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Kareena Kapoor Khan shared being recognised by Steven Spielberg for her role in 3 Idiots
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Steven Spielberg recognised Kareena Kapoor from ‘3 Idiots’, says he loved the film
May 03, 2025
At the WAVES 2025 Summit in Mumbai, Kareena Kapoor Khan shared a story that surprised many in the audience and subtly underscored the expanding reach of Indian cinema. During a conversation with Karan Johar and Vijay Deverakonda, Kareena recalled an unexpected encounter with none other than Steven Spielberg, someone she never imagined would even be aware of her work.
She was travelling, seated at a restaurant, when she noticed Spielberg nearby. This was shortly after 3 Idiots had been released. What happened next left her stunned. Spielberg approached her and asked, “Are you the girl in that very famous Indian film about the three students?” She responded with a smile, “Yes, that’s me.” Spielberg, she said, went on to tell her how much he had enjoyed the film.
For Kareena, the moment was more than just a compliment. In fact, it was proof that Indian films could travel far without any extra push or crossover effort. “He watched 3 Idiots and loved it. I didn’t need to do a Hollywood film for someone like Spielberg to notice me,” she said.
This isn’t the first time Spielberg has spoken about his fondness for 3 Idiots. Back in 2013, during a trip to Mumbai, he said that he had seen the film three times and connected with its emotional depth. It had clearly made a lasting impression.
Directed by Rajkumar Hirani and featuring Aamir Khan, R Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, and Boman Irani alongside Kareena, 3 Idiots was based on Chetan Bhagat’s novel Five Point Someone. It became the highest-grossing Indian film at the time and resonated with audiences for its layered take on education, friendship, and self-discovery.
Kareena also addressed the question of why she hadn’t pursued work in Hollywood. “It just didn’t happen that way. I’ve never believed in chasing things,” she said. Still, she didn’t shut the door on international projects. “If something comes along naturally, maybe a Hindi-English film, why not? Especially when even Spielberg is watching our movies.”
She believes great stories transcend borders and we couldn’t agree more.
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A logo of the Adani Group is seen on a commercial complex in Mumbai.
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India’s market regulator accuses Adani nephew of insider trading
May 03, 2025
THE Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), India’s market regulator, has accused Pranav Adani, director of several Adani group companies and nephew of Gautam Adani, of sharing unpublished price sensitive information in violation of insider trading rules, according to a document reviewed by Reuters.
SEBI sent Pranav Adani a notice last year alleging that he shared details about Adani Green's 2021 acquisition of SB Energy Holdings with his brother-in-law before the deal was made public, a source and the SEBI document said.
The matter has not been reported earlier.
In an e-mailed response to Reuters, Pranav Adani said he was seeking to settle the charges "to put an end to the matter, without admission or denial of the allegations" and added that "he has not violated any securities law".
A source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters settlement terms were being discussed. The source declined to be named as the matter is confidential.
The SEBI document stated that Pranav Adani "communicated UPSI (unpublished price sensitive information) pertaining to the SB Energy acquisition" to his brother-in-law Kunal Shah in 2021. SEBI’s investigation reviewed call records and trading patterns.
According to the document, Kunal Shah and his brother Nrupal Shah traded in shares of Adani Green and made gains of 9 million rupees ($108,000).
In a statement sent by their law firm, the Shah brothers said the trades were not carried out with “knowledge of any unpublished price sensitive information nor with any mala fide intent.”
"The information in question was already generally available in the public domain," the statement said.
Adani Green acquired SB Energy on May 17, 2021, at an enterprise value of $3.5 billion. SEBI said Pranav Adani became aware of the impending deal two to three days before May 16, 2021, when the acquisition was finalised.
The source added that SEBI had also proposed a settlement to Kunal and Nrupal Shah, but they chose to contest the charges, calling the settlement terms too onerous.
SEBI will take up Pranav Adani’s settlement request after completing its ongoing review of the settlement process.
Last year, US authorities indicted Gautam Adani and two Adani Green executives for allegedly paying bribes to secure power supply contracts and misleading US investors. The group denied the charges and called them “baseless.”
(With inputs from Reuters)
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'The Final Reckoning' is expected to mark the conclusion of Ethan Hunt’s storyline
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This food fuels Tom Cruise before he performs daring stunts for action films
May 03, 2025
Tom Cruise, 62, has shared details of his high-calorie breakfast routine that fuels his extreme stunt work in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. The actor, known for performing his own action sequences, revealed in an interview with People magazine that he consumes a “massive breakfast” before attempting high-risk feats such as wing-walking, plane jumps, and mountain climbs.
Cruise explained the importance of his morning meal in maintaining energy during physically demanding scenes, particularly those performed at high altitude. “I actually eat a massive breakfast,” he said. “The amount of energy it takes — I train so hard for that wing-walking. I’ll eat, like, sausage and almost a dozen eggs and bacon and toast and coffee and fluids. Oh, I’m eating! Picture: It’s cold up there. We’re at high altitude. My body is burning a lot.”
Director Christopher McQuarrie, who returns to helm the eighth instalment in the franchise, praised Cruise’s dedication, stating: “Anytime you see Tom in the plane, he’s at the controls. He’s basically a one-man film crew: operating the camera, acting and flying.”
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is scheduled for release in Indian cinemas on 17 May 2025, six days earlier than its originally planned global debut on 23 May. The trailer, released earlier this year, features Cruise performing a series of high-octane stunts, including aerial jumps and underwater sequences, which have become synonymous with the franchise.
The film sees Cruise reprise his role as IMF agent Ethan Hunt, a character he first played in 1996. The cast also includes Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, Angela Bassett, Esai Morales, Henry Czerny, Holt McCallany, Nick Offerman and Greg Tarzan Davis.
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, The Final Reckoning is expected to mark the conclusion of Ethan Hunt’s storyline, though it remains to be seen whether Cruise will retire from the role completely. The film continues the tradition of practical effects and real stunts that have helped define the Mission: Impossible series over the past three decades.
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Traditional antivenoms are made by injecting venom into animals
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Tim Friede survives 200 snakebites to help create universal antivenom
May 03, 2025
Scientists have developed a potentially groundbreaking snake antivenom using the blood of Tim Friede, a US man who has spent nearly two decades injecting himself with venom from some of the world’s deadliest snakes. The research has led to the discovery of antibodies offering unprecedented protection against a broad range of venomous species.
Friede, a former truck mechanic, has been bitten more than 200 times and injected himself with venom over 700 times in an attempt to build immunity. His goal, initially motivated by personal safety while handling snakes, evolved into a mission to aid global snakebite victims. Each year, snakebites kill up to 140,000 people and cause permanent injury or disability in many more, particularly in developing countries.
"I didn’t want to die. I didn’t want to lose a finger. I didn’t want to miss work," Friede told the BBC, recalling an early incident when two cobra bites left him in a coma. Despite the risks, he continued his efforts, saying, "It just became a lifestyle… for the people who are 8,000 miles away from me who die from snakebite."
Traditional antivenoms are made by injecting venom into animals like horses to stimulate an immune response. The resulting antibodies are harvested and used as treatment. However, these antivenoms must match the specific species of snake involved, and even then, variations in venom within the same species can limit effectiveness.
This challenge led researchers to search for broadly neutralising antibodies — immune responses that target components common across toxin types rather than species-specific traits. The work was led by Dr Jacob Glanville, chief executive of biotech firm Centivax, who believed Friede’s immune system could hold the key. After obtaining ethical approval to use Friede’s blood, the research team focused on elapids — a family of venomous snakes that includes cobras, mambas, kraits, taipans and coral snakes.
These snakes primarily use neurotoxins, which can paralyse victims by targeting the nervous system and halting respiration. Scientists analysed blood samples from Tim Friede and identified two antibodies that neutralised broad classes of neurotoxins. A third component, an existing drug was added to the mixture to target a third class of toxin.
Published in the journal Cell, the study reported that this antivenom cocktail protected mice from fatal doses of venom from 13 out of 19 of the world’s deadliest elapids. The remaining six species showed partial protection. Dr Glanville described the findings as “unparalleled” in their breadth of protection, suggesting that the cocktail could cover many elapids currently lacking effective antivenom.
The team is now working to improve the formulation and explore the addition of a fourth antibody to enhance coverage. They also aim to develop similar protection against vipers, another major group of venomous snakes that use haemotoxins to damage blood cells.
“There are around a dozen broad classes of toxins,” said Prof Peter Kwong of Columbia University. “I think in the next 10 or 15 years we’ll have something effective against each one.”
Prof Nick Casewell, head of the Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, called the findings “novel” and a “strong piece of evidence” for a new approach to antivenom development, while stressing the need for further testing before human use.
For Tim Friede, the study is a major milestone. “I’m doing something good for humanity,” he said. “That was very important to me. I’m proud of it. It’s pretty cool.”
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Shubman Gill of Gujarat Titans play a shot during the 2025 IPL match between Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Ahmedabad.
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Gill, Buttler star as Gujarat beat Hyderabad in IPL
May 03, 2025
SHUBMAN GILL and Jos Buttler scored half-centuries as Gujarat Titans defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by 38 runs in the IPL match on Friday.
Gujarat posted 224 for 6 after being asked to bat first at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Gill scored 76 off 38 balls, while Buttler added 64 from 37.
Hyderabad managed 186 for 6 in reply, with Abhishek Sharma top-scoring with 74 off 41 balls.
With the win, Gujarat moved up to second place on the points table. Hyderabad remain in contention for the playoffs, but their chances have reduced.
"The way our top order plays, we know how to keep the scoreboard ticking," Gujarat captain Gill said after the match. "Everyone on the team played a role in the victory."
Gill and Sai Sudharsan gave Gujarat a strong start, putting together an 87-run partnership. Sudharsan scored 48 off 23 balls before getting out in the seventh over.
Gill continued the attack with Buttler before being run out in the 13th over. Gujarat’s scoring slowed after Gill’s dismissal but picked up again with Buttler’s innings. He scored 64 before getting out in the 19th over.
Jaydev Unadkat took three wickets in the final over. Washington Sundar (21), Rahul Tewatia (6), and Shahrukh Khan (6 not out) added quick runs to take the total past 220.
In response, Hyderabad openers Abhishek and Travis Head scored 45 runs in the first five overs. Head was out for 20 in the sixth over after a catch by Rashid Khan.
Hyderabad then lost momentum. Kishan scored 13, and Abhishek kept the innings going until the 15th over.
Nitish Kumar Reddy (21) and Pat Cummins (19 not out) tried to reduce the gap, but the target proved too high.
"In the end it was a bridge too far... We left a bit too much for the batters. We have to cling onto some hope," Cummins said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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