iWorld
Ravi Shankar Prasad to inaugurate free Wi-fi connection for tourists at Taj Mahal
NEW DELHI: Within days of Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad’s announcement about strengthening broadband base throughout the country, BSNL has said visitors to the Taj Mahal in Agra will get free Wi-Fi internet facility across the sprawling campus for 30 minutes from 16 June.
However, any browsing or usage like downloading, surfing after this period would invite charges at Rs 30 an hour, a Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited official said.
The trials have been completed and the service will be launched by Prasad in Agra on 16 June.
While the bandwidth is being provided by BSNL, the system integrator – Bengaluru based Quadgen – is providing the wireless support.
Due to security and other reasons, the ASI has only permitted the Wi-Fi availability in a radius of 30 metres from the main gate of the Taj Mahal, officials further said.
Millions of domestic and foreign tourists visit the Taj Mahal, often considered as the epitome of love as it was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had requested the BSNL to work on the project to start the facility in the complex. Wi-Fi internet facility at public places in Agra is currently available only at the Agra Cantonment railway station.
If the trials are successful, BSNL may extend the facility to Fatehpur Sikri as well.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
