iWorld
BSNL plans increased connectivity in Karnataka
BANGALORE: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) plans to take more fixed line and mobile connections to villages in Karnataka, by providing one connection each to around 1500 villages that have a population of 2000 or more.
Whilst approximately 600 villages have already been provided with connections, the rest would be connected by March 2006. CDMA mobile connections would also be taken to more towns, villages and rural areas in the state.
According to BSNL Karnataka circle chief general manager Rama Ganapathi, plans are afoot to increase the CellOne connections to 1.6 million from the present 740,000 approximate connections in the circle. Ganapathi also revealed that tele-density had increased from 4 percent in 1996 to 26.2 percent presently in the urban areas, and from 0.3 percent to 1.74 percent in the rural areas. BSNL is making efforts for phone on demand, though presently there was a wait list of 92,000.
A proposal has been put forth before the state government to develop a wide area network (WAN) for all their e-governance projects up to the taluk level.
As per media reports, landline, WLL and cellular ISD call rates to SAARC countries, Africa, Australia, Saudi Arabia are set to fall by 33 percent starting Saturday. A 25 per cent cut on leased lines for 2 MB and higher bandwidth connections has also been announced.
iWorld
Prime Video unveils trailer for Tamil series Exam, streaming May 15
Dushara Vijayan, Aditi Balan headline scam thriller set in exam world
CHENNAI: Prime Video has dropped the official trailer of its upcoming Tamil Original series Exam, a high-stakes suspense drama set in the murky world of competitive entrance exams.
Backed by creative producers Pushkar and Gayatri under Wallwatcher Films, the seven-episode series is written and directed by National Award-winner A. Sarkunam. It stars Dushara Vijayan and Aditi Balan in lead roles, with Abbas playing a pivotal character.
Set in the fictional town of Thykara, the series follows Jhansi, played by Dushara Vijayan, as she attempts to expose a deep-rooted scam, aided by her mentor Jayachandran, played by Abbas. Standing in her way is DSP Maramalli, portrayed by Aditi Balan, setting up a tense face-off driven by ambition, pressure and moral choices.
The show will stream from May 15 on Prime Video in India and across more than 240 countries and territories. It will be available in Tamil, with dubbed versions in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada, along with subtitles in 15 languages.
Writer-director A. Sarkunam said the story aims to resonate across geographies and social strata, going beyond the scam to explore ambition, pressure and the consequences of personal choices. He added that the narrative unfolds through the intersecting journeys of Jhansi and Maramalli, building tension as their worlds collide.
Dushara Vijayan described Jhansi as a fierce and determined character, calling the role both demanding and rewarding, with the story capturing the difficult choices her character must make.
Aditi Balan said the series offers a hard-hitting look at the exam ecosystem, adding that her character is layered and shaped by both internal conflict and external pressures.
Abbas, marking his return to mainstream Tamil entertainment, said the series stands out for its layered storytelling and unpredictable twists, with his character adding depth to the central narrative.
With its mix of suspense, social commentary and character-driven storytelling, Exam is shaping up to be a tense watch as it dives into one of India’s most high-pressure systems.
