Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar and Telugu icon Rana Daggubati are reportedly set to reunite for a grand historical thriller. The pan-India film, which is generating massive excitement across the industry, is reportedly made on a big budget. Fans of both stars are awaiting official confirmation, as the film is expected to be a major cinematic event.

The film will be directed by Chandoo Mondeti, the talented Telugu filmmaker who was hailed for his work in the blockbuster Karthikeya 2. With this historical thriller, Mondeti is said to be stepping up with his visionary narrative.

Moreover, for Mondeti, this film is expected to bring together Bollywood and Telugu cinemas. The project is being produced by Karan Johar under his banner Dharma Productions, ensuring a grand, pan-India presentation.

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Story

As per reports, the film is a historical thriller set against the mystical and culturally rich backdrop of Ujjain, an ancient city that has spiritual and historical significance. The story is expected to blend together ancient mysteries, drama, and intense action, showcasing Mondeti’s signature style of mystery thrillers and mythology. While the exact plot details are not revealed yet, the film is described as a grand-scale production with storytelling like Karthikeya 2.

Star Cast And Reunion Buzz

Akshay Kumar and Rana Daggubati are reportedly back in lead roles. The two stars previously worked in films like Baby (2015) and Housefull 4 (2019). Akshay is known for his versatility and powerful screen presence. Meanwhile, Rana is also known for his prominent acting skills in projects across Bollywood and Telugu cinema.

Moreover, as per reports from 123Telugu, a top actor is also said to have a cameo in the film. Details are kept under wraps, further igniting excitement among fans of both industries. With two renowned actors from different film industries, the film is expected to perform exceptionally well by bringing together a massive pan-Indian audience.

Akshay Kumar is currently enjoying the success of Bhooth Bangla at the box office. Within four days of its theatrical release, the horror-comedy had crossed a worldwide gross collection of Rs 100 crore.

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Rana was recently seen in Kaantha alongside Dulquer Salmaan, which was set in 1950s Madras. The actor is also speculated to join the cast of Rishab Shetty’s film Jai Hanuman.

Pinkvilla, however, reported that this news about the two big acting superstars isn’t true. The report said a representative  from Akshay Kumar’s camp said that the rumours very “not true” and they are “fake”.

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 India’s economy has the potential to grow more than 7% per year despite crude oil costing $90-100 per barrel, according to a ASSOCHAM (The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India) statement on Wednesday.

India resilience to high energy costs have spiked notably across the years, with the country absorbing severe oil shocks with its growth staying strong, it said.

According to the industry body’s analysis, India has shown that it has the ability to manage high energy prices without making compromises with the trajectory of its economic growth.

“Data analysed for the period 2000-01 to 2025-26 shows that India recorded some of its strongest growth years at moderate to high crude oil price levels,” it said.

In 2022-23, growth was 7.6%, even with oil prices (Indian crude basket) at $93 per barrel (annual average), whereas in 2023-24, growth remained at 7.2% (new series) with oil prices at $82 per barrel, Assocham said.

It further said that despite oil prices above $100 per barrel during 2011-14, GDP growth remained at 5.2-6.4%.

During the period under analysis, the sharpest contraction of (-) 5.78%  occurred in 2020-21, when prices were among the lowest in the last two decades (under $45/bbl), driven entirely by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“India’s growth story is largely driven by its consumption segment, which in turn bolsters the supply side through factory expansion, the deployment of more workers, and higher income levels, creating a virtuous cycle of growth and strengthening the resilience of the economy,” said Nirmal Kumar Minda, President of Assocham.

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Assocham expects India’s GDP growth to stay above 7% in 2026-27, driven by robust consumption, steady exports, and rising capital investment, Minda said.

Meanwhile, according to the first advanced estimates of Gross Domestic Product released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in January, the Indian economy is expected to grow by 7.4% in the current fiscal, maintaining its status as the world’s fastest-growing major economy despite punitive US tariffs and geopolitical tensions.

The economy had grown at 6.5% in the previous fiscal.

However, Moody’s Ratings earlier this month slashed India’s economic growth estimates for the current fiscal to 6% from 6.8%  earlier, saying the ongoing conflict in West Asia will moderate growth momentum and raise inflation risks.

Last month, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) projected India’s GDP growth to moderate to 6.1% in the current fiscal from 7.6% growth recorded in 2025-26.

Domestic rating agency Icra expects the growth to moderate to 6.5% in FY27, owing to the adverse impact of elevated energy prices and concerns around energy availability amid the West Asia conflict.

(With PTI Inputs)

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Bandhan Bank on Wednesday said the Reserve Bank of India has granted prior approval for the appointment of Debasish Panda as the part-time chairman of the lender for a period of three years.

In a regulatory filing, the private sector lender said the RBI accorded its approval in a letter dated April 22, and the tenure will be effective from the date Panda assumes charge, subject to compliance with conditions specified by the regulator.

The bank said the proposal for Panda’s appointment will be placed before its Nomination and Remuneration Committee (NRC) and the Board for consideration and approval in due course.

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Panda, a 1987-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, previously served as chairman of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) between 2022 and 2025. He has also held key roles, including Secretary, Department of Financial Services, where he was involved in banking consolidation and financial inclusion initiatives.

He has earlier served on the boards of the RBI, State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and Life Insurance Corporation of India, the filing added.

The current non-executive chairman is Anup Kumar Sinha, whose term is scheduled to end on July 4, 2026.

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(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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