Pooja Pillai is an entertainment journalist with Asian Media Group, where she covers cinema, pop culture, internet trends, and the politics of representation. Her work spans interviews, cultural features, and social commentary across digital platforms.
She began her reporting career as a news anchor, scripting and presenting stories for a regional newsroom. With a background in journalism and media studies, she has since built a body of work exploring how entertainment intersects with social and cultural shifts, particularly through a South Indian lens.
She brings both newsroom rigour and narrative curiosity to her work, and believes the best stories don’t just inform — they reveal what we didn’t know we needed to hear.
Deepika Padukone made a striking return to the spotlight at Sabyasachi’s fashion show, held at the Jio Convention Centre in Mumbai. This marked her first major public appearance since the birth of her daughter, Dua Padukone Singh. While fans were excited to see the Bollywood icon back in action, her outfit became a topic of heated discussion online, with opinions ranging from admiration to disappointment.
Deepika’s look featured an all-white ensemble with tailored pants and an oversized trench coat. The outfit was accessorized with bold glasses, layered necklaces, and a dramatic hairdo, creating a daring and unconventional fashion statement. However, the boldness of the outfit didn’t resonate with everyone. Social media was quick to react, with some users criticizing the ensemble for being over-the-top.
“Imagine making a supermodel like Deepika look so bad,” one user remarked, while another likened her appearance to a “Desi Madonna.” Comparisons to 1980s pop icon Madonna and even characters from The Godfather flooded the internet, with some calling the look cartoonish. However, others noted the quirky resemblance to her husband, Ranveer Singh’s experimental style. Comments like “Female Ranveer Singh” highlighted the playful vibe of her outfit, sparking further debate on whether it was a hit or a miss.
While Deepika’s fashion choice stirred controversy, Alia Bhatt, who also attended the event, was universally praised for her elegant appearance. Dressed in a black Sabyasachi saree with an embellished blouse, Alia exuded timeless grace, earning compliments such as “pure royalty.”
Deepika Padukone graces the ramp in a bold Sabyasachi ensemble turning headsInstagram/ieentertainment
Deepika’s striking outfit may not have appealed to all, but it certainly made her the center of attention, highlighting that fashion is as much about sparking conversation as it is about aesthetics.
Pakistan's foreign minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan had not requested any mediation in its talks with India, but was offered a meeting at a neutral venue. (Photo: Getty Images)
PAKISTAN is ready for a “comprehensive dialogue with India” to discuss Kashmir and other issues, foreign minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday (22).
Dar, who also holds the portfolio of the deputy prime minister, said Pakistan was clear from the outset that discussions with India would not take place on any single-point agenda.
“Talks, whenever held, will be not just Kashmir but on all issues,” he told reporters outside the parliament in Islamabad.
India has maintained that it will have a dialogue with Pakistan over Kashmir and crossborder terrorism.
Dar said Pakistan had not requested any mediation in its talks with India, but was offered a meeting at a neutral venue.
“We were told to sit down at a neutral location, and I said if that is the case, we are willing to meet,” he said.
The minister also claimed the US has nudged Islamabad towards a ceasefire with India.
“I received a call from the US for a ceasefire,” Dar said. “I had made it clear that Pakistan did not want a war.”
An attack by terrorists on April 22 in Indian Kashmir’s Pahalgam left 26 people dead, prompting Delhi to launch strikes under ‘operation Sindoor’. Four days of drone and missile strikes followed, before India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict.
Dar said the ceasefire with India was in place.
His comments came as Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi met Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir on Friday and discussed regional security and counter-terrorism.
“Both sides reaffirmed their resolve to strengthen the all-weather strategic partnership and enhance coordination at regional and international forums,” the army said in a statement on Friday.
“Wang Yi reiterated China’s steadfast support for Pakistan’s sovereignty and development,” it added.
On Thursday (21), Wang and Dar held talks to review the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor 2.0, trade and economic relations, multilateral cooperation, and people-to-people ties.
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Ambani, the younger brother of Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, has business interests across sectors including power and defence. (Photo: Reuters)
INDIA's federal investigator, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has registered a criminal case against tycoon Anil Ambani following a complaint from the State Bank of India (SBI) alleging fraud, the agency said on Saturday.
Ambani, the younger brother of Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, has business interests across sectors including power and defence.
According to SBI, Anil Ambani and his former telecom company Reliance Communications “misappropriated” bank funds by carrying out transactions that violated loan terms.
The bank said it suffered a loss of 29.29 billion rupees (£248.4 million) due to the actions.
The CBI said the case had been filed and that the complaint would undergo “thorough investigation”. On Saturday, the agency searched premises linked to Reliance Communications and Anil Ambani’s residence.
A spokesperson for Ambani said he “strongly denies all allegations and charges” and “will duly defend himself”.
“The complaint filed by State Bank of India (SBI) pertains to matters dating back more than 10 years. At the relevant time, Ambani was a non-executive director of the company, with no involvement in the day-to-day management,” the spokesperson said.
“It is pertinent to note that SBI, by its own order, has already withdrawn proceedings against five other non-executive directors. Despite this, Ambani has been selectively singled out.”
Anil Ambani was last in the public spotlight seven years ago when Indian politician Rahul Gandhi accused him and prime minister Narendra Modi of irregularities in the Rafale jet deal with France. Both Ambani and Modi denied the allegations.
In December 2018, India’s Supreme Court rejected demands for an investigation into the jet deal, saying it did “not find any substantial material on record to show that this is a case of commercial favouritism to any party by the Indian government”.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Pujara made his Test debut in 2010 and went on to score 7,195 runs in the format at an average of 43.60. (Photo: Getty Images)
CHETESHWAR PUJARA on Sunday (August 24) announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket, bringing to a close an international career that lasted more than a decade.
Pujara played 103 Test matches and five One Day Internationals for India. His last appearance came in the World Test Championship final against Australia in 2023.
He made his Test debut in 2010 and went on to score 7,195 runs in the format at an average of 43.60.
The 37-year-old said it was time to end his playing career. "Wearing the Indian jersey, singing the anthem, and trying my best each time I stepped on the field -- it's impossible to put into words what it truly meant," Pujara said in a post on social media.
"But as they say, all good things must come to an end, and with immense gratitude, I have decided to retire from all forms of Indian cricket."
Pujara recalled his early journey in the game. "As a little boy from the small town of Rajkot, along with my parents, I set out to aim for the stars; and dreamt to be a part of the Indian cricket team," he wrote.
"Little did I know then that this game would give me so much -- invaluable opportunities, experiences, purpose, love, and above all a chance to represent my state and this great nation."
Known for his Test match focus in an era dominated by T20 cricket, Pujara had often spoken about the routines that helped him sustain his career.
"I have certain routines, fitness, little bit of meditation, yoga and pranayama (a breathing technique) because it is necessary to shut the outside noise, even if it is positive," he told reporters in 2023.
"We play nine Tests on an average, and when you go back home, unless you have domestic cricket, you are not in touch with the game. Keep challenging yourself, keep training, looking forward."
(With inputs from agencies)
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Farage said he would end the right to claim asylum or challenge deportation for people arriving this way by replacing current human rights laws and withdrawing Britain from refugee treaties. (Photo: Getty Images)
NIGEL FARAGE has set out plans for "mass deportations" of migrants who cross the English Channel on small boats if his Reform UK party comes to power.
Speaking to The Times on Saturday (August 23), the former Brexit campaigner said he would withdraw Britain from the European Convention on Human Rights and make agreements with Afghanistan, Eritrea and other main countries of origin to repatriate illegal migrants.
"We can be nice to people, we can be nice to other countries, or we can be very tough to other countries ... I mean (US president Donald) Trump has proved this point quite comprehensively," Farage said.
When asked if he was concerned that asylum seekers could face torture or death in countries with poor human rights records, Farage said he was more concerned about the risk he believed asylum seekers posed to people in Britain.
"I can't be responsible for despotic regimes all over the world. But I can be responsible for the safety of women and girls on our streets," he said.
In recent weeks, small-scale protests have taken place outside hotels housing asylum seekers, with public safety concerns heightened after some migrants were charged with sexual assault.
Polls show immigration and asylum are now viewed as the public’s biggest concern, slightly ahead of the economy. Reform UK, which won five seats in last year’s general election, has recently led in voting intention surveys.
Last year, 37,000 people – mainly from Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Vietnam and Eritrea – reached Britain from France by small boats. The figure was up 25 per cent from 2023 and made up 9 per cent of net migration.
According to analysis by the University of Oxford, about two-thirds of those arriving by small boats and applying for asylum are granted it, while just 3 per cent have been deported.
Farage told The Times he would end the right to claim asylum or challenge deportation for people arriving this way by replacing current human rights laws and withdrawing Britain from refugee treaties, saying there was a national emergency.
"The aim of this legislation is mass deportations," he said, adding that a "massive crisis" caused by asylum seekers was fuelling public anger.
According to The Times, Farage’s plan includes holding 24,000 migrants in facilities on air bases at a cost of 2.5 billion pounds, and running five deportation flights daily, with deportations in the hundreds of thousands.
If those measures did not succeed, asylum seekers could be moved to Ascension Island, a British territory in the South Atlantic, which Farage said would send a symbolic message.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Police confirmed that many of the passengers were foreign nationals, including citizens of India, China, the Philippines
A TOURIST bus travelling from Niagara Falls to New York city overturned on a highway near Buffalo on Friday (22), killing five people and injuring dozens of others. Police confirmed that many of the passengers were foreign nationals, including citizens of India, China, the Philippines and Middle Eastern countries.
The crash took place at about 12.30pm local time on the New York state Thruway near the town of Pembroke, around 40 kilometres east of Buffalo. The bus, which was carrying 54 passengers, rolled into a ditch after the driver lost control.
Major Andre J. Ray of the New York state police said investigators believe the driver, who survived, was distracted. “It’s believed the operator became distracted, lost control, over corrected and ended up… over there,” he told reporters at the scene. He added that mechanical failure and driver impairment had both been ruled out.
Earlier in the day, a police spokesman had said a child was thought to be among the dead, but Major Ray later clarified that all of the deceased were adults. Their names have not yet been released.
Trooper James O’Callaghan, also from the state police, noted that the bus had been travelling at “full speed” when the driver lost control, though officials have declined to confirm details about its speed.
O’Callaghan said every passenger on the bus had suffered some kind of injury, ranging from cuts and bruises to more serious wounds. Many passengers were thrown from the bus when it overturned, and it appeared that several were not wearing seatbelts.
“Every passenger on the bus had at least some sort of cut, bruise or abrasion as an injury,” he said.
Six Chinese citizens were on board, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV, which cited the Chinese consulate in New York. Five were treated for minor injuries and later discharged, while the sixth underwent surgery. Indian nationals were also among the passengers, though officials did not specify how many were injured.
The bus had been operated by M&Y Tour Inc., a company based in Staten Island. Two of the 54 people on board were employees of the company, including the driver. Calls to the company on Friday went unanswered.
Emergency services mounted a large rescue operation at the site. Eight helicopters were used to airlift passengers, according to Margaret Ferrentino, president of Mercy Flight, a non-profit air ambulance provider. Translators were also brought in to help communicate with victims from different countries.
Governor Kathy Hochul said her office was working closely with state police and local officials to assist victims. “My team is coordinating with state police and local authorities who are working to rescue and provide assistance to everyone involved,” she said.
New York senator Chuck Schumer also expressed his sympathy. He said, “I’m heartbroken for all those we’ve lost and all those injured and praying for their families. Thank you to our brave first responders on the scene.”
The crash prompted a call for blood donations from Connect Life, a regional blood and organ donor network, which appealed to the public to come forward to support the injured.
The bus was returning to New York City after a day trip to Niagara Falls, one of North America’s most visited natural landmarks on the US-Canada border. It is a common destination for international tourists, and bus tours regularly operate between New York City and the falls.
Police said no one other than the bus passengers was injured, and no other vehicles were involved in the crash. Investigators are now working with the driver to establish a full picture of what caused the accident. “The driver is alive and well – we’re working with him. We believe we have a good idea of what happened, why the bus lost control. We just want to make sure that all the details are thoroughly vetted,” a spokesman said.
By Friday evening, state police had reopened thruway lanes for general traffic, but the section of the road near Pembroke where the crash took place remained closed. Officials have urged drivers to expect delays and to use alternate routes while the investigation continues.
Police and emergency services say their priority remains supporting survivors and identifying the victims as families across different countries await news.