Actor-singer Saba Azad, who was seen in the lead role in the recent series Who’s Your Gynac, is dating actor Hrithik Roshan for a couple of years now. On Friday, she took to Instagram to share a gym selfie that grabbed the attention of celebs such as Dia Mirza, Shibani Dandekar and others. Also read: Hrithik Roshan calls Saba Azad to pose for paparazzi

Sharing a picture of herself in the gym, flaunting her abs in a crop top, the actor-singer also spoke about eating ghee and her diet. Saba wrote in her caption, “I like my rotis in multiples of 2 and with ghee thanks. Now I don’t usually post from the gym but this week the light has been very nice, also hey just cause it ain’t on the gram doesn’t mean it don’t exist…”

Reactions to her photo

Actor Saif Ali Khan’s sister Saba Ali Khan commented, “Wish namesake matched that too lol. Awesome..” Actor-singer Shibani Dandekar wrote, “Oh yes ma’am (Fire emojis).” 

A comment also read, “Looking awesome, does not look like you overindulge in rotis.” Actor Dia Mirza commented, “Goals (Fire emojis).” Hrithik’s cousin and budding actor Pashmina Roshan also wrote, “DAYMNNNNNNNN (Fire emoji).”

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Saba on being scrutinised for dating Hrithik

Last year, Saba talked about handling hate comments on social media as well as the attention from paparazzi due to her relationship with Hrithik. In a 2023 interview with India Today, she said, “I am a very private person, everyone around me will vouch for it. I barely step out, I love being at home. Hence, it was very daunting in the beginning. It was scary. I won’t lie. I felt exposed in a way I never felt before. However, you understand and empathise that I may not relate to paparazzi culture but that guy who is taking a photo is doing his job. There is some space in the market which is curious about other people’s lives. He is filling that space. I am existing and doing my job.”

About the hate she received post her relationship with Hrithik became public, Saba said, “It’s taken me quite sometime to come to a place where I treat everything else as white noise because hatred is palpable. I am not made of stone, it hits you. You feel like sh*t. There are days when you wake up and you wonder ‘what did I do to anyone?’ ‘what did I do to you?’ ‘I am living my life, you live yours’ ‘why are you waiting for my blood?’ But at some point you realise you are not responsible for how people think and what they are projecting on you are what they are going through. It has nothing to do with you. Once you realise that, peace prevails.”

Hrithik was previously married to interior designer Sussanne Khan. They married in December 2000 and have two sons – Hrehaan, born in 2006, and Hridhaan, who was born in 2008.

Tearing into the ruling party in the state on a day when a sitting Congress councillor’s daughter was stabbed to death by a collegemate in Hubbali, Union Minister Meenakashi Lekhi said the letter ‘C’ in the Congress stands for corruption, criminality, and communal violence.

Speaking to ANI on Friday, the BJP MP who missed out on a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls this time, said, “For any government, it is a salient duty to ensure that our children acquire the proper moral and ethical lessons in schools. Even the people should have requisite awareness in this regard. People should have the belief that the law and machinery of a state will ensure that those who do wrong are brought to book. However, the Congress has failed abjectly in this regard (in Karnataka).”

READ | Son of Municipal council head, 3 family members found dead in Belagavi: Police

“The erstwhile UPA (Congress-led United Progressive Alliance) has failed to instil that confidence in people about law and order. So, rebranding or recasting themselves to INDIA does not necessarily alter the DNA of the parties in the alliance. They are still the UPA of old. The ‘C’ in the Congress stands for corruption, criminality, and communal violence. That’s what is happening under their rule (in Karnataka) and people, across the country, are all very concerned,” she added.

The last rites Neha Hiremath, the 24-year-old daughter of Congress corporator Niranjan Hiremath, were performed by her parents on Friday.

Neha Hiremath succumbed to multiple stab wounds inflicted by Fayaz, her former friend and collegemate who was arrested. The incident prompted the Opposition parties, especially the BJP, to question the prevailing law and order situation in the state.

READ | Neha Hiremath case: Protests in Hubballi demanding capital punishment for accused

Responding to a social media post by Congress national president Malikarjun Kharge, Lekhi accused the grand old party of depriving a large section of the country’s population of even basic amenities such as banking services and toilets during their decades-old reign at the Centre.

“What did they do in all the years they were in power? They did not provide basic banking services to a large section of the country’s population in the 70 years of their governance at the Centre. They were not even provided with toilets. What ‘Nari Nyay’ (justice for women) are you (Kharge) talking about? You gave no money to the people when they needed it,” Lekhi added.

“Hearing them (Kharge and other Congress leaders) talk about women these days, I wish to take you back 10 years when the combined savings accounts of common citizens were less than ₹10 crore. A common man, back in the day, didn’t even have an excuse to visit a bank, let alone avail loans. However, over the last 10 years, women have been provided with a safety shield. Women account for 70 per cent of beneficiaries of the Mudra loan scheme (of the Centre). Access to finance for women has also increased while more than 12 crore toilets have been built to prevent them from stepping outdoors to relieve themselves,” the Union Minister added.

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“Our government has brought a major qualitative change to people’s lives. Because of the foundation laid that Mr. Modi has laid to his vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and his guarantees, even the budget of (Congress-ruled) Karnataka has grown from ₹836 crore to ₹6,000 crore,” Lekhi said.

Earlier, taking to his official X handle, Kharge posted, “The Congress guarantees the legal enforcement of the SC-ST Sub Plan. Budget allocation should be as per the population of SC/ST communities! The Special Component Plan for Scheduled Castes and the Tribal Sub Plan, initiated by Mrs. Indira Gandhi in the 1970s to ensure balanced and adequate participation of Scheduled Castes and Tribes in budgetary resources, were discontinued by the Modi government in 2014.”

“The Congress pledges to revive the SC/ST schemes and ensure their enforcement through law. For the past seven decades, the Congress party has been raising its voice with utmost urgency for the rights of marginalised, oppressed, and deprived sections of society, as well as for the rights of all communities. Congress alone will ensure ‘hissedaarii nyaay’ participation,” he added.

On the BJP’s prospects in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Lekhi echoed the party’s resolve to go past the 400-seat mark.

“Absolutely, Abki baar, 400 paar (this time, we’ll go past 400 seats). We are working towards that Lakshya (goal). We are hopeful that the people will acknowledge and appreciate that this not just election slogan but a commitment to the country. To borrow the words of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, this is how the BJP and the NDA work. We work on the ground and work very hard. We have a roadmap, we have identified the problems (affecting the country and the people) and are working to resolve them,” Lekhi said.

On allegations of discrimination in budgetary allocations to South states, as was made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Lekhi dismissed them as propaganda, while also labelling them as false and baseless.

“This is nothing but propaganda…a fake and false propaganda,” Lekhi said.

Amit Shah slams Rahul Gandhi over Kashmir

Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday evening took potshots at PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for predicting turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir over the removal of Article 370, saying no one has the guts to throw stones in the union territory now. He took the jibe at a roadshow in Rajasthan’s Udaipur. Deep Dive

Home ministry suspends Delhi Assembly’s secretary

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has suspended Delhi Assembly secretary, Raj Kumar, over alleged irregularities linked to the Rani Jhansi flyover project during his tenure as the land acquisition collector in the NCT government. A Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Services (DANICS) officer, Raj Kumar reacted to the MHA’s action, claiming he was not given a chance to explain his stand on suspension in the old case. Deep dive

Lok Sabha election a fight between two ideologies, says Cong MP DK Suresh

In the lead-up to the Lok Sabha elections, DK Suresh, the lone Congress MP from Karnataka, stirred controversy with his assertion that if the central government persists in neglecting the region’s share of funds, the only recourse may be to seek a separate southern entity. Standing by his words, Suresh said that while he never sought a separate country he wanted to highlight that the Prime Minister’s priorities seem focused solely on the advancement of northern India. Deep dive

‘Constitution was in danger under Congress’ rule’: BJP

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravi Shankar Prasad has launched a vitriolic attack on the Congress party over their claims of a “threat to the Constitution” if Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA is voted to power again, saying that the constitution was in danger under the grand old party’s rule when the Indira Gandhi-led government imposed an emergency in the country and made all efforts to change it. Deep Dive

Imran Khan claims wife Bushra Bibi given food laced with toilet cleaner

Beleaguered former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has told a court that his wife, Bushra Bibi, was being given food mixed with “toilet cleaner”. He claimed chemicals inside food caused her daily stomach irritation, which deteriorated her health.Imran Khan, a cricketer-turned-politician who has been convicted in many cases in Pakistan, made the allegation during a hearing in the £190 million corruption case in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail. Deep dive

5 top Korean skincare secrets tailored for Indian skin

In recent years, there has been a notable rise in interest in Korean skincare routines, celebrated for their effectiveness in achieving radiant, healthy skin. Influenced by Korean pop culture, social media trends, and beauty influencers, Gen Z and millennials are driving the demand. The emphasis on clear, healthy skin post-COVID-19 has further boosted the appeal of K-beauty. E-commerce has played a pivotal role in making these products easily accessible. Korean brands, known for their innovative use of unique ingredients like snail mucin or ginseng, backed by extensive research, attract curious consumers eager to experiment. Deep dive

De Kock’s wife receives ‘hearing loss’ warning as Dhoni wave hits Lucknow

Quinton de Kock’s wife shared a ‘sound level’ warning on Instagram when MS Dhoni came to bat against Lucknow Super Giants on Friday. She took to Instagram to reveal that the sound level touched 95 decibels, according to her smart watch. Meanwhile, it was the message in her smartwatch which caught everyone’s attention. It said, “Sound levels hit 95 decibels. Just 10 minutes at this level can cause temporary hearing loss.” Deep dive

Nabi sparks fresh MI controversy after sharing ‘strange captaincy’ post on Hardik

Mumbai Indians star Mohammad Nabi has sparked a fresh controversy after he shared an Instagram post criticising Hardik Pandya’s captaincy in the match against Punjab Kings in the ongoing IPL 2024, and later deleted it. Nabi shared the post as an Instagram story after MI survived a thriller against PBKS in Chandigarh on Thursday, to secure their third win this season after a nine-run victory. Deep dive

Sonali Bendre recalls being reduced to caricature in Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Duplicate

Sonali Bendre has spoken about her role in the 1998 film Duplicate, co-starring Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla. Sonali, in an interview with India Today, said that her character in the film didn’t turn out as expected as she recalled how she felt reduced to a caricature rather than portraying the character as intended. Deep dive

Jr NTR was fast, Ram Charan was apprehensive: KK Senthil

The action sequences in RRR have to be some of the most memorable ones in SS Rajamouli, Jr NTR and Ram Charan’s careers. Cinematographer KK Senthil spoke to Film Companion and decoded some iconic scenes from the film. Deep dive