Have you heard? Razzaq issues an apology to Aishwarya

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abdul Razzaq

After his controversial comment on Aishwarya Rai Bachchan stirred up controversy, former Pakistani cricketer Abdul Razzaq has issued an apology. While discussing the intentions of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Razzaq made a reference to the actor. After the backlash, he appeared on TV to share, "Yesterday, we were talking about cricket coaching and intentions. I had a slip of the tongue and mistakenly took Aishwarya Rai's name. I apologise to her personally. I did not intend to hurt anyone's sentiment." In a tweet, he also wrote, "I am very ashamed of yesterday and I realise I said very bad words. I apologise to everyone, please forgive me (sic)." The events that led to the controversy date back to a press conference held recently where Razzaq said, "While I was playing, I was aware of my captain Younis Khan's good intentions. That gave me strength and confidence, and with Allah's help, I was able to perform well for Pakistani cricket. We don't really intend to improve and enhance the players, in my opinion. That will never happen if you believe that I will marry Aishwarya [Rai] to have a good-natured and moral child. Therefore, you must first amend your intentions." His comments did not go down well with many, including former cricketers from Pakistan, who criticised him.

Star power to cricket

Ranbir Kapoor heaped praise on Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma and the Indian team during the Ind vs NZ match at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, which was also attended by Rajinikanth. "When I hear [Sharma] during interviews or watch his reels or photographs with the team, I feel, he's such a likeable guy. Being a leader and also somebody who's so friendly with his teammates, making them feel like we are all together, makes him a great captain," the actor, who is on a round of promotions for his next, said. The match was also attended by superstar Rajinikanth, who was spotted at the Mumbai airport.

Away from the noise

Images of Shah Rukh Khan celebrating Diwali in Alibaug have made their way online. A couple of pictures of him enjoying his time at the beach have gone viral. In one of the pictures, Khan can be seen riding a quad bike with his son AbRam.

In another, he can be seen walking on the beach with his team, and his son. While Karan Johar and his twins cannot be seen in the picture, it is being reported that the filmmaker accompanied the Khan family for the Diwali celebrations.

On the small screen

Actor Naga Chaitanya's OTT debut series, Dhootha, will premiere on Prime Video on December 1, the streamer announced yesterday. Described as an "atmospheric, supernatural thriller", the Telugu original series will also feature Parvathy Thiruvothu, Priya Bhavani Shankar, and Prachi Desai in pivotal roles. Vikram K Kumar, who has worked with Chaitanya in the past, has directed it.

Hosting the legend

Former England football team captain David Beckham is currently in India as UNICEF's goodwill ambassador and is likely to meet members of the Indian film fraternity soon. As per a source, couple Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja will host Beckham at their residence in Mumbai today. The source also revealed that it would be a private affair with only 25 people in attendance. Beckham was also seen at the first semifinal of the ongoing World Cup between India and New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday, which was a historic one for cricketer Virat Kohli as he broke cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar's landmark record for most one-day international centuries.

Some more trouble

Nana Patekar hasn't had his fill of controversies. A video showing him smacking a selfie-seeking fan has gone viral, and attracted the ire of social media users. The video is from Varanasi where the actor, 72, is shooting for his next feature film, Journey. In the 10-second clip, Patekar is seen getting ready to shoot a scene when the fan comes close for a selfie. The actor then smacks him on the head. A guard stationed close to Patekar then grabs the young man by the neck and pulls him away. Criticising Patekar, a fan wrote, "Taking selfies with Nana could be injurious to health."

Delhi abhi dhool hai

In response to mounting concerns over levels of air pollution in Delhi NCR and its surrounding areas, singer-rapper Harrdy Sandhu has rescheduled his upcoming show in the national capital. The decision comes as a response to government regulations aimed at curbing the rising pollution in the city. As the AQI has fallen to ‘extremely poor' levels in Delhi, Sandhu has decided to pull back. "It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that our upcoming show in Gurgaon on November 18 will have to be rescheduled. The rising pollution levels and government regulations aimed at curbing them have made it essential for us to prioritise safety," he wrote.