Latest news with #DurgeshKumar
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
EC ropes in Pankaj Tripathi, web series characters to encourage voter registration
1 2 3 Patna: Amid confusion among the electorates over the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has roped in Bollywood actor Pankaj Tripathi and shared images of actors Durgesh Kumar and Sunita Rajwar of a popular web series to encourage new registration. However, the idea has drawn bitter reactions from social media users. "Banrakas and Kranti Devi (characters portrayed by Durgesh and Sunita in the web series) have filled up their enumeration forms, have you," asked a social media post by the Election Commission of India on Monday. The post is an attempt to encourage the general electors to fill up their forms too, amid the opposition parties questioning the EC's move. "Par ee dono to Phulera niwasi hai aur Phulera Madhya Pradesh me hai. Desh ka bhugol bhul gaye ka (But, both of them are residents of Phulera in Madhya Pradesh. Have you forgotten the country's geography)," reacted a social media user. Another user, Tauseef Ahmad, commented that when both of the actors are from Ballia, how did they fill up the forms in Bihar? Earlier, the poll body released a video clip featuring Bollywood actor Tripathi to raise awareness about the SIR drive. In the video clip, the actor can be heard saying, "We can't stop people from thinking, but yes, we can definitely try to change their minds." The video was shared by the PIB.
Indian Express
05-07-2025
- Indian Express
MiG-29K T-shirts, faith in Army, and a call from Bhole Baba: An unprecedented Amarnath Yatra picks up
The whirring of the helicopter blades breaks the silence in the lush green mountains of Pahalgam. Every few minutes, an armoured vehicle rumbles past, with the personnel inside scanning the crowd. It is palpable that this year's Amarnath Yatra is taking place under the shadow of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, wherein 26 civilians were killed on the picturesque meadows in southern Kashmir. It used to be a celebration where devotees would jibe to EDM remixes of the latest devotional songs. This time, at the Nunwan base camp, the first campsite for the yatris, there is silence – no melodies that sadhus play, no shouts of Bum Bum Bhole. Instead, what's audible is the sound of metal detectors and a loudspeaker that regularly warns pilgrims not to go near the Lidder River, where chances of drowning are high. The yatris navigate through several security measures, including RFID tags that enable facial recognition, a physical pat-down, and bag examination through X-ray machines. The camp is equipped with 550 tents, 17 shops, 300 toilets, and 70 baths, all arranged in a grid, and can accommodate up to 5,500 pilgrims. However, the tents have barely filled up at noon on Friday. Mohammad Shami's three tents remain empty: 'Yesterday, I managed to fill them. I charge Rs 600 for a tent equipped with a bed, an electricity connection, and a blanket.' Durgesh Kumar, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, stands alone, his right sleeve pinned to his shirt where his arm should be. Ten years ago, a flour mill accident claimed his limb, but not his determination. 'My group of 30 people have left,' he said. Kumar headed here from Jammu when he was unable to get an RFID tag there. 'There is massive enthusiasm in Jammu. I was not getting a token. But Bhole blessed me with one today. I hope to catch up with my group soon. My wife and two children cried when I decided to come to Pahalgam. But I am undeterred,' he said. Then there's Gautam Mahato, who journeyed from Kharagpur. His white T-shirt, printed in Thailand by his employer, bears his photograph alongside his boss's son, a gift for his work as a contractor. 'My ticket was cancelled six times in the past,' Mahato said, beaming. 'I try every year, but Baba doesn't call me. This year, I got the chance to come.' 'My wife cried a lot. She said, 'Why do you go there when Bhole Baba has stopped you six times?' I told her this time, God has called me, so I will go,' he said. For some pilgrims, the terror attack has become a catalyst for participation rather than deterrence. Anil Kumar from the Ram Mandir Sansthan group in Ayodhya leads 11 first-time pilgrims. 'Humare andar aur ichcha jaagi,' he said. 'We wanted to come to Amarnath because of the terror attack,' said Arjun Jaiswal, another member of the group. The sentiment is echoed by a group of 43 people from Gorakhpur, many wearing MiG 29K T-shirts in support of Operation Sindoor. They have been making this pilgrimage for several years. Sarvajit Gupta (23), from the Gorakhpur group, articulated what many feel: 'I told my family that if the Indian Army is there, then there is nothing to fear. When our family asked us not to go, it lit a fire in our hearts. We decided to rope in as many people as possible. We have come here to show that we won't bow to fear.' At ground zero in Pahalgam, personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, and Indo-Tibetan Border Police now work alongside local police in intensive frisking operations that can stretch for hours. A BSF constable in dark aviators and a tactical face mask politely declines a family's request for a selfie. 'Maaf karna, authority nahi hai,' he said. This is his third posting for the Amarnath Yatra, and he has watched the security apparatus evolve into something unprecedented. 'There is no scope for any mistake,' the constable said, his eyes scanning the crowd even as he spoke. At the Pahalgam main market, the berry shops, Kashmir handloom stores and tea shops barely have any customers. Three women from Bhopal wait for their husbands to join them here. Lata Kushwaha left her 3-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son with their grandparents back home. Her relative Lakshmi Kushwaha has the same worry; her 13-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter are hundreds of miles away. 'We always go somewhere,' said Priya Kushwaha, the third woman. 'This time, we thought we would go to Amarnath. We went to Kedarnath last year, and we got everything in a single day.' They left in a group of 18, but not all have got their RFID tags. Three days were spent running from pillar to post in Jammu, chasing the elusive registration passes that would grant them access to the holy cave. 'We don't care about the terror attack,' Priya said. 'We just want to do darshan no matter what.' Jahid Azad, the assistant director of the Tourism department at Pahalgam, told The Indian Express, 'We expected the crowd to be pretty low due to the unfortunate terror attack. This time, we were caught by surprise as many yatris came for darshan from the Pahalgam route. But overall, the tourism footfall in Pahalgam has taken a hit. We are preparing a report to enumerate the economic impact of this.' Azad said they were expecting 1,000 yatris per day, but the numbers have gone up to 3,000-4,000. 'From the Pahalgam route, 12,000 pilgrims have left since the yatra began. We have to see how long this keeps up,' he said.
News18
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
DYK Panchayat 4 Fame ‘Bhushan' Durgesh Kumar Went To NSD? His ID Card Goes Viral
Last Updated: Durgesh Kumar aka Banrakas' ID card from the National School of Drama has been making rounds on the internet. Durgesh Kumar, aka Bhushan, from the popular web series Panchayat, is one of the most favourite characters in the comedy drama. Also known as Banrakas, the actor's character has carved a niche of his own in the four seasons of the series with his quick liners like 'Dekh rahe ho, Binod?" and others. Despite not being the lead, Durgesh's acting stint indeed lit up screens. But did you know about his journey in the world of glam and glitz? Recently, his ID card from the National School of Drama went viral. Durgesh Kumar got training at the National School of Drama before embarking on his acting journey in both theatre and on the silver screen. Now, a picture of the actor's identification card from the time he used to get training at the National School of Drama has been making the rounds on the internet. The actor, who has won many hearts with his mischievous stunts, sly humour and unforgettable nature in all four seasons of Panchayat, looked unrecognisable in the ID card. The picture featured the image of a young Durgesh, full of enthusiasm and hope to make it big in the industry. It was issued on July 25, 2012 and was valid till July 14, the following year. Check out Durgesh Kumar's ID card, which had resurfaced on the internet after multiple years: View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Better India (@thebetterindia) Reacting to it, one user said, 'The acting is far better than what I've seen in the Indian film industry." Another mentioned, 'We need such talent to be on top." 'Aapka bhi comeback ho gya," read a hilarious comment. Someone mentioned, 'Abki baar Banrakas sarkar." One more person added, 'So happy to see the growth! Congratulations." The 40-year-old actor, who had come a long way in his career, also shared yet another photo from one of his identification cards on Instagram. Alongside the photo, he wrote, 'Jab mein chota bachcha tha National School of Drama, New Delhi, India 2008 to 2011." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Durgesh Kumar (@ Coming to Durgesh Kumar's journey in the world of glam and glitz, the theatre veteran underwent many struggles before bagging a prominent role. As per The Better India, born in Darbhanga, Bihar, Durgesh moved to Delhi back in 2001. Initially, he left his hometown with dreams of becoming an engineer, but destiny had other plans for him. He couldn't clear the entrance exams and got enrolled in a course at IGNOU. This is when he found his calling in theatre and street plays. Eventually, he began his training at the National School of Drama and kept taking up roles that came his way, no matter how small they were. Finally, it was his casting in Panchayat that helped him rise to immense stardom. Talking about the same in a conversation with TOI, he said, 'People only see the success of Panchayat, but the truth is, I've struggled for 12 years to reach here." Talking about Panchayat, the latest instalment of the web series stars Jitendra Kumar as Abhishek Tripathi, Chandan Roy as Vikas, Sanvikaa as Rinki, Neena Gupta as Manju Devi Dubey, Faisal Malik as Prahlad, Ashok Pathak as Binod, Durgesh Kumar as Bhushan, Sunita Rajwar as Kranti Devi, and Pankaj Jha as the corrupt MLA Chandra Kishore Singh, among others, all set for yet another round of compelling storyline. First Published:
Time of India
15-06-2025
- Time of India
Man arrested for using fathers licensed gun to commit crimes
Kanpur: A man who used his father's licensed revolver to commit crimes was arrested by the Kotwali police and SOG team on Saturday in Jalaun. Cash amounting to Rs 150,000, a scooter, and the revolver were recovered from him. During interrogation, the accused revealed that he used his father's licensed revolver to carry out the crimes and used the money to fulfil his expensive hobbies. He did not carry a mobile phone while committing the crimes. SP Durgesh Kumar said that on Saturday, the Kotwali police received information that Rahul Parihar, a resident of Gudha village in the Dakor Kotwali area, was planning to commit a crime and was standing near Modi ground on Konch Road. Acting on this information, the police, with the help of SOG and surveillance, surrounded and arrested the suspect. tnn
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The Networker Movie: Showtimes, Review, Songs, Trailer, Posters, News & Videos
Story: After his multi-level-marketing (MLM) company collapses, Aditya (Vikram Kochha) teams up with his friend Raghav (Rishabh Pathak) and a seasoned networker, Lallan (Durgesh Kumar), to launch new ventures. They rope in a motivational speaker and a fake MD to build credibility—before fleeing to Dubai with the investors' money. Review: Films often find drama and intrigue in high-stakes stories of scams and Ponzi schemes. In this comedy-drama, director Vikas Vishwakarma explores how desperation turns the deceived into the deceiver in the world of pyramid with no choice after losing his family's and investors' money in a failed MLM venture, Aditya teams up with his friend Raghav and a seasoned networker, Lallan (Durgesh Kumar), to launch a new company bankrolled by a powerful investor, Pradhan (Atul Srivastava). But the initial funding quickly goes into repaying old liabilities, and the venture collapses. During a visit to a restaurant with robotic servers, Aditya comes up with a new idea: a fake company promising to build AI robots for public services. They hire a frontman, Pradeep Biswas (Ishtiyak Khan), as the MD to earn public trust. The scheme promises double returns and soon racks up investments worth Rs 10,000 crore. But it's all a sham — there are no robots, just a con job. The plan is to shut the company and pay back only powerful investors like Pradhan. However, Pradeep, moved by guilt, asks for his share to start a real business that repays the everyday investors who risked everything. Eventually, the trio absconds to Dubai but chooses to return money only to the "honest" investors. Written by Vikas Vishwakarma, the narrative is simplistic and repetitive, as ventures follow the same rise-and-crash cycle. The ease with which thousands of crores are raised feels unrealistic, and the film never delves into how the con actually works. The impact on victims is barely touched upon — limited to one montage involving stock characters like a man unable to fund his mother's treatment, a student losing college admission, and a wedding being called off. Vikram Kochhar, Durgesh Kumar, and Rishabh Pathak deliver passable performances. Ishtiyak Khan and Brijendra Kala handle their quirky roles with charm, but they can't lift a weak script. Despite an interesting concept and moments of humour, the film struggles with execution and relies on shallow storytelling, preventing the narrative from taking off.
