Jungkook, the youngest member of popular Korean pop band BTS, celebrates his birthday today on 1 September. The 24-year-old has won hearts worldwide, and is often known as the ‘golden maknae’ by his fans. The BTS Army in India went all out to make the pop sensation’s birthday a memorable one.
Photos of a bus stand in Mumbai feature Jungkook’s posters, as part of a “birthday project." Fans of the singing sensation have rented billboards to show their appreciation for the youngest member of BTS. The pictures of the billboard also contained QR codes for Jungkook’s solo hits 'Euphoria,' 'My Time,' and 'Still With You' from various albums of the band.
This is not the only project BTS fans in the country have undertaken. They have also decided to sponsor abandoned dogs in India as part of the singer’s birthday project.
✨️ ✨️ Part - 2 In honor of Jungkook’s upcoming birthday, we are sponsored three abondoned dogs in India under Jungkook's name. pic.twitter.com/rlz5ANPsrQ — JUNGKOOK INDIA (@Jungkook__INDIA) August 28, 2021
This is the first time India has seen such large-scale celebrations for a K-pop band member, a testament to the growing popularity of BTS worldwide.
In countries where BTS has already been popular for a while, like China and South Korea, special arrangements are already in place to celebrate the singer’s birthday. A custom-themed cruise ship will sail on the Han river in the South Korean capital of Seoul. Jungkook will be the first star to have an illumination show, along with his own custom-themed cruise ship parade, in the capital.
In the city of Busan, where Jungkook was born, fans will be organising a promo event at the Haeundae touristic zone ‘Blueline Park’ in the city. In Indonesia, fans will be dedicating 10 LED birthday banners in Kuningan city, south Jakarta.
Jungkook is considered one of the most popular members of BTS owing to his singing ability and his helpful nature. He has often been spotted helping his bandmates, staff, and fans at various events. The videos of Jungkook helping people out often go viral, leading to the young star being lauded for his caring personality.
Take a look at a few such videos below:
Jungkook once jumped off the stage at one of the concerts and went into the audience to meet a disabled fan, winning millions of hearts.
He is often seen helping the staff in clearing up the stage post the concerts.
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Life has changed for Bhavina Patel. Dreams are coming true. The silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympics has turned around a lot of things. She had never spoken to Sachin Tendulkar. Her dream was to meet her idol and inspiration. She's already got a call from the Indian cricket legend. It was an emotional moment that brought tears and motivating words. And she will soon get a chance to meet the Master as well.
Just like her idol, she's become an inspiration for many. Patel, who was diagnosed with polio when she was 12-month-old, set the court on fire in Tokyo, beating World Nos 2, 3, 8 and 9 on her way to the women's singles table tennis class 4 final. She couldn't bring home the gold as she lost to World No 1 Zhou Ying of China in the final. But It was fascinating to watch her unfurl those backhands with precision, control, and confidence. Her self-belief stood out as she became the first Indian paddler ever to win a medal at the Paralympics and just the second female athlete after Deepa Malik to achieve the feat.
Firstpost caught up with Bhavina to talk about her performance at Paralympics, her key to success in Tokyo, the chat with Tendulkar, her early struggles, and much more.
Life has changed after the silver medal, isn't it?
Yes, definitely. I had never spoken with Sachin Tendulkarji. He's my role model and inspiration. I got a call from him on Sunday. PM Narendra Modi sir, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, Sourav Ganguly also called to congratulate. I feel special now. After winning the medal, the government has announced a cash reward. I am being treated as someone special. So life has really started changing.
Getting a call from your role model and inspiration and someone who you have followed all your life and dreamt of meeting one day...What was your reaction when you received the call?
Solid. If you ask this to my husband (Nikul Patel) then he would be able to tell you better (laughs). Maari paase shabdo nota. Hu sharuvat keviritna karu. Emni jode shu bolu. Mane kai shamjatu notu. Mari aankh ma pani bharai gaya hata and e samay ne kevirite handle karu hu noti samji sakti (I was lost for words. How do I start off? What should I talk? I wasn't able to get my mind to it. I had tears in my eyes. I was so overwhelmed with emotions that I didn't know how to handle that moment)
I told him 'Sir you are my inspiration and am learning a lot from you'. He said 'No, right now you have become an inspiration and a role model for the whole world'. He invited me for a chat over tea whenever I visit Mumbai and in between if he gets a chance he will surely meet me in Delhi.
How did you start playing table tennis?
In 2004-05, I came to Blind People's Association in Ahmedabad to do an ITI course. And there I had some of my friends playing TT. I started playing the game for fun by watching them. And while playing, I got so much attached to it that I started feeling that I should keep playing TT for 24 hours. Then the tournaments started to happen, National Championships took place and I started winning gold medals. Because of that, my confidence started skyrocketing. And I started preparing new goals every time. And while riding this journey, winning gold at the Paralympics became a dream for me.
When and how did you decide to take up the sport professionally?
I started taking professional training from 2008. My confidence started going up with the medals coming in. I used to feel relaxed by playing the game. And I started feeling that it's only table tennis that is giving me happiness and could become my passion. So, because of that, I decided I will go ahead in table tennis only.
What were the biggest challenges of taking it up professionally?
Financial difficulties were my biggest problem. I had already spent a lot while looking to qualify for the 2016 Paralympics. I had afforded the cost of a lot of tournaments. Because I didn't get any support from the government or anyone at that time. There were no sponsors so I had faced a lot of financial problems. And after that to qualify for the 2020 Paralympics, my father took a loan to get me here.
Yes, there are physical and mental problems but they can be solved by staying positive and doing exercises but the financial problem is such that you can't tell anyone, can't ask anyone, and can't think anything. Because the sources (of income) were so few, it was difficult to arrange for finances for the tournaments. And there are some expenses that you can't do without. My bat right now costs me Rs 25-30,000. The rubbers are costly. I can't compromise on the equipment for the big tournaments. We play on the table and on a wheelchair so the frequency of bat damage is also high. So spending on the bat once in 2-3 months isn't a small thing for a middle-class family. That was a very difficult time for me.
You kept on beating higher ranked players and reached the final, what was the key to success throughout?
My dedication and hard work. That is what reflected in my game. Hard work for me is when you strive for something, even when your mind is telling you not to, and you manage to achieve it. In a sense, there are many things that you don't have an option but to sacrifice. Like food, you can't eat spicy or sweet, you have to strictly follow the diet chart given by the dietician. You have to be very careful that you don't gain weight. After training with the physio, the body pains every day. A lot of times it happens that you are not in a state where you can even hold your bat. There are blisters on the hand because of continuously holding the bat for eight hours a day. Because of that, some parts of the hand have become so hard that it becomes difficult to hold the racket. So, after all this, waking up the next day, getting back to work again, and not compromising on a single thing is what is hard work for me.
There were a lot of uncertainties with the pandemic wreaking havoc, what was your mindset going into the Games?
My dream always was to win gold at the Paralympics. The Games had been delayed by a year already but I took it positively that it has given me some more time for training and to understand my game. By utilising that time, I tried to overcome some of my shortcomings. Yes, at the back of my mind there was tension because I had qualified for the Games for the first time and if it got totally cancelled, I will be back to zero qualifying points. And the financial problem was a big hurdle in trying to qualify again. So putting in that effort and solving that financial problem was very difficult for me. So, these were the questions in my mind, that if it gets cancelled, then how will I be able to fulfill this dream of mine. But I had so much support of God that it didn't get cancelled and it's because of my hard work, I've reached this stage.
What was your goal from this tournament, what did you want to achieve?
My goal was to get the gold medal. But yes, I have fallen short and left behind by a step. But in the next Games, I will surely try to go that one step further.
What were key aspects you had worked on before leaving for Tokyo?
I along with my coach had worked on a lot of things - analysing the foreign players via video analysis, reflexes, tricks, techniques, and services. We had worked on these things with precision which helped me a lot at the Games. It helped me understand the opponents' game and I was able to learn how to implement those things on the table.
What was your training schedule like in Tokyo?
I used to train for 8-9 hours daily (back home). But in Tokyo, we used to get just one and a half hours to practice due to the pandemic. It was a new table for me and to control the ball in one and half hours on that fast table wasn't easy. The other players had the experience of the past but for me, these were my first games and I found it a bit difficult to control the ball on the fast table but it was a huge learning experience.
Your confidence stood out during your matches, where does this confidence come from?
I train daily for that. I do yoga and meditation due to which I automatically gain confidence. I get inner power due to meditation. I have been doing it since my school days. And I would like to remember my guru on this occasion. I couldn't play in the 2016 Games and at that time I had become very tensed and had suffered a bit of depression as well. I wasn't able to concentrate on yoga as well, there were a lot of things going into my mind, a lot of thoughts. I used to stay disturbed full time.
But at that time I had got a new job and my senior Deepak Chaurasia sir supported me a lot. He used to give me Reiki (an energy healing technique) and helped me control my thought process. The time he gave me was gold. He motivated me to learn Reiki. After that, I did a Reiki course till second degree. The mental stability and strength I gained after that...you could see it on the table at the Games, the amount of power I was gaining and it was all because of Chaurasia sir.
You were meditating in-game as well, how much does it help?
It helps a lot. Table tennis is one of the fastest games in the world. It finishes within 10-15 minutes. Everyone comes to win on the table. So to control that time, to stay focused and confident in that time, and to make sure that that time belongs to you isn't an easy thing. There are times when you get hyper in rush to win points. So, at that time, mind control plays a very crucial role. And I use that time to control it via meditation.
Your backhand stood out in the tournament, it is your biggest strength?
Yes, placement and backhand pull are my strengths. And overall, mental power is my biggest strength.
What went wrong in the final?
I couldn't implement what I exactly wanted to on the table. Secondly, my opponent was faster, had good control over the ball and movement. Her disability was also lesser than mine. Even if I tried to bring her closer to the net, she was able to reach it. So it became a bit difficult because her balls were coming at me faster and I wasn't able to control them.
What has been the key to getting you at this stage in your career?
Of course my family's support. And Blind People's Association's well, for the platform they provided. I want to thank SAI, PCI, OGQ, TTFI, my coach, friends who are my practice partners, it's because of all of them I've managed to reach this position.
What was the feeling like getting the silver medal on the podium?
I was like, 'If I had won gold it would have been more enjoyable.' But I achieved in accordance with the hard work I had put in, so I don't have any regrets. But I still think if I had put in more effort I could have won the gold.
You had so many financial problems in this journey, this silver medal will take a lot of that financial burden off your head and help you focus solely on the game...
Right now it feels like the financial problems have almost vanished. Because Gujarat government has decided to award Rs 3 crore. Apart from that I am getting awards from other institutions as well. The financial support has started and I don't think that I will face financial problems in the coming tournaments. It will help me focus on the game solely.
Gameplay-wise what benefitted you in these Games?
In my final match, I couldn't implement exactly what I wanted. It was a learning experience for me. I got to know how and what I should prepare and what kind of hard work I should put in. So, I will start working on it as well now.
How much does this medal win have an impact on the Para sports in the country?
People's mentality is changing. The awareness is increasing and they are getting to know what the Paralympics Games are. A lot of players are coming to the front who will take inspiration by watching us and be a part of big tournaments like these and perform. Because of the support from the government, especially the financial support, a lot of players will come up and realise that by playing the sport at this level, you will definitely get the result. So people will get confident.
from Firstpost Sports Latest News https://ift.tt/3DJYt9B
Popular TV actor Rubina Dilaik on Tuesday said she has commenced shooting for her debut film Ardh.
Directed by singer and music composer Palash Muchhal, the film is a story of a struggling actor in Mumbai.
The 34-year-old Dilaik is known for shows such as Choti Bahu and Shakti - Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki. The Bigg Boss 14 winner shared the news in an Instagram post.
The film also stars Rajpal Yadav, Hiten Tejwani, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda.
"Ardh is about the struggle of an actor in a city like Mumbai. The film will showcase the experiences of my 15-year journey," director Muchhal said in a statement.
Veteran actor and Mirzapur star Kharbanda revealed he is playing a small yet powerful role in Ardh.
Tejwani, best known for soap operas Kutumb and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, said he is thrilled to be teaming up with Muchhal. "Palash is a young filmmaker, and his energy is amazing. We as actors always want to play different characters and to work with young filmmakers like him is fun," he said.
Yadav described Ardh as a concept-driven film. "I am very happy to be a part of this film, and I am really proud of Palash. During the photoshoot, I was amazed to see his skills as a young filmmaker," the Hungama 2 actor added.
With inputs from Press Trust of India.
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Deep in the bowels of Tokyo’s National Stadium, high jumper Sharad Kumar is trying to come to terms with what he has just accomplished. Even through the haze of euphoria, he sums up, with one throwaway sentence, what it was like to win a bronze medal in the men’s high jump event: “every jump was a war,” he says after competing in the pouring rain of Tokyo.
For all three eventual medallists — American gold medallist Sam Grewe, silver medallist Mariyappan Thangavelu and bronze winner Sharad — the rain, which got stronger as the competition heated up, posed unique challenges.
In Grewe’s first attempt to better his own world record after the gold medal was sealed, the strap on his artificial leg broke as he was about to take off for a jump. Then, during his second attempt, he realised that the velcro strap on his left spike would not stay in place as it was “fully saturated with water” because it was raining heavily. So, he taped it with duct tape for the third attempt. But still, it proved to be a tricky affair and he gave up eventually.
For Mariyappan, the pouring rain meant the sock on his left foot was soaked with water, making things difficult in gripping and take off on the approach.
“Romba kashtam aairuchu (It became very difficult),” he said. “As the night went on, and the height went up before 1.80m, the rain got really heavy, and consequently I could not nail the take off. Since I compete wearing just a sock in my right leg rather than a shoe, it got all wet and soggy.”
For Sharad, who was already hurting due to a meniscus injury to his knee, the rain made things difficult as one misstep could heighten the pain, or worse, cause the injury to get exacerbated.
“It was very dangerous. We have just one leg to balance ourselves and some of us wear a spike in just one of the legs. This makes it even more dangerous to compete when it’s pouring,” said Sharad.
The rain during the competition was just a minor side plot for all three protagonists, though. For each of the trio, it was nothing compared to the battles each of them had fought — and won — just to be at the Paralympics.
***
Barely half a day before Tuesday’s high jump showdown at the Tokyo Paralympics, Sharad had decided he would not — could not! — compete. The pain in his leg was too unbearable to be ignored. He spent all of the night howling in pain after having injured his meniscus that evening in training.
“All I did was cry, cry, cry!” said Sharad recollecting the night before.
The pain was so overwhelming that he called his parents and friends to break it to them that he would not be competing.
“I told my father, I’m done! I said that I was feeling that I was being punished for some sin I had committed. Then my father suggested that I read the Bhagawad Gita,” he said. That calmed him down, and he decided to soldier on.
Sharad was two years old when it transpired that he had polio. He was sent, along with his brother, to a boarding school since his early childhood. “The only thing available to us in those days was studying or going to the ground to play,” he said.
While his brother excelled in whichever sport he tried his hand at, Sharad was excluded due to the polio. “When we would go back home, my brother would have so many certificates from different competitions he had won. And I used to have nothing! Maybe a book I was awarded for a runners-up spot in a spelling competition in school,” he added. “That’s what made me think, one day I need to go home and get shaabashi from my dad!”
His teachers were against Sharad competing in any sport due to the fear that he might injure other limbs as well. But his brother vouched for him and changed their minds.
That’s when high jump caught his attention.
The sport has taken him places, most notably on the podium at Tokyo 2020. But the journey to Tokyo was a lonely one for him. For three years — funded by the Sports Authority of India though the TOP Scheme and supported by GoSports Foundation — he has been living more or less by himself in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, training under Nikitin Yevhen. Things got complicated when the pandemic forced a lockdown in Ukraine. While he usually trained alone under Yevhen, the lockdown meant he could not even do that, making him feel all the more lonely.
“Being by myself, that too in a city where not too many people speak a common language as you, made it challenging. There are times when I had no one to talk to. I’d feel I should just go back to India. I’ve suffered anxiety. Depression too. It also snows a lot. Anxiety would build-up when there were documentation issues,” he said before crediting Paralympic Committee of India’s office bearers Gursharan Singh and Satyanarayana for helping him out on each occasion.
***
Mariyappan Thangavelu, visibly shorter than the other two athletes on the podium at Tokyo 2020, came into these Paralympics as a favourite for a gold medal — a stature that’s a rarity in Indian para-sport. After all, India’s para-athletes have won just 12 medals at the Paralympics from 1968 till Rio. And Mariyappan was coming to Tokyo as a reigning champion, having won gold five years ago at Rio 2016.
Fittingly, he was named as India’s flagbearer for the Tokyo Paralympics. However, he spent the Opening Ceremony in quarantine after being deemed a close contact of a COVID-positive passenger on his flight to Tokyo.
Not only did that incident snatch away what would have been a treasured memory for the high jumper, it also affected his practice regime since he could not train with others as a precaution.
“It was very disappointing to miss out on being the flagbearer. I had to train separately, and stay separately as I was asked to quarantine. But I wanted to make India proud by winning gold,” he said. “But eventually, whatever is written by fate, happens.”
Fate has been exceptionally cruel to him. He was just five years old when his right leg was crushed under a bus. He was raised by a single mother, Saroja, after his father abandoned the family. The family fought its way out of crippling poverty as Saroja took up jobs as a labourer and then selling vegetables.
He himself worked as newspaper hawker between 2012 and 2015 before being discovered by his current coach Satyanarayana.
“Winning the silver at Tokyo, I am happy and disappointed at the same time,” he said in Tamil.
***
At the age of 13, Sam Grewe needed to make a decision that even adults would struggle to process. Doctors had discovered a fist-sized tumour against his femur, caused by a rare bone cancer called osteosarcoma. He had two options, amputate or save the limb with a surgery, which would mean his chances of playing any sport were gone. Still just in the seventh grade, he made the choice to amputate, undergoing a complex procedure called rotationplasty surgery. While Grewe uses an artificial limb on his right leg, the gold medal at Tokyo 2020, he said, left him vindicated about the decision he had made.
He leapt over the bar placed at 1.88m, a height which was just under his own world record (1.90m), to snatch the gold medal that Mariyappan had pipped him to at Rio 2016.
When Grewe was younger and consultations with doctors and surgeons was routine for him for a few years, he noticed how under-represented people with disabilities were in the medical profession. That’s what set him on the journey to pursue a career in medicine.
“I wanted to be the doctor who taught a kid about adaptive sports, who helped them learn the opportunities that exist for a person with a new disability, because I had no idea and I was in a really dark period because of that,” said Grewe, who enrolled just last month in medical school at the University of Michigan. “If I had to choose right now, I’d go into orthopaedic surgery.”
His dream to inspire others with similar disabilities, and guide them into adaptive sports, has already been realised. Compatriot Ezra Frech, who finished fifth in the high jump event on Tuesday, only took up the sport after watching Grewe compete at Rio 2016 five years ago.
And on Tuesday, just before he was about to compete, a Japanese volunteer handed Grewe a letter from the parent of a 13-year-old, who had also undergone rotationplastys surgery due to osteosarcoma in his knee.
A local Japanese man just handed me this note shortly after I arrived at the track to compete. Win or lose, this is what it’s all about. This makes it all worth it. pic.twitter.com/tOk4LNrE39
“My son had osteosarcoma… Even though I knew details of the surgery, I was very anxious because there was no information about (life after the surgery for patients). Meanwhile we found out about you. High jump, the world champion. You gave great courage to my family. My son is watching on TV today,” wrote the parent.
from Firstpost Sports Latest News https://ift.tt/2WIfEr5
The official synopsis of Money Heist Season 5 Part 1 reads: “The gang has been shut in the Bank of Spain for over 100 hours. They have managed to rescue Lisbon, but their darkest moment is upon them after losing one of their own. The Professor has been captured by Sierra and, for the first time, doesn’t have an escape plan. Just when it seems like nothing else could go wrong, an enemy comes on the scene that is much more powerful than any they’ve faced: the army. The end of the greatest heist in history is approaching, and what began as a robbery will turn into a war."
The final season will be released in two volumes, with the first part launching on 3 September and the second on 3 December.
Oscar-nominated Julie Delpy is writing, executive producing, and starring in the Los Angeles-set ensemble half-hour series, a co-production between Netflix and Canal Plus. "Four women — a chef, a single mom, an heiress, and a job seeker — dig into love and work, with a generous side of midlife crises," reads the official description.
8 September
Into the Night: Season 2
Into the Night series revolves around a group of people whose plane is hijacked by a former NATO soldier who demands an early take-off. The handful of people in the aircraft became some of the survivors of a deadly global event that results from exposure to sunlight. The global catastrophe kills all the living organisms during the day, and now, the survivors must do anything to keep the sun behind them.
9 September
Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali
Produced by Kenya Barris and Jason Perez of Black-ish fame, the docu will detail the “extraordinary story behind the friendship — and the ultimate falling out — of two of the most iconic figures of the 20th century” with interviews from their family members and never-before-seen footage.
10 September
Lucifer: The Final Season
The final season of Lucifer sees Tom Ellis’ Lucifer Morningstar preparing to assume his place as God. But even when the promises of heaven await him, Lucifer has some unfinished business to tend to, including a new foe looking to destroy the titular character and take his place in power.
11 September
Tughlaq Durbar
Netflix has released the trailer of Vijay Sethupathi’s political drama Tughlaq Durbar. The film also marks Sethupathi’s second collaboration with Parthiban. The duo previously shared screen space in Vignesh Shivan’s hit comedy-drama Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. The film also stars Manjima Mohan and Raashi Khanna in pivotal roles.
Delhiprasad Deenadayalan is making his directorial debut with the film.
14 September
You vs. Wild: Out Cold
Netflix is set to release its third entry in the survival series from Bear Grylls, You Vs. Wild. Titled You vs. Wild: Out Cold, it will have you guiding Grylls through treacherous environments using Netflix’s interactive technology which is available on most devices. "After a plane crash leaves Bear with amnesia, he must make choices to save the missing pilot and survive in this high-stakes interactive adventure," states a press release.
15 September
Crime Stories: India Detectives
Crime Stories: India Detectives follows police in the city of Bangalore as they set about trying to solve four major crimes. These crimes include someone alerting the police to a murder in their neighbour’s house, and the case of a one-and-a-half-year-old girl called Ramya who has gone missing.
17 September
Ankahi Kahaniyan
Ankahi Kahaniyan is an anthology chronicling “three unheard and untold tales of love," directed by filmmakers Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Abhishek Chaubey, and Saket Chaudhary respectively. It stars an ensemble of Abhishek Banerjee, Zoya Hussain, Kunal Kapoor, Nikhil Dwivedi, Palomi, Rinku Rajguru, and Delzad Hiwale. It is produced by Ronnie Screwvala's RSVP Films and Ashi Dua Sara's Flying Unicon Entertainment, which also co-produced Netflix India's Ghost Stories and Lust Stories, and Bombay Talkies.
23 September
Kota Factory Season 2
The second season of The Viral Fever's (TVF) show on the coaching industry will see Jeetendra Kumar reprise his popular role of Jeetu Bhaiya.
24 September
Midnight Mass
Midnight Mass is set in the small community of Crocket Island, where a disgraced former resident (played by Zack Gilford), returns to find a charismatic new priest (Hamish Linklater), who has brought with him strange and unexplainable miracles.
Amazon Prime Video
3 September
Cinderella
Based as a modern take on the fairytale, Cinderella marks the acting debut of singer Camila Cabello. Written and directed by Kay Cannon, the film also stars Nicholas Galitzine, Minnie Driver, Pierce Brosnan, John Mulaney, Maddie Baillio, Idina Menzel, Billy Porter, James Corden, Charlotte Spencer, and Romesh Ranganathan in important roles.
Mumbai Diaries 26/11
Mumbai Diaries 26/11 is a fictional retelling of the horrors of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks from the perspective of the medical fraternity. Created by Nikkhil Advani, the Amazon Prime Video India series aims to pay tribute to the frontline heroes who saved many lives during the terror attacks. The series has an ensemble cast of Konkona Sensharma, Mohit Raina, Tina Desai, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Satyajeet Dubey, Natasha Bharadwaj, Mrunmayee Deshpande, and Prakash Belawadi.
10 September
Tuck Jagdish
Nani’s film Tuck Jagadish will premiere on Amazon Prime Video India on 10 September, coinciding with the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi. The Telugu-language family drama is directed by Shiva Nirvana, and is produced by Sahu Garapati and Harish Peddi under the banner Shine Screens. The movie was initially slated to release in April but was postponed due to the second wave of COVID-19. Tuck Jagadish also features Ritu Varma, Aishwarya Rajesh, and Jagapathi Babu in prominent roles.
Disney+ HotstarMultiplex
17 September
Bhoot Police
Directed by Pavan Kirpalani, Bhoot Police stars Saif Ali Khan and Arjun Kapoor as ghostbusters, who did not really believe in ghosts until one day, they actually encounter a spooky spirit. Their lives turn upside down when Yami Gautam's character tells them about an evil spirit living in a small town in the mountains. Later, the trio is joined by Jacqueline Fernandez's character, and they embark on a spooky yet hilarious journey to ward off the ghost.
Maestro
The official Telugu remake of the Bollywood film Andhadhun, it is directed by Melapaka Gandhi, and produced by Sudhakar Reddy and Nikitha Reddy under the banner Sreshth Movies. The original Hindi film, helmed by Sriram Raghavan, saw Ayushmann Khurrana as a piano player, pretending to be visually impaired, caught up in a chase after he witnesses the murder of a former film actor. The film also starred Tabu and Radhika Apte. In the Telugu remake, Nithiin takes over from Khurrana, and Tamannaah will be stepping into the shoes of Tabu. Nabha Natesh has been roped in to play Radhika Apte’s role from the original.
Annabelle Sethupathi
Starring Taapsee Pannu and Vijay Sethupathi, the multilingual horror comedy will release in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. Primarily shot in Jaipur, Annabelle Sethupathi will see Pannu return to Tamil cinema two years after Game Over.
Disney+ Hotstar Premium
1 September
Dug Days
Dug Days is a new spin-off series to the Pixar film, Up. The original 2009 Oscar-winning film featured the lovable dog, Dug, whose high-tech collar was able to translate his thoughts into verbal speech. The series will also feature his human counterparts, Carl and Russell. Voiced by Up co-writer/co-director Bob Peterson, Dug Days will feature the popular talking dog obtaining new experiences for the first time since leaving Paradise Falls.
3 September
Black Widow
Marvel film starring Scarlett Johansson in the titular role, and Florence Pugh in a supporting role, Black Widow was initially scheduled to release globally only in theatres. However, the coronavirus pandemic shutdown resulted in it releasing simultaneously in US theatres and the parent production house's streaming platform Disney+. While that resulted in Johanssson suing Disney for breach of contract, the film is finally releasing in India, only digitally on Disney+ Hotstar Premium.
8 September
Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.
Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., a coming-of-age dramedy inspired by the medical series Doogie Howser, M.D., follows Lahela “Doogie” Kamealoha, a 16-year-old prodigy juggling a budding medical career and life as a teenager. With the support of her caring and family and friends, Lahela is determined to make the most of her teenage years and forge her own path.
Zee5
3 September
Helmet
Helmet, featuring Aparshakti Khurana, Pranutan Bahl, Abhishek Banerjee, and Ashish Verma, is backed by Sony Pictures Networks Productions and actor Dino Morea's DM Movies. According to a statement from the streamer, Helmet is an exploration of small-town naivety, and offers "insight into a milieu where even accessing a birth-control device is wrought with multiple social challenges and psychological hang-ups."
10 September
Dikkiloona
Billed as a science-fiction comedy, the Tamil film is directed by Karthik Yogi, and stars Santhanam, Anagha, and Shirin Kanchwala, with Yogi Babu, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendran, and Anandaraj in supporting roles.
Kya Meri Sonam Gupta Bewafa Hai?
"Directed by Ssaurabh Tyagi, Kya Meri Sonam Gupta Bewafa Hai is set in a small town in Uttar Pradesh, and is about a young man, Sintoo (Jassie Gill), who falls in love with Sonam Gupta (Jyoti), and the story unfolds when Sonam reciprocates his feelings, leaving Sintoo all the more confused. What happens after is a series of comedy of errors where a line written on a note goes viral and starts a chain of events," the official summary of the film read.
Kya Meri Sonam Gupta Bewafa Hai marks the Bollywood debut of TV actor Surbhi Jyoti, who is paired opposite Punjabi actor Jassie Gill. Surekha Sikri, who died in July at the age of 75 following a cardiac arrest, will be seen in a pivotal role in the movie. The film also stars Vijay Raaz, Bijendra Kala, and Atul Shrivastava.
The promo of the new season of popular TV show Pavitra Rishta, featuring Shaheer Sheikh and Ankita Lokhande in the lead roles, sees Sheikh as Manav, previously played by late Sushant Singh Rajput, and Ankita Lokhande reprise her role as Archana.
Pavitra Rishta 2 will be produced by actor-producer Bhairavi Raichura. The series will be exclusively available on ZEE5 for 55 days, following which it will also be available on ALTBalaji, reports The Indian Express.
Break Point
Early last week, ZEE5 unveiled the first look of non-fiction series Break Point, based on the lives of tennis champions Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi. Helmed by filmmakers Nitesh Tiwari and Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, the seven-part series traces the on and off-court partnership between the two Indian tennis legends. Nicknamed the "Indian Express," Paes and Bhupathi played together from 1994 to 2006, and reunited for their second stint from 2008 to 2011. The two also had a public fallout but they have put that behind them.
Apple TV+
17 September
The Morning Show Season 2
Season 2 finds the Morning Show team emerging from the wreckage of Alex (Jennifer Aniston) and Bradley’s (Resse Witherspoon) actions to a new UBA and a world in flux, where identity is everything, and the chasm between who we present as and who we really are comes into play. Along with Aniston and Witherspoon, the star-studded returning cast includes Steve Carell, Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Nestor Carbonell, Karen Pittman, Bel Powley, Desean Terry, Janina Gavankar, Tom Irwin, and Marcia Gay Harden, with Hassan Minhaj as a new entrant.
Foundation - 24 September
Based on Isaac Asimov's book series of the same name, Foundation revolves around the epic saga of The Foundation, a band of exiles who discover that the only way to save the Galactic Empire from destruction is to defy it.
Jared Harris will be seen as Hari Seldon, a math genius who predicts the demise of the empire, while Lee Pace will portray the role of Brother Day, the current Emperor of the Galaxy. Indian actor Kubbra Sait plays the role of Phara, a Seldon supporter, in the series.
Voot Select
8 September
Candy
Voot released the trailer of Richa Chadha and Ronit Bose Roy series Candy. Directed by Ashish R Shukla, Candy features the Udaan actor as a teacher while Chadha plays the role of a police officer. The drama series is being touted as an "amalgamation of suspense, fear, hope, politics, ambition, murder mystery and a lot more", according to a press release from Voot.
Candy is produced by Optimystix Entertainment.
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India’s balance (with regards to the four pacers and one spinner formula) has constantly been a talking point in the series, with Ravichandran Ashwin, the hosts’ premier spinner, warming the benches for the first three Tests.
Now, as the action shifts to the Oval for the fourth Test, former India pacer Ashish Nehra feels that the off-spinner is almost certain to get the nod in the playing XI, given that conditions are expected to assist the spinners.
“I’ll be very surprised if that happens (Ashwin doesn’t play) because Oval is one wicket where there is some help for the spinners. If this Test would have been in Nottingham or Manchester, India could have gone in with four pacers as Virat Kohli believes in fast bowling, and Jadeja as the fifth bowling option,” the cricketer-turned-commentator said in a virtual press conference ahead of the fourth Test.
While highlighting the unpredictable conditions in England, Nehra gave a teaser of what to expect from the Oval pitch. Notably, he added that Ashwin might get a go at the expense of a fast bowler.
“Oval is known as a good batting surface. England is a place where conditions are changing with every session, depending on weather or when you talk about the Dukes ball, damp weather, up north, down south – there are too many ifs and buts. Oval is one wicket where we’ve seen little extra bounce but there isn’t much movement since it’s in London, especially if it’s a sunny day.
“But at the same time, what I have been hearing in the last 10 days in London is that it’s quite cold. So it’s difficult to predict conditions in England but you might see Ashwin. There’s a chance of him playing in place of one fast bowler,” the pacer added.
On Ishant looking out of rhythm in the last Test
Ishant Sharma seemed out of sorts in the Leeds Test as he went wicket-less and bowled a number of no balls. While the experienced India seamer didn’t feature in the first Test, he has five wickets to his name from three innings thus far.
Nehra admitted that Ishant didn’t appear as his usual self in the last Test but threw his weight behind the pacer, adding that a player with such great experience shouldn’t be judged on the basis of a few bad performances.
“Yes, Ishant didn’t look in the best of the rhythm. But if you see, he didn’t play the first game. And even in the second game, it took him a little while, but a player like him who has played 100 Tests did get back into the groove and he had a good Test at Lord’s. I am not a big believer of judging a player like Ishant on the basis of one match performance. We’re only discussing him since we lost the Test, and we didn’t lose it because of him.”
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The 38-year-old took to Twitter and posted his retirement note along with three pictures, drawing curtains on a 17-year career which saw him play in 93 Tests, 125 ODIs and 47 T20Is for the Proteas.
“Today, I officially retire from the game I love the most. Bittersweet but grateful,” the note read.
Steyn claimed 699 international wickets across formats - 439 in Tests, 196 in ODIs, and 64 in T20Is - in his career that began in 2004.
He had called it quits from the game’s longest format in 2019 and decided to focus on limited-overs cricket. The pacer was last seen in South Africa colours in February 2020 in a T20I against Australia.
Reacting to the development, those linked to the cricketing fraternity took to Twitter to congratulate Steyn on a stellar international career. Here are a few reactions:
Many congratulations on an outstanding career @DaleSteyn62 . You can be mighty proud of what you have achieved. Wishing you the best for the second innings. https://t.co/EyNGE6CkSy
35 bowlers have taken 300+ Test wickets. No one among them has a better strike-rate than Dale Steyn (42.3). That's a wicket after every 7 overs. The greatest bowler of this generation has called it a day. Thanks for making us love cricket and happy retirement, @DaleSteyn62
The 38-year-old took to Twitter and posted his retirement note along with three pictures, drawing curtains on a 17-year career which saw him play in 93 Tests, 125 ODIs and 47 T20Is for the Proteas.
“Today, I officially retire from the game I love the most. Bittersweet but grateful,” the note read.
Steyn claimed 699 international wickets across formats - 439 in Tests, 196 in ODIs, and 64 in T20Is - in his career that began in 2004.
He had called it quits from the game’s longest format in 2019 and decided to focus on limited-overs cricket. The pacer was last seen in South Africa colours in February 2020 in a T20I against Australia.
Reacting to the development, those linked to the cricketing fraternity took to Twitter to congratulate Steyn on a stellar international career. Here are a few reactions:
Many congratulations on an outstanding career @DaleSteyn62 . You can be mighty proud of what you have achieved. Wishing you the best for the second innings. https://t.co/EyNGE6CkSy
35 bowlers have taken 300+ Test wickets. No one among them has a better strike-rate than Dale Steyn (42.3). That's a wicket after every 7 overs. The greatest bowler of this generation has called it a day. Thanks for making us love cricket and happy retirement, @DaleSteyn62
South Africa's pace legend Dale Steyn called time on his storied career on Tuesday. The 38-year-old veteran, considered among the fiercest fast bowlers of his generation, represented his country in 93 Tests, 125 ODIs, and 47 T20Is.
Steyn claimed 699 international wickets across formats - 439 in Tests, 196 in ODIs, and 64 in T20Is - in his career that began in 2004. His last international appearance was a T20I against Australia in Johannesburg on 21 February 2020, where he claimed two wickets for 31 runs in his four overs.
"It's been 20 years of training, matches, travel, wins, losses, strapped feet, jet lag, joy, and brotherhood. There are too many memories to tell. Too many faces to thank," Steyn wrote, quoting from the Counting Crows' A Long December.
"Today I officially retire from the game I love the most. Bitter sweet but grateful.
"Thank you to everyone, from family to teammates, journalists to fans, it's been a incredible journey together."
Earlier this year, Steyn had made himself unavailable for Royal Challengers Bangalore's campaign at IPL 2021, but had ruled out retirement. He moved on from Test cricket in August 2019, and missed South Africa's central contract next year.
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Boomika, a Tamil horror film (marketed as an eco-horror film), redirects focus on the inaccurate portrayal of people with special abilities in Indian cinema over time. And makes you wonder the effects of such portrayals on popular perception of those with the condition.
*Spoiler ahead* In Boomika, the ghost haunting an isolated colonial property has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She is artistically blessed with the ability to draw and paint like a maestro; that much the film gets right. People on the spectrum tend to have supremely sharp abilities in one or more specific fields. But everything else about her is incorrect, reflecting poor research. Her involuntary movements, exaggerated facial expressions, repetitive tick of the head, and floppy body posture resemble those that have cerebral palsy, also a group of nervous disorders.
Perhaps filmmaker R Rathindran Prasad set out to create positive awareness of autism. But somewhere down the line, flimsy research and dramatic license have compromised this character, making her an incorrect example of a person with ASD. When a film shows physical or behavioural special abilities incorrectly, it creates room for misinformation. Such inaccuracy can further fuel deep-set prejudices against differently abled people or those with behavioural disorders.
Boomika is not the only guilty example here. In Karan Johar’s My Name is Khan, despite grand commercial scale, the Asperger’s syndrome is exaggerated in its physical manifestation. Koi... Mil Gaya has Hrithik Roshan’s character afflicted with ‘a developmental disorder.' And in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black, Rani Mukerji’s character waddles rather than walks, which is factually incorrect for those with her character’s disorder. In Barfi!, filmmaker Anurag Basu has not explained what afflicts Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ character sufficiently, we do not really know if she is autistic or has another nervous disorder.
Taking the easy route out, and playing up a sympathetic or ‘different’ card, while writing such characters, confuses people. It also fails to highlight that such people have highly honed abilities in specific fields, creating space for genius and unmatched excellence.
Those who write films and make these for Indian audiences will highlight the need to dramatise or add touches of heightened emotions to make a person with special abilities more palatable. But is that not pandering to the gallery?
Dr Rashi B Tandon, psychologist and specialist of developmental disorders explains, “Cinema is a platform through which awareness can be spread about developmental difficulties in children. If they were to make movies shedding light empathetically on what are the developmental difficulties, a lot more common people would know how to approach children and their families. ASD, in particular, looks so different in different children that more awareness can be spread about how we as typical people should approach, play, and interact with children and adults with ASD. Overall, I think research into the characters should be extensive. This can help in forming public opinion on developmental disabilities.
Like in Barfi!, though it tried to portray an adult with autism, we need to remember that not all children or adults with autism will have the same characteristics. It would help if TV and films can also have clarity as to why they chose a particular difficulty and what the intention was or the awareness they aimed to spread.
Autism Spectrum Disorder might bring social difficulties but it is not a disability. Drawing from the definition of Autism spectrum disorder by Mayoclinic.org, it refers to a spectrum of wide ranging symptoms that impact a person’s social interactions, perception of human behaviour and communication (with others). It now includes conditions like the Asperger’s syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and different forms of developmental disorders. Floppy body language, uncoordinated physical movements or unusual facial expressions, as shown in the character in Boomika, do not feature in this.
In fact, as Elon Musk recently admitted to having the Asperger’s Syndrome, his public acceptance of ASD brought to the focus many famous people in cinema, art, and innovation that are on the spectrum. To name a few, Dan Ackroyd, Anthony Hopkins, Darryl Hannah, Alan Turing, Andy Warhol, Temple Grandin, and Satoshi Tajiri have admitted to having some form of autism.
While Hollywood and Western cinema and TV cannot be completely absolved of poor portrayal of people with special abilities, some stand out for accuracy and powerful stories. In Rain Man, Dustin Hoffman is identified as autistic. Films like What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Jack of the Red Hearts, and The Boy Who Could Fly have focused on autism as it plays out in the real world. From the world of network TV, The Good Doctor is perhaps the best, most thoroughly researched show that focuses on the social difficulties of being a high functioning autistic surgeon. Similarly, despite the criticism it faces for being insensitive, Atypical, also a show on Netflix, goes a mile ahead in dealing with teenage emotions of an autistic person.
We have also had fine examples of Indian films about those with special abilities that have gone a long way in making these challenges more acceptable. Taare Zameen Par is the best example of bringing dyslexia to common discourse, essential because of our typical tendency to force an academic rat race from a young age. Recently, Hichki rode on a ebullient Rani Mukerji to bring focus on the Tourette syndrome, despite a few flaws in fact-checking. And in A Death in the Gunj, a central character that suffers from chronic depression was credible.
More films and web series will benefit from good research, focus on factual accuracy, and sensitivity towards special abilities for actual impact and positive awareness. Otherwise, the proverbial 'other' will continue to stick out like a sore thumb in our films and shows.
Boomika is streaming on Netflix India.
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Preeti Dahiya and three other youth women boxers emerged champions on the final day as the Indian contingent concluded their successful campaign at the 2021 ASBC Asian Youth and Junior Boxing Championships with 39 medals, including 14 gold, in Dubai.
India had already won 19 medals, including eight gold, five silver, and six bronze medals, in the junior event played earlier. The youth boxers added 20 more medals (six gold, nine silver, and five bronze) to India’s tally at the prestigious continental event, where both the age groups—junior and youth—were played together for the first time.
6️⃣!
Here are our 6️⃣ Young guns who ensured that our National Anthem was played in #Dubai at the #AsianYouthChampionships 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣1️⃣.
After Bishwamitra Chongtham (51kg) won India’s first gold in seven years in the youth men’s category at the Asian Championships and Vishal (80kg) added one more yellow metal to the tally, Neha (54kg) handed the country gold in the youth women’s event played late on Monday night. She managed to win against Kazakhstan’s Aishagul Yeleubayeva by a split 3-2 decision.
Later, Preeti Dahiya struck another gold with a similar victory in the 60kg final against the 2021 Youth World Championships silver medallist Zuldyz Shayakhmetova of Kazakhstan. Sneha Kumari (66kg) and Khushi (75kg) too claimed convincing victories in their respective finals to bag gold medals. While Sneha registered Referee Stopping the Contest (RSC) win over local favourite Rahmah Almurshidi, Khushi blanked Kazakhstan’s Dana Diday.
“This has been a brilliant outing for our junior and youth boxers. Winning 39 medals is a commendable achievement and it only shows the depth of boxing talent we have in India. As a federation, we are committed to identify and promote more and more youngsters from across the country, ensuring best coaching and guidance to groom them into future champions at the elite level. I’m sure the valuable experience gained in such a big tournament will help these boxers to curve a strong path for themselves. On behalf of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), I congratulate all the winners once again and the coaches and support staff for this successful campaign, and wish them good luck for future tournaments,” BFI President Ajay Singh said.
Meanwhile, other youth boxers in action on the final day, Vishvanath Suresh (48kg), Nivedita Karki (48kg), Tamanna (50kg), Simran Verma (52kg), Preeti (57kg), Khushi (63kg), Vanshaj (64kg), Jaydeep Rawat (71kg) and Tanishbir Kaur Sandhu (81kg) signed off with silver medals.
Earlier five boxers, including one woman, claimed bronze medals in the youth event after finishing in the semi-finals. Among men, Daksh Singh (67kg), Deepak (75kg), Abhimanyu Loura (92kg) and Aman Singh Bisht (92+kg) bagged bronze medals while Lashu Yadav (70kg) ended with a bronze in the women’s category.
With 20 medals in the youth event, India also bettered their last edition’s medals tally of 12 medals, including five gold, achieved in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in 2019.
The gold medallists in the youth category will be awarded $6,000 while $3,000 and $1,500 will be given to the silver and bronze medal winners respectively. However, gold, silver, and bronze medal winners in the junior event were awarded $4,000 while $2,000 and $1,000 respectively.
The championships witnessed the presence of pugilists from strong boxing nations like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan to name a few. The event also served as the much-needed competitive tournament for the promising young talents at the Asian level after a gap of almost two years, lost due to the pandemic.
Tokyo: Singhraj Adana claimed the bronze medal in the P1 men's 10m air pistol SH1 event of the Paralympics here on Tuesday. Adana shot a total of 216.8 to finish the event in third place after qualifying for the eight-man final as the sixth-best shooter.
Hovering around the top three, Adana dropped out of contention with his poor 19th shot but managed to get back in the reckoning with his 20th attempt as China's Xiaolong Lou got 8.6.
Wishes poured in for the shooter after his bronze-winning performance:
Congratulations Singhraj Adhana on winning the Bronze medal in the men's 10m Air Pistol SH1 at the #Tokyo2020 Paralympics #Praise4Para
Singhraj Adana's winning the bronze medal in shooting at #Paralympics marks a high point in his saga of resilience and determined pursuit of excellence. Congratulations to him for this amazing feat! The nation is proud of you. May you achieve greater glory in the years to come.
Exceptional performance by Singhraj Adhana! India’s talented shooter brings home the coveted Bronze Medal. He has worked tremendously hard and achieved remarkable successes. Congratulations to him and best wishes for the endeavours ahead. #Paralympics#Praise4Parapic.twitter.com/l49vgiJ9Ax
