Bollywood
Australian Open: Contrasting first-round wins for teenager Alcaraz and Shapovalov
Spanish teenager and last year’s US Open quarterfinalist Carlos Alcaraz lived up to his status as a first-time Grand Slam seed as the world No. 31 scored a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 win over Chilean qualifier Alejando Tabilo on Day One of the Australian Open here on Monday.
The 18-year-old Alcaraz’s first serves proved too much for the 24-year-old Tabilo, who was making his second Grand Slam main-draw appearance, as the Spaniard put his game on full display after an offseason spent on improving his skills.
“I felt really good,” said Alcaraz after the match. “I didn’t expect that this first match was going to be really good for me. I played a great level the first match of the season. Really good feelings… hope the next matches are going to be the same.”
With Alcaraz at No. 31 and Tabilo at No. 135, it was never going to be an easy job for the latter and the gap in the rankings showed as the Spaniard advanced comfortably after the pair traded early breaks.
Alcaraz went on a six-game winning streak to wrestle away control. The Spaniard built his opening-round game on intense aggression from the baseline, but he also deftly mixed well-placed returns in building the lead.
Alcaraz faced just one break point in the match, while breaking seven times in 16 chances of his own.
“I’m starting to get more comfortable on hard court than on clay courts,” said Alcaraz. “I think the most tournaments of the year are on hard court, so you have to be ready.”
Alcaraz enters the new year on the heels of a breakout year that also saw him reach the US Open quarterfinals, win his first ATP title (Umag) and break into the ATP’s top-40 for the first time. Alcaraz had started the 2021 season inside the top-150.
This season, his goals include reaching the top-15 and playing in the Nitto ATP Finals.
“It’s a really good goal for me, but so difficult as well,” he said.
With the top quarter of the Australian Open draw now missing world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz will take on Dusan Lajovic of Serbia, who defeated Marton Fucsovics of Hungary 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, 6-7(6), 6-1. One step further, No. 7 seed from Italy Matteo Berrettini looms as a potential third-round opponent.
Less than a fortnight after helping Canada win the ATP Cup, Denis Shapovalov survived a first-round matchup against Croatia’s Laslo Djere. After being two points away from a fifth set, the Canadian advanced in four, 7-6(3), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(3). Djere had an opportunity to serve for both the first and fourth sets, but each time the No. 14 Canadian seed denied him.
“I felt like the fourth set was slipping away from me after that set point,” Shapovalov said in his on-court interview. “But I’m very happy with the outcome.
“He did a great dob to come back from two sets to none,” Shapovalov was quoted as saying by atptour.com. “He changed his tactics, tried to go for it more and was very tricky.”
Next up for the Canadian is South Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon, who edged past Holger Rune of Denmark 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Bollywood
Drishyam 3 Release Date: Will It Be Ajay Devgn Starrer Vs Shah Rukh Khan’s King At The Box Office?

Ajay Devgn is starring in back-to-back franchise movies. This year, we saw him in Raid 2, Son of Sardaar 2, and De De Pyaar De 2. Next year, he already has Dhamaal 4 lined up, and on Monday, the release date of Drishyam 3 was officially announced. The movie will hit the big screens on October 2, 2026.
Ajay took to Instagram to inform his fans about it. He posted an announcement video and right, “Aakhri hissa baaki hai. In cinemas on 2nd October, 2026 (sic)” Check out the announcement video below…
While the release of Shah Rukh Khan starrer King has not been officially announced, there have been reports that the movie will be releasing during the Gandhi Jayanti weekend. So, will be Ajay Devgn vs Shah Rukh Khan at the box office?
If the clash happens, this won’t be for the first time when Ajay’s film will be clashing SRK’s movie. In 2012, Ajay starrer Son Of Sardaar and SRK’s Jab Tak Hain Jaan had hit the big screens together during Diwali.
Both movies had done well at the box office, but Jab Tak Hai Jaan had collected a bit more than Son of Sardaar. The former minted Rs. 120.87 crore at the box office, the latter collected Rs. 105.10 crore.
We are sure now everyone is keen for the official announcement of King’s release date. For now, all the Holidays have been booked by other films. So, let’s see if King will clash with any movie, or will opt to release on a non-Holiday weekend.
Apart from Ajay, Drishyam 3 also stars Tabu and Shriya Saran. The part 2 also featured Akshaye Khanna, but in the announcement video his name is not mentioned.
Bollywood
Jannat Zubair and Elvish Yadav meet Messi, call it an ‘amazing day’

Mumbai, Dec 15: As Messi fever grips the entire country, ‘Laughter Chefs season 3’ contestants Jannat Zubair and Elvish Yadav also got the rare opportunity to meet the ‘G.O.A.T’.
Sharing glimpses of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on social media, Jannat and Elvish dropped a joint post that read, “We met Messi!! What an amazing day (Sparkles emoji) Welcome to India 🇮🇳 So much love (red heart emoji) Special Thanks To @officialpuch.ai (Smiling face and red heart emoji) (Sic).”
Messi landed in Mumbai on Sunday as part of his India tour. However, he encountered an embarrassing situation in Kolkata, where he ended up spending only 20 minutes, despite a promised time of 2 hours.
The footballer was forced to leave early as the situation at the Salt Lake stadium turned unpredictable after political and influential figures tried hijacking the event, irking fans, who did not get a chance to see the football player even after paying thousands on tickets.
After Kolkata, Messi made a stop in Hyderabad and then Mumbai as part of his itinerary.
During his Mumbai visit, many bigwigs from Bollywood met the legendary footballer.
B-town beauty, Kareena Kapoor Khan, took her two boys, Taimur and Jeh, to meet Messi. Bebo was seen coming out of the Wankhede Stadium after meeting the footballer on Sunday.
While Kareena was dressed sharply in formals, her sons were seen wearing football jerseys. While Taimur wore the jersey with Messi’s name on it, Jeh was seen in a jersey with Argentina’s name.
Actress Shilpa Shetty also took her son, Viaan-Raj Kundra to meet the football legend at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
After coming out of the stadium following the meet, Shilpa told the media stationed outside the venue, “It was very nice. Iska (Viaan) ka toh dream poora ho gaya (Viaan’s dream has been fulfilled)”.
Bollywood
Celebrate Rajinikanth’s 75th Birthday: Evergreen Films Of Superstar Rajini To Stream On OTT Platform

As India celebrates Rajinikanth’s 75th birthday, fans across the world are revisiting the timeless charm, unmatched screen presence, and iconic dialogues that have made him a living legend. Superstar Rajinikanth is fondly known as Thalaivar. The legendary actor is not just a superstar; he is a phenomenon who has shaped Indian cinema for nearly five decades. Rajnikanth’s real name is Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, who was born on December 12, 1950, in a Marathi family in Bengaluru, Mysore State (present-day Karnataka). He has acted in over 170 films across various languages including: Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, and Bengali.
The actor is professionally known as Rajinikanth. The Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Award nominee actor received his iconic name from legendary director K. Balachander. The legendary director mentored him and suggested the name Rajinikanth for his mass fan following. Rajinikanth has turned 75 on Friday, December 12, 2025. To honour his legacy, let’s take a look at some of his evergreen films available on OTT platforms, perfect for a nostalgic binge.
Enthiran is the sci-fi spectacle that revolutionised Indian cinema. The films’ visual effects brought Rajinikanth in a double role as Dr. Vaseegaran and the unforgettable Chitti, the robot. His performance as the antagonist robot remains iconic. Even today, Enthiran continues to be a benchmark for Indian science fiction. The film was released in 2010, and it was the most expensive Indian film at the time of its release. The film received an overwhelming response, and it emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film of 2010 and won two National Film Awards in the categories of Best Special Effects and Best Production Design. The music of the film was composed by A.R. Rahman.
Another blockbuster film of Rajinikanth is Sivaji The Boss, which is helmed by S. Shankar. Sivaji is a visually grand entertainer that narrates the story of an NRI fighting corruption, which struck a chord with audiences, while Rajini’s charismatic performance and stylish transformation in “Oru Koodai Sunlight” became instant fan favourites. The film remains a must-watch for its powerful message and mass sequences. The film emerged as one of the highest-grossing Indian films at its release and won a National Award in the category of Best Special Effects. The music of the film was composed by A. R. Rahman.
Baashha remains one of Rajinikanth’s most celebrated blockbusters. The film, known for its gripping storyline and the iconic dialogue “Naan oru thadava sonna… nooru thadava sonna madhiri,” showcases Rajini in a dual shade of a calm, humble auto driver by day and a fierce don with a past. Even today, Baashha is widely considered the film that defined Rajinikanth’s superstar aura.
In Kabali, Rajinikanth shed his larger-than-life image and delivered a more grounded, emotional performance. The film narrates the story of an aging gangster searching for his family, bringing a new depth to his acting repertoire. With stylish action and soulful storytelling, Kabali is a top pick for serious cinema lovers.
Kaala is an action-drama film directed by Pa. Ranjith. The film is set in the heart of Dharavi and explores themes of power, identity, and justice. Rajini’s portrayal of a charismatic leader of the oppressed added another dimension to his legacy. The film is appreciated for its socio-political undertones and raw cinematic mood.
Rajinikanth never fails to surprise his fans with his different looks and styles. In Jailer, you will definitely see the charismatic look, a lot of action sequences, and his powerful dialogue delivery, which will definitely keep you hooked to the edge of your seat till the end. The movie was released in 2023 and emerged as the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2023, the sixth highest-grossing Indian film of 2023, and the second highest-grossing Tamil film of all time. The music of the film is composed by Anirudh Ravichandran.
Petta is a Tamil-language action drama film in which Rajinikanth plays the role of Kaali, a mysterious, older man who takes a job as a college hostel warden, but is secretly a powerful figure. The film emerged as one of the highest-grossing Tamil films of all time and the second-highest-grossing Tamil film of 2019.
Apoorva Raagangal is Rajinikanth’s debut film. The film is directed by his mentor K Balachander, in which he played the role of the abusive ex-husband. The film also features Kamal Haasan. The film won three National Film Awards, including Best Feature Film in Tamil.
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