The secret no more!
OB Bureau
Actors Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna tied the knot midweek in a private ceremony at a luxury hotel on the outskirts of Udaipur, framed by the scenic Aravalli hills. The wedding followed a three-day pre-wedding celebration and was attended by close family members and select guests.
While the couple has not issued a formal statement at the time of filing this report, the celebrations clearly reached their finale when a member of their team distributed sweets to media personnel waiting outside the venue; a quiet but telling signal that the ceremony had concluded.
Vijay, 36, and Rashmika, 29, arrived in Udaipur earlier this week, with festivities unfolding over two days before the big day. The duo, who have been dating for several years, recently confirmed their relationship publicly, sending fans into a frenzy.
Security was tight. Private security personnel and police were deployed at the venue, and drone usage was restricted to prevent unauthorised photos and videos. In the age of viral weddings, this one was guarded like a state secret. But social media rarely stays silent.
As snippets and updates trickled out, an old interview from the 2018 Geetha Govindam success meet resurfaced and quickly grabbed attention. During the event, anchor Suma had asked Vijay’s parents what kind of daughter-in-law they envisioned.
Vijay’s mother, Madhavi, gave a simple, heartfelt answer – she wanted a girl who would take good care of her son, love him unconditionally and understand his life in the film industry.
His father, Govardhan, was equally candid. He said he had no grand expectations – only that Vijay should marry the girl he loves. Caste and religion, he said, did not matter. He would simply be happy if Vijay married an Indian girl, especially someone from South India.
Vijay himself had made his stance clear then that he believes in love marriage, but his parents must love the girl too. From sharing screen space in Geetha Govindam and Dear Comrade to now sharing a life, the reel romance has turned real. Udaipur may have hosted the wedding. But for fans, this fairytale began years ago.
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HL: Ranya’s gold trouble deepens
Strap: ED alleges 127.287 kg gold worth Rs 102.55 crore smuggled into India between March 2024 & March 2025
The spotlight has shifted sharply from the silver screen to the courtroom for Kannada actress Harshavardini Ranya, alias Ranya Rao. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a charge sheet before a special PMLA court in Bangalore in connection with a major gold smuggling and money laundering case.
The agency alleges an “organised and structured mechanism” involving procurement of gold abroad, illegal import into India, disposal in the domestic market for cash, and subsequent laundering of proceeds through hawala and banking channels.
In its statement, the ED said its Headquarters Investigation Unit-II (HIU-II), New Delhi, has submitted a Prosecution Complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, against Ranya Rao, Tarun Konduru and Sahil Sakariya Jain.
According to the ED, a total of 127.287 kg of gold valued at approximately Rs 102.55 crore was smuggled into India between March 2024 and March 2025. The gold was allegedly sold through a network of handlers and jewellers, with proceeds generated in cash and settled via hawala channels in India and abroad before being routed through multiple bank accounts to project them as legitimate transactions.
The case stems from a March 3, 2025 interception by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Kempegowda International Airport, where 14.213 kg of foreign-origin gold valued at around Rs 12.56 crore was seized from Ranya. Subsequent searches reportedly led to the recovery of gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore.
Searches under Section 17 of PMLA were conducted on May 21 and 22, 2025, at 16 locations across Karnataka, leading to seizure of documents, digital devices, and Indian and foreign currency. The ED has also provisionally attached immovable properties valued at Rs 34.12 crore held in Ranya’s name.
A separate prosecution complaint has been filed by the DRI under Section 135 of the Customs Act, 1962. Ranya Rao is currently lodged at the Bengaluru Central Prison as further investigation continues.
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Meet the ‘Toxic’ men
OB Bureau
The world of Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups just got darker and a lot more intriguing. Director Geethu Mohandas and Rocking Star Yash have been steadily unveiling the faces that populate this brutal, cinematic universe, and three names now stand firmly in the spotlight – Karmadi, Salvador and Bheera.
First up is Sudev Nair as Karmadi. The makers dropped his first look earlier this week, officially introducing him as a key player in the action entertainer. Director Geethu didn’t hold back in her praise. “This journey would have been much tougher without the right casting for Karmadi,” she wrote, calling Sudev’s craft “powerful yet understated.” She added that he brought “quiet strength to every frame; depth without display, emotion without excess.” High praise in a film that promises scale and intensity.
Then comes Darrell D’Silva as Salvador, unveiled with equal style. Yash himself shared the first look, introducing him as “SALVADOR in A Toxic Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups”. Geethu applauded Darrell’s commitment, noting that “It isn’t easy to learn Kannada and deliver it with such fluency and confidence.” She described his on-set energy as “absolutely infectious” and praised his dedication and discipline.
Completing this trio is Balaji Manohar as Bheera. Yash revealed his look on social media, while Geethu described working with him as “an absolute pleasure.” She highlighted his dedication, saying he would stay back on set even after finishing his shots, simply to observe and soak in the filmmaking process. “You don’t just perform your role, you invest in the film,” she wrote.
Akshay Oberoi as Tony was among the first big reveals. His look feels ripped straight out of the 1950s – long sideburns, vintage silhouette, unmistakable old-world swagger. Tony doesn’t just look like a man who has seen violence; he carries himself like someone who has mastered it – suave, composed and menacing. Geethu, clearly impressed, described working with Akshay as a rare joy.
“He doesn’t approach a script passively; he interrogates it. Watch out for this talent because he’s gonna kill it!” Geetha wrote, adding that he genuinely enjoys acting and is constantly searching for emotional truth.
All this unfolds in a film that is already generating feverish buzz. The gritty teaser, clocking over 200 million views in 24 hours, introduced Yash in a striking clean-shaven avatar as “Ticket”, fuelling theories of a possible dual role.
Written by Yash and Geethu and directed by the latter, Toxic has been shot simultaneously in Kannada and English, with dubbed versions planned in multiple languages. Produced by Venkat K. Narayana and Yash under KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations, the film hits cinemas worldwide on March 19. Fairytale? Yes. For grown-ups? Absolutely.