02022025-LSTL-01.qxd 2/2/2025 12:31 AM Page 1 c m y b THE SANDMAN TO CONCLUDE Popular series The Sandman is set to conclude with its upcoming second season, as confirmed by showrunner Allan Heinberg. The show, based on Neil Gaiman’s famous DC comic series, first premiered in August 2022 and was renewed in November of the same year. TRIBUNE Life Sporty spirit Actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who recently became the owner of pickleball team Chennai Super Champs, now believes in the transformative power of sport. LUDHIANA | SUNDAY | 2 FEBRUARY 2025 BUDGET 2025 Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s saree honours Bihar’s Madhubani artist Dulari Devi MADHUBANI MAGIC Sitharaman ji came to Mithila Chitrakala Sansthan and the saree that was gifted to her was made by me. It is called Banglori silk. It took me a month to make it. I am very happy that she wore it today. It is a great honour for Bihar and the country. —DULARI DEVI Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is often known for making statements with her sarees on Budget Day. Each year, she wears a saree that represents India’s rich textile heritage and traditional craftsmanship, and this year was no different. This year, Sitharaman chose to wear a beautiful off white saree with intricate golden work, paired with a red blouse and a shawl while carrying her trademark bahi-khata, a tablet wrapped in a red-coloured cloth with a golden-coloured national emblem embossed on it. However, this saree was more than just a piece of clothing—it also carried a special story. The saree was a gift from Padma Shri awardee Dulari Devi, a self-taught Madhubani artist from Bihar. The finance minister met Dulari during her visit to the Mithila Art Institute in Madhubani for a credit outreach event, where she presented the saree to Sitharaman and requested her to wear it on Budget Day. As a tribute to Madhubani art and Dulari’s exceptional skill, Sitharaman honoured the request by wearing the gifted saree to present the budget on Saturday. Dulari Devi’s journey to becoming a celebrated Madhubani artist is nothing short of inspiring. She comes from the fisherman community, which traditionally was not involved in painting. However, she developed a passion for the art form while working for Karpoori Devi, an accomplished Madhubani painter. Despite facing multiple hardships —being abandoned by her husband at 16, losing her child and working as a domestic help for 16 years—Dulari Devi never gave up. Her paintings also spread awareness of important social issues like child marriage, AIDS, and female foeticide. Over the years, she has created 10,000 paintings and displayed them in over 50 exhibitions across India. She has also trained more than 1,000 students through organisations like the Mithila Art Institute and Seva Mithila Sansthan, ensuring that the traditional art form thrives in future generations. — ANI TRADITIONAL TOUCH Over the years, Sitharaman’s choice of sarees on Budget Day has celebrated various traditional weaves and fabrics. ■ In 2019, she chose a pink Mangalgiri silk saree with gold borders, paired with her signature red bahi khata. ■ In 2020, she wore a yellow silk saree with green-lined borders, symbolizing hope and prosperity. ■ In 2021, she opted for a red and white Pochampally silk saree while promoting Indian weaving communities. ■ In 2022, Sitharaman wore a brown and maroon Bomkai saree from Odisha, showcasing regional craftsmanship. ■ In 2023, she chose to wear a red silk saree with black Kasuti embroidery, a craft from Karnataka. ■ In 2024, she wore a blue Tussar silk saree with Kantha embroidery from West Bengal. CHARCOAL PORTRAIT OF SITHARAMAN Amroha-based artist Zuhaib Khan, who uses graphite-charcoal to create artwork, has made an eight-foot-long portrait of Sitharaman to mark the presentation of the Union Budget. Zuhaib said, “Through the portrait, I have tried to express my expectations with the budget—that it will help our Indian rupee to strengthen. I hope it contributes to our nation’s progress.” Not only Zuhaib, but sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik also used his creative talent to mark the presentation of the Union Budget. He created a sand sculpture on Puri Beach depicting the Union Budget 2025. “I have created a sand art welcoming the Union Budget 2025. This art is created by four tonnes of sand with the message of Welcome Union Budget 2025 written on it,” Sudarshan said. All about charm Shivani Bhakoo KHUSHI KAPOOR AND IBRAHIM ALI KHAN FIRST STEP Saif Ali Khan’s son Ibrahim Ali Khan will be making his debut digitally just like his contemporaries, such as Junaid Khan and Agastya Nanda, among many others, with the romantic drama christened Nadaaniyan, where he will be seen paired alongside actress Khushi Kapoor. Directed by debutant Shauna Gautam, the film also stars Mahima Chaudhary, Suniel Shetty, Dia Mirza and Jugal Hansraj. The young romantic drama is about Piya, a bold and spirited girl from South Delhi and Arjun, a determined middle-class boy from Noida. — IANS The charm of Rangeela girl Urmila Matondkar remains the same, as it was when this film was shot in 1995. Clad in a red colour suit with a green dupatta, Urmila mesmerised the women of Ludhiana with her poise during an event organised by FICCI FLO. As soon as she entered the venue, she broke into a jig with the women on her famous song Sapne Mein Milti Hai. During the interaction, she said, “If women start respecting other women, woman empowerment would be visible. Parents who give birth to daughters are lucky.” Coming from a middle-class family, Urmila said her close ones always stood by her and supported her in every decision, right from when she was a child actress. At the same time, she said starry tantrums were never allowed in her family. Urmila also shared that she got many roles in South Indian films and though initially Dark side of the web Arun Chaudhary is making a mark in the world of digital entertainment with his debut role in Swipe Crime, a gripping new series on In Ludhiana, actress Urmila Matondkar impressed one and all with her bubbly persona there were language barriers, she went with the flow and enjoyed acting. On comparisons between an actor and a politician, Urmila said, “An actor becomes with the love of the masses while political leader is elected by the masses.” Urmila, renowned for her versatility and shining performances, candidly discussed her early career, the challenges she faced in a male-dominated industry and her evolution as an actress. Her rise to fame, marked by memorable per- c m y b formances in films like Rangeela and Satya, served as an inspiration for many aspiring actors. The talk show, ‘Her Canvas, Her Story’, also delved into pressing social issues, such as women empowerment and the role of the entertainment industry in addressing societal challenges. Urmila emphasised, “Storytelling can influence public perception and drive change. We must focus on strong female characters to advocate for gender equality.” Amazon MX Player. The series dives deep into the world of dating apps and the cybercrimes that can occur within them.