The movie’s writing deserves praise for being exceptionally well written, as the plot alone is not what makes it unique. A woman’s emotional journey from how she is treated at home, outside of her home, and in a foreign nation has been considered in the movie. This movie also focuses on the journey she takes as she learns what true support system is (the scene where she learns it from her elder sister, who talks about her late husband being very supportive that she is now in a good position in a foreign society) and how easy it is to acquire one.

Character establishing has been done in the most conventional manner, “on how efficient and devoted a loving lady is,” by keeping the opening shots of the protagonist where she wakes up before everyone else, makes a cup of coffee for herself, cooks meals for the entire family, and finally sits down with her coffee to relax a bit before everyone else comes out calling her name, looking for her to meet their needs. The end of the opening shot is shown as the protagonist’s untouched coffee that had turned cold.

The same woman is also corrected in a sarcastic manner by her husband and daughter after they make fun of her for mispronunciation of English terms (the scene where instead of jazz dance she says it as JHASS dance). She lacks a solid education in the English language, and the little she does know isn’t truly pronounced right. Throughout the entire play, this ridiculing and humiliating behaviour occurs in various sequences.

One day, she receives a phone call from her older sister, who has made her home in New York, telling her that her older daughter is getting married; due to the family schedules and commitments, she must travel alone, that too to one of the most English places on earth, and for a duration of five weeks.

This turns out to be her hardest obstacle yet, and after numerous setbacks on the trip and on the first day in New York, she becomes rather determined to try her luck in the 4-week English master lessons. She enrolls in the class in confidence and starts to pick up the language. Along with that the world around her changes, which benefits her largely. She begins to be identified as an entrepreneur, as she owns a small catering business; a French man falls in love with her; Americans admire her; she gets all the love and respect which she never received from a place she wanted the most from. And all of this with her own handwork and determination! 

The nicest scenario in this film is when her family discovers that she has gained a fine language skill through a public gathering in the climax; it was an activity that started out of curiosity and emotion. 

They advise saving the best for last.

Casting: Sridevi plays the lead character Sashi in this movie, thus it is needless to mention that she is a national award winner known for her playing prowess. Her inventiveness in executing a kind woman who enjoys cooking is so relatable. There are also additional supporting actors that performed admirably and are well worth watching. 

English Vinglish is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film, written and directed by Gauri Shinde.

At its 2012 Toronto International Film Festival premiere, English Vinglish received a 5-minute standing ovation.

Watch option: Amazon Prime Video 

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We watched #FDFS at Vox Cinema to find out.

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One of the largest virtual reality experience venue in Oman, Fun VR at Mall of Muscat aims to redefine the boundaries of immersive entertainment and interactive exploration for gamers and enthusiasts alike. With this new opening, gamers can discover a world of art and adventure in virtual reality, making visits to Mall of Muscat an even more enriching experience filled with fun, entertainment and exploration.

A spokesperson for Mall of Muscat said, “As a focal point for the community, Mall of Muscat is pleased to announce the introduction of Fun VR, offering a wide range of state of the art immersive experiences. Moreover, recognising the desire for families and friends to engage in meaningful interactions, we are constantly looking to enhance our fun quotient at the mall, we extend an invitation to one and all to explore Fun VR’s comprehensive array of both fun and entertaining virtual activities.”

Fun VR functions with the goal of rendering virtual reality experiences that are user-friendly and engaging. Irrespective of one’s familiarity with technology or virtual reality, the selection of games and specially crafted environment at Fun VR make it accessible and thrilling for individuals across all age groups.

With an impressive array of 240+ brands spanning across fashion, lifestyle, sports, and electronics, Mall of Muscat offers an unparalleled shopping and entertainment experience in the Sultanate of Oman. 

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Jihad is known for experimenting and exploring his talent for music, going beyond the boundaries of Oman to fulfill his passion. The release of his new Hindi music video ‘Phir Na Aaunga’ – on October 4, 2023 – encapsulates his ever-evolving musical style and his passion for the craft that has charted his growth in the world of music. The video has thrown new spotlight on Jihad and his seemingly unlimited repertoire of songs. Directed by Jaan Al Balushi (composed by Sameer Khan, with lyrics by Shahbaz Alam), the video comes across as a balm for music lovers, more so in this part of the world, which has a sizable number of Hindi speaking expatriates. 

Prolific in Arabic, English, Urdu, Panjabi, Baluchi, Spanish, Algerian and Sri Lankan music, Jihad Al Raisi’s soulful voice resonates with his fans in Oman, India and other countries in the sub-continent and beyond. 

“Music is my life,” states Jihad, who calls himself an exponent of semi classical music. He defines music as his “higher power”.

“Everything in the universe has a rhythm, feel… Music gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything…” he states, poetically. 

Music sans boundaries

“This is JR Al Raisi. Welcome to my channel. This channel is a reflection of my journey in the world of music. Music means the world to me…”

That is how Jihad introduces viewers and subscribers of his YouTube channel.

He has nursed his love and passion for music since childhood and has, over the years, won a fan following that transcends boundaries. What is interesting is his fascination for Bollywood; he has to his credit interviews with several celebrities from the industry, including names like Dharmendra, Farah Khan, Lucky Ali, Chunky Pandey, Salma Agha and Shabbir Kumar among others. 

“I have been inspired by Bollywood movies and music,” he states, matter-of-factly, when asked about his early musical influences to pursue a career in this field.

He was a finalist in a reality show ‘Singing Sensation’ in Dubai, telecast on Zee TV channel; he was also a guest of honor in a show aired on Star Plus channel. 

Oman, his home country, has been a witness to his live events and shows as well as several cover songs that he has produced. He also released a song to mark World Cup Qatar 2022, which was sponsored by the Khimji Ramdas group. His boundless quest to stay abreast of the music world has earned him positive response on social media from fans all over the world.

While Omani music often incorporates traditional elements, Jihad has managed to blend traditional Omani music with contemporary styles. “I am creating my music to a style that suits my voice quality and the same I create on traditional songs as well,” he points out.

About his popularity as a multilingual singer that has endeared him to the large expatriate community in Oman, he says it all stems from his hard work. “It’s all about hard work and self efforts – no sponsors, no supporters…” he states, wistfully.

It is ironical that Jihad, who has lent his support to several events, has never quite found the backing for his professional growth. “It’s very difficult to get sponsorship as well as support in this field,” he laments.

The story behind ‘Phir Na Aaunga’ music album

Tracing the story behind the Hindi album, Jihad attributes the trigger to undertake the fascinating project to his dream. “This was my big dream… I always thought that if one day I will sing, then it will be a Hindi song. After singing many cover songs in my style, I received recognition from many artists and composers in the Bollywood film industry. But I was waiting for my chance,” he explains, adding that he has been featured in video interviews with several Bollywood legends, via social media, who appreciated his voice and style.

It the video of one such interview that went viral and recognition poured in. As he puts it: “It happened when one of these videos got viral…that an Omani national was meeting legends via social media network. This got me connected with some writers and composers to make something deferent that suits my voice. After a long period of hard work, I got selected. ’Phir Na Aaunga’ is my first original.”

Challenges and Obstacles

However, sponsors were not forthcoming and things seemed to have reached a dead-end. “I approached many sponsors for support to come up with great music and video – never got any response. But I had to fulfill my dream, and not once did I think of quitting my dream; the cost of this project was the biggest challenge and a very difficult one. I did not hesitate to complete this project.  I had to take a big loan to complete it and finally release,” he explains.

Stressing that support for artists is scarce in this part of the world – from any sector or individuals, he states: “I have to rely on self efforts to do everything to achieve my dreams. As I mentioned before, all the sectors and event organizations have used my talents for their footfalls, but, in return, no one has taken any action to support me.”

Another challenge, he adds, is the lack of genuine appreciation for his style of music. Addressing that issue, he says, “It’s really sad that in my country not many people appreciate my worldwide style of music, because their thought is stuck on local style. I am really suffering… I have tried my best, but some people’s understanding of music is very limited, and they are the ones handling musical events, which is why I am not visible in festivals. The hardest challenge till date…”

There have been unforgettable moments too; one of which was his show at the Mall of Muscat. “It was one of my most memorable performances… I received a message from the Mall manager saying that they broke the footfalls record of all malls in Oman with 31k entries during my event. Feel really proud and blessed,” he muses.

Upcoming Projects

Flush in the success of the just released album, he is planning to continue creating his music in various styles. “I will be working in many styles, as I have mastered different ways of presenting my music during personal events or recordings – as original songs or cover songs,” he points out.

In the long term, he hopes to fulfill his dream of performing on stages in different countries with his official musical band and his distinctive voice.

Message of Peace

Artists are known to convey a specific message or theme through their music and Jihad is no different. His message is ‘peace’. “Since I sing in many different languages from around the world, my message is ‘Peace’,” he states adding that his music is an attempt to spread love and peace from an Omani singer to the world. 

Words of Advice

Jihad’s advice for aspiring Omani musicians who want to follow in his footsteps and pursue a career in music: “My advice, for anyone who wants to be a musician here, is to better promote their work only via social media to reach out to those who appreciate. Otherwise you will never find anyone to support or appreciate…I am suffering since 1998. But because I am a calm person, I know I can handle pressure and I am still on it.”

And handle he will, as Jihad’s new video continues to win him rave reviews.

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A bulletproof guard key system is used to make them. 

The huge bad boy robot software ‘Moos’ is being developed by Vincent Moor (Hugh Jackman), the lead developer who is constantly carrying his ego in his pocket. Then there is Deon Wilson (Dev Patel), the program’s primary creator, who has a grand vision of real intelligence—a machine that is capable of thinking and feeling. 

And then, parallelly, there is that ‘Thug Gang’ consisting of Yolandi, Ninja and Yankie, doing the gangster things.

The movie picks up steam when the Ninja and his crew go to meet a Hippo and gang because of a miscommunication; but, as you know, in the thug world if you don’t do what you’re told to, you’ll be brutally tortured. At this point, the robotic police force takes over the city in an effort to lessen crime, and they start firing around the remote location of the thugs’ negotiation spot.  

The Hippo and co, the Ninja, and the gang, all manage to flee during the attack, but our main protagonist ‘robot’ is shot down nearby, suffering fatal wounds, and is then sent to the group in charge of repairs and abandonment.

The Ninja and gang have plans to attack Deon on the day that his program breakthroughs occur because they have learned from the internet that he creates powerful, intelligent robots that could assist them in achieving their objectives and make Hippo and the gang’s death threats less bothersome. They seize control of Deon’s automobile, start questioning him, and eventually convince him to aid them if only a few conditions are met.

Deon deconstructs and reconstructs that one seriously injured robot and installs it.

When the robot is finally activated, they find that the newly developed program causes the robot to behave like a newborn.  When faced with people, it runs away and hides behind a piece of block wood. Yolandi gives him the name ‘Chappie’ and takes on the role of his mommy as he starts to interact with people and learn the language of humans. 

They all become best buddies they could ever be as Ninja turns into his daddy –
before becoming orientated; they attempt to make the bad boy.

 He is initially befriended by Ninja and Yankie for their evil goals, but with time, Chappie comes to be an important part of their family and he grows fond of his mommy Yolandi.  

In the fight’s climax, where the police force under Vincent Moore takes control and the authorities start to view Chappie as a threat to humankind despite the fact that Chappie is the epitome of love and cuteness, they end up killing someone, leaving everyone who loves that character in despair. However, Chappie then makes that figure come to life, which is worth watching. 

With the exception of Hugh Jackman and Dev Patel, majority of the cast are South Africans – that is Anri du Toit, Watkin Tudor Jones, Jose Pablo Cantillo and Brandon Auret, who have done an excellent job. They have the essential garb of a gangster out on the street. To put it mildly, some performances are wide-ranging.

The movie also has this lovely way of demonstrating how a child’s development and attitude are greatly influenced by what their environment and their parents teach them when they are young. In this movie, a robot with a baby-like mentality and thug-like acts will make you squeal with delight at how adorable they are. We may say that the robot or Chappie is more than just activated; it is coming to life. 

This movie is definitely worth a watch, as you can also see how a pure mother’s love and care has deep influences on anything – literally anything.

It’s a good watch for all ages, packed with loads of laughs, love, imagination, technological information and definitely, action.

Chappie (stylized as CHAPPiE) is a 2015 American dystopian science fiction action film directed by Neill Blomkamp and written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell; it is a motion picture by Sony.

Watch Option
Microsoft Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, AMC on Demand, Apple TV, DIRECTV as download or rent it on Amazon Video.

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Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that Arijit Singh will perform during a pre-match show at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 14.

The post read, “Kickstarting the much-awaited #INDvPAK clash with a special performance! Brace yourselves for a mesmerising musical special ft. Arijit Singh at the largest cricket ground in the world- The Narendra Modi Stadium! Join the pre-match show on 14th October starting at 12:30 PM.”

The rivalry between India and Pakistan in cricket is one of the most fierce in the world, with matches between the two countries receiving significant global viewership.

After registering two back-to-back wins, India riding on high confidence will face traditional rival Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

This match comes after India’s two matches with arch-rivals during a winning Asia Cup campaign. One match, held in group stage was abandoned due to rain while India registered a thumping win in the next clash during the Super Four stage.

India began their World Cup campaign with a victory over Australia, while Pakistan has two victories in two matches to build momentum ahead of the major encounter.

Fans will be hoping that megastars of ‘Men in Blue’, such as Virat Kohli, skipper Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj keep up with their consistent performances to continue the country’s winning streak with Pakistan in 50-over World Cups.

India has dominated the head-to-head record in ODI World Cup matches with ‘Men in Blue’ winning all seven games against the arch-rival.(ANI)

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Gangadharan was hospitalized for more than a week due to age-related ailments.

The funeral will be held on Saturday evening. He is survived by his wife PV Sherien and children Shenuga Jaythilak, Shegna Vigil, and Sherga Sandeep.

PV Gangadharan, fondly known as PVG, was a luminary in the realms of cinema, politics, and business. He contested the Kerala Legislative Assembly poll in 2011 from Kozhikode North and was an active member of KPCC.

Born in 1943 to Madhavi Sami and PV Sami, a prominent businessman and founder of the KTC Group of Companies, Gangadharan was the younger brother of PV Chandran, managing editor of Mathrubhumi.
Under the banner of Grihalakshmi Films, PVG produced iconic movies that catapulted today’s veteran actors and directors to fame. His foray into the film industry began in 1977 with the production of the film ‘Sujatha’.

Subsequently, Grihalakshmi Productions crafted several memorable movies, including ‘Manasa Vacha Karmana,’ ‘Angadi,’ ‘Ahimsa,’ ‘Chiriyo Chiri,’ ‘Kattathe Kilikkoodu,’ ‘Vartha,’ ‘Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha,’ ‘Adhwaytham,’ and ‘Ekalavyan.’

The Jayan-starrer film Angadi, directed by IV Sasi, remains a quintessential action film in Malayalam cinema. Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha is among the classics.

His last film was ‘Janaki Jaane’ in collaboration with S Cube in 2023.

Kanakkinaav, a production of Grihalakshmi Films, received the prestigious Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration in 1997.

In 2000, the film ‘Santham’ won the National Award for Best Film. Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, Kanakkinavu, Veendum Chila Veettukaryangal, Achuvinte Amma, and Notebook were also recipients of state film awards. (ANI)

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Taking to Instagram, the official page of Prime Video India shared a post, announcing the release date of the show.

The post read, “Guess who just moved in next door? your favourite couple, tankesh!

#PermanentRoommatesOnPrime, new season, Oct 18.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyP6F7iSBVo/

The romance drama, starring Sumeet Vyas and Nidhi Singh, will bring back the internet’s favourite couple.

Manish Menghani, director of content licensing, at Prime Video India, said, “We are excited to bring back the much-loved relationship drama to our viewers. It manifests our commitment to serving audiences worldwide with content that is not only entertaining but also highly relatable. The characters Mikesh and Tanya and their bittersweet companionship while working through their personal ambitions, and how it has a bearing on their relationship has resonated well with the audience.”

“The latest season is poised to bring back that quintessential world of Permanent Roommates and also elevate the show’s fandom further. Our collaboration with TVF has been truly incredible. We are thrilled to have joined forces once again and exclusively premiere the latest season on Prime Video starting 18 October.”

Shreyansh Pandey, head of TVF Originals and director of the show said, “We are thrilled to announce the latest season of Permanent Roommates. As creators, this series has always held a special place in our hearts. Being our passion project, it heralded a web revolution of sorts back in 2014. We couldn’t be happier to share this next chapter with you after the incredible love and support we have received for Mikesh and Tanya.”

“As we introduce this series to our viewers we are not only bringing back the series but also rekindling the special connection we have with them. The exclusive launch of the latest season on Prime Video is a proud moment to celebrate as it will reach a wider audience across 240+ countries and territories.”

Season 3 of ‘Permanent Roommates,’ produced by The Viral Fever (TVF) and directed by Shreyansh Pandey, will premiere on Prime Video in India and in 240+ countries and territories on October 18. The first two seasons of the show will also be available on the platform. (ANI)

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“We managed to get in touch with Nushrratt and with the help of the Embassy, she is being brought back home safely. We did not get a direct flight so she is on a connecting flight home. For her further safety, more details cannot be shared but as soon as she lands in India, we will inform you. We are relieved and thank god that she is safe and on her way to India,” Sanchita Trivedi, Nushrratt’s publicist, told ANI.

According to reports, the actor was in Israel to participate in the Haifa International Film Festival.

Around 6:30 am (local time), on Saturday, a barrage of rocket fire began from Gaza into Israel, hit several cities including Tel Aviv, Rehovot, Gedera and Ashkelon.

This was followed by several Hamas terrorists entering Israel from the Gaza Strip and taking over Israeli towns.

Hamas military commander Muhammad Al-Deif called the operation “Al-Aqsa Flood” and said that the assault on Israel was a response to attacks on women, the desecration of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, and the ongoing siege of Gaza.

The death toll from the Hamas terror group’s multi-front attack on Israel soared past 300 on Sunday and is expected to rise further.

As many as 1,590 people have been wounded, many seriously, according to reports.

Nushrratt was recently seen in the film ‘Akeli’, which released last month. The film is about an Indian woman, who is stranded in war-torn Iraq, and depicts her struggle for survival against all odds.

‘Akelli’ is helmed by Pranay Meshram, who previously worked as an associate director for various projects.

The film is produced by Dashami Studioz’ Nitin Vaidya, Ninad Vaidya, and Aparna Padgaonkar along with Vicky Sidana and Shashant Shah. (ANI)

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