Pooja was born in Kochi and raised on a mix of newspapers, pop culture, and too many questions. She studied Communicative English and Journalism before earning her Master’s in Journalism from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, and began her career interning at The Times of India and Channel I'M — where she later became a news anchor, scripting and presenting her own stories. Between deadlines, she’s worked across digital media platforms, covering politics, gender, pop culture, cinema, and everything in between. She has interviewed actors, creators, and changemakers, and occasionally edits her own video content — thanks to being certified in Photoshop and InDesign. In 2025, she joined the Asian Media Group in her first “official” newsroom gig, where she now covers entertainment, lifestyle, and the layered realities of South Asian identity. She believes storytelling should feel personal — even when it’s public — and likes to write not to please, but to provoke, question, and occasionally stir the pot.
War 2 starring Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR, and Kiara Advani released on 14 August 2025.
Social media reactions are split, with praise for action but criticism of the plot.
Many viewers believe Jr NTR’s screen presence overshadowed Hrithik in several moments.
Directed by Ayan Mukerji, the film is part of YRF’s Spy Universe alongside Pathaan and Tiger.
The highly anticipated action thriller War 2 has finally hit cinemas, but the online conversation has been anything but unanimous. Directed by Ayan Mukerji and starring Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR, and Kiara Advani, the film opened on 14 August across Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil screens as the latest chapter in Yash Raj Films’ expansive Spy Universe.
While fans have praised the high-octane set pieces and star power, many are calling the story underwhelming. The biggest talking point? Jr NTR’s Bollywood debut and whether his performance outshines Hrithik Roshan’s return as super spy Kabir.
How audiences are reacting to Hrithik Roshan vs Jr NTR in War 2
Within hours of release, hashtags like #War2, #HrithikRoshan, and #NTRJr were trending on X. Several posts celebrated Jr NTR’s introduction scene, describing it as “electrifying” and “pure mass cinema,” while others argued Hrithik’s charisma remains unmatched.
One fan wrote, “Jr NTR completely dominates in the second half; raw intensity, superb action, and emotional depth.” Another countered, “Hrithik owns the film. NTR feels like a supporting act despite his strong presence.”
Kiara Advani’s performance has been noted as a pleasant surprise, with praise for her action sequences despite limited screen time. Ashutosh Rana and Anil Kapoor also return in key supporting roles, though some viewers felt their characters lacked development.
Audiences have been quick to point out the film’s strengths, including its polished cinematography, large-scale chase sequences, and top-tier fight choreography. The IMAX and 4DX versions, in particular, have been singled out for enhancing the visual experience.
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However, criticism has centred on the screenplay. Several posts complained of “predictable twists” and a “sluggish middle act” that disrupts momentum. Some even called the plot “the weakest in the Spy Universe so far,” comparing it unfavourably to Pathaan and Tiger Zinda Hai.
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One review summed it up: “Glossy action and stylish heroes, but the story doesn’t hold up. Fans of either lead will still have a great time, but general audiences may feel it’s all style over substance.”
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Where does War 2 fit in the YRF Spy Universe?
War 2 is the direct sequel to the 2019 blockbuster War, which paired Hrithik Roshan with Tiger Shroff. This time, the stakes are higher as Kabir (Hrithik) faces off against a new antagonist played by Jr NTR.
The film connects to the wider YRF Spy Universe, which includes Salman Khan’s Tiger series, Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan, and the upcoming Alpha starring Alia Bhatt. As the sixth instalment, War 2 aims to expand the franchise’s interlinked narrative and even teases future crossovers in a post-credits scene.
Released just ahead of the Independence Day holiday, War 2 is going head-to-head at the box office with Rajinikanth’s Coolie. Industry trackers expect both films to draw huge crowds over the long weekend, though initial reports suggest War 2 may have an edge in urban centres thanks to its pan-India appeal.
While it’s too early to judge its final performance, the early verdict from audiences is clear: if you’re here for high-adrenaline action and big-screen spectacle, War 2 delivers. But if you’re hoping for a tightly woven spy story, you might walk away wanting more.
People click photographs beside an unmanned combat aerial vehicle on display at a military exhibition during Pakistan's Independence Day celebrations in Islamabad on August 14, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said the United States wanted to explore areas of economic cooperation with Pakistan, including critical minerals and hydrocarbons, as the country marked its independence day on Thursday (14).
Rubio’s greetings came after Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir’s second visit to the US last week, where he met political and military leaders.
“We look forward to exploring new areas of economic cooperation, including critical minerals and hydrocarbons, and fostering dynamic business partnerships, which will promote a prosperous future for Americans and Pakistanis,” Rubio said in a statement.
“The United States deeply appreciates Pakistan’s engagement on counter-terrorism and trade,” he added.
Pakistan and the US have renewed their ties after several years of strained relations. Both countries resolved their differences over levies, and the US announced 19 per cent tariffs on Pakistani goods.
This week, the two sides held a counterterrorism dialogue in Islamabad and agreed to deepen cooperation against groups including the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), ISIS-Khorasan, and the Taliban.
In Islamabad, president Asif Ali Zardari and prime minister Shehbaz Sharif called for unity as Pakistan celebrated its 79th Independence Day. Sharif raised the national flag at the Pakistan Monument, and special prayers were offered in mosques for peace, solidarity, and prosperity.
Buildings in Islamabad and other cities were decorated with national flags and lights.
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Fake blood stains a giant white fabric backdrop attached to the offshore platform. (Photo: Andrew McConnell / Greenpeace)
BRITISH Asian artist Anish Kapoor said his work, Butchered, attempts to "bring home the horrors” of fossil fuels to the planet after Greenpeace activists installed it at a gas rig in the North Sea.
Seven climbers boarded and scaled Shell's gas platform Skiff, 45 nautical miles off the Norfolk coast on Wednesday (13).
After securing a giant canvas to one side of the structure, the activists hoisted a high-pressure hose on top of the canvas at a height of 16 metres above the sea. They then pumped 1,000 litres of blood-red liquid that gushed into the fabric, creating a vast crimson stain.
“I wanted to make something visual, physical, visceral to reflect the butchery they are inflicting on our planet: a visual scream that gives voice to the calamitous cost of the climate crisis, often on the most marginalised communities across the globe,” Kapoor said.
Designed specifically for this artwork, the blood-like solution is composed of seawater, beetroot powder and non-toxic, food-based pond dye. Greenpeace claimed this is the world's first artwork at an active offshore gas site.
Kapoor, 71, said, “The carbon dioxide released by burning fossil fuels is invisible, but we are witnessing the devastation that its extraction wreaks on our world.”
He added, “Butchered attempts to bring home the horror, giving voice to the moral and physical destruction caused by ruthless profiteers. [It] is also a tribute to the heroic work done in opposition to this destruction, and to the tireless activists who choose to disrupt, disagree and disobey.”
Philip Evans, senior campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said, “Extreme weather is hitting close to home, but the extraction of fossil fuels driving the climate crisis is often out of sight.
“This artwork is a visual gut-punch that makes visible the suffering and damage caused by the oil and gas industry right at the place where the harm begins. While the fossil fuel sector makes billions from climate destruction, ordinary people are left to pick up the rising costs of flood damage, droughts and wildfires.
“Governments need to start holding oil giants like Shell to account and make them pay for the enormous damage they are causing.”
Shell UK said safety at sea was its priority and expressed concern over Greenpeace entering a "restricted safety zone" around the platform without permission, which it said is established under UK law to protect people and prevent collisions.
“Their actions were extremely dangerous, involved illegally trespassing and put their own and others' lives at risk. We respect the right of individuals and organisations to protest, but it must be done safely and lawfully,” a spokesperson said.
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Jason Ralph fuels speculation over Rachel Brosnahan marriage after controversial Instagram activity
Jason Ralph, husband of Superman star Rachel Brosnahan, liked a controversial Instagram comment hinting at trouble in their marriage.
The comment accused Brosnahan of having inappropriate chemistry with co-star David Corenswet.
Ralph has since turned off Instagram comments, but screenshots of the ‘like’ are circulating widely.
Fans are split on whether the action was accidental, sarcastic, or a genuine reflection of marital issues.
Rachel Brosnahan’s husband, actor Jason Ralph, is at the centre of a heated social media debate after he liked a provocative Instagram comment about her on-screen chemistry with Superman co-star David Corenswet. The online reaction has been swift, with fans speculating whether his action was a subtle dig, a careless mistake, or simply a misunderstood joke.
The comment in question accused Brosnahan of crossing boundaries with a co-star and suggested Ralph should “stand up for himself” and “leave her.” Within hours, screenshots of Ralph’s ‘like’ were circulating across Reddit, X, and Instagram gossip pages. Soon after, Ralph disabled comments on his posts, but by then, the digital trail was impossible to erase.
Jason Ralph fuels speculation over Rachel Brosnahan marriage after controversial Instagram activity Getty Images
When did Rachel Brosnahan and Jason Ralph get married?
Brosnahan and Ralph first met while working on the indie film I’m Obsessed With You in 2013. After several years of dating, the pair quietly tied the knot—so quietly, in fact, that the public only learned about it years later.
In a 2019 interview, Brosnahan revealed that she had been wearing her wedding ring for some time before speculation began, adding: “We’ve been married for years and been together for even longer. We had a good laugh when the news came out that we had just got married like, ‘Happy six-month anniversary, honey!’”
The couple’s decision to keep their marriage private was intentional. Brosnahan explained that she disliked the double standard in media coverage, where she was constantly asked about her relationship while Ralph was not.
Rachel Brosnahan and Jason Ralph at a public event Getty Images
Have they worked together professionally?
Yes. Ralph appeared alongside his wife in the hit series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, joining in seasons four and five as Mike Carr. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Ralph praised Brosnahan’s leadership on set, saying: “She’s just the best, and I feel very lucky to see her command a set like that.”
Their collaboration was warmly received by fans, and until now, the couple has maintained an image of mutual respect and professional admiration.
Jason Ralph sparks rumours with Instagram like about Rachel Brosnahan marriageGetty Images
What did Jason Ralph ‘like’ on Instagram?
The controversy began when Ralph liked a comment on one of his posts that read: “It’s genuinely sad to see your career being tucked out to be remembered as a cuckold because your wife couldn’t handle herself with her co-actor. Like bro, let’s have some self-love and stand up for yourself, leave her to be with him if she wants that much.”
The remark, widely interpreted as targeting Brosnahan’s scenes with David Corenswet in Superman, was seen by many as insulting and sexist. Fans immediately questioned why Ralph would engage with it at all.
Jason Ralph’s social media move raises questions about his marriageGetty Images
Was it intentional or a mistake?
Social media reactions are split. Some argue that it was likely an accidental double-tap, noting that Ralph’s Instagram activity is minimal and sporadic. Others believe it was deliberate, citing his history of dry humour and occasional trolling behaviour online.
Regardless of intent, the timing has amplified speculation. Brosnahan’s chemistry with Corenswet has been heavily discussed since the film’s release, and this incident has only fuelled more rumours about their personal lives.
Instagram drama fuels talk of tension between Jason Ralph and Rachel BrosnahanGetty Images
What’s next for the couple?
Neither Brosnahan nor Ralph has publicly commented on the incident. Given their preference for privacy, it’s unlikely they will address the speculation directly. Still, with screenshots continuing to circulate, the story has already left its mark on fan discussions around the couple. Whether the Instagram ‘like’ was a slip of the finger or a calculated move, it has put an unusually public spotlight on one of Hollywood’s most private marriages. For now, the internet is left to debate: accident, sarcasm, or subtle message?
THERE are more speakers of Malayalam and Tamil living outside India than within the country but outside their respective home states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, according to a study by an Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) faculty member.
Based on Census 2011 data, the research shows that Punjabi speakers are the most dispersed linguistic group in the country, while the Bengali diaspora – both internal and international – is the least dispersed. The findings are part of a paper by IIMA’s Chinmay Tumbe, recently published in the journal Sociological Bulletin.
The study mapped India’s internal and international diasporas along linguistic lines. In 2010, more than 60 million people belonged to an internal diaspora – almost three times the size of the international diaspora. Internal diaspora refers to those living in India outside their core language state, while international diaspora covers those living abroad.
“The internal diaspora is larger than the international counterpart for all major linguistic groups except Malayalam and Tamil. A third of the internal diaspora is concentrated in the ten largest Indian cities,” the study noted.
Of 4.6 million Malayali diaspora members, around three million live outside India and 1.6 million in other Indian states – making the overseas community about 1.8 times larger. The Tamil diaspora totals over 8.4 million, with 4.5 million abroad and 3.9 million within India, making the international group about 1.2 times larger.
In all other major language groups, the internal diaspora is bigger. Hindi speakers form the largest diaspora overall, at about 40 million, followed by Tamil. Punjabi speakers are the most widely dispersed, with 12.4 per cent living outside Punjab or abroad. Malayalam follows at 12.2 per cent, then Tamil at 11.5 per cent, Telugu (9.7 per cent), Gujarati (8.7 per cent), Hindi (7.5 per cent), Marathi (6.6 per cent), Kannada (4.6 per cent) and Bengali (3.7 per cent).
The Bengali diaspora was the least dispersed in 2010. Out of 97 million Bengali speakers, only 3.6 million – 3.7 per cent – lived outside West Bengal or abroad. The Telugu diaspora, linked with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, totals eight million, seven million of whom are internal migrants. As a ratio, Telugu’s international diaspora is among the smallest.
Nearly one million Tamil internal migrants live in India’s nine largest cities, with Mumbai having the biggest share. In Madhya Pradesh in 2001, there were about 10,000 Tamil speakers in Bhopal, 6,000 in Jabalpur and 3,000 in Indore.
According to the study, Tamil migration abroad, particularly to Southeast Asia and southern Africa, began in the 19th century, while movement to north India became more common in the 20th century.
(PTI)
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Players will be able to traverse these environments using vehicles
Insider claims Resident Evil Requiem will feature a combat system similar to The Last of Us Part II.
Leon Kennedy reportedly returns as one of the protagonists despite official silence.
Players will be able to travel through open-level areas using vehicles.
New lighting, shadow, hair, and environmental physics systems have been implemented.
Release date set for 27 February 2026.
With just days to go before Resident Evil Requiem is showcased at Gamescom’s Opening Night Live, new leaks suggest the game will deliver its most ambitious mechanics yet. According to reliable insider Dusk Golem, the next entry in Capcom’s survival horror series will blend innovations with influences from The Last of Us Part II, introduce open-level exploration with vehicles, and push technical boundaries with upgraded visuals and AI.
A combat system inspired by The Last of Us
Dusk Golem reports that combat in Resident Evil Requiem has been heavily reworked, drawing inspiration from The Last of Us Part II while adding unique elements of its own. Leon Kennedy, who Capcom has not confirmed as a protagonist, is said to feature prominently in these combat sequences.
Open-level design and vehicles
The game will reportedly feature open-level areas such as Raccoon City, designed to perform smoothly despite their scale. Players will be able to traverse these environments using vehicles, adding a new layer of mobility and exploration to the series.
Switch between first and third person
One of the officially announced features is the ability to swap between first-person and third-person perspectives at any time. Dusk Golem notes that this has required Capcom to design and balance the gameplay as if developing two separate games simultaneously.
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Technical upgrades
Capcom has reworked its development tools to accommodate the game’s ambitions, introducing a new lighting and shadow engine, improved hair rendering first seen in Pragmata, and expanded environmental physics. Interactivity has been increased in sequences featuring the character Grace, while the interplay between light and darkness is expected to be a key gameplay element.
Smarter enemies
A new dynamic AI system powers an enemy that actively pursues the player, adapting its behaviour on the fly for a more unpredictable and tense experience. This AI will respond intelligently to the player’s actions, creating varied encounters across playthroughs.
Jason Ralph fuels speculation over Rachel Brosnahan marriage after controversial Instagram activity
Rachel Brosnahan marriage speculation grows after Jason Ralph’s controversial Instagram activity
Highlights
Rachel Brosnahan’s husband, actor Jason Ralph, is at the centre of a heated social media debate after he liked a provocative Instagram comment about her on-screen chemistry with Superman co-star David Corenswet. The online reaction has been swift, with fans speculating whether his action was a subtle dig, a careless mistake, or simply a misunderstood joke.
The comment in question accused Brosnahan of crossing boundaries with a co-star and suggested Ralph should “stand up for himself” and “leave her.” Within hours, screenshots of Ralph’s ‘like’ were circulating across Reddit, X, and Instagram gossip pages. Soon after, Ralph disabled comments on his posts, but by then, the digital trail was impossible to erase.
When did Rachel Brosnahan and Jason Ralph get married?
Brosnahan and Ralph first met while working on the indie film I’m Obsessed With You in 2013. After several years of dating, the pair quietly tied the knot—so quietly, in fact, that the public only learned about it years later.
In a 2019 interview, Brosnahan revealed that she had been wearing her wedding ring for some time before speculation began, adding:
“We’ve been married for years and been together for even longer. We had a good laugh when the news came out that we had just got married like, ‘Happy six-month anniversary, honey!’”
The couple’s decision to keep their marriage private was intentional. Brosnahan explained that she disliked the double standard in media coverage, where she was constantly asked about her relationship while Ralph was not.
Have they worked together professionally?
Yes. Ralph appeared alongside his wife in the hit series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, joining in seasons four and five as Mike Carr. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Ralph praised Brosnahan’s leadership on set, saying:
“She’s just the best, and I feel very lucky to see her command a set like that.”
Their collaboration was warmly received by fans, and until now, the couple has maintained an image of mutual respect and professional admiration.
What did Jason Ralph ‘like’ on Instagram?
The controversy began when Ralph liked a comment on one of his posts that read:
“It’s genuinely sad to see your career being tucked out to be remembered as a cuckold because your wife couldn’t handle herself with her co-actor. Like bro, let’s have some self-love and stand up for yourself, leave her to be with him if she wants that much.”
The remark, widely interpreted as targeting Brosnahan’s scenes with David Corenswet in Superman, was seen by many as insulting and sexist. Fans immediately questioned why Ralph would engage with it at all.
Was it intentional or a mistake?
Social media reactions are split. Some argue that it was likely an accidental double-tap, noting that Ralph’s Instagram activity is minimal and sporadic. Others believe it was deliberate, citing his history of dry humour and occasional trolling behaviour online.
Regardless of intent, the timing has amplified speculation. Brosnahan’s chemistry with Corenswet has been heavily discussed since the film’s release, and this incident has only fuelled more rumours about their personal lives.
What’s next for the couple?
Neither Brosnahan nor Ralph has publicly commented on the incident. Given their preference for privacy, it’s unlikely they will address the speculation directly. Still, with screenshots continuing to circulate, the story has already left its mark on fan discussions around the couple. Whether the Instagram ‘like’ was a slip of the finger or a calculated move, it has put an unusually public spotlight on one of Hollywood’s most private marriages. For now, the internet is left to debate: accident, sarcasm, or subtle message?