day and every day with her to make her feel special. Happy Mother's Day mom, and to every mother out there."

‘Woh Toh Hai Albela' airs every Monday-Friday at 9:00 p.m. on Star Bharat.

MUMBAI, (IANS) The trailer of the upcoming crime drama streaming show 'Scoop' was unveiled on Monday. It starts off on a pacey note as the character of crime reporter Jagruti Pathak receives a call from the underworld don Chhota Rajan to talk about a certain subject.

It soon spirals to show how Jagruti gets mired in a controversy because of her proximity to the Rajan and is soon sent behind the bars for enabling the murder of a fellow crime reporter. The trailer highlights society's rush to pass the judgement as Jagruti is caught between the nexus of the police, the underworld, and the media. The show, directed by Hansal Mehta, is inspired by real events and Jigna Vora's memoir, 'Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison' and tells how she was framed by the police and investigating agencies for abetting the murder of crime reporter Jyotirmoy Dey citing professional rivalry.

Ram Charan Fans Give Away Bottles Of Buttermilk To People Around Mumbai Temple

MUMBAI, (IANS) Over 1,000 fans of superstar Ram Charan have come together at the Shankar Temple in Juhu and Bhiwandi in Mumbai to give away 7,000 bottles of refreshing buttermilk to people in and around the temple.

The initiative is being organised by Ram Charan's fans, who have been inspired by the star's philanthropic activities. Ram Charan is known not just for his work on screen, but also for his humanitarian efforts off screen.

Via multiple associations, NGOs, The Chiranjeevi Charitable Trust, the Global Star has headlined blood donation camps, eye check-up camps, Covid relief camps, and supported various other charities over the years.

STARRING: BELLAMKONDA SREENIVAS, NUSHRRATT BHARUCCHA, SAHIL VAID, AUROSHIKHA DEY DIRECTOR: V. V. VINAYAK RATING: 2/5

CHATRAPATHI REVIEW: BELLAMKONDA SREENIVAS FILM TRIES TO BE SALMAN KHAN, ROHIT SHET TY MOVIE BUT FAILS

There comes a scene in the second half of the film when our action hero Shiva (played by Bellamkonda Sreenivas) is seated in his car, confused with the turn of events in his life and tells his friends, “Ye sab kya ho raha hai." I instantly replied to the on-screen character, “Same, ye kya ho raha hai!" Chatrapathi makes you ask this question time and again, probably every 20 minutes and surprisingly, the film is only two hours and a few odd minutes long.

A remake of the Telugu film of the same name, which released in 2005 and starred Prabhas, Chatrapathi marks Bellamkonda Sreenivas’ Bollywood debut. Helmed by V. V. Vinayak, best known for his actioncomedy and masala films, Chatrapathi has Sreenivas sharing the screen with Nushrratt Bharuccha, Sharad Kelkar, Bhagyashree and Karan Singh Chhabra, among others.

The film is dated, set in what seems to be early 2000s — based on the old style phones being used in the movie — and revolves around a boy named Shiva and his half brother Ashok. Born in Pakistan, the siblings and their mother (played by Bhagyashree) are forced to migrate to a small sea-side village in Gujurat in 1985. Unfortunately though, Shiva is torn away from his family due to the chaos unfolding during the evacuation. Shiva and a few local villagers take help from a powerful village head who orders the migrants to sign their life off to him. Shiva and his friends are forced to be slaves to the village head and performed illegal deeds to ensure their life is spared. Years go by and Shiva’s tolerance to the slavery is often tested. However, he refrains from acting on his anger.

Instead, he decides to invest his time looking for his long lost mother and brother with the help of Nushrratt Bharuccha’s character. His search comes to an end soon enough but his hurdles are far from over. The movie follows his fight with injustice against his village folks and his path of reunion with his mother.

Now, I have not seen the original film so I won’t be the right person to compare. However, the concept of Chatrapathi on paper isn’t bad. Typical family lost in a chaos, one child turns good while others bad only to have them go through situations that tests their characters and upbringing formula is a tried and test one in Bollywood. The film’s story writer V. Vijayendra Prasad packs in all the elements and characters to make this a masala watch, even though it seems dated.

However, the screenplay, dialogues and uneven editing makes this film a tad difficult to sit through. Chatrapathi feels like a series of scenes just patched together to ensure timely release. A lot of continuity errors and location errors are visible. You could easily guess a few scenes were not shot in a small village in Bhavnagar (where the story is set) but at a luxury hotel in Mumbai’s Juhu area, leaving us wondering if director V. V. Vinayak even remotely tries to be factually right with the timeline. Besides the error in locations, props were also conveniently introduced in scenes out of the blue, leaving you confused where it appeared from. For example, just before the climax scene, Shiva declares that he will be leading the village into freedom. While he stands in the rain and delivers the freedom speech at midnight, out of nowhere, an umbrella appears and he is escorted out of the venue underneath it, showing his upgraded prominence. In another scene, wherein Shiva and his lady love are attacked, it is shown that their car is at the edge of the road. However, suddenly, it is in the middle of the road and is surrounded by the enemies’ cars. These scenes feel like a lot was chopped in order to make the duration less and in the process, the makers turned a blind eye to the continuity.

Nevertheless, Chatrapathi boasts of some impressive, slow motion action scenes, a template very common in Telugu films. The action sequence are choreographed well and it surprisingly draws you into the movie more than the drama playing out in the film.

The biggest disppointment from the film are the main four cast members. It is hard to gauge if it is bad writing or lack of direction focused for Bollywood audience but Bellamkonda Sreenivas, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Bhagyashree and Karan Singh Chhabra deliver uneven performances. Sreenivas tries his best to deliver a Rohit Shetty meets Salman Khan style massy performance and in a few places manages to deliver but there are scenes in which he looks confused about how to emote. The strange switch in scenes — from a relatively sad scene to an instant switch to a song — acts as a hinderance in his performance.

Nushrratt seems like she was roped in only to star in four songs of the film. She has only five scenes in which she is given the scope to act but that also goes by before you could even grasp as to what is going on. Honestly, Bhagyashree deserved a better and toned down role. Her emotional scenes are written so messily that it is difficult to empathise with her. Karan felt weak as a grey shaded brother.

The saving grace of Chatrapathi were Sharad Kelkar, Sahil Vaid, and Amit Shivdas Nair, among others. The cinematography is also kept grand, in order to match the massy vibe of the film.

Bottomline: Chatrapathi is good on paper but deserved a better execution.

The film feels like it wants to be a Salman Khan massy movie with a vision of Rohit Shetty but doesn’t goes through with the idea.

ANNA KENDRICK WANTED TO TELL A STORY ABOUT TOXIC, ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH 'ALICE, DARLING'

MUMBAI, (IANS) Actress Anna Kendrick, who plays the role of a psychologically abused girlfriend in the thriller film 'Alice, Darling', has shared that it was important to bring this story to light and to light so that she could tell a story of a toxic, abusive relationship. The film, which stars Anna in a titular role alongside Charlie Carrick, Kaniehtiio Horn and Wunmi Mosaku, follows Alice, through an abusive relationship where she's forced to see her boyfriend for who he really is. The film touches upon the issue of emotional abuse and domestic violence, and is a revelation on the masked and hidden issues of the society. Sharing what drew her to the film, the actress said: "There was something about Alana's writing that felt so poetic and restrained. I was really interested in telling a story about a toxic, abusive relationship that didn't look the way that it's always kind of been portrayed in movies. And the way that Alana wrote this woman's inner turmoil, and the subtle, but very rewarding journey that she goes on, very much intrigued me." Talking about abuse, Anna further added, "I feel like everybody's been touched by this kind of confusing, very insidious abuse, whether it's happened to you or a friend of yours, you've seen someone in your life start to shrink and start to look and feel suffocated, and you're not sure what's going on. It's this very unsettling feeling, you don't know what you can say, how you can help." The film will be available to stream on Lionsgate Play in India on May 26.

'ALADDIN' STAR MENA MASSOUD DELETES TWITTER AFTER INSULTING 'THE LITTLE MERMAID'

LOS ANGELES, (IANS) Actor Mena Massoud has landed in hot soup over his unwarranted comment on 'The Little Mermaid'. The "Aladdin" actor has deactivated his Twitter account after coming under fire for apparently throwing shade at the latest Disney movie, reports aceshowbiz.com.

The backlash was triggered by Massoud's own post about 'The Little Mermaid'. Following a report that the live-action musical adaption of the 1989 animated film is projected to earn $115 on its domestic box office weekend, the Egyptian-Canadian actor compared the new movie to his 2019 film, which has not been granted a sequel despite opening to a similar number. "Our film was unique in that audiences went to watch it multiple times. It's the only way we reached the billion dollar mark with our opening," he tweeted on Saturday, May 13.

"My guess is TLM doesn't cross the billion mark but will undoubtedly get a sequel." His tweet was in response to another user weighing in on why "Aladdin" never got a sequel despite its strong box office performance. "ALADDIN managed to end up at over a billion worldwide.

TAYLOR SWIFT PAUSES 'BAD BLOOD' TO TELL SECURITY TO LAY OFF FAN AT SHOW

LOS ANGELES, (IANS) Singer Taylor Swift took a pause in singing "Bad Blood" to repeatedly ask a guard or guards to lay off a fan as a confrontation developed in Philadelphia.

As usual with anything at a Swift show, there were tens of thousands of cameras trained on her, and one 25-second clip of the singer's interjections on Twitter had amassed more than 3 million views by Sunday morning, reports 'Variety'. Video of what happened between the fan and security guard was harder to come by; attendees at the Lincoln Financial Field show offered reports saying alternately that the fan was being confronted for being too close to a barricade or was being pulled away for taking photos (which are not disallowed on the tour). Swift is not known for breaking character to comment on what's going on with an audience mid-song on the Eras Tour, so the interchange stood out and quickly picked up steam among international Swifties. "She's fine," Swift is first seen telling security during the number. Then: "She wasn't doing anything." The singer shouts: "Hey! Stop!" And then again, after the next scheduled use of the word "hey!" in the lyrics, she once again orders security to "stop," before resuming her singing and choreography.

STARRING: VIDYUT JAMMWAL, ANUPAM KHER, DALIP TAHIL, VISHAL JETHWA DIRECTOR: SANKALP REDDY RATING: 3.5/5

IB 71 REVIEW: VIDYUT JAMMWAL IMPRESSES IN CLUTTER-BREAKING FILM WITH CRISP NARRATIVE

Bollywood can’t get enough of its favourite theme, patriotism. Over the decades, films based on India and Pakistan’s complicated political ties have been made galore. Now, their template may be extremely formulaic but weaving a story that makes a point without any kind of preaching and excessive chest-thumping is no cakewalk.

In 2017, Sankalp Reddy, who mononymously goes by Sankalp, made his directorial debut with the bilingual film, The Ghazi Attack. The submarine warfare film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu in 2018. It was an underwater tale of the courage and patriotism of the men aboard the Indian Submarine INS Karanj and was inspired by true events from the mysterious sinking of PNS Ghazi during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Six years later, Sankalp returns to Bollywood with IB 71, a spy drama, inspired by true events, which is again set against a similar backdrop. Interestingly, he once again manages to achieve what very few filmmakers can – make a patriotic film without the slightest ounce of melodramatic patriotism.

IB 71 is based on the Ganga Hijack, infamously called ‘the hijack that never happened’ and uncovers India’s top secret mission conducted by the Intelligence Bureau that made us win the 1971 war. It revolves around Dev, an IB officer, who single-handedly prevents Pakistan from joining hands with China and attacking India and gaining control over its north-eastern frontier. He takes on the critical operation of carrying out a hijack by two young but ambitious Kashmiri boys from POK (Pak Occupied Kashmir) by risking the lives of about 30 Indian civilians aboard an aircraft and safely bringing them back to their homeland, thus manoeuvring a mission that gives out a message that Pakistan has initiated a terror act on India. He successfully does so

MOVIE REVIEW within a span of just ten days.

Most of the film takes place in Kashmir and kudos to cinematographer Gnana Shekar VS – who has shot National Award winning films like Vedam (2010) and Kanche (2015) - for capturing the beauty of the state with aplomb. The pristine snow-covered lands and the misty Dal Lake are the beds for most of the action and they render an element of authenticity to the story. The use of greys, mundane browns and cloudy blues convey the mood and tone of IB 71 rather perfectly. Despite a trained martial artist like Vidyut at the centre of the narrative, the stunts are far and few and extremely realistic, and never do you feel that these sequences are forced just to glorify the life of a spy. A crisp narrative further helps the film. Sankalp wastes no time and dives straight into the story right from the first frame. We aren’t given any sneak peek into Dev’s life and his back story and interestingly, it causes no deterrence in establishing his character and his sharp acumen. Much like The Ghazi Attack, there are no frills here. There are no song and dance sequences and definitely, no love story involved, which, needless to say, makes for a gush of fresh air. Sankalp defies every stereotype and formula and creates a narrative that is impressive and will hopefully, set a precedent for all the patriotic films that are in the making. There’s no dearth of spy thrillers in Bollywood and more and more of them continue to be made. However, more often than not, these good-looking films have crossed the line of realism to make their protagonists appear larger-than-life. This is also where IB 71 stands out. It gives us a glimpse into the life of a regular spy, who isn’t afraid to revel in grime and grit to protect their motherland. And their job is everything else but glamorous and glitzy.

'KHATRON KE KHILADI 13': RUHI CHATURVEDI OPENS UP ABOUT BATTLING HOMESICKNESS

STARRING: SHRIYA SARAN, SHARMAN JOSHI, SHAAN, PRAKASH RAJ, LEELA SAMSON DIRECTOR: PAPA RAO BIYYALA RATING: 3/5

MUSIC SCHOOL REVIEW: SHRIYA SARAN AND SHARMAN JOSHI'S FILM HAS ITS HEART IN THE RIGHT PLACE

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, a proverb that we all have grown up listening to, has also somewhere impacted us so much so that movies and shows based on this core element hit home. Papa Rao Biyyala’s Music School is built on the same premise and will make you travel back to your childhood days with a musical note. Music School talks about the pressure put by schools and parents on kids to focus on academics and not on extracurricular activities like art, music or sports. However, the film doesn’t hold you long enough, as the elongated musical numbers which arrive abruptly, despite being situational make it a tedious watch. The first half of the film is well-paced and balanced in quickly establishing the plot of the story. It opens with a school principal lecturing the students about focusing on their studies and not on the arts. That’s when you bump into Manoj (Sharman Joshi) who is a drama teacher in the school. Through a detailed musical number, the story then goes forward in explaining how there are hardly any kids who take up extracurricular activities. That’s when Maria (Shriya Sharan) walks in, takes the help of Manoj and sets up the Music School. Things look interesting and nostalgic too, when the kids walk in wanting to have a hobby, while their parents fret, looking for ways to avoid their distraction. This dilemma makes the movie both intriguing and nostalgic.

However, the second half of the story, makes you dread. While it promises predictability, it comes with a bunch of twists and turns, which may seem unnecessary. Despite the film having a social message and creating awareness among its viewers, the film lacks the motivational or impactful value of its talking point. The 2 hour 5 minute run time could have been shortened. Speaking of Sharman and Shriya’s on-screen presence, they have a comforting chemistry. They light up every frame. They balance each other well and still perform brilliantly individually too. You’d wanna root for them till the end of the film. Shaan’s performance stands out too. He adds the much-needed breeze to the film, with his aura along with his voice. Special mention to the veteran stars Prakash Raj and Leela Samson who bring in the right sense of credibility with their parts.

The kids do a spectacular job. This bunch is no less than the groups you’ve seen in Stanley Ka Dabba and Chillar Party. They come from all age groups and similar backgrounds, thus making you relate and resonate with their thought processes. Their angst of wanting to do something creative, yet bound by their parent’s expectations, may resonate with many young people. As a first-time feature film director, Papa Rao Biyyala picked out a very relevant subject to make a film on. Another notable exception is the plot being based out of Hyderabad. The story looked very relevant to its roots. Better writing and screenplay, barring the musical notes, would have made wonders for the film. Music School is a surprisi ngly fresh film. It has family-friendly written all over it. It’s a one-time watch and maybe a pass for the theatres. If you are into musicals, this may be a good add-on to your list, however, don’t expect much from it. All in all, Music School delivers a social message on the importance of extracurricular activities in children’s lives. Given the fact that it’s a musical, with the predictable second half, it may make it a tedious watch. It’s a movie that takes you back to your childhood and reminds you of the importance of pursuing your passions, regardless of societal expectations.

MUMBAI, (IANS) As television actress Ruhi Chaturvedi gears up for the upcoming season of 'Khatron Ke Khiladi', she opened up about the challenges of staying away from home for a prolonged period and feeling homesick.

The actress, who has never been away from her husband Shivendraa Saainiyol after marriage, said that being a homebody, the thought of being all by herself for the show is daunting. Speaking from Cape Town, where she is currently shooting for 'Khatron Ke Khiladi 13', Ruhi said: "I am missing my husband and home terribly. Any challenge seems tougher when you are away from your loved ones. But I am trying to stay positive and focused on the task at hand."

She added: "Before leaving for the show, I spent quality time with my fa mily and friends, who are all huge fans of Khatron Ke Khiladi. Their support and advice have been invaluable. And of course, my husband has been my rock throughout this journey, constantly motivating and encouraging me to face my fears and do my best." 'Khatron Ke Khiladi 13' will air on COLORS.

AMRITA RAO, RJ ANMOL REVEAL THEY SPENT ONLY RS 1.5L ON THEIR WEDDING

MUMBAI, (IANS) Actress Amrita Rao, who has starred in films such as 'Main Hoon Na', 'Ishq Vishk', 'Jolly LLB' and 'Thakeray' along with her husband RJ Anmol, shared a shocking detail about their wedding. On the "anniversary special" episode of Couple Of Things' - Yehi Woh Jagah Hai, the duo took their fans on a nostalgic journey from Mumbai all the way to Pune city, where they had secretly t ied the knot at a famous Iskcon Temple in Katraj, nine years ago. The couple disclosed that they spent only Rs 1,50,000 on their wedding, which included their wedding outfits, venue, travel cost and other expenses. The 'Vivaah' actress particularly insisted that she and Anmol did not want to wear designer clothes for their special occasion and rather settled for very traditional & elegant ensembles costing only Rs 3,000 each. The wedding venue was arranged at a cost of just Rs 11,000. Amrita Rao shared, "We always believed that weddings should be about love, not about showing off wealth and ostentation. We wanted our wedding to be a beautiful, intimate affair with just our immediate families & close friends, and we're glad we were able to achieve that without spending a fortune." RJ Anmol added, "Our wedding was a reflection of our personalities, and we wanted to keep it humble. We would be happy if this inspires people to opt for budget-friendly weddings too."

Big B Takes Bike Ride With Stranger To Reach Set On Time

MUMBAI, (IANS) Ditching the luxury of his expensive cars, megastar Amitabh Bachchan took a lift from a stranger, whom he fondly called his "ride buddy", to reach his work location on time. Amitabh took to Instagram, where he shared a picture of himself riding pillion as an elderly gentleman can be seen riding a Harley Davidson.

"Thank you for the ride buddy .. don't know you .. but you obliged and got me on time to location of work .. faster and in avoidance of the unsolvable traffic jams .. thank you capped, shorts and yellowed T - shirt owner," he wrote as the caption. On the film front, Amitabh will be seen in Project K, which also stars Prabhas and Deepika Padukone. The film is directed by Nag Ashwin. He will also be seen in the courtroom drama 'Section 84' by Ribhu Dasgupta.

GT VS SRH: GUJARAT TITANS BECOME 1ST TEAM TO QUALIFY FOR IPL 2023 PLAYOFFS AFTER WIN OVER SUNRISERS HYDERABAD

Hardik Pandya's Gujarat Titans became finally secured a spot in the IPL 2023 playoffs as they registered their 9th win of season against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Hardik Pandya's men defeated Aiden Markramled SRH comfortably and also confirmed a top two finish in the tournament. With this SRH's chances of reaching the top four have ended and they are out of the tournament.

GT defeated SRH by 34 runs as they successfully defended their total of 188 against a struggling Hyderabad batting line up. Apart from Heinrich Klaasen and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, none of their batters made any notable contributions. For GT though, Mohammed Shami and Mohit Sharma were clinical with the ball and the duo shared four wickets each in SRH's off colour show.

This was the first instance where the pacers of both the teams dominated an IPL game like this. For the first time pacers have taken 17 wickets in an IPL game. SRH's Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Marco Jansen, T Natarajan and Fazalhaq Faroorqi took 8 wickets in all. Whereas the GT pacers Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma and Yash Dayal combined for 9 wickets in the game. In SRH's poor outing with the bat, Klaasen and Bhuvneshwar combined to make 68 runs for the 8th wicket. Klaasen hit a 44-ball 64, whereas Bhuvneshwar scored 27 off 26 balls. The match also witnessed Shubman Gill scoring a sparkling hundred. It was his first hundred in IPL ever and first for a GT player. GT cored 188 in their batting. Their batting also had only two shining stars in the form of Gill and Sai Sudharsan. Gill hit 101 off 58 balls and Sai scored 47 off 36. No other GT batter crossed the single digit mark. Bhuvneshwar scalped 5 wickets.

'WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL MOMENT FOR ME', SAYS GAVASKAR ON TAKING DHONI'S AUTOGRAPH ON HIS SHIRT

NEW DELHI, (IANS) Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has revealed that it was a very emotional moment for him when he took the autograph from skipper MS Dhoni on his shirt during Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) last league match at the Chepauk on Sunday. Despite their six-wicket defeat to the Kolkata Knight Riders in their last home game of IPL 2023, Sunday was a special occasion for Chennai Super Kings and their fans at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Since it was CSK's last home of the season, Dhoni decided to do a lap of honor at Chepauk with his teammates. As CSK players walked around their home stadium, Indian cricket legend Gavaskar chased down the pack of players and asked CSK skipper Dhoni for his autograph. The former India captain, in fact, asked Dhoni to autograph his shirt, a touching tribute from one legend of the game to the other. Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar took the autograph from the CSK captain MS Dhoni on his shirt during CSK's lap of honour at the Chepauk. The legendary Indian cricketer revealed the real reason behind his impulsive action and why he got emotional when Dhoni was giving him the autograph. "When I got to know about Chennai Super Kings and MS Dhoni are going to take a lap of honour at Chepauk, I decided to create a special memory. That's why I ran towards MSD to take his autograph. It was his last home game at Chepauk," Gavaskar told Star Sports.

Barca President Stresses Good Relationship With Messi But No Plan To Bring Him Back

MADRID (SPAIN), (IANS) FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta said on Monday that the club has re-established good relationships with Argentine legend Lionel Messi, but it would not pay any price to bring him back to the Camp Nou Stadium.

Speaking on Catalan TV network, TV3 after Barca claimed this season's La Liga title late on Sunday night, Laporta explained he had tried to build bridges with Messi in the wake of the Argentinean's move to Paris Saint Germain after being unable to fit his wages into the club's tight wage ceiling. "I have spoken with Leo to somehow redirect the situation that occurred when I had to put the institution ahead of everything, including him, the best player in the world," said Laporta in a Monday morning TV show. Messi will be out of contract with PSG at the end of the season, reports Xinhua. "We have sent messages lately. The truth is that the conversation was affectionate and pleasant. We have known each other for many years. There is a relationship," Laporta said. "He (Messi) is the best player in the world, and any coach would like to have him and with all due respect to Saudi Arabia (cited as a possible destination for Messi), where they are doing a very good job, Barca is Barca. And Barcelona is his home." "We love Leo, but we will not move in high numbers to bring him in. The club is in an austerity plan," added Laporta. The club president also discussed Gavi, who is still on a B-team contract, and Ansu Fati, who has struggled for form a fter his long injury. Laporta said he was "convinced" Gavi would remain at Barcelona, but he was less clear about Fati.

Gujarat Titans opener Shubman Gill created and broke a plethora of records on the way to his maiden IPL century in the game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday (May 15). He slammed 101 runs off just 58 balls with 13 fours and a six to his name. On the back of his stunning knock, GT posted 188 runs for the loss of nine wickets after 20 overs and in turn, their bowlers defended the total easily to win the game by 34 runs. With this win, the Titans also sealed their playoffs qualification along with a top two finish in the points table. Coming back to Gill's records, the youngster also broke a long standing record of Sachin Tendulkar that was created back in 2010. Gill reached his fifty off just 22 balls hitting nine fours during his stay in the middle. However, he didn't hit a single six. This is a fastest fifty in the history of IPL without hitting a single maximum. Sachin Tendulkar was at the top of this list having reached the 50-run mark without smashing a six off 23 balls against Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) back in 2010. Sachin had scored 63 runs off 32 balls in that game with 11 fours to his name. On the other hand, Gill ended up smashing his maiden IPL ton and was dismissed on 101. Perhaps, the only six he hit in the innings came in the 12th over of the innings off Abhishek Sharma. Speaking after the match, Shubman Gill said, "I made my IPL debut against SRH and got my first hundred against them, so life has come a full circle. Hopefully many more to come. It's all about the bowlers and situation and I don't dwell much on my last innings. It is important to focus on the situation in front. The six off Abhishek Sharma was the most pleasing thing for me. I told him that if you bowl to me I'm gonna hit you for a six."

BOWLERS ARE VERY CLOSE TO MY HEART, SAYS HARDIK AFTER GT QUALIFY FOR PLAYOFFS

AHMEDABAD, (IANS) Gujarat Titans skipper Hardik Pandya said he is a bowlers captain after his side beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 34 runs in Match 62 of IPL 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium here and became the first team to qualify for the playoffs in the ongoing season. Batting first, Shubman Gill sizzled with his maiden IPL ton (101 off 58), hitting 13 fours and a six and was ably supported by Sai Sudharsan 47(36) to help Gujarat Titans put on a competitive 188/9 after a lion-hearted Bhuvneshwar had picked up his second IPL fifer (5/31).

Mohd. Shami (4/21) then ripped through the SRH top order and Mohit Sharma (4/24) scythed through the middle-order as the away team overcame a fighting effort from Heinrich Klaasen (64 off 44) to restrict SRH to 154/9 and qualify for the play-offs on Monday night. Defending champions Gujarat Titans still have a game to go, but with nine wins in 13 matches, they have already confirmed their spot in the top two. "Very proud of the boys, two in two (making it to the playoffs twice in a row). The boys put their hands up and in challenging situations and we rightly deserve the playoff spot. There will be expectations and for me it was important to focus within the group," said Pandya at the post-match presentation. "We ticked a lot of good boxes, we made a lot of errors but we were always there in the game and tried to stay consistent. Bowlers are very close to my heart. Sometimes batters take a lot of credit, for me I will always be a bowler's captain and ensure they get the due credit they very much deserve," he added.

MS Dhoni has kept all his cards close to his chest when it comes to retirement after the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). While it is widely being accepted that the CSK skipper will hang his boots after this season, the man himself hasn't hinted anything apart from his 'last phase of my career' comment. Meanwhile, the CEO of Chennai Super Kings, Kasi Viswanathan has guessed that Dhoni will continue to play even in IPL 2024. He confirmed that the 41-year-old hasn't told anything to the franchise about the retirement.

"That is my guess, hunch. He has not told us either way but the way he played and led the side, I personally think he will play next year as well," he said while speaking to Cricbuzz. CSK played their last home game of the season against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday (May 14). After the match, Dhoni was seen signing jerseys to the opposition, something that has been going on for the last couple of seasons now while cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar also rushed towards him to get his autograph.

Fans stayed back even as the entire CSK team took a lap to thank the crowd for all the support this season. MS Dhoni also tossed a few jerseys towards the fans in the stands. However, there is no certainty around his retirement as of yet. Currently, the CSK captain seems focussed on the last league game of the side. The Men in Yellow are at the second position at the moment with 15 points to their name after 13 matches. They are not through to the playoffs yet and will need other results to go in their favour to make it to top two as well.

ITALIAN OPEN: RYBAKINA ADVANCES TO QUARTERFINALS; SWIATEK, VEKIC RAINED OUT

ROME, (IANS) World No. 6 Elena Rybakina advanced to her first Italian open quarterfinal after defeating Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 6-3, here. The reigning Wimbledon champion will face either two-time defending champion Iga Swiatek or No.24 Donna Vekic in the quar terfinals on Wednesday. Swiatek and Vekic were set to face off in the Monday night match on Court Centrale, but the match was canceled due to rain. The Round of 16 between Paula Badosa and Karolina Muchova was also canceled. Both matches are scheduled for Tuesday. Swiatek and Vekic will play the third match on Centrale, not before 1:30 p.m. (Local time). Badosa and Muchova will play the fo urth match on Court Pietrangeli, not before 3:00 p.m.

Rome has been a surprising salve for Rybakina's slow start to the clay-court season. The Indian Wells champion was forced to re tire in Stuttgart due to a back injury and was knocked out of Madrid in the third round by Anna Kalinskaya.

"Coming here I didn't expect much because unfortunately Rome for me is the worst for my allergies," Rybakina said, referring to the heavy pollen associated with the tournament.

"I'm happy that I'm managing to win and get these matches," she added. Facing Vondrousova for a second time in her career, Rybakina overpowered the crafty Czech to level their head-to-head to 1-1. Rybakina hit 28 winners to Vondrousova's 13 and broke the 2019 French Open finalist five times.

IT'S NOT ONLY YOU, IT'S THE TEAM NOW: SUNIL CHHETRI RECALLS HIS CAPTAINCY DEBUT FOR INDIA

NEW DELHI, (IANS) Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri reflected on his journey from being a junior player in the national team to leading the side and also recalled how he became more responsible after receiving the captain's armband.

Chhetri made his international debut for India in 2005 at a tender age of 20, but it was in 2012 when he took over the captaincy of the senior national team under former India head coach Bob Hoghton during the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification in Malaysia. He recalled what type of a character he was as a young player and how that all changed with captaincy.

"The day I was given the armband, it was in Malaysia by Bob Houghton, former head coach of the senior national team. There was an instant pressure because of what I was - a backbencher. Myself, Steven (Dias) and (NP) Pradeep made fun of the senior players, that was me. Everything was a prank and I was mischievous," Chhetri said on an episode of Let There Be Sports. "But when I wore the armband, for the initial three-four games I started sitting ahead. That was me taking the pressure that I have become captain now. It's not these things, but doing the right stuff that you were doing before and being a little more thoughtful. It's not only you, it's the team now," he added. Chhetri has broken many records during his time with the Indian national team over two decades, a lso recording the most number of goals for the Blue Tigers. The 38-year-old explained how he had to change his approach after taking charge as captain and spoke about setting an example. "Before there was this mindset that I am Sunil Chhetri -- my dribble, my pass, m y crossing, my goal. I would raise my hands and go home. Even if I received abuse, I would take them and go home. But now you are thinking about yourself as well, but also about the team. On and off the pitch. And when I forced myself to think this way earlier, I was scared. I told myself to relax, the job is still the same. Be a good example on the pitch and off the pitch," Chhetri said.

WILL MS DHONI RETIRE AFTER IPL 2023? CSK CEO COMES UP WITH AN UPDATE MAIN

BEN STOKES TO RETURN HOME AFTER CSK'S FINAL LEAGUE GAME, SET TO MISS PLAYOFFS

Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Ben Stokes will reportedly return home after CSK's final league game in IPL 2023. CSK are pushing hard to make it to the Playoffs in IPL 2023. The fourtime champions Chennai have 15 points in 13 games and occupy the second spot in the IPL 2023 Points table. Stokes played his part in two matches for Chennai this season and was sidelined with a toe injury. The English all-rounder played in the first two games for CSK - one against Gujarat Titans and the other against Lucknow Super Giants. He was hit with an injury issue. Now as per ESPNCricinfo, Stokes will head back to his home after CSK's final league game against Delhi Capitals on May 20. Bowling is a concern for Stokes and he is kept as a batting cover but Chennai are not in the mood to make any tweaks to their team. CSK's head coach also opened up on Ben Stokes' injury. Fleming said that bowling remains a bit of a challenge at the moment for Stokes but he is being kept as a batting cover for the team. "Ben's ability to bowl overs at the moment is still a bit of a challenge, but he's there as that batting cover," Fleming said after CSK's loss to KKR at Chepauk as quoted by ESPNCricinfo. Meanwhile, he also stated that CSK are likely to go with the same team in the next game despite a loss at the hands of KKR in their penultimate league stage game. "But with Moeen bowling well in good conditions - we go to Delhi which has been turning - we think the balance of the side has been right. And look, we're second on the table, so it's not our style to chop and change just because we've had a loss where things didn't go our way. We won't do that. We might tinker with it but we're very focused on getting the right team for Delhi," Fleming added.

SURYAKUMAR YADAV CAN BAT PERMANENTLY AT NO. 3 FOR MUMBAI INDIANS, SAYS SEHWAG

Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag has backed star MI batter Suryakumar Yadav to be the permanent batter at number three for Mumbai Indians because of his brilliance against pace and spin. In a crucial IPL 2023 match, five-time champions Mumbai Indians and newbies Lucknow Super Giants take on each other on Tuesday evening in Lucknow as they aim to get a step closer towards booking the playoffs berth. Living up to their 'late bloomers' tag, MI gathered steam in the second half of the IPL 2023 and their juggernaut continues to roll. The Rohit Sharma-led side has won four of its last five games and will be aiming to pick up two vital points tonight in Lucknow. "SKY can be the permanent No. 3 for Mumbai Indians because he's a good player of pace and spin. Although it all boils down to the team management (when it comes to taking such decisions), but I strongly believe he should get to face more balls," said Sehwag on Star Sports' Cricket Live. Meanwhile, former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh believes Mumbai Indians can very well finish amongst the top two at the end of the league stage and give themselves an extra shot at lifting their sixth IPL trophy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADHURI DIXIT: TOP SAREE LOOKS OF THE 'DHAK DHAK' QUEEN

Y MEDIA TEAM AT BROWN TRASH, STAND UP COMMEDY SHOW AT COMEDY BAR

MADHURI DIXIT, THE EPITOME OF GRACE AND ELEGANCE, EFFORTLESSLY ADORNS HERSELF IN ETHEREAL SAREES, CAPTIVATING HEARTS WITH HER TIMELESS BEAUTY. WITH EACH DRAPE, SHE EXUDES AN AURA OF ENCHANTMENT, LIKE A CELESTIAL GODDESS GRACING THE MORTAL REALM. IN HER RESPLENDENT SAREES, MADHURI RADIATES AN ETHEREAL CHARM, EMBODYING THE PERFECT BLEND OF TRADITIONAL ALLURE AND CONTEMPORARY SOPHISTICATION. HER CHOICE OF COLOURS IS A SYMPHONY OF HUES, FROM VIBRANT REDS THAT IGNITE A PASSION TO SERENE BLUES THAT EVOKE TRANQUILLITY. EVERY DRAPE TELLS A STORY, WEAVING A TAPESTRY OF ELEGANCE THAT ENHANCES HER INNATE BEAUTY.

RENTAL DEMAND IN CANADA CONTINUES TO OUTPACE SUPPLY: REPORT

With the national vacancy rate for rentals at less than 2%, the demand in Canada has continued to outpace the available supply, which has led to spiking rents in most of the cities in this report. The competition for housing is fierce as more and more people are moving to Canada, mortgage rates are high so many people are priced out of the ownership market, and with so much uncertainty in the economy many are holding back from making any big financial moves until there is more confidence restored. Although the overall rental supply in 2022 did have its strongest rate of increase since 2013, it still wasn’t enough to meet the demand created by this large pool of renters. As we head into the warmer months, rents will likely only continue to rise.

Overall, 15 cities saw rents increase on a monthly basis, 5 declined, and 3 remained flat. At the top, Vancouver and Toronto held steady as the 2 priciest markets with rents up in the double-digits year-over-year. Calgary moved up 4 spots and into the top 10 with a 6.1% monthly rent price growth rate. Calgary also had the fastest growing rent since this time last year, jumping 42.3%. Halifax, Quebec, and Toronto followed with rents all up over 20%.

Top 5 Markets

Vancouver, BC remained the most expensive city in Canada with one-bedroom rent staying flat at $2,600, while two-bedrooms jumped 5.6% to $3,800.

2. Toronto, ON was the 2nd priciest market with one-bedroom rent increasing

1.3% to $2,400, while two-bedrooms grew 3% to $3,090. Notably, both bedroom types saw rent jump over 20% since this time last year.

3. Burnaby, BC was 3rd with one-bedroom rent moving up 2.2% to $2,350, while two-bedrooms remained stable at $3,000.

4. Victoria, BC continued to rank as 4th with one and two-bedroom rents priced at $2,000 and $2,500, respectively.

5. Kitchener, ON rounded out the top 5 markets with one-bedroom rent dipping 1.1% to 1,880, while two-bedrooms inched up 0.9% to $2,250.

Cities with The Fastest Growing Monthly Rent

–Calgary, AB catapulted up 4 spots to rank as the 10th most expensive city with one-bedroom rent climbing 6.1% to $1,750.

–Edmonton, AB one-bedroom rent climbed 5.8%, settling at $1,090, and up a ranking to become the 22nd priciest market.

–Saksatoon, SK was 21st with one-bedroom rent jumping 5.6% to $1,140.

Cities with The Largest Monthly Decline –Kelowna, BC dropped 3 spots to rank as the 8th most expensive city with one-bedroom rent declining 5.3% to $1,800.

–Barrie, ON ranked as the 6th priciest with one-bedroom rent falling 2.7% to $1,830.

–Kingston, ON took a 2 ranking dip to become the 14th most expensive with one-bedroom rent dropping 1.8% to $1,650.

Five Tips For Celiac Disease Awareness And Management

Dr. Lee Roth, MD, MSc, FRCPC, practices gastroenterology and internal medicine at William Osler Health System. He completed his training at Western University, London, Ontario, and is certified in both Canada and the United States.

1. Know the symptoms. The symptoms of celiac disease vary in extent and severity. Infants and children often display symptoms of diarrhea, abdominal pain and poor growth. In adults, gastrointestinal complaints are common and include abdominal pain, flatulence and diarrhea. Many people have symptoms consistent with celiac disease, but only about one per cent of people actually have the disease.2 If you have any of these symptoms, speak with your family doctor.

2. Watch what you eat.

Although research is o ngoing, the only real treatment for celiac disease at this time is to maintain a gluten-free diet. Finding glutenfree options can be challenging, but there are tools - like the one found on the Canadian Celiac Association website - to assist in finding gluten-free alternatives. Visit https://www.celiac.ca/livinggluten-free/gf-product-finder/.

3. Avoid a celiac disease flare-up.

For anyone with celiac disease, accidently ingesting gluten means a flare-up of symptoms. To avoid pain and discomfort, it is best to be vigilant in monitoring your dietary intake and know your glutenfree options.