Who is Arjun Pratap Bajwa? Sara Ali Khan's rumoured boyfriend is more than just a pretty face!
re-sparked fresh rumours of a budding romance, leaving fans curious.
Who is Arjun Pratap Bajwa?
Arjun is a multi-hyphenate talent — actor, musician, and martial arts enthusiast — with a notable political lineage. He is the son of Fateh Jang Singh Bajwa, the Vice President of the BJP in Punjab. While he has kept a relatively low profile in mainstream Bollywood circles, Arjun's resume reveals a creative and disciplined life.
He began his career in film behind the scenes, working as an assistant director on projects like Singh Is Bliing (2015), before stepping in front of the camera in Band of Maharajas. Alongside acting, he's carved out a niche as a musician, releasing original tracks like Thinkin' Bout You, Hellcat, and Enroute. He also collaborated on Parda, a fusion single with Tech Panda & Kenzani.
A fitness devotee and martial arts enthusiast, Arjun often shares glimpses of his lifestyle on Instagram, where he boasts over 60K followers. His follower list includes notable Bollywood names like Malaika Arora, Bhumi Pednekar, Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu, and Ridhima Pandit, signaling his growing visibility in the industry. Despite the dating rumours, neither has addressed the speculation. Fans are still waiting on official word, but their public outing has only intensified the gossip mill.
Meanwhile, Sara has also been showing up for her family. She was recently seen cheering on her brother, Ibrahim Ali Khan, whose film Sarzameen was just released. Directed by Kayoze Irani, the OTT release also stars Prithviraj Sukumaran and Kajol.
Whether the buzz around Arjun and Sara is a fleeting rumour or the beginning of a new celebrity couple, one thing's clear: Arjun Pratap Bajwa is a name to watch.
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The Wire
34 minutes ago
- The Wire
Is India Going Through a Humour Crisis?
Culture Rahul Bedi Light-hearted joviality in offices is now policed for tone and political correctness, while in schools and colleges, humour amongst peers is more guarded and cautious, lest it be misconstrued. Chandigarh: Once known for its earthy wit, street-smart repartee, irreverence and instinctive ability to laugh at itself, Indian society today seems trapped in a growing humour deficit in its daily life. What was once casual banter till India's mid-adulthood, when humour was taken for granted, is now forensically dissected for imagined slights; witticisms and jokes risk being misconstrued as insults, provocations or veiled political statements, banter triggers offence, and satire is increasingly being labelled as sedition. Once a pressure valve for public frustration in drawing rooms, WhatsApp groups, comedy clubs or editorial cartoons, humour is now a potential trigger for outrage. Telling jokes at chai stalls, in drawing rooms and at addas across urban India, leg-pulling among friends, witty retorts in crowded buses, even irreverent mocking of netas and babus were markers of a society that did not take itself too seriously and was capable, in ample measure, of laughing at itself. Sadly, that's history. Light-hearted joviality in offices is now policed for tone and political correctness, while in schools and colleges, humour amongst peers is more guarded and cautious, lest it be misconstrued. Even in the privacy of homes, it often fails to even register, as elders and youngsters no longer share cultural references or tolerance levels, and the fear of saying the 'wrong thing' outweighs the unadulterated joy of shared spontaneous laughter. 'They (the authorities) have criminalised being funny,' stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra declared in an interview with The Wire in 2020, whilst the late celebrated cartoonist R.K. Laxman earlier declared that his 'Common Man' was silent and no longer amused. He was afraid to laugh in case someone got offended, he declared in the early 2000s. Stand-up comic Vir Das put it a little more starkly, following a severe backlash to his droll 'Two Indias' monologue at the Kennedy Centre in Washington in 2021. He tweeted that Indians were not losing their sense of humour, but that it was being taken from them (by officialdom), one complaint at a time. Other pro-establishment celebrities, however, argued that limits were both necessary and justified. Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, for instance, has frequently asserted that comedy should not be centred on criticising the country or its culture. That's not humour, she has said, but mockery under the guise of liberalism. Similarly, television anchor Sudhir Chaudhary contends that some comedians today used freedom of expression to promote ideological agendas. 'That's not freedom – it's propaganda through jokes,' he has stated. Meanwhile, the public space for irreverence, rather than being a means to poke fun at power or question state absurdities and corruption, has become a highly risky business, especially if it strays a little beyond the anodyne in a politically polarised environment. Even feeble attempts at lampooning authority or officialdom runs the risk of being greeted with vicious trolling, First Information Reports (FIRs) or incarcerations and in many instances, all three. The shift in humour from droll to dreary has been further eroded by the omnipotent online culture that provokes and rewards anger. In this tectonic shift, social media has replaced spirited street-corner banter with sanitised, filtered jokes, where 'likes' have become trophies of what passes for humour and mirth. Often, a harmless comment, stripped of context, can trigger a storm, robbing it of its intended spontaneity, mischief, and cordiality. The resultant humour remains cautious, sterilised, and often dull, reduced to safe subjects and recycled tropes, much like German jokes, which 19th century American writer and humourist Mark Twain said were no laughing matter. Real satire – one that poked fun at the powerful, questioned societal hypocrisies and norms, or exposed cultural absurdities – was near extinct and irreverence was no longer celebrated or encouraged, particularly in the formal electronic or print media. Alongside, the language of humour itself across urban India had narrowed, where largely Hinglish 'vegetarian' jokes lacked the knock-out punch of robust Punjabi ones from yesteryears, a wicked Malayali comeback or even a sly Tamil pun. A plethora of hilarious Punjabi jokes from countless impromptu gatherings in my youth – with their earthy punch and saucy irreverence – still linger as iconic, endlessly amusing memories, though now retold sotto voce. These gems were joyfully embellished over the years by generations of wickedly witty Punjabis, each adding their own quirky, risqué and deliciously inventive twists, turning simple jokes into sagas of mischief and social insight. Many carried pleasurably imaginative and bizarre plots, often laced with sharp social commentary reflective of their times. They weren't just jokes – they were mini-performances, a joy to recount, and an even greater pleasure to hear and relish. But, unfortunately, what was once shared freely is now whispered, the laughter tempered but not entirely silenced. These days, some of us greybeards diffidently ask – or are asked in return – 'Heard any genuinely funny new ones lately?' The standard answer is largely a sheepish 'No'. But in apologetic defiance, many of us reach defensively for their cell-phones to read out a recycled joke or to forward one via WhatsApp which has become today's ultimate humour crutch. And though fleetingly mirthful, this form of humour remains impersonal – a dehumanised, utilitarian exercise that misses the tone, tenor, body language, and above all, the theatricality accompanying a well-told, and at times, even the not-so-good joke. Doubtlessly, this WhatsApp substitute robs the moment of its pitch, spectacle, warmth and the vital human connection that only live, personal storytelling can evoke. Impersonally e-mailing jokes or circulating them via social media is the easier, more practical and lazier amusement alternative. Even stand-up comedy emerges like a poor substitute, part of the larger subcontracting syndrome in a world where, at a personal level, we're becoming more dour than droll, more reverential than refreshingly irreverent. Regrettably, our drift into this digital sphere has, for audiences, disappointingly put paid to raucous, thigh-slapping guffaw sessions, accompanied by gleeful shrieks and high fives as delightfully bawdy and lesser-rollicking jokes and irreverent tales surged at riotous gatherings years earlier. As an ageing humourist amusingly put it, these extravagant, albeit involuntary reactions of several generations of now aged Indians, erupted like a shaken soda-water bottle or beer can – sudden, loud and delightfully messy. These sessions were not only therapeutic and salutary, but even years later, hugely memorable. But to make matters worse, even unimpeded laughter, from the belly outwards, is now carefully rationed, considered impolite. In our age of curated seriousness, genuine, unfiltered mirth is decidedly frowned upon in polite company, and from being the accepted and desired norm in yesteryears, such riotous jollity is fast becoming the exception. It's also an indisputable fact that, as a people, most Indians tend to take themselves far too seriously – hobbled by an ancient caution, or perhaps superstition, that gratification in any form, especially laughter, is sinful or somehow licentious. Then there's that age-old statutory warning we've all grown up with: laugh too much, and providence will balance it out by making you cry just as hard. This inherent deterrence, combined with our increasingly overwrought, politically correct, uptight and terminally self-absorbed and politicised society, has brought us to a strange inflection point where most people have wilfully taken to gagging the gag. However, alternately, albeit often overlooked, there exists a seamy and unpleasant layer of humour – the scatological, slapstick and lowbrow strain that relies on bodily functions, sexual innuendo and crass exaggeration to appeal to our most basic instincts. This genre, often dismissed as crude, persists in limited quarters as it triggers instant, unfiltered laughter which appeals directly to raw emotion. And yet, in this growing humourless wasteland, all is not lost. Shades of the Indian sense of humour still endure in pockets: in memes, in regional comedies, in political cartoons that survive despite the risk, and most refreshingly, in rural India. In small towns, roadside dhabas, village squares, and paan -stained tea stalls, wit still remains earthy and spontaneous. Jokes here aren't merely told – they're enacted, lived and passed on like erstwhile oral tradition. Relatively free, for now, from the anxieties of self-censorship and political pressure, rural humour remains uncurated, unselfconscious and to some extent, relatively intrepid. But the everyday casualness with which humour was once exchanged – without fear or consequence – has faded, possibly permanently. Reclaiming that ease will not only necessitate rebuilding societal tolerance for disagreement, but also shedding hypocrisy and acknowledging our foibles and collective public infirmities. This remains essential; for when people fear to laugh in public or edit their witticisms before they speak, that society is not just cheerless, but has lost its soul. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
India.com
13 hours ago
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Ranbir Kapoor Dropped THIS Veteran Singers Biopic For Nitesh Tiwaris Ramayana- Check Details
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India.com
14 hours ago
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71st National Film Awards: Sudipto Sen bags Best Director Award for The Kerala Story
At the 71st National Film Awards, Sudipto Sen was honored with the Best Director award for his film The Kerala Story. The movie features Adah Sharma in the lead role, supported by Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani. Sharma portrays Shalini Unnikrishnan, a Hindu woman from Kerala who undergoes a harrowing transformation after being coerced into converting to Islam and joining the Islamic State. What is the storyline? The Kerala Story delves into controversial narrative of young women from Kerala being radicalized and recruited by extremist groups. The film presents dramatized account of Shalini's journey, highlighting the psychological manipulation and exploitation she faces. While the filmmakers claim the story is based on real events, critics have challenged its authenticity, noting a lack of concrete evidence to support the depicted scenarios. What were the controversies that surrounded The Kerala Story? The film's release sparked widespread debate, with supporters lauding it for shedding light on issues of national security, while opponents criticized it for promoting Islamophobic sentiments. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) endorsed film, with some states even making it tax-free, whereas opposition parties and civil society groups raised alarms over its divisive content. How was the box office reception? Upon its release, The Kerala Story achieved remarkable box office success, grossing over Rs 200 crore in India, which was made under Rs 15-20 crore. These numbers underscored the film's ability to engage audiences with its bold and heart-wrenching approach. However, movie faced bans and protests in certain states, including West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, due to concerns over its potential to incite communal tensions. The film also led to a legal battle, due to which the Supreme Court mandated disclaimers clarifying the fictionalized nature of the story and the lack of verified data supporting its claims. More about The Kerala Story Apart from lead stars, the supporting cast includes Benedict Garrett, Pranay Pachauri, Vijay Krishna, and others, who play critical roles in shaping the film's emotional and ideological tension. The film is currently streaming on Zee5 and has received IMDb rating of 6.9. More about 71st National Awards In addition to Sudipto Sen's accolade, the 71st National Film Awards recognized several other notable contributions to Indian cinema. 12th Fail was awarded Best Feature Film, with Vikrant Massey sharing the Best Actor award alongside Shah Rukh Khan for Jawan. Rani Mukerji received Best Actress award for her role in Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani was honored as the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
