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.
Mammootty confirms complete recovery after recent health issues.
The actor will resume shoots for Mahesh Narayanan’s Patriot in September.
Malayalam film personalities including Mohanlal and Prithviraj welcomed his return.
Fans are eagerly awaiting his next releases including Kalamkaval.
Veteran Malayalam actor Mammootty has confirmed his full recovery following recent health concerns, bringing relief to fans and colleagues alike. The much-awaited Mammootty health update comes as the megastar prepares to resume filming Patriot, directed by Mahesh Narayanan, alongside Mohanlal. The actor is also expected to complete dubbing for Kalamkaval, keeping his packed release slate on track.
Mammootty confirms full recovery and returns with Mohanlal in Patriot Instagram/mammootty
What is the latest Mammootty health update?
The 72-year-old star had been away from the spotlight for several months after reports surfaced about a possible health issue. While his team consistently denied rumours of a cancer diagnosis, the actor had taken time off for treatment and recovery.
Now, close aides including producer Anto Joseph and his long-time associate George confirmed through social media that Mammootty has “fully regained his health” and is ready to return. George posted a heartfelt message of gratitude, thanking everyone who prayed and supported the actor during the difficult period.
Mammootty is set to return to sets in September for Mahesh Narayanan’s big-budget drama Patriot. The film also features an extended cameo by Mohanlal, with Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban and Nayanthara playing key roles. Produced by Anto Joseph, C.R. Salim and Shubash Manuel, the project is among the most anticipated Malayalam releases of 2025.
Apart from Patriot, the actor is also finishing work on Kalamkaval, a crime-action thriller directed by debutant Jithin K Jose. In the film, Mammootty reportedly portrays serial killer Cyanide Mohan, with Vinayakan as co-lead and Meera Jasmine, Rajisha Vijayan, and Gayatri Arun in supporting roles. Kalamkaval is expected to release later this year.
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How did the industry react to Mammootty’s recovery?
News of Mammootty’s recovery sparked widespread joy across the Malayalam film industry. Mohanlal shared a candid photo with the actor, while Prithviraj Sukumaran, Manju Warrier, and Maala Parvathi expressed their happiness online.
Producer Anto Joseph described the development as an “answered prayer,” and director Ratheena PT, who worked with Mammootty in Puzhu, called it “double OK.” Political leaders including Kerala opposition leader V.D. Satheesan and Speaker A.N. Shamseer also welcomed the news, underlining the actor’s immense cultural influence.
For fans, the Mammootty health update signals the continuation of a prolific career spanning more than four decades. The actor, known for recent hits like Kaathal and Bramayugam, remains one of the busiest stars in Malayalam cinema. His upcoming slate combines mainstream entertainers with challenging character-driven roles, reinforcing his ability to adapt across generations. With Patriot bringing Mammootty and Mohanlal together once again, anticipation is high for what promises to be a landmark film in the industry.
A medical student aiming to become a doctor like her parents, Grace was also a keen sportsperson who represented England at under-18 level in hockey and played cricket. (Photo credit: X/@SouthgateHC)
GRACE O’MALLEY-KUMAR, the British-Indian teenager who was stabbed to death while trying to protect her friend during a knife attack in Nottingham in 2023, has been posthumously awarded the George Medal, one of Britain’s highest civilian honours for acts of bravery.
Grace, aged 19, was walking back to her University of Nottingham accommodation with her friend Barnaby Webber, also 19, when they were attacked by knife-wielding Valdo Calocane in June 2023. Both students were killed. Calocane was later sentenced to a mental health order and detained in a high-security hospital.
Tributes had followed the attack, with many calling for recognition of Grace’s courage. A medical student aiming to become a doctor like her parents, Dr Sanjoy Kumar and Dr Sinead O’Malley, Grace was also a keen sportsperson who represented England at under-18 level in hockey and played cricket.
“I want to pay tribute to all of the recipients, including Grace O’Malley-Kumar, who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect her friend. Her legacy will live on as a powerful example of heroism,” prime minister Keir Starmer said in a statement announcing the George Medal, which will be presented to her family.
“Grace O’Malley-Kumar, who has received the George Medal for intervening in an armed attack in Nottingham on 13th June 2023,” reads the official citation.
The George Medal, a silver disc on a ribbon, is Britain’s second-highest civilian bravery award after the George Cross. It is given for “conspicuous gallantry not in the presence of the enemy.”
“The bravery she showed was incredible for a young girl,” her father, Sanjoy Kumar, has previously said.
Her family has since set up the Grace O’Malley-Kumar Foundation to support young people and communities through sport, mental health, and education.
“She was simply walking home after a night out with her friend, Barnaby, after celebrating end-of-year medical school exams, when Barnaby was attacked with a dagger from behind,” reads the foundation’s mission statement.
“Grace tried to fight off the attacker when he turned his attention to her and went about attacking her in the same brutal manner as he did to Barnaby. Grace’s character would never leave a friend, so she did her very best and fought the attacker in a fight she would never win. Grace died a hero,” it states.
Grace O’Malley-Kumar is among 20 people recognised this week for acts of courage, receiving one of three honours – the George Medal, the King’s Gallantry Medal, or the King’s Commendation for Bravery.
“This is what true courage looks like. In moments of unimaginable danger, these extraordinary people acted with selflessness and bravery that speaks to the very best of who we are as a nation. We owe each of them – and their families – our deepest thanks. Their actions remind us of the strength and compassion that run through our communities,” said Starmer.
The 20 awards recognise acts of courage in recent years, from intervening in armed attacks to rescuing people in danger.
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Taylor Swift breaks UK sales record with 'The Life of a Showgirl' as she says marriage isn’t a reason to stop working
Swift’s new album secures the UK’s biggest opening week of 2025 with 304,000 copies sold.
US sales hit 2.7 million on release day, second only to Adele’s 25.
Vinyl collectors snap up 1.2 million copies; eight variants released.
Concert film tops box office with £34 million (₹404.76 crore) in ticket sales.
The album, created during the Eras Tour, captures her romance and music industry tales.
Taylor Swift is back at the top. The Life of a Showgirl flew off the shelves in the UK, selling 304,000 copies in just a week. Across the pond, 2.7 million fans grabbed it on day one in the US, proving again she’s still in a league of her own. The album, written on the road during her Eras Tour, also gives fans a glimpse into her romance with Travis Kelce and the messy side of the music business.
Taylor Swift breaks UK sales record with 'The Life of a Showgirl' as she says marriage isn’t a reason to stop working Instagram/taylorswift
How big is Taylor Swift’s UK success
Three days in, and The Life of a Showgirl has already overtaken the first-week sales of Swift’s last two albums combined. Ed Sheeran’s Divide (2017) sold 672,000 in its début week, but Swift’s speed is still impressive in an era when album sales are generally shrinking. Only Sam Fender’s People Watching crossed 100,000 this year in the UK.
Vinyl fans went wild. Swift released eight collectible versions of Showgirl, selling 1.2 million copies in the US alone. Her previous vinyl record was 859,000 for The Tortured Poets Department in 2024, so this is a jump. Even in a shrinking market, collectors clearly aren’t holding back.
The film screenings weren't just about watching, since fans saw new music videos, sneaked behind the scenes of the album, and caught Swift talking about the songs herself. For the 'Swifties,' it felt like being at a live show without leaving the cinema. The 89-minute The Official Release Party of a Showgirl brought in £34 million (₹404.76 crore) at the box office across North America and international screens.
Critics are split. Variety called the album “contagiously joyful,” while the Financial Times said it “lacked sparkle.” Swift, however, laughed off rumours this could be her last album, telling BBC Radio 2: “It’s not why people get married, so that they can quit their job.”
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David Beckham preparing for his first major fashion line
Looks like DB Ventures Ltd has just filed paperwork to trademark a new clothing brand on both sides of the Atlantic.
The proposed logo is a set of seven lines, a number that's always meant the world to Beckham.
This is his big solo push into clothing, moving into the same space as his wife Victoria's successful label.
The UK rights are already locked in, giving him ten years of protection against fakes.
It's the latest piece of his growing business portfolio, which has been landing some hefty deals lately.
Looks like David Beckham is making moves into his own fashion line, following the path his wife Victoria carved out years ago. Paperwork filed by the football icon's company reveals plans for a new label, and the proposed logo points straight to a family passion. It’s a clear sign he’s seriously expanding his brand beyond the pitch.
David Beckham preparing for his first major fashion line Getty Images
What is the story behind David Beckham's new brand?
Right, the full picture isn't out yet, but the legal bits are getting sorted. Through his holding firm, DB Ventures Ltd, Beckham has filed trade mark applications both in the UK and over in the States. The filings protect a specific logo: a set of seven vertical lines, with the last one kicking off at a slight angle.
Now, the number seven is, obviously, the big story here. That number seven? It's everywhere with him. His famous shirt at Manchester United, of course. Then he goes and makes it Harper’s middle name, and let's not forget the tattoo. When she was born, the sevens just stacked up, her weight, the time she arrived, all of it. Seems like a David Beckham thing.
Trademarked seven-line logo reflects Beckham’s iconic number and daughter HarperGetty Images
What will the David Beckham fashion brand sell?
The paperwork gives us a decent look at the potential product range. In the UK, it’s all pretty broad, covering clothing, footwear, and headgear and the application has already been given the green light. But the US filing gets more specific, listing everything from tops and bottoms to dresses, jumpsuits, and even swimwear and undergarments. That one is still pending, last anyone checked. It’s a full wardrobe play, by the looks of it.
Beckham steps into fashion following Victoria’s successful brandGetty Images
How does this fit into the wider Beckham business empire?
Let's not act like Beckham is some newcomer to this game. He stopped playing football ages ago and has been assembling a proper business machine since then. His company, DB Ventures, continues to pull in millions through partnerships with giants like Boss and Stella Artois. So, a fashion line feels like a natural, if bold, next step. It places him right alongside his wife Victoria, whose own label hit a massive £112.7m in sales last year. Talk about a power couple.
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Atherton said the time has come to end the “tacitly supported arrangement” of ensuring that the two teams meet in every ICC event.
FORMER England captain Michael Atherton has called for an end to India-Pakistan matches in ICC tournaments, alleging that draws have been “neatly arranged” to ensure the two sides meet for “economic needs.” He said cricket between the two countries has become a “proxy for broader tensions and propaganda.”
In a column for The Times, Atherton referred to the recent Asia Cup, where the Indian team reportedly refused to shake hands with Pakistani players. He also mentioned that the Asian Cricket Council’s Pakistani head, Mohsin Naqvi, walked away with the winner’s trophy after the Indian players declined to accept it from him.
“India and Pakistan have played each other in the group stage of every ICC event since 2013, which includes three 50-over World Cups, five T20 World Cups and three Champions Trophy,” Atherton wrote.
“That is regardless of whether the initial stage has been a single round robin – part of the motivation for which is the inevitability of an India versus Pakistan fixture – or multi-group, when the draws have been neatly arranged to ensure the fixture goes ahead,” he added.
Tensions between the two countries have been high following the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 Indians were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists, leading to military action by India in May.
“Despite its scarcity (maybe, in part, because of its scarcity) it is a fixture that carries huge economic clout, one of the main reasons why the broadcast rights for ICC tournaments are worth so much — roughly USD 3 billion for the most recent rights cycle 2023-27,” Atherton wrote.
“Due to the relative decline in the value of bilateral matches, ICC events have grown in frequency and importance, and so the India and Pakistan fixture is crucial to the balance sheets of those who would not otherwise have any skin in the game,” he said.
Atherton said the time has come to end the “tacitly supported arrangement” of ensuring that the two teams meet in every ICC event. He noted that at the recent Asia Cup, the draw and schedule were such that the teams faced each other every Sunday of the three-week tournament.
“If cricket was once the vehicle for diplomacy, it is now, clearly, a proxy for broader tensions and for propaganda. There is little justification, in any case, for a serious sport to arrange tournament fixtures to suit its economic needs and now that the rivalry is being exploited in other ways, there is even less justification for it.
“For the next broadcast rights cycle, the fixture draw before ICC events should be transparent and if the two teams do not meet every time, so be it,” he said.
India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Days before the Asia Cup, the Indian government announced a policy placing a blanket ban on bilateral sports engagements with Pakistan, even at neutral venues, but exempted multi-lateral events to comply with the Olympic Charter.
Atherton said the two countries are being deliberately drawn together to benefit from the tension that attracts large crowds and high viewership numbers, which are important for advertising revenue.
“This ‘arrangement’ has been tacitly supported within the game for a number of reasons. The most obvious is the inability of both teams, because of political tensions, to meet outside ICC events.
“Cricket on each other's territory was once the avenue through which both countries might talk, but gradually silence has descended.
“ICC events are the only occasions, at present, when the fixture can go ahead and now this must be on neutral territory too — the cause of much debate in the most recent Champions Trophy, when India parked themselves in Dubai for an entire tournament nominally hosted by Pakistan,” he said.
Dhaka, Bangladesh -- Fuji9 Casino, operating through https://fuji9casino.com, commemorates three years of exceptional service to Bangladesh's gaming community in 2025, having established itself as one of the nation's most reliable and popular online entertainment platforms since its 2022 inception.
The platform's remarkable journey from startup to market leader exemplifies how consistent operational excellence, genuine user focus, and sustained investment in regional infrastructure can create enduring success within Bangladesh's rapidly evolving digital entertainment ecosystem.
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Building Bangladesh's Most Trusted Entertainment Platform
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"Launching Fuji9 in 2022 was just the beginning of our Bangladesh story," stated a Fuji9 representative. "These three years have been defined by listening to our users, adapting to their evolving needs, and building infrastructure specifically engineered for this market. Our position today as one of Bangladesh's most popular platforms reflects thousands of decisions prioritising user satisfaction over short-term gains."
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Comprehensive Bengali language system evolved through continuous user feedback
Mobile architecture stress-tested across three years of Bangladesh network conditions
Gaming portfolio optimised through extensive South Asian user preference analytics
Customer support infrastructure staffed by professionals with deep Bangladesh market expertise
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Fuji9 functions under internationally recognised offshore licensing rather than Bangladesh-specific regulation, enabling access to global entertainment networks. Since 2022, the platform has systematically built exceptional credibility through unwavering operational transparency, consistent policy application, and demonstrated user protection commitment.
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Mobile Platform Perfected Through Continuous Refinement
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Since 2022, Fuji9 has accumulated invaluable data about Bangladeshi user behaviour, network conditions, and device preferences, translating these insights into continuous mobile platform improvements. The current smartphone experience represents the culmination of three years of testing, refinement, and optimisation specifically for Bangladesh's mobile-first market.
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Long-term users frequently cite Fuji9's three-year consistency—never compromising on withdrawal processing speed, maintaining support quality during growth, and preserving platform stability—as distinguishing factors that have earned their loyalty and motivated recommendations throughout their social networks.
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Fuji9's educational offerings have expanded substantially since 2022, growing from basic informational content to comprehensive learning resources addressing sophisticated questions from Bangladesh's maturing gaming community. The platform's knowledge base reflects three years of user inquiries, market developments, and regulatory evolution.
Educational materials encompassing cryptocurrency education, mobile payment security, financial management, and responsible gaming practices have been refined through thousands of user interactions, making Fuji9 an authoritative resource beyond entertainment provision.
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Throughout its entire operational history beginning in 2022, Fuji9 has maintained rigorous responsible gaming standards as foundational platform principles. The service's wellbeing tools and educational resources have been continuously enhanced based on three years of user engagement data and behavioural research.
Fuji9's consistent messaging since launch—emphasising entertainment over income generation, encouraging personal limit-setting, and promoting balanced digital leisure habits—has contributed to building a sustainable, healthy gaming community in Bangladesh.
Customer Support Team with Deep Bangladesh Expertise
Three Years of Service Excellence
Fuji9's customer support infrastructure represents significant competitive differentiation, with Bengali-speaking professionals who have served Bangladesh's gaming community throughout the platform's operational history. Many team members have been with Fuji9 since 2022, accumulating deep institutional knowledge about Bangladeshi user preferences, common concerns, and effective resolution strategies.
This experienced support team possesses nuanced understanding of cultural communication styles, local payment system intricacies, and regional expectations developed through years of daily user interaction, enabling superior service delivery that builds lasting user relationships.
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Fuji9's security infrastructure has successfully protected Bangladeshi users since 2022, with three years of incident-free operation demonstrating the robustness of protection systems. The platform employs enterprise-grade encryption, undergoes regular third-party security audits, and implements multi-factor authentication—all continuously enhanced based on evolving cybersecurity best practices.
This established security track record provides Bangladeshi users confidence that their personal information, financial data, and account credentials remain protected through proven, time-tested systems rather than unproven new technologies.
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This data-driven content strategy ensures Fuji9's offerings remain relevant to Bangladesh's gaming community while introducing variety that keeps long-term users engaged.
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As Fuji9 begins its fourth year serving Bangladesh, the platform remains committed to the user-centric philosophy that has guided development since 2022. The relationships, insights, and technical infrastructure built over three years position Fuji9 to continue leading Bangladesh's online entertainment sector through ongoing innovation and unwavering service quality.
About Fuji9
Fuji9, accessible at fuji9casino.com, is an internationally licensed online entertainment platform that has distinguished itself through three years of exceptional service to Bangladesh's gaming community since launching in 2022. Operating under offshore regulatory frameworks, the platform uniquely combines mobile banking integration with cryptocurrency capabilities, delivering entertainment experiences specifically engineered for South Asian audiences.
Visit https://fuji9casino.com to experience Bangladesh's most established and trusted international entertainment platform, featuring three years of proven operational excellence, comprehensive local payment integration, Bengali language support, and service delivery refined through years of serving South Asian digital consumers.
This article is paid content. It has been reviewed and edited by the Eastern Eye editorial team to meet our content standards.