Cast: Akshay Kumar, Simon Paiseley Day, R Madhavan, Ananya Panday, Regina Cassandra, Amit Sial, Alexx O’Nell, Steven Hartley, Krish Rao Crew:  Based on The Case That Shook The Empire by Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat Written by Karan Singh Tyagi, Amritpal Singh Bindra, Sumit Saxena  Cinematography by Debojeet Ray Edited by Nitin Baid  Music by Shashwat Sachdev Directed by Karan Singh Tyagi Produced by Hiroo Yash Johar, Aruna Bhatia, Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Amritpal Singh Bindra, Anand Tiwari  Akshay Kumar has made it normal in recent times to make films based on historical events in Indian history and biopics with real life incidents as story elements. Another such attempt and second one from a franchise that producers hope to see blossom, Kesari Chapter 2. The movie talks about Jalianwala Bagh massacre from a court room drama purview. Interestingly, Madhavan joined the forces with Akshay Kumar and let's discuss about the film, released on 18th April, in detail. Plot:  Sankaran Nair (Akshay Kumar) is a celebrated lawyer or barrister (appropriate for the time) rises to knighthood under British Regime in 1910's. The genius lawyer hailing from Kerala, is known to be ruthless and has zero losses to his name. He proves a poet Kartal Singh as a terrorist and due to the poet's 13-year old son, Prabat Singh (Krish Rao), a survivor of Jalianwala Bagh massacre, he decides to sue to the crown in legal battle.  Punjab Province Governor, Michael O'Dwyer,  who used to be his thick friend, decides to turn against him and brings in half-Indian half-British Advocate Neville McKinley (Madhavan). Triath Singh (Amit Sial), trusted associate of Governor, tries to save General Reginald Dryer (Simon Paisley Day) as a warrior of British. How Sankaran Nair with a rookie lawyer Dilreet Gill (Ananya Panday) as his co-counsel turned the tide against Dryer is the film.  Analysis:  Sardar Uddam Singh film depicted the Jalianwala Bagh massacre in a Heart-touching manner and even a film like Rang De Basanti, did it effectively. Director Karan Singh Tyagi trying to establish an emotional connect tries to go over melodramatic route and we end up feeling the incident being dragged rather than impactful. This extensively used troupe of melodrama for the sake of it dulls the momentum straight away.  When talking about a lesser known person from Indian history, there is a necessary to introduce the character without standard heroic lines and rather with utmost care and sincerity about the real person. By casting Akshay Kumar in a Malayalee native person's role itself, the makers have taken a flawed decision and this kind of commercial formulaic bumps are expected. Still, Mission Mangal kind of films tried to be grounded yet this one tries to force a connection with Kesari.  Randomly, we see popular Kesari song Teri Mitti playing and Akshay Kumar wearing "Kada". Sankaran Nair, as a character itself, never gets defined rather he feels like another tailor made Akshay Kumar biopic character. Even he performs in the similar way, we see Akshay more or less than Sankaran Nair. A more potent attempt like in Jolly LLB 2, to play a different character, could have at least brought out some novelty to Akshay alas that is not the case.  Madhavan again proves how good a performer he is, by giving some amount of depth to a rather caricaturish character. Ananya Panday made sincere efforts in this one but again writing is monotone for her too. In trying to showcase someone as negative, you don't have to make them caricatures. General Dryer, a complicated person, who did unthinkable gets a Hitler like caricaturish arc.  Even if film claims are true, a character cannot just be simply bland. The court room scenes seem to be inspired from "A Few Good Men" and many scenes look to have been written to just somehow make jingoistic sentiment work.  Akshay Kumar's performance has some merit along with good BGM and Production values but film ends up being another bland attempt by the lead actor.  In Conclusion:  Engaging in parts but sticks to commercial formula with less wit and conviction.  Rating: 2.25/5  Disclaimer: The views expressed in this review are reviewer's personal opinion. The organisation takes no responsibility and recommends viewer discretion.

After a hiatus of four years, Salman Khan marked his return to the silver screen on Eid with a family entertainer titled Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. The film's opening day witnessed some negative response among the masses. However, it failed to create the same buzz among multiplex audiences. Its reviews have not been encouraging either.   The film rakes only 12 Crores on its first day, which falls short of the staggering amounts earned by the actor's previous Eid releases. The collection of its opening day is even lower than Khan’s previous flops like Bharat, Race 3 and Tubelight.   It appears that the audience took the film for granted, just as the makers and Salman Khan did. In the past, Salman Khan has been known to release his films on the occasion of Eid, with 10 of his movies having been released on this auspicious day. The film is likely to become biggest disaster in Salman Khan's career.

In a thrilling grand finale streamed on aha OTT, 19-year-old Nazeeruddin Shaik from Andhra Pradesh emerged victorious as the winner of aha Telugu Indian Idol Season 3. His captivating performances throughout the competition earned him both the prestigious title and a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakh. Recently clearing his CA intermediate examinations, Nazeeruddin also received the exciting opportunity to lend his voice to the highly anticipated upcoming film starring Pawan Kalyan, OG. His remarkable journey to victory was characterised by consistent excellence, which endeared him to both the audience and the judges. Anirudh Suswaram secured second place, winning Rs. 3 lakh, while GV Shri Kerthi claimed third place with a prize of Rs. 2 lakh. The show, which concluded after nearly 26 weeks of fierce competition, was judged by the esteemed Thaman S, Geetha Madhuri, and Karthik, all of whom noted that this season showcased extraordinary talent. Judge Geetha Madhuri said, "aha Telugu Indian Idol Season 3 was an incredible experience filled with talented contestants. It truly felt like a celebration of music. Choosing the finalists was extremely challenging, and every elimination was painful." Nazeeruddin was born on November 2, 2004, in Tadepalligudem to Shaik Baji, a motor mechanic, and Madeena Beebi, who passed away a year ago. His sister, Vahida Rehman, has stepped in to support him after their mother's passing. He completed his schooling at Vignana Vikas E.M School and continued his education at GSR E.M School. He pursued his Junior College and CA Intermediate at Sri Medha Commerce College in Guntur, aspiring to become a Chartered Accountant while nurturing his passion for music. Nazeeruddin's musical journey has been profoundly shaped by his maternal grandparents, Kasim Saheb and Fatima Bee. His maternal grandmother, a Carnatic music guru, played a pivotal role in cultivating his talent. Growing up listening to the iconic songs of Ghantasala ignited his dedication to music. Reflecting on his victory, Nazeeruddin shared, "My journey with music began when I was just four years old. It was my grandfather, Kasim garu, and his sister whom I affectionately call Nani, who introduced me to this world. She enrolled me in Carnatic music lessons, while my grandfather taught me the nuances of cinematic music. Having sung for Ghantasala garu, his admiration for him has never wavered. For 47 years, he has honored Ghantasala's memory by observing his death anniversary in our village, Tadepalligudem. Thanks to my grandfather's efforts, a statue of Ghantasala garu stands in our village." "Winning the title of Telugu Indian Idol Season 3 is a key milestone for me. Performing in front of Thaman sir, Geetha Madhuri ma’am, and Karthik sir was an honor. Their feedback, along with lessons from my fellow contestants, has shaped my growth as a singer. Moving forward, I aim to be a leading musician in the industry while pursuing a career in finance, " he added. The competition began with over 15,000 aspiring singers, showcasing immense talent throughout the season. Initial auditions took place on May 4, 2024, in New Jersey and Hyderabad. The top 12 finalists included Bharat Raj, Keerthana, Keshav Ram, Hari Priya, GV Shri Kerthi, Nazeeruddin, Skanda, Duvvuri Sridhruthi, Rajani Sree, Sai Vallabha, Khushal Sharma, and Anirudh Suswaram. After rigorous eliminations and public voting across 28 episodes, the competition culminated in a final showdown featuring the top five contestants: Anirudh Suswaram, Skanda, Keerthana, Sri Keerthi, and Nazeeruddin. The finalists dazzled in vibrant attire during the blockbuster finale, which included special performances from the judges and contestants. Judge Geetha Madhuri, in a striking red outfit, captivated the audience with her exceptional performance. The Judges Thaman and Karthik also presented outstanding performances during the blockbuster finale episode. The blockbuster finale, streamed on September 20-21, 2024, celebrated the remarkable journeys of these talented singers. If you missed the thrilling finale episode, catch it now only on aha.

Even though it came before 'KGF,' Hombale Films became well-known with that film. The films are being announced, completed, and ready for release as a result of the momentum created by that film. Production is currently working on 'Salaar' in Telugu and 'Tyson' in Malayalam. Other pan-India films have also just been announced.   However, a film directed by Sudha Kongara was recently announced. Except for the fact that they stated that it will be a big film, they did not mention the casting. There are some new rumours floating around about this. If those rumours are true, this combination will be spectacular. According to sources, Sudha Kongara project is going to be multi starrer.  Furthermore, the names of those heroes are currently being spread.   According to the latest rumours, this film would star Suriya and Dulquer Salman, who have established as star heroes in the South with a string of superhits. According to industry reports, Surya, who has become acquainted of Sudha Kongara's direction in 'Akaasham Nee Haddura,' responded OK without even hearing the story. It is stated that discussions about this film are ongoing, and that full details will be released soon. Pre-production work will begin soon.   Hombale is synonymous with big-budget films. This film is expected to be in the same budget range as the previous one. Suriya's film is also popular in Telugu. Dulquer films have a cult following in the South. This combination is surely going to be crazy.