Temples are in the news post Ram Mandir donation theft. The latest news is from Odisha. Ahead of the grand nine-day planned mega festival of Lord Jagannath Ratha Yatra at Puri scheduled on July 16, 2026, Puri’s titular King Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb — Chairman of 12th century Shree Jagannath Temple Management Committee (SJTMC) has blown the bugle. He has raised serious questions against ISKCON’s international branches and its functioning. He is now seeking the Centre’s intervention to stop Lord Jagannath’s untimely rituals being conducted outside India. While ISKCON India chapter has agreed to abide by SJTMC directives, however, ISKCON centres in Canada, U.S., UK, Europe and parts of Africa continue to host Rath Yatras based on local convenience instead of following the lunar calendar practiced in Puri, thereby deviating from Odisha’s century old tradition. The Puri King says “The sanctity of dates cannot be altered for global convenience because it hurts the sentiments of millions of devotees”. This explains why Puri King has escalated this issue to PM Modi and President Droupadi Murmu and Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi seeking their urgent intervention.

The shocking embezzlement of donations offered by the devout to Ram Lalla has shocked the entire nation. It is logical to compare this with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), India’s richest pilgrimage site and the mind boggling logistics implemented …not just for footfalls, but collection of donations, daily counting and how the huge coffers are like a corporate …every rupee accounted, audited and spent. Every single day, 50,000 to 70,000 pilgrims wend their way to see Lord Balaji; on special days it surpasses 100,000. With its budget of RS 5,500 crore, TTD is constantly aiming to get the best from the donations. Even as the Ram Mandir theft was unfolding, TTD was taking security to a higher level, partnering with the Institute of Chartered Accounts, for robust accounts and audit. This temple’s daily counting of cash, gold and silver ornaments is itself a protocol not many places of worship follow. S Gurumurthy, Editor of Tamil magazine Thuglak, and RSS functionary has criticised the hypocrisy of the opposition in the New Indian Express in his signed two-part article. But is this just a condemnation of the Ram Mandir Trust and its lack of control? Hindus have long suffered the partisan HR and CE grip on Hindu places of worship. Time to clean up this Augean stables and free temples from the clutches of the greedy.

The resounding success of Ghabadkund has ignited a new era in Marathi cinema, marking the birth of its first-ever cinematic universe. Produced by Dr Rasik Kadam and directed by Pritam SK Patil, the film masterfully blends suspense, action and ancient folklore set against a mysterious cursed reservoir in Maharashtra’s untamed heartlands. It introduces an overarching lore of hidden treasures, forbidden rituals, and awakening malevolent forces, not as a standalone tale, but as the foundation for interconnected stories that celebrate the region’s rich mythology and cultural soul. With a reported Rs 6 crore budget, Ghabadkund has delivered a strong verdict, amassing approximately Rs 7.57 crore in total collections by around Day 16 (Maharashtra contributing the lion’s share). In the producer’s visionary words, “We are creating a universe that belongs to our soil, our stories, and our people. This is just the beginning.” Ghabadkund has paved the way, drawing audiences into a shared world where legends intertwine across time and terrain. The narrative now expands organically, with everyday elements like bustling dhabas along rural highways becoming pivotal nexuses. Here, ordinary lives collide with extraordinary secrets, weaving emotional conflicts, treasure hunts, and escalating mysteries that bind future chapters into a grand narrative. Encouraged by good response, Dr Kadam has announced a massive Rs 50 crore investment for the second chapter. This technologically advanced instalment is poised to be one of the biggest in Marathi cinema history, targeting global audiences while staying rooted in local ethos. Spanning six interconnected films overall, the franchise promises unprecedented scale in visuals, storytelling, and production values. As Ghabadkund continues its strong box-office journey, the Marathi cinematic universe stands as a testament to bold Marathi ambition.

For over a decade, Hera Pheri 3 has resembled its own chaotic plot which was full of twists, betrayals, and shifting alliances. What began as a dream reunion of the iconic trio (Akshay Kumar as Raju, Suniel Shetty as Shyam and Paresh Rawal as Baburao) under director Priyadarshan quickly descended into a messy legal and personal battlefield. Producer Firoz Nadiadwala (linked to the original franchise) fought prolonged rights battles, including clashes with Eros and later South Indian producer Vijay Kumar over copyright claims tied to the source material. Banners shifted when Akshay Kumar’s production house, Cape of Good Films LLP, stepped in and secured key rights from the original producers. This marked Akshay’s transition from star to controlling force. Drama peaked in 2025 when Paresh Rawal exited amid reported fee or creative disputes. Akshay’s company swiftly slapped a Rs 25 crore legal notice for alleged sabotage and unprofessional conduct. The matter was resolved after interventions; Paresh returned, paid dues with interest, and confirmed his participation, proving Bollywood friendships are transactional. Priyadarshan’s recent exit added fuel. He accused Firoz Nadiadwala of repeated insults over years and claimed Firoz allegedly told Akshay never to work with him. Then came the decisive July 4, 2026, public notice in Complete Cinema magazine by Cape of Good Films LLP. It boldly asserted sole, exclusive, irrevocable worldwide rights to produce, distribute, and commercially exploit Hera Pheri 3 across all platforms. This move effectively hands Akshay Kumar full creative and commercial freedom, seemingly sidelining previous partnerships. With the trio reportedly aligned and Akshay asserting dominance, the long-delayed comedy may finally escape development hell. Whether it delivers the laughs or more hera pheri remains to be seen.

The YRF Spy Universe’s latest outing Alpha, starring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari, has failed to emerge as the massive crowd-puller many anticipated. Despite pre-release hype positioning the two actresses as dynamic, cool young leads ready to anchor a female-driven spy thriller, the film’s opening weekend collections hovered around a modest Rs 34 crore nett in India and approximately Rs 60 crore worldwide; underwhelming figures for a big-budget franchise entry. What began as a seemingly seamless partnership between two young female protagonists quickly soured after release. Word of mouth turned dull, with critics and audiences pointing out that Sharvari’s role felt like little more than a glamorous showpiece with limited depth. Marketing missteps, including a controversial appearance on India’s Got Latent 2, comparisons of the film’s first look to Hollywood’s Nikita, and the perceived forced, superficial cameo by Hrithik Roshan, further dented momentum. The absence of any memorable chart-topping songs, which is a YRF trademark, only compounded the issues. Now, fresh videos of Alia and Sharvari meeting theatre audiences have surfaced, revealing a noticeable shift in their dynamic. While Sharvari appears energetic and engaging, Alia looks visibly upset, subdued, and far from her usual positive, dynamic self. In several clips, she maintains an uncomfortable posture, her expressions hinting at possible jealousy or quiet resentment. The easy camaraderie and playful chemistry showcased during promotions have seemingly evaporated. What was once marketed as a powerful female buddy pairing appears strained in the face of Alpha’s mixed reception. With collections not living up to expectations and personal awkwardness on display, it remains to be seen if Alia and Sharvari can salvage both their professional rapport and the film’s long-term prospects. The early signs, however, suggest everything may not be as picture-perfect as it once seemed.

At a time when Odisha lost some big projects to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, this huge investment from Adani Enterprises and UAE’s International Holding Company has given a big boost to the BJP-run Odisha government. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has every reason to feel happy particularly as there are many of his own partymen trying to show him in a bad light…and would ideally like him to go. Though the mining initiative is denuding into the rich forest reserves of Odisha, the state needs developments too. Adani’s JV with UAE proposes to invest $ 11.5 billion in Odisha to set up an integrated aluminium project which includes green energy plant, ship building and steel plant. These projects are expected to create 53,000 new jobs. It is considered one of the largest FDI projects so far in Odisha. Now political commentators are giving all kudos to CM Majhi’s core team. However, Opposition Biju Janata Dal has labelled the big MOU investment figure as exaggerated political propaganda rather than realized capital.

Even as KVN Productions announced their Big Bang extravagant film, Toxic lead role by KGF fame Yash, the expectations hit the sky. Directed by Geetu Mohandas, herself an actress and artist known for her Malayalam hits, Moothon and Liar’s Dice, she is now firmly in the saddle with her talent to direct. Toxic, a drug mafia gangster film set in Goa from the 1950’s to 1970’s is an action, gore and thriller for aficionados, building up sky high excitement to see Yash in this killer avatar. Toxic is set to hit cinemas on August 26. The team had guarded a big secret till its recent glimpse video…it was all about Yash, but not a word leaked out about the sirens sizzling, spying and socking the male lead. Even as this mystery built up, the producers released the glimpse video. And a treat …the film has four leading ladies…Nayanthara, the Queen of sophistication; Kiara Advani, the artist who electrifies the screen with her appearance; Huma Qureshi, the artist who performs with much dedication; and Rukmini Vasanth, she of Kantara fame, trained at the Royal Academy of Arts. These ladies were not just gangster molls and props, parading in outrageous outfits…each one has a solid role that moves the story and generates twists ….Yash fans are in for a thrilling treat.

Trust Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to be at an Esport event taking gigantic steps in the world. The Mumbai Metropolis’ GenZ crowd was having a whale of time at pavilion 3 of the Jio World Convention Centre at the BKC on July 4 and when two chess Grandmasters — India’s Nashik-born Vidit Gujrathi and Holland’s Benjamin Bok — were trying to outwit each other to win a place in the $ 75 million prize pool Esport World Cup 2026 in Paris. Enter the Chief Honcho of Maharashtra to take the centre stage and announce how the city of dreams via the tinsel world and entertainment is taking guard to show the way in new creative industries like animation, visual effects, gaming, comics, and extended reality (AVGC-XR). Fadnavis’s short speech highlighted Maharashtra and his readiness to be on the front foot and revealing that the setting up of the ‘Indian Institute of Creative Technologies’ in Mumbai will show the pathway to the country’s creative and orange economy and play an important role in developing world class manpower. Fadnavis was at the inauguration of the Maharashtra Government supported Jio Blast India Rising Road to World Cup Paris 2026 – in July/ August. For some time now, the Maharashtra CM has been on an overdrive to take the cricketing infrastructure to the next level nudging the MCA to build a 100,000 plus capacity stadium so that the city can make a strong push to host the final of World Cups and like events and pledge his and the State’s full backing for the  ambitious venture; and now he is showing the big plans for the State in the world of ‘gaming’ that he feels will create employment opportunities for two lakhs in the State and attract an investment of Rs 50,000 crore!

India has sent former Union minister and BJP leader Dinesh Trivedi as its High Commissioner to Bangladesh, marking for the first time in the NDA government’s 12-year tenure that a political leader has been appointed as an envoy. Trivedi has also been given the rank of a Union cabinet minister. Under PM Modi, this is the first time a cabinet rank has been given to a political appointee, though there have been cabinet-rank ambassadors in Congress governments. Dinesh Trivedi is a political appointee, which means someone who is not a career diplomat (an Indian Foreign Service officer) being chosen for the envoy position. There have been a number of political appointee envoys but not all are bestowed cabinet status. The present ambassador to the USA, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, was till recently foreign secretary, but was sent as ambassador to the USA post retirement. He is also considered as a political appointee. There is former Army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag, who was appointed High Commissioner of India to Seychelles in 2019. Soon after Independence, then PM Jawaharlal Nehru appointed his sister, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit as an ambassador with cabinet rank. In subsequent years, TN Kaul was given cabinet rank when he went as ambassador to Moscow. Likewise, Dr Karan Singh was given cabinet rank when he went as ambassador to the USA, and so too DP Dhar when he went a second time as ambassador to Moscow. Giving cabinet rank indicates a direct line to the PM; the envoy will not have to go through the hierarchy of the Foreign Secretary or the Foreign Minister. Second, the indication is also to the host country where the ambassador is accredited. In this case, the signal is clearly to Dhaka that this person is held in very high political esteem by PM Modi. All this is bound to help Trivedi to have direct access with Bangladesh top brass.

Nearly a month after the “chanda chori scam” broke involving top leaders of the Sangh, the top RSS leadership for the first time opened up on the scam involving the Ayodhya Ram temple. Looks like the Sangh first wanted to understand the extent of the theft and the persons involved. But, once the RSS realised that the loot was extensive and PM Modi and UP CM Yogi wanted a crackdown to catch all thieves, big or small, a statement was issued by RSS general secretary Dattareya Hosbale. From the statement it is clear, the Sangh was not going to protect anyone —howsoever close to the Ram Temple cause. For the first time Sangh shared a sense of hurt that has been bothering Hindus at large. In fact, there was even a sense of unease in the Sangh that Yogi’s SIT may end up ferreting out more details of the loot. For some reason, the Sangh and VHP treated the temple more as personal fiefdom and have landed in a mess. The RSS statement also assumes significance because of the Sangh’s long and central association with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. The Sangh and its affiliates played a pivotal role in mobilising the nationwide campaign that culminated in the construction of the temple after decades of political, legal and social mobilisation. Even after the temple’s inauguration, the Ram Temple Trust had leaders associated with the Sangh. The statement marks the RSS’s first formal intervention in the controversy. The row has already claimed its biggest casualty with Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust’s general secretary Champat Rai stepping down from his post amid mounting pressure. Investigators have also arrested his former driver as part of the probe into the alleged theft.