On the sidelines of the weekend's South Indian International Movie Awards at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Bollywood stars Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor were in the capital promoting their eagerly anticipated project Jagga Jasoos.
The film, that began shooting in 2014, may have been a long time coming, but Kapoor is confident it has been worth the wait.
"That's just the director [Anurag Basu]'s process," Kapoor explains. "Even though he works in his own time, he's constantly trying to better his art and make the best version of the film he possibly can, and when you see someone doing that so passionately you just go with the flow. He totally deserves the time that he takes."
He admits that the lengthy process was doubly frustrating as he was also a producer on the film, which sounds like it may have been a one-off experience.
“I totally lost control as producer on the film. I realised it's really not my cup of tea. It's not a job I think I do well.”
Producing wasn't the only step outside familiar territory for Kapoor, the movie is a musical in which his character combats his stammer by singing all of his words.
“It was a big challenge," the actor adds. "Whether it's a dramatic scene, he's trying to solve a mystery or he's just having a conversation, my character is constantly singing.
“It was a big challenge to sustain that over a two-hour film. It's not that I can't sing, but it's maybe not good for the other person's ears.”
"The director wanted to convey the story in the true sense of a musical," Kaif chips in. "It goes back to Les Miserables or Beauty and the Beast, the way MGM musicals used to be. I love the way Anurag's approached it. There's never just a 'cut to start singing.' He sings because he stammers, then she replies back with a song and asks herself 'why am I singing?'"
Kapoor's Jagga, a youthful detective with a quirky hair-do, has attracted comparisons in the Indian press to Herge's legendary Tintin, however the actor doesn't think we should take the influence too seriously: "I think Anurag had certain influences as a child – Tintin, Sherlock Holmes, The Hardy Boys and many others. That's many positive influences that came together in this film, but when we did the hairstyle we weren't thinking of Tintin, it's totally coincidental. We just wanted it to be kind of funny because his father gave him this hairstyle as a child, and he's kept it through his life because he thinks if he finds his father he'll recognise him, so there's an emotional connect there."
The acting duo were on a flying visit to the capital, but Kaif will be back soon to continue shooting Tiger Zinda Hai next month having already shot some scenes in Liwa alongside co-star Salman Khan in May.
“They're putting up a huge set somewhere, I'm not exactly sure where, but we're going to be here for I think 45 days in August,” she reveals. “A large portion of the second half of the film is going to be shot here and we've had great support from the Abu Dhabi Government and everybody here. We're all really excited to have our film set here.”
Kaif is not daunted by the prospect of shooting in Abu Dhabi in the August heat. “Apparently it's going to be very hot, but that's OK I love shooting in the heat,” she insists. “The desert is such a lovely place to shoot. I shot Bang Bang out at Qasr Al Sarab and that was such a stunning place. Really lovely.”
Back to the present, and Kapoor is full of praise for the South Indian film industry he is in the capital helping to honour.
“The South Indian industry has really grown tenfold over the last couple of years, and in terms of the technology and the stories they're telling,” he says. “They're really pushing the envelope and inspiring us all in the Hindi film industry too. The market share and the money is really changing in India, and that's a good thing. It just shows that if you tell a good story then it doesn't matter what language it's in, people will go and see it.”
Jagga Jasoos is slated for release on July 13.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
NEW ARRIVALS
Benjamin Mendy (Monaco) - £51.75m (Dh247.94m)
Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur) - £45.9m
Bernardo Silva (Monaco) - £45m
Ederson Moraes (Benfica) - £36m
Danilo (Real Madrid) - £27m
Douglas Luiz (Vasco de Gama) - £10.8m
Green ambitions
- Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
- Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
- Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
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French Cup: Appearances - 3, Goals - 3
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Tamkeen's offering
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- Option 2: 50% across three years
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The specs
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 715bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh1,289,376
On sale: now
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
Southampton 0
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Man of the match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
