Vijay Deverakonda's period drama 'Ranabaali' gets a Dussehra release date, while Anvay Dravid and Aaryavir Sehwag are picked for India's U-19 ODI series against Australia.
Vijay Deverakonda's period action drama 'Ranabaali' will release worldwide on October 16, 2026, during the Dussehra window. The film, set between 1854 and 1878 in British-ruled South India, explores resistance against colonial exploitation. Rashmika Mandanna plays Jayamma, his wife. Arnold Vosloo plays the antagonist Sir Theodore Hector. Rahul Sankrityan directs.
3 sources, 2 neutral, 1 sensationalist
Anvay Dravid, son of Rahul Dravid, and Aaryavir Sehwag, son of Virender Sehwag, have been named in India's Under-19 ODI squad for the three-match series against Australia starting September 18 in Rajkot. Lakshya Raichandani will captain the ODI side. Aaryavir, 18, gets his maiden U-19 call-up after a 297-run knock in the 2024 Cooch Behar Trophy.
5 sources, 5 neutral
Allu Arjun features on the cover of Forbes India Showstoppers 2026, the Independence Day special listing India's top 100 celebrities. The Pushpa star and Ram Charan are the only Tollywood actors on the list. Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna are in the top 25, with reported brand values of $31.4 million and $25.3 million respectively.
4 sources, 3 neutral, 1 sensationalist
Anvay Dravid and Aaryavir Sehwag have been selected for India's Under-19 ODI squad for the series against Australia U-19 starting September 18. Both are in the ODI squad only. Anvay, a 17-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, retained his place after scores of 14 and 87 for the U-19 side in Sri Lanka in July.
3 sources, 2 neutral, 1 sensationalist
The National Law School of India University in Bengaluru cancelled its September 12 convocation citing unavoidable circumstances. Students and alumni had opposed the presence of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and BCI chairman Manan Kumar Mishra. Degrees will be conferred in absentia after approvals from governing bodies. Students may collect certificates from campus.
2 sources, 2 neutral
BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla praised Sri Lanka's Sonal Dinusha on X, comparing the 25-year-old left-hander to Sachin Tendulkar. Dinusha has scored a half-century or more in each of his first four Test innings against India, equalling a record set by England's Ken Barrington in 1959. He became the first Asian batter to achieve the feat.
2 sources, 2 neutral
Veteran Telugu actor and producer GV Narayana Rao died in Hyderabad on August 26, 2026, at age 73 after prolonged health issues. He debuted in K. Balachander's Anthuleni Katha (1976) and won the Nandi Award for Best Supporting Actor. He acted in about 100 films, including Muthyala Pallaki and Oka Oori Katha.
4 sources, 4 neutral
The NCLT approved a repayment plan by Zee group founder Subhash Chandra to pay creditors just Rs 6.5 crore against admitted claims of Rs 22,006.57 crore, a recovery of about 0.03%. Objecting creditors included LIC Housing Finance, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank. LICHFL will receive only Rs 38 lakh on its admitted claim.
2 sources, 1 government-critical, 1 neutral
IIT Delhi formed a final external inquiry panel into the death of 31-year-old MSc student Rishikesh Kumar, who died on August 22 after falling from the sixth floor of the Lecture Hall Complex. Retired Delhi High Court judge Justice Mukta Gupta will head the committee. It includes AIIMS Delhi psychiatry head Professor Pratap Sharan and four student representatives.
2 sources, 2 neutral
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra attacked the Congress over past remarks against UPI as the digital payment platform completed 10 years of its rollout in 2016. Patra said former finance minister P Chidambaram had called UPI a big blunder. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu hailed UPI as transformative. Congress MP Pawan Khera hit back.
2 sources, 1 pro-government, 1 neutral
Three IPOs closed for subscription on Thursday: Hy-Tech Engineers (114.06 times), Skyways Air Services (14.40 times) and Symbiotec Pharmalab (13.86 times). Price bands: Rs 50-53 for Hy-Tech, Rs 938-988 for Symbiotec, Rs 131-138 for Skyways. Hy-Tech is raising Rs 135.73 crore.
2 sources, 2 neutral
GATE 2027 registration opens August 27 at gate2027.iitm.ac.in. Exam dates: February 6-21. Fees: Rs 1,000 for women, SC, ST and PwD candidates, Rs 2,000 for others. Regular deadline without late fee: September 27. Late fee of Rs 500 per paper applies for applications by October 5.
2 sources, 2 neutral
PharmEasy data through August 12, 2026 shows typhoid as the most common confirmed monsoon fever among 209 Indian cities, with a test-positivity rate of 25.5%. Dengue followed at 8.5%, chikungunya at 1.8%, and malaria at 1.4%. The national fever risk score rose from 47 to 61 since monsoon onset.
2 sources, 2 neutral
The Income Tax Department's FAST-DS scheme, open until December 31, 2026, lets small taxpayers disclose foreign assets. For undisclosed foreign assets worth up to Rs 1 crore, the total levy is 60% of the declared value. The Times of India reports that the rupee's decline of 14-33% over 3-7 years could push holdings above the threshold.
2 sources, 2 neutral
The NCLT's approval of Subhash Chandra's near-zero repayment plan and NLSIU's cancelled convocation both highlight institutions navigating internal and external pressures. Meanwhile, the U-19 squad selections and UPI's tenth anniversary offer points of sporting and digital continuity. Watch how the GATE 2027 registration numbers compare with previous years, and whether the rupee's decline prompts more disclosures under the FAST-DS scheme before its December deadline.
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