Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday lauded the team of Amaran including film starrer Sai Pallavi and Sivakarthikeyan as well as director Rajkumar Periasamy for capturing the bravery and dedication of Tamil Nadu army veteran Major Mukund Varadarajan in his film.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said that he watched the film at the invitation of veteran actor Kamal Haasan

“I watched a movie yesterday #amrnnn after accepting the invitation of my artist friend @ikamalhaasan. It’s great to bring true stories to today’s youth in the form of books – as well as movies! Director @Rajkumar_KP, Major Mukund Varadarajan – Tirumiku has emotionally captured the bravery and dedication of Tamil Nadu army veteran Major Mukund Varadarajan. My congratulations to all the crew of Thambi @Siva_Kartikeyan, @Sai_Pallavi92 and #Amaran for portraying the roles of Indu Rebecca Varghese very well! Big Salute to our soldiers who protect the country – Major Mukund Varadarajan who lives in our memory! @RKFI @gvprakash,” Stalin posted on X.

Recently, the creators of Amaran released the film’s trailer, featuring Sivakarthikeyan in the titular role of Major Mukund Varadarajan. The film narrates the compelling story of the decorated soldier who commanded the Indian Army’s 44 Rashtriya Rifles Cheetah Company and made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. Sai Pallavi joins the cast as well, and the film is premiering today.

The trailer opens with a striking statement from an officer to Major Mukund: “You do not choose 44 RR; 44 RR chooses you,” effectively setting the tone for the heroism depicted in the film. It offers glimpses into Major Mukund’s personal life, showcasing his family’s reaction to his choice to join the military and the love story he shares with Indhu, portrayed by Sai Pallavi.

Intense action sequences illustrate Major Mukund, as played by Sivakarthikeyan, in battle, where he resolutely declines a retreat order from his superior, asserting, “I’ll save every life I can and come back, sir.” Indhu expresses her pride, stating, “I am proud of him being an army officer and me being an army wife.” A poignant moment captures Sivakarthikeyan’s character stating, “This is the face of the Indian army,” highlighting his unwavering determination.

Kamal Haasan, one of the film’s producers, shared the trailer on social media, stating, “Leaders seldom choose a trodden path. They create one where there is none and blaze a new trail. #MajorMukundVaradarajan of Tamil Nadu is one such leader. We take pride in telling his story.”

Inspired by the true events chronicled in Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh’s book “India’s Most Fearless”, Amaran serves as a tribute to a genuine hero. The trailer has been released in various languages, with notable personalities such as Nani promoting it in Telugu, Tovino Thomas in Malayalam, Shiva Rajkumar in Kannada, and Aamir Khan in Hindi.

The trailer concludes on an emotional note, featuring Major Mukund’s daughter asking Indhu, “You told me appa will come for my birthday, will he come?”

Directed by Rajkumar Periasamy and produced by the iconic Kamal Haasan, alongside R. Mahendran and Sony Pictures International Productions, Amaran poignantly tells the story of Major Mukund Varadarajan and his wife Indhu, encapsulating their journey of love, sacrifice, and the profound personal losses encountered during Major Varadarajan’s heroic service to the nation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said some forces in and outside India are trying to destabilise the country and spread anarchy to create a negative image of the nation in the world.

The Prime Minister was addressing a gathering near the iconic Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat’s Narmada district after paying floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the birth anniversary of India’s first Home Minister.

“The masters of terrorism now realise that attacking India will not succeed, as we will not hold back,” he said.

Speaking on the issues of Northeast, he said it has faced many challenges, but the government has addressed separatism through dialogue, trust, and development.

“Agreements with the Bodo and Bru-Reang communities have brought peace, and the accord with the National Liberation Front of Tripura has ended long-standing unrest. India is moving towards peace and prosperity,” said PM Modi.

“Mahatma Gandhi once said that our ability to coexist in unity amid diversity will be tested. I am proud that over the last decade, India has successfully fostered unity in diversity, marking a significant achievement for our nation’s integrity,” he said.

“Some forces in and outside India are trying to destabilise the country and spread anarchy to create a negative image of the nation in the world. They are trying to divide the country on caste lines and are against a developed India,” said the PM.

He urged the people of the country to identify this nexus of “urban Naxals” which he said is trying to break the country.

“As Naxalism is ending in jungles, a new model of urban Naxals is raising its head. Today urban Naxals target even those who say that you will remain safe if you remain united. We have to identify urban Naxals and unmask them,” he said, Though there were people who were skeptical of India’s unification, Sardar Patel made it possible, said Modi, adding that the country will celebrate Patel’s 150th birth anniversary for the next two years.

“Our nation is moving towards implementation of ‘one nation, one secular civil code’ which will strengthen our country. We are trying to roll out the ‘one nation, one election’ initiative, which will strengthen our democracy,” he said.

“For the first time in 70 years, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir has taken oath on the Constitution,” he said, adding that due to the government’s efforts in the past 10 years, Naxalism is counting its last breath in India. 

Since 2014, Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary has been celebrated on October 31 as ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’, or National Unity Day.

Former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday asked residents of the national capital to refrain from bursting firecrackers and light diyas in Diwali, noting that Deepavali is a festival of lights and not firecrackers.

Addressing a press conference, the former Chief Minister said, “Even the Supreme Court and High Court have said that, in light of the pollution, we should refrain from bursting crackers and instead light diyas. This is the festival of lights, not fireworks. It is not about doing anyone a favor. The pollution that occurs will impact our children, so this issue transcends religion. Every life is important.”

This statement comes amid rising air pollution in the national capital. Delhi’s air quality has worsened over the past several days, prompting the Delhi government to implement measures aimed at controlling air pollution, including a crackdown on firecracker usage.

Earlier, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has written to Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, urging him to take strict action against violations of the firecracker ban in the national capital.

On October 14, Rai announced a ban on the production, storage, distribution, and use of firecrackers in the city until January 1, 2025.

In his letter, Rai expressed concern that, despite the ban, firecrackers were being openly sold in various markets in Delhi. He noted that these firecrackers were being transported across borders connecting Delhi to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Rai indicated that the Delhi Police, as law enforcement agencies, appeared to be neglecting the directions to enforce the firecracker ban, allowing vendors to openly flout the restrictions.

As of Tuesday, a thin layer of smog covered the National Capital, with parts of Delhi’s air quality remaining in the ‘very poor’ category. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported an Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeding 300 around 7:00 am. At Anand Vihar, for instance, the AQI reached 317, while Aya Nagar recorded an AQI of 312—both in the ‘very poor’ category. Jahangirpuri also had a high AQI of 308. In contrast, Chandni Chowk reported better air quality, at an AQI of 191, which is considered ‘moderate.’

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP leaders noted that 108 incidents of stubble burning were recorded in Punjab. They protested against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann regarding air pollution concerns at Kapurthala House. A delegation of leaders sought a meeting with the Punjab Chief Minister to submit a memorandum but was unable to meet him.