Rodrigues Teaches Vicky Kaushal Cover-Drive, Gets Tutorial On 'Tauba Tauba'

What happens when 'rockstars' from different fields come together? They set the stage on fire. The same thing happened at the 'NDTV Indian Of The Year 2025', where the World Cup-winning Indian women's cricket team met actor Vicky Kaushal. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian women's cricket team won the 'Sports Performance Of The Year' award, while Vicky Kaushal won the 'Actor Of The Year' award. As the 'Chhaava' actor was getting up on stage, he was asked about the women's cricket team, and he had just one epic line to describe them all: "True heroes of the nation."

He then went on to share the stage with Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. and got an impromptu coaching session from Jemimah Rodrigues on how to ace the perfect cover drive. Deepti Sharma, Women's World Cup Player Of The Tournament, taught Vicky the art of bowling the perfect off-spin.

Now, it was Vicky's turn. The 37-year-old actor taught the members of the Indian women's cricket team - Harmanpreet, Jemimah, Deepti - and even coach Amol Muzumdar the steps of the hit number 'Tauba Tauba' from the movie Bad Newz.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NDTV (@ndtv)

That was not all. Jemimah, whose magical 127* helped India chase down a world-record 339-run target against Australia in the semi-final of the Women's World Cup, mesmerised the audience with her singing skills. Even coach Muzumdar joined in.

After a triumphant campaign in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025, the Indian women's team will return to action with a five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka Women, starting on Sunday (Dec 21) in Visakhapatnam. The core group that lifted the ODI World Cup trophy in Navi Mumbai last month will feature in the T20I squad.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/mJr2EYx
via IFTTT

Radhika Apte Recalls Missing Shah Rukh Khan's Call Thinking It's A Prank

Radhika Apte is currently basking in the success of Saali Mohabbat, which released on OTT a while ago. In a recent conversation, the actress recalled how she had once missed a call from Shah Rukh Khan. Though she first thought it was a prank, she later realised it wasn't and called him back.

What's Happening

• Radhika Apte opened up about how Shah Rukh Khan once called her to applaud her performance in the 2018 film Andhadhun.
• She told Mashable India, "Hum khaana kha rahe the. Toh mujhe missed call tha koi. Maine kaha koi missed call hai dekhte hain. Uske baad message aaya uss hi number se, 'Radhika, this is Shah Rukh Khan. Please call me back'" (We were having food when I noticed a missed call. So I said there's a missed call; let's check. After that, a message came from the same number: 'Radhika, this is Shah Rukh Khan; please call me back').
• After confirming with her agent that it was indeed Shah Rukh Khan's number, she called him back.
• The actress continued, "Woh bole ki, 'I just want to tell you ki I saw Andhadhun. I really loved your performance. Aur main sirf yeh bolne ke liye phone kiya tha'" (He said, 'I just wanted to tell you that I saw Andhadhun. I really loved your performance, and I called only to say that').
• Furthermore, Radhika revealed how she had met Shah Rukh Khan at a party, and he had walked up to her and chatted with her.
• She said, "He found me because I don't like to go and say, 'Please, I like you.' So he came to me, put his arm around me, and chatted with me for half an hour. And he was so sweet. It was really nice."

About Radhika Apte's Latest Release Saali Mohabbat

Saali Mohabbat is a drama-thriller set against the backdrop of a quaint small town. The story unravels when an ordinary housewife finds her monotonous life uprooted as betrayal, lies, and hidden tensions surface after two disturbing deaths disrupt the delicate balance around her.

Alongside Radhika Apte, Sauraseni Maitra, Divyendu Sharma, Anshumaan Pushkar, and Anurag Kashyap also play key roles in the film. It is produced by Jyoti Deshpande, Dinesh Malhotra, Vipin Agnihotri, and Manish Malhotra.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/xN0BI1D
via IFTTT

Why India's Middle Class Can't Buy Homes, Even With Higher Salaries

Many middle-class Indians today are finding it harder than ever to buy homes, not because they earn too little, but because asset prices have far outpaced salary growth over the past few decades.

Akshat Shrivastava, a hedge fund manager and founder of financial education platform Wisdom Hatch, compares a Rs 3,500 monthly salary in 1990 to today's median salary of Rs 27,000-Rs 29,400. 

On the surface, that looks like growth. But adjusted for 6% annual inflation, Rs 3,500 in 1990 holds roughly the same purchasing power as Rs 27,000 today.

That, Shrivastava argues, is the root of the issue: while salaries have generally kept pace with inflation, they haven't matched the pace of asset price growth, especially in real estate. "While the salaries are compounding very slowly in India, the asset prices: houses, land, gold, stocks have been growing at a much faster rate," he wrote.

He calls this trend asset price appreciation, and notes that it's eroding the middle class's ability to achieve traditional financial goals, particularly homeownership.

The data backs this up. According to NoBroker and PwC, house prices in India's top metros: Mumbai, Delhi, and parts of Bengaluru have grown at 10-11% annually between 2000 and 2020. Nationally, average house-price growth has been closer to 6% per year, with significant regional variation.

Incomes haven't kept pace. India's nominal per-capita GDP rose from around USD 1,450 in 2013 to USD 2,256 in 2023-a growth rate of 4-5% annually in dollar terms. While rupee-based income growth is slightly higher, it still trails the double-digit property price inflation seen in many Tier-1 cities.

Shrivastava traces part of the issue to post-2008 changes in global finance. Debt became more accessible, and consumer borrowing surged. "Debt is encouraged," he noted, pointing out that many of India's leading fintech startups have moved into lending as a core business.

"When people take more debt and trade an asset more, the price amplifies further," he explained. As more buyers enter the market with borrowed funds, prices inflate even further, worsening affordability.

"People who get this are amplifying their wealth. People who don't, keep questioning why the prices of everything keeps going up," he added.

While the trend isn't uniform across India or over time, in most urban centres, especially metros, the gap between what people earn and what homes cost has grown steadily, reshaping what financial stability looks like for the middle class.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/joB7iNe
via IFTTT

Indian Armed Forces Are NDTV Indian Of The Year 2025

Following a phenomenal display of valour, coordination and pinpoint precision during Operation Sindoor, the Indian Armed Forces have been named NDTV's Indian Of The Year for 2025. 

In May, the Armed Forces struck terror bases in at least nine locations in Pakistan - including the headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke and Jaish-e-Mohammed in Bahawalpur - as part of the Operation, which was a response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, in which 26 people were killed.

Pakistan responded by attempting to attack Indian military installations and civilian locations by launching drones and missiles on three successive days, but was thwarted by India's air defence systems. The Indian Armed Forces, in turn, first took out some of Pakistan's air defence systems, including in Lahore, and then struck key military bases like the all-important Nur Khan airbase, also known as the Chaklala airbase.

Pakistan then sought a ceasefire and India agreed to a pause in hostilities. 

As NDTV presented the armed forces with the honour, on stage were Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, Vir Chakra Awardees Colonel Koshank Lamba, Lieutenant Colonel Sushil Bisht, Naib Subedar Satish Kumar, Group Captain Manish Arora, Group Captain Kunal Kalra and Wing Commander Joy Chandra, and Nao Sena Medal gallantry awardee Commander Saurabh Kumar.

Air Marshal Dixit said the jointness of the services really took off after the Chief of Defence Staff was appointed. "In the last three to four years, we have worked very hard to achieve this jointness, and the result is in front of you. Jointness is not a slogan, it involves a lot of planning, taking action together and taking responsibility together. Communication, control of the escalation ladder... we have now learnt to do all of these things together. We have seen a small example, and we will see many more in the years to come," he said.

The Chief of Integrated Defence Staff said India's self-reliance was also on display during Operation Sindoor in terms of air defence systems and missiles. 

Calm Before The Storm

Asked about his most memorable moments from the Operation, Colonel Koshank Lamba said he remembered the time just before it was launched.

"There was an eerie calm, which was a calm just before the storm we were about to unleash. In that moment, when I spoke to my men. I was thinking I would probably find fear or confusion or apprehension, but I saw a lot of 'josh', a lot of confidence, and I saw a fire. That was the fire we unleashed," he said. 

Naib Subedar Satish Kumar said he faced his biggest challenge during Operation Sindoor when his mortar position was fired upon by two enemy mortar positions.

"Engaging two targets from one mortar position is very difficult, but I had four mortars, which I used to target both - two on each... Then I fired illumination and smoke rounds on three posts, which caused a fire across a 300-400-metre area and 30-35 mine blasts," he recounted.

'Begging For Mercy'

Group Captain Manish Arora said he was struck by how young men and women in his unit were raring to go. "That day, the room was slightly different. There was a calmness and stillness to them. When we looked each other in the eyes, we knew we were the answer to the tears of the 26 families who lost their loved ones (in the Pahalgam attack)... After four days of intense conflict, the enemy was on all fours, begging for mercy. It was a perfect display of professionalism and willpower," he said.

Group Captain Kunal Kalra said his proudest moment during Operation Sindoor was when his weapons left his aircraft and he saw them zoning in on the targets. "These weapons were carrying the nation's hope and prayers."

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/bQAEozO
via IFTTT

Sydney Shooter Underwent Training On 'How To Hunt' At Gun Club For 5 Years

Naveed Akram, the younger of the two shooters who killed 15 people on Sydney's Bondi Beach, took training at a shooting club in "firearms safety" and "how to hunt". The president of the club, Vanja Kuzet told a Serbian publication that Akram had attended the club five years ago.

Speaking to Blic, Kuzet said that Akram came for "safety training, i.e., how to hunt in New South Wales" and added, "We neither support nor associate with such crimes, and it is terrible what happened."

The club was situated about 50 kilometres from Bondi, and Kuzet said that it was a "hunting association" that held gatherings and social events.

Naveed Akram, 24, along with his father, Sajid Akram, 50, slaughtered 15 people on Sunday in an antisemitic mass shooting targeting Jews celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach, and more than 20 other people are still being treated in hospitals. All of those killed by the gunmen who have been identified so far were Jewish.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised a sweeping crackdown to banish the "evil of antisemitism from our society". 

"It is clear we need to do more to combat this evil scourge," he told reporters.

This included new powers to target extremist preachers and to refuse or cancel visas for those who spread hate and division.

The news that the suspects were apparently inspired by the Islamic State group provoked more questions about whether Australia's government had done enough to stem hate-fuelled crimes, especially directed at Jews. In Sydney and Melbourne, where 85% of Australia's Jewish population lives, a wave of antisemitic attacks has been recorded in the past year.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/2lUj9WV
via IFTTT

Kristin Cabot Breaks Silence On "Bad Decision" After Coldplay Kiss Cam Scandal

Kristin Cabot, former HR executive at Astronomer, has finally broken her silence about the viral incident where she was caught in a close embrace with her then-boss, CEO Andy Byron, at a Coldplay concert in July. While speaking to The New York Times, she said that the embarrassing moment was a "bad decision".

The incident, which sparked widespread media attention and public scrutiny, led to Cabot's resignation and divorce proceedings. In different interviews published on Thursday, she expressed regret and took accountability for her actions, stating she "gave up her career" as a consequence.

"I made a bad decision and had a couple of High Noons and danced and acted inappropriately with my boss," she told NYT. 

"And it's nothing. And I took accountability, and I gave up my career for that. That's the price I chose to pay."

Podczas koncertu zespołu Coldplay, "Kiss Cam" nieoczekiwanie stało się narzędziem do ujawnienia rzekomego romansu.

Kamera pokazała Andy'ego Byrona, dyrektora generalnego firmy Astronomer, w objęciach Kristin Cabot, szefowej działu HR. pic.twitter.com/HzhO2nXxo4

— MNFPL (@musicnewsfactpl) July 17, 2025

Also read | Astronomer CEO Andy Byron's "Affair" With Kristin Cabot Caught On Camera During Coldplay Concert, Chris Martin Reacts

"This can't be the final word"

Cabot, a 53-year-old mother of two, revealed she had a "big happy crush" on Byron, and they shared their first and only kiss at the concert. Both were separated from their spouses at the time. She faced intense backlash, including death threats and online harassment, labelling her a "homewrecker" and "gold digger".

In a separate interview, she told the Times of London, "I could have been struck by lightning, I could have won the lottery, or this could have happened."

"But I'm not some celebrity, I'm just a mom from New Hampshire," she added.

"Even if I did have an affair, it's not anybody's business."

"It has been like a scarlet letter; people erased everything I'd accomplished in my life and achieved in my career. This can't be the final word."

Also read | Viral Meme Trends Of 2025 That Defined Our Year

While speaking to UK Times, she said she had "become a meme", and the backlash made her "unemployable". "I was the most maligned HR manager in HR history."

"I wanted to put a cute outfit on and go out and dance and laugh and have a great night," she told the NYT.

"And that's how it was tracking. Some inside part of my brain might have been jumping up and down and waving its arms, saying, 'Don't do this,'" she said.

She said that she was "on top of the world" when she was caught on camera. "We were sitting in the back of the stadium at the opposite end from the stage in the pitch black, just feeling totally anonymous in an arena of 50, 60,000 people," she told the UK Times.

"We were just dancing, I'd had a few High Noons. Andy was standing behind me, and we were dancing, and I grabbed him," Cabot continued.

"My immediate reaction was..."

Byron and Cabot were seen on the jumbotron, standing draped in each other's arms. They moved away, shielding their faces, when the camera focused on them. "I didn't hear the announcement that the jumbotron was coming, so suddenly I'm just seeing us on screen."

"My immediate reaction was, 'Holy s-t, Andrew's here,'" Cabot said about her former partner as she had an idea that he was also at the concert.

"We were in the middle of an incredibly - and amazingly - amicable separation. I was worried I would embarrass him. He's an amazing guy and does not deserve that.

"Then a beat later, my mind turns to, 'Oh God, Andy's my effing boss,' this is a bad look. Boston's not a big town. And while it wasn't an Astronomer event or anything, there could have been investors or other staff there."

As a woman, I took the "bulk of the abuse"

Byron, who also resigned, has reportedly received criticism from former employees, calling him a "toxic boss".

"I think as a woman, as women always do, I took the bulk of the abuse. People would say things like I was a 'gold-digger' or I 'slept my way to the top,' which just couldn't be further from reality. The amount I sacrificed to get where I did in my career, the amount of hands I've had to take off my ass over the years, comments I've had to swat away from men," she added.

Cabot hopes her story teaches her children that mistakes happen, and one error doesn't define their worth.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/3jWcghP
via IFTTT

3,746 Challaned, 61,000 PUCs Issued On Day 1 Of 'No PUC, No Fuel' In Delhi

Delhi's 'No PUC, No Fuel' directive came into force across the national capital on Thursday amid claims of strict enforcement. Thousands of challans were issued, border checks intensified, and surprise inspections were carried out by the Environment Minister. But on the ground, enforcement appeared uneven, and the city's air quality only deteriorated through the day.

The overall AQI stood at 356 around 7 am and worsened to 397 by 9 pm, inching closer to the 'severe' category despite a full day of restrictions and checks.

Certificates Issued, But Pollution Persists

Official data shows over 61,000 Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCCs) were issued between December 17 and 18 - 29,938 on Wednesday and another 31,974 by Thursday evening. During the same 24-hour window, 3,746 vehicles were challaned for not carrying a valid PUCC.

At Delhi's entry points, joint teams of the Traffic Police and Transport Department checked around 5,000 vehicles, turning back 568 non-compliant vehicles and diverting 217 non-destined trucks via the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways.

Despite these measures, there was no corresponding improvement in air quality through the day.

No Enforcement At Several Petrol Pumps

An NDTV ground reality check found that enforcement of the 'No PUC, No Fuel' rule was missing at several petrol pumps on day one.

At the Delhi Gate petrol pump, NDTV found the government notification prominently displayed across fuel dispensing aisles, clearly informing motorists that a valid Pollution Under Control certificate was mandatory for refuelling. However, no transport or enforcement officials were present at the pump at the time of NDTV's visit.

Petrol pump staff said officials had made only a brief appearance earlier in the day.

"Two DTC officials came in the morning, clicked some photos, and left. After that, we don't know where they are," a pump employee told NDTV.

The staff was also clear that they are not responsible for enforcing the rule.

"We are just informing customers about the rule. We are not the enforcing authority. These are our customers. If we try to enforce it, there will be arguments or fights, and we don't want that," the employee said.

'Even 80% Implementation Is Success' 

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who conducted surprise inspections at select petrol pumps, acknowledged that the rule may not be implemented uniformly everywhere on day one.

Speaking to NDTV, Sirsa said, "Even if 80% is implemented, it will be successful."

He also said he was receiving regular, real-time updates from the Transport Department on the status of enforcement at petrol pumps across the capital, indicating that the government was closely tracking compliance as the rule rolled out.

'This Is Not About Challans'  

Sirsa urged petrol pump staff to remain calm while informing commuters about the requirement.

"You are the first interface of this campaign on the ground... politely explain that this rule is for their own health and for the health of our children," he told them.

Addressing commuters, the minister added, "This is not about challans; this is about clean air. Every valid PUCC issued today is a small victory in our war against pollution."

Impact Of Dust, Waste Action Unclear

Civic agencies also reported action on other pollution fronts over the past 24 hours, including mechanised sweeping of 2,300 km of roads, deployment of mobile anti-smog guns across 5,524 km, closure of 132 illegal dumping points, and processing of over 38,000 metric tonnes of legacy waste.

Even so, Delhi's AQI climbed steadily through the day, raising questions about how quickly such measures can translate into relief during peak winter pollution.

Sirsa said the steps were unavoidable, adding, "The Delhi Government has had to adopt tough but necessary steps so that pollution levels can be visibly reduced." He also flagged that several private offices are yet to comply with the 50% work-from-home advisory under GRAP-IV, warning that non-compliance could invite action.

As Delhi heads into another polluted night, the first full day of the 'No PUC, No Fuel' rule once again underlined a familiar gap—strong enforcement claims, partial implementation on the ground, and air quality that continues to worsen.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/hzkYMsy
via IFTTT