Rani Mukerji to join Akshay Kumar in ‘OMG 3’; film to highlight women-related issue
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Mumbai (PTI): Actors Akshay Kumar and Rani Mukerji are set to collaborate for the first time for the third part of the popular franchise film, “Oh My God”.Two films have been made in the “OMG” franchise and both the movies, featuring Kumar in the role of god, have been well-received by critics and audiences for blending social message in an entertaining way.
“We’ve already started work on the third part of ‘OMG’. The USP of ‘OMG’ is the socially relevant topic that we highlight and this time around we’ve picked up an important and hard hitting topic, which is the need of the hour. The social issue this time is pertaining to women,” an insider told PTI.
Speaking about the casting of the film, the insider revealed the makers have cast Mukerji as she is apt choice for the third part of "OMG", which will be helmed by Amit Rai.
“We’ve already had discussions with Akshay and Rani. The script demanded someone like Rani and hence she has been cast. It is not a cameo appearance. It is through her character that an important issue about women will be talked about. She will surprise the audiences with her role. It will be a treat for the fans of 90s cinema to see these two actors together,” the insider said.
The franchise started with 2012 “Oh My God” with Paresh Rawal and Akshay Kumar. It revolved around atheist Kanji Mehta's (Rawal) legal battle against God after his shop gets destroyed due to an earthquake. The film, directed by Umesh Shukla, talked about themes like religious exploitation and commercialisation of spirituality.
The makers followed it up with a sequel, titled “Oh My God 2” in 2023. Billed as a spiritual sequel, the film featured Pankaj Tripathi as a devotee of Lord Shiva named Kanti Sharan Mudgal and Akshay Kumar as a messenger of God, and touched upon various issues of teenagers and the importance of sex education. The second part was directed by Amit Rai.
According to the insider, “OMG 3” will go on floors in the first quarter of 2026.
In addition to this, Rani will be seen in “Mardaani 3” and Kumar has quite a few releases, including director Priyadarshan’s “Bhooth Bangla” and “Haiwaan”, and the ensemble comedy film, “Welcome to Jungle”.
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Chhattisgarh Vedanta power plant blast: Death toll rises to 20; sixteen workers undergoing treatment
Sakti (Chhattisgarh) (PTI): The death toll in a blast at the Vedanta power plant in Chhattisgarh's Sakti district has mounted to 20 with seven more workers succumbing to injuries, while 16 others are undergoing treatment at different hospitals, officials said on Wednesday.
The deceased include six labourers from West Bengal, five from Chhattisgarh, three each from Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, two from Bihar, and one from Madhya Pradesh.
The opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
The explosion occurred on Tuesday afternoon in a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine at the Vedanta Ltd power plant located in Singhitarai village, leaving several workers with severe burn injuries.
According to officials, four workers died on the spot, while nine others succumbed to injuries soon after the incident.
Seven more workers have died in hospitals, raising the toll to 20, Sakti Collector Amrit Vikas Topno told PTI on Wednesday.
He said that a total of 36 workers were affected in the blast, and 20 of them died.
"Of the 16 injured workers, five are undergoing treatment in hospitals in Raipur, while 11 others are in hospitals of Raigarh, the neighbouring district of Sakti," he added.
Topno added that every possible effort was being made to provide the best medical treatment to the injured.
The deceased were identified, and their family members are being contacted. Arrangements have been made to transport the mortal remains to their native villages via ambulance following the postmortem examination and to provide immediate financial assistance, he said.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of each deceased worker and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
Vedanta Power has also announced a Rs 35 lakh compensation for the family of each deceased worker, along with employment support.
The company will also provide Rs 15 lakh to each injured person, ensure salary continuation until recovery, and offer counselling support, a statement from the plant management said.
The chief minister has ordered an inquiry by the Commissioner of the Bilaspur division, assuring strict action against the guilty.
He directed officials to ensure free and proper medical treatment for all injured and emphasised that no negligence in their care would be tolerated.
The district administration has also ordered a separate magisterial probe, while the company has initiated its own internal investigation.
Collector Topno has appointed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Dabhra to conduct the magisterial inquiry.
The SDM has been asked to submit a report within 30 days covering key aspects, including the cause of the accident, whether it was due to technical or human error, and details of safety inspections carried out at the plant.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
State Congress communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla on Wednesday alleged negligence on the plant management's part and accused the government of attempting to shield those responsible.
He also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of the deceased and Rs 50 lakh for the injured.
The construction of a 1,200 MW coal-based thermal power project (two units of 600 MW each) in Singhitarai, originally owned by Athena Chhattisgarh Power Ltd, started in 2009, but remained stalled between 2016 and 2022.
Vedanta acquired the plant in 2022, after which a 600 MW unit was completed and commissioned in August last year, while the second unit is still under construction.
The deceased have been identified as Amrit Lal Patel, Thanda Ram Lahre, Udhab Singh Yadav, Rameshwar Mahilange, and Nadeem Ansari (all from Chhattisgarh); Susanta Jana, Sheikh Saifuddin, Manas Giri, Kailash Mahto, Shibnath Murmu, and Dipankar Singh (West Bengal), Tarun Kumar Ojha, Abdul Karim and Ashok Parhiya (Jharkhand), Raju Ram, Pappu Kumar and Brijesh Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Aakib Khan and Ritesh Kumar (Bihar), and Chitranjan Dhulai of Madhya Pradesh, officials said.
