iWorld
Emraan, Neeraj Pandey shine in IMDb’s top Indian celebs
MUMBAI: This week, IMDb’s Popular Indian Celebrities list is stirring the spotlight with a mix of seasoned stars and fresh faces. Leading the buzz is Emraan Hashmi at sixth, while acclaimed filmmaker Neeraj Pandey secures the tenth spot, riding the wave of his latest thriller, Taskaree.
The list also celebrates Zoya Afroz, Amruta Khanvilkar, and Anurag Sinha, who take the top three positions, thanks to their gripping performances in the hit crime series. Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan clocks in at fifth for his highly anticipated King, slated for a Christmas release, with Prabhas at seventh for Spirit and Joseph Vijay at eleventh for Jana Nayagan. All these titles feature in IMDb’s Most Anticipated Indian Movies of 2026.
Available exclusively on the IMDb app for Android and iOS, the Popular Indian Celebrities feature tracks the movers and shakers of Hindi cinema each week, based on over 200 million monthly visits worldwide. Fans can discover who is trending, follow favourites, and even spot the next big breakout star before they hit the big screen.
Whether you are a die-hard movie buff or someone who just enjoys a bit of star-stalking, this week’s chart offers a lively snapshot of India’s entertainment scene in motion.
Gaming
Formula 1 and Mumbai Falcons launch India’s first official F1 sim racing championship
Nationwide competition creates pathway from virtual racing to pro motorsport
MUMBAI: Formula 1 has teamed up with Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited to launch India’s first officially sanctioned F1 sim racing competition, marking a new step in the country’s growing motorsport ecosystem.
The championship, titled F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026, will offer a structured national platform for sim racers, with participants competing on the official F1 25 across multiple stages. The competition will begin with online qualifiers, followed by city-based simulator rounds, before culminating in a national final in Mumbai this November.
Open to players across PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox, registrations for the event will begin on 30 April via the Mumbai Falcons app. The format mirrors real-world racing, featuring official circuits, team liveries and competitive structures aligned with the global series.
Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan said the initiative arrives at a time when interest in the sport is surging in India, adding that a structured sim racing platform could help identify and nurture the next generation of talent.
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited managing director Ameet Gadhoke noted that the championship aligns with the team’s long-term goal of building a strong motorsport pipeline in the country and placing Indian talent on the global stage.
The launch also reflects broader momentum in esports, especially after its recognition under India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. By bridging gaming and real-world racing, the initiative aims to offer aspiring drivers a credible entry point into professional motorsport.
With interest in Formula 1 steadily rising and conversations around its return to India gaining pace, the new championship could become a proving ground for future racing stars.
