
Amitabh Bachchan's cyber fraud caller tune to be discontinued; internet erupts with Rekha, Big B memes
cybercrime awareness
message in
Amitabh Bachchan
's voice. The campaign, which aimed to educate the public on cyber frauds, will officially end today, according to a
NDTV
report.
Amitabh Bachchan Caller tune campaign concludes
The recorded message had been playing for several months, appearing before every outgoing mobile call. While the message aimed to raise awareness about
cyber fraud
, many users had expressed irritation over the repetitive warning.
— rajabetsindia (@rajabetsindia)
Reactions poured in across social media platforms, with users expressing relief. One user wrote, 'Itni khushi aaj tak ni mili jitni is news se mili h (no news has ever made me happier).' Another added, 'God bless was so irritated with it.' One more user posted, 'Thank god 🙏.....that was a big torture.'
— dogesh_bhai (@dogesh_bhai)
Amitabh Bachchan responds to criticism
Earlier this week, Amitabh Bachchan responded to a social media post criticizing the caller tune. The actor had posted, 'Ji haan huzoor, main bhi ek prashansak hoon. Toh?? (Yes, sir, I'm a fan too. So??)' In reply, a user commented, 'Toh phone pe bolna band kro bhay (So stop saying it on the phone).' Bachchan responded, 'Sarkar ko bolo bhai, unhone jo kaha humne kar diya (Tell the government, I did what they told me to do).'
— MildlyClassic (@MildlyClassic)
Bachchan continues film work
While the awareness campaign concludes, Bachchan remains active in cinema. He was last seen alongside Rajinikanth in Vettaiyan, which released last year. The film also featured Fahadh Faasil and Rana Daggubati. He is next expected to appear with Deepika Padukone in the Hindi remake of The Intern.
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Indian Express
30 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Konkona Sen Sharma on going from Life in a Metro to Metro In Dino: ‘I knew Irrfan isn't going to be there, that broke my heart'
Konkona Sen Sharma and Irrfan Khan screaming at the top of their lungs on top of a Mumbai high-rise is a gift that keeps giving. That scene from Anurag Basu's Life… in a Metro 18 years ago summed up succinctly the spirit of the 2007 romantic anthology — there was pain, there was Mumbai, there was companionship, and then there was catharsis. It helped that Konkona was there too. Ever since her Hindi film debut in 2005, the actor has represented the modern young Indian woman, who relocates to Mumbai in order to chase work, freedom, and identity. Whether it's Madhur Bhandarkar's Page 3 (2006), Life… in a Metro, Ayan Mukerji's Wake Up Sid (2009) or Zoya Akhtar's Luck By Chance (2009), Konkona was navigating Mumbai as cluelessly and adventurously as a lot of us. Her real life also reflected her reel life, as Konkona moved to Mumbai from her hometown Kolkata in mid-2000s to pursue a career in movies. 'I really feel Mumbai is my home now. I've lived here for 20 years. 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'I have to say, I didn't really know very much, the first time around and the second time around also. There's not that much interaction between the four stories,' she reasons. But Konkona was aware the one actor who would definitely not be in the follow-up was her co-star from the first one, Irrfan, who in fact gave Basu the idea to make a spiritual sequel. 'I just knew Anurag is making this, so that's fine, I don't need to know anything else. In that sense, I didn't know who else is there. I just knew Irrfan is not going to be there this time, and that broke my heart,' she confesses. Konkona admits she missed working with Basu, despite his eccentric style of filmmaking. 'You can be very organized, you can have a hard-bound script, you can have all systems working in place. But that doesn't ensure a good film. It's the creativity, the artistry, the craft, and all of that is there in spades, where Anurag is concerned,' she says. 'I've been shooting for 20 years plus. 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Indian Express
30 minutes ago
- Indian Express
KBC turns 25: Writer who gave Amitabh Bachchan lines like ‘lock kiya jaye' says actor ‘very charged up' about Season 17
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He was aware many writers, including some senior journalists, were also auditioning, but having gone through a training course during Movers & Shakers, he had an idea what lines to give the host. 'I learnt later that Mr Bachchan said this was exactly what he wanted. Subsequently, brainstorming sessions with the channel, production house and him started, followed by rehearsals and shoots. One season led to another aur pata bhi nahin chala when 25 years flew by,' he smiles. A post shared by RD Tailang (@rdtailang) The game show premiered on Star Plus on July 3, 2000. In 2010, it moved to Sony Entertainment Television, the prize money increasing from Rs 1 crore in Season 1 to Rs 7.50 crore in Season 14 in 2022 to commemorate 75 years of India's Independence. The final episode of Season 16 aired on March 11, 2025. 'Personally, professionally and financially, KBC has been a huge career boost, giving me more than I could have hoped for. I've not only grown as a writer, but observing Mr Bachchan, I've tried to embrace his work ethics; the discipline, professionalism and dedication they don't teach in any school. He is a big brand, so is KBC, and by default I have become a brand too,' admits this modest man, who has underplayed his contribution to the show for over two decades, pointing out that it's Big B who elevated common phrases like 'Lock kiya jaye', 'Afsos galat jawab' and 'Main yun gaya, yun aaya', giving them an iconic status with his style, swag and distinctive baritone, the way he did with filmi dialogue like 'Hum jahan pe khada hote hain, line wahi se shuru hoti hai.' KBC moved away from the usual introductory greeting of 'Hello, Hi' to a more Hindustani opening phrase 'aadar aadab abhinandan aabhar'. However, Tailang agrees that lines changed as technology entered our lives in a big way and the language of the new generation became peppered with more English words. 'Vilambhana which was acceptable in 2000 will have people wondering what it means today,' he chuckles, quick to add that Bachchan too has constantly updated and reinvented himself and remained contemporary. Here are those of the team of 2021 who were there in Team KBC of 2000/1 (Season 1) While marking a continuity over 21 years, remembering & thanking each & every member of the teams of all 13 seasons who helped reach this milestone of 1000 episodes of a flagship show — Siddhartha Basu (@babubasu) December 5, 2021 While acknowledging that the original franchise, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, is a hit in every country where it's played, Tailang insists that the official Hindi adaptation is the most popular because the changes they brought in has helped the show connect with the common people in a big way. 'Back in 2000, it would have taken the aam aadmi 50 years to earn a crore, so watching and knowing that they could make this kind of money in 50 minutes by answering some questions took it beyond being just a game show to becoming a life changing experience,' he reasons, recalling that when 24-year-old civil service aspirant Harshvardhan Nawathe became the first crorepati, it was like an utsav in the studio. Since then, there have been many winners. The success stories of Rahat Taslim, a tailor from Jharkhand and the first female crorepati, Babita Tade, who cooked the mid-day meal in a primary school for Rs 1500, Sushil Kumar, a computer operator from Bihar who won Rs 5 crore, have been particularly inspiring because they changed the image of little big Indian, who once dismissed as uneducated and ignorant, used their homegrown knowledge to land the big prize. 19 years.. 11 season… a long but fun filled journey …#KBC #अड़ेRaho — RD TAILANG (@rdtailang) August 17, 2019 Tailang shares that when they were running out of ideas on how to promote the show every season, it was Bachchan who suggested 'thought of the day' rooted in life, poetry and philosophy. These empowering pearls of wisdom which enriched the lives of many were later compiled into a book, Amitabh Ka Khazana, with an English edition, Soul Curry for You and Me. While KBC has become synonymous with the Shahenshah, in 2007, Shah Rukh Khan hosted the third season. 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India Today
38 minutes ago
- India Today
Kaalidhar Laapata review: Abhishek Bachchan shines but film falls short
'Kaalidhar Laapata', directed by Madhumita and led by Abhishek Bachchan, is the Hindi remake of her own Tamil film, 'KD A Karuppu Durai'. While the core storyline remains intact, the Hindi version has its own flavour. The film shines in its heartfelt portrayal of an unlikely bond between a forgotten man and a spirited child. However, it falters in places. Some scenes lack emotional depth and the pacing isn't always steady. But even with these flaws, 'Kaalidhar Laapata' manages to strike a chord, thanks largely to its honest and affecting story begins with Kaalidhar (played by Abhishek Bachchan), a middle-aged man struggling with memory loss. Feeling burdened with his medical bills, his siblings plan to get rid of him. He overhears his siblings talking about abandoning him at the Kumbh Mela. Feeling hurt and unwanted, Kaalidhar decides to escape. He hops onto the first bus he can find to go as far away as possible from his spends the night at a village temple, where he meets Ballu (played by Daivik Bhagela), an eight-year-old orphan with an infectious zest for life. Despite their age gap, the two strike up an unexpected friendship that initially gets off to a rocky start, with Ballu trying to trouble Kaalidhar at every point. However, the two, both dealing with abandonment issues, eventually find comfort in each other. Ballu gives Kaalidhar the nickname 'KD', and he sets out on a mission to tick off KD's bucket list, which includes - a lifelong supply of biryani, acting, riding a bike, wearing a suit, dancing in a baraat, trying alcohol, no not the desi kind but the angrezi wali (English one) and meeting his first love truly feel how important Kaalidhar becomes to the little boy when, in one touching moment, the doctor treating KD asks a distraught Ballu, 'What is he to you?' and Ballu simply replies - sabkuch (everything). Ballu, once left on the temple steps, finds a home in KD, and KD, in him. And still, you can't help but wish the film gave us a few more of these moments, something that fully captured the bond that grows between them. Shot in Madhya Pradesh, the sets and locations are as real as they could be as they provide authenticity and rustic charm to its story. Initially, the pace of the film feels a bit slow, but once KD and Ballu come together, the film begins to shine. Their bond is the soul of the story. It is humorous and touching, but only in Bachchan, in a role that's more restrained than dramatic, does a fine job portraying a man who's quietly broken yet still holding on to hope. He's not trying to steal the spotlight but fits the role with ease. His chemistry with Daivik Bhagela is the USP of the film. Daivik is a delight to watch. He is natural, expressive and full of life. There's no exaggeration in his performance, which makes his character even more the film has its flaws as well. Zeeshan Ayyub's talent seems to be wasted, and there are moments when you are ready with your tissues, but the moment passes without tugging at your heartstrings. A key example is the missed opportunity for a heartfelt scene between KD and Ballu at the railway station. This could have added more emotional weight to the film. It's a moment you keep expecting, but it never film also leaves some inconsistencies unexplained. For example, while Kaalidhar is introduced as someone suffering from serious mental illness with memory loss and hallucinations, this aspect is forgotten quite conveniently as the film progresses. He suddenly is all fine and even starts to earn a living for himself and Ballu, without much explanation about his 'Kaalidhar Laapata' reminds us that life can surprise us with joy, even in tough times. And shows how friendship can cross age barriers, healing our pained hearts.- Ends3 out 5 to Kaalidhar Laapata.