CM Revanth Reddy Imitates Ex CM KCR At Narsampet Public Meeting
Dhandoraa: Early Overseas Premiere Set for December 23
Dhandoraa is set to have its early overseas premieres on December 23, 2025, giving international audiences a first look nearly two days before its India release. Presented by Muppaneni Sri Lakshmi under Loukya Entertainments, the film’s international distribution will be handled by Atharvana Bhadrakali Pictures.
The teaser hints at a raw, grounded drama, capturing the dust, rhythm, and tempo of village life rather than polished cinematic artifice. Dhandoraa explores caste dynamics within a fully commercial narrative, blending social relevance with entertainment seamlessly.
The film stars Shivaji, Navadeep, Nandu, Ravikrishna, Manika Chikkala, Mounika Reddy, Bindu Madhavi, Radhya, Aditi Bhavaraju, and others. It is directed by Muralikant and produced by Ravindra Benarjee Muppaneni.
Bhumi Pednekar Stuns in Bold All-Black Look
Bhumi Pednekar’s journey in Bollywood hasn’t been the usual glitzy entry. She began her career behind the scenes, managing casting rooms, running scripts, and persuading newcomers to audition. Few on those sets could have predicted that she would one day be gracing posters herself. A decade later, Bhumi continues to choose unconventional roles and brings a distinct authenticity to each performance, making it feel tailor-made for her.
Her recent film, Mere Husband Ki Biwi, didn’t make waves at the box office, but Bhumi remained unfazed. She moves with a quiet confidence, steadily taking on projects that suit her vision. With several solid films lined up, her fans are confident she’ll deliver remarkable performances once again.
Alongside her professional work, Bhumi recently shared a new set of striking photos online. She sports a bold all-black outfit featuring a fitted top with sheer sleeves, long gloves, and a draped bottom, creating a sharp and edgy aesthetic. A chain-style accessory crosses her torso, adding an unexpected yet stylish touch to the ensemble. Her pose, with arms raised and chin steady, exudes confidence, showing she knows her presence speaks volumes without explanation.
Prabhas Stuns Fans with Lean Look at Japan Screening of Baahubali
Prabhas has arrived in Japan to attend a special screening of Baahubali: The Epic, reigniting global attention for the blockbuster. Following the film’s massive success in Japan, the promotions are now in full swing. Amid the event, Prabhas’ new look has become the center of conversation among fans.
Earlier reports suggested that Prabhas would avoid public appearances to prevent his updated look from leaking on social media. However, at the Japan event, he attended without any head covering, delighting fans who are thrilled to see him in a lean, refreshed appearance. This marks a change from his usual macho look, and fans are excited about the transformation.
Director Sandeep Reddy, known for carefully curating the screen appearances of his actors, has ensured Prabhas’ new look aligns perfectly with his role as a cop. In addition to this event, Prabhas is gearing up for his next releases, The Raja Saab and Fauzi, keeping audiences eager for his upcoming projects.
Akhanda 2 Overseas Release in Trouble
Nandamuri Balakrishna’s much-awaited sequel Akhanda 2 couldn’t hit theatres this Friday due to a legal dispute involving the producers and their pending financial obligations. Although early reports hinted at a long delay, the team has been trying to resolve the issue quickly and release the film at least later in the day.
However, the situation has turned more complicated when it comes to the film’s overseas release. Because Akhanda 2 missed its scheduled premiere, many of the screens that overseas distributors had reserved were reassigned to Hollywood biggies like Zootopia 2 and Wicked: For Good for the entire weekend. As a result, even if the makers manage a last-minute release, Akhanda 2 will not secure the required number of screens in North America.
This is a major setback, considering that Akhanda grossed over $1 million overseas and the hype around the sequel—powered by the Balakrishna–Boyapati Sreenu combination—is tremendous. Without sufficient screens, distributors will face a tough challenge recovering their investments.
Given the circumstances, the makers may now have to target a December 12th release in North America to ensure a proper wide release. But that window is tight as well, because Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to arrive on December 19th, bringing massive competition and limiting Akhanda 2’s performance time to just one full week.
In summary, while the domestic box office may not be significantly affected—thanks to strong expectations and minimal competition—the overseas business is likely to take a hit due to Hollywood releases and the scheduling chaos.
Dhurandhar: Strong Idea, Weak Execution
The trailer of Dhurandhar sparked strong curiosity, largely due to its bold premise of Indian intelligence penetrating Pakistan’s internal networks. R. Madhavan’s character, clearly modeled on Ajit Doval, further intensified the buzz. Viewers also spent days online trying to decode which real-life personality Ranveer Singh might be representing.
Story
The film opens with the 1999 Kandahar hijack. Ajay Sanyal (R. Madhavan), the IB chief, negotiates skillfully with the hijackers and ensures the safety of passengers. The narrative rapidly moves through the major terror events of the early 2000s, including the Parliament attack. With national security under continuous threat, Sanyal proposes Operation Dhurandhar, which the Prime Minister approves.
Hamza (Ranveer Singh) is sent deep into Lyari to infiltrate the criminal syndicate run by Rehman Dakait (Akshaye Khanna). His path also crosses with ISI officer Major Iqbal (Arjun Rampal), depicted as the brain behind the 26/11 attacks.
While undercover, Hamza develops feelings for the daughter (Sara Arjun) of local politician Jameel (Rakesh Bedi). The film then explores how he enters their world, earns trust, executes his objectives, and where his mission derails.
Performances
- Ranveer Singh delivers a layered and powerful performance, though at times he appears older than the character’s intended age.
- Sara Arjun is competent, but her pairing with Ranveer looks mismatched due to the evident age gap.
- Akshaye Khanna is excellent, bringing gravitas and menace as Rehman Dakait, continuing his strong form after Chhava.
- Arjun Rampal is convincing as the cold, intimidating Major Iqbal.
- Rakesh Bedi adds mild comic relief and does justice to his role.
- R. Madhavan steals the show with a superbly controlled and methodical performance.
- Sanjay Dutt slips into a familiar template with a performance similar to many of his recent roles.
Technical Aspects
Shashwat Sachdev’s background score works well for the tense moments, but the songs fail to leave any mark. Cinematography is visually rich, production design effectively recreates Pakistan, and overall technical values are strong. Editing, however, is not sharp enough for a film of this genre.
Strengths
- Strong individual performances
- Compelling underlying concept
Weaknesses
- Lengthy runtime
- Forced character elevations
- Excessive violence
- Weak emotional-patriotic payoff
- Slow pacing, especially post-interval
Analysis
Though Dhurandhar is built on a potent idea, the execution doesn’t fully match its ambition. The casting of Pakistani characters and the heroic build-up given to them—likely to justify their star power—softens the patriotic intensity that many expected.
The film promises clever infiltration drama, tactical brilliance, psychological tension, and edge-of-the-seat thrills. But the momentum dips once the mission begins. The romantic track feels unnecessary and disrupts the flow instead of enhancing the stakes.
The identity twist of the protagonist fails to land convincingly, and withholding his true backstory for the sequel (expected in March 2026) feels more frustrating than intriguing.
The tone leans toward cinematic spectacle rather than realism, missing the precision that made URI and Zero Dark Thirty so gripping. The nearly two-hour stretch before the interval adds to the fatigue, and the second half turns predictable in several places.
Reimagining real incidents like 26/11 through fictional characters is an interesting approach, but the emotional connect is surprisingly weak. The idea of making the protagonist an unseen witness to history is creative, yet the impact remains muted.
Overall, Dhurandhar feels like a long OTT-style series compressed into a single film—with songs, extra subplots, and stretched drama. Despite its potential, the lack of tightness, realism, and emotional force prevents it from reaching the thrilling heights expected from its premise.
Bottom Line
Dhurandhar: A grand idea weighed down by slow pacing, stretched runtime, and diluted impact. Ambitious but not fully satisfying.
Anasuya’s Elegant Gold Saree Look
In this frame, Anasuya shines in a graceful gold saree that drapes elegantly along her silhouette, showcasing the richness and fine craftsmanship of the fabric. The soft sheen of the material catches the light beautifully, giving her overall look a refined, luminous glow.
Paired with it, her vibrant blue blouse adds a striking contrast, creating a perfectly balanced and eye-catching colour palette. Matching blue bangles enhance the ensemble further, adding a subtle rhythm and a coordinated pop of colour.
Her neatly tied hair bun, adorned with fresh flowers, brings a classic traditional charm that blends seamlessly with the contemporary styling of her outfit. Anasuya’s warm smile and expressive eyes breathe life into the frame, while the delicate hanging earrings serve as the perfect finishing touch—tying the entire visual together with poise and elegance.
‘Dhum Thakum’ From Psych Siddhartha: Hooking
“Dhum Thakum”, the latest song from Psych Siddhartha, captures how a woman effortlessly lifts a man’s spirits, turning his dull mood into a lively one.
Penned by Kasarla Shyam, the lyrics strike a chord with today’s youth, blending quirky lines with relatable emotions. Smaran Sai’s music adds a breezy, pleasant vibe to the track, with a few catchy, foot-tapping moments woven in.
The highlight, however, is Jessie Gift’s vintage-style vocals, which give the song a unique flavour and set it apart from the rest of the album. Fun lines like “paresunna beer seesa vetiki maarchesaave flower vase loki…” add a quirky touch that perfectly complements the film’s offbeat theme.
Starring Shree Nandu and Yamini Bhaskar, Psych Siddhartha is directed by Varun Reddy and produced by Shree Nandu and Shyam Sunder Reddy Thudi. The film is gearing up for release on December 12.
Why ChatGPT Missed Apple App Store Awards 2025
Apple has officially announced the winners of its App Store Awards 2025, honouring the best apps and games across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and other devices. These awards celebrate innovation, design excellence and deep integration within Apple’s ecosystem.
This year, the Best iPhone App of 2025 was awarded to Tiimo, an AI-powered visual planning app. Tiimo uses artificial intelligence to turn daily to-do lists into realistically scheduled, actionable plans — a feature that impressed both users and Apple’s review team.
However, the biggest surprise was the absence of popular AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini and Grok, despite their massive global user base and millions of daily active users.
Apple’s Focus: Ecosystem-First, Not Just AI Hype
The App Store Awards are not based solely on popularity or emerging technology trends. According to reports, Apple selects winners that are:
Deeply integrated into Apple’s ecosystem
Designed with platform-specific optimisation
Built with privacy-first architecture
Aligned with Apple’s design and user experience philosophy
In contrast, apps like ChatGPT and Gemini operate on external AI infrastructure and large language models (LLMs) hosted outside Apple’s native ecosystem. These platforms involve complex cloud processing, continuous data handling and heightened privacy considerations. As a result, Apple does not classify them as fully “Apple-native” experiences.
Other AI-Powered Winners in 2025
Although standalone AI chatbots were overlooked, Apple did reward apps that use AI as a feature rather than the core product:
Best iPad App – Detail
An AI-powered video editing app offering tools like Auto Edit, automatic captions and intelligent zoom effects.
Best Apple Watch App – Strava
The fitness app leverages an AI assistant to analyse activity history, heart rate, elevation and performance data, delivering personalised insights and workout summaries.
The Bigger Message from Apple
Apple’s selection sends a clear message:
The company values AI that enhances native app functionality, rather than apps built entirely around external AI models. While ChatGPT and similar platforms dominate global usage, Apple’s awards continue to prioritise ecosystem harmony, privacy, and seamless device-level integration over raw AI capability.
Russia Blocks Apple FaceTime Over Security Concerns
Russia’s state communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, has announced a nationwide block on Apple’s video-calling service FaceTime, expanding its ongoing crackdown on foreign technology platforms. The move, first reported by Reuters, is part of the government’s broader effort to tighten control over the internet and curb the influence of global tech companies.
Alongside FaceTime, the Russian authorities have also banned the popular social media platform Snapchat, citing similar security concerns.
In an email statement to Reuters, Roskomnadzor said that law enforcement agencies had flagged FaceTime for alleged involvement in criminal activity. “According to law enforcement agencies, FaceTime is being used to organise and carry out terrorist attacks in the country, recruit perpetrators, and commit fraud and other crimes against Russian citizens,” the regulator said. However, no concrete evidence was provided publicly to support these allegations.
The latest ban follows earlier restrictions imposed on several major foreign platforms, including Google’s YouTube, Meta’s WhatsApp, and Telegram. Russian authorities have repeatedly accused these services of hosting content that violates domestic laws and of being misused for fraud, extremism, and terrorism-related activity.
Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia has steadily introduced stricter internet regulations, increasing pressure on global technology firms to comply with local laws. Platforms that fail to meet these requirements face fines, throttling, or outright bans.
As part of its push for digital self-reliance, the Russian government has also launched its own domestic messaging platform called MAX. However, critics have raised serious concerns, alleging that the app has been designed with built-in government surveillance capabilities.
Apple has not yet issued any official response to Russia’s decision to block FaceTime at the time of publication.
USCIS Cuts EAD Validity to 18 Months From Dec 2025
In a major policy reversal, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a significant reduction in the validity period of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), cutting the maximum duration from five years to just 18 months. The revised rule will take effect from December 5, 2025.
The change affects EADs issued under Form I-765, primarily impacting asylum seekers and individuals with temporary immigration status. Until now, applicants were eligible for work permits valid for up to five years under a policy introduced in September 2023. Going forward, all new EAD approvals and renewals under the covered categories will be limited to an 18-month validity period.
According to USCIS officials, the shift is aimed at enabling more frequent security vetting of foreign nationals seeking work authorization. Authorities argue that shorter validity periods will strengthen oversight and improve monitoring of applicants’ immigration status.
Importantly, EADs issued under the previous five-year policy will remain valid until their original expiration dates. The new limitation will apply only to future applications and renewals filed on or after December 5, 2025.
Part of Broader Immigration Tightening
The decision is part of a wider set of immigration restrictions under the Trump administration, which has moved aggressively to scale back humanitarian benefits. Recent measures include halting certain immigration requests, intensifying background scrutiny, and tightening entry from countries labeled as “high risk.”
H-1B Workers Unaffected, But Backlogs Likely to Worsen
Foreign professionals on H-1B visas will not be impacted by the change, as their visa status automatically grants work authorization without requiring a separate EAD.
However, immigration experts warn that the reduced validity period could significantly increase renewal filings, adding pressure to an already overwhelmed USCIS system. Asylum seekers and others dependent on EADs may face gaps in employment authorization while waiting for renewals to be processed.
USCIS is currently grappling with record case backlogs, with delays for immigrant petitions and work permits reaching a 10-year high. Critics argue that the agency’s growing emphasis on enforcement has diverted resources away from routine case processing, resulting in slower approvals and extended waiting periods.
Raj Kandukuri Hails Revanth Reddy’s Landmark Ticket Hike Decision
National Award–winning producer Raj Kandukuri has praised Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for his landmark decision to allocate 20% of the additional revenue from the recent ticket price hike for Akhanda 2 towards the welfare of cine workers. Kandukuri said the move gives dignity and respect to every worker in the Telugu film industry, many of whom are struggling to find employment, and called it a truly welcome measure.
The Telangana government had earlier approved a temporary increase in cinema ticket prices for Akhanda 2, originally scheduled to release on December 5, following a request from the producers and in line with existing ticket rate guidelines. Kandukuri described the initiative as a first-of-its-kind step that will benefit nearly 14,000 workers across 24 crafts in Telugu cinema.
Under the approved structure, single screens will see a ₹50 increase per ticket, multiplexes ₹100, and a special 8:00 PM show on December 4 has been permitted with tickets priced at ₹600 inclusive of GST. The government has mandated that 20% of the additional revenue collected through this hike be deposited into the Movie Artists’ Welfare Association account, managed by the Telangana Film Development Corporation in consultation with the Labour Commissioner. Kandukuri highlighted the significance of the decision, noting that even Tamil Nadu and Kerala have not issued similar government orders.