Aanand L Rai and Balaji Mohan deliver a refreshing fantasy family entertainer with Nayyi Navelli! Headlined by Yami Gautam Dhar, the film combines family chaos, humour, mystery and action to create a fun-filled festive spectacle that breaks away from the usual formula.

The story follows Mohini (Yami Gautam Dhar), a seemingly perfect new bride whose arrival turns the chaotic Awasthi household in Meerut upside down. When her brother-in-law Bantu (Anurag Thakur) suspects that Mohini hides something unusual, an unexpected adventure begins, leading to a climax packed with thrilling surprises.

Yami Gautam Dhar proves an absolute force of nature, effortlessly balancing charm, mischief and high-flying action. Anurag Thakur shines as Bantu, bringing energy and mischief to the role, while Addinath M. Kothare impresses as Raja, Mohini’s husband. His character delivers its own surprises and adds another exciting dimension to the story.

The supporting cast, including Sunita Rajwar, Mita Vashisht and Sushmita Mukherjee, brings warmth and humour to the family dynamics.

G. V. Prakash Kumar elevates the film with a lively soundtrack. The World of Nayyi Navelli theme sets the mood, while Bhabhi Tabaahi delivers a foot-tapping hit, with Yami lighting up the screen.

Aanand L Rai deserves a shoutout for backing an unconventional story that brings fantasy into the family-entertainment space. Director Balaji Mohan makes a promising Hindi directorial debut, blending the film’s quirky world with larger-than-life moments and a festive flair.

Verdict: A paisa vasool fantasy family entertainer featuring a powerhouse performance from Yami, foot-tapping music and a climax that delivers goosebumps! Nayyi Navelli makes the perfect Dussehra watch for the entire family.

India and South Korea continue to explore opportunities for cooperation in environmental protection and the energy transition, including nuclear energy, green hydrogen and renewable energy, the Indian Embassy in Seoul said on Thursday.

India’s Ambassador to South Korea, Gourangalal Das, met Kim Jung-ho, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Environment, Climate, Energy and Labour Committee, to discuss potential areas of bilateral cooperation.

“Ambassador met Chairman of the Environment, Climate, Energy and Labour Committee of the National Assembly, Kim Jung-ho and explored areas of cooperation between India and the ROK in the domain of environment, energy transition including nuclear energy, green hydrogen and renewable energy,” the Embassy posted on X.

Ambassador Das has held several meetings with South Korean lawmakers in recent weeks to strengthen bilateral ties.

On September 15, Das met members of the South Korea-India Parliamentary Friendship Group at the National Assembly to discuss ways to deepen parliamentary, cultural and people-to-people ties between the two countries.

“Strengthening India-ROK Parliamentary Ties. Ambassador met with members of the ROK-India Parliamentary Friendship Group in the National Assembly, including Chairperson Yun Ho-jung, Vice Chairpersons Moon Jeong-bog and Yoon Young-seok, and Members Kim Young-jin and Kim Jung-ho. They explored ways to further strengthen the parliamentary, cultural and people-to-people ties between the two countries,” the Indian Embassy in South Korea had posted on X.

Earlier, on September 3, Das met Kim Seong-won, Chairperson of the National Assembly’s Trade, Industry, Energy, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Startups Committee. They discussed ways to strengthen economic and commercial relations, improve supply chain cooperation, advance clean energy and promote SMEs and startups in both countries.

“Ambassador met Rep. Kim Seong-won, Chairperson of the Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee and exchanged views on a wide range of issues of mutual benefit, including strengthening economic and commercial relations, supply chain cooperation, clean energy and promoting SMEs and Startups of both countries,” the Indian Embassy in South Korea posted on X.

Traders operating in and around Connaught Place on Thursday expressed concern over the impact of frequent protests and demonstrations in central Delhi, saying such events severely disrupt business activity and make it difficult for them to cover operating expenses, including staff salaries.

Business owners said the effects of protests extend well beyond the day of the demonstration. Ayush Chopra, owner of Bhape Da Hotel and Meenar Restaurant in Connaught Place, said commercial activity begins to slow several days before a major protest as people avoid travelling to the area out of concern over traffic restrictions and disruptions.

He said customer footfall drops significantly as people prefer to stay indoors. Even after a protest ends, business remains sluggish for several days because videos circulating on social media continue to fuel public apprehension.

Chopra noted that while revenues fall sharply during such periods, businesses must continue to pay fixed expenses, including rent, electricity bills and employee salaries, creating financial strain. He added that the disruption affects not only large establishments but also small vendors and local businesses, which suffer from reduced customer traffic.

Calling for a long-term solution, Chopra suggested that authorities shift large-scale demonstrations away from central Delhi and designate a dedicated venue for protests to prevent disruptions to commercial activity.

Varjesh Agrawal, owner of Bengali Sweet House and Pastry Shop, echoed these concerns, saying business during the recent protest period fell to less than half its normal level. He said customer movement remained weak for several days, while traffic restrictions further hurt trade in the area.

The concerns follow a major protest in Delhi on October 10, which triggered heavy congestion across parts of central Delhi. Authorities imposed traffic restrictions and closed several key routes to maintain law and order, disrupting daily business operations at both small and large establishments in the area.

Local traders said they respect the right to protest, but repeated disruptions in one of the capital’s busiest commercial hubs directly affect sales, customer footfall and overall business confidence.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday issued a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to clarify the scope and calculation of its 20 per cent Foreign Exchange Risk Reserve (FERR), including exemptions for certain hedges and the treatment of options and rolled-over contracts.

The RBI said the FERR would apply to user contracts exceeding $2 million equivalent in which users purchase foreign currency against the rupee to hedge current-account transactions. The requirement excludes contracts in which users sell foreign currency against the rupee, as well as contracts that hedge capital-account transactions.

“The FERR requirement applies to specified derivative contracts undertaken by authorised dealers with users having a notional value exceeding USD 2 million equivalent. Accordingly, a derivative contract having a notional value of USD 2 million equivalent or less undertaken by an authorised dealer with a user is not subject to the requirement. However, the authorised dealers shall guard against any attempt towards structuring of derivative transactions for avoidance of these provisions,” the FAQs state.

The RBI also clarified that the FERR would not apply to derivative contracts that users enter into to hedge current-account outflows arising from capital-account transactions.

These include interest payments on External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs), coupon payments on resident debt instruments held by non-residents, and dividends payable to non-resident investors. Under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) rules, these payments qualify as current-account transactions.

The FERR requirement covers only foreign exchange derivative contracts involving the Indian rupee. It does not cover derivative contracts that do not involve the rupee, the RBI said.

However, banks must continue to maintain the reserve against their own qualifying hedges of currency risks arising from these exposures.

The RBI clarified that authorised dealers must maintain FERR equal to 20 per cent of the rupee equivalent of the notional amount of each applicable derivative contract. For example, a derivative contract worth $10 million against the rupee at a contracted rate of Rs 95 per US dollar has a notional value of Rs 95 crore. The applicable FERR would amount to Rs 19 crore.

Authorised dealers must deposit and maintain the FERR in their current accounts with the Reserve Bank. They must maintain the reserve daily, starting on the working day immediately after entering into each applicable derivative contract. The RBI requires authorised dealers to maintain the reserve on a gross basis for every qualifying transaction.

Authorised dealers must also maintain detailed records of qualifying transactions and their associated FERR amounts and submit those records for audit, the RBI said.

The RBI further clarified that authorised dealers would not earn interest on the FERR they maintain with the central bank. They must retain the reserve for each applicable derivative contract until the day after the contract terminates.

India’s overall Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) and Worker Population Ratio (WPR) rose in September 2026 compared with the same month last year, indicating a year-on-year improvement in employment, according to figures the National Statistics Office (NSO) released on Thursday.

The overall LFPR increased by 0.2 percentage points, from 55.3 per cent in September 2025 to 55.5 per cent in September 2026. During the same period, rural LFPR rose by 0.6 percentage points, from 57.4 per cent to 58.0 per cent, while urban LFPR declined marginally by 0.2 percentage points, from 50.9 per cent to 50.7 per cent.

However, urban LFPR improved by 0.3 percentage points month-on-month, reaching 50.7 per cent in September 2026 compared with August.

The overall female LFPR stood at 34.6 per cent in September 2026, down from 34.8 per cent in August. Urban female LFPR, however, increased by 0.5 percentage points month-on-month, from 25.4 per cent to 25.9 per cent, reaching its highest level since October 2025.

On a year-on-year basis, overall female LFPR rose by 0.5 percentage points, from 34.1 per cent in September 2025 to 34.6 per cent in September 2026. Rural female LFPR increased by 1.0 percentage point, from 37.9 per cent to 38.9 per cent, while urban female LFPR remained broadly stable at around 26 per cent.

The overall Worker Population Ratio (WPR) remained broadly stable at 52.7 per cent in September 2026. Urban WPR reached its highest level since October 2025, at 47.2 per cent. Both men and women contributed to this improvement, with urban male WPR rising from 70.7 per cent to 71.0 per cent and urban female WPR increasing from 23.2 per cent to 23.5 per cent.

On a year-on-year basis, overall WPR increased by 0.3 percentage points, from 52.4 per cent in September 2025 to 52.7 per cent in September 2026.

The overall unemployment rate (UR) fell by 0.2 percentage points year-on-year to 5.0 per cent in September 2026. During the same period, the rural unemployment rate declined by 0.4 percentage points, from 4.6 per cent to 4.2 per cent. In urban areas, the unemployment rate remained broadly stable at 6.8 per cent in September.

West Indies captain Shai Hope smashed a magnificent unbeaten century, while Keemo Paul claimed a match-winning five-wicket haul to guide the visitors to a 24-run victory over India in the fourth T20I at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday. The win levelled the five-match series at 2-2.

Hope hammered an unbeaten 102 off just 50 balls, while Sherfane Rutherford provided explosive support with 49 not out off 26 deliveries. Their efforts helped West Indies post a formidable 247/3 after India asked them to bat first.

India fought back during the chase but lost all their wickets for 223 runs. Paul led the West Indies bowling attack with impressive figures of 5/41, preventing the hosts from completing the chase despite their aggressive start.

The victory kept West Indies in contention for the series ahead of the decisive fifth T20I in Bengaluru. It also marked a significant achievement for the visitors, who had not beaten India in a T20I on Indian soil since 2019 before this tour.

Hope continued his outstanding form by recording his second century of the series and his third in T20 Internationals. Rutherford complemented his innings as the pair added an unbeaten 91 runs for the fourth wicket, registering West Indies’ second-highest fourth-wicket partnership in T20Is. The duo had established the record with a 120-run stand in the previous match in Ranchi.

West Indies launched an aggressive assault from the start, racing to 79/1 during the powerplay, their highest powerplay score against India in the format. Jewel Andrew contributed a brisk 21 off 16 balls, while Hope maintained the scoring momentum as the visitors reached 118/2 at the halfway stage.

Shimron Hetmyer further accelerated the innings with a blistering 33 off just 12 deliveries at a strike rate of 275. West Indies reached 100 in only 7.4 overs, equalling their fastest team century against India in T20Is, a feat they had previously achieved in Lauderhill in 2016.

Hope brought up his half-century in 28 balls before increasing the tempo during the closing overs. He smashed sixes off the final two deliveries to finish unbeaten on 102 and take West Indies to 247/3. The total ranked as their second-highest T20I score against India, behind the 252/4 they recorded in Ranchi earlier in the series.

India responded aggressively, with Sanju Samson racing to a half-century in just 20 balls. However, Paul immediately shifted the momentum in West Indies’ favour when he dismissed Samson at deep backward square-leg with his first delivery. He then removed Ishan Kishan in the same over, delivering a crucial double blow.

Those quick wickets disrupted India’s momentum and increased the pressure on the hosts. Paul returned in the 19th over and claimed three more wickets to complete his five-wicket haul, leaving India with an uphill task in the final stages.

Gudakesh Motie also played a decisive role during the middle overs. He dismissed Abhishek Sharma and Naman Dhir on successive deliveries, further damaging India’s chase. Roston Chase had earlier restricted Abhishek’s scoring opportunities, while Shamar Springer bowled a crucial 18th over that conceded just five runs and tightened the pressure on the Indian batters.

India struggled to maintain the required scoring rate as West Indies continued to take wickets at regular intervals. The visitors combined disciplined bowling with Paul’s decisive spell to ensure that Hope’s imposing total proved too much for the hosts.

India’s innings ended on a disappointing note when Arshdeep Singh retired hurt after clutching his left shoulder, leaving Mayank Yadav without a batting partner as the hosts’ chase came to an end.

West Indies responded strongly after their defeat in Indore and set up an exciting series decider in Bengaluru. Hope’s outstanding century and Paul’s five-wicket haul proved decisive in Hyderabad, giving the visitors renewed confidence heading into the final match.

Brief scores:

West Indies 247/3 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 102 not out, Sherfane Rutherford 49 not out; Prince Yadav 1/36)
India 223/9 in 19.3 overs (Sanju Samson 56, Tilak Varma 43; Kemo Paul 5/40, Gudakesh Motie 2/13)

The Indian rupee strengthened by 32 paise to 94.85 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday, extending its recent gains as Reserve Bank of India (RBI) measures to manage the foreign exchange market and a weaker US dollar supported the domestic currency.

The rupee opened at 94.91 against the US dollar before gaining further during early trading.

The domestic currency has benefited from the RBI’s interventions in the foreign exchange market, measures to tighten liquidity and traders unwinding their long-dollar positions.

Earlier in October, the RBI tightened rules governing foreign exchange derivatives trades to curb speculative bets against the rupee. It also directed banks to maintain a 20 per cent reserve against dollar purchases exceeding $2 million.

In another move targeting the derivatives market, the RBI instructed authorised dealers not to allow users to rebook any cancelled foreign exchange derivative contract involving the Indian rupee, whether deliverable or non-deliverable.

The rupee had closed 19 paise higher at 95.16 against the dollar in the previous trading session.

Market experts said the domestic currency had moved decisively beyond its recent trading range of 95.00-95.50. They identified 94.80 as the next key level and noted that a sustained move below this mark could pave the way for further appreciation.

Lower direct dollar demand from oil marketing companies and improving market sentiment could provide additional support to the rupee.

Favourable global market conditions also strengthened the domestic currency.

Currency analysts expect the rupee to trade within the 95.60-97.50 range against the dollar by the end of 2026, with most forecasts clustering around the 96-97 level.

Meanwhile, the dollar index, which measures the US currency against a basket of major currencies, declined to 101.99.

Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, also fell nearly 2 per cent to $104.30 per barrel, easing some pressure on India’s import bill.

Domestic equity markets traded higher alongside the rupee’s gains. The Sensex rose more than 1,000 points, or 1.45 per cent, to 73,836.71, while the Nifty gained 300 points, or 1.36 per cent, to 22,929.55.

India’s strong economic fundamentals and policy measures have helped the country withstand global energy and financial shocks, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday reaffirming its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies.

Speaking at a press briefing in Bangkok, Krishna Srinivasan, Director of the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department, said India entered the recent energy shock with robust economic growth and fiscal discipline. He added that the country had responded effectively to external challenges.

The IMF has also raised its growth forecast for India following stronger-than-expected economic performance in the April-June quarter.

The Fund now expects India’s economy to grow by 7 per cent this year and next year, while maintaining a medium-term growth trajectory of around 6.9 per cent.

Official data showed that India’s real GDP grew by 7.8 per cent in the April-June quarter.

According to the IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook, India continues to outperform many major economies, supported by resilient domestic demand, strong services activity, favourable demographics, a large and expanding domestic market, and ongoing structural reforms.

Srinivasan also said recent pressure on the rupee should not indicate economic weakness. He explained that global interest rates, investor sentiment and oil prices influence exchange rates.

As a major oil importer, India has faced the effects of the global energy shock. However, Srinivasan stressed that currency movements alone do not determine an economy’s success or failure.

The IMF also endorsed India’s revised GDP calculation methodology. Srinivasan described the changes as consistent with international best practices and the Fund’s previous recommendations.

He also commended the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) for its efforts to improve national accounts statistics.

Discussing the regional economic outlook, Srinivasan said India had delivered stronger-than-expected results, even as global uncertainties had moderated growth prospects across several Asian economies.

NPCI BHIM Services Limited (NBSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), announced on Wednesday that users can now access Tatkal NPS through the BHIM Payments App.

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) introduced Tatkal NPS to help users open a National Pension System (NPS) account through the app in three simple steps, without visiting a branch or submitting fresh paperwork.

The onboarding process relies on existing bank-verified KYC details. Users need to enter their date of birth, select an eligible bank account and make their first NPS contribution through UPI.

Currently, Tatkal NPS on the BHIM Payments App supports banking customers of State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, IndusInd Bank and Bank of Baroda.

NBSL said it expects to add more banks to the service in the coming months.

Lalitha Nataraj, Managing Director and CEO of NBSL, said UPI has become part of the daily financial routine for hundreds of millions of Indians. She added that the next opportunity lies in expanding access to financial products such as NPS.

“UPI has already become a daily financial behaviour for hundreds of millions of Indians. The next opportunity is to improve access to products such as NPS. Tatkal NPS on BHIM addresses the first barrier, getting started, by allowing eligible users to open an NPS account directly through a UPI app. Tatkal NPS now enables eligible users to open an NPS account through the app, extending BHIM’s role from facilitating contributions to supporting NPS onboarding,” Nataraj said.

NPS offers a low-cost retirement savings option under PFRDA regulation. Subscribers invest their contributions in market-linked funds managed by regulated pension fund managers and can claim applicable tax benefits.

Tatkal NPS also supports PFRDA’s vision of building a pensioned society in which every citizen can work towards financial security in old age.

PFRDA Chairperson S. Ramann said UPI had transformed how Indians make payments and expressed confidence that Tatkal NPS could similarly change how they prepare for retirement.

“With just three clicks, any eligible citizen can open a pension account through our partnership with NPCI, banks and UPI apps. Our mantra is simple: Grow rich before you grow old. And we want this message to reach every street, every village and every Indian,” Ramann said.

Indian citizens aged 18 to 85 can open an NPS account through Tatkal NPS on the BHIM Payments App with a minimum initial contribution of Rs 250. They can make subsequent contributions starting at Rs 10, subject to applicable NPS rules.