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Chennai, Nov 10 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu Police has refuted actor Balaji Murugadoss's claim that 15 police personnel conducted a search at his premises, stating that only one inspector and three police personnel were involved in the search and that the entire search operation was conducted following due legal procedure.

However, Balaji Murugadoss dismissed the claim of the cops, saying, "CCTV footage is going to scream “shame on you” in court".

For the unaware, on Monday, the actor had put out a video on social media that showed officials of the Narcotics Department arriving at his home and searching the place, even as he made it clear to them that he was clean. He demanded to know on what basis they had come to search his residence.

Taking to his X timeline to post a video of the conversation that happened between him and the men claiming to be officials from the Narcotics Department, Balaji Murugadoss had said, "15 police from Narcotics came to my house last night!"

He then put out another tweet in which he said, "I just want to know who gave the complaint @actorvijay. I want to know who gave the complaint and for what! I asked them a number of times they didn’t disclose. I’m up for blood test. But shame on your police department!"

He went on to add, "Fifteen police came to my house, all they found is three cats and one dog ! But I wanna know on what basis they came! There’s no search warrant since I’m clean I invited them home. But I need an explanation for this act of police."

Responding to this post by Balaji Murugadoss, the Avadi Police Commissionerate tweeted, "With regard to the above social media post, it is clarified that based on the input regarding drugs, a search was conducted in the premise at Prestige Windsor Park apartment, Thiruverkadu after making due procedural entries as prescribed by statute. It is further clarified that a team of one Inspector and 3 police personnel was involved in in the search search operation. During search operations, the occupants of the premise were treated courteously. Hence it is hereby reiterated that the entire search was conducted following due legal procedure."

Balaji Murugadoss responded to this tweet of the police on Tuesday with a tweet of his own. Quoting the police tweet, he wrote, "I’m really shocked! Not for their blatant lie, but for the way they tagged all the media. @avadipolice CCTV footage is going to scream “shame on you” in court."

On the work front, Balaji Murugadoss was last seen in director J Sathish Kumar's film 'Fire', in which he played the antagonist.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 10 (IANS) Comedian and television personality Bharti Singh opened up about how her Diwali celebrations have evolved over the years.

Recalling the financial challenges her family faced during childhood and sharing the values she hopes to pass on to her children, Gola and Kaju, Bharti opened up on it all.

Speaking to IANS exclusively about the biggest change in her Diwali celebrations, Bharti said that financial stability has transformed the way she celebrates the festival.

Recalling how her family once had to choose between buying sweets and firecrackers, she said, “Yaar abhi toh sab change ho gaya hai. Char paise aa gaye. Pehle paise nahi hote the toh itne patakhe khareed nahi sakte the. Vaise toh patakhe nahi jalane chahiye, lekin bachon ko koi nahi samjha pata. Ki patakhe nahi jalane. Ek do toh jalane padte hai. Aur tab halat itni kharab thi ki hum ya toh mithai le lo ya patakhe le lo. Toh aksar mithai lete the kyuki usse puja karni hoti thi. But bachpan ki badi aisi yaadein hai ki jab bhi festival aate the. Main thoda pareshan ho jati thi ki bhai paise nahi hai saman kahan se lenge. Lekin ab sari cheezein change ho gayi hai, waqt badal gaya hai.”

(Well, everything has changed now. We have a little money now. Earlier, we did not have enough money to buy so many firecrackers. Ideally, one should not burst firecrackers, but nobody can really explain that to children. They insist on bursting at least one or two. Back then, our financial situation was so difficult that we had to choose between buying sweets or firecrackers. We would usually choose sweets because we needed them for the puja. I have so many memories from childhood. Whenever a festival approached, I would get a little worried, wondering where we would get the money to buy things. But now everything has changed; times have changed)

She added, “Hum mehnat karne lag gaye hai char paise aa gaye. Toh abhi kisi bhi cheez ke liye mujhe sochna nahi pad raha ki mein ye kharidu ki na kharidu. Bas bahar jaane ki der hai aur khareedne ki der hai. Lekin kya karein Indian Game Show itna back to back shoot hota hai lekin mein time nikal ke gayi aur apni pasandida cheezon ki shopping ki, bachon ko karwai, kyunki ab din badal gaye hain.

(We started working hard and began earning money. Today, I don't have to think twice before deciding whether I should buy something or not. I just have to step out, and I can buy whatever I want. However, we were shooting for Indian Game Show back-to-back shoots, but I made some time to go shopping for my favourite things and take my children shopping too, because times have changed now)

Talking about how she wants her children, Gola and Kaju, to remember Diwali as they grow up, Bharti said she wants her children to understand that not everyone is fortunate enough to celebrate festivals without financial worries.

She said, “Yes yaar main thoda bataungi ki, diwali me na baat ki cheezein karni chahiye, kyunki diwali hum indians ka hinduo ka bahut bada festival hai, toh mujhe aisa lagta hai apne apne gharo me nahi. Jo log nahi kar sakte, main apne bachon ko ye sikhaungi ki agar aap mithai bhi le rahe ho, toh sab me baanto. Patakhe bhi le rahe ho, sab me baanto. Chahe wo Diwali ho, Eid ho, Dussehra ho, koi bhi cheez ho. Main har festival ko ek tarah se manane ka unko nazariya sikhaungi, aur mil baat ke manao bhai, cheezein baanto, kyunki bahut aise log hain hum bahut lucky hain ki hamein upar wala kaam de raha hai. Bahut saare log hain jo jinke festival aate hain, toh unko udaas ho jaate hain ki paise kahan se laaye. Isliye main apne bachon ko ye sikhaungi ki bhai mil ke manao, apni cheezein dusro me bhi baanto.”

(Yes, I would like to teach them a few things about Diwali. It is a very big festival for us Indians and Hindus, and I feel that we should not celebrate only within our own homes. I will teach my children that if there are people who cannot afford to celebrate, then whatever you buy, whether it is sweets or firecrackers, you should share it with everyone. Whether it is Diwali, Eid, Dussehra or any other festival, I want to teach them to celebrate every festival with the same spirit. Celebrate together and share things with others because we are fortunate that God has given us work and opportunities. There are so many people who become sad when their festivals arrive because they do not know where they will get the money from. That is why I want to teach my children to celebrate together and share what they have with others)

Bharti Singh on the work front is currently seen hosting Indian Game Show with Bharti and Harssh.

–IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 10 (IANS) Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay marked his second day at the milestone age of 60 by sharing a shirtless picture on social media.

Ramsay took to Instagram, where he shared a monochrome picture of himself flaunting his muscular physique and abs.

In an enthusiastic message, Ramsay wrote: “Thank you everyone for the incredible birthday messages ! Day 2 of being 60……LFG !!!!”

After rising to fame with a chain of restaurants, Ramsay, on the British television miniseries Boiling Point in 1999, became one of the best-known and most influential chefs in the world.

His media persona is defined by his fiery temper, aggressive behaviour, strict demeanour and frequent use of profanity, including insults and jokes about contestants and their cooking abilities.

He has presented television programmes about cookery, such as the British series Hell's Kitchen, Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares and The F Word, with Kitchen Nightmares winning the 2005 and 2008 British Academy Television Award for Best Feature.

He is part of the American versions of Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, MasterChef and MasterChef Junior, as well as Hotel Hell, Gordon Behind Bars, Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell and Back and Next Level Chef.

The father of six celebrated his and daughter Matilda “Tilly” Ramsay‘s joint birthday the previous day with a sweet tribute on Instagram, as Tilly turned 25.

“Happy birthday to this incredible young lady,” Gordon wrote in the caption.

“Sharing such a special day with you is a Dad’s dream. There’s not enough words to explain how proud you make me feel,” he added. “Have a fantastic 25th birthday and I can’t believe I’m bloody 60.”

Gordon and wife Tana, who married in 1996, welcomed Megan, their oldest daughter, in 1998; fraternal twins Holly Anna Ramsay and Jack Scott Ramsay in 1999; Matilda Ramsay (Tilly) in 2001; son Oscar James Ramsay in 2019; and son Jesse James Ramsay in 2023.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 10 (IANS) Bollywood's star Jackie Shroff marked 31 years of his action drama Ram Shastra on Tuesday.

The actor shared a video montage featuring memorable stills from the 1995 film and took to his social media account to revisit the film.

Jackie shared a montage of stills that captures some of his memorable moments from the Sanjay Gupta directorial.

The video features Jackie in his police officer avatar, along with co-stars Manisha Koirala, Aditya Pancholi, Deepti Bhatnagar, Anupam Kher and other members of the cast.

For the uninitiated, Jackie played Inspector Ram Sinha in the film, while Manisha Koirala essayed the role of Anjali Sinha. Aditya Pancholi played Inspector Kavi and Deepti Bhatnagar portrayed Ritu.

The film also featured Anupam Kher, Mukesh Rishi, Johnny Lever, Alok Nath, Tiku Talsania, Dara Singh and Jagdeep, among others.

Released on September 11, 1995, Ram Shastra was an action drama directed and written by Sanjay Gupta and produced by Firoz A. Nadiadwala. The story revolves around police officer Ram Sinha and his fight against crime and powerful criminals.

The film was part of Sanjay Gupta’s early phase as a filmmaker. The director had made his directorial debut with Aatish: Feel the Fire in 1994 and followed it with Ram Shastra in 1995.

He later directed films including Hameshaa, Jung, Khauff, Kaante, Musafir, Zinda, Dus Kahaniyaan, Shootout at Wadala, Jazbaa, Kaabil and Mumbai Saga.

For the uninitiated, Sanjay Gupta passed away on October 31 after facing a fatal fall at his house leading to head injuries.

According to preliminary police findings, the filmmaker reportedly lost his balance in the kitchen area of his house and suffered a severe head injury. As his family members were asleep at the time, the incident came to light the following morning. He was rushed to Cooper Hospital, where he was declared dead.

His passing away came as a shock to the entire film industry.

–IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 10 (IANS) Filmmaker James Gunn has reflected on his four-year stint as co-head of DC Studios, calling it a dream come true but also saying the job was challenging.

In an emotional Instagram post, Gunn said he was “incredibly relieved and excited” to return to pure filmmaking, and he thanked his colleagues, collaborators, and fans.

In the note, Gunn wrote: “Oh, boy. What a four years! Thanks to all of you who have supported me and Peter during our time as the heads of DC Studios. When I was a kid growing up in Manchester, Missouri, I used to write and draw my own comics with a mix of DC Comics characters and my own characters.”

He added: Having full access to these characters to do whatever we wanted has been a dream come true. I didn't know if I wanted this job when it was offered to me, but I just couldn't pass up the unique opportunity. I'm glad I took the job.”

The filmmaker counted the highs he has had along the way.

“There have been so many highs along the way — releasing Superman and Clayface, making Peacemaker, reading the scripts to The People Vs, and the entire process of Man of Tomorrow, which thus far has been the best filmmaking experience of my life, along with numerous other moments.”

The highest of the highs have been all the talented and wonderful people he has worked and grown with, said Gunn.

“The DC Studios crew, our talented collaborators, our casts and crews, and the boisterous and hilarious fans. And the best part of all has been working with Peter Safran, the smartest and most competent person I know. You've been the best partner a person could ask for, and, more than that, a truly good friend.”

“But what only the closest people to me have known over the past four years is that my time at DC Studios has been trying, to say the least. I dislike the at-times corporate nature of the job (thanks to Peter for taking the brunt of that).”

“I'm always a very hard worker, but as a filmmaker, I would at least get to take short breaks to unwind, and I've stolen even that time from both myself and my loved ones over the past four years. (Jenn, I love you and I'm sorry, and you don't need to feel guilty for being the happiest of all people that I'm no longer doing this job.)”

James Gunn said his ADHD-driven hyperfocus makes it challenging to balance projects.

“And the thing my ADHD hyperfocus has had the most difficulty with has been dividing my time between projects I'm incredibly passionate about and the ones I'm not so much, and all the things I have to do as a studio head,” Gunn said.

“So, yes, I will miss the people around me, and I will miss being the co-caretaker of these great characters, but I'm also incredibly relieved and excited to get back to pure filmmaking.”

“That's not to say Peter and I are immediately done with DC or superheroes. We have Man of Tomorrow out this summer. And we've just been engaged on another DC project which I'm writing, and we'll see where it goes after that. And, of course, the characters we set up will live on. Thank you so very, very much for embracing the characters and stories we've put on screen. Love and gratitude, James Gunn,” he concluded.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 10 (IANS) Megastar Amitabh Bachchan reflected on celebrating a quieter, more peaceful Diwali, noting fewer firecrackers, less noise, and clearer roads.

The cine icon took to his blog and wrote: “Ek Sahaj Diwali Manayi Hai; Patakhe Kam Chalaye Hain; Sadkein Khuli Aur Shor Kam Hai; Vatavaran Kuch Shaant Roop Mein Gahra Hai; Bas Yahi Rahe Hum Sab Par Bhar, Sukh Rahe, Samriddhi Bane, Khushiyon Ki Hahakaar Mache Har Baar…”

“(A peaceful Diwali was celebrated; fewer firecrackers were burst, the roads were clear and there was less noise. The atmosphere felt somewhat calm and serene. May this peace remain with all of us, may happiness and prosperity prevail, and may every occasion be filled with an abundance of joy.)”

Sharing a thoughtful message about happiness and prosperity, the megastar also quoted a line from a poem by his father, the late poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan.

“Given the team the issues with numbers and they have assured to correct it in its finality ..

I do hope it now wors .. though there has been no corrected change seen yet ..

such is the World… ‘Anavarat Samay Ki Chakki Chalti Jaati Hai…’ Poojya Babuji Ki Ek Kavita Ke Shabd (Words from a poem by my revered father).”

Amitabh was currently hosting the quiz-based reality show Kaun Banega Crorepati. However the shoot halted for a week amid the icon’s health concerns.

According to a source, the legendary actor has not been keeping well and the makers have temporarily stopped filming new episodes. In the meantime, the channel has been re-airing a few week-old episodes featuring celebrity guests as part of its Diwali special week.

The source revealed that the last major celebrity episode shot for the show featured Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Ravi Dubey, who appeared on the quiz show to promote their upcoming film “Ramayan”.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 10 (IANS) Actress Sobhita Dhulipala gave fans a glimpse into her Diwali celebrations with husband Naga Chaitanya and the Akkineni family.

The actress shared a series of pictures from the festive gathering on social media. In one of the pictures, Sobhita and Naga Chaitanya are seen posing with the extended members of the Akkineni family and their friends.

Also seen in the frame is veteran actor Nagarjuna Akkineni, along with other family members and guests. Sobhita also shared many glimpses of the celebrations at home. In one picture, she is seen sitting beside a beautifully decorated floral arrangement, holding a candle as she poses. Another photograph captures her lighting diyas placed around a large and vibrant rangoli.

The actress also gave a closer look at the festive decor with marigold flowers, candles and traditional lamps. The actress also shared a picture of a bowl of noodles, offering a glimpse of the Diwali spread.

In another fun moment, Sobhita shared a picture of a box of sparklers featuring her own picture on the packaging. She cheekily wrote over the image, “Another Diwali Another slay.”

For the celebrations, Sobhita opted for an elegant black traditional outfit featuring intricate embroidery and gold detailing. Sharing the pictures on her social media account, Sobhita wrote, “Deepavali greetings to all,” accompanied by heart and diya emojis.

Talking about Sobhita and Naga Chaitanya, the couple tied the knot on December 4, 2024, in a traditional Telugu ceremony at Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad, in the presence of close family and friends. The couple had reportedly been dating since 2022.

Before his marriage to Sobhita, Naga Chaitanya was married to actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu. The two tied the knot in 2017 and announced their separation in 2021 after four years of marriage.

–IANS

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Mumbai, November 10 (IANS) Actress Soni Razdan gave fans a glimpse of an intimate Kapoor family gathering on the occasion of Diwali.

Sharing a picture which featured many members of the family, including Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karisma Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan, Soni added a Happy Diwali sticker.

Also seen in the frame were Armaan Jain, his wife Anissa Malhotra Jain, Aadar Jain and Rima Jain, along with Soni Razdan. Soni shared the picture on her social media account with a colourful “Shubh Deepawali” graphic placed above the picture.

In another social media story, Soni shared a picture of her son-in-law and superstar Ranbir Kapoor with her husband Mahesh Bhatt. The picture carried the text, “Mere paas Ram hai” he said proudly, with Soni adding a heart emoticon while calling them her “Fave men”.

Talking about Alia and Kareena, the former has always spoken about being a huge Kareena Kapoor fan and has spoken about her admiration for Kareena's work over the years.

Her favourite Kareena character, as sajd by her, has also been Poo from the 2001 film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. Alia had even recreated one of Poo's iconic scenes years later as the film completed 20 years.

The two actresses had even appeared together on Koffee With Karan Season 8. During the episode, Alia had spoken warmly about Kareena's approach to her craft.

Their appearance on the chat show also highlighted their family relationship. Alia is married to Ranbir Kapoor, who is Kareena's first cousin. The episode saw Karan Johar jokingly try to establish whether Kareena was Alia's “bhabhi” or “nanad”.

–IANS

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Mumbai, November 10 (IANS) Bollywood star couple Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan gave fans a glimpse of their intimate Diwali celebrations as they posed for pictures with their sons, Taimur Ali Khan and Jeh Ali Khan.

Kareena shared a series of pictures from their Diwali celebration on her social media account, giving fans a rare glimpse of the family together.

In one of the pictures, Kareena and Saif are seen posing together against a backdrop of flowers and festive decor.

Another picture featured the couple with Taimur and Jeh. Saif opted for an all-black traditional outfit, paired with black footwear, while Kareena wore an elegant beige-toned festive ensemble with intricate embellishments. She accessorised her look with statement jewellery and a matching turban.

Taimur was dressed in an orange kurta paired with white pyjamas, while Jeh twinned in the festive spirit in a bright red kurta with white pyjamas. Sharing the pictures, Kareena kept her caption simple, writing, “Diwali 2026”.

Adding more information about Kareena's ensemble, celebrity stylist Rhea Kapoor, who styled the actress, revealed that the ensemble brought together contemporary fashion and heirlooms from Saif Ali Khan's family.

Rhea described Kareena's look as featuring a pure chandi kaftan and turban by Punit Balana, accessorised with a 200-year-old kalgi from the Nawab of Bhopal and the Begum of Bhopal's 30-carat emerald, carved with Ayat-ul-Kursi. She also revealed that the jewellery came through Saif's family, with his grandmother Sajida Sultan being the daughter of the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal.

Earlier, the actress was seen attending a Diwali lunch with her parents Randhir Kapoor and Babita, along with her sister Karisma Kapoor.

Kareena opted for a green traditional outfit with a red dupatta for the family gathering and completed the look with sindoor.

–IANS

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Hyderabad, Nov 10 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and well known Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan and his wife Anna Konidela have now announced that they are parting ways, ending their thirteen-year marriage.

For the unaware, Pawan Kalyan had married Anna Lezhneva, a Russian citizen, in September 2013 under the Special Marriage Act at a Sub-Registrar Office in Hyderabad. The couple have two children Polena Anjana Pawanova and Mark Shankar Pawanovich.

In a joint statement which was addressed to well wishers and near and dear ones, the couple said, "After sharing a significant part of our lives together, we have decided to part ways with mutual understanding and respect."

They further added, "Though our marriage has come to an end, we remain good friends and devoted parents to our wonderful children. Their happiness and well-being will always remain our shared priority."

They concluded the brief statement saying, "During this personal transition, we seek your understanding, kindness, and respect for our privacy. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has stood by us throughout this journey."

Soon after their decision to part ways was announced, Anna Konidela deleted her Instagram account to which she was welcomed by Pawan Kalyan.

The news has come as rude shock for fans of the star and for their well wishers in the industry as the couple have been known to be close to one another.

In fact, in September this year, Anna had penned a heartfelt birthday post to Pawan Kalyan as turned 55 on September 2 this year.

Anna Konidela had shared a picture of herself posing with her husband, Pawan Kalyan, on Instagram. She had then said, “Celebrating you today. You are in so many hearts, thoughts and prayers - a beautiful reflection of how many lives you have touched and how much you have given to others. Happy Birthday!”

--IANS

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