Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from House of the Dragon season 2.

House of the Dragon season 2 is as graphic as predicted. Starring Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans and more, the Game of Thrones spin-off show takes viewers back to Westeros. Olivia who plays Alicent Hightower has now shared details about a scene that was discarded.

In an interview with a leading news portal, Olivia Cooke revealed that there was a “messy” and “animalistic” sex scene between Alicent Hightower and Fabien Frankel’s Ser Criston Cole.

The scene was reportedly cut because Ryan Condal who is the showrunner thought it didn’t add much to the characters’ arc in the series. That being said, right from the premiere, the show already gives Alicent a fair share of raunchy scenes.

House of the Dragon season 2 revolves around the war brewing between Rhaenyra Targaryen supported by The Blacks and King Aegon II backed by The Greens. The show’s first episode is currently streaming.

All eyes are on Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal’s wedding. Amidst wedding reports, rumours of Shatrugan Sinha’s disapproval of the match also did the rounds. Now, the veteran has refuted the claims.

Reacting to rumours of him not attending Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal’s wedding, Shatrugan Sinha told Times Now that he is proud of his “only daughter.” He said, “She calls me the pillar of her strength. I will be there at the wedding, certainly. Why shouldn’t I and why won’t I?”

He shared that Sonakshi has the right to choose her partner and that he will support her decision. He then went on to call those spreading fake news “frustrated” as they are only streaming lies. 

“I’d like to caution them with my signature dialogue: Khamosh, it’s none of your business,” he added. 

Sonakshi and Zaheer are set to tie the knot on June 23. Recently, the two were seen celebrating with their friends at what looked like their individual bachelorette and bachelor parties.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has fined eight students for staging a controversial play titled ‘Raahovan,’ believed to be a parody of Ramayana, during the institute’s Performing Arts Festival (PAF) on March 31.

A section of students had formally complained against the play, alleging that it was loosely based on the revered Hindu epic Ramayana and had derogatory references to Hindu beliefs and deities. Some students alleged that the play lampooned the lead characters and mocked cultural values in the guise of “promoting feminism”. The complaints led to a disciplinary committee meeting on May 8, resulting in the penalties announced on June 4.

The institute imposed fines of Rs 1.2 lakh each on four students – the amount is almost the same as a semester’s tuition fee. Four other students were fined Rs 40,000 each. Graduating students faced additional sanctions, including a ban from the institute’s gymkhana awards given to students. Junior students were debarred from hostel facilities.

The penalties are due on July 20, 2024, at the office of the Dean of Student Affairs. The institute warned that any breach of this penalty would result in further sanctions.

The controversy gained traction on social media when the ‘IIT B for Bharat’ group denounced the play on April 8, citing it as a mockery of Lord Ram and the Ramayana. The group posted video clips from the performance, alleging that the students misused academic freedom to ridicule revered figures.

The videos that went viral on the internet show students presenting a play allegedly inspired by Ramayana characters and plot settings. In one video, a student, allegedly playing Sita, praises her “kidnapper” and the place she was taken to.

“We welcome the disciplinary action taken by the IIT Bombay administration against those involved in the play ‘Raahovan,’ which depicted the Ramayana in a derogatory manner,” the group stated on social media platform X. “We urge the administration to establish guidelines to ensure that no religion is ridiculed under the guise of freedom of expression on campus.”

While certain groups appreciated the institution’s decision to initiate disciplinary action against the students, some have condemned it as an attack on freedom of expression.

“I had always heard that educational institutions should be safe spaces, safe for voicing opinions. Alas, even IITs are no longer safe spaces,” wrote one person on X. 

“This is egregious. Students cannot be fined in colleges for being disrespectful to any religion. Colleges are places where one should be able to freely mock religion. IIT Bombay must take this back,” wrote another. 

The Performing Arts Festival is an annual cultural event at IIT Bombay, known for showcasing student talent in various art forms.