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KL Rahul gets special birthday cake from baby Evaarah; check post
Cricketer KL Rahul recently turned 33, and this birthday was extra special for him, as just a couple of days back, he and his wife, Athiya Shetty, introduced their baby girl, Evaarah, to the world. The cricketer, who celebrated his special day earlier this week, has now shared some adorable moments from his birthday celebration, and fans are loving the sweet family vibes. KL, on Sunday, took to his Instagram account to share a bunch of pictures and videos from his special day. The post began with a selfie, followed by a photo of a blue cake with the words "Happy Birthday Papa, we love you" written on it. The next few clips showed Rahul spending time with his pet and sharing laughs with little kids as they clapped around another birthday cake. One photo also showed a cute statue of a toy holding a baby, a lovely nod to Rahul stepping into fatherhood this year. Take a look View this post on Instagram A post shared by KL Rahul👑 (@klrahul) Earlier on Friday, KL and Athiya also shared the first-ever glimpse of baby Evaarah with a beautiful black-and-white picture. The couple welcomed their baby girl in March this year. They had announced their pregnancy in November last year with a sweet message that read, "Our beautiful blessing is coming soon, 2025," accompanied by baby feet emojis. KL Rahul, who is currently playing for Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has also played for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Punjab Kings (PBKS), and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). KL is the eighth-highest run-getter in the ongoing IPL 2025 and Delhi Capitals' (DC) top run-scorer, with 266 runs in six innings at an average of 53.20 and a strike rate of 158.33, including two fifties. His best score is 93*. He is coming into the tournament after an incredible ICC Champions Trophy campaign, where he excelled as a finisher at number six, scoring 140 runs in four innings at an average of 140.00, with brilliant contributions in the semifinal against Australia and the final against New Zealand in Dubai. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 April,2025 01:34 PM IST | Mumbai | ANI
Disha Patani's sister, ex-army officer Khushboo Patani, rescues abandoned child
In a heroic moment, Khushboo Patani, an ex-army officer and sister of actress Disha Patani, saved an abandoned toddler in Bareilly. The former Lieutenant of the Indian Army shared a video of the child, who was found abandoned close to her home in Bareilly. She also provided an update on the child and promised to follow up on the matter with the concerned authorities. Khushboo Patani saves baby girl On Sunday, Khushboo took to Instagram to share a video of an infant sleeping on the cement floor of a shanty near her home. The video shows Khushboo arriving at the spot and calming down the crying baby before picking her up. She then carried the baby in her arms and walked out of the building, all the while consoling the scared and bruised child. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Major Khushboo Patani(KP) (@khushboo_patani) Khushboo also asked the camera person to focus on the child and urged people to identify her. "If you are from Bareilly and this is your child, then tell us how the parents left her in this place. Shame on such parents!" she said. The video ended with a message: "Please identify and share the girl child’s pictures." Khushboo shared the video with the caption:"Jako rakhe saiyan, maar sake na koi" (Nobody can harm the one whom God protects)."I hope she will be taken care of by the authorities and that everything ahead follows proper rules and regulations. @bareillypolice @uppolice @myogi_adityanath – Please save the girl child in our country! Kab tak chalega yeh sab? (How long will this continue?) Please. I will ensure that she goes into the right hands and her life flourishes henceforth!" Radha's parents found Later, Khushboo shared follow up videos of the baby girl whom she lovingly named Radha. She revealed that the child's parents were found. She also revealed that the child's mother said she is from Bihar and Khushboo had a conversation with them on abandoning the child. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Major Khushboo Patani(KP) (@khushboo_patani) About Khushboo Patani Khushboo graduated from BBL Public School in Bareilly and earned a degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from DIT School of Engineering. Following her education, she joined the Indian Army as a Lieutenant and later left the service as a Major. Today, Khushboo is a fitness influencer and encourages her followers to lead a fit and healthy lifestyle. According to her Instagram bio, she is also a certified nutritionist and trainer. With over 600K followers, Khushboo enjoys considerable popularity. She occasionally shares videos of herself dancing to Bollywood songs. Disha and Khushboo also have a younger brother, Suryansh Patani.
21 April,2025 08:09 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Vikas Khanna defends Gauri Khan’s restaurant, slams content creator
Michelin-star chef Vikas Khanna has come out in support of Shah Rukh Khan's wife Gauri Khan's Torii restaurant after a content creator claimed that the eatery is serving fake paneer in their dish. Taking to his Instagram account, Vikas shared a story backing Torii and called out the content creator for spreading misinformation. The chef also shared why the paneer at the Torii restaurant reacted the way it did. On April 18, Vikas Khanna shared a story defending Gauri's restaurant and wrote, “I’ve been cooking & working with the science of food for the past several decades. I’ve never seen such terrible misinformation like [this] YouTuber who claims to be a food scientist." “IODINE changes color with reaction under presence of ingredients: potatoes, rice, bread, cornstarch, flour, unripe bananas. The use of these ingredients (thus reaction) could also happen in cross-contamination. It’s scary that unqualified people are taken seriously," he further added. In this post, he not only tagged the restaurant but also YouTuber Sarthak Sachdeva. Gauri Khan's restaurant responds After the video of the influencer claiming that the paneer served at Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan's restaurant is fake went viral, the official handle of the restaurant, Torii, responded with a clarification. They stated that the dish served contained soy-based ingredients, which naturally include starch—leading to the reaction in the iodine test. “The iodine test reflects the presence of starch, not the authenticity of the paneer. As the dish contains soy-based ingredients, this reaction is expected. We stand by the purity of our paneer and the integrity of our ingredients at Torii," they responded. What is the iodine test? The iodine test is a simple chemical test used to detect the presence of starch in paneer. Pure, unadulterated paneer contains no starch. When iodine solution is mixed with starch, it turns blue-black. Hence, if paneer contains starch, it will change color. On the contrary, if it is pure, the iodine solution will show no reaction, as pure paneer contains no starch. About Torii Gauri Khan launched Torii in February 2024. Located in Pali Hill, Bandra, it is an 82-seater pan-Asian restaurant. While Mumbai’s culinary scene is incredibly diverse, Torii aims to stand out by becoming a premier dining destination in India that rivals top restaurants globally.
20 April,2025 03:59 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Exclusive
Exclusive! Comedian Sahil Shah releases deeply personal hour-long special Broken
At around the 20-minute mark of his newly released stand-up special Broken, Sahil Shah takes off his signature bowtie—marking what feels like an end-of-an-era moment. But he doesn’t stop there. In a bold, symbolic act, he strips off his pants and shirt in front of a live audience. The crowd laughs, puzzled yet intrigued by where this is heading. What follows is a deeply personal and humorous dive into Sahil’s life in his 30s—raw, reflective, and refreshingly honest. Sahil, now 33, doesn’t let you forget his age—repeating it multiple times throughout the hour-long set. A consistent face in the Indian comedy scene for over 14 years, Sahil’s animated storytelling and sharp societal observations have long made him stand out. Even if you haven’t followed his career closely, chances are Instagram’s algorithm has led you to one of his bits. Cried when I performed it for the first time “I genuinely feel like I don’t fit into the world right now—and in the past few months, the world has made sure it’s as broken as me,” Sahil shares, ahead of the special’s release on YouTube. He adds with his trademark sarcasm, “I mean, global warming, genocide, Donald Trump, and the BMC make sure everything around me is broken all the time… don’t even get me started on comedy venues coughs.” ‘Broken’ brilliantly weaves together Sahil’s reflections, emotional moments, and observational humor. From his dumb yet memorable teenage years to his adult struggles with balding, mental health, and the absurdities of modern life—he handles it all with grace and comedy. “It took me five years to write and hone this show. I started during lockdown when I was mentally low and going through an existential and professional crisis. I remember performing it on Zoom for the first time and ending up in tears—and so did some of the audience. (Yup. There are tears in this show),” Sahil reveals. ‘My Best Work Till Date’ Describing Broken, Sahil says, “It’s a show about my broken state and all the steps I’ve taken to fix myself. I’m not childish anymore.” He shares his journey—from a goofy teenager to a grown-up comedian who just moved out of his parents’ house, tackling mental health issues, and ultimately, finding his 'nada.' Well aware of the perils of being a comedian in today’s hyper-sensitive world, Sahil jokes, “I’m making jokes about the one thing people hopefully won’t be offended by—my life.”
19 April,2025 12:24 PM IST | Mumbai | Athulya Nambiar
Gauri Khan's Mumbai restaurant reacts to claim of selling fake paneer
An Instagram influencer recently visited multiple high-end restaurants in Mumbai owned by celebrities to test the authenticity of the paneer served there. He performed the viral iodine test on the paneer to find out whether it was real or synthetic. He visited restaurants owned by celebrities like Virat Kohli, Shilpa Shetty, Bobby Deol, and Gauri Khan. In the videos, he claimed that while the first three celebrity-owned restaurants passed the test, Gauri Khan’s restaurant failed. The video quickly went viral, with claims that Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan’s restaurant was serving fake paneer. What is the iodine test? The iodine test is a simple chemical test used to detect the presence of starch in paneer. Pure, unadulterated paneer contains no starch. When iodine solution is mixed with starch, it turns blue-black. Hence, if paneer contains starch, it will change color. On the contrary, if it is pure, the iodine solution will show no reaction, as pure paneer contains no starch. Gauri Khan's restaurant responds After the video went viral, the official handle of Gauri Khan's restaurant, Torii, responded with a clarification. They stated that the dish served contained soy-based ingredients, which naturally include starch—leading to the reaction in the iodine test. “The iodine test reflects the presence of starch, not the authenticity of the paneer. As the dish contains soy-based ingredients, this reaction is expected. We stand by the purity of our paneer and the integrity of our ingredients at Torii," they responded. About Torii Gauri Khan launched Torii in February 2024. Located in Pali Hill, Bandra, it is an 82-seater pan-Asian restaurant. While Mumbai’s culinary scene is incredibly diverse, Torii aims to stand out by becoming a premier dining destination in India that rivals top restaurants globally. Co-founder Gauri Khan told Mid-day.com: “With Torii, my partner Abhayraj Kohli and I wanted to create a sophisticated and glamorous restaurant and bar where quality is seen in everything — from the food to the drinks and, of course, the design.” Torii distinguishes itself with its innovative approach to Japanese cuisine, seamlessly integrating cultural elements. The elegant interiors reflect a modern aesthetic, creating a unique and memorable dining atmosphere.
17 April,2025 11:49 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Apoorva Mukhija moves out of her Mumbai home amid rape and death threats
Apoorva Mukhija has reportedly moved out of her Mumbai apartment. This comes amid a raging controversy following her appearance on Samay Raina’s show India Got Latent. In her comeback post, Apoorva revealed that she received a barrage of hate and rape threats. She also pointed out that she had to avoid coming to her own house as some threats included people saying they would come to her residence and harm her. Apoorva Mukhija leaves Mumbai apartment? Now, days after her return to social media, Apoorva has hinted at vacating her Mumbai home. She reportedly shared a video on her Instagram stories that indicated her move. The video shows her switching off the lights in an empty living room, with the caption, “End of an era.” The influencer has not shared many details about her decision to move. She had moved into the apartment only a year ago and had given her followers a house tour around four months back. Apoorva and the IGL controversy Meanwhile, after the India Got Latent controversy, which led to her visiting the police station to record her statement, the Rebel Kid (as she’s known on the internet) reset her Instagram feed. She made a powerful comeback with a video where she spoke about the incidents that occurred over the last two months. She addressed all the controversies surrounding her and how they deeply impacted her and her family. In the video, she revealed that she received several DMs filled with hate, rape, and death threats. She also received messages from people revealing her address, which made her feel unsafe. She was advised not to stay at her home and instead stayed with friends during that difficult time. She also apologized to the audience and spoke about the kind of content she aspires to create. She said: “I genuinely create content to entertain people and to make them laugh. I never wanted to hurt anybody, and I'm very, very sorry. I should have been more mindful of my words, but I’ve learned my lesson and I promise I will do better going forward. I just hope you guys can forgive me, and I’m very sorry if I hurt your sentiments.”
17 April,2025 09:59 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Varun takes dig at Shiv Sena workers, attaches disclaimer with new video
Varun Grover is known for his no-nonsense attitude, and his stand-up often includes digs at some of the ongoing issues in the country. Amid the ongoing Kunal Kamra controversy, Varun Grover has dropped a new stand-up set as part of his Nothing Makes Sense tour. As he released the new video, which included several controversial topics, he added a disclaimer at the beginning that appeared to be an indirect dig at the Shiv Sena workers involved in vandalising the venue where Kunal Kamra performed. Varun Grover attached disclaimer to new-stand up video Varun added in the disclaimer, “These are jokes. Venue ki isme koi galti nahi hai. Mera bhi nahin hai. Humare time ki hai. If offended, break a clock” (There is no mistake of the venue. I am also not the one to be blamed. But the time can be). This was an indirect jab at the Shiv Sena workers who vandalised Habitat (the venue where Kunal Kamra performed) because the comedian shot his show there, in which he allegedly called Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde a ‘gaddar’. In his new video, Varun Grover can be seen commenting on the state of comedians in the country. He said, “Comedian waise bhi… badi safe life nahi hai comedians ki. Koi bhi kahi bhi uthake aapko… Munawar Faruqui ko hi jail jana pada, pata hoga aapko. Ek joke kiya usne aur jail chala gaya. 3 mahine jail mein raha. Jail se aaya, 100 din Kangana Ranaut ke show mein raha. Bahut buri halat hai. Bahut mushkil hai iss samay comedian hona.” (Comedians do not have a safe life. Anyone can pick you up… Munawar Faruqui had to go to jail, as you may know. He cracked a joke and landed in jail. He was there for three months. After release, he stayed on Kangana Ranaut's show for 100 days. It's a sorry state. It is really hard to be a comedian today.) Kunal Kamra and his recent controversy Last month, Kunal Kamra posted his video Naya Bharat, in which he sang a parody of Bholi Si Surat, a popular song from the Bollywood movie Dil To Pagal Hai. With this parody song, he allegedly targeted Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, leading to multiple FIRs against him. Kunal also responded to political leaders "threatening" to teach him a lesson in his official statement. Kamra stated that the inability to take a joke at the expense of a powerful public figure does not change the nature of his right. He added that it is not against the law, as far as his knowledge goes.
16 April,2025 10:39 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Vir Das goes on a rant against airline after injured wife doesn’t get wheelchair
Stand-up comedian and actor Vir Das, who has never shied away from talking about social issues, recently went on a rant against an airline after it failed to provide a wheelchair for his injured wife despite booking and paying a hefty amount for premium service. Vir took to X and penned a comprehensive post sharing his ordeal. Vir Das slams Air India over wheelchair availability Vir wrote on X how he’s been a lifetime loyalist to the airline and how his travel to Delhi turned out to be a nightmare after he was unable to procure a wheelchair for his wife whose leg had been injured. Vir stated that he had paid Rs 50,000 per seat, which came with a broken table, broken leg rest, and with his wife’s seat stuck reclined. Dear @airindia Please reclaim your wheelchair. I’m a lifetime loyalist. I believe you’ve got the nicest cabin crew in the sky, this post pains me to write. My wife and I book Pranaam and a wheelchair because she’s got a foot fracture that’s still healing. We’re flying to delhi.… — Vir Das (@thevirdas) April 14, 2025 Vir stated, “I ask the air hostesses at the front of the plane to assist my wife while I carry four bags. Silence and a clueless look at each other. We step off the plane to the top of the ladder. I ask an Air India male ground staff member to help us, looks at me, shrugs, and ignores me. My wife, with a fracture, makes it down the stepladder. I tell an Air India staff member at the bottom near the buses what happened. He says, ‘Sir kya Karein…sorry’.” He added, “We get to the terminal, encalm people inform wheelchair staff that we had pre-booked a chair. He’s clueless. There’s wheelchairs everywhere. No staff because the flight is late. I grab a chair and wheel her to baggage claim, then out of the airport to the parking. Encalm lets Air India know this is happening. No one shows. Anyway. One of your wheelchairs is on the second floor of the parking in Delhi. Do claim it.” Vir Das announces his memoir Last month, Vir Das announced that he is coming out with his memoir, 'The Outsider- A Memoir for Misfits'. The memoir, according to his publishers, "is set to take a deep dive into his many phases of life highlighting that the comedy world isn't the only place where he's always felt like an outsider."
15 April,2025 01:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Apoorva Mukhija comes out in support of best friend Rida amid online hate
Influencer Apoorva Mukhija recently made her social media comeback after the India's Got Latent controversy. The social media star and actress Apoorva dropped a video where she talked about the backlash that came her way. In the clip, she also spoke about friends doing black magic on her, and post this video, a section of the internet targeted Apoorva's best friend, Rida Tharana. After a section of society turned their hate towards Rida, Apoorva came out in support of her. Apoorva Mukhija comes out in support of Rida Tharana Taking to her Instagram stories, Apoorva shared, "After my video, there have been a lot of assumptions and a lot of hate going around, and as much as I appreciate you guys having my back, this is the last thing that I wanted. I wanted to share my story and my feelings—nothing more. So let's please not jump to conclusions or spread negativity." In another story, she shared a picture in which she can be seen hugging Rida. While sharing the picture, Apoorva attached it with the caption reading, "Only love for @rida.tharana (red heart emoji)." Rida Tharana on getting social media hate Rida herself also reacted to the negativity coming her way. While taking to her Instagram, she wrote, "I don't want to give endless justifications. It's Apoorva's time to shine, and I won't be a shadow to it. I see every little thing I've done taken out of context and blown out of proportion! Everything is up for misinterpretation. And I've said this before and I'll say it again: people hate women. Women surviving, living, laughing, existing & just being." Rida said the last two months have been hard for her too. "If I ever wanted to fake anything, I had 100 easier ways to do it. If you think I did that for 2 years, trust me, 2 months wouldn't have been hard. So no... I'm not going to explain myself anymore. To the ones who want to stay, thank you. To the ones who don't see me for who I am, feel free to unfollow. I'm not here to be perfect. I'm not chasing fame! I'm grateful for the love I already have. All I've ever wanted is to earn enough to take care of my people, to travel, and to live a quiet life surrounded by love. That's it. So god! Put me through everything you want to put me through but also give me the strength to overcome it. I'm exhausted, but I'm still here. Only love," she added. She further concluded her note by writing, "Also!! I don't walk into fire knowing it'll burn. But sometimes, I stumble into it!! And when I do, it burns me. As much as I've tried to stay away from all the negativity, some things still find a way to reach me, and I won't lie, a few of them have truly broken me. Being in a different country, all by myself, it hasn't been easy. The anxiety has been bad. But what's been holding me together is hearing how some of you still have my back. I wasn't expecting that. So to those who stayed, who believed, who chose empathy over judgment... thank you. Truly."
14 April,2025 08:13 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Kusha Kapila, Parul Gulati & others hail Apoorva Mukhija’s ‘greatest comeback’
Apoorva Mukhija dropped the first video after the India’s Got Latent controversy. The social media influencer took to her Instagram to share her side of the story. Apoorva talked about receiving several death threats and rape threats. She also apologized to her audience for not being mindful of the words she used. As soon as Apoorva dropped her new video, several influencers commented to show their support. Kusha Kapila wrote, “Make the greatest comeback ever 👏👏👏.” Actor and entrepreneur Parul Gulati also commented on the video, writing, “Welcome back girl.” “The strength it takes to come back and speak up after such a storm is something only a true rebel could show. We see you, we hear you, and we are here for you,” social media star Kenavita Golani shared. RJ Karishma also lent her support and wrote, “Welcome back sweetheart.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Apoorva (@the.rebel.kid) ‘My intention was never to hurt anyone’ In the clip, the Nadaaniyan star talked about her much-viral statement where she was giving it back to the guy who disrespected her first. While discussing the dialogue, she said, “My intention was never to hurt anyone but that guy’s ego,” and added that the statement she made came from a place of anger. Further, she apologised to her followers for not being mindful of the statements she made. While the video featuring Ranveer, Ashish, and Samay was shot in August, it was released three months later. Apoorva, who believed she didn’t perform well, switched her phone off assuming people wouldn’t like her. But later, everyone praised her, and she was enjoying the fame—until the next day, when things flipped. Apoorva’s Bollywood debut Recently, Apoorva made her Bollywood debut with the Netflix film Nadaaniyan. After the film’s release, fashion critic and content creator Sufi Motiwala made a reel about the film, pointing out how Apoorva’s on-screen styling was totally different from her real life and calling the contrast “jarring.” As Sufi posted the video, Apoorva took to the comment section and dropped a witty reply that read, “Got hated so hard that now even Sufi Motiwala doesn’t say hateful things about me.”
09 April,2025 10:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Apoorva Mukhija breaks down talking about India’s Got Latent controversy
Apoorva Mukhija decided to make her comeback today and dropped a new video on her YouTube channel with the caption, "Till I say it is." In the video, Apoorva shared her side of the story, talking about how she should have said what she did. The social media influencer started her video in her trademark style, saying, "Hello, my cute little red flags," and continued while revealing how there were so many signs from God not to go on Latent, but she ignored them all and went ahead with the show featuring Samay Raina. ‘My intention was never to hurt anyone’ In the clip, she talked about her much-viral statement where she was giving it back to the guy who disrespected her first. While discussing the dialogue, she said, "My intention was never to hurt anyone but that guy’s ego," and added that the statement she made came from a place of anger. Further, she apologised to her followers for not being mindful of the statements she made. While the video featuring Ranveer, Ashish, and Samay was shot in August, it was released three months later. Apoorva, who believed she didn’t perform well, switched her phone off assuming people wouldn’t like her. But later, everyone praised her, and she was enjoying the fame—until the next day, when things flipped. 'My father stood by my side' The following day, several FIRs were filed against her, and her DMs were filled with rape threats and acid attack threats. Apoorva broke down in tears, revealing how paparazzi behaved with her during her visit to the police station. While wiping her tears, she shared, “My father texted me saying, ‘Kuch bhi ho jaye, main khada hoon tere saath.’” Apoorva expressed gratitude for the support she received from fans and close friends. She also apologised to the audience and spoke about the type of content she aspires to create. She said, “I genuinely create content to entertain people and to make them laugh. I never wanted to hurt anybody, and I'm very, very sorry. I should have been more mindful of my words, but I’ve learned my lesson and I promise I will do better going forward. I just hope you guys can forgive me, and I’m very sorry if I hurt your sentiments.”
09 April,2025 07:24 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent