PM Narendra Modi on Friday slammed AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal over the alleged lavish renovation of the Chief Minister’s residence, noting while he had provided housing for four crore people, he had not built a sheeshmahal. The Prime Minister also accused the Delhi government of corruption and neglecting the city’s infrastructure, and termed the ruling party as AAPda, meaning disaster.

While launching a housing project for slum dwellers in the national capital, Narendra Modi said that he could have built a sheeshmahal, but for him, his dream was that his countrymen should get permanent houses. He said that the country knows well that Modi has never built a house for himself. However, in the last 10 years, over four crore homes have been built for the poor, fulfilling their dreams, he continued.

The Prime Minister’s remarks were in reference to the claims that Arvind Kejriwal spent approximately Rs 45 crore on the renovation of his official residence while as Chief Minister, which included lavish expenses such as Rs 1 crore on curtains and Rs 6 crore on flooring.

Continuing his attack on AAP, the PM said that the party has committed a liquor scam, school scam, and pollution scam, and are openly engaging in corruption and even publicising it. He mentioned that it is a disaster for Delhi, and the residents have declared war against this disaster.

While addressing an event in Ashok Vihar, PM Modi asserted that Delhi is saying in unison, Aapda Ko Nahi Sahenge, Badal Kar Rahenge, meaning they will not tolerate the disaster, and will change it.  He also said that the situation in the national capital would worsen if the AAP’s reign continued and stressed that the Centre is making a lot of efforts to raise the living standards of people in Delhi. He claimed that the year 2025 will give a new direction to good governance in the national capital with new politics of public welfare and national welfare.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurated a slew of development projects, including 1,675 flats for residents of jhuggi-jhopri (slum clusters) and two urban redevelopment projects in the city.

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said that the BJP has no agenda for the assembly polls and urged the party to explain what they have done for the city.

She said that the BJP has been in power at the centre for 10 years, and has a budget of lakhs of crores. The party should tell one thing they have done for the people of Delhi, she continued. CM Atishi claimed that they have no vision for Delhi, and have no CM face. 

Reportedly, Delhi is scheduled to hold its assembly elections in all 70 constituencies before February this year. 

The re-release of Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (YJHD) has sparked a wave of nostalgia for Bollywood’s golden era of romcoms, drawing attention away from the ongoing dominance of massy, pan-India films. The 2013 blockbuster, which starred Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, continues to capture hearts, even as the film industry shifts towards larger-than-life, multi-lingual films aimed at a pan-Indian audience.

Despite both Kapoor and Padukone boasting impressive filmographies, it’s YJHD that remains a standout—both for its heartwarming reunion of the on-screen ex-couple and its ability to resonate with multiple generations, especially Gen Z. The film’s re-release, which launched in select theaters, has already sold over 26,000 tickets, according to trade reports. This impressive number rivals or surpasses the ticket sales of some recent massy action films, despite YJHD also being available for streaming on OTT platforms.

What’s remarkable is that this success highlights the ongoing appeal of Bollywood’s romcom era, when films were built around relatable characters and emotional narratives, as opposed to the grand spectacle of pan-India blockbusters. Fans have taken to social media, recalling their experiences of eagerly waiting in line for YJHD’s original release. One fan commented, “I remember waiting in a long line to buy tickets for this film when it released, and there were people behind me who had to leave because the show became housefull…it was crazy!”

Others have expressed their desire for the return of this genre, which, according to many, offered good music and simple yet meaningful writing. “We need to bring romcoms back! Come on, bring back good music, decent writing—no one is expecting too much,” wrote one user. This sentiment is echoed by many who feel that while pan-India films are ambitiously scaled up in terms of production value, they often fail to evoke the same emotional connection or offer the same comfort as a classic romcom.

Some comments have pointed out that despite the cinematic excellence of pan-India films—featuring star-studded casts, acclaimed directors, and high-budget productions—they don’t always deliver on their lofty promises. “Just a feel-good, comforting film. I’m sick of the larger-than-life, pan-India films. They have all the big actors, directors with good track records, top-class music directors; yet they don’t quite hit the note,” one fan wrote, highlighting the disconnect some audiences feel.

While Bollywood’s exploration of diverse genres is undoubtedly exciting, fans seem to be yearning for comfort films that offer a break from the overwhelming spectacle of action-packed, multi-language blockbusters. For example, the upcoming horror-comedy films in Maddock’s universe, which boasts an impressive lineup of stars like Shraddha Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, and Alia Bhatt, have generated excitement. However, some fans have also expressed concerns about over-saturation of the genre, with one commenting, “Aren’t they over-saturating and milking this horror genre too much now?”

Additionally, the first looks of Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor’s Param Sundari have reminded fans of the early 2010s, a time when Bollywood was in its romcom heyday. The similarities to films from that period have only fueled further nostalgia.

In essence, while Bollywood continues to evolve and experiment, the Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani re-release has reminded fans of a simpler, more heartfelt era of filmmaking—one that they’re eager to revisit. As the film industry pushes boundaries with large-scale, multi-lingual projects, there is a clear call for the return of feel-good, relatable stories that once defined the industry. The success of this re-release might just signal the beginning of a resurgence in romantic comedies for modern audiences.

Ahead of the Delhi election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually laid the foundation stone of Veer Savarkar College at Roshanpura, Najafgarh. However, Delhi University’s decision to name one of its upcoming colleges after the Hindutva icon has sparked a war of words between the BJP and Congress. 

The Congress’s student wing has demanded that the college be named after former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who died last week. Reacting to the demand, the BJP has accused the party of habitually disparaging iconic figures.

Reportedly, the Veer Savarkar College will be constructed in Najafgarh at an estimated cost of Rs 140 crore. This decision was approved in 2021 by the Delhi University’s executive council.

In a letter to PM Modi, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), highlighted Manmohan Singh’s contributions to education and requested that his legacy be honoured by naming the college after him and not Savarkar.

The NSUI also pointed out that Manmohan Singh established numerous institutions like IITs, IIMs, AIIMS and introduced the Central Universities Act. It added that naming institutions after him will inspire generations and honour his transformative vision. It further sought the establishment of a central university named after Singh, whose groundbreaking reforms liberalised the economy in 1991.

Supporting NSUI’s demand, Congress veteran Pramod Tiwari questioned if the naming of the college after Savarkar was an attempt to communalise the situation. Speaking to a news channel, the Congress leader said that Veer Savarkar doesn’t have connections with Delhi, and it would have been better to name the new college after freedom fighters from Delhi and nearby. 

Additionally, Congress MPs Naseer Hussain and Sukhjinder Randhawa also took potshots at the BJP for glorifying mercy petition writers to the British. Congress MP Randhawa said that the Prime Minister should think again. He questioned how a college can be named after Savarkar, who had apologised to the British. 

Naseer Hussain, a Rajya Sabha MP, also accused the BJP of disregarding the contribution of the freedom fighters. He said that the BJP is giving legitimacy to those people who have written mercy petitions to the British and taken pensions from them.

Meanwhile, the BJP has defended the decision and hit back at the Congress. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said that only the Congress knows which leaders it respects. He added that Veer Savarkar was a freedom fighter, if Delhi University is naming its college in his honour, then they welcome it.

Furthermore, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla also questioned whether leaders like Indira Gandhi or Uddhav Thackeray, who had praised Savarkar, were also wrong about him.