Superstar Allu Arjun has done something amazing in Indian cinema! His new action-drama movie, Pushpa 2: The Rule, broke all records on its very first day. The movie, which is a sequel to the 2021 hit Pushpa: The Rise, made an incredible Rs 172.1 crore on its opening day across all languages in India. This makes it the biggest opening for any Indian film ever!
Pushpa 2 not only beat RRR (which earned Rs 156 crore on its first day) but also became the first Indian film to earn more than Rs 50 crore in both Telugu and Hindi languages on the same day. The movie had an amazing 80.14% occupancy in Telugu cinemas and 51.53% in Hindi cinemas when it came out on December 5, 2024.
With Pushpa 2: The Rule, Allu Arjun is clearly the star of 2024! The film continues the exciting story of Pushpa Raj, played by Allu Arjun, who is a red sandalwood smuggler facing new challenges. Fahadh Faasil returns as the scary SP Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat, and Rashmika Mandanna is back as Srivalli. Newcomer Jagapathi Babu adds even more excitement to the cast.
The action-packed sequel has received a lot of praise from fans and critics. News18 Showsha gave it a perfect score of 5 out of 5, calling it “an adrenaline-pumping ride that proves Allu Arjun is the go-to star of 2024.” The review loved Sukumar’s great direction and highlighted the fantastic performances by Allu Arjun and Fahadh Faasil.
The first movie, Pushpa: The Rise, released during the pandemic in 2021 and became a global hit with a total collection of Rs 326.6 crore. It also won Allu Arjun his first National Award for Best Actor. With the success of Pushpa 2, the franchise is setting up for an even bigger box office performance!
Author: Naman Dheer
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Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2 Shatters Records with Rs 172.1 Crore Opening Day!
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Bangladesh Removes Bangabandhu from Currency Notes Amid Protests
The temporary government in Bangladesh, led by Muhammad Yunus, is changing the money in the country. They announced that images of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, will be taken off the 20, 100, 500, and 1,000 Taka notes.
Instead of “Bangabandhu” Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s picture, the new notes will show religious buildings, Bengali traditions, and symbols from the protests that happened in July.
An official from Bangladesh Bank, Husneara Shikha, shared that the new notes should be ready in about six months. She hopes they will be available in stores during that time. In September, the Finance Ministry presented their ideas for the new designs.
The first changes will be made to these four banknotes, and other denominations will be changed later. The protests in July started when students demanded better job quotas but turned into larger protests against the government. During these protests, some people damaged statues and pictures of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Unfortunately, some radical groups took advantage of the protests, destroying memorials and statues of “Bangabandhu” across the country. -
Kevin Pietersen Urges Prithvi Shaw to Get Fit and Stay Off Social Media
Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen shared some important advice for Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw on social media. Pietersen believes Shaw should focus on getting super fit and cut off his social media use if he wants to enjoy success in cricket again. Shaw was once seen as a rising star in Indian cricket after leading his team to win the 2018 U-19 World Cup and making a great debut in Test matches six years ago.
However, during the recent IPL 2025 auction, no teams showed interest in Shaw, even though he had a starting price of Rs 75 lakh. Experienced cricket legends like Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid were there, but none chose to bid on the 25-year-old player.
Many, including former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif, think that Shaw’s off-field actions might be affecting his game. He hasn’t been performing well lately, especially after he was dropped from the Mumbai Ranji team for not being fit.
Pietersen wrote on ‘X’, “Some of the best sports stories are about comebacks. If Prithvi Shaw has good people around him, they should tell him to avoid social media and work hard to get fit again. He has a lot of talent, and it would be a shame for him to waste it.” Recently, Shaw returned for the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, but so far, he hasn’t made a big impact. -
Pakistan’s Envoy Meets Khaleda Zia: A Look at BNP’s History
On December 3, 2024, Syed Ahmed Maroof, the Pakistani High Commissioner to Bangladesh, visited Khaleda Zia, the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), at her home in Gulshan, Dhaka. This meeting was significant as Khaleda Zia is a key figure in Bangladeshi politics and a rival to Sheikh Hasina, the current Prime Minister.
During the visit, some important BNP leaders, Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain and Shama Obaed, were also present. The BNP has a long history with Pakistan, dating back to its founder, Ziaur Rahman. After Bangladesh gained independence in 1971, Ziaur Rahman changed the country’s secular policies and brought Islamic principles into the BNP’s agenda. This shift also allowed for partnerships with Islamic political groups like Jamaat-e-Islami (JI).
These relationships became important during times when the BNP had issues with India. In the past, the BNP has faced criticism for not doing enough to support minority communities, especially Hindus, when they were in power. -
Karan Aujla Faces Complaint Over Concert Songs in Chandigarh
A complaint has been made against Punjabi singer Karan Aujla before his big concert in Chandigarh on December 7 for his “All A Dream Tour.”
A professor named Panditrao Dharnevar, who lives in Chandigarh, says Karan’s songs promote bad things like alcohol, drugs, and violence. He is asking Karan to stop singing these kinds of songs. The professor has specifically mentioned songs like “Chitta Kurta,” “Few Days,” “Adhia,” “Bandook,” “Alcohol 2,” and “Gangsta,” and he wants Karan not to perform them at his concert.
If Karan goes ahead and performs these songs, the professor has threatened to take legal action against the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and the Director General of Police (DGP) of Chandigarh.
This news comes just after another popular singer, Diljit Dosanjh, received a notice from the Telangana government. They told him not to sing songs that promote alcohol, drugs, or violence during his event. They also warned him not to include children in his show and said loud music and flashing lights could be harmful to them.
Diljit responded to the Telangana government during a concert in Ahmedabad. He said he would stop singing about alcohol if the whole country agrees to ban it. He added, “If all states declare themselves as ‘dry states,’ then the next day, I will never sing about alcohol again. But can that happen? It is too big of a business. Bars were closed during Corona, but other businesses stayed open. You can’t fool the youth!” -
South Korea’s Yoon Declares Emergency Martial Law Amid Political Tensions
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared an “emergency martial law.” He made this announcement on Tuesday, saying that the opposition party has too much power in the parliament and is helping North Korea, which is causing problems for the government.
During a live broadcast, Yoon promised to “get rid of pro-North Korean groups and protect our democratic way of life.” It’s unclear how this will impact how the country is run.
Yoon, who has been president since 2022, has seen his popularity drop recently. He has had a hard time moving his plans forward because the opposition Democratic Party controls the parliament. There has been a standstill between Yoon’s conservative People Power Party and the Democratic Party about the budget for next year.
Yoon also faced criticism for not allowing independent inquiries into scandals involving his wife and other officials. After his announcement, the Democratic Party held a special meeting to discuss what to do next. -
Rising Attacks on Hindus: Radical Groups Compete for Power in Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, there has been an increase in attacks on Hindus. These attacks are mainly caused by different Muslim radical groups fighting to gain power and money. An intelligence report explains that these groups are competing with each other, which is creating tensions and conflicts.
One of the biggest Islamist parties in Bangladesh is Jamaat-e-Islami, which has a lot of influence and money. Harkat-ul-Jihad (HUJI-B) is another radical group that has been linked to terrorist activities and gets money from outside sources, including al-Qaeda.
Even though Hizb-ut-Tahrir was banned in 2009, it still operates secretly and takes part in radical actions. Ansar-al-Islam, which is part of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, has also been involved in terrorist acts. A smaller group called Neo-JMB broke away from Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh and has been involved in violence too.
All these groups are vying for money, followers, and support. They especially want to recruit young, educated, and jobless people. The report mentions that under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s rule, funding for these groups decreased, but now they are trying to rebuild their power. They are seeking funds from places like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
Some of these groups want to carry out big, shocking attacks to gain respect and power. Because of this competition among radical groups, attacks on Hindus are increasing in Bangladesh. The struggles between these groups can also create splits within the Islamist movement, making it harder for them to reach their goals. -
2025 Recruitment: 4,138 Women Joining India’s Security Forces
In 2025, the Border Security Force (BSF), which protects the borders between India and Pakistan as well as India and Bangladesh, is set to have around 2,500 women officers. According to information shared by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in Parliament, the recruitment of women in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Assam Rifles is being boosted, with a total of 4,138 women being hired this year.
The BSF will hire the most women with 2,419 positions, followed by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which will add 818 women. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), responsible for securing the India-China border, will recruit 456 women. Additionally, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will get 242 new female officers, while the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) will hire 103. The Assam Rifles (AR), which protects the northeastern borders, will welcome 100 women.
The MHA noted, “We are constantly working to increase the number of women in CAPFs. The number of women in these forces has jumped from 15,499 in 2014 to 42,190 in 2024.”
Currently, women make up about 4% of the total workforce in CAPFs and AR. The CISF has the highest percentage of women at over 7%, while the CRPF has only 3.38%. The recruitment of women in CAPFs and AR is growing slowly, with 835 women hired so far. This includes 276 women in the CRPF, 209 in the CISF, 152 in the BSF, 128 in the SSB, 62 in the ITBP, and 8 in Assam Rifles.
Right now, the Assam Rifles has 42 job openings for women. The BSF will soon recruit 1,849 women, while the CISF has 2,344 job openings available. The CRPF is looking to add 216 more women, and the ITBP has 960 open spots for women recruits, with the SSB needing to fill 58 positions. -
Australia Under Pressure: Can Labuschagne Regain Form in Second Test?
Australia is feeling the heat as they prepare to play India in the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after losing badly in the first Test last month. One of Australia’s biggest worries is the poor performance of Marnus Labuschagne, their No. 3 batsman. He has only scored 123 runs in his last 10 innings of Test cricket.
In the first Test in Perth, where India won by 295 runs, Labuschagne only scored a total of five runs in both innings. Former Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson thinks Labuschagne should be dropped from the team and play in domestic matches to regain his form.
Rising star Sam Konstas, just 19 years old, scored an impressive century in a practice match against India, adding to the calls for him to replace Labuschagne. This would allow Nathan McSweeney, who debuted as an opener in the Perth Test, to bat at his usual No. 3 position.
Despite the pressure to make changes, former England captain Michael Vaughan warns against it. He believes that changing the batting order so soon can create confusion. “I’d go with Labuschagne again. It’s important to stick with a team for a few games unless there’s an injury,” Vaughan said.
He also mentioned that while Labuschagne is not at his best right now, the Day-Night Test in Adelaide might allow him to relax and play better. “He needs to be more positive, and I think we could see that in Adelaide,” Vaughan added. -
Mob Harasses Bangladeshi Journalist: Munni Saha’s Shocking Incident
A well-known journalist from Bangladesh, Munni Saha, was surrounded by a shouting group of people in Dhaka on Saturday night. They accused her of being an “Indian agent” and claimed she wanted to make Bangladesh part of India. This happened when she was leaving her office in the Karwan Bazar area.
Videos of the incident were shared on social media, showing Munni inside her car while people yelled at her. In a clip, she can be seen standing among the crowd, trying to explain herself. She repeatedly said, “This is my country too,” but protesters insisted she was spreading false information.
The police showed up to help and took her away in a police vehicle. Initially, she was taken to Tejgaon Police Station and later moved to the Detective Branch office, making people worry about her safety. However, the police later explained that she was not arrested and was released the next morning. They mentioned that she had a panic attack during the incident.
Munni is reportedly wanted in connection with a case related to a student’s death during violent protests about school policies. The police said they released her because of her health condition and the fact that she is a journalist.
Other journalists in Bangladesh have also faced serious issues, with some being charged with serious crimes after major political changes in the country.