SS Rajamouli’s RRR is undoubtedly one of the most awaited films of the year. The movie stars Jr NTR, Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, and Alia Bhatt.
Pen Studios will be presenting the film, and today, they have announced the digital and satellite partners of the film.
They tweeted, “We are delighted to announce the official DIGITAL & SATELLITE partners for India’s Biggest Film #RRRMovie. Thanks to @ssrajamouli ji & @DVVMovies for choosing us to present @RRRMovie . @jayantilalgada @PenMovies @NetflixIndia @ZEE5India @zeecinema @starmaa @vijaytelevision.”
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The digital rights of the film are sold to Zee5 (Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada) and Netflix (Hindi). It will also release in foreign languages and the digital rights for it is sold to Netflix (English, Portuguese, Korean, Turkish, and Spanish)
The satellite rights of RRR are sold to Zee Cinema (Hindi), Star Network (Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada), and Asianet (Malayalam).
RRR is being made in Telugu but it will be dubbed and released in various languages. It is touted to be one of the biggest pan-India films of the year.
The movie will mark Ajay Devgn and Alia Bhatt’s Telugu debut. A few days ago, the team of the film had shared a video in which they had spoken about Covid-19 guidelines and requested fans to take the vaccination. In the video, what grabbed everyone’s attention was Alia Bhatt's fluency in the Telugu language.
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RRR is slated to release on 13th October 2021. There were reports that the film might get postponed to 2022. But, the makers have not yet announced anything about it.
A few days ago, on Jr NTR’s birthday, the makers had unveiled a character poster featuring the actor. SS Rajamouli had tweeted, “My Bheem has a heart of gold. But when he rebels, he stands strong and bold! Water wave Here’s @tarak9999 as the INTENSE #KomaramBheem from #RRRMovie. @ssrajamouli @AlwaysRamCharan @ajaydevgn @aliaa08 @oliviamorris891 @RRRMovie @DVVMovies.”
World Boxing has announced the introduction of a mandatory sex test for all athletes competing in its events, with immediate effect. The move affects Paris 2024 women’s welterweight silver medallist Imane Khelif, who has been barred from participation until she completes the required procedure.
The governing body, recently granted provisional recognition by the International Olympic Committee to oversee boxing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, said the testing aims to ensure fair competition across male and female categories.
“Imane Khelif may not participate in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup, 5–10 June 2025, and any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes genetic sex screening in accordance with World Boxing's rules and testing procedures,” it said in a statement released on Friday.
Under the new policy, all boxers aged 18 and above must undergo a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test to determine biological sex. The test detects the SRY gene, which reveals the presence of a Y chromosome, considered a key indicator of male biological sex.
The procedure can be conducted via a nasal or mouth swab, saliva sample, or blood test.
World Boxing stated the policy was introduced to create “a competitive level playing field” and forms part of its broader efforts to solidify its role as the sport’s international regulator after a period of governance disputes.
Khelif’s eligibility will remain suspended until the test is completed.
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Hollywood actor Kumail Nanjiani has returned to his stand-up comedy roots with a major tour of his show Doing This Again. He is set to perform at Union Chapel in London on September 20. Once the tour concludes, the stand-up special will stream on a major platform. The multi-talented star also has several upcoming projects, including roles in the high-profile films Ella McCay, The Wrong Girls and Driver’s Ed.
Kumail Nanjiani
DYNAMIC DRESS
Unlike most Indian celebrities who wear expensive designer gowns on the Cannes red carpet, Simran Balar Jain chose to do things differently. The social media influencer wore a striking outfit featuring a symbolic silhouette of one woman lifting another. Her hand-sculpted gold metal corset, made from recycled materials, conveyed a powerful message of collective empowerment and sisterhood. She also shared engaging behind-the-scenes vlogs from the film festival.
Simran Balar Jain
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOILER
The Sixth Sense (1999), directed by M. Night Shyamalan, was a spectacular success thanks to its unexpected twist ending. If the film were released today, it would not have had the same impact – social media users would have quickly given away the big surprise. Bollywood comedy Housefull 5, like many modern-day murder mystery films, is likely to face a similar problem when it is released next Friday (6).
Within hours, social media users, vloggers and influencers will reveal the identity of the murderer, which will undermine one of the film’s main selling points
Mumtaz
STREAMING SITE STINKER
It is utterly tragic to see how Netflix has become a dumping ground for substandard Indian content. Whether it is acquiring disastrous box office failures or greenlighting dreadful original productions, the clueless streaming platform seems to attract horrid Indian projects. A prime example is the recently premiered series The Royals, which is shockingly poor. The cringeworthy drama, headlined by Bhumi Pednekar and Ishaan Khatter, is best avoided.
Five years from now
BAD BOLLYWOOD IDEA
Instead of using their platform to call for peace, most celebrities in India and Pakistan have either remained silent or acted as cheerleaders for bombings that have claimed lives on both sides of the border. Some C-listers in both countries have even used the ongoing conflict to generate cheap publicity. Perhaps the worst response has come from those already looking to cash in on what is ultimately a human tragedy. Bollywood producers and stars rushed to register the title Operation Sindoor and now plan to profit from a film named after India’s missile strike on Pakistan. If past films are any indication, the conflict will likely be exaggerated on screen, featuring caricatured villains and misinformation – further inflaming tensions rather than promoting understanding.
Janhvi Kapoor
PHALKE FILM BIOPIC
The dream team of actor Aamir Khan and filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani will reunite – after record-breaking hits PK and 3 Idiots – for a biopic on the father of Indian cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke. The film will trace his journey towards making India’s first feature film, Raja Harishchandra, in 1913. Meanwhile, acclaimed director SS Rajamouli is planning a separate film on the same subject, with superstar NTR Jr in the lead role. This follows the 2009 award-winning Marathi film Harishchandrachi Factory, which was India’s official entry for the Academy Awards.
Dadasaheb Phalke
HOLLYWOOD BUBBLE BURST
For Indian celebrities, it often seems that anything made in America is labelled a Hollywood project – even when it has no connection to a major studio. That is why reports of Kangana Ranaut making her “Hollywood debut” with the forthcoming film Blessed Be the Evil are rather absurd. A closer look reveals that it is an independent production, co-written and directed by the relatively inexperienced Anurag Rudra. Ranaut will reportedly star alongside a couple of Z-listers in this psychological horror drama. The only genuinely entertaining aspect of this film might be watching the clueless individuals bankrolling it eventually discover just how notoriously difficult Kangana is to work with. That is why I predict this project will either be shelved or flop badly — if it ever gets completed at all.
Kangana Ranaut
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Estimates say that 85% of the UK marshes have been lost since the mid 19th century
The UK’s saltmarshes are vital allies in protecting climate-warming greenhouse gases stored in the soil, according to a report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in partnership with insurance company Aviva.
These habitats provide a refuge for wildlife, capture carbon, and help manage floods naturally by slowing the movement of seawater inland.
Often overlooked, saltmarshes are the unsung heroes in the fight against climate change, yet most have been lost to agriculture.
The report urges the government to add saltmarshes to the official UK greenhouse gas inventory to better track how much carbon is absorbed and emitted annually. WWF and Aviva argue that such inclusion would contribute to national reporting, improve funding access, and strengthen policies for the protection and restoration of these habitats.
Described as nature’s ‘carbon stores’, saltmarshes are increasingly at risk due to rising sea levels, the latest research warns.
They absorb and release significant amounts of greenhouse gases, with seasonal fluctuations—absorbing more in spring and summer than in autumn and winter.
Formal recognition is essential for the effective restoration and protection of these sites.
Scientists from the UK and WWF have installed solar-powered monitoring equipment at Hesketh Out Marsh, a restored saltmarsh in North-West England managed by the RSPB. This solar-powered “carbon flux tower”, funded by Aviva, measures the exchange of greenhouse gases in the area.
The state of saltmarshes varies by region. While marshes in Chichester and the Wash in East Anglia are expanding, those in North Norfolk and along the Ribble are under threat due to rising sea levels.
Estimates suggest that 85% of the UK’s saltmarshes have been lost since the mid-19th century. Yet, the remaining marshes still play a crucial role in defending the coastline from sea level rise and storm surges. They protect assets in England and Wales worth more than £200 billion.
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More than hundred shackled Indian’s returned to India on US military flight in February
More than a thousand Indians have been sent back from the United States since January, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The MEA confirmed that precisely 1,080 Indian nationals have been deported.
Approximately 62% of those deported returned on commercial flights, informed India’s spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
The deportations follow US President Donald Trump’s campaign against undocumented migrants entering the country. He had previously stated that he believes India “will do what’s right” in the matter of deporting illegal migrants.
This move by the US reflects a global trend of increasingly strict immigration controls.
Over a hundred shackled Indians were repatriated on a US military flight in February alone.
“We have close cooperation between India and the United States on migration issues,” said Jaiswal during the ministry’s weekly briefing. He added that deported Indians are only accepted back after strict verification of their nationality.
It is estimated that around 18,000 Indian nationals have entered the US illegally.
The US Embassy in India has issued a warning that overstaying in the US—even by those who entered legally—could lead to deportation or a permanent ban.
Jaiswal also raised concerns about President Trump’s proposed revisions to student visa policies, which could affect Indian students planning to study in the US. However, the Indian government has assured that the welfare of Indian students remains its “utmost priority”.
On Thursday, it was revealed that the US is pausing the scheduling of new visa interviews for foreign students as it considers expanding the screening of their social media activity. Student visa appointments under the F, M and J categories will be temporarily halted by American embassies.
US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem reiterated that all foreign nationals living in the US for over 30 days must register under the Alien Registration Act, a strict requirement enforced by an executive order signed by Trump.
“While we note that the issuance of a visa is a sovereign function, we hope that the applications of Indian students will be considered on merit, and that they will be able to join their academic programmes on time,” said Randhir Jaiswal. A total of 333,000 Indian students have travelled to the US for studies in 2023–24, constituting the largest share of the country’s international student population.
The Ministry of External Affairs has assured that it will closely monitor developments and continue to engage with US authorities to ensure the fair treatment of Indian nationals.
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Switzerland’s village of Blatten was buried in ice, mud and rock
Switzerland’s village of Blatten was buried in ice, mud and rock on the evening of Wednesday during a fatal landslide.
Once a lush, green hamlet nestled in the Alps — known for its old wooden houses, historic buildings, and wandering cows and sheep — the village is now almost entirely buried. The landslide, which swept through 90 per cent of Blatten, has left the local community shattered.
How did Blatten end up in this tragedy?
Blatten sits below the Birch Glacier, which geologist Christophe Lambiel described as unique — it is the only glacier in the region that has been advancing over the past decade, while others have been retreating. A massive section of the glacier recently broke away and slid downhill, triggering the catastrophic landslide that nearly wiped out the village.
Around 300 residents and their livestock were evacuated in time, averting further tragedy. No deaths have been reported, though a 64-year-old man remains missing. Rescue teams and search dogs have been deployed, but the search has been suspended due to worsening weather conditions.
Experts believe this may only be the beginning. Geologists have warned of further hazards, including flooding, as the landslide debris — stretching across 2 km — is now obstructing the River Lonza. If the blockage causes the lake to overflow, downstream villages could be at risk.
"I don't want to talk just now. I lost everything yesterday. I hope you understand," said one middle-aged woman from Blatten, recalling the harrowing experience.
The beautiful village of Blatten in the Swiss AlpsGetty Images
The once-beautiful roads winding through the valley are now buried in mud. While residents remain calm, the looming threat of further flooding is a growing concern.
"The water from the River Lonza cannot flow down the valley because there is an enormous plug," said geologist Raphael Mayoraz, suggesting the risk of flooding in nearby areas. The river is now backed up with as much as one million cubic metres of water, worsened by accumulated landslide material.
"We’re not in a state to think about future shocks just yet," added Jonas Jeitziner, a local official.
“The unimaginable has happened,” said Matthias Bellwald, Mayor of Blatten. The tragedy is a stark reminder of the effects of rising temperatures on Alpine permafrost, which once held gravel and boulders in place. The Birch Glacier had shown visible cracks earlier this month, raising concerns long before the slide.
In 2022, Switzerland lost 6 per cent of its glacier volume, followed by a further 4 per cent in 2023.
The landslide that buried almost half of Blatten villageReuters
Despite the destruction, the people of Blatten remain united. Locals, scientists and the army are working together to begin the long road to recovery.
Even in the face of such devastation, the spirit of Blatten remains strong. "We've lost the village, but not the heart,” said Mayor Bellwald. “The village is under the gravel, but we're going to get up. We are going to stand in solidarity and rebuild. Everything is possible."
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