On February 14, 2016, Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics activated Sophia, their latest in a line of humanoid robot inventions.
Dubbed a social robot by National Geographic, her creator's primary purpose – according to her creator David Hanson's archived blog post – was to be a critical asset in a study that aimed to find if human interaction with AI could “induce feelings of love and self-transcendence” in the former.
Sophia may not have been Hanson's first robotic invention. She definitely ended up being the most talked about, though, generating immense memetic popularity in the days since her launch a month after her activation.
Today, eight years later, Kriti Sanon headlines a career-best performance in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya as humanoid android Sifra – short for Super Intelligent Female Robot Automation – whom robotics engineer Aryan (Shahid Kapoor) falls for before he knows who she really is.
The sci-fi romance is the debut directorial venture of screenwriting duo Amit Joshi and Aradhana Sah, who marry the thematic undertones of Lars and the Real Girl (2007) and the rose-tinted romantic dilemma of Her (2013), packaged in the sheen of your favourite early '00s high-stylised Bollywood romances. Think Dostana (2008), Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), or Salaam Namaste (2005), where good-looking people with swanky houses and aspirational careers fall in love.
And it's shot like one, too. Cinematographer Laxman Utekar uses the film's picture-perfect production design to his advantage, ensuring every frame looks dazzling. Sachin-Jigar's soundtrack is lovely and gorgeously marries future bass, Indian semi-classical and soft underscores to create the perfect aural atmosphere for two characters falling madly for each other. Mitraz leads the pick of musical numbers with Akhiyaan Gulaab, an R & fusion single licensed and gently repurposed from the musical act's album Zehen – and works perfectly with the rest of the film's vibe.
The film's real standout, however, is Sanon, fully committing to her role and bringing forth an immersive and inspired performance. Her chemistry with Kapoor on-screen is electrifying (pun unintended) and makes you want to be swept up in their whirlwind romance.
For all of its gloss, the characters are written with believability and earnestness, which helps the viewers buy into the film's premise and stick with it for the most part. Shahid Kapoor is believable as the unlucky-in-love career professional with some stressful type-A personality traits, and his camaraderie with Dimple Kapadia – herself an excellent, if shorter, presence in the movie – is among its highest points.
Split down the middle by an intermission – as is common for most Indian films – Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya has a hell of a job cut out for itself, and meets its biggest Achilles' Heel: a narrative that threatens to meander in the middle of its second act. Thankfully, by Act 3, Joshi and Sah take really big, bold swings in their storytelling that you can't help but respect, even if its unconventional (and open) ending may not work for everyone. Could it have been shorter? Sure. Do these flaws stop the film from being a primarily engaging time at the movies? Not really.
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Loosely based on Hanson's Sophia project, Joshi and Sah's directorial debut packs in tons of potential and asks pointed questions: the power of a creator over its sentient AI, humanity's relationship with tech, and the emotional volatility of unconventional love.
While its narrative could have benefited from a more fascinating, in-depth exploration of the questions it asks, it doesn't take away from the fact that Teri Baaton Mein Uljha Jiya remains a beautiful and mostly entertaining romance that has the power to immerse its audience and hold their attention for more than three-quarters of its 143-minute runtime. Recommended.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
PROFILE
Name: Enhance Fitness
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 200
Amount raised: $3m
Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPAD%20PRO%20(12.9%22%2C%202022)
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Quick%20facts
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
match info
Southampton 2 (Ings 32' & pen 89') Tottenham Hotspur 5 (Son 45', 47', 64', & 73', Kane 82')
Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
More coverage from the Future Forum
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club race card
5pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic (PA) Prestige; Dh110,000; 1,400m
5.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic (PA) Prestige; Dh110,000; 1,400m
6pm: Maiden (PA); Dh80,000; 1,600m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship (PA) Listed; Dh180,000; 1,600m
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap; Dh70,000; 2,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (PA); Dh100,000; 2,400m
HER%20FIRST%20PALESTINIAN
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amit%20Joshi%20and%20Aradhana%20Sah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECast%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shahid%20Kapoor%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%2C%20Dharmendra%2C%20Dimple%20Kapadia%2C%20Rakesh%20Bedi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
