Under the punishing afternoon sun at Azad Maidan, hundreds gathered on Wednesday in a powerful show of resistance, turning one of Mumbai’s most historic protest grounds into a sea of placards, voices, and defianceA PROTEST AGAINST “CONTROL, NOT REFORM”The relentless heat did little to dampen the spirit at Azad Maidan, where members of the transgender, intersex, and LGBTQIA+ communities, along with allies, assembled for the ‘Chalo Mumbai Anyaay Ke Khilaf’ protest. Their unified demand: rejection of the recently passed transgender amendment bill, which they say threatens to strip the community of its fundamental rights and dignity.The protest was on the day Lok Sabha passed the bill on March 24 by voice vote, amid an Opposition walkout. Activists argue that the amendment removes the crucial provision of self-perceived gender identity, narrows the definition of who qualifies as transgender, and excludes several socio-cultural identities, including transmasculine individuals.

‘OUR IDENTITY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE’If the speeches voiced outrage, the posters carried the movement’s soul. Messages like “My Gender Is Not A Medical Test,” “Our Identity Is Non-Negotiable,” “Trans Rights Are Human Rights,” and “This Bill Isn’t Reform, It’s Control” captured the urgency and anger of the gathering. Others read: “Gender Aamchya Hakkcha, Naahi Konacha Baapcha” and “Kaheki Aatmanirbharta, When We Can’t Have AatmPehchaan.”Between chants, poetry readings, and impassioned discussions, the protest became a space not just of resistance, but of visibility and solidarity.VOICES FROM THE GROUNDAmong the many who spoke was equal rights activist Harish Iyer, who said, “I wish every minister in that house is blessed with a trans child and the heart to truly understand them. Only then will they know the sheer, unimaginable courage it takes to exist when the state actively refuses to understand you.”He added, “We know the grim political math, but we don’t gather just to mourn legislative defeats. We gather to remind ourselves that our rage is justified and our resolve is unbreakable. They have declared a war on our very existence, but we will fight this together, and we will win.”Drag performer and activist Sushant Divgikar (Rani KoHeNoor) added, “To strip an entire community of its dignity and integrity is deplorable and shameful to say the very least. I condemn very strongly the passing of such an archaic and draconian bill and I wish a speedy recovery to such ill minds that have decided to target one of the most marginalised communities in India.”For many parents, the bill struck a deeply personal chord. Meghna Kulkarni, a mother of a transgender child, said, “The Lok Sabha just told parents like me that protecting and affirming our transgender children makes us criminals. But you do not mess with a mother protecting her kids. We are standing our ground at Azad Maidan, and we will not let this government legislate our families out of existence.”‘LEGITIMACY DOES NOT COME FROM THE STATE’Renowned activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi asserted, “Our identity does not come from certification—it comes from existence.” Trans man and fitness icon Aryan Pasha echoed the concern, saying, “The State does not grant us legitimacy. We have always been legitimate. As a trans man, I already fight to be recognised. This Bill makes even that conditional.” Meanwhile, NALSA (National Legal Services Authority) petitioner Zainab Patel warned of the broader implications, “We’re not asking for permission to exist. Stop treating us like we need one. This Bill turns identity into paperwork, and dignity into an approval process. If identity needs verification, equality becomes conditional.”

Abhishek Bachchan is currently shooting for Shah Rukh Khan‘s ‘King’ which reportedly sees him in a negative avatar. While the actor has not shared details about his role, he recently confirmed that he’s a part of the film. Apart from Shah Rukh and Abhishek, the film also stars Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Jaideep Ahlawat and others. While Abhishek largely prefers to keep away from the limelight and isn’t always sharing things about his work and personal life on social media, his recent picture has become a talking point on the internet. A holistic wellness coach and author Vrindda Bhatt dropped a picture with Abhishek as she gave him her new book. But what got noticed is the ‘Guru’ actor’s physical transformation and never-seen-before avatar. Netizens were stunned by his new muscular look. As she shared this post, many people commented on it.Fitness trainer Shivoham commented on the picture and said, “@Bachchan loving the new look. God bless you. All the best for #KING” A user commented, “Damn he is huge and muscular now🔥” Another one wrote, “Abhishek is ageing like fine wine 🥰🥰🥰” Actor Bhaktyar Irani wrote, “@bachchan n body both coming soon… 🔥🔥🔥” A user said, “Damn! Abhishek’s physique 💪” A fan said, “Abhishek is looking damn 🔥”

Earlier in an interview with ETimes, Abhishek had spoken about re-inventing himself since the last few years and that this is is 2.0 version. He had said, “If you’re not going to keep reinventing yourself you’re going to become very boring to the public. If we’re talking 25 years, the youth that is going to watch the movies today wasn’t even born when I debuted. The largest segment of the audience is I think between 17 and 25. So the majority of them weren’t even born when I started. So I was already around and working when they were born and growing up. So I’m not their contemporary. The people who were the youngsters same age as me when I debuted are all parents today, some are grandparents. People who were acting and were seniors of mine when I debuted, some are still around some are not. The ones that are around still, you see them and analyse that they can have this kind of an inning because they are re-inventing themselves constantly. They are hungry. It’s very important. How many of my colleagues who were starting off around the time I was starting off, how many of them are still active actors today? Not many, a handful.”

‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’, helmed by Aditya Dhar, has been witnessing a stellar run at the box office ever since its release on March 19. Not only has it lived up to the hype created by its predecessor, but it has also pushed the franchise to greater heights and earned immense praise from the industry. Many celebs have reacted to the film and the internet just cannot stop talking about it – be it in the form of fan theories or memes or peak detailing. Despite its success, a section of viewers has criticised the film, calling it ‘propaganda’. Responding to these claims, celebrity trainer-turned-actor Mustafa Ahmed who played Rizwan in the film alongside Ranveer Singh dismissed the allegations in a recent interview.