Sabyasachi Mukherjee, a well-known figure in the international fashion industry, has once again demonstrated his value by being the first Indian fashion designer to walk the coveted Met Gala carpet. The designer accessorised his carefree ensemble with “tourmalines, pearls, emeralds, and diamonds from Sabyasachi High Jewellery,” accessorising his “embroidered cotton duster coat from the Sabyasachi Resort 2024 collection,” as he posted on his Instagram page. The master stylist kept his ensemble ultra-sophisticated by accessorising it with brown loafers and tinted sunglasses.

Not only that, but the couturier also designed this year’s ensemble for Alia Bhatt at the highly anticipated fashion event. Wearing a sheer pastel-coloured sari that “pays homage to nature’s beauty, echoing the earth, sky, and sea,” the Brahmastra actor made her second appearance. It featured delicately embroidered floral motifs made of silk floss, glass beading, and semi-precious gemstones.

The timeless sophistication of Indian nobility inspired us as we looked to the past for guidance into the future. We highlighted fine workmanship, including hand embroidery, precious stones, and exquisite fringes and beading characteristic of the 1920s fringe style. This ethereal saree was created by 163 committed people, including master artisans, embroiderers, artists, and dyers, who put in a total of 1965 man-hours of work, Alia posted on Instagram.

The executive director of the Serum Institute of India, Natasha Poonawalla, wore a Sabyasachi piece to the fashion show earlier. In 2022, Poonawalla combined the design icons of Maison Schiaparelli and Sabyasachi to create an architectural gold hand-forged bustier paired with a sari and a trailing train “embroidered with silk floss thread and embellished with bevel beads, semi-precious stones, crystals, sequins, and appliquéd printed velvet.”

The elite of the fashion and entertainment industries gather for the annual Met Gala on the first Monday in May. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is hosting the event, which is curated by former Vogue editor Anna Wintour. The Garden of Time is the theme for this year.

A video clip of a road rage incident, purportedly showing a family in a car being chased by four men in a luxury car in Knowledge Park, Greater Noida, has surfaced on social media. Senior police officers said though the victim’s family had informed them that they did not want to pursue the matter legally, the police have taken suo motu cognizance of the matter and arrested three people on Monday evening.

Investigators claim that four men were seen overtaking the victim’s family’s car and throwing stones at it during the incident, which was captured on the dash cam. The family quickly reversed the vehicle and left the area where they came under attack. The incident was captured at 1.15 am on May 2, 2024, according to the video’s time stamp, but it wasn’t until May 5 that it was shared on the social media site Reddit.

After taking suo motu cognizance of the video, an FIR was filed at Knowledge Park police station against four suspects under sections 279 (rash driving) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code. On Monday night, three suspects were taken into custody in the Beta-2 neighbourhood, stated Ashok Kumar, an additional deputy commissioner of police for Greater Noida.

The police have recovered the BMW car and identified the arrested suspects as Saket, Vipin, and Arun (only their first names are known). Saket and Vipin live in Beta-2, whereas Arun is a resident of Rajasthan. They are currently looking for work after earning their BTech from a private university in Greater Noida. Teams are seeking the fourth suspect. The officer declared that the Goonda Act would also be used to take action against them.

According to the police, the victim’s car contained one woman and two men when the incident occurred. The family was driving in Greater Noida on a two-way road when a second car approached from the front and hit their side-view mirror, which is not visible in the video. This incident was captured on camera and posted to the Reddit social media site.

In the conversations captured by the dashcam, the family stated they were going to a nearby hospital. In a matter of minutes, the injured party was audibly reporting that the vehicle that struck them was pursuing them. The grey BMW overtakes the victims, and four men get out just as they are turning towards the Expo Mart roundabout. They begin throwing stones at the victim’s car as they rush towards it. The victims swiftly reverse their vehicle and leave the scene while under attack. Before the video ends, you can hear his family calling the local SHO’s number in the background.

The elegant drama Heeramandi, directed and composed by BAFTA-nominated Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas), chronicles the lives of India’s elite courtesans, or tawaifs, as they struggled for freedom from British rule in 1920. The courtesans plot to satisfy their hidden desires and subvert the established order while entertaining aristocrats. Starring in the epic Indian musical series are Aditi Rao Hydari, Sonakshi Sinha, and Manisha Koirala. 

Alamzeb is the daughter of Mallikajaan (Manisha Koirala), the elite brothel’s madam at Shahi Mahal in Lahore’s Heera Mandi pleasure district. Another daughter of Mallikajaan is Bibbo (Aditi Rao Hydari), a celebrated singer-turned-revolutionary spy. The Raj faced increasing resistance in the 1940s. For protection and titles, the immaculate nawabs work for their foreign overlords. However, the courtesans set the tone, keeping their clients’ secrets hidden and occasionally driving them to bankruptcy. 

Story Plot: Heeramandi – The Diamond Bazaar

The show opens with a series of intense flashbacks. As it turns out, Mallikajaan is hiding a horrific crime from her past with the help of the depraved nawab Zulfikar (Shekhar Suman). When discovered, it refers to a struggle for dominance between her and Fareedan (Sonakshi Sinha), a rival courtesan who infiltrates Heera Mandi and begins to tease out both old and new feathers. 

The story revolves around Fareedan’s intricate plans for retaliation, an awkwardly developing romantic relationship between Alamzeb and Tajdar (Taaha Shah), a young, rebellious nawab, and the agitation of the revolutionaries. Jason Shah’s villainous police superintendent, Cartwright, prowls the area looking for skeletons. It takes time for Bhansali and his writers to weave the many threads together. Even with the spotless sights and sounds available, the wait gets lengthy. The exciting political landscape of the time is depicted in general terms, which doesn’t help (the Muslim League and the call for a separate Pakistan state are not mentioned).

Web Series Review: What happens in Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar?

Heeramandi Review: In the Indian-walled city of Lahore, the all-powerful Mallikajaan has ruled over a house of courtesans for years. They reside in a lavish home known as Heeramandi, where nawabs are invited to perform elaborate and private shows. Mallika has 25 years of industry experience and is unbreakable until her late nemesis’s daughter, Fareedan, returns to exact her revenge.

As Mallika governs her group of courtesans in Heeramandi, the surrounding city is becoming increasingly unstable as people fight against the oppressive British Raj to keep the Crown as the ultimate authority over India and Pakistan. Mallika’s youngest daughter, Alam, dreams of a life beyond the kotha, or bazaar, where she can follow her true passion: poetry. Meanwhile, her courtesan daughter, Bibbo, secretly gathers intelligence to aid the revolutionaries and win freedom from Britain and her mother. Could their passions come together for a higher good, though, when Alam meets Tajdar, the son of a nawab who is hiding secrets of his own and has just returned from Oxford to study law? 

Cast & Crew of Heeramandi

• Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
• Cast: Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sonakshi Sinha, Sharmin Segal, Taaha Shah, Fardeen Khan
• Episodes: 8
• Run-time: 45-65 minutes
• Storyline: The courtesan’s power struggles and intrigues during India’s revolution.

The Supreme Court is set to discuss today whether to grant interim bail to Delhi’s Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal. He has been in custody since March 21 and is currently confined in Tihar jail under judicial custody. The case is linked to the money laundering allegations surrounding the scrapped Delhi excise policy.

A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta began the proceedings by considering the plea of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader. On May 3, the Supreme Court hinted at the possibility of granting interim bail to Mr Kejriwal in light of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Acknowledging the potentially time-consuming nature of the legal proceedings, the court expressed its willingness to hear arguments from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding interim relief to the AAP chief before elections in Delhi, scheduled for May 25.

What happened in the last hearing?

During the previous hearing, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the ED, expressed opposition to Mr Kejriwal’s bail, citing statements made by AAP leader Sanjay Singh following his release on bail in a related case. 

What SC said?

“We are not commenting on it either way. We are just saying we will hear on interim bail and not saying we will grant interim bail. We may or may not grant interim bail,” the Supreme Court had said.

The bench also raised questions regarding Mr Kejriwal’s official duties, particularly his signing of official documents, given his current legal predicament. Additionally, fresh controversy erupted after Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe against Mr Kejriwal, alleging political funding from the banned group Sikhs for Justice.

Gautam Buddha University: The dead body of a woman was found in a water tank in Noida’s Gautam Buddha University, a public university (state govt. uni.) on Monday. As per the media reports, the body was decaying in the tank for the past 2-3 days. Panic struck the campus, and preliminary reports are saying that the woman was living with her husband and mother-in-law and she was murdered, and as per the police officials, the murderers fled the spot. 

Police suspect husband:

The whole campus is in shock after the news of a woman’s body found in the water tank at the staff quarters. Police suspect her husband and reported that her husband, who works at JIMS Hospital, had a quarrel with the woman repetitively, which ended up in the woman’s murder. The police are searching for her husband and searching all the related cues of the case.

A senior police officer said:

Senior police officer Shivhari Meena said the body has been sent for autopsy. “We have registered a case, and a team has been formed to search for the accused of absconding. All aspects are being probed, and the matter will be unearthed soon,” he said. The police are now looking for her husband and mother-in-law. Based on a complaint by the relatives of the deceased woman, a case has been registered, and teams have been formed to track down the missing accused.

Ex-Congress Spokesperson and Aid to Priyanka Gandhi Acharya Pramod Krishnam commented on Rahul Gandhi after his nomination from Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareli. He said, “Rahul Gandhi should contest from Pakistan’s Rawalpindi instead of Raebareli. Furthermore, in a shocking statement, he claimed that with all the conspiracy, Rahul sidelined his sister from politics within the party. On Monday, he also mentioned that if Congress came into the central power, it would overturn the apex court verdict on Ram Mandir.

Acharya Pramod Krishnam was expelled from the party in February 2024 over his statement on the newly built Ram Mandir.

In a conversation with ANI, Acharya Pramod said,” I have spent more than three decades in the Congress party and during the verdict on Ram Mandir came, during the party meeting, Rahul said that he would overturn the decision over Ram Mandir if the Congress formed the Government at central. In addition to this, he mentioned that he would overturn the decision just as Rajeev Gandhi overturned his decision on the Shah Bano Case.

Review Dil Dosti Dilemma: In a time when children, particularly those in cities, are becoming increasingly cut off from their heritage, Dil Dosti’s Dilemma tells a story of coming of age about making amends with grandparents. The seven-episode series, which is set in contemporary Bengaluru, examines two distinct aspects of the city: one is centred on the affluent neighbourhoods, schools, and workplaces, while the other takes viewers to an ageing middle-class neighbourhood that faces the risk of development permanently altering its character. 

Dil Dosti Dilemma Story Plot

Anushka Sen’s character, Asmara, finds herself torn between her personal desires and her family responsibilities. Although adequate, her portrayal lacks the depth necessary to engage the audience fully. Tanvi Azmi and Shishir Sharma, who expertly play Asmara’s grandparents and lend the story warmth and authenticity, are the show’s real jewels.

Though cliched, the main plot, which revolves around Asmara, Tania, and Naina’s interwoven lives, is interesting. Tania and Naina battle their personal issues as Asmara deals with her grandparents. Elisha Mayor’s character, Tania, finds it difficult to deal with her parents’ alleged extramarital affairs. Revathi Pillai’s character, Naina, becomes embroiled in a turbulent relationship with the endearing but cunning Armaan. The three friends’ relationships are depicted authentically, encapsulating the subtleties of loyalty, betrayal, and friendship.

One of the show’s strongest points is its ability to explore relatable themes in the lavishness of its setting. Asmara’s developing friendship with Rukhsana, a friend from childhood, and her journey of self-discovery in her grandparents’ neighbourhood add a personal touch to the story. Kush Jotwani’s portrayal of Farzaan, which Asmara also finds comforting, is convincing. Jotwani’s portrayal radiates charisma and charm, raising the possibility that he could emerge as India’s next big thing.

Dil Dosti Dilemma has flaws, especially in how it represents modern youth culture, even though it succeeds in many other areas. A significant shortcoming is the overly dramatic portrayal of the Gen Z characters, who appear to be completely ignorant of Hindi and who only turn to retail therapy as a coping mechanism for life’s setbacks. The series loses out on a chance to delve deeper into the complex emotional lives of its characters by reducing their emotional complexity to a surface-level fixation with material goods.

Dil Dosti Dilemma explores friendship, love, and identity, and despite its flaws, it manages to resonate with viewers to some extent. The ensemble, especially Tanvi Azmi, Shishir Sharma, and Suhasini Mulay, gives dynamic performances that enhance the film and leave an impression that doesn’t go away.

In conclusion, ‘Dil Dosti Dilemma’ offers an engrossing story set against the backdrop of Bangalore’s elite society. Even though it makes some character development and portrayal mistakes, viewers are nevertheless drawn in by its exploration of universal themes and excellent performances. For those looking for a little Indian drama, it’s still a good choice, even though it might not be perfect.

• The show is streaming on Prime Video.
• Director: Debbie Rao
• Cast: Anushka Sen, Kush Jotwani, Tanvi Azmi, Shishir Sharma, Shruti Seth, Suhasini Mulay, Vishakha Pandey, Revathi Pillai, and Elisha Mayor

The raid’s video footage reveals a mountain of cash notes strewn throughout a room allegedly owned by Sanjiv Lal, the personal secretary of Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam’s domestic assistant.

A total of ₹ 25 crore in unaccounted cash was found after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a number of raids on Monday in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand. The recent raids targeted about six locations associated with Virendra Ram, the former chief engineer of the Jharkhand Rural Development Department, and his inner circle. They were carried out in accordance with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). In February 2023, the ED detained Virendra Ram concerning a money laundering case.  

The raid’s video footage reveals a mountain of cash notes strewn throughout a room allegedly owned by Sanjiv Lal, the personal secretary of Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam’s domestic assistant. In the Jharkhand assembly, Alamgir Alam, a 70-year-old Congressman, is the representative for the Pakur seat. In response to the raids, Mr Alam stated that since the probe agency is still looking into the matter, it would not be appropriate to comment. 

Sanjiv Lal works for the government and is my personal secretary. He has already served as the personal secretary of two former ministers. There are several government workers, and personal secretaries are typically appointed according to qualifications. Before the ED investigation is finished, it is inappropriate to comment on the raids,” he stated, as cited by news agency ANI. 

“In Jharkhand, corruption is still a problem. The presence of this money during an election suggests that there is a plan to use it for electoral purposes. “This is something that the Election Commission needs to address,” Jharkhand BJP spokesman Pratul Shahdev stated. The investigation agency raids nine places simultaneously, including Ranchi’s Sail City. An ED team was searching Sail City on Monday morning in an attempt to find Vikas Kumar, an engineer with the Department of Road Construction. Raids are carried out in Bariatu, Morhabadi, and Bodia regions by another ED team. 

It’s time for your weekly update on the newest streaming services, and over the next few days, there’s an ideal selection of films and television series to satisfy your binge-watching desires. Under the Bridge, a true-crime series based on Rebecca Godfrey’s novel, stars Lily Gladstone, Riley Keough, and Archie Panjabi. The highly regarded crime thriller series Undekhi is back for a third season. Ncuti Gatwa reprises her role as the fifteenth Doctor in Doctor Who season 14. 

All of Us Strangers (May 8)

In the charming romantic fantasy film All of Us Strangers from 2023, Andrew Scott plays Adam, a lonely screenwriter who seeks solace in his childhood home from the memories of his past. He develops a romantic relationship with the enigmatic downstairs neighbour, Harry (Paul Mescal). As thoughts of his deceased parents fill him with visions, Adam discovers a remarkable path to recovery that reveals the circumstances surrounding their death and the ghostly characters that haunt his world.

Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar

Dark Matter (May 8)

Joel Edgerton plays physicist Jason Dessen in the captivating science fiction series Dark Matter, based on Blake Crouch’s critically acclaimed novel. Jason’s ordinary life is drastically changed after he is abducted into a parallel universe. Trapped in a confusing web of alternate lives he could have lived, Jason sets out to find his true family by travelling through a series of confusing realities. His journey becomes a profound investigation of identity, decision-making, and the paths less taken as he confronts various incarnations of himself; ultimately, it sets him against himself.

Streaming on Apple TV+

Hollywood Con Queen (May 8)

Emmy Award-winning director Chris Smith’s three-part documentary series, Hollywood Con Queen. The show delves into a convoluted scam by an elusive character known only as the “Con Queen,” who impersonated well-known Hollywood ladies to lure unsuspecting people to Indonesia under the pretence of promising career opportunities. This complex scam defrauded the victims of their money and tricked them into a complex psychological trap. The suspense grew as investigative journalist Scott Johnson and private investigator Nicole Kotsianas revealed a more remarkable tale than expected, bringing to light one of Hollywood’s most notorious scams.

Streaming on Apple TV+

Under the Bridge (May 8)

The chilling true story of 14-year-old Reena Virk, who vanished and was subsequently discovered dead in 1997 in Saanich, British Columbia, Canada, is explored in the film Under the Bridge. The compelling true crime series, which draws inspiration from Rebecca Godfrey’s book, explores the deep social issues surrounding her disappearance and the heinous crime that took her life. Viewed from the perspective of a novelist returning to her hometown due to the tragedy, the program reveals the dark underbelly of a seemingly tranquil community and the young people involved in this upsetting situation. Archie Panjabi, Riley Keough, and Lily Gladstone are among the show’s stars.

Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar

Let it Be (May 8)

Let It Be, the new film, revisits Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s 1970 original film, which showed The Beatles during their final public performance and renowned recording sessions. This re-release, which builds on the Get Back docuseries, is a masterful restoration of The Beatles’ interactions for the modern era by Peter Jackson’s team. It also features never-before-seen footage that provides a close-up look at their friendship and the creative process they used to create the Grammy-winning album and its well-known title track.

Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar

Mother of the Bride (May 9)

Mother of the Bride is a hilarious romantic comedy that begins with Emma returning from a year spent studying abroad in London. She then surprises her mother, Lana, by telling her she is getting married in Thailand in just one month. When Lana learns that the mysterious man who has won her daughter’s heart just so happens to be the son of the man who broke her years prior, things only worsen. Benjamin Bratt, Miranda Cosgrove, and Brooke Shields are among the actors in the movie.

Streaming on Netflix

With various compelling stories spanning multiple genres, this week’s lineup on streaming platforms promises to captivate audiences seeking thrilling mysteries, heartwarming romances, and thought-provoking dramas. From the haunting true-crime series “Under the Bridge” to the mesmerising science fiction journey of “Dark Matter,” viewers are in for a treat. Documentaries like “Hollywood Con Queen” offer fascinating insights into real-life scandals, while nostalgic gems like “Let It Be” provide a glimpse into music history. With something for everyone, these new releases ensure that the streaming experience remains as diverse and exciting as ever. So grab your popcorn and settle in for a weekend of unforgettable entertainment.

DeFi intends to entirely replace the tenets of the current financial system or at least develop into a substitute source for financial transactions. These instruments are based on open-source protocols. They will allow people to benefit from new investment platforms and decentralized lending in the future, resulting in higher passive income from cryptocurrency assets.

What DeFi Presale? 

DeFi presales, short for decentralized finance presales, are fundraising events where new DeFi projects offer their tokens to investors before officially launching them to the public. These presales typically occur on decentralized platforms or through initial coin offerings (ICOs), allowing investors to purchase tokens at a discounted price compared to what they might cost after the project launches. Participating in a DeFi presale gives investors early access to potentially promising projects within the decentralized finance space.

Benefits of participating in a  DeFi Presale

1. Early Access: Investors can support projects they believe in from the outset of development by participating in a presale. For individuals who are genuine about a project’s goal and want to be a part of its success tale, this can be a fulfilling experience. 
2. Discounted Prices: Participating in a crypto presale allows investors to acquire tokens at a reduced cost before their general release, which is one of the main advantages of doing so. 
3. Increased Returns: Investments made during a presale can bring in larger profits than those made later in a project. This is because presale investors stand to gain from rising token values, as token prices frequently rise with a project’s growth and popularity.

Top 5 DeFi presales 

1. BlockDAG: Pioneering the Altcoin Presale Arena

In the cryptocurrency presale market, BlockDAG is still very successful. In the upcoming Batch 11, the price of its Batch 10 coins is expected to increase from $0.006 to $0.007; the presale has already raised $20.6 million and sold 8 billion BDAG coins. Events like the Whitepaper unveiling at The Sphere in Las Vegas and the keynote display at Shibuya Crossing demonstrate BlockDAG’s dedication to openness and interesting investor relations. 

The platform provides mining solutions such as the X100 miner, which can mine at up to 2 TH/s and earn up to 2,000 BDAG per day while consuming the least energy and producing the least noise. Furthermore, users can mint up to 20 BDAG coins daily with the X1 mobile mining app without significantly depleting their battery.

2. BitBot (BITBOT) 

By integrating a non-custodial trading bot into the Telegram app, BitBot gives users direct access to manage their cryptocurrency portfolio through Telegram. BITBOT offers advanced, user-friendly trading tools and aims to be the greatest cryptocurrency presale in 2024. A few examples are prediction algorithms driven by AI, real-time price alerts, up-to-date news, and accurate mining computations.

What is Cryptocurrency, and How Does it Work?

3. The Graph (GRT): Indexing Blockchain Data Required for dApp Creation

Graph (GRT) is a Web3 indexing protocol that facilitates data organization and access from storage networks and blockchains. Developers can use it to search for, locate, publish, and even use any public data needed to develop decentralized applications or dApps.

Over the past year, the graph’s price has increased by 79%. Furthermore, The Graph cryptocurrency increased from $0.248 to $0.307 over the previous week. It seeks to overcome the $0.35 price barrier to soar to new heights. Based on price predictions by The Graph, the best DeFi cryptocurrency to diversify with is expected to reach $0.4049 by the end of 2024.

4. ButtChain (BUTT) 

With auto liquidity, ButtChain is the first Polygon meme coin. This fascinating new coin blends humour with cutting-edge features—a potent combination in the cryptocurrency world. With “Proof of Butt,” ButtChain puts a lighthearted spin on the conventional Proof of Work and Proof of Stake models used by well-known cryptocurrencies. ButtChain has additional benefits in the competition to be the greatest cryptocurrency presale of 2024, though. 

ButtChain innovates with well-designed liquidity tokenomics, going beyond its lighthearted branding. ButtChain developed an Auto Liquidity feature that directly allocates 20% of all presale funds to Uniswap liquidity, an endeavour seldom seen in any other crypto presale to guarantee seamless trading for early buyers after launch. Because ButtChain tokens are transferred to buyers immediately, even during the presale, they avoid the rush to claim tokens at launch, unlike most other cryptocurrency presales.

5. Chainlink (LINK): Enabling Access to External, Off-Chain Data in a Secure Way

One of the most widely used and potent decentralized oracle networks in Web3 is Chainlink (LINK). It allows smart contracts to safely access off-chain data feeds, cloud services, IoT devices, enterprise systems, web APIs, payment methods, and other blockchains. Consequently, the platform allows blockchain platforms to interact securely with external data.

The year-to-date (YTD) price performance of Chainlink has increased by 95%; at this rate, more significant gains may be forthcoming. Also, the Chainlink cryptocurrency increased in value over the previous week, reaching a high of $15.61 from $13.81. This cryptocurrency could rank among the top DeFi projects by the end of Q4 2024 if the Chainlink price prediction comes true and reaches a maximum value of $21.21.

Disclaimer 

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Readers must research and consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.We’d love to hear from you if you have any upcoming DeFi presale picks or insights to share! Leave a comment below or share this article with others who may find it valuable.