PingPatrika

'Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra' Movie Review: Promising World-Building Hampered by Cliches 'Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra' Movie Review: Promising World-Building Hampered by Cliches Superhero thrillers in Malayalam are rare to come by, but after the phenomenal success of 'Minnal Murali' , the genre had somewhat disappeared. Now, director Dominic Arun has revived it with 'Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra' , a film that combines Malayalam folklore with the superhero genre. But does it manage to create a lasting impact? Let’s find out! The Story & Characters 'Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra' follows the story of Chandra (played by Kalyani Priyadarshan), a mysterious woman with superpowers. She arrives in Bengaluru on a mission linked to the underworld of organ trafficking. The city is facing a series of missing persons' cases. Chandra, who takes up a bakery job, soon becomes the center...

Julia Roberts Defends MeToo-Themed Film 'After The Hunt' at Venice Film Festival Julia Roberts Defends MeToo-Themed Film 'After The Hunt' at Venice Film Festival Actor Julia Roberts defended her #MeToo-themed crime-thriller 'After The Hunt' at the Venice International Film Festival. She responded to questions about whether the film undermines the feminist movement and sparked debate about misconduct. Roberts Addresses Questions on Feminism and Complicity At the press conference, Roberts, alongside director Luca Guadagnino, shared her thoughts on the movie's provocation. "I don't think it revives an old argument of women being pitted against one another," Roberts said. She emphasized that the film's purpose is to ignite conversation, stating, "Not everything is supposed to make you feel comfortable." The movie challenges societal perceptions around mi...

Reliance Teams Up with Meta to Bring AI Solutions to India Reliance and Meta Join Forces to Revolutionize AI for Indian Enterprises Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has partnered with Meta to launch a groundbreaking joint venture aimed at developing affordable enterprise-grade Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions for businesses across India. This collaboration will leverage Meta’s open-source Llama models to create a suite of powerful AI tools and platforms that can help Indian businesses across various industries improve operational efficiency. Partnership to Create Scalable AI Solutions for Businesses The new venture between Reliance and Meta is focused on providing enterprise-level AI solutions that are accessible and scalable for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large corporations. Meta's Llama models will form the foundation of these AI tools, designed to enhance key business func...

GST Rate Cuts: Will the Categorization Affect Your Savings? GST Rate Cuts: Will the Categorization Affect Your Savings? The upcoming 56th GST Council meeting in New Delhi on 3–4 September is set to discuss significant changes in the GST structure. The key agenda includes widening the nil-rate slab, merging the rates, and reducing GST on various items that are currently taxed at 18%. These changes come just in time for the festive season and promise to offer savings on everyday products, but there’s a catch—how these products are categorized will determine the impact on your final bill. What’s Changing in GST? The government is considering major reforms to make the Goods and Services Tax (GST) structure more streamlined. If approved, many household essentials will likely fall under the nil-rate category, leading to potential price cuts. Items like UHT milk, pre-packaged paneer (chena), pizza bread, khakhra,...

Mirabai Chanu: From Broken After Rio to Commonwealth Champion — The Story of Resilience Mirabai Chanu: From Broken After Rio to Commonwealth Champion — The Story of Resilience By PingPatrika Sport Desk Saikhom Mirabai Chanu has once again shown why true sportsmanship is defined by the ability to rise stronger after failure. The Manipur-born weightlifter, who claimed gold at the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships, almost walked away from the sport after a devastating experience at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Her comeback — powered by grit, family support and mental conditioning — is now part of a remarkable career that includes world and Olympic medals. The low after Rio 2016 Before Rio, Mirabai was one of India’s brightest medal prospects. At the national selection trials she shattered a 12-year-old record by lifting 85 kg in the snatch and 107 kg in the clean and jerk for a combined 192 kg — a performance that raised hopes across the country. But at ...

Modi Highlights India's Political and Economic Stability at India-Japan Forum in Tokyo Modi Highlights India's Political and Economic Stability at India-Japan Forum in Tokyo By PingPatrika • Tokyo report Prime Minister Narendra Modi used a major economic platform in Tokyo to underline India's political and economic stability and to reiterate New Delhi's ambition to become the world's third-largest economy in the near future. His remarks came amid heightened trade tensions between India and the United States after Washington sharply raised tariffs on a range of Indian goods. “Today, India has political stability, economic stability, transparency in policy, and predictability. Today, India is the fastest-growing major economy in the world. And, very soon, it is going to become the third largest economy in the world,” Modi said at the India-Japan Economic Forum in Tokyo. Modi stresses growth, predictability and investor returns ...

"He Is Completely Committed": Maharashtra Selector On Prithvi Shaw’s Comeback PingPatrika "He Is Completely Committed": Maharashtra Selector On Prithvi Shaw’s Comeback After switching domestic allegiance from Mumbai to Maharashtra, Prithvi Shaw is making waves in the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament with a stunning century and a fifty. Maharashtra’s chief selector Akshay Darekar praises Shaw’s focus, fitness, and determination. Shaw’s Revival Journey Once hailed as the next Sachin Tendulkar, Prithvi Shaw faced a tough 2024. He went unsold in the IPL auction and struggled in Mumbai's domestic teams. The switch to Maharashtra ahead of the 2025-26 season seems to have rejuvenated him. In the Buchi Babu Tournament, Shaw has already impressed: scoring 111 against Chhattisgarh and 66 against TNCA President XI, showcasing his world-class batting talent. Selector’s Statement Aksh...

Sehwag Picks 3 Game-Changers For India At Asia Cup 2025 PingPatrika Sehwag Picks 3 Game-Changers For India At Asia Cup 2025 Ahead of Asia Cup 2025 in UAE, Virender Sehwag has highlighted three players from India's T20I squad capable of turning games single-handedly. India’s Key Game-Changers — Player Stats Player Role T20I Matches Runs / Wickets Strike Rate / Avg Notable Performance Abhishek Sharma Batter 17 535 Runs 193.84 135 vs England (Highest T20I score by an Indian) Jasprit Bumrah Fast Bowler 70 89 Wickets Avg 17.74 15 Wickets in T20 World Cup 2024 Varun Chakravarthy ...

Apple Koregaon Park Store Pune Opening on September 4, 2025 Apple Koregaon Park Store Pune Opening on September 4, 2025 Apple is all set to expand its retail footprint in India with the launch of its fourth official store , Apple Koregaon Park in Pune. The store will open on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at 1 PM IST , just ahead of the highly anticipated iPhone 17 launch . This new outlet joins Apple’s existing Indian stores at BKC (Mumbai), Saket (Delhi), and Hebbal (Bengaluru). Explore Apple’s Full Range of Products Customers visiting the Apple Koregaon Park store will have the opportunity to experience Apple’s complete lineup of products firsthand. From the latest iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch to accessories and Apple services, the store promises a comprehensive and immersive Apple experience. Visitors will also receive personalized support from Apple Specialists, Creatives, and Genius Bar experts. Today at Apple Sessions Like other Apple stores worldwide, t...

Trevon Diggs Injury Update: Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys received encouraging news over the weekend regarding cornerback Trevon Diggs . He has successfully passed his physical and has been moved off the team’s Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list , now joining the active 53-man roster. This update comes after Diggs suffered a season-ending injury last season and started training camp on the PUP list. Brian Schottenheimer Comments on Diggs Head coach Brian Schottenheimer praised Diggs’ dedication and hard work. "I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about how hard Trevon's been working," he said. Diggs has been putting in extra effort with coach Britt Brown , demonstrating commitment and focus. While this move is positive, it doesn’t guarantee Diggs will play in the Week 1 opener . When Could Trevon Diggs Return? Diggs will not start the season on the PUP list, which would have sidelined him for the first four weeks. Given the Cowboys’ roster depth issue...

Akash Deep Exclusive Interview: England Tour Highlights & Insights Akash Deep Exclusive Interview: Insights from England Tour 2025 Akash Deep , the talented Bengal pacer, recently opened up about his experiences during the England tour, sharing exclusive insights on his performances, challenges, and cricketing strategies. From his iconic 10-wicket haul at Edgbaston to an impressive fifty at The Oval, Akash reflected on the journey, lessons learned, and the impact of team dynamics. England Tour: Early Challenges & Mental Approach Playing in England posed unexpected challenges for Akash. The flat pitches left minimal swing and seam movement, resulting in high-scoring matches. He recalls, "It felt like 'Chhoti Ganga Bol Kar Naale Mein Kuda Diya'—flat tracks with runs flowing freely." Despite these conditions, Akash focused on bowling consistently in the right areas, maintaining his strengths, and not overthinking the situation. Impact of Fellow...

  Zero GST on Insurance Premiums: Why It May Not Lead to Cheaper Policies for You The Centre’s proposal to remove GST on insurance premiums has sparked excitement, but financial experts warn that this change might not translate into significant savings for policyholders. While the removal of the current 18% GST on life and health insurance premiums seems like a win, the reality could be more complex than it appears. Current GST Impact on Insurance Premiums At present, insurers charge 18% GST on all new and renewed life and health insurance policies. For example, an annual premium of ₹20,000 carries an additional ₹3,600 as GST, bringing the total cost to ₹23,600 for the policyholder. Why Zero GST May Not Lower Premiums Much Abhishek Kumar, Sebi RIA and founder of Sahaj Money, explains that while reducing GST from 18% to a lower rate would directly lower costs for customers, completely removing GST could backfire. Insurers currently benefit from an Input Tax Credit (ITC) system, whic...

  Group of Ministers Approves Major GST Revamp: 12% and 28% Slabs to Be Scrapped, Majority of Goods to Get Cheaper In a significant step toward simplifying India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Group of Ministers (GoM) on GST rate rationalisation has approved a proposal to reduce the existing four-rate GST system to just two main slabs of 5% and 18%. This decision, made in a key meeting on Thursday, is set to impact everyday consumers and businesses positively by making 90% of goods more affordable. GST 2.0: A Simpler Tax Regime India currently follows a four-slab GST structure with rates at 5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%. The GoM’s historic decision will eliminate the 12% and 28% tax slabs. Going forward, most goods and services will be taxed either at a lower rate of 5% or a standard rate of 18%. A higher rate of 40% will remain only for “sin goods” such as tobacco and selected luxury items, including luxury cars now slated to fall under this highest tax bracket. Major Shifts in Tax R...