The Mozart of Madras, A. R. Rahman is a name to reckon as he has made India proud by winning two Oscars for his music in “Slumdog Millionaire.” A man who is not restrained by any boundary and mixes music from East and West. He has brought East and West closer through his spiritual music. He is a multi-talented singer who is the reason behind the world looking at Indian music more seriously now. He is always experimenting and is open to fresh ideas. Rahman is a well-known humanitarian and philanthropist and donates money to numerous causes and charities.

Wiki/Biography

A. R. Rahman was born on 6 January 1967 (age 57 years; as of 2024) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. He did his schooling from Padma Seshadri Bal Bhavan, Chennai. He went to Madras Christian College. He obtained a scholarship from Trinity College of Music, Oxford University, United Kingdom. He converted from Hinduism to Islam and changed his name from A. S. Dileep Kumar to A. R. Rahman (Allahrakka Rahman). Because of his father’s early demise, his family went through a rough patch. He was just 9 years old back then, and the responsibility to support his family came to him. He lived in a joint family. He always had a fascination with electronic gadgets, specifically musical instruments. He began earning money by playing his father’s keyboard and worked with renowned people like Illaya Raja and Raj Koti. He passed his board exams with 1st division and wanted to become a computer engineer. But due to the hardship of life, he started following his father’s track and started his training in music under Master Dhanraj. He got 50 (INR) as his first salary for operating a record player.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 5”

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Black

Family, Caste & Wife

A. R. Rahman is the son of R. K. Shekhar, who was a music composer. His mother is Kareema Beegum, earlier Kasturi Shekhar.

A. R. Rahman’s childhood photo

A. R. Rahman with his mother

He has three sisters, A. R. Reihana, Fathima Rafiq, and Ishrath Qadri. In 1989, he, along with his family, converted to Islam from Hinduism; soon after his sister got relief from her severe illness. According to them, it was all because of the blessings of a Pir Qadri called Sheik Abdul Qadir Jeelani.

He tied the knot with Saira Banu. It was an arranged matrimonial alliance.

A. R. Rahman with his wife

He and Saira have two beautiful daughters named, Khatija, Rahima and a son, Ameen. Saira and Rahman separated in November 2024.

A. R. Rahman with family

Career

A. R. Rahman began his career with a band called Roots (1984-88).

A. R. Rahman Roots band

Along with being a part of this band, he also played keyboard for 10/12 Kannada films. Later, he joined a rock band called “Nemesis Avenue.”

A. R. Rahman in Nemesis Avenue band

In this band, he used to work as a producer-arranger and performed for a concert “Jive live” as well. In 1987, he started composing ad jingles. His first break was for Alwyn’s new trendy range of watches. He composed songs for around 300 ads in 5 years. Meanwhile, he worked on the album “Colours” with famous personalities like Shankar, Sivamani and Zakir Hussain.

Colours

Afterward, he met acclaimed director Mani Ratnam through a producer, Sharada Trilok in 1991. Mani Ratnam was highly impressed with Rahman’s work; as a result of which he got a breakthrough in the film “Roja” (1992).

Roja film

After his debut in “Roja,” he became a household name throughout India. Being successful at selling almost 200 million cassettes and 150 million recordings of his soundtracks, he was placed among the world’s all-time top-selling recording artists in 2004. Even after achieving a lot, he did not stop learning and further polished his musical skills by getting trained in classical Hindustani, Carnatic, Qawwali and Western classical music under the guidance of different masters such as Dakshinamurthy, N. Gopalakrishnan, Krishnan Nair, Nithyanandham, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Jacob John. To celebrate 50 years of Indian independence, he composed an album named “Vande Mataram” in collaboration with Sony Music in 1997. It was Sony’s first album with a South-Asian artist.

Vande Mataram Cover

Branching out from Tamil to Hindi and then to English movies, his music became a global phenomenon. In 2007, he, along with Craig Armstrong, composed music for a biographical drama film, “Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” directed by Shekhar Kapur.

Elizabeth, music by A. R. Rahman and Craig Armstrong

In 2008, he composed the song “Jai Ho” for the movie “Slumdog Millionaire“ for which he won the Oscar.

Later, Rahman composed the music for the Netflix series called “Daughters of Destiny,” directed by Vanessa Roth.

A. R. Rahman as a Music Composer in Daughters of Destiny

Besides this, he is a global ambassador of the WHO’s “Stop TB Partnership” and promotes “Save the Child” in India as well. In addition, he is the first-ever brand ambassador of Sikkim.

A. R. Rahman in Sikkim

This Oscar-winning music composer is also the cultural ambassador of Seychelles for his contribution to the country’s art and culture development.

A. R. Rahman as the Cultural Ambassador for Seychelles.

In 2017, Rahman made his directorial debut with the Indian virtual reality film “Le Musk” starring Nora Arnezeder, Guy Burnet, Munirih Grace, and Mariam Zohrabyan.

Rahman with Le Musk team

Harmony With A. R. Rahman, a wonderfully-shot show that was aired on Amazon Prime Video in 2018, features musicians from four parts of India- Maharashtra, Kerala, Sikkim, and Manipur. The focus of this series is on exploring the depths and roots of India’s rich musical heritage.

Controversies

Music on Prophet Muhammad 

Rahman got involved in a controversy when he composed music for a biopic on Prophet Muhammad called “Muhammad: The Messenger of God.”

Demand notice for service tax evasion

In October 2019, A.R. Rahman, along with music composers C.R. Santhosh Narayanan and G.V. Prakash Kumar, received a demand notice from the tax authorities after it was found that they didn’t remit service tax in full by suppressing various receipts between 2013 and 2017. In 2020, Mr. Rahman moved to the Madras High Court and filed a writ petition, challenging the demand notice issued against him. Mr. Rahman claimed in his affidavit that the Commissioner of GST and Central Excise had demanded Rs. 13.58 crore based on an incorrect presumption after initiating proceedings against him because they assumed the producers of the movies would be considered owners of the copyright to his musical works. Mr. Rahman pleaded that the permanent transfer of copyright could not be termed as a service liable for tax. As part of a counter affidavit, the GST commissioner stated that Mr. Rahman separated his work artificially and paid service tax only on 10% to 15% of his overall compensation. Besides not transferring absolute copyright to the producers, Rahman retained certain rights, including the right to perform his work in public and the right to receive publishing royalties from all over the world, except India and Pakistan, according to the commissioner. The commissioner said,

Any legally enforceable right retained by the petitioner disqualifies such assignment as absolute transfer… It is not an absolute transfer but a mere temporary transfer.”

On 2 February 2023, the Madras High Court dismissed Rahman’s writ petition. ^[1]The Hindu

Allegation of Dating Mohini Dey

In November 2024, news began circulating that he had started dating his bassist, Mohini Dey, shortly after announcing his divorce from his wife. The rumours increased further after Mohini also revealed her separation from her husband soon after Rahman’s announcement. However, the rumours were put to rest by Mohini who called the claims untruthful and referred to Rahman as his ‘father.” ^[2]India Today

Awards

National Film Awards

• Best Music Director for the movie “Roja” in 1992

• Best Music Director for the movie “Minsara Kanavuin” in 1996

• Best Music Director for the movie “Lagaan” in 2001

• Best Music Director for the movie “Kannathil Muthamittal” in 2002

• Best Music Director for the movie “Kaatru Veliyidai” in 2017

• Best Music Director for the movie “Mom” in 2017

• Best Film Director (Background Score) for the Tamil film Ponniyin Selvan: I in 2024

Academy Awards

• Best Original Score and Best Original Song for the song “Jai Ho” from the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” in 2009

BAFTA 

• Best Film Music for the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” in 2009

Grammy 

• Best Compilation Soundtrack Album and Best Song Written for the song “Jai Ho” of the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” in 2009

Honours

• Kalaimamani by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 1995

• Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2000

• Awadh Samman by the Government of Uttar Pradesh in 2001

• National Lata Mangeshkar Award by the Government of Madhya Pradesh in 2004

• Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2010

Favourites

• Raaga: Sindhu Bhairavi

• Food: Palak Paneer, Rasam-Rice

• Musicians: Ilayaraja, Michael Jackson

• Destinations: Chennai, Mumbai, London

• Singer: Mohammed Rafi

Property/Assets

Rahman owns a bungalow in Kodambakkam, Chennai.

A. R. Rahman’s house

Salary

A. R. Rahman gets around Rs. 5-8 crore per film.

Net Worth

A. R. Rahman has a net worth of Rs. 163 crores.

Signature

A. R. Rahman’s signature

Facts

• Rahman likes playing the Keyboard in his leisure time.

• He is the founder of KM College of Music and Technology in Chennai which was inaugurated by Mukesh Ambani in the year 2008.
  

  A. R. Rahman KM College of Music and Technology inaugurated by Mukesh Ambani

• In 2012, Barack Obama, the then President of the United States at the White House, sent him a Christmas card and invited him to dinner as well.

• Rahman and his son, Ameen’s birthday falls on the same date, 6 January.

• In an interview, he revealed that he contemplated suicide on a daily basis until age 25 and hated his original name- Dileep Kumar.

• A street in Markham, Ontario, Canada is named after him as a tribute to him.
  

  A. R. Rahman street in Canada

• He composes music at night as compared to other musicians and avoids picking up calls from anyone. In an interview “The Nightingale of India,” Lata Mangeshkar said that he made an exception by working during the daytime while working with her, which is unusual.

• He started a social media platform called “Qyuki” along with filmmaker Shekhar Kapoor. Through this social networking media platform, story writers can exchange their thoughts.
  

  A. R. Rahman and Shekhar Kapoor founder of Qyuki

• On 20 January 2017, he accompanied members of the Nadigar Sangam and went on a one-day fast to encourage the people of Tamil Nadu protesting against the ban on Jallikattu, a bull-taming event.
  

  A. R. Rahman tweet for Jallikattu

• In 2005, the soundtrack of the film “Roja” was listed among TIME’s “10 Best Soundtracks” of all time.

• Not many people know that “Yodha” (1992), a Malayalam film was actually the first film for which he was hired to compose music.

• He prefers composing music for the romantic genre over others.

• The Oscar-winning song “Jai Ho” was composed for the Bollywood film “Yuvvraaj” (2008) in the first place, but finally became a part of “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008).

• A 90-minute long documentary called “Jai Ho,” directed by Umesh Aggarwal, based on the life of the music maestro A. R. Rahman was made for his fans. It was the first time he found his way into the White House for the movie screening.
  

  Jai Ho documentary on A. R. Rahman

• He has over 120 movie scores to his name.

• The “A R Rahman Store” on his official website, is presently selling 7 items and planning to further extend the list to include pre-sale tickets and DVDs.

• His mother noticed Saira Banu, A. R. Rahman’s wife, at the same temple where she used to visit frequently. She liked her and arranged a meeting with Rahman.

• He practices at a place near Mahabalipuram which helps him connect with music. At that moment, he says that he feels like delivering a prayer to God.

• He is really fond of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

• Shoes are banned from his recording studio because he worships music.

•  A. R. Ameen, A. R. Rahman’s son sang a song called “NaNa” with other singers in the Hollywood film, “Couples Retreat” at the age of 6. The music for this song was composed by A. R. Rahman.
  

  Couples Retreat Cover

• In 2009, Rahman was awarded the doctorate in Media Sciences by Anna University.

• A. R. Rahman received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music for his extraordinary contribution to the arts, on 24 October 2014.

•  The Limca Book of Records honoured A. R. Rahman in the “People Of The Year” category for their 2007 edition.
  

  Limca Book of Records honouring A.R. Rahman

• A. R. Rahman worked with will.i.am, the renowned Hollywood Rapper to remake one of his classic songs, “Urvashi.” He wrote about it on Twitter “Excited to creatively partner with iamwill to recreate an early popular track of mine in a new flavor.”

• He established his studio named “The Panchathan Record Inn & AM Studios” on his street at Kodambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu in 1989.
  

  A. R.Rahman in his recording studio

• On 10 September 2023, A. R. Rahman performed at a concert that was held at Adityaram Palace City in Chennai; however, reports of mismanagement and chaos during the concert surfaced later. Some attendees complained of traffic congestion near the venue and expressed dissatisfaction with the VIP tickets that they had purchased for Rs. 50,000 and still did not get special arrangements. On social media, several women claimed to have experienced harassment in the crowd, although police officials later stated that no official complaints were made. In response to the situation, Rahman addressed the matter in an interview. He emphasized on the need for world-class infrastructure, increased tourism, and improved crowd and traffic management in Chennai. Rahman also mentioned the importance of audience compliance with rules. Furthermore, Rahman revealed that there were 46,000 chairs available at the venue, but some sections had everyone seated on one side which led the on-duty police to assume the venue was full and they closed it. Rahman also took to social media (formerly Twitter) and promised to refund money to those who were unable to attend the concert.
  

  A. R. Rahman’s post on

• A. R. Rahman once had an argument with the playback singer Suresh Wadkar, primarily due to different working styles. Wadkar once discussed the issue in an interview and disclosed that he sang around two songs for Rahman after which there was no further communication or collaboration between them. ^[3]The Indian Express

• During an interview in May 2024, Rahman talked about the financial issues he faced while setting up his music studio. He said that his mother gave him the first equipment for his music studio after selling her jewellery. In the same interview, he revealed that he didn’t went to college, and he enjoyed the company of people in their 40s and 50s.

Rupali

Havildar Ishar Singh remains an iconic personality for his absolute bravery during the “Battle of Saragarhi,” and for being a true leader who would strive just for the comfort and safety of his own troop.

Wiki/Biography

Havildar Ishar Singh was born into an agricultural family in Jagraon tehsil, Ludhiana district, Punjab. He was married to Gurinderpal Singh Josan.

Career

Ishar Singh dreamt about becoming a soldier and got a chance to fulfill his dream by joining the Punjab Frontier Force at the age of 18 years. For the most part of his life, he remained on the battlefield under regimental number 165. Soon after the establishment of 36th Sikhs Regiment in 1887, he was enlisted in it.

The 36th Sikhs Regiment Soldiers in 1896

In August 1897, the 36th Sikhs Regiment led by Lt. Col. John Haughton was divided into 5 groups and were sent to the North West Frontier Province. The groups of soldiers were posted at Samana Hills, Kurag, Sangar, Sahtop Dhar, and Saragarhi. A group of 21 soldiers of the 36th Regiment, led by Ishar Singh, was posted at Saragarhi. A small village in the border district of Kohat, Saragahi, was a modest location as it connected Fort Lockhart and Fort Gulistan. Being the common link of communication between all the three posts, it was a target of the Afghans and Orakzai tribesmen.

Saragarhi On Map

On 12 September 1897, a signalman of the regiment, Gurmukh Singh, warned Lieutenant Colonel John Haughton about the Afghans (more than 10,000) moving towards the Fort Lockhart. Haughton was unable to do anything in that situation and could not send any additional forces.

The 36th Sikhs Regiment Soldiers

At this point, the leader Ishar Singh and his men decided not to retreat and decided to fight “Battle of Saragarhi” to death. During this battle, around 200 Afghans were killed by these 21 soldiers who fought with great zeal and enthusiasm.

Battle Of Saragarhi

The grievously injured soldiers fought for 8 long hours without any break. When they were out of bullets and shells, they engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Their sacrifice did not go in vain as eventually, the enemies were defeated.

Havildar Ishar Singh With His Troops

The Ruins Of Saragarhi

Awards

• Indian Order of Merit Class III

Death

On 12 September 1897, Ishar Singh martyred after fighting the “Battle of Saragarhi” at Tirah, North-West Frontier Province, British India(now Pakistan).

Facts

• British historian Major General James Lunt said that Ishar Singh was a somewhat turbulent character whose independent nature had brought him more than once into conflict with his military superiors. Thus, Ishar Singh —in camp, a nuisance, in the field magnificent.

• In order to honor the 21 Sikh soldiers of the 36th Sikh Regiment, two Saragarhi Memorial Gurudwaras were made in Ferozepur and Amritsar.

Saragarhi Memorial Gurudwara Amritsar (left) and Saragarhi Memorial Gurudwara Ferozepur (right)

• As a tribute to the 21 brave Sikh soldiers, 12 September is celebrated as the “Saragarhi Day.”

• After his martyrdom, none of his family members joined the army.

• Numerous biopics have been made on Havildar Ishar Singh but ‘Kesari’ (2019), where Akshay Kumar portrayed his role has been the most famous film and has been able to grab the attention of the masses to the real heroes.

Akshay Kumar in Kesari

• He is often confused with Captain Isher Singh, a soldier in the British Indian Army.

• After Havildar Ishar Singh’s death, his brother killed his wife and got imprisoned at Kala Pani (Andaman and Nicobar).

Rupali

The young Indian sensation Shubman Gill from Punjab is a right-handed batsman, who has been making waves in the domestic and India A circuit. His nickname is Shubhi and is known for his compact technique and aggressive stroke play.

Wiki/Biography

Shubman was born on 8 September 1999 (age 25 years; as of 2024) in Fazilka, Punjab, India. He was educated at Manav Mangal Smart School, Mohali, Punjab. Shubman is playing cricket since his childhood and has idolized Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and VVS Laxman. His family relocated from Fazilka to Mohali, where they lived in a rented house located near the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, so that Shubman could play and brush up his skills related to cricket.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 10”

Weight (approx.): 65 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Dark Brown

Body Measurements (approx.): Chest 38″, Waist 30″, Biceps 12″

Family & Caste

Shubman was born in a Sikh Family. His father, Lakhwinder Singh Gill, an agriculturist and, his mother is Keart Gill.

Shubman Gill with his father Lakhwinder Singh Gill

He has an elder sister, Shahneel Kaur Gill.

Shubman Gill with his sister

Relationships/Affairs

Reportedly, Shubman Gill was in a rumoured relationship with Sachin Tendulkar‘s daughter, Sara Tendulkar.

In August 2022, he was spotted with Bollywood actress Sara Ali Khan having dinner at a restaurant. ^[1]The Indian Express

Shubman Gill having dinner with Sara Ali Khan at a restaurant

In September 2024, rumours began to circulate that he was in a relationship with the actress Avneet Kaur.

Career

Shubhman was chosen to play in the Under-16 Punjab cricket team, at the age of 11, at district-level. Next, he made List A debut against Vidarbha cricket team in Delhi (2017). Afterward, in the same year, he got selected to play in India’s Under-19 cricket team. When he played his first match against England in the Youth ODI series, he made a score of total 351 runs that turned his life upside down and also got him the Man of the Series title. He was selected as the vice-captain for the Under-19 Cricket World Cup (2018). In 2018, he became part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) who hired him for Rs 1.8 crore in the IPL auction. On 31 January 2019, he made his ODI debut against New Zealand at Hamilton. On 26 December 2020, he made his Test debut against Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground. On 3 January 2023, he made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka at Wankhede Stadium. In August 2024, the BCCI selected Shubman Gill along with Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, and Kuldeep Yadav to play in the Duleep Trophy ahead of the test series with Bangladesh. He was chosen to head the Indian Test team by the BCCI in May 2025 as its captain.

Records and Achievements

• He made a record after scoring maximum runs (330) in five games, in his debut series.

• He had a score of more than 200 runs when he played Under-16 Punjab state-level match (2014) for his first Vijay Merchant Trophy.

• His score count was 351 when he played in the Inter-District Under-16 Punjab cricket tournament ML Markan Trophy.

• He is known for the world record opening partnership of 587 runs along with Nirmal Singh at the district level.

• He is the 4th youngest cricketer of Punjab to score a first-class century in Ranji Trophy (2017).

• He bagged the M.A.Chidambaram Trophy from the BCCI for the best under-16 cricketer for a successful season (2013-2014).
  

  Shubman Gill received M.A. Chidambaram Trophy

• During the Tata IPL 2023, Shubman Gill, representing the Gujarat Titans, claimed the prestigious Orange Cap by scoring an impressive total of 890 runs in 17 matches throughout the season. This accomplishment placed him in the elite company of just three batsmen who have surpassed the 800-run mark in a single IPL season. Moreover, Gill achieved the second-highest run aggregate in a single edition of the tournament, with only Virat Kohli’s 973 runs in 2016 surpassing his feat. ^[2]Sportstar In recognition of his outstanding performance, Gill was honored with the titles of ‘Gamechanger’ and ‘Most Valuable Player’ in the 2023 IPL season. ^[3]Money Control

• In October 2023, Shubman was announced as the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for September 2023. He became the first Indian player to win the ICC award more than once. ^[4]India Today

Controversy

Accused of Investing in a Ponzi Scheme

He hit the headlines in January 2025 when it was claimed through a report that the Gujarat Police CID would question him regarding his involvement in investing approximately Rs. 2 crore in a fake chit fund scheme amounting to approximately Rs. 450 crore.

Facts

• He likes swimming in his leisure time.

• He admires Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.

• His father also had a desire to become a cricketer but did not get a chance to do so.

• He is a loyal supporter of a Spanish football club, FC Barcelona.

• While batting, he keeps a red handkerchief on his waist area.
  

  Shubman Gill’s red handkerchief

• In May 2023, it was reported that Shubman Gill had dubbed for the character of Pavitr Prabhakar (the Indian Spider-Man) in the Hollywood film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse; he dubbed his voice in Hindi and Punjabi for the film.

CRICKETER SHUBMAN GILL IS VOICE OF ‘SPIDER-MAN’ IN INDIA… #Indian cricketer #ShubmanGill has lent his voice for #SpiderMan [will be called Pavitr Prabhakar in #India]… Yes, the young cricketer has dubbed for the #Hindi and #Punjabi versions of #SpiderManAcrossTheSpiderVerse.… pic.twitter.com/sa6UNLrPpx

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) May 8, 2023

• In June 2023, during the promotion of ‘Spiderman,’ Gill had a “romantic” outing with social media influencer Niharika NM.

• In November 2023, Shubman Gill replaced Pakistan’s Babar Azam as the number 1 batter in the ICC’s Men’s Batting Rankings in ODI. ^[5]The Economic Times

Rupali

Rishabh Rajendra Pant is an Indian left-hand batsman and wicket-keeper. He is often described as the new Mahendra Singh Dhoni due to his good wicket-keeping and aggressive batting style.

Wiki/Biography

Rishabh was born on 4 October 1997 (age 27 years; as of 2024) in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India. However, he traces his roots back to Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India. He was educated at The Indian Public School, Dehradun. He went to Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi University, New Delhi. Rishabh has always had a desire to be a cricketer and admired Australian wicket-keeper Batsman, Adam Gilchrist. He relocated from Roorkee to Delhi, when he was just 12, to get expert coaching in cricket.

Rishabh Pant in younger days

When he joined the Sonnet Club, he got a piece of advice from his childhood coach Tarak Sinha to shift to Rajasthan to grab greater opportunities and exposure in cricket.

Rishabh Pant with his coach Tarak Sinha

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 7”

Weight (approx.): 65 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Body Measurements (approx.): Chest 40″, Waist 30″, Biceps 14″

Not bad!#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/QuyrfFcfpD

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 4, 2019

Family & Caste 

Rishabh belongs to a Kumauni Brahmin Family.

Parents & Siblings

His father’s name is Rajendra Pant, and his mother’s name is Saroj Pant. Rajendra passed away due to cardiac arrest in April 2017. Rishabh has an elder sister, Sakshi Pant.

Rishabh Pant with his family

Wife

Rishabh is unmarried.

Relationships/Affairs

Urvashi Rautela 

Rishabh Pant and actor Urvashi Rautela reportedly dated briefly in 2018, and they ended their relationship on a bad note. While Urvashi did not comment on the rumours, Rishabh denied the claims. They were once engaged in a cryptic social media feud which lasted for a long period. ^[1]The Indian Express

Urvashi Rautela

Isha Negi

He is going out with Isha Negi, an entrepreneur and interior decor designer by profession.

Rishabh Pant With Isha Negi

Career

Rishabh represented Rajasthan at U-14 and U-16 level. When he was playing for the Rajasthan team, he had to face discrimination and was treated as an outsider and finally thrown out of the academy. After going through all the ill-treatment and in order to save his career in cricket, he fled from Rajasthan to Delhi. He started playing for Delhi at multiple age-level matches and made his debut for team Delhi in 2015. When he began performing for the India-A team, its coach was Rahul Dravid. Dravid helped Rishabh in refining his batting skills by spending more time in practicing with him.

Rishabh Pant With Rahul Dravid

In 2016, he started playing for Delhi Daredevils who hired him for Rs. 1.9 crore from a base price of Rs. 10 lakhs. His performance in the U19 World Cup (2016) has been a turning point in his life. He marked his International test debut against England at Nottingham on 18 August 2018, his International ODI debut against West Indies at Guwahati on 21 October 2018, and his International T20 debut against England at Bengaluru on 1 February 2017. In November 2024, IPL franchise Lucknow Supergiants purchased him for Rs. 27 crore in the IPL Auction for the 2025 season. He was chosen as the vice-captain of the Indian Test team by the BCCI in May 2025.

Records & Achievements

• He is the 2nd Indian to score the highest runs (267) in the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh (2016).

• He made the fastest century (of 18 balls) in the Under-19 World Cup (2016).

• He is the 3rd youngest Indian and the 4th overall player to have scored a triple century in first-class cricket by making 308 runs against Maharashtra in Ranji Trophy (2016–17).

• He holds a record of scoring the quickest century (in 48 balls) in the Ranji Trophy, against Jharkhand (2016).

• He is the first Indian and the 6th overall player to take 7 catches on Test debut as a wicket-keeper (2018).

• The first Indian batsman and the 12th overall player to score a six as the first shot on Test debut (2018).

• The first ever Indian wicket-keeper to hit a century in England.

• He is the first Indian wicketkeeper to score a century in the fourth innings of a Test (2018).
  

  Rishabh Pant The first wicketkeeper batsman to score a century in the fourth innings

• He met the world record for most catches taken in a Test by taking the 11th catch in the form of Mitchell Starc (10 December 2018) on the last day of the first test match between India and Australia.

• Pant equaled the record which is met by England’s Jack Russell and South Africa’s A.B De Villiers.

• Rishabh bagged the Emerging Player of IPL 11 award in 2018.

Rishabh Pant, the Emerging Player of the Season IPL 11

• On 28 March 2024, he appeared in the 100th IPL match for Delhi Capitals, becoming the first DC player to do so.

• On 21 September 2024, Pant made a record for equalling the most number of centuries of Dhoni in the test format in a match against Bangladesh.

• On 23 June 2025, he set a record by becoming the first Indian cricketer to score centuries in both innings against England. He scored 134 runs and 100 runs in the innings, respectively.

Car Collection

Rishabh is fond of cars and has a Mercedes-Benz GLC.

Rishabh Pant’s Mercedes Benz GLC

Salary

His IPL fee is Rs. 27 crore (as of 2025).

Signature

Rishabh Pant’s Signature

Favourites

• Cricketers: MS Dhoni, Adam Gilchrist

• Cricket Ground: Lord’s in London

• Actors: Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan

• Actress: Shraddha Kapoor

• Film: Baghban

• Song: Helplessly

• Football Club: Manchester United FC

• Book: Panchatantra by Vishnu Sharma

• Destination: Australia

• Shot: Pull Shot

• Hobbies: Listening to Music, Swimming

Facts

• In 2017, his father expired because of a cardiac arrest. Two days after his father’s cremation, he played for Delhi Daredevils in an IPL match and showed commendable spirit by scoring 57 runs.

• He is a big prankster as well as an emotional person.

• He holds an unusual record of failing to score a run after facing 29 balls. It is the joint-longest duck for India in Test series against England in 2018.

• He is an excellent gymnast.

• As told by his coach, Tarak Sinha, it was Ashish Nehra who was the first to find out his talent to represent India almost a decade before he actually did it.

• On 20 December 2021, he was announced to be the state brand ambassador of Uttarakhand by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

Thank you @pushkardhami sir for giving me the opportunity to be the Brand Ambassador of promoting Sports and General Health among the people of Uttarakhand. I’ll do my best to spread this message and feeling happy that you are taking these steps towards a fitter India. https://t.co/xv17rs5bV0

— Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) December 19, 2021

• On 30 December 2022, at around 5:30 am, he was driving through the Delhi-Haridwar highway in his Mercedes GLE car, and his car hit the divider on the highway. His car turned a few times, and the car went on fire. According to Kishor Singh, the superintendent of police, Haridwar (rural),
  

  Hearing a loud sound of the accident, nearby villagers along with the local cops, rushed to the spot and pulled him out of the car. He was then rushed to a nearby hospitaln Dehradun.”

  

  Rishabh Pant’s car which he was driving at the time of his accident

• In July 2023, he joined Sun Pharma’s initiative to thank doctors who treated him after he suffered serious injuries in a road accident on 30 December 2022. Rishabh Pant mentioned his second birthday to be 5 January 2023 on his Instagram bio as a token of thanks to those doctors.
  

  Rishabh Pant’s Instagram bio about his second date of birth

Rupali

Karan Boolani is an Indian filmmaker and producer.

Wiki/Biography

Karan was born on 5 October. His hometown is South Bombay, India. He worked as an assistant director for Rhea Kapoor‘s movie, “Aisha.” Afterward, he got authorization to assist Karan Johar in his film “Wake Up Sid.” In 2013, he was one of the directors of the series “24” which also featured Anil Kapoor. Besides directing some ads, he has also directed a short film, “The Audition.” In 2018, he declared his debut film as a director starring Sonam Kapoor. This movie will be co-produced by Anil Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor. Karan Boolani collaborated with Anil Kapoor and worked as one of the executive producers of the Netflix series “Selection Day.”

Physical Appearance

Height: 5′ 10”

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Family, Caste & Girlfriend

Karan was born in a Sindhi Family. His father, Vijay Boolani, is a businessman and his mother is Binu Boolani.

Karan Boolani sharing a good time with his Mother

Karan Boolani’s parents

He has a younger sister, Karishma Boolani.

Karan Boolani’s Sister

Karan has been dating Rhea Kapoor, Bollywood producer and assistant director, for the last 11 years.

Karan Boolani With Rhea Kapoor

Facts

• Karan has good bonding with the renowned actor Anil Kapoor. He respects him as his teacher and is inspired by him.
  

  Karan sharing light moments With Anil Kapoor

•  He has a good friendship with Rhea’s cousin Arjun Kapoor, sister Sonam Kapoor and Sonam‘s husband Anand Ahuja.
  

  Karan Boolani Captured With Rhea Kapoor Sona Kapoor and Anand Ahuja

  

  Karan Boolani partying with Arjun Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor

• He likes to play with his pet dog, do photography, and read books in his leisure time.
  

  Karan Boolani’s Pet Dog

• He is a non-vegetarian.

Rupali

Mohit Raina is an Indian actor and model. He became a well-known face after playing the role of Lord Shiva in the serial “Devon Ke Dev… Mahadev” which aired on Life OK.

Wiki/Biography

Mohit was born on 14 August 1982 (age 41 years; as of 2023) in Jammu, India. However, he traces his roots back to Kashmir, India. According to him, he spent his childhood in Kashmir; however, his family decided to move out of Kashmir when he was 9 years old. ^[1]The Indian Express He was educated at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Jammu. He is a B.Com graduate from Jammu University, Jammu. Initially, he was around 107 kg, and only to pursue a career in modeling, he lost 29 kg. He participated in the Grasim Mister India 2005 and was grouped among the top 5 contenders.

Physical Appearance

Height: 5′ 11”

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Brown

View this post on Instagram

Hey you You can't ever please everyone that pleases you You don't have to put on a face and keep it all day through Oh, you #Tuesday

A post shared by Mohit Raina (@merainna) on Apr 9, 2018 at 5:28pm PDT

Family & Caste

Mohit was born in a family of Kashmiri Pandits.

Parents & Siblings

His father’s name is the Late P.L. Raina, and his mother’s name is Sushma Kumara.

Mohit Raina’s mother

Wife & Children

On 1 January 2022, he took to social media to share photos of his marriage with his longtime girlfriend Aditi.

Mohit Raina’s wedding photo

On 17 March 2023, the couple welcomed their first child, a baby girl. ^[2]Hindustan Times

Relationships/Affairs

He dated the actress Mouni Roy for quite some time.

Mohit Raina with Mouni Roy

Career

Mohit started his acting career with the TV serial called “Antariksh – Ek Amar Katha ” in 2004. He made his Bollywood debut with “Don Muthu Swami.” Afterward, he played different roles in numerous serials like “Chehra,” “Bandini,” and “Ganga Ki Dheej.” Next, he was seen playing the lead role in the very popular TV serial “Devon Ke Dev… Mahadev.”

Mohit Raina as Mahadev

Later, he was cast in the lead role as King Ashoka in Colors TV’s serial “Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat.” 

Mohit Raina as Ashoka

Mohit was also seen in 2019 movie “Uri: The Surgical Strike” in which he played the role of Major Karan Kashyap.

View this post on Instagram

URI 11.01.2019

A post shared by Mohit Raina (@merainna) on Jan 8, 2019 at 2:46am PST

Favourites

• Food: Rajma-chawal, Gajar ka halwa, Kashmiri pulao and samosa

• Actors: Amitabh Bachchan, Denzel Washington, Sylvester Stallone, and Shah Rukh Khan

• Actresses: Madhuri Dixit, Alia Bhatt

• Films: Sholay, Taare Zameen Par, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, and Ferrari Ki Sawari

• Book: The Success Principles by Jack Canfield

• Destinations: Greece and Switzerland

• Hobbies: Meditation, Playing Snooker, Reading, Gymming

Salary

Mohit gets paid around ₹1 lakh a day.

Facts

• In an interview, Mohit shared his childhood memories of growing up in Kashmir during a period of conflict. He recounted the experience of witnessing his school on fire. He further described an incident when he, as an 8-year-old, found himself on one side of the street with one of his parents while his sibling was on the opposite end and meanwhile, gunfire erupted in the middle. ^[3]The Indian Express In the interview, Mohit said,
  

  I remember everything- like watching my school burn. These are very personal things, I don’t think people can understand these things. Like, going to the school in the morning being unaware of how will you come back, witnessing firing. When you are an 8-year-old kid, standing in a street with one of your parents and your sibling on the opposite end and there is firing going on in the middle… You understand that you have seen a lot in life.”

• Mohit, in an interview, revealed that as a kid, he held a deep admiration for the uniforms worn by army officers. He saw the Army as a symbol of heroism and was quite fond of them. He further talked about his strong connection to the army in the interview and mentioned that he had grabbed every possible opportunity to portray an army officer in television serials or films due to his admiration for them. ^[4]The Indian Express Mohit Raina, in the interview, said,
  

  I saw the Army since my childhood–army men were always around–so I used to think very heroic of the uniform and of the Army. Because of that, my connection with the uniform is a lot, which is why I have played these parts a lot. So I never let go of that opportunity, whether big or small.”

• It took him 75 minutes to get ready for Lord Shiva’s getup in “Devon Ke Dev… Mahadev.”

• He worships Lord Shiva in his real life also.

• Priyanka Chopra’s family had once shown their interest in Mohit to be her husband.

•  He bagged the ITA Award for the Best Actor (Male) Jury in 2018.

Rupali

Ankita Karan Patel is an Indian TV actor and model who works in Hindi TV Series and Indian Films mostly. She became popular for her TV serial “Ekk Nayi Pehchaan” and, “Kesar.” Besides acting, she likes to paint as well.

Wiki/Biography

Ankita was born on 17 August 1984 (age 39; as of 2023) in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Ankita made her acting debut with the TV serial “Kesar” (2004). Next, she played the protagonist in her debut movie, “Hum Do Anjaane.”

Ankita Bhargava in Hum Do Anjaane

In 2016, she performed the character of Sonakshi Sinha‘s sister-in-law in the movie “Akira.”

Ankita Bhargava in Akira

Physical Appearance

Height: 5′ 5″

Weight: 58 Kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Dark Brown

Figure Measurements: 30-28-34

Family & Husband

She was born into a family of actors, Abhay Bhargava, and Kiran Bhargava.

Ankita Bhargava’s parents

On 3 May 2015, she tied the knot with the actor, Karan Patel. The couple has a daughter, Mehr, who was born on 14 December 2019.

Ankita Bhargava with her Husband Karan Patel

Signature

Ankita Bhargava’s signature

Favourite Things

• Food: Sprouts

• Destination: London

• Hobbies: Gymming, Cooking, Playing with her pet dogs

View this post on Instagram

For All My HATEers Who LOVE to follow me! May you all find your peace atleast somewhere in life! Try to find your soul somewhere you might just find it! Godbless ????

A post shared by Ankita Karan Patel (@ankzbhargava) on Nov 20, 2018 at 8:45pm PST

Rupali

Karan Patel is an Indian TV actor. He became a well-known face with his role of Raman Bhalla in the TV serial “Yeh Hai Mohabbatein.”

Wiki/Biography

Karan was born on 23 November 1983 (age 35; as in 2018) in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. However, he traces his roots back to Mumbai. He did his schooling from Utpal Sanghvi School, Juhu, Mumbai. He is a graduate from Mithibai College, Mumbai. Karan enrolled in the prestigious Kishore Namit Kapoor’s Acting School in Mumbai and London School of Arts in London to refine his acting skills.

Physical Appearance

Height: 5’ 7”

Weight: 68 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Body Measurements: Chest 43”, Waist 32”, Biceps 16”

View this post on Instagram

When in doubt, and you dont know how to pout …. jus pose yaar ….!

A post shared by Karan Patel (@karan9198) on Sep 17, 2018 at 5:57am PDT

Family, Caste & Wife

Karan hails from a Gujarati Family. His father is Rashesh Patel who is a businessman.

Karan Patel with his family

He dated actress Kamya Punjabi for some time.

Karan Patel with his Ex-girlfriend Kamya Punjabi

He was also seen dating Amita Chandekar, an actress.

Karan Patel with his Ex-girlfriend Amita Chandekar

On 3 May 2015, he got married to Ankita Bhargava. The couple has a daughter, Mehr, who was born on 14 December 2019.

Karan Patel with his wife, Ankita Bhargava

Career

Karan debuted in the TV industry with the serial “Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki” in 2010. He has performed small roles in many Balaji Telefilms’ serials. His career leaped with his role as Robbie Sabarwal in serial “Kasturi.” He made an appearance in the Bollywood movie, “City of Gold ” in 2010. In 2013, he became a popular face among people for his role in the TV serial “Yeh Hai Mohabbatein” which aired on Star Plus.

View this post on Instagram

Omg this promo ???????????????????????????????? #YehHaiMohobbatein #oldyhm . . @divyankatripathidahiya @ruhaanikad @karan9198

A post shared by Anushka. Mithari (@_ishra_memories) on Aug 24, 2018 at 5:12am PDT

He is a great host and has co-hosted the dance show “Nach Baliye” season 7 on Star Plus with Rithvik Dhanjani.

Controversies

• While he was playing a match for Kamya Punjabi’s cricket team “Jaipur Raj Joshilay”, he got annoyed with Ayushmann Khurrana‘s brother Aparshakti Khurrana.

• Actress Payal Rohatgi said that he allegedly tried to get intimate with her on a few events. She also mentioned
• on social media that “Karan is a rapist.”

Salary

Karan gets paid around 1.10 Lakh per episode.

Favourite Things

• Food: Kebabs and parathas

• Actors: Shah Rukh Khan, Ranveer Singh

• Actress: Madhuri Dixit

• Film: Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

• Destination: London

• Hobbies: Tracking, workout and horse riding

Facts

• Karan smokes and drinks occasionally.
  

  Karan Patel smoking

• Ankita Bhargava, his wife, is the daughter of his on-screen father-in-law in the TV serial “Yeh Hai Mohabbatein.”

• He is a trained dancer and learned dance at Shiamak Davar’s dance classes.

• In 2014, he got the Zee Gold Award for Best Actor for “Yeh Hai Mohabbatein.”

• He admires the superhero character, Batman.

• He is friends with the TV actress Drashti Dhami and actor Mohit Malik.

Rupali

Birender Singh Dhillon is a Punjabi actor, comedian, and model. His birth name is Varinder Singh Dhillon. He is famous among his fans as Binnu Dhillon. Binnu is popular for his comic acting in Punjabi movies.

Wiki/Biography

Binnu was born on 29 August 1975 (age 48; as of 2023) in Dhuri, Sangrur, Punjab, India. Binnu hails from a Jatt Sikh family. He did his schooling from Sarvhitkari Vidya Mandir Dhuri, Punjab, India. He went to Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, India to pursue Post-Graduation in Theatre and Television. He has been a Bhangra entertainer and also performed at the India Festival in Germany and UK.

Binnu Dhillon with his father

Binnu Dhillon with his mother

He is married to Gurjinder Kaur and the couple is blessed with a baby girl.

Binnu Dhillon with his daughter

Physical Appearance

Height: 5’ 11”

Weight: 70 kg

Hair Colour: Dark Brown

Eye Colour: Black

Body Measurements: Chest 40”, Waist 34”, Biceps 12”

Career

Binnu Dhillon kick-started his career as a TV actor and marked his debut with “Parchhawain” (1998). Subsequently, he appeared in many TV serials like “Sarhad,” “Lori,” “Gaoundi Dharti,” “Sirnaave,” “Man Jeetey Jag Jeet,” “Channo Chan Vargi,” and many more. He also directed a play called “Naughty Baba in Town” which was conducted in both the USA and Canada. He debuted in Punjabi films with “Sohrab da badla dragon.” In 2002, he marked his debut in Bollywood with “Shaheed -E- Azam.”

Binnu Dhillon rose to fame with his comic timing in films like “Carry On Jatta,” “Sirphire,” “Raula Pai Gaya,” “Lucky Di Unlucky Story,” and many more.

He co-starred with Sargun Mehta in his latest release “Kala Shah Kala” (2019).

View this post on Instagram

Ssa ji .. link in my bio of our new film kala shah kala .. go watch it ????????

A post shared by Binnu Dhillon (@binnudhillons) on Jan 25, 2019 at 11:07pm PST

Favourite Things

• Actor: Jaswinder Bhalla

• Singers: Amrinder Gill, Diljit Dosanjh

• Colours: Black, White

• Sports: Volleyball, Football

• Hobbies: Gymming, Running

Rupali

Ravi Dubey is an Indian actor and model. His nickname is Sunny. He shot to fame with the TV serial “Jamai Raja.”

Wiki/Biography

Ravi was born on 23 December 1983 (age 39 years; as of 2022) in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. However, his hometown is Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, India. He went to Delhi University, New Delhi but then dropped out and moved to Mumbai and enrolled in Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, Mumbai to pursue B. Tech. in Electronics and Telecommunication. After failing in his engineering exams, he was hugely disappointed in himself but luckily things got better with time. He has a strong belief in meditation and Buddhism due to which he is able to focus on happy aspects of life.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5’ 10”

Weight (approx.): 75 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Body Measurements (approx.): Chest 42”, Waist 32”, Biceps 14”

Physical Transformations

For an anonymous role

In July 2021, he shared a post on social media in which he described his one-month physical transformation and that too without any supplements or protein shakes; he lost 10 kgs of his body weight. Reportedly, he underwent this physical transformation for a role for which he had to appear lean.

Ravi Dubey’s physical transformation post

For Faraddayy (2023)

The actor shared a close-up image of his latest look for his upcoming film Faraddayy in March 2023. He was bare-chested, holding a cigar in his mouth; wrinkles and a paunch were visible on his face, and his hair was balding in the picture. ^[1]Hindustan Times On Instagram, he shared a collage of his physical transformation and wrote,

“There’s a little bit of him in all of us #Faradday.”

Ravi Dubey’s Instagram post about his physical transformation for the film Faraddayy

Family and Wife

Ravi was born in a Hindu family. His father is Gyan Prakash Dubey, a Civil Engineer, and his mother is Sudha Dubey.

Ravi Dubey’s Parents

He has a younger brother, Vaibhav Dubey, who works in Gurgaon.

Ravi Dubey’s Brother Vaibhav

Ravi proposed to his girlfriend, Sargun Mehta, on 5th February 2013 on the reality show “Nach Baliye 5” where they both were participants.

Ravi Dubey with his wife, Sargun Mehta

Afterwards, the couple tied the knot on 7 December 2013.

Career

Ravi started working as a part-time model while he was still in college. He debuted in the TV industry with “Stree… Teri Kahaani” (2006) which aired on DD National. Subsequently, he appeared in serials like “Doli Saja Ke” (2007), “Yahan Ke Hum Sikandar” (2007), “Saas Bina Sasural” (2010), and “Jamai Raja” (2014). He is also a great host and has hosted various TV shows. In 2023, Ravi played the role of a lawyer in the web series ‘Lakhan Leela Bhargava,’ which premiered on JioCinema. Ravi made the world’s longest monologue record with his 28-minute sequence in the series. ^[2]Mid-Day

Controversy

Ravi and his co-star, Nia Sharma, of serial “Jamai Raja,” had a fight because of some misunderstanding. They ended this cold war after sorting out the matter.

Salary 

Ravi gets paid around INR 70,000 per episode.

Favourite Things

• Actresses: Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Shweta Salve

• Food: Mutton Dish

• Colour: White, Black

• Songs: O Mere Dil Ke Chain, Mere Mehboob

• Tourist Destination: Goa

Facts

• His hobbies are writing and, playing with kids.

• He is a workaholic person.

• He likes solitude and is very unromantic.

• He used to have a crush on television actress, Shweta Salve.

Rupali