Latest news with #Ranjith
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Time of India
Untouchability allegation: Kerala HC tells Alappuzha district police to monitor probe
Kochi: High court has directed the Alappuzha district police chief to supervise the investigation into a complaint alleging that maintaining a separate attendance register for certain employees at the district collectorate amounts to untouchability. Justice P V Kunhikrishnan issued the directive while disposing of a petition filed by T Ranjith, a chaukidar (office attendant) at the control room of the Alappuzha collectorate. In his petition, Ranjith, a member of a Scheduled Caste community, stated that he and another Scheduled Caste employee were instructed by the collectorate's huzur sheristadar and district police complaint authority secretary not to sign the main attendance register used by other staff. Instead, they were directed to mark their attendance in a separate register maintained for part-time cleaning and sweeping staff. Ranjith further alleged that when he questioned this practice, a superior officer made casteist remarks. Though a criminal case was registered against the officer based on his complaint, Ranjith contended that no effective legal action had been taken, allegedly due to the officer's position as district police complaint authority secretary. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 年最紓壓的農場遊戲！無需安裝 東加：島嶼農場 立即播放 Undo The special govt pleader submitted that the investigation is currently being conducted by the deputy superintendent of police, Alappuzha. Accordingly, the court disposed of the petition with a direction to the district police chief to oversee the investigation. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
IOL News
04-06-2025
- General
- IOL News
Givahn prepares for his first Comrades Marathon: expecting a 'humbling experience'
Givahn Ranjith, third from left, with fellow Woodview Athletics Club runners, who will also be running in the Comrades Marathon. They are, from left, Shaunesh Maharaj, Rajen Munesar, and Venothan Pillay. Image: Supplied Givahn Ranjith, a 30-year-old telecommunications representative from Phoenix, has decided to take on the biggest race of his life and run his first Comrades Marathon. Ranjith, a member of the Woodview Athletics Club, said: 'I never dreamed of running the Comrades Marathon until I qualified. I always thought it was way ahead of me. However, my friends in the running community motivated me to take on the challenge and push myself.' He said he started running two years ago. "My training has been good. I know the run will not be easy and that it will test my limits. However, I am looking forward to the camaraderie along the route, the support from spectators, and the personal growth that comes from taking on something this demanding. My goal is to finish within the 12-hour cutoff. I'm expecting a humbling experience." Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ He said he trained five to six days a week. "This depends on the phase of my training block, which means how often and how hard I train depends on which stage I'm currently in. Base phase, building phase, peak phase, taper phase, and all this is done to be ready for race day." Ranjith said he currently experienced a mix of nerves and excitement. "This has been months in the making. I know how hard I have worked and I intend to do my best. Most of all, I want to soak in every moment."
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Padakkalam OTT Release Date: When and where to watch Suraj Venjaramoodu & Sharaf U Dheen's fantasy film online
Padakkalam OTT Release Date: Get ready to enter a world where reality bends, professors swap bodies, and ancient board games unleash chaos. Padakkalam, the latest Malayalam fantasy caper, is all set to make its digital debut on JioHotstar starting June 10, 2025. After a low-key theatrical run in early May, this surreal comedy-drama is finding a second life on streaming. When the chalkboard turns into a battleground At first glance, Padakkalam looks like your average campus drama: two professors, one chair, and a college full of students who'd rather gossip than attend lectures. But beneath that seemingly grounded setting lies a wild, almost cartoonish narrative twist: body-swapping sorcery. Ranjith and Shaji, both professors at a college that doesn't seem to have HR protocols, are vying for the head-of-department post. While students naturally side with the affable Ranjith, the job goes to Shaji. Things take a turn for the bizarre when Shaji, now HOD, starts behaving erratically like… unsettlingly strange. He's not the man they knew. Turns out, he quite literally isn't. Enter Jithin, a student who notices the sudden personality change. And through a bit of snooping, a few skipped lectures, and a stolen board game, he uncovers the truth: Ranjith has used black magic, courtesy of an ancient Pachisi set, to switch bodies with Shaji. As absurd as it sounds, the tone of the film embraces it with full conviction. Once Jithin and his gang of misfit friends get their hands on the mystical board game, they set in motion a series of mishaps that spiral out of control, turning their sleepy college into a chaotic playground for the supernatural. What follows is a frantic attempt to reverse the curse, put people back in their rightful bodies, and restore sanity before final exams and reputations go up in smoke. A cast that carries the crazy Suraj Venjaramoodu plays Ranjith with Sharaf U Dheen as the unfortunate Shaji. Niranjana Anoop plays a student caught between chaos and curiosity. The supporting roles, especially Sandeep Pradeep (from Falimy), Arun Ajikumar, and the Saaf Bros, provide comic relief that doesn't feel forced. Directed by Manu Swaraj and co-written by Swaraj and Nithin C Babu, Padakkalam leans hard into the absurd. This Rajesh Murugesan musical is cinematographed by Anu Moothedath and edited by Nidhin Raj Arol.
Indian Express
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Padakkalam movie review: Suraj Venjaramoodu, Sharaf U Dheen's fantasy comedy proves that an intriguing plot alone doesn't make a good film
Padakkalam movie review: Malayalees aren't alien to the concept of Parakaya Pravesha (the act of entering another person's body with one's consciousness) and other similar dark fantasy horror elements, thanks to cinematographer-director Santosh Sivan's acclaimed film Anandabhadram (2005). Hence, filmmakers who wish to explore such themes in Malayalam don't have to spend much time explaining the concepts and can immediately enter their narrative after a small and basic introduction that might help refresh people's memories. That means the makers of such a movie get almost 80-90 per cent of the film's runtime to tell their story without having to rack their brains over how to ensure clarity. Despite having such favourable conditions, if you are unable to craft a movie with at least intriguing moments, whose fault is it? The predicament debutant director Manu Swaraj's Padakkalam, starring Suraj Venjaramoodu, Sharaf U Dheen and Sandeep Pradeep, ends up in is pretty much the same. Don't Miss | Sarkeet movie review: Asif Ali, Orhan elevate Thamar KV film Although both Shaji (Suraj) and Ranjith (Sharaf) eye the chair of the HOD in their college, the students are all in support of the latter since he shares a 'warm' rapport with them. However, as Shaji is the eligible one, the position 'naturally' goes to him, but only for a few minutes, as the other staff members soon notice some abnormalities in his behaviour, and he is forced to go on leave. In the meantime, one of their students, Jithin (Sandeep Pradeep), finds out the real reason behind Shaji's peculiar behaviour and realises that Ranjith had a hand in it and that he is well-versed in black magic. Although he explains it to his friends Ramzad (Arun Pradeep), Kannan (Saaf) and Nakul (Arun Ajikumar), they are hesitant to believe at first, but soon they also start noticing Ranjith's idiosyncrasies and come to the conclusion that he knows Parakaya Niyantrana (the act of gaining control over another person's body). They also find out that the source of his black magic powers is his Pachisi set. Under the suspicion that he could be planning bigger things with it, the four students decide to steal and destroy the set. However, once they get hold of the set, their lives turn upside down as Ranjith takes control of Jithin's body too. Meanwhile, things escalate once Shaji returns to avenge the mishappenings in his life caused by Ranjith. At one crucial juncture, they all end up committing a massive blunder, which pushes them into bigger troubles. The remainder of the movie follows their attempts to unlock the tangle. Despite having a fascinating plot, Padakkalam is let down completely by aimless writing. Although the movie establishes its setting and central characters well in the first act and piques the interest of the audience with the introduction of fantasy elements, the script, penned jointly by Manu and Nithin C Babu, takes a massive nosedive after a point. Regardless of occasionally showing slight hints of a possible comeback, Padakkalam never truly rises to its potential. Barring a few jokes that mostly land due to the actors' delivery and their on-screen chemistry, which has worked out decently well, the movie ends up being a series of missed opportunities. And yes, the core idea and plot had potential, and there are at least a handful of moments where you can sense it, making you feel that it could have been something special if developed or executed well. Nevertheless, the writers never manage to leverage such instances, and most of the moments end up being undercooked. Although the character of Jeevika (Niranjana Anoop) appears occasionally, she never becomes more than Jithin's estranged girlfriend. Shaji's wife, Shobha (Pooja Mohanraj), on the other hand, showed promise to become a substantial character, but is largely ignored by the makers. Regardless, the movie is kept afloat by the decent performances of the actors, particularly Suraj Venjaramoodu and Sharaf U Dheen, who showcase their comedic strengths and strike silver (yes, only silver) now and then. Suraj's attempts at physical comedy, with particular focus on facial expressions, reminiscent of his iconic characters such as Dasamoolam Damu in Chattambinadu (2009), do amuse, but they never reach lofty heights owing to the inherent lack of humour in the writing. Sharaf's portrayal of the witty schemer Ranjith is also commendable. Bizarrely, in my opinion, Sandeep's performance as Ranjith (after the Parakaya Pravesha) came across as sharper than his portrayal of Jithin. Arun Pradeep, Saaf and Arun Ajikumar also do their parts well, adding some essence to an otherwise flavourless dish that is Padakkalam. The sudden entry of the iconic track 'Kalikkalam Ithu Kalikkalam' from the classic Malayalam comedy Ramji Rao Speaking (1989) as background score also offers some respite whenever it appears. Anu Moothedath's cinematography, Nidhin Raj Arol's editing and Rajesh Murugesan's music also help elevate the movie, compensating a bit for its many other shortcomings. Padakkalam movie cast: Suraj Venjaramoodu, Sharaf U Dheen, Sandeep Pradeep, Arun Pradeep, Saaf, Arun Ajikumar Padakkalam movie director: Manu Swaraj Padakkalam movie rating: 1.5 stars Anandu Suresh is a Senior sub-editor at Indian Express Online. He specialises in Malayalam cinema, but doesn't limit himself to it and explores various aspects of the art form. He also pens a column titled Cinema Anatomy, where he delves extensively into the diverse layers and dimensions of cinema, aiming to uncover deeper meanings and foster continuous discourse. Anandu previously worked with The New Indian Express' news desk in Hyderabad, Telangana. You can follow him on Twitter @anandu_suresh_ and write (or send movie recommendations) to him at ... Read More
The Hindu
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Bison': Mari Selvaraj's film with Dhruv Vikram gets a release date
Bison, filmmaker Mari Selvaraj's upcoming film with actor Dhruv Vikram, will release in theatres on October 17 during Deepavali, the makers announced on Saturday (May 3). Ace filmmaker-producer Pa Ranjith, who is producing the film under his Neelam Studios banner, unveiled a special poster to announce the news. 'This film is raw, real, and made with so much love. It's a story that's close to both our hearts,' wrote Ranjith. Mari, meanwhile, shared the poster on his X handle and called it 'a film of perseverance, determination and survival.' தீப்பிடித்து எரியும் வனத்திற்குள்ளிருந்து தீப்பிழம்பாய் தீபாவளிக்கு வருகிறான் தெக்கத்தி காளமாடன் (பைசன் ) 🧨🦬🧨 A film for the festive season! A film for Celebrations! Bison is arriving with a Blast! Hitting the screens this October 17th during Diwali! 💥 A film of… — Mari Selvaraj (@mari_selvaraj) May 3, 2025 The film, billed as a sports drama, stars Rajisha Vijayan and Anupama Parameshwaran as the female leads. Plot details remain unknown, but some earlier reports had suggested that Bison is based on the real-life story of Kabaddi player Manathi Ganesan. However, the makers are yet to confirm this. An earlier statement from the makers had described the film as a Kabaddi-based sports drama that tells 'a tale of guts, grit and glory in the life of a young man where the whole world was a Goliath to his David. A story of a man who defied the lines on his hand to achieve what no one thought possible, to choose sport over a gun, peace over violence and life over death.' Shot in Tirunelveli and Chennai, the cast of Bison features Lal, Pasupathy, Kalaiyarasan, Azhagam Perumal and Hari Krishnan. With music scored by Nivas K Prasanna, the film has cinematography by Ezhil Arasu K and editing by Sakthi Thiru. Bison is produced by Ranjith, Aditi Anand, Sameer Nair and Deepak Segal under their Neelam Studios banner, in association with Applause Entertainment. Dhruv, who is also the son of popular Tamil star Vikram, debuted with Adithya Varma (2019), a remake of the Telugu blockbuster Arjun Reddy. He later starred opposite Vikram in Mahaan, directed by Karthik Subbaraj. Varmaa, the first version of the Arjun Reddy remake, directed by Bala, had a direct-to-OTT release. Mari Selvaraj's last film was Vaazhai, a film that chronicled the story of a boy's lost childhood. The hard-hitting film starred in Nikhila Vimal, Kalaiyarasan, Ponvel M, Rahul R and Divya Duraisamy.
