July 2024

1. Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 may detect early signs of heart attack, stroke and diabetes  The Times of India
2. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 could warn users if they’re at risk of heart attacks, strokes, and more  TechRadar
3. Galaxy Watches could soon be used for family health tracking (APK teardown)  Android Authority
4. Powerful health features may be coming soon to Samsung smartwatches  Digital Trends
5. The Galaxy Watch 7 could track early signs of heart attack, stroke, and diabetes  Android Police

Pakistani singer Ali Sethi, known for his soulful voice and captivating music, has recently sparked a conversation about LGBTQ+ representation in the South Asian nation. In a subtle yet powerful move, Sethi took to Instagram to mark the end of Pride month with a message that many interpreted as him coming out as queer.

For years, rumours have been rife about Sethi’s sexual orientation. However, this recent post appears to be the first time the singer himself has addressed it publicly. Sethi shared a photo from his youth, accompanied by a heartfelt caption, “Hi little one. i know it’s hard sometimes when they tell you to not be you, but the very thing that makes you different will become a source of tremendous beauty and power. love awaits #happypride.”

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A post shared by Ali Sethi (@alisethiofficial)

This message resonated deeply with fans who perceived it as a subtle confirmation of Sethi’s identity. While not an explicit coming-out statement, the timing, combined with the specific language used, has been widely interpreted as such. The hashtag #happypride further solidified this understanding. This has indeed sparked a debate on social media. While many have applauded him, several are criticizing Sethi for his post.

Ali Sethi is a Pakistani artist with a multifaceted career as a singer, songwriter, composer, and author. Sethi is a classically trained vocalist who rose to prominence with his debut on Coke Studio Pakistan in Season 8. He has lent his voice to soundtracks for films like The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2013) and Manto (2015). In 2019, he performed as a soloist at the prestigious Carnegie Hall. He’s currently working on a record with producer Noah Georgeson.

Over the years, Sethi has seen a surge in his popularity. However, in 2020, he had tremendous growth following ‘Pasoori’ with Shae Gill, which led them to unprecedented stardom. The song was the most searched song of 2022 on Google. He has several hits under his belt including ‘Ranjish Hi Sahi’, ‘Chan Kithan’, ‘Ishq’, ‘Chandni Raat’ among others. He released his new EP Paniya last year. In 2023, he performed at the Coachella Valley Festival.
ALSO READ: Ali Sethi breaks his silence on marriage rumours to artist Salman Toor: “I don’t know who started the rumour”

Pooja Entertainment has been in the news since Bollywood Hungama did the viral story that Vashu Bhagnani sold off his seven-floor office in Juhu, Mumbai to pay off Rs. 250 crore debt. The report further mentioned that he also laid off 80% of employees following consecutive box office failures. Vashu Bhagnani, however, denied the reports. But soon it was reported that many crew members who worked on his recent releases like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Ganapath and Mission Raniganj haven’t been paid. Moreover, reports also stated that Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’s lead actors, too, haven’t got their share of remuneration.

Today, that is, July 2, The Economic Times revealed some more information about the financials of Pooja Entertainment. As per their report, the company’s consolidated revenue in the financial year 2023-24 was Rs. 58.07 crores and their consolidated profit in the same financial year was Rs. 8 crores. In the previous financial year, while their revenues were Rs. 46.6 crores, their profit was Rs. 2.86 crores.

The Economic Times report further stated that in the previous six trading sessions, Pooja Entertainment’s stocks declined nearly 36%. On Monday, the stock closed at Rs. 298.85, 5% lower and it was the lowest tradable limit in the trading session. Interestingly, before Bollywood Hungama broke the story, the shares of Vashu Bhagnani Industries had nearly doubled in just one month, from Rs. 209 on May 24 to Rs. 410. The article also stated that the sharp swings in the share prices have raised eyebrows in Dalal Street, which houses the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Meanwhile, in a press statement, Jackky Bhagnani said that Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’s leading man Akshay Kumar had a meeting with him and has asked for his payment to be put on hold until the entire cast and crew has been paid.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Vashu Bhagnani sells Pooja Entertainment’s seven-floor office to pay off Rs. 250 cr. debt; lays off 80% of employees following consecutive box office failures

Actress Hina Khan recently shared an update on her ongoing battle with breast cancer. For the unversed, last week, Hina revealed her diagnosis of Stage 3 breast cancer on Instagram. She assured fans of her determination to fight the disease, stating, “I am strong, determined and truly committed to overcoming this disease.” In a recent Instagram post, Hina wrote about attending an award show in Mumbai before heading straight for her first chemotherapy session. 

Hina Khan Gives A Peek Into Her First Chemo Session 
In the caption, the former Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai actress wrote, “This award night, I knew about my cancer diagnosis, but I made a conscious choice to normalise it – not just for myself, but for all of us. This was the day that changed everything, it marked the beginning of one of the most challenging phases of my life.”

Another excerpt of the 36-year-old actor’s post read, “I attended the event and went straight up to the hospital for my first chemo. I humbly urge everyone out there too to first Normalise the challenges of your lives then set goals for yourself and try to live up to them all along the way. No matter how hard. Never back down.”

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Hina Khan Gets Support From Industry Post Breast Cancer Diagnosis 
Fellow celebrities and friends from the television industry have flooded Khan’s post with messages of support and encouragement.  Actresses Dalljiet Kaur, Mouni Roy, Arti Singh, Ektaa Kapoor, and Juhi Parmar lauded her spirit and expressed their faith in her recovery. Actor Arjun Bijlani left a simple yet powerful message, calling her a “rockstar.”

Also Read: Hina Khan pens ‘Scarred but not Scared’ note as she battles breast cancer

1. Apple AI features to not be free soon, company may launch monthly subscription  Hindustan Times
2. Apple’s big AI features might not stay free forever: Report  Business Today
3. Apple Intelligence may not be free forever, paid version to have more capable AI features: Report  Moneycontrol
4. As Apple aims to monetise AI, select Apple Intelligence features may stay behind paywall  The Indian Express
5. Apple eyes paid subscriptions for advanced AI features  The Times of India

1. Meta changes Made with AI label to AI Info on photographers’ images after backlash  India Today
2. Meta Switches AI Labels From ‘Made with AI’ to ‘AI Info’ Tag  Social Media Today
3. Meta Is Changing Artificial Intelligence Labels After Real Photos Were Marked As AI  CNET
4. Instagram’s “Made with AI” label swapped out for “AI info” after photographers’ complaints  The Verge
5. Meta changes its labels for AI-generated images after complaints from photographers  Engadget

Juhi Chawla, known for her frequent collaborations with Shah Rukh Khan, recently shed light on the intriguing backstory behind his now-iconic stammering dialogue, “K-K-K-Kiran,” from their 1993 film Darr.

Observant Shah Rukh Khan Borrows From Yash Chopra
During an appearance at the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Chawla revealed, “I hadn’t noticed it, but Shah Rukh was observant. Yash ji [Chopra, the film’s director] used to stammer a little, and Shah Rukh told me he picked up that mannerism from him.” She further elaborated, “He said, ‘I am going to use it in the film,’ and that’s how it started. Thank God for that!”

Released in 1993 under the Yash Raj Films banner, Darr features SRK as Rahul Mehra, a dangerous stalker obsessed with Kiran (played by Chawla). Kiran is married to Sunny Deol’s character, making his portrayal of the anti-hero.
When Shah Rukh Khan Narrated Story Behind Stammer  
Interestingly, in the Netflix docuseries The Romantics released last year, he himself revealed a slightly different account of the stammer’s development. He mentioned drawing inspiration from a classmate who stammered and in-depth discussions with Aditya Chopra, Yash Chopra’s son and assistant director on the film.

Shah Rukh explained, “The idea was that people become aware of one specific sound, and it becomes like a sharp current, making it difficult to say that particular word.” He added, “I suggested to Yashji that I use this with the character, focusing on the name of the woman he loves. So, the stammer only occurs when he says ‘Kiran.'”

Coming to the professional front, Juhi was last seen in Netflix’s original show, The Railway Men while Shah Rukh’s last big screen release was Dunki. Shah Rukh, who is currently vacationing in London, will be soon sharing the screen space with his daughter Suhana Khan in Sujoy Ghosh’s King. 

Also Read: Juhi Chawla recalls Shah Rukh Khan’s gypsy was taken away due to unpaid EMI: “He came on our set very dejected”

Nearly 12 years after the release of the action-comedy film Son of Sardaar, Ajay Devgn is returning with the sequel, sparking curiosity about the cast. While initial reports suggested that neither Sonakshi Sinha nor Sanjay Dutt would reprise their roles, there’s a fresh update for fans of Dutt’s character. Mid-day has reported that Sanjay Dutt has indeed signed on for the sequel, titled Son of Sardaar 2. However, there’s a key twist – the film will be a completely new story, not a continuation of the original plot.

“The sequel is a fresh story,” a source told the publication. “It won’t pick up where the original film left off.” This news might leave some fans wondering about the roles of Devgn and Dutt. The source assured that while the narrative is new, the actors will likely retain their character names – Ajay Devgn as Jaswinder “Jassi” Singh Randhawa and Sanjay Dutt as Balwinder “Billu” Singh Sandhu.

Though the names remain the same, the source emphasized a significant change in the characters’ dynamic. “Their on-screen relationship was a hilarious rivalry in Son of Sardaar,” they explain. “This time, however, their rivalry will be much more intense, with Sanjay’s character leaning towards the antagonist side. Despite their on-screen conflict, Ajay and Sanjay are close friends in real life. Ajay specifically ensured that Sanjay has a fantastic role in the second part.”

Son of Sardaar 2 will be helmed by Vijay Kumar Arora, a successful Punjabi director who previously collaborated with Devgn as the director of photography for the 2014 film Action Jackson.

Arora plans to kick off the action-comedy around July-end, with a 50-day shooting schedule in Scotland. The location choice is particularly interesting. Scotland boasts stunning landscapes – castles, historic towns, lochs (lakes), and beaches – that have served as backdrops for iconic films like Game of Thrones and the Harry Potter series. “The direction team conducted a recce earlier this year and finalized some scenic locations. These include the towns of Glencoe and Glenfinnan, along with landmarks like Culross Palace, Doune Castle, Preston Mill, and Falkland Palace,” the source revealed.

These picturesque locales are expected to perfectly complement the film’s blend of action and drama, envisioned by the director. The source adds that a few romantic songs featuring Devgn and the female lead, Mrunal Thakur, will also be filmed in Scotland.

Meanwhile, Ajay Devgn is currently working on Rohit Shetty’s Singham Again and is expected to wrap up the shoot next week. After that, he will fully dedicate himself to Son of Sardaar 2. Once the Scotland schedule is complete, Devgn will reportedly head to London to begin filming for De De Pyaar De 2.
ALSO READ: BREAKING: Ajay Devgn-Tabu starrer Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha postponed; expected to release in second half of July