Soaking up the Indian imagination
From its classic vanilla iteration to endless modern twists, it is a proof that nothing beats a sponge drenched in sweetness. 'It all starts with the foundation. Staying true to tradition, we bake a delicate, airy sponge to perfection in a tray. While it's still warm, we gently pour over the tres leches mixture, allowing it to infuse every layer,' shares Chef Vinesh Johny, Co-Founder Lavonne India.
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News18
26 minutes ago
- News18
Rajinikanth's Coolie Didn't Deserve 'A' Certificate, Says Producer Elred Kumar
Producer Elred Kumar praised Lokesh Kanakaraj's film 'Coolie' starring Rajinikanth but criticised its 'A' certificate. Lauding director Lokesh Kanakaraj's action extravaganza 'Coolie', featuring Superstar Rajinikanth in the lead, one of Tamil film industry's well-known producers Elred Kumar has now expressed surprise and displeasure at the film having been given an 'A' certificate by the Censor Board. Taking to his X timeline soon after having watched the film, the producer wrote, 'Watched #Coolie @Dir_Lokesh fantastic work. #Rajini sir amazes me, Superstar is always a Superstar! @anirudhofficial elevates the film to another level. Other language films with more violence get U/A, yet #Coolie gets an A? This film didn't deserve that. Something fuzzy, Tamil film fraternity needs to step up." Producer Elred Kumar isn't the only one to have expressed this opinion. Scores of other viewers who watched the film too have expressed a similar opinion. In fact, the decision of the Censor Board to grant an 'A' certificate to the film raised many eyebrows, even before the film's release. The development even had a section of the audience concerned. Family audiences and children form a considerable chunk of actor Rajinikanth's fan base and Coolie getting an 'A' certificate meant that families would be unable to take their children to theatres to watch the eagerly-awaited film. However, despite the A certificate, the film has performed exceptionally well, setting the cash registers to ring at the box office. The film's makers, Sun Pictures, claimed that the film had made a worldwide gross of Rs 151 crores, the highest ever day one worldwide gross made by a Tamil film. Coolie also became the highest overseas Day 1 grosser among Tamil films, making over 8.75 million Dollars. Coolie, which seems to be living up to the huge expectations from it, has made headlines by becoming the highest overseas procurement for a Tamil film to date. Rumours doing the rounds in the industry also suggest that director Lokesh Kanakaraj's much awaited action entertainer has reached audiences in over a 100 countries around the world. Hamsini Entertainment, a key player in international film distribution, is backing the film's global distribution. Apart from Rajinikanth, the film also stars stalwarts from the Indian film industry like Nagarjuna, Sathyaraj, Aamir Khan, Upendra, Soubin Shahir and Shruti Haasan. Anirudh has composed the music for the film, marking his fourth consecutive film with director Lokesh Kanagaraj. Cinematography for the film is by Girish Gangadharan and editing is by Philomin Raj. Interestingly, director Lokesh Kanakaraj had disclosed that 'Coolie', which is Rajinikanth's 171st film, will be a stand alone film and not a part of his Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU). First Published: August 17, 2025, 14:07 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Afghan youth orchestra: Resistance against the Taliban
AP file photo In August 2021, when the Taliban once again seized power in Afghanistan, the entire Afghan Youth Orchestra managed to flee to Europe. For the past four years, the young musicians of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM) have found a new home in Portugal and are now guests at the Young Euro Classic Festival in Berlin. "Making instruments and playing music is completely forbidden in Afghanistan," said Ahmad Sarmast, founder and director of ANIM. He said he was able to help 273 people associated with his music school flee Afghanistan. His Kabul school was then closed and the instruments were destroyed. "Listening to and playing music is a human right. The people of Afghanistan are denied this right," Sarmast told DW. "This has turned my country into a 'silent nation'." Young Euro Classic wants to preserve musical traditions But Afghan music lives on in exile, including at the Young Euro Classic. Hundreds of young musicians from all over the world perform at the annual international youth orchestra festival, with European and non-European orchestras and ensembles alike invited to participate. "The core of the festival remains symphonic music and how differently countries deal with this tradition of classical music," said project manager, Carolin Trispel. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Take a spoonful on an empty stomach and watch the fat go down the drain gofitlifeguide Click Here Undo Meanhile in the still young "Festival within a Festival' series, ensembles primarily perform music from their home countries and play traditional instruments from their cultures. "We are also interested in preserving musical traditions for the future and providing a platform for their further development," said Trispel. This year, in addition to Afghan musicians, ensembles from Bolivia, Indonesia, India, Gambia, and the indigenous Sami people of northern Scandinavia will also be participating. Forbidden music finds new voice Some of these ensembles play traditional music that was banned in their respective homelands. This includes the singing of the Sami people, known as "joik." This spiritual-sounding chant was prohibited from the 18th to the 20th century as it was seen as an expression of a non-Christian religion. "You often see this with indigenous peoples, that their own musical language was suppressed by colonization and the musical tradition was no longer allowed to be practiced," Trispel explained. The Bolivian ensemble, Dos pares de la Orquesta Experimental de Instrumentos Nativos plays old tunes from the Andes as well as new pieces composed especially for their traditional instruments. Meanwhile, the Azada Ensemble is an Afghan group within the youth orchestra that performs traditional music and dances. Their performances highlight the connection between humans and nature, as well as the beauty of the country and its music. Protesting Taliban social policy The Afghan Youth Orchestra was a guest in Bonn in 2023 as part of the DW Campus project at the Beethovenfest, along with Iranian musicians. "When we came to Bonn, the whole orchestra was not there, only part of it," said the orchestra's founder, Ahmad Sarmast. In Berlin, the entire orchestra's 51 members are now performing in the Young Euro Classic, and they will put on the final concert. "Every piece we play is in some way connected to the current situation in Afghanistan and the policies of the Taliban," said Sarmast. The songs performed by the Afghan Youth Orchestra deal with themes like social cohesion. "One song is a call to Afghan men to support oppressed women in their struggle for freedom and equality,' explains Sarmast. One well-known traditional piece is closely associated with celebrating the New Year in Afghanistan, but the Taliban have banned both the festival and the music — and destroyed countless musical instruments. "This has been celebrated in Afghanistan for thousands of years," explained Sarmast. "Playing this piece is a protest against the Taliban's destruction of cultural tradition in Afghanistan." 'Hope lives on' The last of the concert songs, which were arranged by Tiago Moreira da Silva, a young Portuguese conductor and director of the orchestra, is based on a well-known Persian poem about the return of spring — and the return of peace. Ahmad Sarmast quotes the Chilean poet and freedom fighter Pablo Neruda: "You can cut down the flowers and trees, but spring will always return, and you cannot stop freedom." The orchestra keeps in touch with its homeland via social media, and also by streaming their concerts. "Hope lives on," said Sarmast, who believes the day will come when the arts can flourish again in Afghanistan. "We want the Taliban to know that no oppressive regime in human history has ever managed to stay in power. And that will also be the case with the Taliban."
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi: Smriti Irani As Tulsi Moves Audience With Emotional Vidai Scene
The latest episode of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, starring Smriti Irani and Amar Upadhyay, showcases an emotional vidaai sequence. Ektaa Kapoor-backed Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi reboot, led by Smriti Irani and Amar Upadhyay, is a hit. At a time when daily soaps are going through a challenging time, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi topping the BARC charts proves that the industry can be resurrected with good content and nostalgia. In the recent episode, the show marked a significant milestone with the wedding of Tulsi and Mihir's daughter, Pari. The highlight of the track was the touching 'vidai' sequence, which saw Smriti Irani deliver a powerful and heartfelt performance, reminding fans why Tulsi remains one of Indian television's most beloved characters. In the poignant farewell scene, Tulsi, played by Smriti Irani, shares an emotional goodbye with her daughter, embodying the complex emotions of a mother letting go — joy, pride, and heartbreak. Smriti's performance struck a chord with viewers and cast members alike, many of whom were visibly moved during the shoot. The special episode also brought back several familiar faces from the original ensemble, turning the set into a warm reunion filled with nostalgia and camaraderie. The return of iconic characters made the wedding celebration all the more memorable, creating a sense of continuity and legacy for longtime fans of the show. Take a look at a few stills from Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi reboot: Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi reboot episode not only reaffirms Smriti Irani's lasting bond with the character of Tulsi, but also stands out as a moment of emotional resonance in the show's ongoing narrative. The 'vidai' scene is already being hailed as one of the most moving moments of the season. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi becomes highest-related Hindi daily soap Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi reboot, which premiered on July 29 on Star Plus and JioHotstar, made a remarkable debut with a 2.5 TVR, making it the highest-rated Hindi GEC fiction launch (drama series or daily soap broadcast on Hindi-language General Entertainment Channels in India) in the last five years, as per BARC data. The show even surpassed Rupali Ganguly's Anupamaa, which had recently dipped and landed in the third spot with a 2.1 TVR. In a fragmented TV landscape where most fiction shows fail to cross the 2 TVR mark in their opening week, this can be safely touted as a landmark achievement. Recently, during an interview with Filmibeat, when Smriti was asked about feeling pressurised about TRPs, the actress-politician said, 'I think we have set the benchmark. So, there's nobody else to compete with but us. But I also understand that when we began the show (25 years ago), there was no social media, there was no OTT, there was no fragmented audience, we had no PR, we had no hoarding, we had no Instagram to tell our viewers what is upcoming or who is in the cast. Nobody had any followers anywhere. So, to have our hands tied behind and still manage to give such an excellent product, for that time, was historical." 'Today's history has been created because there are no shows that can come back after 25 years and still be successful with the same cast, with the same production house, on the same network. So, I think we have managed to recreate history. For us today, we are free from the pressures of revenue or numbers because we have already proven our mark," she added. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi airs Monday to Friday at 10:30 PM, only on Star Plus. First Published: August 17, 2025, 13:46 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
