UI Movie vs Kaatera: Upendra’s thriller beats Darshan’s action drama on BMS

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

Upendra, one of Kannada cinema’s biggest stars, is in the limelight because of his latest release UI Movie. The thriller, which hit the screens on December 20, opened to a thunderous response at the box office and raked in nearly Rs 10 crore on its first day. In doing so, it beat Kaatera to become the Kannada film with the highest ticket sales for day 1 on BookMyShowUI mania runs wild, Upendra’s film beat KaateraUI, starring ‘Real Star’ Upendra, has taken the box office by storm despite receiving mixed reviews. According to Karnataka Box Office, a portal that covers Sandalwood, the film has beaten Darshan’s Kaatera to become the Kannada film to sell the most tickets for day 1 on BookMyShow. Kaatera had sold 104k tickets on the platform, UI outperformed with ease as 109k were sold for the thriller on BookMyShow. [embedded content]Kaatera, starring Darshan and Aradhana Ram, is an action drama that hit the screens in December 2023. It featured the ‘Challenging Star’ in a rustic avatar and did well at the box office. Kaatera is directed by Tharun Sudhir, best known for his work on Roberrt. About UIUI is a psychological thriller that explores the conflict between a king and a uniquely gifted man who tricks people and becomes a dictator. It is written and directed by Upendra, who also plays the lead role in the highly ambitious film. Murali Sharma, Reshma Nanaiah, Jisshu, and Sadhu Kokila essay key roles in the biggie. The flick is said to have been shot on a budget of Rs 100 crore. This is Uppi’s first release after Kabzaa (2023), which did not do well at the box office. He will next be seen in Coolie, one of the most talked-about films of 2025. The actioner is directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and features Rajinikanth in the role of a gangster. The cast includes Nagarjuna, Shruti Haasan, and Sathyaraj. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.

OMBADC Facilitates Modern Science Lab Infra at NC Autonomous College Jajpur

Science and Health

State-of-the-art science labs, classrooms, library & computer labs have enhanced the learning and research experience of the students
Jajpur : Education at the college level plays a crucial role in guiding students towards new career paths. In this regard, the Odisha government is dedicated to offering students innovative opportunities for their future careers by enhancing and modernizing infrastructure at different higher colleges and universities in the state. As part of this initiative, Narasingh Choudhury (N.C.) Autonomous College in Jajpur is undergoing extensive renovations across different departments.
N.C. Autonomous College in Jajpur stands out as one of the premier higher education institutions in Odisha. Established in 1946, this college gained autonomous status in 1999, leading to the introduction of various new academic programs and a focus on enhancing its infrastructure.
In response to the growing interest of students across various districts in the Science Department at N.C. Autonomous College, significant advancements have been made in the department’s facilities. To enhance student convenience, classrooms and advanced laboratories have been established, ensuring an improved educational experience. This initiative has been made possible through financial support from the Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC), reflecting a commitment to advancing educational infrastructure in the region.
With the support of OMBADC, a state-of-the-art four storied building has been constructed for the science department at N.C. Autonomous College in Jajpur. It includes dedicated classrooms and laboratories for Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology. As a result, students can now seamlessly conduct practical experiments alongside their theoretical coursework. Consequently, this has fostered a notable increase in student interest in exploring diverse aspects of science, enhancing their overall educational experience.
The newly constructed building features a head of department and research associate room. In addition, it has a conference and library hall, a computer lab and a record room to support various academic activities. To enhance student experience, provisions have also been made for a waiting room, drinking water supply and clean restrooms. This initiative is supported by OMBADC, reflecting its commitment to improving educational resources for students.
“The students enrolled in the Science Department require practical education alongside theoretical studies. To meet this need, modern infrastructure has been developed with the support of OMBADC. This new facility addresses previous challenges related to practical work in our laboratories, providing students with valuable opportunities to conduct research across various subjects,” says Dr. Ranjan Kumar Behera, Principal, N.C. Autonomous College, Jajpur.
The establishment of modern infrastructure in the science department at N.C. Autonomous College, supported by OMBADC, has successfully drawn students from various regions across Odisha. This effort has resulted in the creation of an enriching educational environment that is drawing students from Jajpur and nearby districts. Every year, over 500 undergraduates and more than 190 postgraduates study here, each striving to achieve accolades in the country and abroad.

New James Bond movie delayed following creative dispute, report reveals

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

(Credits: Amazon/MGM) Sat 21 December 2024 9:38, UK A new report has alleged that the upcoming James Bond film has been delayed due to creative conflicts between Barbara Broccoli and Amazon Studios.Amazon has held the rights to the franchise since 2021 when it bought Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which has been in charge of overseeing the release of Bond movies for over 40 years. Following the acquisition, Bond is now part of its subsidiary company, Amazon MGM Studios. However, the Broccoli family still has the final say over the operations. Barbara Broccoli and her half-brother Michael G Wilson, control the Bond estate. Their father, Albert R. Broccoli, along with Harry Saltzman, brought the Bond franchise to cinema in 1962, and the future of the series is ultimately down to the Broccoli family.According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, Amazon have a “decayed relationship” with Broccoli, which has derailed plans for a forthcoming movie. The last Bond movie, No Time To Die, was released in 2021, marking Daniel Craig’s final appearance in the franchise.At this stage, despite much speculation linking various actors to the role of Bond, including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, nobody has yet been announced for the role. Plans are currently at loggerheads over Amazon preferring a “Marvel-style” route for Bond to follow and also desires to expand the franchise with spinoffs. However, Broccoli is not keen on this idea, according to the report.It claims that Broccoli has told friends in private that Amazon are “fucking idiots” who have taken Bod “hostage”. As the relationship between Broccoli and Amazon appears to have broken down, it remains unknown if and when Bond will return.Only last month, Broccoli gave an update to The Associated Press regarding the casting of the next Bond. The publication stated, “It will be a man. He’ll likely be in his 30s. Whiteness is not a given.”Wilson also added: “Every time we cast a new actor, the films change. It’s the excitement of a new Bond, a new direction. Every one of these people who took on the role offered something new and different.”[embedded content]Related TopicsSubscribe To The Far Out Newsletter

13th annual Snow Week returns to Arizona Science Center in downtown Phoenix

Science and Health

PHOENIX — Although Phoenix is breaking heat records in the month of December, the forecast predicts a 100% chance of snow at the Arizona Science Center starting next week.
The 13th annual Snow Week is making its return to the Arizona Science Center in downtown Phoenix from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 and will bring a flurry of activities for guests to enjoy.
Activities include the Snow Hill, Blue Crew’s Dazzling Demonstrations, numerous Science of Ice and Snow curiosity cart activities, building in the SnowPals Construction Zone, Clouds of Fun and the Fire n’ Ice SNOWdown at the Daniel Cracchiolo Theater daily at 11:20 a.m. and 2:20 p.m.

In addition, the Chill Zone, located on level 3’s SRP Canyon Terrace, will feature multiple activities such as giant bowling, life-size chess, cornhole and Connect Four.
Snow Week festivities are included at no cost with all Arizona Science Center memberships, general admission and all-inclusive tickets. Member-only hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. daily, while the Arizona Science Center opens to the public at 10:30 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m. daily.
General admission tickets for adults (ages 18+) are $22.95, $16.95 for children (3-17) and $20.95 for seniors (62+). Admission for children ages 3 and under is always free.
For more information on Snow Week, click here.

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13th annual Snow Week returns to Arizona Science Center in downtown Phoenix

Science and Health

PHOENIX — Although Phoenix is breaking heat records in the month of December, the forecast predicts a 100% chance of snow at the Arizona Science Center starting next week.
The 13th annual Snow Week is making its return to the Arizona Science Center in downtown Phoenix from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 and will bring a flurry of activities for guests to enjoy.
Activities include the Snow Hill, Blue Crew’s Dazzling Demonstrations, numerous Science of Ice and Snow curiosity cart activities, building in the SnowPals Construction Zone, Clouds of Fun and the Fire n’ Ice SNOWdown at the Daniel Cracchiolo Theater daily at 11:20 a.m. and 2:20 p.m.

In addition, the Chill Zone, located on level 3’s SRP Canyon Terrace, will feature multiple activities such as giant bowling, life-size chess, cornhole and Connect Four.
Snow Week festivities are included at no cost with all Arizona Science Center memberships, general admission and all-inclusive tickets. Member-only hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. daily, while the Arizona Science Center opens to the public at 10:30 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m. daily.
General admission tickets for adults (ages 18+) are $22.95, $16.95 for children (3-17) and $20.95 for seniors (62+). Admission for children ages 3 and under is always free.
For more information on Snow Week, click here.

We want to hear from you.
Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Diddy’s business venture at risk after new case emerge

Business News

Diddy’s business venture at risk after new case emergeSean “Diddy” Combs’, who has been behind bars at Metropolitan Detention Center in New York City, could lose his business venture after a new sex trafficking case was filed against the rapper. The rapper, who launched his gin brand back in 1998, according to Rolling Out, could lose it completely as the music mogul and Gordon’s gin and Baileys maker Diageo are now said to be exploring a sale of Cîroc Vodka.
For the unversed, the 55-year-old rapper and Diageo ended their business relationship in June 2023 after Combs accused the company of racism and neglecting their business agreement.The talks apparently come after Diageo settled a legal battle with Diddy, when he accused the firm of racism in its alleged neglect of his vodka and tequila brands.He dismissed his lawsuits in January “without prejudice” and cut ties with the brands.Since Diddy’s arrest in September on charges of sex trafficking, Diageo has been struggling to revive sales of Cîroc in China and Latin America.However, a Diageo spokesperson declined to comment on reports by Bloomberg.For the unversed, the rapper, who has been denied bail three times, is awaiting for trial in May 2024.Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing severe charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution.