The unique East Indian community of Mumbai is one of the city's oldest Catholic communities. Their Christmas celebrations have a distinctive blend of Portuguese influence, Maharashtrian roots and age-old family traditions.
Out-of-favour India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan made a compelling case for a T20I recall with a belligerent hundred to power Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title after a 69-run victory over Haryana in Pune on Thursday.
As the year draws to a close, Rediff's Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya takes a look at the hits and misses, the highs and lows, the newsmakers and the dealbreakers in alphabetical order.
Isha Ambani made waves in New York City, co-hosting the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Dinner with Anna Wintour, Zac Posen and Chloe Malle.
IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Sunday
Writer and director Anusha Rizvi returns to cinema after 15 years with warmth, wit and many a laughs.
Krithi Shetty has the kind of style that feels like a deep breath. It is calm, clean and effortlessly pretty.
Lord's has a tradition of rewarding those who give their best, asserts veteran cricket correspondent K R Nayar.
'Caring for one's parents is the husband's responsibility, especially if he is the earning member of the family.' 'The wife may be financially dependent on him but that does not create a legal obligation for her to serve or care for her in-laws.'
Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo scored a stunning goal from an overhead kick to lift his team Al-Nassr to a thumping 4-1 win over Al-Khaleej.
Ganguly lauded Gill's leadership during India's tour of England, noting the challenge of captaining at a young age in such conditions
For Olympics 100m gold medallist and multiple-time world champion American sprinter Noah Lyles, 2026 season and beyond will be about having an "all-or-nothing" mentality.
In the qualification round 21-year-old Simranpreet, who had won a silver at the World Cup in Lima earlier this year, shot 585, while Esha tallied 585 to finish fifth and fourth respectively and make the final.
Overall, in his IPL career, Ravi Bishnoi has picked up 72 wickets in 77 games at an economy rate of 8.21.
Arshdeep Singh, Manmeet Singh and Dilraj Singh struck a hat-trick each as India mauled Oman 17-0 to register their second consecutive win in the FIH men's Junior World Cup.
'We've got some solid batsmen in the dressing room. And yeah, it's exciting in every way.'
As she looked down at the Thames, she thought of the Brahmaputra. As she landed, smiling, it was clear that flying had never left her.
Yashasvi Jaiswal: Have selectors told him where he stands in white ball cricket?
The core dilemma remains: Why provide further stimulus to an economy that is already booming at an 8 per cent growth rate? asks Rajeswari Sengupta.
Shubman Gill was extremely consistent with thought process, respected good balls: Sachin Tendulkar
Saali Mohabbat escalates the hell-hath-no-fury-like-a-woman-scorned theme, and fashions a dark domestic thriller, discovers Deepa Gahlot.
'I kept urging Salman to see Pokiri, and one day, past midnight, he finally turned up at a Mumbai preview theatre to see it. Nervously, I waited for Salman's reaction to Pokiri. After watching it, he walked past me without a word. I followed anxiously, and before sitting in his car, he just signalled thumbs up.'
The Indian men ruled white-ball cricket, while South Africa ended decades of hurt by winning the World Test Championship at Lord's. Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally lifted their maiden IPL title, though the celebrations were dimmed by a deadly stampede. Above all, it was India's women who won a billion hearts by finally adding an ICC World Cup trophy to the cabinet.
Four More Shots Please 4 seems to have been made to show off trendy outfits because more than the script, attention was paid to the costumes, observes Deepa Gahlot.
Her laid-back style is perfect for the no-drama girl who wants comfort without compromising on the chic.
'Every film had its challenges, but Mr India, Sadak and Gandhi were the toughest.' 'Mr India needed imagination, Sadak needed sensitivity and Gandhi demanded historical authenticity.'
Ever since she shifted base to the US, Bollywood has been missing its desi girl and her saris.
The prayer meet was attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J P Nadda and many more ministers and parliamentarians.
Dining With The Kapoors offers a perfectly edited, heart-warming family reunion, but it stops just short of showing the messy nok-jhoks and real moments that could have made it more immersive, notes Divya Nair.
The wedding season is here and while outfits get all the attention, let's be real -- a killer hairstyle can make or break your look.
'This is purely transactional politics -- there exists no family reunion as such.'
Shriya Saran made a striking appearance in a sculpted Gaurav Gupta ensemble that perfectly balanced drama with sophistication.
While off-court battles over pay and governance rumbled on, opportunities were scarce beyond the duopoly at the top of the men's game, leaving Djokovic to provide the year's standout moments for the chasing pack.
For a batter who turns the impossible into routine, Abhishek Sharma's new tattoo feels like the perfect reflection of his mindset.
'Stop touching your beard all the time. Your hands carry bacteria that can trigger acne and irritation.'
'I believe the spirituality he has imbibed has played a big role in this turnaround. It has played a big role.'
'The audience has accepted Tere Ishk Mein with all its flaws. My film doesn't need any other validation.'
'Dilipsaab was an interesting mix of spontaneity and stylised acting.'
'We are not AI. We are allowed to break, and rebuild.'
Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad hundreds help India set 359-run target in second ODI