Have you heard? From serving children to serving the nation 

Rupali Ganguly and Vinod Tawde

The BJP has played the biggest master stroke of the election season by roping in actor Rupali Ganguly to be part of the political party. Ganguly frontlines arguably the most popular television series of this day, titled Anupamaa, a drama about a stay-at-home mother who chases her dreams despite setbacks. The actor is easily among the most influential names in the television industry. Yesterday, after joining the party in the presence of the party's national general secretary Vinod Tawde, Ganguly shared: "I feel that this was destined to happen, and that's why I have [endured] that long journey of art and come here. We are fans of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I am grateful that I meet new people because of my acting career. I now want to walk on the path of Mr Modi, and serve the nation." Fans of the series, Anupamaa, will have to await details about her acting stint hereafter.

When Chaitanya spoke of infidelity

An old video of Telugu star Naga Chaitanya has resurfaced and is going viral on the internet. The video, which was shot during the promotion for his film Shailaja Reddy Alludu in 2018, sees Chaitanya sitting with his co-actor Anu Emmanuel as they play the game, Never Have I Ever. The actors were asked if they had ever two-timed in a relationship. While Emmanuel said she hadn't, Chaitanya revealed he had. "Everyone should experience everything in life. That's when you grow up and think, okay, I've had all the experiences, and now it's time to settle down," he said. While sharing the video, a user wrote, "This interview was filmed when Sam [Samantha Ruth Prabhu] and Chay were married. After their divorce, Samantha presented a female-led film that opened [to higher box-office numbers] on day one than two of his subsequent releases."

Ananya welcomes a member

Ananya Panday introduced the world to her new furry friend - her pet dog, Riot. Calling the pet the "cutest little boy", the Gehraiyaan actor took to Instagram to share his pictures. "Guys, say hello to my baby jaan, Riot. He is the cutest little boy in the whole wide world, and I'm madly obsessed. This is going to become a Riot fan page," she wrote. Panday's friend, Shanaya Kapoor, and actor Malaika Arora congratulated her on the new addition.

Taking what's his

Music maestro Ilaiyaraaja has issued a legal copyright notice to Sun Pictures for unauthorised usage of his music in their latest film Coolie, starring Tamil megastar Rajnikanth. Ilaiyaraaja, in the notice, said that the makers of the film had used his musical work in the teaser without authorisation. Asserting that he is the rightful owner of the music, he said that the makers of the movie did not seek any formal permission from him. He said the teaser had a rendition of Vaa vaa pakkam vaa, from the film Thanga Magan, also starring Rajinikanth. This music, according to the petitioner, is remixed in the song Disco for Coolie.

Prabhas as Bhairava

Telugu superstar Prabhas will be seen essaying the role of Bhairava in the upcoming sci-fi epic, Kalki 2898 AD. The actor appeared in a video during a recently held IPL match. Donning Bhairava's persona, Prabhas delivered a powerful message, likening cricket to warfare. Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan's character was unveiled as Ashwatthama during previous IPL broadcasts. Kalki 2898 AD made its promotional debut at San Diego Comic-Con last year. Directed by Nag Ashwin, the film is a multilingual offering set in the future. It will release on June 27.

A whole lot of love!

Despite keeping their personal lives guarded, celebrity duo Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli have been lauded for the admiration they have for one another. On the actor's 36th birthday yesterday, Kohli shared pictures of the duo online, and wrote, "I would have been completely lost if I didn't find you. You are the light [in] our world." The couple are parents to son, Akaay and daughter, Vamika.

Baahubali to appease kids

SS Rajamouli is not done with his Baahubali franchise just yet. The director announced Baahubali: Crown of Blood, an animated series set in the universe of his two-part period epic, Baahubali. Set in the fictional kingdom of Mahishmati, the film was a box-office success that brought its actors Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, and Tamannaah Bhatia global attention. Rajamouli shared the title announcement teaser online. "When the people of Mahishmati chant his name, no force in the universe can stop him from returning. Baahubali: Crown of Blood, an animated series trailer, arrives soon!" he wrote.