
Jr NTR joins Prashanth Neel's midnight birthday bash, writes touching note
As director Prashanth Neel celebrated his birthday post-midnight on June 4, actor Jr NTR was seen joining the celebrations, adding to the buzz around their much-anticipated collaboration 'NTR-Neel'.In a viral video, Neel is seen cutting a cake surrounded by family and close friends, with Jr NTR also participating in the celebration.Here's the celebration Video:
The actor also shared a candid image of the filmmaker on X along with a heartfelt birthday message, 'Happy Birthday Prashanth! Your vision speaks louder than words. Here's to more fire on screen( sic).'advertisementHere's the post:
In the photo, Neel is seen covering his ears with a smile, prompting fans to speculate that it could be a behind-the-scenes moment from a blast sequence on their film's set.Neel, who rose to pan-India fame with 'KGF' and 'Salaar', was also spotted celebrating Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL win with visible joy in a video that went viral around the same time. A known RCB fan, Neel was seen cheering wildly on June 3.The duo's upcoming project, reportedly titled 'Dragon', has already gone on floor with NTR joining the shoot. According to earlier reports, the film is set against a period backdrop, beginning in 1969 near the China-Bhutan-India border in the Golden Triangle region, and is expected to follow an emotionally charged narrative.Produced by Mythri Movie Makers and NTR Arts, the film was initially planned for a Sankranti release, clashing with Thalapathy Vijay's 'Jana Nayagan'. However, the makers have since announced a new release date, June 25, 2026.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


News18
18 minutes ago
- News18
‘Virat Kohli Noticing My Improvement Meant The World to Me'
Last Updated: Wadhera reflects on his breakout IPL 2025, sharing how Dravid's lessons, Iyer and Ponting's faith, and Kohli's praise shaped his fearless batting and hunger to excel. At just 24, Nehal Wadhera has emerged as one of Indian cricket's brightest young stars, propelled by a standout IPL 2025 campaign with Punjab Kings. In a freewheeling chat with Wadhera credits his fearless left-handed batting and adaptability as a floater to lessons from his India U-19 days under Rahul Dravid, who emphasised the importance of versatility in the middle order. His electrifying 70 against Rajasthan Royals showcased his knack for seizing momentum, a performance made possible by the confidence shown by captain Shreyas Iyer and coach Ricky Ponting. A memorable highlight of the season was Virat Kohli greeting him in Punjabi and praising his composure—an endorsement that left a lasting impact. IPL is still fresh in everyone's mind. You came into Punjab Kings with high expectations and played the floater role—a tough one, since your entry point varies game to game. What was it like mentally preparing for that role? Talking about the floater role, I've always found myself in similar situations, even during domestic cricket. When I was with the India U-19 team, Rahul Dravid was our coach. He once asked someone, 'What's your favorite position to bat?" The player answered, 'Middle order." Then Dravid asked, 'What does a middle-order batsman mean?" The reply was, 'Number four, five, or six." Dravid said, 'There's no fixed number for a middle-order player. If you want to play for India, you must know how to bat at four, five, and six." That stuck with me. I knew going into the IPL that I wouldn't get my favourite spot. Just making it into the playing XI was a big achievement. I prepared with that mindset—wherever I bat, I must perform. Back home, I practiced situations like 30 for 4, 120 for 2, etc. I knew which bowlers to target, when and how to attack. That preparation gave me the confidence to bat at any position. Preparation is one thing, but execution is another. Your 70 against Rajasthan Royals was a highlight. What was going through your mind during that innings, especially when you accelerated? A player can only play such innings when he has the confidence of the coach and captain. They gave me that confidence and told us not to fear getting out. That takes the fear of failure away and brings out your best. In that game, I came in around the fifth over, hit a couple of early boundaries, and my momentum picked up. The bowlers bowled into my arc so that I could free my arms. I didn't set out to play that kind of innings—it just flowed. My bat felt in sync, and I made the most of it. Throughout the season, you often came in to counter spin and accelerate in the middle overs. Did you have to make any tactical adjustments for that? Most Indian players are good at playing spin because of the tough domestic pitches. In the Ranji Trophy, we get rank turners where even reading the ball is hard. That builds adaptability. The quality of spinners in the domestic circuit is high, even among players who aren't in the national team. So, we get tested constantly. That experience helped me adjust tactically in the IPL. Let's talk about that viral moment before the RCB game—Virat Kohli walking up to you. That must have been surreal. What was that like? That was our first match against RCB this season. Virat bhaiya was with Shreyas Iyer near our dressing room. He called me over and greeted me in Punjabi. After the game, I asked him if he noticed any improvement in my batting. Last to last season, he'd given me some advice, and I'd worked on it. He said, 'Yes, you're more composed now. You know where and when to hit." For someone like me—just three IPL seasons in—it meant the world to get that encouragement from a legend like him. Did you get a bat from him? Everyone seems to! (laughs) No, I don't ask for bats. It's a personal thing for players. I'm not one of those. Coming back to Punjab Kings. You were with Mumbai Indians for two years. What was different between the MI setup and PBKS? Every franchise has its own culture, but the way I was treated in MI and PBKS was the same—very supportive. The main difference was my role. In MI, there were big names like Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Tim David, Cameron Green and Jasprit Bumrah. It was hard to break in. But in Punjab, I felt more responsibility. Players like me, Prabhsimran [Singh], Shashank [Singh], and Harpreet Brar hadn't played internationally yet. We had that hunger to prove ourselves. That energy drove us to give 100%. Shreyas Iyer played a big role too—on and off the field. Anything specific that made you look up to him as a leader? I saw an interview where he said, 'Don't make yourself so available that people take you for granted." That line hit me. On the field, I saw that same discipline. Off the field, too, he was focused—diet, routine, everything. Even on flights, he'd carry his own food. That level of commitment reflected in his captaincy. And what about Ricky Ponting—another legend. Any special moment with him? Ponting sir never made you feel like he was a World Cup-winning captain. Despite his aggressive on-field image, he was the happiest guy off it. After the final, I wasn't in a great mood. He asked me if I was coming to the team get-together. I said no. He said, 'You should be the first one there." That's the kind of support he gives you. He brings the best out of every player. Let's go back to that final. After the match, you took responsibility for the loss. What was your mindset then? People talked about pressure, but I didn't feel it that way. I wanted to take the game deep, but I ended up playing too many dot balls. I wasn't able to finish. Yes, if I had batted better, we could have won. It was just one of those days. This IPL season has been a breakout one for you. What are your short-term and long-term goals? My immediate goal is to do well in the domestic season and help Punjab win a trophy. After that, if India A or any other opportunity comes, I want to be ready. I want to be an even better player than I was this IPL and represent India one day. top videos View all Finally, Shubman Gill. You've known him since your junior days. Now he's India's Test captain. What do you think of him as a leader? We've played under-16 together and trained at Punjab camps. I think he has all the qualities of a good captain. We haven't been in touch much since he started playing for India, but I know he'll lead well. I truly believe that. About the Author Vineet Ramakrishnan Vineet R, an accomplished sports journalist with over 13 years of experience in digital media, currently serves as the Associate Editor - Sports at CricketNext and News18 Sports. With a specialization in More Get latest Cricket news, live score and match results on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : From the press box ipl IPL 2025 Nehal Wadhera PBKS Punjab Kings ricky ponting shreyas iyer Shubman Gill Virat Kohli Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 21, 2025, 07:00 IST News cricket Nehal Wadhera EXCLUSIVE | 'Virat Kohli Noticing My Improvement Meant The World to Me'
&w=3840&q=100)

First Post
27 minutes ago
- First Post
Joe Root left shocked as England handed five-run penalty for rare violation against India
England were penalised five runs during the first Test against India for a little-known rule. The decision left Joe Root shocked as he was involved in the unintentional violation. India finished Day 1 at 359/3 in 85 overs. read more Joe Root looks on after the ball hits the helmet placed on the ground. Image: Reuters In a rare and unexpected moment during the opening Test between England and India at Headingley, England were hit with a five-run penalty, leaving former captain Joe Root stunned. The incident happened during India's first innings on Day 1 of the match. With Yashasvi Jaiswal and new Test skipper Shubman Gill at the crease, India were already in a strong position after a solid opening stand. England had won the toss and elected to bowl first. Jaiswal and KL Rahul forged a brilliant opening partnership before the latter was dismissed by Ben Stokes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD England punished for rare violation Then came the bizarre moment. Jaiswal was batting and he smashed a Ben Stokes delivery, which flew towards the slips. The ball deflected off Harry Brook and then touched Root's hand and went straight into a set of helmets lying on the ground behind the wicketkeeper. Even though no run was taken by the batters, umpire Richard Kettleborough immediately signalled a five-run penalty in favour of India. The rule behind this penalty is quite old and is rarely seen being applied during play. According to Law 28 of the MCC Laws of Cricket, if the ball touches a helmet placed on the field, the batting team is awarded five penalty runs. The ball also becomes dead instantly. India vs England, 1st Test - Day 1 India made a strong start to the first Test, finishing Day 1 on a commanding 359/3 in 85 overs. Jaiswal laid the foundation with a fluent 101 off 159 balls and Gill led from the front with an unbeaten 127 off 175 deliveries. Rishabh Pant provided solid support with 65 not out off 102 balls. India will look to build on this strong platform on Day 2. Meanwhile, England will aim to bounce back after a disappointing start. Despite having the advantage of winning the toss and choosing to bowl first, their inexperienced bowling attack struggled to make an impact on the opening day. Stokes was the pick of the bowlers for the home side as he picked up 2 wickets for 43 runs in 13 overs.


Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Delhi must underline for Washington the grave dangers of Asim Munir's vision of Pakistan
In 2018, in his first term, US President Donald Trump had spelt out, in his typically blunt style, the sense that Rawalpindi and Islamabad had taken advantage of Washington: 'The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools… they give safe haven to terrorists'. This week, he said: 'I love Pakistan'. It would be simplistic to view the unprecedented lunch meeting at the White House between Trump and General Asim Munir — the first time a military leader who is not head of state in Pakistan has been accorded the honour — as a major u-turn. Indeed, India-US ties have been steadily deepening over the last three decades, based on a convergence of economic and strategic interests and shared values, even as the US-Pakistan relationship has grown more volatile. That said, the current moment in international relations is one of flux and Delhi must tread carefully. The Pahalgam attack underscored the grave national security threat that Pakistan-sponsored terrorism continues to present for India. With Operation Sindoor, Delhi has made it clear to both Rawalpindi and the world that it will pierce the shield of 'proxies' and not give in to Pakistan's nuclear blackmail. India has raised the costs of terror in order to ensure that such attacks on its soil are not carried out with impunity. Communicating the new normal it has etched with Pakistan after Pahalgam to its friends abroad is Delhi's challenge. To be sure, Delhi cannot control who Trump chooses to engage, and for what reasons. Pakistan's geography — it shares a 900-km border with Iran — may make it an attractive tactical partner for the US in the current Israel-Iran war. There is speculation that Pakistan's rolling out the red carpet for the privately-owned US cryptocurrency firm, World Liberty Financial (WLF), may have helped ingratiate Munir to the White House — Donald Trump Jr has close ties with WLF. A White House spokesperson has claimed that Munir has proposed Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his self-proclaimed role — firmly denied by India — in the post Op Sindoor cessation of hostilities. For India, though, the question is less why the Munir-Trump meeting, and more about how to ensure that the red lines it has laid down are respected, including by the US. Just a fortnight before terrorists killed 26 people in Pahalgam after confirming their religion, Munir had reiterated some of the nastiest tropes of the two-nation theory. He called Kashmir Pakistan's 'jugular vein', and reduced the complex and layered identities of the Subcontinent's people to their religion. It is now for Delhi — diplomatically, through the appropriate channels — to remind Washington that Pakistan's Field Marshal is a fundamentalist with an army at his disposal. Delhi has done well so far in standing its ground and making it clear that it will not compromise on its national interest: Even if belatedly, it issued a clear denial of President Trump's claims about mediating the ceasefire. Now, it must underline for Washington the danger that Munir's vision of Pakistan poses for stability in the region and for global order — and why Delhi has drawn some hard red lines.