‘ಅವತಾರ್’ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ವಿಶ್ವದಲ್ಲೇ ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಜನಪ್ರಿಯ ಮತ್ತು ಅತಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಹಣ ಗಳಿಸಿದ ಸಿನಿಮಾಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದು. ಇದೀಗ ‘ಅವತಾರ್’ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಸರಣಿಯ ಮೂರನೇ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ‘ಅವತಾರ್: ಫೈರ್ ಆಂಡ್ ಆಶ್’ ನಾಳೆ (ಡಿಸೆಂಬರ್ 19) ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಆಗಲಿದೆ. ಪ್ರತಿ ಬಾರಿ ‘ಅವತಾರ್’ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಆಗುವ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾರಿ ಕ್ರೇಜ್ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಯಾಗುತ್ತಿತ್ತು. ಇದಕ್ಕೆ ಭಾರತ ಸಹ ಹೊರತಾಗಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಆದರೆ ಈ ಬಾರಿ ಯಾಕೋ ಕ್ರೇಜ್ ಅಷ್ಟಾಗಿ ಕಾಣುತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ. ಇದೀಗ ‘ಅವತಾರ್: ಫೈರ್ ಆಂಡ್ ಆಶ್’ ಸಿನಿಮಾದ ಅಡ್ವಾನ್ಸ್ ಬುಕಿಂಗ್​​ನಲ್ಲಿ ಇದು ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿ ಗೋಚರಿಸುತ್ತಿದೆ.

ಭಾರತದಲ್ಲಿ ‘ಅವತಾರ್: ಫೈರ್ ಆಂಡ್ ಆಶ್’ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ನಾಳೆ (ಡಿಸೆಂಬರ್ 19) ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಆಗಲಿದ್ದು, ಡಿಸೆಂಬರ್ 17ರ ವರೆಗೆ ಈ ಸಿನಿಮಾದ 2.25 ಲಕ್ಷಕ್ಕೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಟಿಕೆಟ್​​ಗಳು ಮುಂಗಡವಾಗಿ ಬುಕಿಂಗ್ ಆಗಿವೆ. ಕೇಳಲು ಇದು ದೊಡ್ಡ ಸಂಖ್ಯೆಯಂತೆ ಕಂಡರೂ ಸಹ ‘ಅವತಾರ್ 2’ ಸಿನಿಮಾಕ್ಕೆ ಆಗಿದ್ದ ಮುಂಗಡ ಬುಕಿಂಗ್ ಮುಂದೆ ಇದು ಕಡಿಮೆ. 2022 ರ ಡಿಸೆಂಬರ್ ತಿಂಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ‘ಅವತಾರ್ 2’ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಗೆ ಮುಂಚೆಯೇ 3.30 ಲಕ್ಷ ಟಿಕೆಟ್​​ಗಳನ್ನು ಮಾರಾಟ ಮಾಡಿತ್ತು. ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋಲಿಸಿದರೆ ‘ಅವತಾರ್ 3’ಗೆ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಮಟ್ಟದ ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯೆ ದೊರೆತಿಲ್ಲ.

ಇದನ್ನೂ ಓದಿ:‘ವಾರಣಾಸಿ’ ಸಿನಿಮಾದಲ್ಲಿ ಕನ್ನಡದ ಖ್ಯಾತ ಹೀರೋಗೆ ಅವಕಾಶ ಕೊಟ್ಟ ರಾಜಮೌಳಿ

ಕೋವಿಡ್ ಬಳಿಕ ಭಾರತದಲ್ಲಿ ಅತಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಕಲೆಕ್ಷನ್ ಮಾಡಿದ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಎಂದರೆ ಅದು ‘ಸ್ಪೈಡರ್​ಮ್ಯಾನ್: ನೋ ವೇ ಹೋಮ್’ ಈ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಗೆ ಮುಂಚೆ 5.50 ಲಕ್ಷ ಟಿಕೆಟ್​​ಗಳನ್ನು ಮುಂಗಡವಾಗಿ ಮಾರಾಟ ಮಾಡಿತ್ತು. ‘ಅವತಾರ್’ ಸಿನಿಮಾಕ್ಕೆ ಭಾರತದಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾರಿ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಸಂಖ್ಯೆಯ ಅಭಿಮಾನಿಗಳಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಆದರೆ ‘ಅವತಾರ್ 2’ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ನಿರೀಕ್ಷಿತ ಮಟ್ಟದಲ್ಲಿ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿರಲಿಲ್ಲವಾದ್ದರಿಂದ ಈಗ ‘ಅವತಾರ್ 3’ ಸಿನಿಮಾದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಭಾರತದ ಪ್ರೇಕ್ಷಕರು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಆಸಕ್ತಿ ತೋರುತ್ತಿದ್ದಂತಿಲ್ಲ.

‘ಟೈಟ್ಯಾನಿಕ್’, ‘ಟರ್ಮಿನೇಟರ್’, ‘ರ್ಯಾಂಬೊ’, ಇನ್ನೂ ಹಲವು ಬ್ಲಾಕ್ ಬಸ್ಟರ್ ಸಿನಿಮಾಗಳನ್ನು ನೀಡಿರುವ ಜೇಮ್ಸ್ ಕ್ಯಾಮರನ್, 2009 ರ ಬಳಿಕ ‘ಅವತಾರ್’ ಸಿನಿಮಾದ ಹೊರತಾಗಿ ಇನ್ಯಾವುದೇ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ನಿರ್ದೇಶಿಸಿಲ್ಲ. ತಮ್ಮ ಉಳಿದ ವೃತ್ತಿ ಜೀವನವನ್ನು ಅವರು ‘ಅವತಾರ್’ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಸರಣಿಯ ಮೇಲೆಯೇ ಕಳೆಯಲು ನಿರ್ಧರಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ‘ಅವತಾರ್ 3’ ಸಿನಿಮಾದ ಬಳಿಕ ಇದೇ ಸರಣಿಯ ಇನ್ನೂ ಎರಡು ಸಿನಿಮಾಗಳು ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಆಗಲಿವೆ. ‘ಅವತಾರ್ 4’ ಸಿನಿಮಾ 2029 ರಲ್ಲಿ ಹಾಗೂ ‘ಅವತಾರ್ 5’ ಸಿನಿಮಾ 2031ರಲ್ಲಿ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಆಗಲಿದೆ.

ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಸುದ್ದಿಗಳಿಗಾಗಿ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ

NEW DELHI: Indian athletes have claimed the top rank in dope violations once again. The country’s athletes notched up a record 260 involvements in dope-related activities in the year 2024, as revealed by the latest World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) report. According to the report published on Wada’s website late on Tuesday, it has listed India as the worst doping offender globally for the third consecutive time.The findings emerged on the backdrop of India’s preparations to host the centenary edition of the Commonwealth Games in 2030 and is aggressively pushing for a bid to host the 2036 Olympics. The Inter national Olympic Committee (IOC) had red-flagged concerns over rampant doping when an Indian delegation visited its headquarters in the Swiss city of Lausanne in July to assess the feasibility of hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Wada says, India accounted for 260 adverse analytical findings (AAFs), reflecting a positivity rate of 3.6 per cent — the highest among all countries that conducted 5,000 or more tests. The Delhi-headquartered National Anti-Doping Agency (Nada) conducted 7,113 tests last year, comprising 6,576 urine samples and 537 blood samples. Of these, 253 urine samples (196 in-competition and 57 out of-competition) returned positive for prohibited substances, while seven blood samples (four in-competition and three out-of-competition) failed the dope test. Nada insisted that the latest figures reflected the anti doping watchdog’s more aggressive testing approach, when a total of 213 cases returned dope positive from 5,606 samples collected in 2023.However, several leading sporting nations recorded far lower positivity rates despite more extensive testing. France tested 11,744 samples and recorded 91 anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs), a 0.8 per cent positivity rate. Russia accounted for 76 ADRVs from 10,514 samples, a 0.7 per cent rate, after leading the global doping charts until 2021. China had just 43 dope failures, with a minimal 0.2 percent positivity rate from 24,214 samples. The US anti-doping agency did a lesser number of tests than India, 6592 in total, and had a positivity rate of 1.1 per cent.

The report highlights how deep the menace runs in the Indian sporting culture and again emphasised on the need to have a robust scientific and research system in the country. The figures also highlighted that Indian coaches, doctors and physiotherapists – attached with teams of different disciplines – lack basic knowledge of the use of performance-enhancing supplements and medicines. “While this position may appear concerning at both national and international levels, it is essential to underscore that the figures are a direct outcome of India’s intensified anti-doping efforts, marked by expanded testing and stronger detection mechanisms rather than a surge in doping prevalence,” stated a statement from Nada as it explained the continued high rate of positivity.In 2025, Nada has said it has so far conducted 7068 tests with a positivity rate of 1.5 per cent after a relatively lower adverse results count of 110.To tackle the doping menace, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) recently formed a new anti-doping panel while the govt has passed a national anti-doping bill aiming to ensure the highest standards of integrity in sports.

Australia’s Nathan Lyon, left, celebrates with teammate Mitchell Starc after dismissing England’s Ben Duckett. (AP Photo)

Nathan Lyon etched his name deeper into cricket history on Thursday as the evergreen off-spinner surpassed Glenn McGrath on the all-time Test wickets list, delivering a decisive blow to England on the second day of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Lyon claimed his 564th Test wicket when he bowled Ben Duckett with a drifting off-break, moving clear of fellow Australian great McGrath and into outright sixth place among Test cricket’s leading wicket-takers. The milestone came in Lyon’s 141st Test and capped a sensational opening spell that underlined his enduring value to Australia at the age of 38.

Introduced in the 10th over with England cruising at 37 without loss, Lyon struck twice in four balls to turn the contest sharply Australia’s way. First, Ollie Pope pushed forward to a turning delivery and offered a sharp catch to Josh Inglis at midwicket. That dismissal brought Lyon level with McGrath’s career haul of 563 wickets. Moments later, Duckett misread the flight and line, and Lyon’s delivery clipped off stump to spark celebrations around Adelaide Oval — and playful mock outrage from McGrath, watching on from the commentary box.England slumped to 42 for three and reached lunch at 59 for three, suddenly under pressure in a must-win Test to keep the Ashes alive. Earlier, captain Pat Cummins had broken the opening stand by removing Zak Crawley, triggering the collapse that Lyon so emphatically accelerated.Only Shane Warne, with 708 wickets, now sits above Lyon on Australia’s all-time list. Ahead globally, Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Warne, and England’s Jimmy Anderson (704) remain the benchmark figures, while Stuart Broad (604) and Anil Kumble (619) are next in Lyon’s sights.Australia were earlier bowled out for 371 after resuming at 326 for eight, with Jofra Archer completing a five-wicket haul. Mitchell Starc struck a rapid 54 before becoming Archer’s fifth victim.Affectionately known as “Garry,” Lyon made his Test debut in 2011 and owns best figures of 8 for 50. Having stepped away from international white-ball cricket in 2019, he recently said he feels in some of the best form of his career — and Thursday’s spell was compelling proof that his remarkable journey is far from over.

India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav, right, at Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Cricket fans poured their frustration onto the cold, foggy night outside the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Wednesday after the fourth T20I between India and South Africa was abandoned without a single ball being bowled, leaving thousands disappointed and empty-handed.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Scheduled for a 7:30 PM IST start, the match never got going as dense fog — officially termed “excessive fog” but widely acknowledged as smog — enveloped the ground. After six inspections, the final one at 9:25 PM, umpires called off the contest, prompting a slow, silent exodus of fans who had waited for over two hours in the stands.

For many, the disappointment ran deeper than just a lost evening of cricket. “I sold three sacks of wheat and came here to watch the match,” one fan told ANI, his voice shaking with emotion. “I want my money back.” Another supporter said refunds were beside the point. “Tickets and reimbursement don’t matter. We wanted to see our Indian team play.”“I am heartbroken,” said another fan as visibility continued to worsen and the stadium lights faded into the haze.Under the BCCI‘s refund policy, spectators are eligible for reimbursement (minus fees) if a match is abandoned before a ball is bowled. Yet the mood among fans suggested compensation could not make up for the experience they had missed.WATCH: Fans’ reactions after the match was abandonedInside the stadium, the signs of concern were evident early. Players cut short their warm-up by 7:30 PM and returned to their dressing rooms. Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya was seen wearing a surgical mask, while the Air Quality Index reportedly hovered above 400 — a hazardous level — raising fresh questions about player safety.By 9 PM, even the most patient spectators began to leave as the cold intensified and the smog thickened. BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla briefly walked onto the field during one inspection, his body language reflecting the collective disappointment.The abandonment has reignited criticism of the BCCI’s scheduling during peak winter in north India, where pollution and poor visibility are recurring concerns. Fans questioned why the match wasn’t scheduled earlier in the day, a move that might have ensured play.With no reserve day, both teams now head to Ahmedabad for the fifth and final T20I on December 19, with India leading the series 2–1.

NEW DELHI: “Apne ghar walon ke saamne khelne ka maza kuch aur hi hoga [Playing in front of my family members will be a completely different feeling]” — India spinner Ravi Bishnoi is relishing the prospect of playing in front of his home crowd next IPL season. Bishnoi, who was part of the Lucknow Super Giants squad last season and was released ahead of the IPL 2026 Auction, was bought for Rs 7.2 crore at the IPL mini-auction in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Bishnoi appeared to be firmly on Rajasthan Royals’ radar from the outset. As soon as auctioneer Mallika Sagar announced his name with a base price of Rs 2 crore, the Royals opened the bidding straightaway.

Chennai Super Kings soon entered the fray, intensifying the contest. After CSK took the bid up to Rs 4.2 crore, Rajasthan Royals stayed aggressive in their pursuit of the leg-spinner. The bidding eventually concluded at Rs 7.2 crore, with Rajasthan Royals emerging successful in securing Bishnoi’s services.Bishnoi is all smiles and says it feels like a ‘ghar wapsi’ for him.“Excited to be back home. Ghar wapsi hai meri. I started as a net bowler from here and life has come a long way. I always dreamt of playing for my home franchise, and now that dream has come true. I am very excited for the new journey with Rajasthan Royals. My family is very happy. I am waiting for home support. I want to give them good memories this season with wickets and wins for my team,” Bishnoi told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.The 25-year-old has played for two IPL teams — Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings, and has featured in 77 games, bagging 72 wickets.

“Life has come a long way. I have played for two teams so far — Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants. KL Rahul bhai at Punjab Kings supported me a lot and gave me a lot of freedom. I was grateful to play under Rishabh Pant bhai at Lucknow Super Giants. The best part of playing under both — Pant and KL Rahul — was that they always gave me liberty and freedom on the field. I have learnt a lot from KL Rahul. He has an abundance of knowledge,” he said.“KL Rahul bhai and Rishabh Pant bhai always said, ‘Jo karna hai kar, apni field laga. I trust you.’ The best thing was that they both were keepers, and a lot of guidance and tips came from behind the wickets whenever I was bowling. Pant bhai also emphasised fielding,” the spinner added.Bishnoi was retained by Lucknow Super Giants ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction for Rs 11 crore, but after managing just nine wickets in 11 matches at an economy rate of 10.83, he was released by LSG following a four-year stint with the franchise.

“The price tag is nothing in front of playing in front of your home crowd. I am thankful to Rajasthan Royals and really excited to play this season for them,” Bishnoi said.Now, Bishnoi will be sharing the ball with another Ravi — experienced spinner Ravindra Jadeja.“I am really excited for that deadly combo. I am eager to share the ball with him from the other end. He has got a lot of experience. He has played for this team in the past. His experience will matter a lot in IPL 2026,” he said.“Googly is my main weapon. But with age, I have worked on my variations. Finger movement has helped me a lot. There is a lot of competition, so you need to keep improving. I spend a lot of time in the nets and keep bowling the same delivery until I get the desired results. If you want to play for long, whether for a franchise or India, you need to practise again and again. You need to grind really hard to stay in contention. You need to keep improving day by day and bring something new in terms of bowling and deliveries. You need to develop your game sense. The harder you grind, the better you become,” Bishnoi said.“All I want is to hear cheers from my home fans. I am really eager to go out in the middle and play in front of my home crowd,” the spinner signed off.

Glenn McGrath (Video grabs)

Nathan Lyon‘s place in Ashes folklore was sealed not just by the wickets he claimed on Thursday, but by the priceless reaction he triggered off the field. As the off-spinner surpassed Glenn McGrath on Australia’s all-time Test wicket list, television cameras cut to the former fast-bowling great in the commentary box — pretending to hurl a chair in mock frustration. Within minutes, the clip was everywhere.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Lyon struck twice in his very first over on Day 2 of the third Ashes Test, turning the match sharply Australia’s way and etching his name above McGrath in the record books. England, who had reached 37 without loss, suddenly slid to 42 for three as Lyon removed Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett in a devastating burst.

The milestone moment came when Pope played forward to a ball that turned just enough, edging a sharp catch to a diving Josh Inglis at midwicket. That wicket took Lyon level with McGrath’s 563 Test scalps. Four balls later, the off-spinner went one better, luring Duckett into misjudging a drifting delivery that crashed into off stump.As the crowd roared, broadcasters showed McGrath’s tongue-in-cheek response — theatrically pretending to throw a chair before breaking into a grin — a gesture that perfectly captured the good-natured passing of the baton.WATCH: McGrath’s reaction to Lyon’s achievementOnly Shane Warne, with 708 wickets, now sits above Lyon on Australia’s all-time list. The achievement marked a triumphant return for the 38-year-old, who was left out of the second Test in Brisbane but reminded everyone of his enduring value on a wearing Adelaide surface.Earlier, Australia were bowled out for 371 after resuming at 326 for eight, with Jofra Archer completing a five-wicket haul that included the prized scalp of Mitchell Starc for a well-made 54. Archer finished with figures of 5 for 53.

Hardik Pandya at Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: The fourth T20I between India and South Africa in Lucknow on Wednesday was abandoned without a single ball being bowled due to “excessive fog,” a scenario that triggered widespread outrage among fans and renewed discussions on air quality and scheduling. Images of India all-rounder Hardik Pandya wearing a mask while warming up amid the dense smog went viral, highlighting the severity of the conditions. Fans at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium demanded refunds from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as the match was finally called off at 9:25 pm after six separate inspections.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!While frustrating for spectators, such fog-induced abandonments are extremely rare in international cricket. The majority of matches are delayed or abandoned due to rain or wet outfields, making fog-caused cancellations an unusual occurrence.

Interestingly, the Lucknow T20I was not the first international match abandoned due to fog. In December 1998, the third Test between Pakistan and Zimbabwe at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad faced a similar fate. Scheduled from December 17 to 21, the match saw no play across all five days. Thick fog enveloped the city, drastically reducing visibility and making batting, bowling, and fielding impossible.The umpires for that match, Saleem Badar from Pakistan and Doug Cowie from New Zealand, were left in a procedural bind. Cowie explained in an interview with The Dawn that the decision to abandon the match rested with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Zimbabwe Cricket, while the umpires continued inspections daily to assess the ground.

In a desperate bid to start the game, organisers even transported a super sopper from Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium to Faisalabad to prepare the field quickly in case the fog lifted, but it never did. The match was ultimately abandoned without a ball being bowled, and Zimbabwe went on to win the three-match series 1-0 — their first-ever series victory.Both the Faisalabad Test and the Lucknow T20I underscore just how rare fog-induced abandonments are in cricket. While mist, fog, or low visibility may cause delays or interruptions, matches called off entirely due to fog remain anomalies in international cricket history.