Sanjay Dutt's confession about his inability to learn Marathi, even after six years in Yerwada jail, has inadvertently sparked controversy and put Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik in an awkward position, given Sarnaik's stringent policy on Marathi proficiency for auto and taxi drivers.
The Maharashtra government has extended the deadline for autorickshaw and taxi drivers to acquire working knowledge of Marathi by one year, a decision welcomed by unions who say it removes the immediate threat to their livelihoods.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a one-year grace period for auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers to learn functional Marathi. This decision comes after the Transport Department issued notices to drivers who failed a Marathi test, prompting driver organisations to request more time due to varying age groups and educational backgrounds. During this period, no action will be taken, and Marathi classes and study materials will be provided.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's decision to grant a one-year extension to autorickshaw and taxi drivers to learn Marathi, alleging it was due to 'pressure from Delhi' and a message to BJP's ally Shiv Sena.
Widespread fear amongst autorickshaw and taxi drivers over rumoured steep fines linked to a state government Marathi proficiency drive erupted into street protests in parts of Mumbai on Monday, forcing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to step in and address the panic. During protests, some drivers tried to prevent other members from transporting passengers, inconveniencing common people in the morning hours.
Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced that autorickshaw and taxi drivers will be given an opportunity to learn Marathi before any action is taken against them for non-compliance with the language requirement. This move softens the state's earlier stance, which had evoked mixed reactions and concerns about livelihoods.
Maharashtra's Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced a drive against auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers lacking a 'working knowledge' of Marathi, with penalties ranging from licence suspension to cancellation, sparking fears among non-Marathi speaking drivers.
Maharashtra's transport department has initiated a statewide drive to assess taxi and autorickshaw drivers' working knowledge of Marathi, issuing notices to 1,268 drivers on the first day. Those who fail the initial 16-question test will receive a one-month notice to learn Marathi, with subsequent failure leading to a three-month badge suspension.
The Maharashtra government has proposed amendments to the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, making 'working knowledge of Marathi language' mandatory for cab drivers, with non-compliance potentially leading to suspension or revocation of driving licences.
Bollywood joined their counterparts in Marathi cinema and cheered them on, at the Filmfare Awards Marathi 2026, held in Mumbai.
Maharashtra minister Dada Bhuse on Monday said teaching of Marathi language and conduct of examination of the subject have been legally made mandatory in schools of all mediums across the state, and those institutions that fail to comply could face cancellation of recognition.
Marathi actress Prajaktta Mali made a significant appearance at Cannes 2026 as part of a delegation to champion Marathi cinema on the global stage.
Supreme Court Justice Prasanna Varale has voiced serious concerns over the closure of Marathi-medium schools, inadequate facilities in Ashram schools, and insufficient growth in Maharashtra's education budget, suggesting that greater spending could have prevented these shutdowns.
A 37-year-old government contractor in Navi Mumbai died by suicide due to severe financial strain from unpaid bills for completed work. Opposition parties in Maharashtra have accused the state government of negligence, demanding a culpable homicide case against the administration and highlighting a pattern of such incidents among Marathi contractors.
A school owned by a BJP MLA in Thane advised students not to bring root vegetables in lunchboxes during the Jain Paryushan festival, sparking a controversy. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) objected, while the MLA clarified it was a request, not a mandatory order, aimed at respecting religious sentiments and promoting healthy eating.
Marathi singer Anand Prahlad Shinde has filed a police complaint alleging that a woman, her brother, and her mother extorted money from him by threatening to frame him in a false sexual exploitation case.
Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has mandated that all commercial passenger vehicle drivers in the state must possess a working knowledge of Marathi, warning of strict action against those who refuse to comply.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has voiced strong concerns about the divisive role of social media in society, alleging it fuels anger and religious disputes. He also criticised the unbridled use of high-decibel sound systems, questioned the government's economic policies despite GDP growth claims, and objected to political messaging in public offices. Thackeray further addressed linguistic politics and endorsed the "Inquilab Zindabad" slogan.
Vidyanand Bapat, a Pune-based activist advocating for a ban on high-decibel DJ systems and loudspeakers during festivals, was publicly assaulted by a man named Santosh Chavan while speaking to media persons.
Prasar Bharati Chairman Prasoon Joshi voiced concerns over AI's impact on India's cultural heritage, including music and endangered languages, advocating for human-AI collaboration. Meanwhile, a Spotify report revealed significant growth in royalties for Indian artists, with linguistic diversity driving economic strength in the creative industries, highlighting the platform's role in enabling talent across various Indian languages.
Ahead of Ganeshotsav, which commences on September 14, Rediff's Divya Nair visits a workshop in Mumbai where young girls, most of them first-timers, are using their brushes to bring Lord Ganesha to life.
Haiwaan's staggeringly foolish notions make for unintended comedy, rues Sukanya Verma.
A Hindi song with a 'Vande Mataram' refrain, not the official national song, was played at a government event in Thane attended by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who subsequently directed organisers to adhere strictly to the approved version.
Maharashtra minister Pratap Sarnaik announced a special verification drive from May 1 to August 15 to enforce the decision making Marathi mandatory for auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers in the state, during which no punitive action will be taken.
Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has seen its revenue grow by over 9 per cent to 7,064 crore, driven by the strong performance of SonyLIV, Sony SAB, and Sony Entertainment Television (SET), said Gaurav Banerjee, head of SPNI.
Blue Machines AI has launched Floe, a context-aware language detection model designed for AI agents. Floe distinguishes between code-mixing and genuine language switches in multimodal interactions, supporting over 10 Indic languages with ultra-low latency. It aims to improve enterprise AI conversations by understanding user intent in multilingual settings.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's 12-month fellowship offers young graduates an opportunity to gain first-hand experience in civic administration and contribute to initiatives related to Mumbai's development.
Commuting by CNG-run black and yellow cabs and auto-rickshaws in Mumbai will become more expensive from September 1, with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) approving a fare hike of Rs 2 for taxis and Rs 1 for auto-rickshaws.
An Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder from the UK has been booked by Pune Police for allegedly attempting to induce people to convert to Christianity. The individual is accused of using religious gatherings to spread misconceptions about Hindu traditions and make superstitious claims to attract followers, violating the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 and the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026.
A delegation of NCP (SP) Lok Sabha MPs, led by Supriya Sule, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss various issues concerning Maharashtra, including drought, onion prices, and river pollution. The meeting, which lasted about 15 minutes, did not include discussions on the FCRA Amendments Bill, which Sule opposes. This follows a previous meeting between Sharad Pawar, Sule, and the PM regarding student and farmer issues.
'People often say acting cannot be taught, but it can be learned. I've always believed that, and I've been a sincere student.'
Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 18 launched on Sony Liv at 9 pm on August 10 with the stars and producer of Batwara in the hot seat.
The Khashaba teaser leaves behind the feeling that Marathi cinema is gearing up for something monumental, notes Mayur Sanap.
Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has expressed regret for incorrectly uttering certain Marathi words while reading obituary references in the House. He attributed the error to technical issues and an unclear printed copy, stating he had no intention of hurting sentiments, following criticism from MNS chief Raj Thackeray regarding the mispronunciation of names like Asha Bhosle and Deenanath Mangeshkar.
Sai Tamhankar plays delicious contradictions of her character in an immensely watchable central performance, applauds Mayur Sanap.
From Arun Govil and Shobana to Vivek Oberoi and Kajal Aggarwal, meet the sprawling supporting cast bringing Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana to life.
The Maharashtra government has approved the deployment of sovereign artificial intelligence solutions from Sarvam AI for its departments, with a two-year outlay of Rs 11.26 crore. This initiative includes the Indus AI workspace for 2,500 users, ensuring government data remains within India, along with citizen outreach agents and speech models for the MahaAI platform.
From Sanjay Leela Bhansali and S S Rajamouli to Sundar C and Ayan Mukerji, these 15 filmmakers took a wild detour from their comfort zones, with wildly different results.
Three National Testing Agency (NTA) subject experts, P V Kulkarni for chemistry, Manisha Sanjay Havaldar for physics and Manisha Gurunath Mandhare for botany and zoology, were the primary sources of the NEET paper leak, according to the Central Bureau of Investigation's chargesheet.
Discover the top OTT releases this week, featuring a compelling mix of Hindi dramas like Imtiaz Ali's Main Vaapas Aaunga and Manoj Bajpayee's Governor, alongside regional and international titles.
