Renowned filmmaker Venkat Prabhu revealed the titles of two upcoming Indian films based on Swami Ayyappa’s holy legacy.

The titles, “Tat Twam Assi” and “Arya Kerala Varman,” were revealed by Venkat Prabhu during a formal ceremony at Chennai’s esteemed Raja Annamalai Puram Temple.

In recent Tamil film history, this dual announcement represents one of the most ambitious spiritually grounded cinematic undertakings.

Producer JK Saravana will produce the movies under the Tantra Films label.

For those who do not know, JK Saravana co-produced the popular cult movies “Chennai 600028” and “Chennai 600028 II,” which were directed by Venkat Prabhu. The two large-format movies being made concurrently are united by religion and cinematic ambition, according to those close to the production company.

According to sources, Vishnu Sasi Shankar, who directed the religious movie “Malikappuram,” which became a great hit, will also direct “Tat Twam Assi” (That Thou Art).

“Tat Twam Assi” is positioned as a modern spiritual action drama that will examine the life-changing experience of a Swami Ayyappa devotee—a man who is directed by inner awakening, tested by adversity, and anchored by faith.

The film attempts to integrate religious filmmaking into a contemporary, pan-Indian framework without sacrificing spiritual authenticity by fusing emotional depth with dynamic storytelling and strong action scenes.

The second movie, “Arya Kerala Varman,” is a grand historical epic set in the 16th century. The goal of “Arya Kerala Varman” is to offer a compelling cinematic representation of the lesser-known aspects of Swami Ayyappa’s biography and history.

The film, a visually stunning epic historical drama co-directed by JK Saravana and Adithya Tangirala, will blend bravery, philosophy, divine purpose, and cultural heritage.

A Symbolic Beginning: The Raja Annamalai Puram Temple’s title reveal was deeply symbolic. The location, which has traditionally been linked to Chennai 600028’s inception, serves as the spiritual commencement point for these two devotional movies.

The government of India has released a Casebook on AI and Gender Empowerment, marking a major turning point in the country’s dedication to ethical and inclusive AI development, the IT Ministry announced on Friday.

The casebook was created by the government through the IndiaAI Mission under MeitY, in collaboration with UN Women, and with assistance from the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD). It was formally unveiled at the “India AI Impact Summit 2026.”

It combines 23 practical AI solutions from the Global South that show quantifiable effects on women’s empowerment and gender equality.

The ministry claims that the casebook has 23 AI solutions that were chosen after a rigorous multi-stage examination process from 233 applications from more than 50 nations.

According to the announcement, “an impartial review committee comprising senior officials from MeitY, MoWCD, and UN Women assessed proposals based on real-world deployment, verifiable gender impact, and evidence-based outcomes.”

The highlighted solutions cover a wide range of important areas, such as access to justice and legal services, education and skill development, digital safety and the prevention of gender-based violence facilitated by technology, healthcare, including menstrual health, economic empowerment and financial inclusion, climate resilience and sustainable agriculture, and knowledge resources for policymakers and practitioners.

When UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stopped by the UN Women booth at the JanAI Expo, the casebook gained international recognition.

Under the WeSTEM project, which was carried out by UN Women in partnership with the governments of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, as well as the European Union, Micron, Nokia, and the Head Held High Foundation, the Secretary-General spoke with young women from rural communities who were interested in pursuing STEM jobs.

The statement claims that the young women discussed how they are use AI to broaden learning possibilities, develop new talents, and investigate new career paths, all of which are realistic steps toward becoming future leaders in technology.

It added that the casebook highlights workable solutions to guarantee AI systems are moral, inclusive, and sensitive to the various realities of women and girls in India and throughout the Global South. It is a comprehensive knowledge resource for policymakers, technology developers, researchers, and practitioners.

India easily defeated Zimbabwe by 72 runs in their Super Eights match of the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday, with Arshdeep Singh scoring 3-24. The outcome confirmed South Africa’s spot in the semifinals while eliminating Zimbabwe from the competition.

After an earlier setback against South Africa, the outcome puts India’s campaign squarely back on track. However, it virtually eliminates them from the match against fellow two-time winners West Indies on March 1 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Zimbabwe was never really in the chase despite pursuing an impressive 257. However, Brian Bennett made sure the match maintained some dignity by hitting an outstanding 97 not out off 59 balls, which included four sixes and eight fours. Zimbabwe reached a respectable 184/6 thanks to his one act of defiance, but Bennett missed a historic century by three runs.

Zimbabwe had a wicket-less power-play, but their chase never had the traction it required. Tadiwanashe Marumani, the opener, had early difficulties and was even dropped by Ishan Kishan on number 17. However, when Marumani sliced to cover-point off Axar Patel’s second ball of the match, he was unable to capitalize and fell for 20.

India maintained their tight grip despite Bennett’s sustained impressive boundaries via loft, inside-out shot, and slog-sweep. Bennett reached his fifty with a flat six over long-on. Local boy Varun Chakaravarthy had Dion Myers holing out to deep mid-wicket.

The asking rate had long since risen to unachievable heights by the time Sikandar Raza joined Bennett in the middle to add some energy. Despite this, the two kept hitting boundaries, particularly Shivam Dube’s careless bowling, which cost him 26 runs in his opening over.

After that, Arshdeep came back and had Raza hole out to long-on. He then cast Tony Monyonga with a brilliant yorker and trapped Ryan Burl lbw for a two-ball duck. Bennett hurt his numbers by smashing a six and a four on the final two balls to carry his bat throughout the innings, even though Dube had Tashinga Musekiwa out in the penultimate over.

The think tank will be concerned about Dube’s bowling returns even though India won, greatly increasing their net run rate. While Chakaravarthy went for 35 in his four overs, he let up 46 runs in only two overs, the most costly two-over stint by any bowler in T20 World Cup history.

Before they play the West Indies, India would want much sharper returns from these two bowling routes. Since India’s batting power, which was based on Abhishek Sharma’s 55 and Hardik Pandya’s late fifty, was simply too much for Zimbabwe, the victory margin for the time being spoke for itself.

“I believe we wanted to move on from everything. We did not give our performance in the league stage or the final game in Ahmedabad much thought. For every batter and bowler, our video analyst had developed a PowerPoint that showcased our successful performance over the previous 12 months. We considered that, drew a lot of positive conclusions from it, and arrived here with clarity,” Suryakumar stated at the post-match presentation ceremony.

“I think there was virtually anything missing in our performance, with contributions from the top order all the way down to number seven,” Suryakumar added.

Of course, I believe we could have performed our defensive play a little bit better. They ended up scoring a lot of those runs because, regrettably, there was a lot of inconsistent execution from all of the bowlers while we were bowling. I believe we ended up going at them with a hammer and tongs. It is difficult to stop the train once it starts moving in that direction. If I had to sum it up, I would say that we should have done a better job of carrying out our defensive strategies. That would have given us a better opportunity to limit them to perhaps 210 or 220, but you never know,” Raza stated during the presentation ceremony after the game.

“You need all three departments to be working hard at the World Cup against the greatest teams, Unfortunately, the game will abandon you if you do not have it. Therefore, we should aim to organize all three of our departments and leave everything on the park in the final game, which should offer us the best chance to win.” Raza added.

Brief scores:
India 256/4 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 55, Hardik Pandya 50 not out; Sikandar Raza 1-29, Tinotenda Maposa 1-40)
Zimbabwe 184/6 in 20 overs (Brian Bennett 97 not out, Sikandar Raza 31; Arshdeep Singh 3-24)

Samsung said on Thursday that pre-orders for its flagship Galaxy S26 series are now open in India. The base model costs Rs 87,999, while the top-tier Galaxy S26 Ultra variant costs Rs 1,89,999.

The Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra are all part of the Galaxy S26 series. According to the business, the new series offers its most sophisticated “Agentic AI” mobile experience to date, with the goal of simplifying and improving everyday chores.

The phones are designed to make it easier to manage schedules, find information, take and edit pictures, and record material.

The 12GB+256GB and 12GB+512GB models of the Galaxy S26 Ultra are priced at Rs 1,39,999 and Rs 1,59,999, respectively, while the 16GB+1TB model costs Rs 1,89,999.

The 12GB+256GB model of the Galaxy S26+ costs Rs 1,19,999, while the 12GB+512GB model costs Rs 1,39,999.

The 12GB+256GB model of the Galaxy S26 costs Rs 87,999, while the 12GB+512GB model costs Rs 1,07,999.

On February 25, top online and physical retailers started taking pre-orders for the Galaxy S26 series.

Additionally, Samsung Live on the company’s official website allows customers to pre-order the smartphones.

The smartphones are available in Cobalt Violet, White, Black, and Sky Blue, as well as Pink Gold and Silver Shadow, which are only available on Samsung.com.

Samsung says that the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the first mobile phone with an integrated Privacy Display, which limits side-angle visibility to protect user data.

Additionally, the device has a specially designed Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform for Galaxy processor, which improves CPU, GPU, and NPU performance for better on-device AI capabilities and more seamless multitasking.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra has better thermal materials and a modified vapor chamber to control heat during prolonged use.

Additionally, it supports Super-Fast Charging 3.0, which the manufacturer claims can charge a battery up to 75% in just 30 minutes.

The Galaxy S26 series places a strong emphasis on AI-powered photography and video.

Wider camera apertures for better low-light photography, improved Nightography Video, and increased Super Steady capabilities for stable recording are all aspects of the Ultra version.

In order to provide investors with greater clarity and transparency, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) announced a significant reform of mutual fund categorization guidelines on Thursday and abolished the solution-oriented mutual fund category, which includes retirement and children’s funds.

According to the markets regulator, the solution-oriented category has been eliminated as of the circular’s date.

Current plans within this category will cease taking new members right away.

Subject to SEBI’s previous clearance, these schemes will now be combined with other schemes that share comparable asset allocation and risk characteristics.

There were 29 schemes in the retirement fund category and 15 schemes in the children’s fund category as of January 31, 2026.

As part of a more comprehensive assessment of mutual fund classification, SEBI first suggested modifications in July 2025.

Enhancing clarity, introducing new schemes, and addressing the problem of portfolio overlap amongst schemes were the objectives.

As long as the asset allocation was appropriate for the scheme’s declared goal, the regulator at the time had ruled that mutual funds should be permitted to provide a variety of schemes in the solution-oriented category with differing mixes of debt and equity.

The regulator also suggested that, within regulatory bounds, mutual funds be permitted to invest the remaining percentage of their solution-oriented schemes in REITs and InvITs, with the exception of Retirement Fund—Hybrid and Children’s Fund—Hybrid schemes.

SEBI added new categories such sectoral debt funds and contra funds in its most recent circular, which was published on February 26.

Additionally, it mandated that asset management companies (AMCs) link their current schemes with the new framework within six months and introduced goal-based life cycle funds.

To guarantee greater discipline in product offers, the regulator has also set limits for the creation of Fund of Funds (FoFs).

Sebi’s new mutual fund classification guidelines are a significant step toward streamlining an industry that has grown more complicated for individual investors, according to Nikunj Saraf, CEO of Choice Wealth.

According to a recent article, “AI-driven development across Africa, with a strong emphasis on local empowerment, sustainability, and inclusive innovation,” would be promoted by the trilateral cooperation agreement on AI reached at the AI Impact Summit between Italy, India, and Kenya.

In order to ensure that AI tools reflect the social, economic, and cultural settings of African communities, the program places a strong emphasis on co-creation and African-led development, according to the AIBase.ng report.

In contrast to “typical AI partnerships, which often include knowledge transfer from wealthy countries,” the new project is more cooperative, according to the study.

Additionally, the new agreement guarantees that African countries have authority over their own data and AI systems by promoting data sovereignty.

The article also stated that AI solutions created under this agreement will address issues in financial inclusion, healthcare, education, and agriculture.

The agreement’s short-term objectives include implementing 15 pilot AI applications by the end of 2026, while its long-term goals are to spread to over 100 projects throughout the continent.

Research networks, computer resources, and digital platforms are included to assist AI innovation, and the agreement places a strong emphasis on ethical and inclusive AI, lowering the danger of technologies that might not be appropriate for local contexts.

According to the Nigerian media outlet, the collaboration strengthens Kenya’s standing as a regional center for technology and a gateway for innovation throughout Africa. India will benefit from strong South-South cooperation and demonstrating scalable, human-centric digital solutions.

“Italy serves as a link between Europe, Asia, and Africa, utilizing programs like the AI Hub for Sustainable Development under the Mattei Plan to promote cooperation,” it continued.

The New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact, which was adopted at the “AI Impact Summit 2026” in New Delhi last week, represents a major turning point in international collaboration on artificial intelligence.

88 nations and international organizations had approved this proclamation as of February 21, 2026. Bangladesh, Costa Rica, and Guatemala have now joined the declaration, bringing the total number of signatories to 91 nations and organizations, according to a statement from the Ministry of Electronics and IT.

At Tuesday’s AI Impact Summit in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that India’s organizing principles—sovereignty over data, inclusiveness by design, and accountability by default—were inspired by its own civilizational urge.

PM Modi was alluding to an article on X written by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri about the accomplishments at the AI Impact Summit 2026, the largest conference of its kind ever held in the Global South and attended by more than 20 heads of state and more than 500 AI leaders from over 100 countries.

According to the minister, the first Global South country to host the global AI summit series under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership did more than just organize a discussion; it also outlined the terms on which it plans to compete: a Delhi Declaration that alters the rules governing AI governance; digital infrastructure handling almost half of all real-time payments worldwide; investment commitments in the hundreds of billions; sovereign models created from the ground up; and entry into the supply chain security architecture of the AI era.

Puri outlined the PM’s MANAV vision, which includes: legal validity so that every deployed system is subject to democratic scrutiny; broad access so that benefits reach a farmer in Madhya Pradesh as surely as an engineer in Bengaluru; ethical guardrails; accountable governance; and sovereignty over data so that the raw material of intelligence is not extracted the way commodities once were.​

The minister went on to say that PM Modi’s proposal to allow AI to fly freely while maintaining human control draws a boundary that many developed nations have been hesitant to draw. ​

The Delhi Declaration, which was adopted at the summit and is already regarded as the first significant AI governance blueprint from the Global South, gives these principles multilateral weight. It takes a development-oriented stance and is based on a techno-legal approach that prioritizes flexible guardrails over strict compliance. Its three pillars—people, planet, and progress—organize international cooperation.

The majority of the globe does not speak English, and population-scale solutions like BharatGen, which supports 22 Indian languages, recognize this.

Entry barriers are reduced worldwide via a proposed global compute bank that is based on India’s subsidized GPU access at Rs 65 per hour. AI extractivism—the practice of using data from developing countries to train models that those countries must then pay to use—is challenged by the stress on data sovereignty, Puri continued.

After defeating Pakistan by two wickets in the Group 2 Super 8 match at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Tuesday, England qualified for the semifinals of the T20 World Cup thanks to captain Harry Brook‘s incredible comeback with a stunning 100 off 51 deliveries batting for the first time at No. 3.

As the first captain to score a century in a men’s T20 World Cup match, Brook created history. With little time remaining, England was able to chase down Pakistan’s score of 164 for 9 thanks to his outstanding 100 off 51 balls, which featured 10 fours and four sixes.

For the first time in his T20I career, Brook was promoted up the order. He replied with authority, hitting 41 of England’s 53 Power-play runs and virtually single-handedly kept the match alive. Brook became the first captain in T20 World Cup history to achieve a century.

From the first delivery of the chase, drama developed. Phil Salt edged inside the line to Usman Khan for a golden duck, but Shaheen Shah Afridi’s inswing with the new ball ended his stay.

Shaheen continued his dismal run of form (26, 21, 3, 3, 7, 2) in this competition, going without a boundary since leaving Mumbai, when he hit another ball with an outswinging delivery to Jos Buttler, who under-edged it for two runs.

Usman Tariq dropped Jacob Bethell at short fine leg on the six-run after he briefly threatened Shaheen. Shaheen then bowled him out, taking three wickets in the Powerplay. Shaheen’s hard length and unwavering accuracy were crucial to his success despite his lack of swing, and he had now taken eight wickets in his opening over of the T20 World Cup, matching Angelo Mathews.

Pakistan had a disastrous start in the powerplay after opting to bat first, losing two early wickets. Saim Ayub, who has once again struggled in the tournament, did not make an impression at bat. Jofra Archer dismissed him on a run-a-ball seven after testing him with several bouncers early on.

Liam Dawson scored in his opening over, and captain Salman Ali Agha (5) was removed in the third over. Sahibzada Farhan had a smooth start, hitting the fence four times, while Babar Azam showed promise with two clean boundaries before halftime, keeping Pakistan in the match at 46/2 despite the setbacks.

The key to slowing things down was the introduction of spin. Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid collaborated to get the pitch’s grip and variety. The hitters were forced to play conservatively by their well-organized lines and small speed variations. Pakistan needed to pick up speed in the second half of the innings after getting stuck.

With a stunning change of pace, Fakhar Zaman used his feet to hurl Will Jacks straight back over his head for a massive six. As the 14th over produced 16 runs, Farhan increased the pressure in the same over by blasting a huge 100-meter hit over midwicket. With a tough and tenacious fifty in 37 deliveries, Farhan supported his century in the previous game, but Overton undid him for a 63 off 45 balls.

At a crucial juncture, Dawson made a brilliant move to dismiss Fakhar Zaman. Fakhar misread Rashid’s subsequent googlies, sending the second one off a thick top edge high toward the leg side. Dawson made a terrific tumbling catch on his back after sprinting to his right with a short, fine leg.

Usman Khan started with two runs after taking advantage of another England misfield, then he calmly slog-swept over midwicket for six. Returning for his second spell, Dawson dismissed Usman after being hammered for a four off a misfield. He then ended his innings with 3 for 24 by dismissing Mohammad Nawaz on the subsequent delivery.

England was struggling at 58 for 4 and then at 103 for 5 after Usman Tariq’s double strike in the middle overs. But Brook refused to give up. He scored an incredible hundred runs in just 50 balls, tearing up Pakistan’s bowling attack.

He followed it up with a four through mid-off after hitting Afridi for six over cover. With just 10 runs needed, he departed the field to a standing ovation despite being bowled by a pinpoint yorker.

When England lost two wickets to Mohammad Nawaz, they nearly blew their lead and forced the match into the last over. Salman Mirza was then driven through midwicket by Jofra Archer to ensure victory. With one game remaining, this victory assured England a place in the semi-finals, marking their fifth successive appearance in the men’s T20 World Cup.

Despite Sahibzada Farhan’s outstanding 63, Pakistan still needed to defeat Sri Lanka and hope for favorable outcomes elsewhere.

In a Super 8 stage encounter at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Tuesday, captain Harry Brook made a historic century as England defeated Pakistan by two wickets, making them the first side to advance to the semifinals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Brief scores:
Pakistan 164/9 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 63, Fakhar Zaman 25; Liam Dawson 3-24, Jamie Overton 2-26)
England 166/8 in 19.1 overs (Harry Brook 100, Will Jacks 28; Shaheen Afridi 4-30, Usman Tariq 2-31)

Actors Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda arrived in Udaipur on Monday to begin their wedding celebrations. They are scheduled to exchange vows on February 26. The actors’ marriage was formally announced.

Mementos by ITC Hotels in Ekaaya, Udaipur, will host the wedding ceremony. Vijay’s partner, Rashmika Mandanna, matched him with an elegant costume while he wore a black leather outfit.

The actress wore a blazer with an open front, twin front pockets, a tailored fit and design, padded shoulders, full-length sleeves folded to the elbow, and a notch lapel collar.

Before heading to the wedding location, Vijay waved to the press and fans and finished off his appearance with a moustache.

“Our Dearest loves, before we made any plans, before we picked anything for ourselves, you were already there,” Rashmika and Vijay posted on their own Instagram accounts. You gave us a name with such affection. You referred to us as “VIROSH.” Therefore, we humbly name this gathering in your honor today. We propose calling it “The Wedding of VIROSH.” We are grateful for your love and support. You are always a part of us. Hugs and love in abundance.

The picture displays a gorgeously designed tabletop that is illuminated by warm, golden light. Fresh green apples and cascading grapes are artistically combined with blush pink lilies and light green hydrangeas in a delicate floral arrangement at the center, which gives the decor an organic, garden-meets-luxury look.

A custom-printed menu card that hinted at a carefully planned Japanese dining experience for visitors was placed nicely on the table. The selection adds a personal, gourmet touch to the pre-wedding festivities and displays a sophisticated and internationally influenced palette.

According to reports, in order to keep the event private, there should be a stringent no-phone policy and NDAs for organizers.

Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda’s love story began when they worked together in the Telugu movie ‘Geetha Govindam’ in 2018, their on-screen chemistry fueled early dating suspicions. Their reunion in “Dear Comrade” heightened fan conjecture about a genuine relationship.

In the years that followed, they were regularly spotted together in private and at gatherings, although they both avoided discussing personal matters.