The Audi A4 is Audi’s best-selling sedan, and its fifth-generation model is now available in the Indian market. The company has done several revisions to the new version and we are going to tell you about all of them in this video.

WION Pitstop: Behind The Wheels, New Audi A4

I Care a Lot is an American dark comedy-thriller film starring Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Chris Messina, and Dianne Wiest. It is written and directed by J Blakeson. British actress Rosamund Pike, who received an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of anti-hero Amy Dunne in 'Gone Girl', takes another villainous turn in the satirical thriller.

The&nbsp;star plays Marla Grayson, a conning court-appointed guardian who brazenly takes advantage of the legal system to seize and steal her elderly clients' assets. She carries out her operation in broad daylight, working within legal parameters as much as possible, which is something that Blakeson highlights regularly — Marla is able to get away with her scam not by slipping under the radar, but by walking confidently through loopholes in the law.

In her monologue at the very beginning of the movie, she says “There are two kinds of people in this world: predators and prey.” Grayson is ambitious, shameless and poised with shark-like self-assurance and describes herself as a ''lioness''.

Grayson's character is symbolic of the evil in the world as she bribes a doctor to declare her patients mentally unfit and then persuades an overburdened, gullible judge burdened with numerous cases to appoint her as their guardian. Caring and professional in court, Marla shows her true colours out of it, as she tracks down and tricks potential clients and their families with her business and life partner Fran (Eiza Gonzalez). 
 
&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D40uHmTSPew" width="560"></iframe>

As soon as she gets the legal document, she blindsides her victims, sends them old age homes, auctions off their assets, and makes a hefty profit. When questioned she acts innocent and coincidently, fortune favours the brave. She is the personification of the bottomless appetite of American capitalism, and she is so unflinching in her avarice that she can win over other sharks who recognise a fellow predator.

As her scheme begins to unravel, Marla forges on headfirst, oozing confidence and refusing to bow out or to be intimidated into letting go of Mrs Peterson's assets. Her relationship with Fran provides the only hint of her softer side. While Marla is fearless, Fran is resourceful but, they complement each other well. They both are in search of a ''cherry'' on the cake with no strings attached to act as their big professional breakthrough.

The duo meets their match in wealthy pensioner Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest), whose tranquil suburban life turns out to be a disguise for a criminal network lead by an evil gangster (Peter Dinklage). His sentimental outbursts and antiques as a member of the mob provide comic relief in the otherwise serious film. The battle of the sexes and the rambunctious cat and mouse chase between Grayson and Ramon contribute to the development of the plot.

Both Marla and Roman have climbed high in their chosen spheres, and cannot help but admire the other’s tenacity. Corporate firms feeding on the vulnerable for their benefits strikes a chord with the current society we live in. The realism in the movie makes it grave and nauseating. But it is the harsh reality of life.

The predatory system of conservatorship highlighted in the film made me think about Britney Spears's conservatorship controversy which shares much in common with the central conceit of 'I Care a Lot'. 
 
There are a few voices in Hollywood that are so distinct and deeply etched in our memories that it is impossible to look at them play out a new role and not be reminded of the one that had made them iconic. Rosamund Pike’s Gone Girl-husky voice is one such example. It acts as an asset to this film adds a layer of wonderful threat to that salacious smile that can make any line feel magnetical, appealing, and dangerous. That voice and smile were the essences of Gone Girl and this movie is somewhat indebted to that persona.

'I Care a Lot'&nbsp;proposes, rather boldly, that the act of taking back control in a male-dominated society shouldn’t be reserved for honourable women. Because after all, there’s a gender imbalance in the world of villainy, too.

Pike's performance as an ice-cold villain is mesmerising and reminds of her perfection in 'Gone Girl'. However, this does act as drawback as well as sometimes the audience has a hard time believing them. Dinklage is effortlessly hilarious as rogue Roman and his addiction to cupcakes and donuts is one motif that renders the much-needed comic relief to his otherwise grey character.

Eiza González’s a henchwoman in ‘I Care A Lot’ and although her role rises to prominence towards the climax, she, more or less, remains overshadowed by a splendid Pike for the better part. Chris Messina’s minor character as a corporate lawyer Dean could have developed into a full-blown parallel character.

His ego tussle with the feminist Marla ends without any twists and turns and is very predictable from start to finish. They both have one thing in common, that is, they hate to lose. And as a person with such a demeanour, Dean gives up way too easily.

Dianne Wiest, who is a brilliant and incredibly talented actor could have been utlised in a much better manner. However, her character is overshadowed by Pike and Dinklage's characters. Even though the film is compelling, the editing could have been much crisper as the movie goes off the rails near its climax. Scenes feel stretched and becomes evident that the focus of the writer was on the characters rather than the plot. He struggles to get to its conclusion in one piece. The ending feels a bit rushed and abrupt.

I Care a Lot is an American dark comedy-thriller film starring Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Chris Messina, and Dianne Wiest. It is written and directed by J Blakeson.

I Care a Lot is an American dark comedy-thriller film starring Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Chris Messina, and Dianne Wiest. It is written and directed by J Blakeson. British actress Rosamund Pike, who received an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of anti-hero Amy Dunne in 'Gone Girl', takes another villainous turn in the satirical thriller. The star plays Marla Grayson, a conning court-appointed guardian who brazenly takes advantage of the legal system to seize and steal her elderly clients' assets. She carries out her operation in broad daylight, working within legal parameters as much as possible, which is something that Blakeson highlights regularly — Marla is able to get away with her scam not by slipping under the radar, but by walking confidently through loopholes in the law. In her monologue at the very beginning of the movie, she says “There are two kinds of people in this world: predators and prey.” Grayson is ambitious, shameless and poised with shark-like self-assurance and describes herself as a ''lioness''. Grayson's character is symbolic of the evil in the world as she bribes a doctor to declare her patients mentally unfit and then persuades an overburdened, gullible judge burdened with numerous cases to appoint her as their guardian. Caring and professional in court, Marla shows her true colours out of it, as she tracks down and tricks potential clients and their families with her business and life partner Fran (Eiza Gonzalez). As soon as she gets the legal document, she blindsides her victims, sends them old age homes, auctions off their assets, and makes a hefty profit. When questioned she acts innocent and coincidently, fortune favours the brave. She is the personification of the bottomless appetite of American capitalism, and she is so unflinching in her avarice that she can win over other sharks who recognise a fellow predator. As her scheme begins to unravel, Marla forges on headfirst, oozing confidence and refusing to bow out or to be intimidated into letting go of Mrs Peterson's assets. Her relationship with Fran provides the only hint of her softer side. While Marla is fearless, Fran is resourceful but, they complement each other well. They both are in search of a ''cherry'' on the cake with no strings attached to act as their big professional breakthrough. The duo meets their match in wealthy pensioner Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest), whose tranquil suburban life turns out to be a disguise for a criminal network lead by an evil gangster (Peter Dinklage). His sentimental outbursts and antiques as a member of the mob provide comic relief in the otherwise serious film. The battle of the sexes and the rambunctious cat and mouse chase between Grayson and Ramon contribute to the development of the plot. Both Marla and Roman have climbed high in their chosen spheres, and cannot help but admire the other’s tenacity. Corporate firms feeding on the vulnerable for their benefits strikes a chord with the current society we live in. The realism in the movie makes it grave and nauseating. But it is the harsh reality of life. The predatory system of conservatorship highlighted in the film made me think about Britney Spears's conservatorship controversy which shares much in common with the central conceit of 'I Care a Lot'. There are a few voices in Hollywood that are so distinct and deeply etched in our memories that it is impossible to look at them play out a new role and not be reminded of the one that had made them iconic. Rosamund Pike’s Gone Girl-husky voice is one such example. It acts as an asset to this film adds a layer of wonderful threat to that salacious smile that can make any line feel magnetical, appealing, and dangerous. That voice and smile were the essences of Gone Girl and this movie is somewhat indebted to that persona. 'I Care a Lot' proposes, rather boldly, that the act of taking back control in a male-dominated society shouldn’t be reserved for honourable women. Because after all, there’s a gender imbalance in the world of villainy, too. Pike's performance as an ice-cold villain is mesmerising and reminds of her perfection in 'Gone Girl'. However, this does act as drawback as well as sometimes the audience has a hard time believing them. Dinklage is effortlessly hilarious as rogue Roman and his addiction to cupcakes and donuts is one motif that renders the much-needed comic relief to his otherwise grey character. Eiza González’s a henchwoman in ‘I Care A Lot’ and although her role rises to prominence towards the climax, she, more or less, remains overshadowed by a splendid Pike for the better part. Chris Messina’s minor character as a corporate lawyer Dean could have developed into a full-blown parallel character. His ego tussle with the feminist Marla ends without any twists and turns and is very predictable from start to finish. They both have one thing in common, that is, they hate to lose. And as a person with such a demeanour, Dean gives up way too easily. Dianne Wiest, who is a brilliant and incredibly talented actor could have been utlised in a much better manner. However, her character is overshadowed by Pike and Dinklage's characters. Even though the film is compelling, the editing could have been much crisper as the movie goes off the rails near its climax. Scenes feel stretched and becomes evident that the focus of the writer was on the characters rather than the plot. He struggles to get to its conclusion in one piece. The ending feels a bit rushed and abrupt.

'I Care a Lot' review: An exhilarating pitch-black comedy with a stellar performance by Rosamund Pike

Lifelong friendships, group study sessions, and plenty of sleepovers: Hostel becomes a home away from home and its people become your chosen family. TVF's 'Girls Hostel Season 2' manages to go back to our past and give us a large slice of nostalgia, with an added topping of drama and suspense.

While the first season was successful in establishing the base of the story and its characters, it's actually season 2 where we see the characters develop and the narrative takes a serious turn. The rivalry between the dentistry stream and the medical stream of SVM college continues, and so does the rivalry between Jo (Srishti Srivastava) and Zahira (Parul Gulati). In the list of changes-Ramya (Shreya Mehta) makes an entry and becomes the self-proclaimed college President by bribing the Principal. Her journey from President to a contender was just a matter of days, as Zahira decides to stand against her in the first-ever college elections. From the campaigning to the declaration of results, a lot unfolds inside the walls of the girl's hostel.

Through the course of two&nbsp;and a half hours, split into 5 episodes, the show addresses a number of issues that the girls in the hostel go through. From being cramped up in a small hostel to having water problems and security issues, the show will remind you of your hostel days in one way or another. TVF has again managed to ace the 'relatability factor. Unlike many other shows/movies, they strayed away from fancy sets and have just shown regular college students on a regular college campus. 
 
&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dW1pBCOsylI" width="560"></iframe>

Due to the short duration of the show, it can be binged at one go. However, there were certain narratives which we would have liked to explore a bit more. For instance, there was a moment when the Principal told Jo and Richa (Ahsaas Channa) to dress properly and return to the hostel early every day in order to "stop giving opportunities to the guys". Such a shallow remark goes by unaddressed with the right closure by the girls and is just forgotten. Or what happened to the girl's hostel viewpoint (a small tea shop outside the hostel which was a breeding ground for creeps) after Jo destroyed it. Did they set it up again the next day? Did that put an end to the problem of guys circling around the girl's hostel? These were rushed through to complete the series in 5 episodes.

Where the show works is its characters and their relationships. After having a falling out in the previous season, Jo and Zahira don't see eye to eye on anything happening in the hostel. Their conversations are dominated by arguments and sarcastic comments. Still, in times of trouble, they have each other's back and fight the election together. Richa and Aarav (Gagan Arora) have their sweet little romance, which is stuck in the friendship zone, waiting to be taken up to the next level.

Even though they are all helping Zahira to win the student body elections, each character has its own parallel storyline going on in the background. One character that really developed this season is Mili (Simran Natekar). Once shy and quiet,&nbsp;Mili&nbsp;is now much more vocal and is actually finding herself during this season.

Girls Hostel Season 2 takes the series ahead and talks about pressing matters which need to be discussed. While taking us on a nostalgia trip, the show also explains how issues like security and fair elections are so relevant even at present times. Perhaps more episodes would have helped the show seem more complete. Nonetheless, the storyline, characters make it a perfect weekend watch.

Lifelong friendships, group study sessions, and plenty of sleepovers: Hostel becomes a home away from home and its people become your chosen family. TVF's 'Girls Hostel Season 2' manages to go back to our past and give us a large slice of nostalgia, with an added topping of drama and suspense.

Lifelong friendships, group study sessions, and plenty of sleepovers: Hostel becomes a home away from home and its people become your chosen family. TVF's 'Girls Hostel Season 2' manages to go back to our past and give us a large slice of nostalgia, with an added topping of drama and suspense. While the first season was successful in establishing the base of the story and its characters, it's actually season 2 where we see the characters develop and the narrative takes a serious turn. The rivalry between the dentistry stream and the medical stream of SVM college continues, and so does the rivalry between Jo (Srishti Srivastava) and Zahira (Parul Gulati). In the list of changes-Ramya (Shreya Mehta) makes an entry and becomes the self-proclaimed college President by bribing the Principal. Her journey from President to a contender was just a matter of days, as Zahira decides to stand against her in the first-ever college elections. From the campaigning to the declaration of results, a lot unfolds inside the walls of the girl's hostel. Through the course of two and a half hours, split into 5 episodes, the show addresses a number of issues that the girls in the hostel go through. From being cramped up in a small hostel to having water problems and security issues, the show will remind you of your hostel days in one way or another. TVF has again managed to ace the 'relatability factor. Unlike many other shows/movies, they strayed away from fancy sets and have just shown regular college students on a regular college campus. Due to the short duration of the show, it can be binged at one go. However, there were certain narratives which we would have liked to explore a bit more. For instance, there was a moment when the Principal told Jo and Richa (Ahsaas Channa) to dress properly and return to the hostel early every day in order to "stop giving opportunities to the guys". Such a shallow remark goes by unaddressed with the right closure by the girls and is just forgotten. Or what happened to the girl's hostel viewpoint (a small tea shop outside the hostel which was a breeding ground for creeps) after Jo destroyed it. Did they set it up again the next day? Did that put an end to the problem of guys circling around the girl's hostel? These were rushed through to complete the series in 5 episodes. Where the show works is its characters and their relationships. After having a falling out in the previous season, Jo and Zahira don't see eye to eye on anything happening in the hostel. Their conversations are dominated by arguments and sarcastic comments. Still, in times of trouble, they have each other's back and fight the election together. Richa and Aarav (Gagan Arora) have their sweet little romance, which is stuck in the friendship zone, waiting to be taken up to the next level. Even though they are all helping Zahira to win the student body elections, each character has its own parallel storyline going on in the background. One character that really developed this season is Mili (Simran Natekar). Once shy and quiet, Mili is now much more vocal and is actually finding herself during this season. Girls Hostel Season 2 takes the series ahead and talks about pressing matters which need to be discussed. While taking us on a nostalgia trip, the show also explains how issues like security and fair elections are so relevant even at present times. Perhaps more episodes would have helped the show seem more complete. Nonetheless, the storyline, characters make it a perfect weekend watch.

Girls Hostel Season 2 review: A nostalgic trip with relevance to the present times

Somewhere near the climax, the lead character and narrator of the film Balram quotes poet Iqbal’s words “the moment that you realise what’s beautiful in the world, you stop being a slave”, ‘The White Tiger’ shows you a mirror in the opposite direction. Directed by Ram Bahrani, ‘The White Tiger’, an adaptation of Booker-prize winning novel by Aravind Adiga, is everything we know about the society we live in, yet choose to ignore by saying this is how the country functions. 
 
Balram (Adarsh Gourav) is a rarity in a village living in servitude, out of necessity and fear, and breaks out the clutter only to create one of his own. The story of the film is all about him breaking out of a rooster coup served to him on a platter by society. Through the symbolism of class, caste, and other divides, that persist in the society, ‘The White Tiger’ actually is a story of a rare man born into the most ordinary circumstances known to him, where he makes the end extraordinary, adapting and accepting the shade of darkness that liberation brings. 
 
Now, one can say the film is a social commentary about a lot of things that persist in the ‘poor democracy’ that’s India. Maybe, more so now, but calling it that would take away the light from the film and put it on the genius of the story that has already been widely appreciated. The cunning story of a rare man could not have been brought alive better by anyone other than Adarsh. The way he imbibes Balram, his servitude, his ambitions, and his constant struggle to seek out an exit, makes you root for him. You know his intentions are not moral, but then neither has been his entire life. Balram is not a man out of choices, he’s not a distressed poor man who did what he did out of no options, or do and die situation, he did it because he believed in himself, something, not all has the privilege of doing. An endearing performance, Adarsh as Balram fits in the regular crowd yet his eyes speak a different language of confidence.&nbsp;In a cast filled with power performers like &nbsp;Mahesh Manjrekar, Rajkummar Rao, and Priyanka Chopra, Adarsh is true ‘The White Tiger’. 
 
 
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/35jJNyFuYKQ" width="560"></iframe> 
Speaking of the supporting cast Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra fit decently in their parts. Rajkummar as a privileged, educated yet spineless Ashok is what many would relate to. Many are Ashok, while many see an Ashok in a&nbsp; day to day life, something the story hits close to home. He’s a champagne socialist, trying to make it in a corrupt democracy, with a big vision but not enough belief to go ahead with it. Priyanka as Pinky falls somewhat in the same category, the middle ground holder, the enablers, who want to eradicate the big difference between the master and the servant but don’t know-how. 
 
So is ‘The White Tiger' a more real ‘Slumdog Millionaire'? Well. No. Calling it that would be a disrespect of Adiga’s story and Bahrani's impeccable execution. ‘The White Tiger’ is when a servant goes rogue and that’s about it. He’s not changing the system. He’s neither a messiah of the poor nor is he giving a cheat code to break out of the coup. He’s just a shrewd rooster who got out and that’s his story. 
 
Another brilliant aspect in the film is Paolo Carnera’s cinematography of the village of Balram, to the Delhi that you and I recognise. It makes you look up at the sky-rise building with Balram but immediately brings you down to the pavement encroached with homeless people selling ‘faith’ on roads. There’s nothing beautiful in the film and that gives it its flavour of grittiness and suffocation, the way the main character Balram feels. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/the-white-tiger-to-wandavision-january-guide-for-everything-new-to-watch-353566">'The White Tiger' to 'WandaVision': January guide for everything new to watch</a> 
 
 
Ram Bahrani has hit the bull’s eye with ‘The White Tiger’ and while the association of Priyanka Chopra serving as one of the producers might give a feel of it hanging a foot in the Western gaze, in reality, that’s how Balram would’ve wanted it to be. And a film that follows the footstep of its lead character, is the film done brilliantly. 
 
An invested watch, the film thrives on its acting, execution, and a motive of staying true to its narrator’s vision and vision alone. Not a commentary on India’s divide, ‘The White Tiger’ is the story of a place we recognise and many don’t survive.&nbsp;

Somewhere near the climax, the lead character and narrator of the film Balram quotes poet Iqbal’s words “the moment that you realise what’s beautiful in the world, you stop being a slave”, ‘The White Tiger’ shows you a mirror in the opposite direction.

Somewhere near the climax, the lead character and narrator of the film Balram quotes poet Iqbal’s words “the moment that you realise what’s beautiful in the world, you stop being a slave”, ‘The White Tiger’ shows you a mirror in the opposite direction. Directed by Ram Bahrani, ‘The White Tiger’, an adaptation of Booker-prize winning novel by Aravind Adiga, is everything we know about the society we live in, yet choose to ignore by saying this is how the country functions. Balram (Adarsh Gourav) is a rarity in a village living in servitude, out of necessity and fear, and breaks out the clutter only to create one of his own. The story of the film is all about him breaking out of a rooster coup served to him on a platter by society. Through the symbolism of class, caste, and other divides, that persist in the society, ‘The White Tiger’ actually is a story of a rare man born into the most ordinary circumstances known to him, where he makes the end extraordinary, adapting and accepting the shade of darkness that liberation brings. Now, one can say the film is a social commentary about a lot of things that persist in the ‘poor democracy’ that’s India. Maybe, more so now, but calling it that would take away the light from the film and put it on the genius of the story that has already been widely appreciated. The cunning story of a rare man could not have been brought alive better by anyone other than Adarsh. The way he imbibes Balram, his servitude, his ambitions, and his constant struggle to seek out an exit, makes you root for him. You know his intentions are not moral, but then neither has been his entire life. Balram is not a man out of choices, he’s not a distressed poor man who did what he did out of no options, or do and die situation, he did it because he believed in himself, something, not all has the privilege of doing. An endearing performance, Adarsh as Balram fits in the regular crowd yet his eyes speak a different language of confidence. In a cast filled with power performers like Mahesh Manjrekar, Rajkummar Rao, and Priyanka Chopra, Adarsh is true ‘The White Tiger’. Speaking of the supporting cast Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra fit decently in their parts. Rajkummar as a privileged, educated yet spineless Ashok is what many would relate to. Many are Ashok, while many see an Ashok in a day to day life, something the story hits close to home. He’s a champagne socialist, trying to make it in a corrupt democracy, with a big vision but not enough belief to go ahead with it. Priyanka as Pinky falls somewhat in the same category, the middle ground holder, the enablers, who want to eradicate the big difference between the master and the servant but don’t know-how. So is ‘The White Tiger' a more real ‘Slumdog Millionaire'? Well. No. Calling it that would be a disrespect of Adiga’s story and Bahrani's impeccable execution. ‘The White Tiger’ is when a servant goes rogue and that’s about it. He’s not changing the system. He’s neither a messiah of the poor nor is he giving a cheat code to break out of the coup. He’s just a shrewd rooster who got out and that’s his story. Another brilliant aspect in the film is Paolo Carnera’s cinematography of the village of Balram, to the Delhi that you and I recognise. It makes you look up at the sky-rise building with Balram but immediately brings you down to the pavement encroached with homeless people selling ‘faith’ on roads. There’s nothing beautiful in the film and that gives it its flavour of grittiness and suffocation, the way the main character Balram feels. 'The White Tiger' to 'WandaVision': January guide for everything new to watch Ram Bahrani has hit the bull’s eye with ‘The White Tiger’ and while the association of Priyanka Chopra serving as one of the producers might give a feel of it hanging a foot in the Western gaze, in reality, that’s how Balram would’ve wanted it to be. And a film that follows the footstep of its lead character, is the film done brilliantly. An invested watch, the film thrives on its acting, execution, and a motive of staying true to its narrator’s vision and vision alone. Not a commentary on India’s divide, ‘The White Tiger’ is the story of a place we recognise and many don’t survive.

'The White Tiger' review: Adarsh Gourav shines in Priyanka Chopra-Rajkummar Rao starrer; showing a mirror to India's sense of servitude

There have been talks of the film ‘Pieces Of A Woman’ being an Oscar contender with acting nods for leading actors Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBeouf and we tell you reasons for why everyone&nbsp;thinks like this and rightly so. Released on Netflix on January 8, ‘Pieces Of A Woman’ is equal parts moving and thought-triggering as it deals with the intricacies of a married couple’s relationship after they lose a newborn child.&nbsp;

The film starts with an intense childbirth that will need you to sit with a box of tissues as Vanessa Kirby (Martha), the pregnant woman goes through labour with the support of her husband Shia LaBeouf (Sean) at their home. The director Kornel Mundruczo makes the couple’s home their sanctuary and it drives the film from there with passion and grief. Almost half an hour long, the childbirth sequence will make you go through highs and lows like you’ve not experienced in the recent while watching a film. Vanessa is excellent as a pregnant woman who has given an Oscar-worthy performance and the role is quite a shift from her last outing as Princess Margaret in Netflix’s ‘The Crown’. It shows her range and we can’t wait to see more from her.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="446" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1zLKbMAZNGI" width="793"></iframe>

Shia LaBeouf is fabulous on screen as the husband who is supportive and affectionate to start with and then goes through a tumultuous range of emotions having lost his newborn child within seconds of her coming into the world. It could have been a performance that would earn him a mention in the awards cycle for this year but committees would ignore him considering he’s been charged with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/actor-shia-labeouf-accused-of-abuse-by-ex-girlfriend-fka-twigs-349211">‘abuse’ allegations by ex girlfriend</a> and incidentally as Sean, he abuses his wife Martha in the film too as she goes through a mournful period of coping with trauma of losing one’s child.&nbsp;

Another actor worth mentioning is Ellen Burstyn who plays Martha’s Holocaust survivor mother who is bitchy to Sean but a solid support system for Martha only a rather dominant one.

The film ‘Pieces Of A Woman’ on the whole is about trauma and coping with it,&nbsp;only more complex as it revolves around the most complicated being on the planet -- humans.&nbsp;

There have been talks of the film ‘Pieces Of A Woman’ being an Oscar contender with acting nods for leading actors Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBeouf and we tell you reasons for why everyone thinks like this and rightly so.

There have been talks of the film ‘Pieces Of A Woman’ being an Oscar contender with acting nods for leading actors Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBeouf and we tell you reasons for why everyone thinks like this and rightly so. Released on Netflix on January 8, ‘Pieces Of A Woman’ is equal parts moving and thought-triggering as it deals with the intricacies of a married couple’s relationship after they lose a newborn child. The film starts with an intense childbirth that will need you to sit with a box of tissues as Vanessa Kirby (Martha), the pregnant woman goes through labour with the support of her husband Shia LaBeouf (Sean) at their home. The director Kornel Mundruczo makes the couple’s home their sanctuary and it drives the film from there with passion and grief. Almost half an hour long, the childbirth sequence will make you go through highs and lows like you’ve not experienced in the recent while watching a film. Vanessa is excellent as a pregnant woman who has given an Oscar-worthy performance and the role is quite a shift from her last outing as Princess Margaret in Netflix’s ‘The Crown’. It shows her range and we can’t wait to see more from her. Shia LaBeouf is fabulous on screen as the husband who is supportive and affectionate to start with and then goes through a tumultuous range of emotions having lost his newborn child within seconds of her coming into the world. It could have been a performance that would earn him a mention in the awards cycle for this year but committees would ignore him considering he’s been charged with ‘abuse’ allegations by ex girlfriend and incidentally as Sean, he abuses his wife Martha in the film too as she goes through a mournful period of coping with trauma of losing one’s child. Another actor worth mentioning is Ellen Burstyn who plays Martha’s Holocaust survivor mother who is bitchy to Sean but a solid support system for Martha only a rather dominant one. The film ‘Pieces Of A Woman’ on the whole is about trauma and coping with it, only more complex as it revolves around the most complicated being on the planet -- humans.

'Pieces Of A Woman' review: Vanessa Kirby is brilliant in this heartbreaking film

'The Mandalorian'&nbsp;season 2 finale is here and it’s as mindblowing as you’d expect it to be. To put it straight after doing fan-service with Ahsoka Tano and Boba Fett, let’s say the makers saved the biggest surprise for the last.

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Any fan of the series would be feeling numb&nbsp;at the fact that the series finale, which was laden with cameos from around the galaxy, paid homage to the franchise in the most beautiful manner possible. While the fan-fictions were having their own speculations as to who would take Grogu under their wing and which Force the little green guy would up yielding, the sky looks blue for him (that’s enough spoiler to be given in this review).

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eW7Twd85m2g" width="560"></iframe>

The finale sees almost all the important characters introduced this season joining&nbsp;hands to rescue the child from Moff Gideon. Mando, with the help of Bo-Katan, Koska Reeves, Cara Dune, and Fennec Shand make their way to the Imperial vessel. Mando wants The Child back, and Bo-Katan wants the Darksaber and Gideon’s head, as well as his spaceship. However, Cara wants the Imperial Boss alive in tonight’s gripping season 2 finale which was directed by Peyton Reed and written by series creator Jon Favreau. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-the-mandalorian-season-2-review-first-two-episodes-promise-a-thrilling-journey-into-the-known-star-wars-galaxy-341380">Also read:&nbsp;First two episodes of 'The Mandalorian' season 2 promise a thrilling journey into the known 'Star Wars' galaxy</a> 
 
Filled with blasting action, some dark trooper scare and the power of baskar, the finale is everything one expects it to be. The finale has answered a lot many questions that were built up throughout the series, but have also opened the gates for major new ones, as to, where is the series headed next, is this the end of Mando-Grogu adventures? Will the man in Baskar’s next adventure be all about claiming Mandalore?

Oh as for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/the-mandalorian-spin-off-series-announced-for-disney-350809">Boba Fett, there’s a special post-credit scene declaring a new series based on the beloved character</a> (this does not count as a spoiler). There are so many stories that have been churned out of the galaxy and already three spin-offs from The Mandalorian itself, the fear is, creatively the studio might spread itself too thin. After two blockbuster seasons, that’ll be heartbreaking for creator Jon Favreau. However, as we all know how big a fan-service oriented filmmaker he is, the pieces might all fall into place and we might get a Universe full of stories known-unknown and cameos that’ll satisfy the George Lucas fans in us.

'The Mandalorian' Season 2 finale, if only it was released on a big screen, the Star Wars fans might’ve had their own mini ‘Avengers Assemble’ goosebump moment with shouts and shrieks. If the real world is not engulfed by aliens or viruses, we might have some clues and little answers by next Christmas.&nbsp;

'The Mandalorian' season 2 finale is here and it’s as mindblowing as you’d expect it to be. To put it straight after doing fan-service with Ahsoka Tano and Boba Fett, let’s say the makers saved the biggest surprise for the last.

'The Mandalorian' season 2 finale is here and it’s as mindblowing as you’d expect it to be. To put it straight after doing fan-service with Ahsoka Tano and Boba Fett, let’s say the makers saved the biggest surprise for the last. Any fan of the series would be feeling numb at the fact that the series finale, which was laden with cameos from around the galaxy, paid homage to the franchise in the most beautiful manner possible. While the fan-fictions were having their own speculations as to who would take Grogu under their wing and which Force the little green guy would up yielding, the sky looks blue for him (that’s enough spoiler to be given in this review). The finale sees almost all the important characters introduced this season joining hands to rescue the child from Moff Gideon. Mando, with the help of Bo-Katan, Koska Reeves, Cara Dune, and Fennec Shand make their way to the Imperial vessel. Mando wants The Child back, and Bo-Katan wants the Darksaber and Gideon’s head, as well as his spaceship. However, Cara wants the Imperial Boss alive in tonight’s gripping season 2 finale which was directed by Peyton Reed and written by series creator Jon Favreau. Also read: First two episodes of 'The Mandalorian' season 2 promise a thrilling journey into the known 'Star Wars' galaxy Filled with blasting action, some dark trooper scare and the power of baskar, the finale is everything one expects it to be. The finale has answered a lot many questions that were built up throughout the series, but have also opened the gates for major new ones, as to, where is the series headed next, is this the end of Mando-Grogu adventures? Will the man in Baskar’s next adventure be all about claiming Mandalore? Oh as for Boba Fett, there’s a special post-credit scene declaring a new series based on the beloved character (this does not count as a spoiler). There are so many stories that have been churned out of the galaxy and already three spin-offs from The Mandalorian itself, the fear is, creatively the studio might spread itself too thin. After two blockbuster seasons, that’ll be heartbreaking for creator Jon Favreau. However, as we all know how big a fan-service oriented filmmaker he is, the pieces might all fall into place and we might get a Universe full of stories known-unknown and cameos that’ll satisfy the George Lucas fans in us. 'The Mandalorian' Season 2 finale, if only it was released on a big screen, the Star Wars fans might’ve had their own mini ‘Avengers Assemble’ goosebump moment with shouts and shrieks. If the real world is not engulfed by aliens or viruses, we might have some clues and little answers by next Christmas.

'The Mandalorian' S2 review: A blasting finale of a cameo-packed season 

There are reality-based shows that you love, shows that you like and shows that you binge out of habit. Then there is Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Productions' ‘Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives’, a show that so badly wants to be a guilt binge, that it even fails at being a proper cringe. 
 
'Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives' dwindles somewhere between ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ and ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’. The four women in the series - Bhavana Panday, Maheep Kapoor, Seema Khan and Neelam Kothari Soni - are celebs, living lives&nbsp;beyond the&nbsp;media spotlight. Bhavana, Chunky Panday's wife and mother of Ananya Pandey. Maheep is the wife of Sanjay Kapoor and is part of one of Bollywood’s legacy families. Seema Khan is Sohail Khan's wife, and a fashion designer and then we have 80s popular face and now a jewellery designer Neelam who is married to actor Samir Soni. 
 
 
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5IQ645-UUV4" width="560"></iframe> 
It has all the elements to attract any person invested in Bollywood (urm.. Nearly half of India) with names that are famous enough to gossip about, but not enough to gain the national spotlight. The eight-episode series wants to be flashy but lacks the sheen. 
 
It had the spunk in the idea but alas, the four wives fail to make it appetising enough. At the age and stage when Kardashian-worshippers gobble up anything and everything ‘celebrity reality’ through the internet, ‘Bollywood Wives’ is too outdated. 
 
The four women are irrelevant and remain so till the end of the show. They try so hard to be pretentious enough for the viewers to peek into their lives, but even their shallowness feels shallow. Everything feels staged, from their talks to their reactions and the extra effort put in by Karan to turn segments into an unfiltered Koffee With Karan (lite). Maheep Kapoor tries her best to be this obnoxious yet lovable leader of the clan, with her undying urge to stay millennial-friendly. However, it feels someone failed to give her a memo that not every word needs to be this loud and about to gain attention, the lazy presence of the other three anyway helps her the most to shine (if you would like to call it that). Bhavana Pandey feels like a misfit in the series. Either she is too poised or too scared to be in a show that promises to bare-all about their lives. Seema Khan is respite in a few episodes, promising to stir some drama effortlessly but then it fizzles out when focus shifts to our fourth Bollywood wife Neelam. 
 
One can say that the whole show was kind of orchestrated to bring Neelam back on the public radar. The emphasis on her getting back to acting is so much, and so staged that it felt unreal. All the conversation feels imposed, otherwise which tight-knit group of 25 years acts like they’ve never been on a vacation together and discovering (don’t confuse it with re-discovering) a different side of one another. 
 
The plus of any reality-based show is its intrigue and power to present a narrative that is glamorous yet relatable. Here, the makers have made it glamorous but forgot to make it even a bit relatable. It might have worked as a Netflix fiction show about four middle-aged women, but as a reality show, it’s just lazy and disappointing. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/karan-johar-strikes-pose-with-bollywood-wives-as-fabulous-lives-premiers-on-netflix-345859">Also see:&nbsp;Karan Johar strikes pose with 'Bollywood wives' as 'Fabulous Lives' premiers on Netflix</a> 
 
The final episode is the only one where the viewer feels the magic of the show-biz and that’s because of the presence of Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri. Had the makers taken her along with the likes of Twinkle Khanna, Sussanne Khan and Malaika Arora, that would’ve made for a killer binge-show, but then that’s wishful thinking. At times the show also feels like a justification on Nepotism by the likes of Maheep who says ‘what can one do about it’ and Karan Johar trying to give it an emotional spin, making the show feel soppy rather than spunky. 
 
Honestly, as a connoisseur of cringe-binge, I had high hopes from '....Bollywood Wives' but it just failed to be ‘too bad that’s it’s good’. All this show gives you is a yawn, a dashing Shah Rukh Khan for 10 mins and an accent that comes and goes at its own convenience. Oh and also a future announcement that Neelam is coming back onscreen, most likely in some ‘Dharmatic Production’. 
 
If Karan is seriously considering making ‘Fabulous Lives’ into a franchise, it would be better to cast the kids next. They seriously felt more intriguing and interesting than their mothers, who think that hummus is the most difficult dish to make on this earth. 
 
To be honest more drama happened in my life while watching the show, than in the lives of four women combined. If that doesn’t speak B-O-R-I-N-G, I don’t know what else will.

There are reality-based shows that you love, shows that you like and shows that you binge out of habit. Then there is Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Productions' ‘Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives’, a show that so badly wants to be a guilt binge, that it even fails at being a proper cringe.

There are reality-based shows that you love, shows that you like and shows that you binge out of habit. Then there is Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Productions' ‘Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives’, a show that so badly wants to be a guilt binge, that it even fails at being a proper cringe. 'Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives' dwindles somewhere between ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ and ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’. The four women in the series - Bhavana Panday, Maheep Kapoor, Seema Khan and Neelam Kothari Soni - are celebs, living lives beyond the media spotlight. Bhavana, Chunky Panday's wife and mother of Ananya Pandey. Maheep is the wife of Sanjay Kapoor and is part of one of Bollywood’s legacy families. Seema Khan is Sohail Khan's wife, and a fashion designer and then we have 80s popular face and now a jewellery designer Neelam who is married to actor Samir Soni. It has all the elements to attract any person invested in Bollywood (urm.. Nearly half of India) with names that are famous enough to gossip about, but not enough to gain the national spotlight. The eight-episode series wants to be flashy but lacks the sheen. It had the spunk in the idea but alas, the four wives fail to make it appetising enough. At the age and stage when Kardashian-worshippers gobble up anything and everything ‘celebrity reality’ through the internet, ‘Bollywood Wives’ is too outdated. The four women are irrelevant and remain so till the end of the show. They try so hard to be pretentious enough for the viewers to peek into their lives, but even their shallowness feels shallow. Everything feels staged, from their talks to their reactions and the extra effort put in by Karan to turn segments into an unfiltered Koffee With Karan (lite). Maheep Kapoor tries her best to be this obnoxious yet lovable leader of the clan, with her undying urge to stay millennial-friendly. However, it feels someone failed to give her a memo that not every word needs to be this loud and about to gain attention, the lazy presence of the other three anyway helps her the most to shine (if you would like to call it that). Bhavana Pandey feels like a misfit in the series. Either she is too poised or too scared to be in a show that promises to bare-all about their lives. Seema Khan is respite in a few episodes, promising to stir some drama effortlessly but then it fizzles out when focus shifts to our fourth Bollywood wife Neelam. One can say that the whole show was kind of orchestrated to bring Neelam back on the public radar. The emphasis on her getting back to acting is so much, and so staged that it felt unreal. All the conversation feels imposed, otherwise which tight-knit group of 25 years acts like they’ve never been on a vacation together and discovering (don’t confuse it with re-discovering) a different side of one another. The plus of any reality-based show is its intrigue and power to present a narrative that is glamorous yet relatable. Here, the makers have made it glamorous but forgot to make it even a bit relatable. It might have worked as a Netflix fiction show about four middle-aged women, but as a reality show, it’s just lazy and disappointing. Also see: Karan Johar strikes pose with 'Bollywood wives' as 'Fabulous Lives' premiers on Netflix The final episode is the only one where the viewer feels the magic of the show-biz and that’s because of the presence of Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri. Had the makers taken her along with the likes of Twinkle Khanna, Sussanne Khan and Malaika Arora, that would’ve made for a killer binge-show, but then that’s wishful thinking. At times the show also feels like a justification on Nepotism by the likes of Maheep who says ‘what can one do about it’ and Karan Johar trying to give it an emotional spin, making the show feel soppy rather than spunky. Honestly, as a connoisseur of cringe-binge, I had high hopes from '....Bollywood Wives' but it just failed to be ‘too bad that’s it’s good’. All this show gives you is a yawn, a dashing Shah Rukh Khan for 10 mins and an accent that comes and goes at its own convenience. Oh and also a future announcement that Neelam is coming back onscreen, most likely in some ‘Dharmatic Production’. If Karan is seriously considering making ‘Fabulous Lives’ into a franchise, it would be better to cast the kids next. They seriously felt more intriguing and interesting than their mothers, who think that hummus is the most difficult dish to make on this earth. To be honest more drama happened in my life while watching the show, than in the lives of four women combined. If that doesn’t speak B-O-R-I-N-G, I don’t know what else will.

'Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives' review: Lack of drama & oomph makes it a skippable cringe rather than guilt-binge

An American has been sued by an island resort in Thailand over a negative Tripadvisor review.

Wesley Barnes could face up to two years in prison if found guilty, authorities said on Saturday.

Coronavirus numbers are relatively low in Thailand, making way for domestic tourism. Koh Chang island, famed for its sandy beaches and turquoise waters, is also witnessing footfall.

A recent visit to the Sea View Resort on the island landed Barnes in trouble after he wrote unflattering online reviews about his holiday.

According to the Tripadvisor review Barnes posted in July, he encountered "unfriendly staff" who "act like they don't want anyone here".

"The Sea View Resort owner filed a complaint that the defendant had posted unfair reviews on his hotel on the Tripadvisor website," Colonel Thanapon Taemsara of Koh Chang police told AFP.

He said Barnes was accused of causing "damage to the reputation of the hotel", and of quarrelling with staff over not paying a corkage fee for alcohol brought to the hotel.

Barnes, who works in Thailand, was arrested by immigration police and returned to Koh Chang where he was briefly detained and then freed on bail. The maximum sentence is two years in prison, along with a 200,000 baht ($6,300) fine.

Thailand's notorious anti-defamation laws have long drawn scrutiny from human rights and press freedom groups, who say powerful players use it as a weapon to stifle free expression.

An American has been sued by an island resort in Thailand over a negative Tripadvisor review. Wesley Barnes could face up to two years in prison if found guilty, authorities said on Saturday.

An American has been sued by an island resort in Thailand over a negative Tripadvisor review. Wesley Barnes could face up to two years in prison if found guilty, authorities said on Saturday. Coronavirus numbers are relatively low in Thailand, making way for domestic tourism. Koh Chang island, famed for its sandy beaches and turquoise waters, is also witnessing footfall. A recent visit to the Sea View Resort on the island landed Barnes in trouble after he wrote unflattering online reviews about his holiday. According to the Tripadvisor review Barnes posted in July, he encountered "unfriendly staff" who "act like they don't want anyone here". "The Sea View Resort owner filed a complaint that the defendant had posted unfair reviews on his hotel on the Tripadvisor website," Colonel Thanapon Taemsara of Koh Chang police told AFP. He said Barnes was accused of causing "damage to the reputation of the hotel", and of quarrelling with staff over not paying a corkage fee for alcohol brought to the hotel. Barnes, who works in Thailand, was arrested by immigration police and returned to Koh Chang where he was briefly detained and then freed on bail. The maximum sentence is two years in prison, along with a 200,000 baht ($6,300) fine. Thailand's notorious anti-defamation laws have long drawn scrutiny from human rights and press freedom groups, who say powerful players use it as a weapon to stifle free expression.

American sued in Thailand over negative review on internet

Samsung announced its flagship Galaxy Note 20 Ultra smartphone at a time when the pandemic was still raging. The Note line of devices is the cornerstone of everything Samsung does in the smartphone business. While the Galaxy S line of devices are equally powerful, it’s the Note series that elevates the smartphone game year after year.

Back in August, the Note 20 Ultra was put on sale in India at a starting price of Rs 1,04,999. That’s a hefty asking price during a worldwide pandemic. Budgets may be stretched but if the product is that good, then why not?

I’ve been using the smartphone for over a month now and here’s why I think the Note 20 Ultra has a lot to offer

Design: Similar to the previous Note 10+

Let’s start with the design. The smartphone is all-screen at the front, while the back is covered with glass and has curved sides with a thin metal band. There’s the flat top and bottom. It’s one of those designs that immediately stands out despite its gigantic nature.

The 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED display is simply stunning to look at. It’s the back of the smartphone that will attract all the attention though. It’s got an enormous camera bump. So much so that the smartphone will never lie flat on a table when on its back.

What’s best about the rear panel is the frosted glass back. Probably the best Samsung has ever used. It hides fingerprints more than most other phones and also provides for a comfortable grip in one’s hand. In certain situations - answering calls and checking notifications - one-handed usage may be possible but this is really a phone for both your hands.

Samsung’s Note 20 Ultra is the first smartphone in the world to use the new Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back. It can withstand drops up to 2 metres and is twice as scratch-resistant as compared to Gorilla Glass 6.

The camera module is covered with Gorilla Glass 6. Despite a few drops and a couple of nicks here and there, there hasn’t been a single dent on my Note 20 Ultra. It is one sturdy device.

Mystic Bronze goodness

Is the mystic bronze colour really all that it is hyped up to be? The answer to that is YES. It may look like rose gold in certain lightings but it’s got this understated elegance to it. Thanks to the matte finish, there are close to zero fingerprints.

Display: Gorgeousness

<img alt="Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a56f986f-1474-42e9-a910-cc4c38b7a7b4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Samsung%20display%20final.jpg" />

The best-in-class display shows off its strengths on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.. It might be massive at 6.9 inches but it is pretty faultless. The colours are vivid and punchy and when maxed out at QHD+ resolution, binge-watching is a super treat.

The 120Hz screen refresh rate has been much better implemented than on the Galaxy S20 Plus and S20 Ultra. There’s the “Adaptive” motion smoothness, that adjusts the refresh rate based on the action being performed on the screen. Essentially, this saves battery in the long-run.

The one negative is the optical fingerprint scanner that is buried under the display. It’s easy to set up but the positioning is off. It’s the exact same sensor as in the Note 10+ but it’s inconsistent and slow.

Curved screens: Yay or nay?

The curved display of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra looks immersive, with its waterfall edge. But the edge-to-edge display makes it easy for accidental touches to occur. It’s more prominent when gripping the phone with one hand and typing with the other. Far too many times I unintentionally touched a part of the display I didn’t want to and it got in the way of my typic. Sometimes, an app would be closed by accident.

Some touch rejection along the edges would make this issue mostly go away.

Performance: Will breeze through any task

Despite the Indian variant of the Note 20 Ultra having the Exynos 990 chipset and not the Snapdragon 865+, the smartphone can handle any task with aplomb.

Whether it is capturing multiple photos, flipping through social media feeds, playing game after game, or just reading, the Note 20 Ultra will never slow down.

The Note 20 Ultra developed significant heat during my usage. Whether it was playing Call of Duty: Mobile, taking multiple pictures or even just charging the smartphone, the Note 20 Ultra got hotter than usual. It wasn’t too hot to hold at any point though.

Software: One UI 2.5

Samsung’s Note 20 Ultra runs the latest One UI 2.5 based on Android 10. It’s almost identical to S20 Ultra but has some nifty S Pen features such as handwriting recognition, translation and gesture support and various screen writing and screenshot tools.&nbsp;

One UI 2.5 may be filled with Samsung apps and a Galaxy Store (that basically acts as a duplicate), but the software works well and is very heavily-customised to suit the consumers’ needs. Samsung has promised three years of major Android updates and monthly security patches which bodes well for the company’s outlook.

Battery life: Middling at best

With the Galaxy S20 Ultra there was rarely a time I had to charge the smartphone in the same day. Samsung decided to stick with a 4,500 mAh despite the huge display and state-of-the-art processor. Sure, it is an improvement over the Note 10+’s 4,300 mAh battery, but was hardly an improvement in real world usage.

The Note 20 Ultra lasted me a day and over 5 hours of screen-on-time but barely any charge leftover to last through the night. I always have to put it on charge before hitting the sack.

With the S20 Ultra earlier this year, I rarely had to charge it at night. It was only in the morning, while getting ready, did I put it for charge.

The Note 20 Ultra ships with a 25W charger which means the phone takes about 70 minutes to reach a full charge from being dead. The Note 20 Ultra also supposes 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.

Cameras: The all-important laser autofocus sensor

<img alt="Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review:" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f590d802-1d85-448e-9486-a3e0e6523306" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Camera%20final.jpg" />

One of the biggest downfalls of the S20 Ulta’s camera was blurry shots. The S20 Ultra had 100x digital zoom but the photos were blurry in both zoom shots and general shots.

The laser autofocus helps with all kinds of shorts. It provides for less blurry photos on the whole. Even those with the shakiest of hands get a huge benefit here.

Also, the Note 20 Ultra uses pixel-binning technology. This basically means that it uses a higher lens to capture a shot as smaller megapixels. Then it combines them for a rich and detailed shot. A 108-megapixel lens delivers 27-megapixel shots. It combines four pixels into one.

The Note 20 Ultra has a triple-camera setup plus the laser autofocus sensor.

<ul>
	<li>A 108-megapixel wide-angle camera: You can shoot at full 108 megapixels or the pixel-binned 27-megapixel shots.</li>
	<li>A 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera: This can be used to capture a wider field of view.</li>
	<li>A 12-megapixel telephoto camera: This lens allows for you to capture more details (when zoomed in) and offers up to 5x optical zoom.</li>
</ul>

The Note 20 Ultra’s camera is a huge step up from the S20 Ultra’s camera setup. The speed of the capture and the transitions between the three lenses is excellent. In good lighting, the photos are rich in detail with great colours. The low-light performance has been vastly improved. Using the Night mode is a pleasure.

It is the 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera that steals the show. One of the best implementations of an ultra-wide camera on any phone.

The 12-megapixel telephoto camera is definitely a step up from the S20 Ultra. The optical zoom makes a difference but going into digital zoom and anything over 30x is just not good.

Video quality up to 8K is also quite good and you get a range of shooting options. Finally, the 10-megapixel selfie camera is simply excellent.

This is by far Samsung’s best camera on any of its smartphones. It’s a reliable camera that you can just pull out of your pocket and shoot dozens of great photos in mere minutes.

S Pen: Game-changer

The S Pen on the Note series of devices has been a game changer since Day One. This time around, the latency on the S Pen has been drastically reduced making it a pleasure to use all the time. Taking notes is faster and more accurate.

The Air Actions and the physical button is great. I use it mostly to as a camera shutter

Final observations: Worth the price tag?

While I love the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and it is Samsung’s best photo to date, expensive smartphones just don’t cut it anymore. Going down the ladder, there are plenty of other phones that offer almost as much as the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra but for far less.

Samsung played it safe with the Note 20 Ultra but that isn’t to cut into the fact that this is a fantastic device. Despite some shortcomings, the Note 20 Ultra has risen to the top of the Android smartphone charts.

During a pandemic nonetheless, spending over one lakh rupees is sheer exuberance. Once the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is on discount, it will be a fantastic deal.

Samsung announced its flagship Galaxy Note 20 Ultra smartphone at a time when the pandemic was still raging. The Note line of devices is the cornerstone of everything Samsung does in the smartphone business.

Samsung announced its flagship Galaxy Note 20 Ultra smartphone at a time when the pandemic was still raging. The Note line of devices is the cornerstone of everything Samsung does in the smartphone business. While the Galaxy S line of devices are equally powerful, it’s the Note series that elevates the smartphone game year after year. Back in August, the Note 20 Ultra was put on sale in India at a starting price of Rs 1,04,999. That’s a hefty asking price during a worldwide pandemic. Budgets may be stretched but if the product is that good, then why not? I’ve been using the smartphone for over a month now and here’s why I think the Note 20 Ultra has a lot to offer Design: Similar to the previous Note 10+ Let’s start with the design. The smartphone is all-screen at the front, while the back is covered with glass and has curved sides with a thin metal band. There’s the flat top and bottom. It’s one of those designs that immediately stands out despite its gigantic nature. The 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED display is simply stunning to look at. It’s the back of the smartphone that will attract all the attention though. It’s got an enormous camera bump. So much so that the smartphone will never lie flat on a table when on its back. What’s best about the rear panel is the frosted glass back. Probably the best Samsung has ever used. It hides fingerprints more than most other phones and also provides for a comfortable grip in one’s hand. In certain situations - answering calls and checking notifications - one-handed usage may be possible but this is really a phone for both your hands. Samsung’s Note 20 Ultra is the first smartphone in the world to use the new Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back. It can withstand drops up to 2 metres and is twice as scratch-resistant as compared to Gorilla Glass 6. The camera module is covered with Gorilla Glass 6. Despite a few drops and a couple of nicks here and there, there hasn’t been a single dent on my Note 20 Ultra. It is one sturdy device. Mystic Bronze goodness Is the mystic bronze colour really all that it is hyped up to be? The answer to that is YES. It may look like rose gold in certain lightings but it’s got this understated elegance to it. Thanks to the matte finish, there are close to zero fingerprints. Display: Gorgeousness The best-in-class display shows off its strengths on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.. It might be massive at 6.9 inches but it is pretty faultless. The colours are vivid and punchy and when maxed out at QHD+ resolution, binge-watching is a super treat. The 120Hz screen refresh rate has been much better implemented than on the Galaxy S20 Plus and S20 Ultra. There’s the “Adaptive” motion smoothness, that adjusts the refresh rate based on the action being performed on the screen. Essentially, this saves battery in the long-run. The one negative is the optical fingerprint scanner that is buried under the display. It’s easy to set up but the positioning is off. It’s the exact same sensor as in the Note 10+ but it’s inconsistent and slow. Curved screens: Yay or nay? The curved display of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra looks immersive, with its waterfall edge. But the edge-to-edge display makes it easy for accidental touches to occur. It’s more prominent when gripping the phone with one hand and typing with the other. Far too many times I unintentionally touched a part of the display I didn’t want to and it got in the way of my typic. Sometimes, an app would be closed by accident. Some touch rejection along the edges would make this issue mostly go away. Performance: Will breeze through any task Despite the Indian variant of the Note 20 Ultra having the Exynos 990 chipset and not the Snapdragon 865+, the smartphone can handle any task with aplomb. Whether it is capturing multiple photos, flipping through social media feeds, playing game after game, or just reading, the Note 20 Ultra will never slow down. The Note 20 Ultra developed significant heat during my usage. Whether it was playing Call of Duty: Mobile, taking multiple pictures or even just charging the smartphone, the Note 20 Ultra got hotter than usual. It wasn’t too hot to hold at any point though. Software: One UI 2.5 Samsung’s Note 20 Ultra runs the latest One UI 2.5 based on Android 10. It’s almost identical to S20 Ultra but has some nifty S Pen features such as handwriting recognition, translation and gesture support and various screen writing and screenshot tools. One UI 2.5 may be filled with Samsung apps and a Galaxy Store (that basically acts as a duplicate), but the software works well and is very heavily-customised to suit the consumers’ needs. Samsung has promised three years of major Android updates and monthly security patches which bodes well for the company’s outlook. Battery life: Middling at best With the Galaxy S20 Ultra there was rarely a time I had to charge the smartphone in the same day. Samsung decided to stick with a 4,500 mAh despite the huge display and state-of-the-art processor. Sure, it is an improvement over the Note 10+’s 4,300 mAh battery, but was hardly an improvement in real world usage. The Note 20 Ultra lasted me a day and over 5 hours of screen-on-time but barely any charge leftover to last through the night. I always have to put it on charge before hitting the sack. With the S20 Ultra earlier this year, I rarely had to charge it at night. It was only in the morning, while getting ready, did I put it for charge. The Note 20 Ultra ships with a 25W charger which means the phone takes about 70 minutes to reach a full charge from being dead. The Note 20 Ultra also supposes 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. Cameras: The all-important laser autofocus sensor One of the biggest downfalls of the S20 Ulta’s camera was blurry shots. The S20 Ultra had 100x digital zoom but the photos were blurry in both zoom shots and general shots. The laser autofocus helps with all kinds of shorts. It provides for less blurry photos on the whole. Even those with the shakiest of hands get a huge benefit here. Also, the Note 20 Ultra uses pixel-binning technology. This basically means that it uses a higher lens to capture a shot as smaller megapixels. Then it combines them for a rich and detailed shot. A 108-megapixel lens delivers 27-megapixel shots. It combines four pixels into one. The Note 20 Ultra has a triple-camera setup plus the laser autofocus sensor. A 108-megapixel wide-angle camera: You can shoot at full 108 megapixels or the pixel-binned 27-megapixel shots. A 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera: This can be used to capture a wider field of view. A 12-megapixel telephoto camera: This lens allows for you to capture more details (when zoomed in) and offers up to 5x optical zoom. The Note 20 Ultra’s camera is a huge step up from the S20 Ultra’s camera setup. The speed of the capture and the transitions between the three lenses is excellent. In good lighting, the photos are rich in detail with great colours. The low-light performance has been vastly improved. Using the Night mode is a pleasure. It is the 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera that steals the show. One of the best implementations of an ultra-wide camera on any phone. The 12-megapixel telephoto camera is definitely a step up from the S20 Ultra. The optical zoom makes a difference but going into digital zoom and anything over 30x is just not good. Video quality up to 8K is also quite good and you get a range of shooting options. Finally, the 10-megapixel selfie camera is simply excellent. This is by far Samsung’s best camera on any of its smartphones. It’s a reliable camera that you can just pull out of your pocket and shoot dozens of great photos in mere minutes. S Pen: Game-changer The S Pen on the Note series of devices has been a game changer since Day One. This time around, the latency on the S Pen has been drastically reduced making it a pleasure to use all the time. Taking notes is faster and more accurate. The Air Actions and the physical button is great. I use it mostly to as a camera shutter Final observations: Worth the price tag? While I love the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and it is Samsung’s best photo to date, expensive smartphones just don’t cut it anymore. Going down the ladder, there are plenty of other phones that offer almost as much as the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra but for far less. Samsung played it safe with the Note 20 Ultra but that isn’t to cut into the fact that this is a fantastic device. Despite some shortcomings, the Note 20 Ultra has risen to the top of the Android smartphone charts. During a pandemic nonetheless, spending over one lakh rupees is sheer exuberance. Once the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is on discount, it will be a fantastic deal.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review: The best Android smartphone comes with a hefty price tag

When it comes to budget phones, the market is crowded. There are so many options to choose from and this makes it difficult to pick a phone that aligns well with our needs. And now joining the crowd is a new contender - the Nokia 5.3&nbsp;

I got my hands on the new phone and put it to different tests. I will share with you what’s good and what’s bad in HMD's latest Android smartphone, so that you can make an informed buying decision.

Design

I will begin with the design. Like many other Nokia phones from HMD, the Nokia 5.3 is aesthetically designed. The phone has a nice build quality. The gradient design and the circular camera module at the back are likely to draw your attention.

The scratch-resistant back is another highlight of the phone. It hasn’t got even a single scratch in around 15 days that I have spent with it.

Though it’s made of polycarbonate, it has a metallic finish, and that adds to the overall appeal of the phone. Most importantly, it's slim and pretty lightweight, which makes it easy to handle and operate, even for long hours. And a dedicated button gives users faster access to Google Assistant.

I have the Cyan colour with me, but it comes in two more colours - Charcoal and Sand. Overall, the design is nice.

Display

Next comes the display.

The slim bezels and a waterdrop notch add to the overall look of the phone.

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&nbsp;

The 6.5-inch display with the HD+ resolution is pleasing to the eyes, but note that it’s not the best screen resolution that you would get in this price range. There are sharper displays available on phones in the mid-range category.

I am fine with the display’s brightness, but some of you may find it a little dull.

The absence of 90Hz refresh rate is what I can’t ignore - something which competitors have started to offer on budget phones. Understand that a higher refresh rate results in a smoother and more fluid display experience. I wonder, why HMD decided to not include it.

All in all, the display is of acceptable quality if not the best in class.

Camera

Next comes the camera, something that’s really important for me in a phone. I can still compromise here and there on the design front, but not with the camera.

It has four camera lenses (13 MP + 2 MP + 5 MP + 2 MP) with a flash at the back and an 8 MP camera at the front. But how well does this quad-camera setup fare?

In daylight, and for that matter, even in room-light environments, the camera generates decently bright results, but they lack sharpness and detailing. The Macro mode is a disappointment in most of the conditions.

In Night mode, it captures a good amount of light, but the results are grainy.

Talking about the front camera, it’s satisfactory in daylight, but in low-light, it’s a letdown.

Overall, for me, the cameras of the Nokia 5.3 are below-average performers.

Performance

We have talked about design, display and camera, but how does it perform?

I must admit that the phone got along with me quite well. Mostly, I was doing usual things on the phone - calling, messaging, watching videos, browsing and managing social networks. It was smooth to multitask. The phone neither slowed down nor it had heating issues. I am not very impressed with its speaker; it’s fairly loud, but the audio quality is underwhelming.

The 4000 mAh battery is one of its strongest pillars. It easily lasts for a day, and if the usage isn’t heavy, it can survive for around half-a-day more.

The software is what could make it desirable for some people. The phone runs stock Android 10, meaning no bloatware, a clean interface, and regular software and security updates. The company also promises that it will be upgraded to Android 11.

Also, the Nokia 5.3 comes with a pair of earphones, which is usually not bundled with budget phones.

The dual-SIM phone comes in two variants - 64 GB storage with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB storage with 6 GB of RAM. The former is priced at INR 13,999, while the latter costs INR 15,499.

Verdict

Now comes the most important question - should you buy it? I would say, if the camera isn’t your priority, you can go for it, but if you’re looking for a complete package at INR 15,000, you should give this phone a miss.

When it comes to budget phones, the market is crowded. There are so many options to choose from and this makes it difficult to pick a phone that aligns well with our needs.

When it comes to budget phones, the market is crowded. There are so many options to choose from and this makes it difficult to pick a phone that aligns well with our needs. And now joining the crowd is a new contender - the Nokia 5.3 I got my hands on the new phone and put it to different tests. I will share with you what’s good and what’s bad in HMD's latest Android smartphone, so that you can make an informed buying decision. Design I will begin with the design. Like many other Nokia phones from HMD, the Nokia 5.3 is aesthetically designed. The phone has a nice build quality. The gradient design and the circular camera module at the back are likely to draw your attention. The scratch-resistant back is another highlight of the phone. It hasn’t got even a single scratch in around 15 days that I have spent with it. Though it’s made of polycarbonate, it has a metallic finish, and that adds to the overall appeal of the phone. Most importantly, it's slim and pretty lightweight, which makes it easy to handle and operate, even for long hours. And a dedicated button gives users faster access to Google Assistant. I have the Cyan colour with me, but it comes in two more colours - Charcoal and Sand. Overall, the design is nice. Display Next comes the display. The slim bezels and a waterdrop notch add to the overall look of the phone. × The 6.5-inch display with the HD+ resolution is pleasing to the eyes, but note that it’s not the best screen resolution that you would get in this price range. There are sharper displays available on phones in the mid-range category. I am fine with the display’s brightness, but some of you may find it a little dull. The absence of 90Hz refresh rate is what I can’t ignore - something which competitors have started to offer on budget phones. Understand that a higher refresh rate results in a smoother and more fluid display experience. I wonder, why HMD decided to not include it. All in all, the display is of acceptable quality if not the best in class. Camera Next comes the camera, something that’s really important for me in a phone. I can still compromise here and there on the design front, but not with the camera. It has four camera lenses (13 MP + 2 MP + 5 MP + 2 MP) with a flash at the back and an 8 MP camera at the front. But how well does this quad-camera setup fare? In daylight, and for that matter, even in room-light environments, the camera generates decently bright results, but they lack sharpness and detailing. The Macro mode is a disappointment in most of the conditions. In Night mode, it captures a good amount of light, but the results are grainy. Talking about the front camera, it’s satisfactory in daylight, but in low-light, it’s a letdown. Overall, for me, the cameras of the Nokia 5.3 are below-average performers. Performance We have talked about design, display and camera, but how does it perform? I must admit that the phone got along with me quite well. Mostly, I was doing usual things on the phone - calling, messaging, watching videos, browsing and managing social networks. It was smooth to multitask. The phone neither slowed down nor it had heating issues. I am not very impressed with its speaker; it’s fairly loud, but the audio quality is underwhelming. The 4000 mAh battery is one of its strongest pillars. It easily lasts for a day, and if the usage isn’t heavy, it can survive for around half-a-day more. The software is what could make it desirable for some people. The phone runs stock Android 10, meaning no bloatware, a clean interface, and regular software and security updates. The company also promises that it will be upgraded to Android 11. Also, the Nokia 5.3 comes with a pair of earphones, which is usually not bundled with budget phones. The dual-SIM phone comes in two variants - 64 GB storage with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB storage with 6 GB of RAM. The former is priced at INR 13,999, while the latter costs INR 15,499. Verdict Now comes the most important question - should you buy it? I would say, if the camera isn’t your priority, you can go for it, but if you’re looking for a complete package at INR 15,000, you should give this phone a miss.

Nokia 5.3 review: Should you buy it?

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the plea of businessman Vijay Mallya seeking review of 2017 verdict holding him guilty for contempt of court.&nbsp;

On May 2017, the court held him guilty of contempt for transferring $40 million to his children in violation of the court's order.

According to the Banks' allegations, Vijay Mallya hid the facts and diverted the money to his son Siddharth Mallya and daughters Leanna Mallya and Tanya Mallya in violation of the orders given by the Karnataka High Court. 
&nbsp; 
The Supreme Court's division bench comprising Justices U U Lalit and Ashok Bhushan rejected the petition and said "We do not find any merits. Review petition dismissed".

Mallya, who is accused in a bank loan default case of over ₹9,000 crores involving his Kingfisher Airlines and is presently in the UK, had reportedly sought asylum in the country after having lost extradition proceedings.

In June, the apex court had asked its registry as to why Mallya's review petition had not been listed before the court concerned in the last three years. The Supreme Court directed the registry to provide all details including the names of officials who dealt with the file concerning the review petition in the last three years.

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the plea of businessman Vijay Mallya seeking review of 2017 verdict holding him guilty for contempt of court. On May 2017, the court held him guilty of contempt for transferring $40 million to his children in violation of the court's order.

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the plea of businessman Vijay Mallya seeking review of 2017 verdict holding him guilty for contempt of court. On May 2017, the court held him guilty of contempt for transferring $40 million to his children in violation of the court's order. According to the Banks' allegations, Vijay Mallya hid the facts and diverted the money to his son Siddharth Mallya and daughters Leanna Mallya and Tanya Mallya in violation of the orders given by the Karnataka High Court. The Supreme Court's division bench comprising Justices U U Lalit and Ashok Bhushan rejected the petition and said "We do not find any merits. Review petition dismissed". Mallya, who is accused in a bank loan default case of over ₹9,000 crores involving his Kingfisher Airlines and is presently in the UK, had reportedly sought asylum in the country after having lost extradition proceedings. In June, the apex court had asked its registry as to why Mallya's review petition had not been listed before the court concerned in the last three years. The Supreme Court directed the registry to provide all details including the names of officials who dealt with the file concerning the review petition in the last three years.

Supreme Court rejects Vijay Mallya's plea seeking review against contempt order

Zee5's new movie Yaara&nbsp;has a retro feel to it. From the opening credit scenes to the costumes flaunted by the actors, it's like we are being taken back in time. Directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia, it takes us through the highs and lows of four friends as they work their way through the world of crime.

After working together in Haasil&nbsp;and Paan Singh Tomar,&nbsp;Tigmanshu Dhulia and the late actor Irrfan Khan were supposed to collaborate in Yaara.&nbsp;The film begins by remembering the late actor who passed&nbsp;away&nbsp;battling cancer on April 29, 2020.

Watch |&nbsp;

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Yaara, a remake of the 2011 French drama 'Les Lyonnais', can be summed up as a story of friendship, loyalty and betrayal.

Phagun (Vidyut Jammwal), Mitwa(Amit Sadh), Bahadur (Kenny Basumatary) and Rizwan(Vijay Varma) are the four pillars of the chaukadi gang. Sticking together right from childhood, the four indulge in criminal activities including smuggling, bootlegging and trading of illegal arms. We also see a cameo by Sanjay Mishra who plays the role of Chaman and is the primary reason why the gang came together in the first place. The cast includes Shruti Haasan as well, who plays the role of Sukanya- the love interest and later, wife of Phagun. Contrary to her outspoken leftist past in the movie, she barely has any say with how things unfold after her marriage.

The narrative of the film is non-linear and keeps going back and forth in time. Yaara begins in the year 1997 with the chaukadi gang being split-up and the arrest of one of its members. We are then taken back to the early 1950s where the viewer is told the story of how the gang was formed and managed to stick together through thick and think. The transition of the four friends from childhood to adulthood was done smartly through a song in the film. &nbsp;

<img alt="The transition of the four friends from childhood to adulthood was done smartly through a song in the film." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="82ba2732-52df-4328-b1ad-12cb337afddb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Yaara%20review1..jpg" />

Yaara's plot jumps between the early 1950s to the late 1990s. Through the tale of their friendship, the writers display many chapters in India's history. The 1970's socio-political environment is displayed with the portraits of Jayaprakash Narayan on the walls of Patna where the gang robs a bank. There was also a mention of a massacre by upper-caste men in a village in Jehanabad where 61 people were killed. Reminding us that the time was dominated by a corrupt government and caste politics.

We also go back to the evolution of fashion with a glimpse of the 70s and 80s through actors flaunting bell-bottom pants and printed shirts. The film is full of old Bollywood references, such as Bahadur's mimicry of Amitabh Bachchan's evergreen dialogues and the posters of Sholay and Amar Akbar Anthony.

Yaara tries really hard to impress the audience but still fails. A major reason could be abrupt writing. Each decade in the movie shows a different part of the gang's life but they all seem to have abrupt endings. Even though the movie has a decent run time of 133 minutes, it starts testing your patience after the first half an hour itself. It feels as if the plot is not going anywhere and the viewer just keeps on waiting for the movie to pick up and get back on track. Sadly that never happens. With a disappointing screenplay and substandard editing, Yaara is not among Tigmanshu Dhulia's best work for sure.

The music of the film was not great and no song was exceptionally brilliant. There were unnecessarily far too many songs in Yaara. Some were even without any context and felt like they were put just for the heck of it. Even though it was a crime drama, they got a bit overboard with people shooting each other with gunshot noises coming basically every 10 minutes in the film.

Vidyut Jammwal fails to impress us with his 'unrealistic' action sequences. The one in which he successfully escapes after defeating around 5-10 policemen on his own. Not to forget, without a scratch on his body. The overall acting of the cast was just about average and the film seemed longer than its run time.

With many other crime dramas available to watch online, do yourself a favour and skip this one.

Zee5's new movie Yaara has a retro feel to it. From the opening credit scenes to the costumes flaunted by the actors, it's like we are being taken back in time. Directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia, it takes us through the highs and lows of four friends as they work their way through the world of crime.

Zee5's new movie Yaara has a retro feel to it. From the opening credit scenes to the costumes flaunted by the actors, it's like we are being taken back in time. Directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia, it takes us through the highs and lows of four friends as they work their way through the world of crime. After working together in Haasil and Paan Singh Tomar, Tigmanshu Dhulia and the late actor Irrfan Khan were supposed to collaborate in Yaara. The film begins by remembering the late actor who passed away battling cancer on April 29, 2020. Watch | × Yaara, a remake of the 2011 French drama 'Les Lyonnais', can be summed up as a story of friendship, loyalty and betrayal. Phagun (Vidyut Jammwal), Mitwa(Amit Sadh), Bahadur (Kenny Basumatary) and Rizwan(Vijay Varma) are the four pillars of the chaukadi gang. Sticking together right from childhood, the four indulge in criminal activities including smuggling, bootlegging and trading of illegal arms. We also see a cameo by Sanjay Mishra who plays the role of Chaman and is the primary reason why the gang came together in the first place. The cast includes Shruti Haasan as well, who plays the role of Sukanya- the love interest and later, wife of Phagun. Contrary to her outspoken leftist past in the movie, she barely has any say with how things unfold after her marriage. The narrative of the film is non-linear and keeps going back and forth in time. Yaara begins in the year 1997 with the chaukadi gang being split-up and the arrest of one of its members. We are then taken back to the early 1950s where the viewer is told the story of how the gang was formed and managed to stick together through thick and think. The transition of the four friends from childhood to adulthood was done smartly through a song in the film. Yaara's plot jumps between the early 1950s to the late 1990s. Through the tale of their friendship, the writers display many chapters in India's history. The 1970's socio-political environment is displayed with the portraits of Jayaprakash Narayan on the walls of Patna where the gang robs a bank. There was also a mention of a massacre by upper-caste men in a village in Jehanabad where 61 people were killed. Reminding us that the time was dominated by a corrupt government and caste politics. We also go back to the evolution of fashion with a glimpse of the 70s and 80s through actors flaunting bell-bottom pants and printed shirts. The film is full of old Bollywood references, such as Bahadur's mimicry of Amitabh Bachchan's evergreen dialogues and the posters of Sholay and Amar Akbar Anthony. Yaara tries really hard to impress the audience but still fails. A major reason could be abrupt writing. Each decade in the movie shows a different part of the gang's life but they all seem to have abrupt endings. Even though the movie has a decent run time of 133 minutes, it starts testing your patience after the first half an hour itself. It feels as if the plot is not going anywhere and the viewer just keeps on waiting for the movie to pick up and get back on track. Sadly that never happens. With a disappointing screenplay and substandard editing, Yaara is not among Tigmanshu Dhulia's best work for sure. The music of the film was not great and no song was exceptionally brilliant. There were unnecessarily far too many songs in Yaara. Some were even without any context and felt like they were put just for the heck of it. Even though it was a crime drama, they got a bit overboard with people shooting each other with gunshot noises coming basically every 10 minutes in the film. Vidyut Jammwal fails to impress us with his 'unrealistic' action sequences. The one in which he successfully escapes after defeating around 5-10 policemen on his own. Not to forget, without a scratch on his body. The overall acting of the cast was just about average and the film seemed longer than its run time. With many other crime dramas available to watch online, do yourself a favour and skip this one.

'Yaara' Review: Vidyut Jammwal and Amit Sadh starrer tries really hard to impress but fails miserably

While watching the trailer of 'Avrodh: The Siege Within,' the viewer immediately recalls watching Vicky Kaushal's 'Uri: The Surgical Strike'. But, the makers also mention that this web series is more about planning that went behind the Uri surgical strike rather than the execution.

Based on the chapter 'We don't really know fear' from the book 'India's Most Fearless,' it promises to give us the 'true story'.

Backstory: The Indian Army carried out surgical strikes against terror launchpads along the Line of Control on 29 September 2016. The surgical strikes were carried out nearly 10 days after the Uri terror attack where 18 soldiers were killed when terrorists launched a barrage of grenades at their army base in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir.

Directed by Raj Acharya, 'Avrodh: The Siege Within' has 9 episodes that are each roughly 40 minutes long. The challenge lying ahead of the makers was two-fold. Not only was every Indian already aware of the surgical strike but had also seen a film on the same topic back in 2019. So what more does the show have to offer to&nbsp;its audiences in order to keep them hooked?

Watch the trailer here:&nbsp;Avrodh: The Siege Within

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The answer is - the build-up. Watch Avrodh not for the climax scenes, because the viewers are already aware and can predict when the Indian Army or the militants will strike at each other. But, the focus on the groundwork is where all the attention should go. Since the makers had the luxury of time, they were able to add much more matter to the plot than the movie could. For instance, tension&nbsp;between the two militant groups, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahideen, how the militant groups trained young boys in camps and the way India dealt with the news of a possible strike internationally.

The show's most known face is Amit Sadh, who plays the role of Videep Singh, the Para (special forces) commander of the Indian Army. Even though the trailer has a lot of his presence, the show sadly doesn't. We only get to see him make an entrance in the second half of the show. Sadh, who has time and again proven his brilliant acting skills, didn't get much screentime here to create an impression. Also, it really feels like he is every director's favorite choice for casting for a man in uniform. Even in 'Breathe' series, we got to see him in the role of a police officer.

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Neeraj Kabi plays the role of NSA Shailesh Malviya, the real-life Ajit Doval. How can an Indian show be complete without a patriotic crowd-pleasing line? Here it goes- While convincing the prime minister to change the way India responds to terror attacks, Malviya says, "We need to show them that India is not only a nation of Mahatma Gandhi but also of Subhash Chandra Bose."

Madhurima Tuli plays the role of senior reporter Namrata Joshi. Passionate about her profession, she proves to be an obstacle for the Indian army to conduct covert operations by breaking the news on TV first.

The shows screenplay is divided into 3 parts. It begins in July 2016 with the Indian Army killing Hizbul Mujahideen commander Bilawal Wani and ends with the chants of Jai Hind after the soldiers return from their mission of revenge.

The duration of the show is a major drawback with the first half seeming a bit dragged. By the time Sadh makes an entry, the viewer can already become impatient. Even though it does pick up in the second half, the battleground scenes are not that impressive. The shots of the aerial view, landscape and the soldiers prepping for their mission which helps create an environment of intensity is not that effective. The adrenaline rush which one is supposed to get while watching a war drama is&nbsp;missing. The music too could have played a part in it. While the sounds of gunshots and bombs are necessary, there are times when the music behind some scenes becomes a source of irritation.

The show works on content and not execution. Watching the Indian Army take revenge for the Uri attacks will always make every Indian proud and even after 4 years, the story has the same impact.

You can stream it on&nbsp;SonyLIV from July 31&nbsp;onwards.

While watching the trailer of 'Avrodh: The Siege Within,' the viewer immediately recalls watching Vicky Kaushal's 'Uri: The Surgical Strike'. But, the makers also mention that this web series is more about planning that went behind the Uri surgical strike rather than the execution.

While watching the trailer of 'Avrodh: The Siege Within,' the viewer immediately recalls watching Vicky Kaushal's 'Uri: The Surgical Strike'. But, the makers also mention that this web series is more about planning that went behind the Uri surgical strike rather than the execution. Based on the chapter 'We don't really know fear' from the book 'India's Most Fearless,' it promises to give us the 'true story'. Backstory: The Indian Army carried out surgical strikes against terror launchpads along the Line of Control on 29 September 2016. The surgical strikes were carried out nearly 10 days after the Uri terror attack where 18 soldiers were killed when terrorists launched a barrage of grenades at their army base in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir. Directed by Raj Acharya, 'Avrodh: The Siege Within' has 9 episodes that are each roughly 40 minutes long. The challenge lying ahead of the makers was two-fold. Not only was every Indian already aware of the surgical strike but had also seen a film on the same topic back in 2019. So what more does the show have to offer to its audiences in order to keep them hooked? Watch the trailer here: Avrodh: The Siege Within The answer is - the build-up. Watch Avrodh not for the climax scenes, because the viewers are already aware and can predict when the Indian Army or the militants will strike at each other. But, the focus on the groundwork is where all the attention should go. Since the makers had the luxury of time, they were able to add much more matter to the plot than the movie could. For instance, tension between the two militant groups, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahideen, how the militant groups trained young boys in camps and the way India dealt with the news of a possible strike internationally. The show's most known face is Amit Sadh, who plays the role of Videep Singh, the Para (special forces) commander of the Indian Army. Even though the trailer has a lot of his presence, the show sadly doesn't. We only get to see him make an entrance in the second half of the show. Sadh, who has time and again proven his brilliant acting skills, didn't get much screentime here to create an impression. Also, it really feels like he is every director's favorite choice for casting for a man in uniform. Even in 'Breathe' series, we got to see him in the role of a police officer. Neeraj Kabi plays the role of NSA Shailesh Malviya, the real-life Ajit Doval. How can an Indian show be complete without a patriotic crowd-pleasing line? Here it goes- While convincing the prime minister to change the way India responds to terror attacks, Malviya says, "We need to show them that India is not only a nation of Mahatma Gandhi but also of Subhash Chandra Bose." Madhurima Tuli plays the role of senior reporter Namrata Joshi. Passionate about her profession, she proves to be an obstacle for the Indian army to conduct covert operations by breaking the news on TV first. The shows screenplay is divided into 3 parts. It begins in July 2016 with the Indian Army killing Hizbul Mujahideen commander Bilawal Wani and ends with the chants of Jai Hind after the soldiers return from their mission of revenge. The duration of the show is a major drawback with the first half seeming a bit dragged. By the time Sadh makes an entry, the viewer can already become impatient. Even though it does pick up in the second half, the battleground scenes are not that impressive. The shots of the aerial view, landscape and the soldiers prepping for their mission which helps create an environment of intensity is not that effective. The adrenaline rush which one is supposed to get while watching a war drama is missing. The music too could have played a part in it. While the sounds of gunshots and bombs are necessary, there are times when the music behind some scenes becomes a source of irritation. The show works on content and not execution. Watching the Indian Army take revenge for the Uri attacks will always make every Indian proud and even after 4 years, the story has the same impact. You can stream it on SonyLIV from July 31 onwards.

'Avrodh' review: Amit Sadh's war drama highlights the incidents leading to Uri surgical strike

For the characters of Remo D'Souza's latest film 'Street Dancer 3D', the world is a stage. Divided into two groups representing the two warring nations- India and Pakistan- the two groups are at loggerheads and keep clashing on streets (of London), dance floors, restaurants and have dance-offs. A motley group of youngsters, they seem to all come from affluent families where nobody has to bother about jobs and earning a livelihood and pursue a passion of dancing and indulge in dance-offs to put down each other.&nbsp;

A part of D'Souza's ABCD franchise, 'Street Dancer 3D' too has a dance competition at its backdrop. Sehej( Varun Dhawan) wants to win the biggest dance battle- Ground Zero- for his elder brother who at one point of time was close to winning the coveted trophy but suffered an accident that left him with a limp. Now, Sehej and his group called the 'Street Dancer' want to win the prize for the big brother. They need practice and are aware that the rival gang - The Rule Breakers- a group of Pakistani youngsters led by Inayat (Shraddha Kapoor) are better than them.&nbsp;

The two gangs often clash in a restaurant that's managed by Anna (Prabhudeva) who himself feels that if the two groups work together, they can win the competition. Inayat's purpose of winning the competition is different from Sehej's though. She wants to use the prize money to help illegal immigrants of Indian and Pakistan go back home. Would she be able to convince Sehej to join her group for a greater good and be able to win the competition forms the rest of the story.&nbsp;

Now, on paper, the story seems to be well-intended- a tale of a group of talented dancers wanting to bring positive change to society through dance. Sure, why not! But when it comes to implementation, D'Souza films take a very different route where the main plot seems like a prop of a very elaborate, long dance program.&nbsp;

A film that's called 'Sreet Dancer' is bound to be about dance, no doubt. You know what you are getting into when you start watching the film. Like his previous films, D'Souza uses a lot of reality TV dancers as characters in the film- giving the choreographed sequences an authentic feel but after a point, the thrill of seeing of these dancers do multiple backflips, and some unimaginable limb movements- wears off making the dance routines appear repetitive.&nbsp;

Released on the Republic Day weekend- it also tries to pelt out patriotism through dance- pitting India and Pakistan against each other, using the Indian tricolour in the final dance-off and making everyone dance to desi tunes.&nbsp;

Acting and logic are not the high points of this film. A film on ultimate dance competition- the rules are fluid where anyone can join any group at any point in time. The competition runs on emotions and not logic.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2Ym7LJv6L_c" width="560"></iframe>

Among the actors, Nora Fatehi and Aparshakti Khurrana who show some spark in a story that doesn't give anyone any scope for acting. But these two actors still manage to make their presence felt-which is commendable. Khurana, who is now almost the go-to person for all supporting characters in Hindi films- brings the right amount of vulnerability to his character. Fatehi plays Varun Dhawan's girlfriend and adds the much-needed oomph to the film and the dance sequences. An exceptionally good dancer, Fatehi gets a few lines and manages to impress in those scenes.&nbsp;

Varun Dhawan tries earnestly to perform in the film that resorts to dance sequences for everything but we've seen better films of the actor. He may be a good dancer but that alone cannot salvage this film. Shraddha Kapoor and Prabhudeva deliver what they have already done in previous films.

Should you be watching this film? Only if you need to learn a few complicated dance steps.&nbsp;

For the characters of Remo D'Souza's latest film 'Street Dancer 3D', the world is a stage. Divided into two groups representing the two warring nations- India and Pakistan- the two groups are at loggerheads and keep clashing on streets (of London), dance floors, restaurants and have dance-offs.

For the characters of Remo D'Souza's latest film 'Street Dancer 3D', the world is a stage. Divided into two groups representing the two warring nations- India and Pakistan- the two groups are at loggerheads and keep clashing on streets (of London), dance floors, restaurants and have dance-offs. A motley group of youngsters, they seem to all come from affluent families where nobody has to bother about jobs and earning a livelihood and pursue a passion of dancing and indulge in dance-offs to put down each other. A part of D'Souza's ABCD franchise, 'Street Dancer 3D' too has a dance competition at its backdrop. Sehej( Varun Dhawan) wants to win the biggest dance battle- Ground Zero- for his elder brother who at one point of time was close to winning the coveted trophy but suffered an accident that left him with a limp. Now, Sehej and his group called the 'Street Dancer' want to win the prize for the big brother. They need practice and are aware that the rival gang - The Rule Breakers- a group of Pakistani youngsters led by Inayat (Shraddha Kapoor) are better than them. The two gangs often clash in a restaurant that's managed by Anna (Prabhudeva) who himself feels that if the two groups work together, they can win the competition. Inayat's purpose of winning the competition is different from Sehej's though. She wants to use the prize money to help illegal immigrants of Indian and Pakistan go back home. Would she be able to convince Sehej to join her group for a greater good and be able to win the competition forms the rest of the story. Now, on paper, the story seems to be well-intended- a tale of a group of talented dancers wanting to bring positive change to society through dance. Sure, why not! But when it comes to implementation, D'Souza films take a very different route where the main plot seems like a prop of a very elaborate, long dance program. A film that's called 'Sreet Dancer' is bound to be about dance, no doubt. You know what you are getting into when you start watching the film. Like his previous films, D'Souza uses a lot of reality TV dancers as characters in the film- giving the choreographed sequences an authentic feel but after a point, the thrill of seeing of these dancers do multiple backflips, and some unimaginable limb movements- wears off making the dance routines appear repetitive. Released on the Republic Day weekend- it also tries to pelt out patriotism through dance- pitting India and Pakistan against each other, using the Indian tricolour in the final dance-off and making everyone dance to desi tunes. Acting and logic are not the high points of this film. A film on ultimate dance competition- the rules are fluid where anyone can join any group at any point in time. The competition runs on emotions and not logic. Among the actors, Nora Fatehi and Aparshakti Khurrana who show some spark in a story that doesn't give anyone any scope for acting. But these two actors still manage to make their presence felt-which is commendable. Khurana, who is now almost the go-to person for all supporting characters in Hindi films- brings the right amount of vulnerability to his character. Fatehi plays Varun Dhawan's girlfriend and adds the much-needed oomph to the film and the dance sequences. An exceptionally good dancer, Fatehi gets a few lines and manages to impress in those scenes. Varun Dhawan tries earnestly to perform in the film that resorts to dance sequences for everything but we've seen better films of the actor. He may be a good dancer but that alone cannot salvage this film. Shraddha Kapoor and Prabhudeva deliver what they have already done in previous films. Should you be watching this film? Only if you need to learn a few complicated dance steps.

'Street Dancer 3D' review: The story acts as a prop in this very elaborate dance show

Pitstop drives the all-new Toyota Camry Hybrid that comes in India with an ex-showroom price tag of INR 37.88 lakh. It gets Toyota's fourth-generation electric hybrid drivetrain with a 2.5-litre petrol engine which delivers 176bhp and 221Nm of torque. In combination with a 118 horsepower electric motor, the Camry offers a combined output of 215bhp. In terms of features, the new Camry gets three-zone automatic climate control, 8-inch multimedia touchscreen, power front seats and all-LED headlamps. Alongside, 9 airbags, ABS with EBD & Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability & Traction Control, Tyre Pressure Monitoring Sensor & Parking Assist are among the safety features of the car. Watch our video to know how was our experience with the all-new Toyota Camry Hybrid. #WION #Pitstop #Camry #Toyota #Automobile #AutoReview

Toyota Camry Hybrid review: The eco-friendly luxury sedan | WION Pitstop

WION Edit: Rafale Lessons: National Security is greater than Politics

Revolt Intellicorp's much-awaited all-electric motorcycle, the RV400, has finally made its way to India. It will be initially available at four Revolt hubs in New Delhi and subsequently in Pune. One can own Revolt RV400 Base for INR 3,499 per month and Revolt RV 400 Premium for INR 3,999 per month. Under the My Revolt Plan (MRP), the owners will have to pay a total of 37 monthly instalments for each trim. The motorcycle offers a maximum speed of 85kmph in the Sport mode and range up to 150 kilometres in the Eco mode. It comes loaded with features like upsidedown front forks, rear adjustable monoshock, front & rear disc brakes, digital instrument cluster, and all-LED lights. Pitstop got a chance to ride the Revolt RV400 at a go-kart track and here's our first ride impression about India's first all-electric motorcycle.

Revolt RV400 review: India's first all-electric motorcycle

Essentially a two-door coupe based on the C-Class with the AMG treatment from Affalterbach, the latest-generation C 43 Coupe was introduced globally last year and comes to India as a CBU with a starting price tag of INR 75 lakh (ex-showroom). While the C-Class is considered as one of the most practical luxury cars, the AMG badge comes packed with performance. So, is the C 43 AMG is a perfect all-rounder? Watch this video for the answer.

2019 Mercedes-AMG C 43 Coupe review: Is it a perfect all-rounder?

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is likely to keep the repo rate unchanged at its upcoming monetary policy review on April 5th. Despite downside surprises in the recent inflation readings, the Central Bank is likely to stay hawkish on account of two factors. One, there could be caution related to higher Minimum support prices (MSPs) that the government could offer to farmers in line with its budget ‘commitment’ and because of surging oil prices. Second, core inflation has become more broad-based and is markedly high for categories like services, said HDFC Bank treasury research paper today, adding that increase in components of salaries (like housing allowance) due for employees of the state governments could add to these pressures.&nbsp;

"We would also parse the commentary carefully for the RBI’s assessment of global risks such as an economically costly trade war between the US and its major trading partners, comments from the White House on dismantling or diluting trading arrangements like NAFTA, regulatory push-backs in industries like tech on the back of the recent controversy on data leaks, and finally geopolitical tensions with Russia and China (likely to flex their muscles) and the US taking a harder line on Iran and North Korea," said the paper, while adding that this may or may not directly lead to a change in monetary stance, but the central bank’s view on how prepared the domestic economy and markets are to face these risks become important. &nbsp;

The report said that change in the outlook of oil prices and emergence of new risks on the international front (trade-war etc.) could have a direct bearing on our exchange rate assumptions as well, and added, "We no longer expect the marginal degree of appreciation (Q2 vs. Q1) that we had previously pencilled in. We now expect the USD/INR pair to trade in the range of 64.5 – 65.5 in the short term." &nbsp;

Inflation Dynamics&nbsp;

In the February meeting, the RBI had revised its inflation forecast for the fourth quarter (2017-18) to 5.1% from 4.3%-4.7% earlier. Inflation print is now expected to be lower than the RBI’s estimate in Q4 (so far the average has been 4.8%). &nbsp;

Going ahead in FY19, CPI inflation could inch-up to around 5.6% in June. We expect average inflation of 5.1% in H1-FY19 with much of the rise likely to be on account of an adverse base. Thereafter, in 2H-FY19, while the base effect could be favourable and lead to some moderation in inflation, a lot would depend on how other factors pan out. Price of crude oil, potentially higher minimum support prices, the impact of housing rent allowance increase by several state governments, besides the performance of monsoon are some risks that could emerge in 2H-FY19, warranting a reasonable degree of caution by the RBI. &nbsp;

Given the recent softer inflation prints while the RBI can afford to wait longer and maintain status quo, eventually, we believe, that elevation of some of the upside risks along with the revival in rural demand could lead to a rate hike by the last quarter of 2018-19. Upside risks to inflation are detailed below:&nbsp;

1. Core inflation pressures building up&nbsp;

Rising core: Core inflation (excluding food, fuel and petrol and diesel) has been sticky in the past three months, remaining unchanged at 5.1%. Prior to this, it had gradually risen from 3.9% in June 2017 to 5.1% in December 2017.

<img alt="1111.PNG" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="https://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/1111.PNG" width="770" />

46% of the core items are seeing an upward pressure. (Source: CEIC, HDFC Bank)

&nbsp;

46% of the items in core are rising versus only 9% last year: Our analysis shows that between June 2017 and February 2018, 46% of the core items have seen upward pressures while 45% of the items have remained sticky. Only 9% of the items have seen a fall. This is in contrast to the trend seen between May 2016 and May 2017, when only 9% of the core items were rising while 44% of the items where seeing a downward pressure.&nbsp;

<img alt="2222.PNG" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="https://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/2222.PNG" width="770" />

Service inflation has been risen more than manufacturing. (Source: CEIC, HDFC Bank)

Services inflation is leading the upswing, rising to 5.7% in February from 4.4% in the beginning of the financial year (April 2017). This indicates that any downside pressures due to the introduction of GST on service prices, as was expected, has been offset by other core items or has not filtered through to retail prices.&nbsp;

2. Return of oil pressures: Crude oil prices posted their biggest weekly gain in eight months with rising geopolitical risk in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia hinting that the current OPEC output cuts could be extended into 2019.&nbsp;

MSPs risk: In the Union Budget 2018-19, the government had announced that MSPs will be set at 1.5 times the cost of production. The impact of this increase is dependent on the definition of cost used. According to our estimates, a 1.5 times increase over the A2+FL costs could lead to a 5060bps increase in headline inflation. The RBI has also highlighted the increase in MSPs as a key risk in the past and is likely to reiterate the same in the April 5 policy meeting. That said, the RBI is likely to wait and watch before the final decision on MSPs is announced in May this year, before making changes to its stance or forecasts. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Global Dynamics&nbsp;

Change in the outlook of oil prices and the emergence of new risks on the international front (trade-war etc.) could have a direct bearing on the exchange rate assumptions and thus on the overall monetary policy equation of the RBI. &nbsp;

The report summed up saying "there are global factors that the RBI needs to watch out for, and perhaps act during phases of extreme volatility. Rupee movement in 2018 is likely to be marginal in our view but it’s important to keep a tad of exchange rate risks in an environment of tightening monetary policies globally and rising concerns of a full-blown trade war. Therefore, a status-quo for the major part of the year is the most likely scenario for the RBI. The rate hike could happen in the last quarter of FY19." &nbsp;

India Inc expects the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to maintain its hawkish stance in its first bi-monthly monetary policy review of the new fiscal.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is likely to keep the repo rate unchanged at its upcoming monetary policy review on April 5th. Despite downside surprises in the recent inflation readings, the Central Bank is likely to stay hawkish on account of two factors. One, there could be caution related to higher Minimum support prices (MSPs) that the government could offer to farmers in line with its budget ‘commitment’ and because of surging oil prices. Second, core inflation has become more broad-based and is markedly high for categories like services, said HDFC Bank treasury research paper today, adding that increase in components of salaries (like housing allowance) due for employees of the state governments could add to these pressures. "We would also parse the commentary carefully for the RBI’s assessment of global risks such as an economically costly trade war between the US and its major trading partners, comments from the White House on dismantling or diluting trading arrangements like NAFTA, regulatory push-backs in industries like tech on the back of the recent controversy on data leaks, and finally geopolitical tensions with Russia and China (likely to flex their muscles) and the US taking a harder line on Iran and North Korea," said the paper, while adding that this may or may not directly lead to a change in monetary stance, but the central bank’s view on how prepared the domestic economy and markets are to face these risks become important. The report said that change in the outlook of oil prices and emergence of new risks on the international front (trade-war etc.) could have a direct bearing on our exchange rate assumptions as well, and added, "We no longer expect the marginal degree of appreciation (Q2 vs. Q1) that we had previously pencilled in. We now expect the USD/INR pair to trade in the range of 64.5 – 65.5 in the short term." Inflation Dynamics In the February meeting, the RBI had revised its inflation forecast for the fourth quarter (2017-18) to 5.1% from 4.3%-4.7% earlier. Inflation print is now expected to be lower than the RBI’s estimate in Q4 (so far the average has been 4.8%). Going ahead in FY19, CPI inflation could inch-up to around 5.6% in June. We expect average inflation of 5.1% in H1-FY19 with much of the rise likely to be on account of an adverse base. Thereafter, in 2H-FY19, while the base effect could be favourable and lead to some moderation in inflation, a lot would depend on how other factors pan out. Price of crude oil, potentially higher minimum support prices, the impact of housing rent allowance increase by several state governments, besides the performance of monsoon are some risks that could emerge in 2H-FY19, warranting a reasonable degree of caution by the RBI. Given the recent softer inflation prints while the RBI can afford to wait longer and maintain status quo, eventually, we believe, that elevation of some of the upside risks along with the revival in rural demand could lead to a rate hike by the last quarter of 2018-19. Upside risks to inflation are detailed below: 1. Core inflation pressures building up Rising core: Core inflation (excluding food, fuel and petrol and diesel) has been sticky in the past three months, remaining unchanged at 5.1%. Prior to this, it had gradually risen from 3.9% in June 2017 to 5.1% in December 2017. 46% of the core items are seeing an upward pressure. (Source: CEIC, HDFC Bank) 46% of the items in core are rising versus only 9% last year: Our analysis shows that between June 2017 and February 2018, 46% of the core items have seen upward pressures while 45% of the items have remained sticky. Only 9% of the items have seen a fall. This is in contrast to the trend seen between May 2016 and May 2017, when only 9% of the core items were rising while 44% of the items where seeing a downward pressure. Service inflation has been risen more than manufacturing. (Source: CEIC, HDFC Bank) Services inflation is leading the upswing, rising to 5.7% in February from 4.4% in the beginning of the financial year (April 2017). This indicates that any downside pressures due to the introduction of GST on service prices, as was expected, has been offset by other core items or has not filtered through to retail prices. 2. Return of oil pressures: Crude oil prices posted their biggest weekly gain in eight months with rising geopolitical risk in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia hinting that the current OPEC output cuts could be extended into 2019. MSPs risk: In the Union Budget 2018-19, the government had announced that MSPs will be set at 1.5 times the cost of production. The impact of this increase is dependent on the definition of cost used. According to our estimates, a 1.5 times increase over the A2+FL costs could lead to a 5060bps increase in headline inflation. The RBI has also highlighted the increase in MSPs as a key risk in the past and is likely to reiterate the same in the April 5 policy meeting. That said, the RBI is likely to wait and watch before the final decision on MSPs is announced in May this year, before making changes to its stance or forecasts. Global Dynamics Change in the outlook of oil prices and the emergence of new risks on the international front (trade-war etc.) could have a direct bearing on the exchange rate assumptions and thus on the overall monetary policy equation of the RBI. The report summed up saying "there are global factors that the RBI needs to watch out for, and perhaps act during phases of extreme volatility. Rupee movement in 2018 is likely to be marginal in our view but it’s important to keep a tad of exchange rate risks in an environment of tightening monetary policies globally and rising concerns of a full-blown trade war. Therefore, a status-quo for the major part of the year is the most likely scenario for the RBI. The rate hike could happen in the last quarter of FY19."

Repo rate likely to remain unchanged in monetary policy review: HDFC Bank report

<a href="http://www.bollywoodlife.com/movies/Mom/" target="_blank">Mom</a>&nbsp;releases tomorrow and the ones who have already watched the film have only good things to say about it. While people applauded the story and direction, it is&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bollywoodlife.com/celeb/sridevi/" target="_blank">Sridevi</a>&lsquo;s flawless performance that has everyone clap loudly. We have compiled a few reviews for you to decided whether or not to watch the film this weekend.

TOI in their 4-star review called Sridevi &lsquo;High Priestess&rsquo;: &ldquo;In her 300th landmark movie (coincidentally produced by her husband Boney Kapoor) Sri demonstrates why she is the high-priestess of desi cinema. Here she turns in a captivating performance; happiness, helplessness, vendetta and victory, she walks you through the entire gamut of emotions with panache. Supporting her ably is her onscreen husband Anand (Adnan), who plays the polished gent with flair. Nawazuddin, with his quirks and one-liners, turns in a class act and Akshaye Khanna, who is in terrific form here, forces you to ponder why he takes such long matinee breaks.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Mid-Day gave it 3&nbsp;stars and said that the actress makes the film special: &ldquo;From an audience&rsquo;s perspective, what will make this most special still is Sridevi. This is her 300th film, I&rsquo;m presuming, as the protagonist! Despite a phenomenally prolific career &mdash; especially when stars have become so publicly accessible &mdash; it&rsquo;s astounding how she&rsquo;s managed to maintain an irresistible mystique around herself.&nbsp;It&rsquo;s a big deal to see her on screen, let alone that there are hardly any worthwhile scripts with a woman at 53 in the lead. If there was one, it would be written for Sridevi &mdash; undoubtedly the female Amitabh Bachchan of her times. And she gives it her all. Speaking of which, Bachchan&rsquo;s done &lsquo;Paa&rsquo;, it&rsquo;s only fair that &lsquo;Mom&rsquo; is Sri&rsquo;s movie.

Mumbai Mirror&nbsp;went for 3.5 stars have credited her for evolving with time: &ldquo;In the eponymous role, Sridevi conveys distraught and determination like few others. The actor who clocks 300 with this film, ruled over Hindi cinema at a time when nothing was left to the imagination and subtlety wasn&rsquo;t a virtue worth upholding. But keeping up with the times, she has embraced the realistic approach to her craft and effectively manages to convey her character&rsquo;s state of mind through the film. If anyone but Nawazuddin Siddiqui was cast to play DK, it would come across as an imitation of a funny voice. But Nawaz takes that funny voice and makes it his own and it seems to belong. Pakistani actor Sajal Ali, whose character endures physical abuse, is effective in communicating the psychological residue of the traumatic act through her performance. Akshaye Khanna as the intuitive crime branch inspector Mathew Francis sticks to his lopsided expressions and is unobjectionable.&rdquo;

So you have a lot of reasons to watch this film this weekend.

Sridevi, in her 300th film as the protagonist, still captures everybody's eyes with her perfect mixture of emotions that few others can pull off

Mom releases tomorrow and the ones who have already watched the film have only good things to say about it. While people applauded the story and direction, it is Sridevi‘s flawless performance that has everyone clap loudly. We have compiled a few reviews for you to decided whether or not to watch the film this weekend. TOI in their 4-star review called Sridevi ‘High Priestess’: “In her 300th landmark movie (coincidentally produced by her husband Boney Kapoor) Sri demonstrates why she is the high-priestess of desi cinema. Here she turns in a captivating performance; happiness, helplessness, vendetta and victory, she walks you through the entire gamut of emotions with panache. Supporting her ably is her onscreen husband Anand (Adnan), who plays the polished gent with flair. Nawazuddin, with his quirks and one-liners, turns in a class act and Akshaye Khanna, who is in terrific form here, forces you to ponder why he takes such long matinee breaks.” Mid-Day gave it 3 stars and said that the actress makes the film special: “From an audience’s perspective, what will make this most special still is Sridevi. This is her 300th film, I’m presuming, as the protagonist! Despite a phenomenally prolific career — especially when stars have become so publicly accessible — it’s astounding how she’s managed to maintain an irresistible mystique around herself. It’s a big deal to see her on screen, let alone that there are hardly any worthwhile scripts with a woman at 53 in the lead. If there was one, it would be written for Sridevi — undoubtedly the female Amitabh Bachchan of her times. And she gives it her all. Speaking of which, Bachchan’s done ‘Paa’, it’s only fair that ‘Mom’ is Sri’s movie. Mumbai Mirror went for 3.5 stars have credited her for evolving with time: “In the eponymous role, Sridevi conveys distraught and determination like few others. The actor who clocks 300 with this film, ruled over Hindi cinema at a time when nothing was left to the imagination and subtlety wasn’t a virtue worth upholding. But keeping up with the times, she has embraced the realistic approach to her craft and effectively manages to convey her character’s state of mind through the film. If anyone but Nawazuddin Siddiqui was cast to play DK, it would come across as an imitation of a funny voice. But Nawaz takes that funny voice and makes it his own and it seems to belong. Pakistani actor Sajal Ali, whose character endures physical abuse, is effective in communicating the psychological residue of the traumatic act through her performance. Akshaye Khanna as the intuitive crime branch inspector Mathew Francis sticks to his lopsided expressions and is unobjectionable.” So you have a lot of reasons to watch this film this weekend.

Mom movie review: Sridevi?s performance has critics cheering for her

One of the most famous and loved superhero of all time,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bollywoodlife.com/news-gossip/spider-man-homecoming-star-tom-holland-reacts-to-shah-rukh-khans-g-one-and-hrithik-roshans-krrish-read-exclusive-details/">Spider-Man</a>&nbsp;made a&nbsp;much awaited and much needed Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in last year&rsquo;s&nbsp;Captain America: Civil War.&nbsp;Many were of opinion that Spider-Man was one of the best parts of the film. Fans were even more elated when it was announced that the very next year that is in 2017, Spider-Man will be starring in his own film, helmed &nbsp;by MCU. The film was titled Spider-Man: Homecoming and it was revealed that will also feature MCU&rsquo;s poster boy since its inception in 2008, Robert Downey Jr aka Iron Man aka Tony Stark. Directed by Jon Watts, film stars Tom Holland, Jacob Batalon, Zendaya and Michael Keaton among others.

What&rsquo;s It About

The film starts right after the aftermaths of&nbsp;Captain America: Civil War&nbsp;as far as Peter Parker&rsquo;s (Tom Holland) story is concerned but Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) aka Vulture&rsquo;s story goes back to the first Avengers film. Film follows the life of Peter Parker and how his life changes after his stint along with the Avengers. While Tony Stark&nbsp;assures him he&rsquo;ll be called when the time is right and advises him to not do what Tony would do and definitely not do what Tony wouldn&rsquo;t do. Basically, Tony wants him to be the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man while Peter wants to prove his worth and is just looking for a chance. And that one chance arrives in The Vulture! Once he comes face to face with The Vulture, all hell breaks loose, so much so that even Tony leaves him on his own. What happens next forms the rest of the film.&nbsp;

What&rsquo;s Good

Even though I am one of those who grew up on Tobey Maguire&rsquo;s Spider-Man trilogy and loathed Andrew Garfield&rsquo;s The Amazing Spider-Man duology for two reasons, films not being anything like original trilogy and Andrew not being Tobey, but Tom Holland here is beyond comparison. He is goofy, childish, bumbling and yet endearing. He creates the sort of persona of Spider-Man in this film that you just can&rsquo;t compare him with the previous two. You can still be a fan of Tobey&rsquo;s take on the web slinger and love Tom&rsquo;s turn at it. Moreover, Tom is a very able actor, the whole scene of his with Michael Keaton&rsquo;s Adrian Toomes in a car, speaks volume about his talent and the one in pre-climax when he decides to be an &lsquo;adult&rsquo;.

Michael Keaton is one of the major reasons the film turns out to be what it is. He balances it out, if Peter is goofy, Adrian is no nonsense and menacing. When he turns into The Vulture, he is a scene stealer, his voice, demeanor, mannerism, aura works wonders for the film. Like I mentioned above that one scene in a car was the highlight of the film for me. While he does all those dreadful activities, somewhere in your heart, you still feel for him.

Jacob Batalon as Ned, Peter&rsquo;s best friend plays a perfect sidekick and often raises laughter quotient in the film. Marisa Tomei as Aunt May is as hot as she is talented and makers have played to that in the film. No wonder Tony Stark wanted to know if she&rsquo;s wearing something &lsquo;skimpy&rsquo;. Other actors be it Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan, Zendaya as Michelle and&nbsp;Laura Harrier as Liz give able support.

And what can I say about the truly invincible Iron Man aka Robert Downey Jr. The more I say about his screen presence and acting ability, will be an insult to one of the world&rsquo;s biggest stars. He is charismatic, enigmatic, majestic and charming.&nbsp;

As far as film is concerned, like every other Marvel movie, film plays high on humour and there is not a single dull moment in the film. Spider-Man here is a trainee and is far away from learning the ropes or webs in this case, of being a superhero. This is the most grounded version of Spider-Man, which one can easily relate to for we finally get to see the difficulty Peter faces while he balances his school and trying to be a superhero. In fact if not for a superhero film, this film works well enough and can easily be passed off as a high school comedy.

There are many digs or reference, of course, indirect at (surprisingly) DCEU superheroes like Flash, Batman, Superman and Green Arrow. (Or maybe I read too much between the lines.) Anyway it was a win!

Apart from that there are several other easter eggs and references that&rsquo;ll be fun for the fans.

The music is fine with Vulture&rsquo;s theme score standing out. The special effects are first rate.

And finally, out of all the MCU, DCEU and other franchise blockbusters of Hollywood, this film has the best post-credit scene ever. You have to wait for it&hellip;&nbsp;

What&rsquo;s Not

While the earlier face-offs between Spider-Man and Vulture were worth your money, it is the climax that I &nbsp;found a little underwhelming. Make no mistake the end fight scene&rsquo;s build up is fantastic, it ends way before it should&rsquo;ve, as if makers were in a hurry.&nbsp;Tony Revolori as Flash Thompson, &ldquo;The High School Bully&rdquo; in Peter&rsquo;s life was, highly&nbsp;underused.

I know it&rsquo;s a Spider-Man film but still I was expecting a fair screen time of Robert Downey Jr (blame it on the promos) but he had very limited scenes&hellip;may be that&rsquo;s the fanboy in me speaking.

And why oh why, you wouldn&rsquo;t show that money shot moment from the trailer where Iron Man and Spider-Man are shown slinging/flying around the city. That scene was missing from the film.

Apart from the above things, film, most importantly lacked depth, which was the major reason I loved Wonder Woman and Logan. Both of those films have soul, here it&rsquo;s all mind blasting entertainment.&nbsp;

What To Do

The question is, Can Marvel ever go wrong? Well the answer is NO, I don&rsquo;t think so. They know the tips and tricks of how to play to the gallery and successfully churn out an entertaining blockbuster. What&rsquo;s commendable here is they have done it with a superhero who is already a hit with the fans and have been played twice before in last 15 years. Watch the film for its non-stop entertainment and humour, for Tom Holland and Michael Keaton, for MCU finally getting a good villain after Loki and&hellip;well it&rsquo;s MCU, you are gonna watch it, anyway. This is the Spider-Man we were waiting for all these years.

Spider-man Homecoming is entertaining and funny

One of the most famous and loved superhero of all time, Spider-Man made a much awaited and much needed Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in last year’s Captain America: Civil War. Many were of opinion that Spider-Man was one of the best parts of the film. Fans were even more elated when it was announced that the very next year that is in 2017, Spider-Man will be starring in his own film, helmed by MCU. The film was titled Spider-Man: Homecoming and it was revealed that will also feature MCU’s poster boy since its inception in 2008, Robert Downey Jr aka Iron Man aka Tony Stark. Directed by Jon Watts, film stars Tom Holland, Jacob Batalon, Zendaya and Michael Keaton among others. What’s It About The film starts right after the aftermaths of Captain America: Civil War as far as Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) story is concerned but Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) aka Vulture’s story goes back to the first Avengers film. Film follows the life of Peter Parker and how his life changes after his stint along with the Avengers. While Tony Stark assures him he’ll be called when the time is right and advises him to not do what Tony would do and definitely not do what Tony wouldn’t do. Basically, Tony wants him to be the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man while Peter wants to prove his worth and is just looking for a chance. And that one chance arrives in The Vulture! Once he comes face to face with The Vulture, all hell breaks loose, so much so that even Tony leaves him on his own. What happens next forms the rest of the film. What’s Good Even though I am one of those who grew up on Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man trilogy and loathed Andrew Garfield’s The Amazing Spider-Man duology for two reasons, films not being anything like original trilogy and Andrew not being Tobey, but Tom Holland here is beyond comparison. He is goofy, childish, bumbling and yet endearing. He creates the sort of persona of Spider-Man in this film that you just can’t compare him with the previous two. You can still be a fan of Tobey’s take on the web slinger and love Tom’s turn at it. Moreover, Tom is a very able actor, the whole scene of his with Michael Keaton’s Adrian Toomes in a car, speaks volume about his talent and the one in pre-climax when he decides to be an ‘adult’. Michael Keaton is one of the major reasons the film turns out to be what it is. He balances it out, if Peter is goofy, Adrian is no nonsense and menacing. When he turns into The Vulture, he is a scene stealer, his voice, demeanor, mannerism, aura works wonders for the film. Like I mentioned above that one scene in a car was the highlight of the film for me. While he does all those dreadful activities, somewhere in your heart, you still feel for him. Jacob Batalon as Ned, Peter’s best friend plays a perfect sidekick and often raises laughter quotient in the film. Marisa Tomei as Aunt May is as hot as she is talented and makers have played to that in the film. No wonder Tony Stark wanted to know if she’s wearing something ‘skimpy’. Other actors be it Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan, Zendaya as Michelle and Laura Harrier as Liz give able support. And what can I say about the truly invincible Iron Man aka Robert Downey Jr. The more I say about his screen presence and acting ability, will be an insult to one of the world’s biggest stars. He is charismatic, enigmatic, majestic and charming. As far as film is concerned, like every other Marvel movie, film plays high on humour and there is not a single dull moment in the film. Spider-Man here is a trainee and is far away from learning the ropes or webs in this case, of being a superhero. This is the most grounded version of Spider-Man, which one can easily relate to for we finally get to see the difficulty Peter faces while he balances his school and trying to be a superhero. In fact if not for a superhero film, this film works well enough and can easily be passed off as a high school comedy. There are many digs or reference, of course, indirect at (surprisingly) DCEU superheroes like Flash, Batman, Superman and Green Arrow. (Or maybe I read too much between the lines.) Anyway it was a win! Apart from that there are several other easter eggs and references that’ll be fun for the fans. The music is fine with Vulture’s theme score standing out. The special effects are first rate. And finally, out of all the MCU, DCEU and other franchise blockbusters of Hollywood, this film has the best post-credit scene ever. You have to wait for it… What’s Not While the earlier face-offs between Spider-Man and Vulture were worth your money, it is the climax that I found a little underwhelming. Make no mistake the end fight scene’s build up is fantastic, it ends way before it should’ve, as if makers were in a hurry. Tony Revolori as Flash Thompson, “The High School Bully” in Peter’s life was, highly underused. I know it’s a Spider-Man film but still I was expecting a fair screen time of Robert Downey Jr (blame it on the promos) but he had very limited scenes…may be that’s the fanboy in me speaking. And why oh why, you wouldn’t show that money shot moment from the trailer where Iron Man and Spider-Man are shown slinging/flying around the city. That scene was missing from the film. Apart from the above things, film, most importantly lacked depth, which was the major reason I loved Wonder Woman and Logan. Both of those films have soul, here it’s all mind blasting entertainment. What To Do The question is, Can Marvel ever go wrong? Well the answer is NO, I don’t think so. They know the tips and tricks of how to play to the gallery and successfully churn out an entertaining blockbuster. What’s commendable here is they have done it with a superhero who is already a hit with the fans and have been played twice before in last 15 years. Watch the film for its non-stop entertainment and humour, for Tom Holland and Michael Keaton, for MCU finally getting a good villain after Loki and…well it’s MCU, you are gonna watch it, anyway. This is the Spider-Man we were waiting for all these years.

Spider-Man Homecoming movie review: This is the web-slinger we were waiting for all these years

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