Mumbai, Oct 14: Actor Rajat Bedi, who has made his comeback with ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’, has shared that the director of the show Aryan Khan, and his friends are huge fans of ‘Koi Mil Gaya’.

Rajat essays the role of a ‘has been’ star in the recently released streaming show, helmed by Aryan, who is the son of Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan.

Rajat recently spoke with IANS in the Bandra West area of Mumbai following the success of the show. He also cleared the air around his earlier statement about Rakesh Roshan which was misconstrued.

“Aryan and many other Aryan’s associates, as children, have been fans of ‘Koi Mil Gaya’ and I’m very blessed that Rakesh Roshan at that time gave me this opportunity to be a part of the film. I did feel a little bad after the film. But, if you actually look at my whole journey, it is a lot thanks to ‘Koi Mil Gaya’. Even today, people ask me, ‘You were in the Alien film, right? You broke Rohit’s cycle, right?’. It is one of the most iconic and lovable films by the audience”.

He further mentioned, “So, when Aryan and others saw ‘Koi Mil Gaya’, they grew up and when he was making something with a full Bollywood flavour, he was very sure that for this character, he needed me. He probably knew that I was relevant at that time. Then I disappeared for 20 years. So, Aryan found me. And what could be a bigger blessing than this? Really, when you ask for something from the universe and the universe fulfills it. I was waiting for the comeback that Aryan has given me”.

‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’ is available to stream on Netflix.

Palghar: Frustrated by relentless traffic jams on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad National Highway, residents living along the stretch in Vasai have announced an unusual protest — sending a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking “permission for suicide” to highlight their daily suffering.

Locals claim that the highway, which passes through areas such as Sasunavghar, Maljipada, Sasupada, Bobat Pada, and Patharpada, has become nearly impassable. Potholes, haphazard traffic management, and a growing number of vehicles have turned even short commutes into hours-long ordeals.

“Sometimes we can’t even step out of our homes because vehicles are backed up for kilometers,” said one resident. “Children are missing school, and parents are scared to send them out.”

Despite repeated complaints to authorities, no lasting solution has been found. As a result, members of the Bhumiputra Foundation have decided to send a collective memorandum by post to the Prime Minister on Thursday, October 16, from the Sasunavghar Post Office.

The protest call, announced by Foundation president Sushant Patil, has already gone viral on social media, sparking intense discussion and public outrage.

Action against the negligence of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which they say has disrupted daily life.

Disciplinary measures against responsible officials.

Immediate road repairs, improved traffic management, and the creation of alternative routes.

Locals say this is not just a protest, but a desperate cry for help after years of official indifference to one of the region’s worst traffic crises.

Mumbai: Maharashtra State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on October 13 said that taxi and rickshaw drivers have been given a deadline until November 15 to begin operating meter-based services for commuters.

The decision was taken during a meeting at Mantralaya along with MLA Sneha Dubey, MSRTC Managing Director Dr. Madhav Kusekar, Vasai–Virar Municipal Commissioner Manoj Suryavanshi, Additional Transport Commissioner Bharat Kalaskar, and other officials.

The aim of the meeting was to address the issue of traffic congestion in the Vasai–Virar Municipal Corporation area. According to the transport minister, taxi and rickshaw drivers must charge passengers as per the fares set by the state government.

Additionally, Sarnaik directed the State Transport Corporation to start long-distance bus services from the Vasai–Virar Municipal Corporation area to Thane and Kalyan. This announcement also comes ahead of the upcoming local body polls.

Moreover, instructions were issued to activate the Virar, Vasai, and Nalasopara bus depots within the Vasai–Virar Municipal limits.

Earlier in May 2024, thousands of auto rickshaw drivers across Maharashtra took to the streets to protest the state government’s decision to approve e-bike taxi and bike pooling services.

The demonstrations, spearheaded by the Joint Action Committee of Auto Rickshaw Driver-Owner Associations, Maharashtra, were held outside Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in multiple regions, including Mumbai, Konkan, Western Maharashtra, Vidarbha, Marathwada, Khandesh, and rural districts.

The protestors argued that the introduction of e-bike taxis and bike pooling services would disrupt the existing public transport ecosystem, slash their earnings, and reduce the demand for auto rickshaws.