Entertainment
Sayani Gupta: I’ve always been attracted to and intrigued by voice work
Actress Sayani Gupta has lent her voice for an audio show titled ‘Buri Nazar’. She says she always loved the medium of audio and as a child, she loved listening to the radio.
Told through a series of phone calls and voicemails, this Audible Original, penned by award-winning playwright Madhuri Shekar, was adapted into Hindi by Noopur Sinha.
The voices of Supriya Pathak, Sayani Gupta and Rithwik Dhanjani are featured in the audio show.
The story revolves around Usha who is convinced that the ‘Evil Eye’, a curse that brings continuous misfortune, was cast upon her daughter, Pallavi, in the womb. What else could have possibly left her driven, career-oriented daughter edging closer and closer to 30 without a prospective husband?
Determined to set Pallavi on the right path, Usha arranges date after date with potential suitors, but after yet another set-up fails, it seems her efforts are proving fruitless. But in an unexpected turn of events, Pallavi becomes her own matchmaker when she meets and quickly falls for Sandeep, a young Indian American entrepreneur.
And though she expects her mother will be elated with her finally finding a man, Pallavi is distraught and confused to find her mother growing increasingly suspicious of Sandeep’s motives…and his true identity.
As Sayani is narrating the character of the daughter Pallavi, talking about working on an audio show, she said, “It’s unbelievable how much potential audio shows/plays have. Growing up listening to radio plays, and my father being part of All India Radio, I have always been attracted to and intrigued by voice work. I enjoy doing it tremendously. It’s amazing to learn the range of emotions you can portray and tell a story with its nuance using just your voice, which is very powerful.
“Audio storytelling is a craft in itself, and the scope, absolutely fascinating. I have thoroughly enjoyed playing Pallavi and loved the banter with my mother and the romance with the boyfriend. ‘Buri Nazar’ is an extremely unpredictable, exciting story that I know will have our listeners at the edge of their seats – I hope they enjoy this story, as much as we did narrating it!”
The show is available on the audio platform Audible.in for members from August 31.
Crime
Tiger Shroff firing case: Three suspects to be taken to Mumbai from Kota under tight security

The three suspects held in connection with the firing incident involving Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai will be taken to Mumbai, Maharashtra, by the Mumbai Police on Tuesday. The suspects were kept overnight in the lock-up of the Kota Railway Colony police station in Rajasthan under tight security amid concerns over their possible escape.
As a precautionary measure, commandos and armed personnel were deployed at the police station.
The entire CCTV surveillance network of the police station was connected to a command centre to ensure continuous monitoring of the suspects and strengthen security arrangements.
City Superintendent of Police Tejaswini Gautam also visited the Railway Colony police station late Monday night to review the security arrangements. The Mumbai Police had earlier postponed the transfer of the suspects from Kota due to security concerns.
The three remained in custody throughout the night under heightened surveillance.
According to the police, the three suspects were apprehended by Kota Police at the railway station on Monday in connection with the firing incident involving actor Tiger Shroff’s car in Mumbai. The suspects were travelling on the Pune-Jaipur train (12939) and were found sitting at different locations in a general coach.
Their movements and travel plans allegedly indicated that they were attempting to evade arrest after the incident. Investigators believe the suspects had planned to reach Jaipur by train, travel onward to Delhi by bus and then escape to Nepal. However, Kota Police intercepted them at the railway station before they could proceed with their alleged plan.
Following their apprehension, the suspects were taken to the Railway Colony police station, where security was significantly tightened in view of the sensitivity of the case and the possibility of an escape attempt.
The Mumbai Police are scheduled to leave Kota with the three suspects on Tuesday for further investigation into the firing incident. The transfer is expected to enable investigators to question them further and establish their alleged roles in the case.
The deployment of armed personnel, enhanced CCTV monitoring, and the presence of senior police officials underline the security measures adopted by Kota Police while the suspects remained in custody.
Further details about the investigation and the circumstances surrounding the firing incident are expected to emerge as the Mumbai Police proceed with the case.
Crime
Tiger Shroff firing case: 3 suspects held in Rajasthan’s Kota planned to flee to Nepal, say police

The Kota City Police in Rajasthan have made a major breakthrough in the firing incident involving Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai by apprehending three suspects, including a minor, at Kota railway station. According to Kota Superintendent of Police (SP) Tejaswani Gautam, preliminary questioning has revealed that the suspects planned to travel to Delhi before fleeing to Nepal.
Acting on intelligence that the suspects were travelling to Kota aboard the Pune-Jaipur Express, a police team surrounded and searched the train. The operation was completed in approximately 15 minutes, following which all three suspects were taken into custody.
The arrested suspects have been identified as Rehan alias Sukka, a resident of Sonipat in Haryana; Hrithik Kurmi alias Roshan, a resident of Begusarai in Bihar; and a minor.
According to the SP, Hrithik had been living in Mumbai for the past few years.
SP Gautam said preliminary questioning indicated that Rehan alias Sukka was in contact with Anil Pandit, who is reportedly linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Police are investigating whether this connection had any role in the firing incident.
The weapon allegedly used in the shooting has not yet been recovered. Investigators will question the suspects further to establish where the weapon was taken after the incident and identify others who may have been involved.
A team from the Mumbai Police has reached Kota, and the process of handing over the suspects to the Mumbai Police is underway.
The incident took place on Sunday at around 7 p.m., when Tiger Shroff was returning by car from a football ground in Mumbai’s Juhu area.
According to the police, the assailants fired at the vehicle with a pistol, injuring the driver. Another person present at the scene was also hit by a bullet.
A Mumbai Police official said Tiger Shroff managed to lean forward when the shots were fired, helping him avoid a direct hit. However, he sustained an injury from a fragment of shattered glass. The investigation is continuing to establish the motive behind the attack, trace the weapon used in the shooting and determine the possible involvement of other individuals.
Bollywood
Tiger Shroff attack: Ashoke Pandit stands by Jackie Shroff after attack, calls for stricter action

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit has condemned the attack on actor Tiger Shroff and expressed solidarity with his father, actor Jackie Shroff, and the entire family.
He added that they must be going through immense trauma following the incident.
In an exclusive conversation with media, Ashoke Pandit also urged the Maharashtra government and the Mumbai Police to take strict action against those responsible, stating that repeated attacks have created an atmosphere of insecurity within the film industry.
Condemning the incident, Ashoke Pandit said, “I, on behalf of Film, on behalf of the National Institute of Industry and Employees, on behalf of the Director’s Association and in part the producers group, condemn this attack on one of the major celebrities of our industry, Tiger Shroff.”
He further said, “And I thank God that nothing fatal happened and he is safe. One really feels quite shocked and quite pained. And we all stand by Jackie Shroff and the entire family in this hour of crisis.”
Expressing concern over the emotional impact of the incident on the family, he added, “One can understand the trauma which Jackie and the entire family must be undergoing now. They must have never expected that this will happen to their son.”
He further expressed concern over the growing sense of insecurity within the film fraternity, pointing out that the attack on Tiger Shroff came after an earlier firing incident at filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence.
“The entire atmosphere of insecurity, unsafe, has crept into the industry. It was the second attack on our industry in recent times, where earlier, a few months back, Rohit Shetty’s house was under attack. Bullets were fired on his house also,” he said.
Pandit appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the state government’s Department of Industry and the Mumbai Police to take the matter seriously and strengthen security measures.
“So, what I very strongly feel, and I appeal on behalf of the industry to our Honourable Chief Minister, the Department of Industry, the Mumbai Police, that something serious has to be done on this issue,” he said. “Because once fear encircles our industry, it will become very difficult for us to survive. In broad daylight, somebody comes with firearms and shoots somebody and runs away. And they are also just two minutes away from Juhu Police Station.”
Questioning how the perpetrators could carry out such an attack and flee, Ashoke Pandit said the incident raised serious concerns about the security arrangements in place.
“It raises a lot of alarm, raises a lot of questions. And the basic security agencies, the confidence with which they came and they shot and they went away. It’s really scary, it’s really an issue which has to be raised and thought over,” he said.
He further said, “I very strongly feel that somewhere there is a loophole, somewhere there is a system failure, somewhere it’s a kind of lethargy, where vis-a-vis attacks on the industry is concerned. It’s really very sad, it’s really very demeaning.”
Speaking about the psychological impact of such incidents, Ashoke Pandit said the visuals of the attack could leave people feeling vulnerable and helpless.
“Your confidence shatters when you see such visuals on television screens and on mobiles. You are helpless. So, I don’t want to feel helpless. I don’t want the industry to feel helpless,” he said.
He added that the government must take stringent action against the perpetrators to prevent such incidents from recurring.
“I want the government to come heavy on all these people, all these criminals, to very openly accept that we have done this. And I’m sure the present government will take it seriously and solve this issue,” he said.
“I want the government to support the people of the industry as much as possible and give them protection so that such things don’t happen again,” he said.
Referring to previous incidents of violence, including the murder of politician Baba Siddique and firing incidents reported at actor Salman Khan’s residence and Rohit Shetty’s home, Pandit expressed concern over the recurrence of such attacks.
“Because every time, we have seen four times, Baba Siddiqui was a politician, in the middle there was firing at Salman Khan’s house, then firing at Rohit Shetty’s house, now firing at Tiger Shroff’s house. And there is only one name coming up, Lawrence Bishnoi,” he said.
When asked whether the authorities should take action against the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, Pandit said he did not wish to speculate about who was behind the incident, leaving that responsibility to the investigating agencies.
“See, I don’t want to get into that area, who has done it. That’s for the investigating agencies, that’s for the police, that’s for the government of Maharashtra to find out the real reason, who are the people involved in this. That’s not my work and it’s not my expertise either,” he said.
He reiterated that ensuring the safety of ordinary citizens was equally important, adding that everyone had the right to live without fear.
“But as you rightly said, I personally feel that not only people from this industry, every common man should be protected. Every common man has a right to live. Every common man has a right to be protected with true dignity,” he said.
“I feel very strongly that when incidents keep on happening like this and things will go out of your control, then it will be very difficult for the government and the security agencies, investigating agencies like police, to gain control again,” he said.
He added, “Because the entire psychology of fear has to be inculcated on all those people who are responsible for this. And not otherwise, not that we as common people should be fearful, it’s those people, those criminals who should be fearful, who very openly come out and fire at innocent people like this,” he said.
When asked whether such incidents sent a wrong message about the government’s ability to maintain law and order, Ashoke Pandit said the police needed to act firmly against the accused.
“If you allow these things to keep on happening, then the entire confidence of the industry will shatter. Not only our industry, even the common man, because firing on anybody from any industry creates a kind of a panic, creates a kind of fear that causes everybody, every common man,” he said.
“It’s not that it’s industry related, it’s related to a very common man who is feeling insecure, because when he was shot, there were lots of common people around. They have seen, they were eyewitnesses when it happened in front of them. So, that entire image, that entire visual when it happens in front of you remains in your mind for a lot of time,” he said.
Ashoke Pandit added that witnessing such visuals could leave citizens questioning their own safety.
“So, when we saw this also as citizens, when we saw this on screen, it creates a fear of psychosis, it creates fear that we are safe? Tomorrow, today’s happened to him, tomorrow it can happen to us, it can happen to anyone for that matter,” he said.
“So, it’s very important for the government of Maharashtra to come very heavy and our Honourable CM, Padma Viji has given a statement, he has instructed the police to go heavy on it and I’m sure with the power the government has, the system has, the police has, they will nab the culprits and will not, we’ll see to it that they will not allow these things to continue,” Pandit said.
Concluding his remarks, Ashoke Pandit said the film industry had conveyed its concerns through the media and hoped that the authorities would take the repeated incidents seriously.
“It’s through the media, we have communicated to the government of Maharashtra, we have communicated to the Chief Minister that we are really concerned and we are really perplexed, we are really shocked with this kind of an incident happening again and again,” he said.
For the uninitiated, Tiger Shroff was attacked on Sunday evening when three motorcycle-borne men allegedly opened fire at Tiger’s car in Juhu.
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