Latest news with #Amay
India.com
2 days ago
- Sport
- India.com
Meet Indian Cricketer Who Cleared UPSC, Played With Legends Like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Now A Government officer, He Is...
photoDetails english 2912848 Updated:Jun 08, 2025, 01:30 PM IST Amay Khurasiya: Cricketer Who Cracked UPSC 1 / 10 Before making his international debut for India, Amay Khurasiya achieved the rare feat of clearing the UPSC Civil Services Examination a first for any Indian international cricketer. Early Beginnings in Jabalpur 2 / 10 Born in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Amay Khurasiya began his cricketing journey at the young age of 17, debuting in domestic first-class cricket. Choosing Cricket Over Civil Services 3 / 10 Despite clearing one of India's toughest exams, Khurasiya chose to follow his passion for cricket, giving up a potential career in civil services. India Debut in 1999 Pepsi Cup 4 / 10 Amay made his international debut for India in 1999 during the Pepsi Cup against Sri Lanka, joining the national team during a golden era. Brief ODI Career 5 / 10 He represented India in 12 One Day Internationals (ODIs), scoring 149 runs. Though short-lived, his stint with Team India was significant. Sharing the Dressing Room with Legends 6 / 10 During his time in the Indian squad, Amay Khurasiya played alongside cricketing legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, and Virender Sehwag. Rare Blend of Brain and Bat 7 / 10 Amay's UPSC success reflects his sharp intellect, making him one of the rare Indian sportspersons to have excelled in both academics and athletics. Life After Cricket 8 / 10 Post-retirement from professional cricket, Amay transitioned into government service, currently working as an Inspector in the Indian Customs & Central Excise Department. Mentor for Future Stars 9 / 10 Amay Khurasiya trains and mentors young cricketers, particularly those aspiring to break into the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the national team. True Inspiration for Aspirants 10 / 10 His journey serves as an inspiring story for both UPSC aspirants and young cricketers proving that discipline, passion, and commitment can lead to success in any field.
India.com
01-06-2025
- Sport
- India.com
Meet Indian cricketer who cracked UPSC exam, played with Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, now works as...,his name is...
The UPSC Civil Services examination is considered to be one of the toughest examinations in India. Every year, lakhs of aspirants sit for the entrance exam with the aim of becoming officers, but only a select few succeed. We all have heard actors and businessman quitting their work to pursue their dreams of becoming a civil servant. But have you wondered that one former Indian cricketer also cracked the UPSC exam before he made his debut for India? Amay Khusariya, the only international cricketer who cracked the UPSC examination, made his first-class cricket debut at the age of 17. Hailing from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Amay Khurasiya made his debut for India in International Cricket in 1999 in the Pepsi Cup against Sri Lanka. Interestingly, he had cracked the UPSC exam even before that. At 17, Amay began his domestic cricket career. Despite clearing one of the toughest competitive exams in India, his passion for cricket led him to choose a career as a professional cricketer over a civil services role. Born in 1972, Amay Khurasiya was a left-handed batsman. He made his debut for India in 1999 in a match against Sri Lanka in Pune. In that game, Amay played an impressive knock of 57 runs off 45 balls, which included several boundaries and 2 sixes, as per media reports. India won the match by 51 runs. Amay Khurasiya shared the dressing room with some of the biggest legends in Indian cricket, including Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, and Ajay Jadeja. Though he played only 12 One Day Internationals (ODIs) for India, scoring 149 runs, his international career was brief. His final appearance for India came in 2001 against Sri Lanka. However, in domestic first-class cricket, Khurasiya made a significant mark. He was a consistent performer and accumulated over 7,000 runs in 1999 matches, showcasing his talent and reliability as a top-order batsman. Before making his debut in international cricket, Amay Khurasiya had successfully cleared the UPSC exam—one of the most prestigious and challenging examinations in India. Despite this remarkable achievement, his deep passion for cricket ultimately influenced his decision. His interest in cricket led him to choose a career as a professional cricketer instead of pursuing a role in civil service. As per media reports, Amay Khurasiya is currently serving as an Inspector in the Indian Customs & Central Excise Department. Alongside his government role, he remains actively involved in cricket by mentoring young talent, particularly for the Indian Premier League (IPL) and potentially for the international stage. He has played a significant role in shaping the careers of emerging players like Rajat Patidar and fast bowler Avesh Khan, both of whom have gone on to make their mark in Indian cricket.
New Indian Express
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Raid 2 Movie Review: Ajay Devgn and Riteish Deshmukh dabble through a dull, tiring thriller
Amay's steadfast honesty is introduced in the first part, Raid (2018), where he brings his own modest alcohol bottle to a lavish party. 'I only drink what I can afford,' he reasons. Seven years later, in Raid 2, he is shown to be asking a bribe of Rs 2 crore from a character hoarding unauthorised money. No, this is not his time of breaking bad; there's a catch. It is just a ploy in order to get transferred to Bhoj, a small town in Rajasthan, to look into the background of a politician, Dadabhai (Riteish Deshmukh). It is a convenient 'cinematic liberty' that he is merely transferred (for the 75th time!) and not suspended for the plotted act, with no other character holding a questioning glance. Suspension comes, but only when he decides to conduct a raid on the multiple properties of Dadabhai and ends up finding nothing illegal. This time, it's Dadabhai who plotted the entire thing. The film's storytelling works largely on this deception. Nothing is to be taken at face value; every character has a flashback revealing their hidden intentions. Be it Lallan Sudheer Singh (Amit Sial), making an appearance in the second half; the hustler lawyer played by Yashpal Sharma; or the subordinate of Dadabhai, Vinay (Brijendra Kala). These characters bring twists in the narrative, yet none of it feels like a revelation. It is just a long battle of outsmarting each other. The screenplay (by Ritesh Shah, Raj, Jaideep Yadav and Karan Vyas) is filled with excesses. It is not enough for the film to just be about corruption; the antagonist has to also be a predator, blackmailing young women for sexual favours. Even Amay has to take on the role of an investigator, as he goes on to unearth the misdeeds of Dadabhai. He becomes even more invincible, without a shred of vulnerability in him. There is nothing that Amay cannot do, and hence nothing that he does comes as a surprise. Perhaps the film's biggest spoiler lies in its name. You know there's a raid going to take place ultimately. It's just a matter of how, and Raj makes it all about that without adding any layer of emotionality to the characters. Years ago, in 2008, when he made his directorial debut with the edgy and evocative Aamir, Raj showed promise in crafting thrillers with a heartbeat. With the Raid films, he has remained satisfied with bare-minimum storytelling. What's further unfulfilling is Ajay's laid-back screen presence. What should have been quiet resilience becomes mute rigidity. At times, he says dialogues with a strange nonchalance, failing to make any of it memorable. There's not much even for Riteish to do other than just be an epitome of evil, with a cunning smile here and an angry outburst there. Much of the film runs with a dullness that only dampens a little with the antics of Amit Sial. He brings a new life to some of the dead scenes, always having more to do than what is meant to be done. Saurabh Shukla is left to be only a means of comic relief this time after his menacing act in the first part.
Mint
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
‘Raid 2' review: Dull Devgn headlines dreary sequel
Ajay Devgn isn't the worst star-actor in Hindi films today, but he's the most boring. Nowadays he tends to play unflappable types who either take on powerful adversaries or have to get their families out of a jam. And he does so in such a dour, bland way that you have to wonder if he gets any joy out of acting anymore. There's a moment at the end of Raid 2 when his character's carefully laid plans have come off perfectly. But Devgn's face says, I'm tired and vaguely annoyed. You'll be tired and vaguely annoyed by the end of Raid 2, a film that badly needs an agile, alive performance at its centre. Devgn reprises the part of Indian Revenue Service officer Amay Patnaik from the first film (2018), which was also directed by Raj Kumar Gupta. I'd written then: 'The qualities that (presumably) make Patnaik such an excellent officer are the same ones that make him a taxing movie lead.' This is still the case, as Patnaik goes from posting to posting scowling and sighing at everyone else's incompetence and greed. The film actually begins with a rare failure—an investigation goes sideways when Amay is caught asking for a bribe. Even the most suspectable of viewers might not believe this; Amay's subordinate is seen trying to control his laughter when he asks for two crores under the table. At any rate, he's transferred to the town of Bhoj, where everyone's in love with local MLA and philanthropist Dada bhai (Riteish Deshmukh), who's also the state's home minister. This, of course, sets Amay's bells off. Soon, he's poking around Dada bhai's properties, reading for his 75th raid. Raid 2 offers a change from the first film; Dada Bhai is as outwardly respectable as Tau, Saurabh Shukla's antagonist in the 2018 film, was crude and belligerent. But the sequel fails to make any comic hay out of Dada running rings around Amay while behaving like the most annoyingly polite kid in class—Devgn's unchanging expression never lets on if he's worried, sad, confused or elated. And once Dada's crimes, financial and otherwise, come to light, Deshmukh's performance becomes inadequate, lacking the entertainment and forcefulness of Tau (Shukla clowning on the fringes of this film doesn't help). The inertness of Devgn v Deshmukh is made clearer by a couple of supporting performances that liven up the second half. First, there's Yashpal Sharma as a crooked lawyer who files a PIL on Amay's behalf (Amay saying 'Beimaan' (dishonest) and the next shot showing Sharma making an entry on his scooter is the film's best laugh). A little later, Lallan Sudheer (Amit Sial) joins Team Dada. Those with memories of the first film will remember Lallan as Amay's morally compromised subordinate. He's just as flexible here, sucking up to Dada Bhai so blatantly that a smarter villain might sense something off. These are broad comic performances, but they inject some energy into a film that resembles a deadly dull chess game, with Amay and Dada calling each other from time to time to trade polite trash talk. The Raid films—set in 1981 and 1989—are almost comforting in their idea of corruption: wads of cash stuffed in mattresses, gold bars stashed in false ceilings, politicians using charitable foundations to hide their black money. It's an old-fashioned conception of a scam, unchallenging to today's viewer. Will Amay be back for another instalment, fighting corporate crime and uncovering a massive political conspiracy? It might make for a more pointed film, but I hope not. First Published: 1 May 2025, 11:44 AM IST
Scroll.in
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
‘Raid 2' review: Sequel labours in the shadow of its predecessor
Raid 2, Raj Kumar Gupta's follow-up to Raid sets the incorruptible and dauntless Income Tax officer Amay (Ajay Devgn) a new-old target. In Raid (2018), Amay's war on corrupt fiefdoms led to the downfall of the politician Rameshwar (Saurabh Shukla). Seven years later, Rameshwar is behind bars and Amay is trying to get Union Cabinet minister Manohar (Riteish Deshmukh) to join him there. Manohar, known as Dada Bhai, is too good to be true – a virtuous son to Sushma (Supriya Pathak), a benefactor to the residents of his hometown Bhoj, a politician who is worshipped by his constituents. Amay's effort to uncover Dada's ill-begotten wealth runs into a seemingly unsurmountable hurdle: the suave, canny and unflappable Dada himself. In terms of plot, Raid 2 isn't too different from its predecessor, with some scenes even staged in the same way. While Raid was inspired by an actual incident, the new film has no such constraints, thereby free to invent situations and dial up the implausibility. Apart from Raj Kumar Gupta, Raid 2 has been written by Ritesh Shah, Jaideep Yadav and Karan Vyas. Amay's challenge this time is slightly more complex – it's like he has progressed in a quiz to a more advanced level. The game of wits between the men is equally poised until Dada inexplicably hands Amay the equivalent of a loaded gun – a clue that sets Amay on the right path to Dada's destruction. A love for needless verbal bombast is clearly the main culprit here. Raid 2 has some memorable lines, earthy humour and a worthy adversary to Amay. Both films were fuelled by the joys of comeuppance, of seeing bundles of crisp notes being hauled out of their hidey-holes, honest officers winning the day despite the odds. But the latest movie's similarity to its predecessor is inescapable, just as Amay's campaign against Dada takes forever to get into gear and eventually stretches credulity. Apart from predictability, Raid 2 suffers from a relative lack of strong sparring moments between a powerful politician and duty-bound government officials. While Ajay Devgn's Amay is in rinse-and-repeat mode, Riteish Deshmukh's Dada is a convincing villain, controlled in his menace and venality. The returning secondary characters include the delightfully slippery Amit Sial as Amay's co-worker Lallan. Vaani Kapoor replaces Ileana D'Cruz as Amay's wife Malini, but the most memorable female character is Amay's fangirling colleague Geeta (Shruti Pandey). Saurabh Shukla's Rameshwar frequently pops up to offer his comments on Amay's latest mission. Apart from being an entertaining distraction, Rameshwar is yet another reminder of the first Raid, and why it was better. Play
