New Delhi: Congress leader Shama Mohamed has responded to criticism over her now-deleted post fat-shaming Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma. Facing backlash from BJP leaders, Mohamed pointed to an old tweet by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, in which Ranaut used derogatory language against Sharma over his stance on the farmers' protest.

Shama questioned Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya’s silence on Ranaut’s past remarks. In 2021, during the height of the farmers’ protests, Rohit Sharma had posted about the importance of farmers and the need for a solution. In response, Ranaut tweeted: “Why all these cricketers sounding like dhobi ka kutta na ghar ka na ghat ka. Why would farmers be against laws that are revolutionary for their well-being? These are terrorists who are causing ruckus… say that na itna darr lagta hai?”

Taking a dig at Mandaviya, Shama shared a screenshot of Ranaut’s now-deleted tweet and wrote: “What does @mansukhmandviya have to say to @KanganaTeam! #JustAsking.”

Mandaviya had earlier condemned Shama’s comments about Sharma's fitness, stating, “Remarks made by leaders from these parties, indulging in body-shaming and questioning an athlete’s place in the team, are not only deeply shameful but also outright pathetic.”

Meanwhile, the Congress distanced itself from Shama’s comments. Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera stated that her views did not reflect the party’s position, reaffirming that “The Indian National Congress holds the contributions of sporting icons in the highest regard and does not endorse any statements that undermine their legacy.”

Shama deleted her post and clarified that her comment was a “generic tweet” about the fitness of a sportsperson rather than an attempt at body-shaming.

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Mumbai: Ikkis, the latest war drama directed by Sriram Raghavan, has delivered a stronger-than-expected opening at the box office, earning an estimated ₹7 crore net in India on its first day, Hindustan Times reported on Friday.

The film, starring Agastya Nanda, opened in theatres on January 1 across nearly 4,000 screens nationwide. Trade analysts had earlier projected a modest opening of ₹2–2.5 crore, especially given stiff competition from Dhurandhar, which continues to perform strongly at the box office.

Despite these expectations, Ikkis exceeded projections by nearly three times, helped largely by positive word of mouth. As per the report, the film had around 12% occupancy in the morning shows across the country, which jumped to 35% by afternoon, and 47% in the evening, indicating growing audience interest as the day progressed.

While Dhurandhar dominated the day with a reported ₹15 crore collection, trade observers note that Ikkis holding its ground amid such competition is a promising sign, particularly for its performance over the extended opening weekend.

Ikkis is based on the life of Arun Khetarpal, the youngest recipient of India’s highest gallantry award, the Param Vir Chakra. The film chronicles Khetarpal’s exploits and bravery during the 1971 India-Pakistan War. Agastya plays Khetarpal in the film.

While screen legend Dharmendra appears as his father in his final performance, Dharmendra died a little over a month before the film’s release. Ikkis is also among the final films of the late Asrani, who also died late last year. The film also stars Jaideep Ahlawat and Deepak Dobriyal.