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Archives for October 2017

Kerala CM hits back at Amit Shah

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Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday hit back at BJP President Amit Shah, accusing him of “spreading canards” about the CPI-M and political violence in the state.

Writing on his Facebook page, Vijayan pointed out that there was no space in Kerala for the kind of politics Shah preached — built on caste, creed, hatred and money power.

“After realizing that this agenda of his is not going to sell in Kerala, he started spreading canards and baseless lies. His feeling of dejection is understandable and that’s the reason he is speaking like this,” the CPI-M leader said.

Shah had on October 3 launched a blistering attack on Vijayan, holding him responsible for the killings of RSS and BJP activists in Kerala.

“I pity the failed efforts of Shah, who is the President of a party that rules the country and who tried his best to impose the RSS agenda on Kerala and has failed,” Vijayan said.

He said it was “most unfortunate” that he led a march to the office of another national party (CPI-M). He called this nothing but a blatant violation of democratic principles.

On Monday, the Communist Party of India-Marxist protested against the Bharatiya Janata Party all across the country.

(IANS)

India look to seal T20I series against Australia

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Guwahati: Coming from a nine-wicket win, in-form India will look to continuing their domination of Australia and seal the three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday.

India, who are ranked fifth, started the T20I series on a winning note outclassing the visitors in every department to register a nine-wicket victory via the Duckworth/Lewis method in a rain-marred match in Ranchi on Saturday.

The hosts, who produced a brilliant all-round show in the previous match, will hope to deliver a similar performance here.

The batting department will largely be dependent on hard hitting batsmen Rohit Sharma, skipper Virat Kohli, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Hardik Pandya.

Batsmen Shikhar Dhawan, Manish Pandey and Kedar Jadhav will only look to adding depth to the formidable India batting.

Kohli might also fancy including veteran pacer Ashish Nehra in the team.

Pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will spearhead the bowling department for the hosts. Wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav will look to provide brakes on the Australian batting which failed to look lethal in the previous match.

However, the seventh ranked Australian side will look to re-work on their strategies to get back to winning ways in the T20I series.

Skipper David Warner along with Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell will be the key batsmen for the visitors to get them off to a flying start.

The bowling will largely depend on pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile and spinner Adam Zampa, who failed to click in the last T20I.

Squads:

India: Virat Kohli (captain), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicket-keeper), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Ashish Nehra, Lokesh Rahul, Axar Patel.

Australia: David Warner (captain), Moises Henriques, Aaron Finch, Tim Paine (wicket-keeper), Daniel Christian, Glenn Maxwell, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Travis Head, Adam Zampa, Andrew Tye, Kane Richardson.

(IANS)

Dozen die, scores missing as Rohingya boat capsizes

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Rescue operation under way after boat overcrowded with people fleeing Myanmar violence sinks on its way to Bangladesh.

More than 500,000 ethnic Muslim-majority Rohingya have fled Myanmar since August 25 [File: Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

by Al Jazeera

At least 12 Rohingya refugees, mostly children, drowned when their boat capsized on the way to Bangladesh, police said on Monday, the latest victims of violence in Myanmar that has forced more than half a million people from their homes.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) official Abdul Jalil told AFP news agency at least 12 bodies had been recovered after an all-night rescue operation, saying “they include 10 children, an elderly woman and a man”.

At least 13 Rohingya, including three women and two children, were rescued after scouring the estuary of the Naf river, Jalil said.

Area coastguard commander Alauddin Nayan said the boat sank in the mouth of the Naf river near Shah Porir Dwip, on the southern tip of Bangladesh, with nearly 100 people on board.

“It capsized near Galachar (a coastal village in Bangladesh) with nearly 100 people,” Nayan told AFP.

More than half a million Rohingya have emptied out of northern Rakhine and into Bangladesh since August 25, carrying stories of mass killings, gang rapes, and razing of whole villages.

Myanmar has denied allegations of ethnic cleansing, saying the military offensive was a “clearance operation” to flush out Rohingya fighters who had staged attacks on border posts in August.

More than six weeks after the violence erupted, Rohingya continue to arrive in Bangladesh.

Sunday’s incident is the latest in a series of deadly boat disasters involving Rohingya refugees.

Most recently, on September 28, a boat carrying about 80 refugees overturned. Seventeen survived, while 23 were confirmed dead and the remainder declared missing.

Myanmar considers the Rohingya illegal immigrants from Bangladesh despite the ethnic minority living there for generations.

Turkey, US suspend visa services in tit-for-tat fallout

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Turkish and US missions mutually restrict services, say they need to reassess each other’s commitment to staff security.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets his US counterpart, Donald Trump, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last month [Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

Turkey on Sunday suspended non-immigrant visa services at all Turkish diplomatic facilities in the United States, in a tit-for-tat move amid escalating tensions between the NATO allies.

Just hours after the US mission to Turkey announced it was restricting visa services, saying that recent events had forced it to “reassess” Ankara’s commitment to the security of US facilities and staff, the Turkish embassy in Washington, DC, hit back with an almost identical statement.

“In order to minimise the number of visitors to our Embassy and Consulates while this assessment proceeds, effective immediately we have suspended all non-immigrant visa services at all Turkish diplomatic facilities in US,” read its statement on Twitter, echoing the earlier US announcement.

A first version of the Turkish statement had said the measure would apply “to visas in passports”.

But a later version said the measure “will apply to sticker visas as well as e-Visas and border visas”, leaving open the question of whether US travellers who already have visas would be allowed to enter Turkey.

The earlier US statement, meanwhile, said it was suspending the processing of “non-immigrant” visas, a specific category that relates to tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work or study.

Immigrant visa services are for those seeking to live in the US permanently.

The escalation in diplomatic tensions comes a few days after the arrest of a US consulate employee in Istanbul for alleged links to Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Muslim leader blamed by Ankara for a failed coup attempt last year. Gulen denies involvement.

Washington said it was “deeply disturbed” by the employee’s arrest.

Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency identified the consulate employee as Metin Topuz, a male Turkish citizen.

It said he was arrested late on Wednesday on charges of espionage and attempts to damage the constitutional order and Turkey’s government.

Al Jazeera correspondent Sinem Koseoglu said this is the first in Turkey-US bilateral relations since 1960s. “I am expecting Turkey not be willing to escalate the tension,” she said.

‘War of words’

Turkey has pressed, so far in vain, for the US to extradite Gulen, while tensions have also risen over Washington’s military support for Kurdish YPG fighters in Syria.

The YPG group is considered by Ankara to be an extension of the banned PKK, which has waged an armed campaign for three decades in southeast Turkey.

“It’s clear that this [suspension of visa services] is just one more ratcheting up of the war of words between the US and Turkey,” Al Jazeera’s Tom Ackerman, reporting from Washington, DC, said.

Ackerman said that Turkish authorities “had imprisoned more than a dozen American-Turkish citizens” living in Turkey over the past year or so, including an Izmir-based Christian pastor.

Missionary Andrew Brunson, who ran a church in the western city of Izmir, has been held by Turkish authorities since October 2016 on charges of being a member of Gulen’s group.

“You can see that this more than just the accusations about one man in the Istanbul consulate,” Ackerman said.

Al Jazeera’s Diane Eastabrook, also reporting from Washington, DC, said the escalation comes just a few months after a visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the US, in which he reaffirmed friendly ties between the two countries.

“Turkey is a strategic ally to the US,” she said.

“It’s a NATO ally, and there is a NATO base in Turkey which the US uses. As the US continues with its war against ISIL, it needs to have that presence in Turkey and it needs those close ties with this very important ally,” Eastabrook added.

“This [diplomatic tension] has repercussions throughout Europe and the Middle East, so it will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next few days,” she added.

“It Is My Long Time Desire To Do A Period Film:” Dulquer Salmaan

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The ever smiling & ever charming Malyalam star – actor Dulquer Salmaan, who also happens to be the son of Malyalam star – actor Mamooty, is currently enacting the role of the Late veteran star – actor Gemini Ganesan in an upcoming Telugu – Tamil bilingual biopic namely Mahanati, which is based on the legendary South Indian actress Savitri. Incidentally speaking Dulquer Salmaan is also all set to make his Bollywood debut in Kaarwaan with the talented actor Irrfan Khan, which was officially announced recently.

*You have already made a mark as a Malyalam star – actor. You are also doing a Tamil – Telugu Bilingual namely Mahanati and now you are all set to make your Bollywood Debut with Kaarwaan. Right!!!

*Right Sir!!! I have indeed wanted to make my Bollywood debut, but the clichéd answer is that I have been waiting anxiously for the right script which I have ultimately come across. So now I will finally be seen in debutante Akarsh Khurana’s directorial debut Kaarwaan which will also star versatile actor Irrfan Khan. I think Abhishek Bachchan was initially chosen for the role but had to opt out as his dates clashed with J P Dutta’s film Paltan. So Kaarwaan is a light – hearted comedy, and it features me & Irrfan Khan as friends on a road trip. I am enacting the role of a Bangalore based youngster, that’s all I can reveal as of now. Mithila Palkar is also a part of the cast. Akarsh Khurana has also co – written the script with Hussain Dalal & Ronnie Screwvala is producing it under his own banner. The movie will start rolling by month end in Kerala.

*Time to enlighten us about your Tamil – Telugu bilingual Mahanati!!!

*Actually speaking it has been my ardent desire for a long time to be a part of a period film. Amazing period is being captured in films & even in small screen serials in the West. For a long time I have desired to be a part of a period drama. But fortunately or unfortunately, in the Malayalam film industry, we don’t have huge budgets to make such period films. So Mahanati is being made on a massive scale and I’m lucky to be a part of this project. It is being directed by Nag Ashwin and besides me it also stars Keerthy Suresh as Savitri, apart from Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Prakash Raj, Mohan Babu & Vijay Devarakonda, I am indeed thrilled to be working with a young team. Both the director & the producer are younger than me. It’s a young team with so much of energy. I have always been against the idea of bilinguals but it made a lot of sense to make this film in 2 languages. I am enacting the role of Tamil star – actor Gemini Ganesan but I am not going to look like him. I can’t, honestly, and I don’t want to wear prosthetics. My approach is simple. I would like to be myself in the phase of 1950’s if I was a big movie star. I don’t think I should attempt to play Gemini Ganesan. You don’t really have any off – screen footage of him. You don’t know what kind of person he was off – screen. We only know his persona on screen & I can’t use that to play him off – screen.

*You share a very good rapport with Rana Daggubati. It is rumored that this is just a ploy to get a foothold in Telugu Cinema. Would you care to elaborate!!!

*Yes I am indeed sharing a very good bonding with Rana and it’s very natural. Believe me there is no selfish motive behind this. May be it’s my down to earth attitude & my ever smiling countenance that attracts them. But my friendship with Rana is for keeps no matter what the rumor mills churn out. In fact I share a good camaraderie with all my male co – actors then be they from Malyalam, Telugu or Tamil film industry. And my female co – stars need not get upset as I would like to share a healthy friendship with them too, both on a personal as well as professional level.

*You were really happy doing Parava released recently. How come?

*Mark my words Parava will be a real game changer. Comedian actor Soubin Shahir made his debut as a director with Parava. Although I have an extended cameo of only 25 minutes I think it is a terrific film and I also think it will be a game changer. It’s another huge blessing that I got to be a part of this film and I thank my Allah – The Almighty daily for every chance I’ve been given.

*How was it working in Solo which was also released recently?

*Yes Solo has been finally released. I still have great expectations from Solo, as for me working in Solo was like working simultaneously in 8 films. Solo has been packaged with 4 stories & I had 4 different looks. Since Solo is a bilingual film in Tamil & Malayalam, it was like acting in 8 films at the same time. In O Kadhal Kanmani & Vaayai Moodi Pesavum, I had a bubbly energetic image but it will change now that Solo is released, the film had 4 heroines including Dhanshikaa, Sruthi Hariharan, Neha & Aarthi. And though we had 4 heroines in the film, there were no ego issues. 3 cinematographers & 11 music composers have worked in Solo, our film had 15 songs.

*Okay!!! How was the experience of sharing screen space with your father?

*In fact it was very normal. Frankly speaking I am not in awe of my father nor was I nervous any time while facing the camera with him in the same breath. I do respect & trust my father but at the same time we both share a very friendly & a very cordial relationship with him. At the same time we both don’t have any policy to not act together in future. It’s only that we are looking for the right script.

*You have often been labeled as an arty hero. Why are you hesitant on donning the mantle of a commercial hero?

*Frankly speaking again I am more scared to attempt an out & out commercial film. As I feel it can either click all the way or go down all the way. So audiences will either like it or hate it. Besides I have always entertained the audiences with memorable content. So doing a film like Solo gives me more courage because irrespective of its Box – Office turnstiles fate, people at least appreciate the intent, its effort or just the desire to make good cinema.

*How would you describe your filmic journey right from your debut film Second Show to your latest film Solo en route Parava?

*I would not like to describe my filmic journey with mind blowing adjectives suffice it to say that right from day one it was effortless & smooth sailing. No doubt I have gained a lot of enriching experience too. I also got a chance to work with the best of directors, best of producers, best of production houses and of course best of co – stars too. Moreover I am most happy that I ended up making a lot of good friends and I don’t think any enemies whatsoever.

*Name your 5 favorite films!!!

*I loved albeit enjoyed doing all the films of my career, so naming just 5 films will be an injustice to all my other films.

*Lastly name your forthcoming films?

*Mahanati, Oru Bhayankara Kamukam & Bollywood film Kaarwan.

KVS 48th National sports meet ends, Bengaluru region emerge champions

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Bengaluru: Sincerity and dedication are the keys to excel in the field of sports, said GK Srivastava, IAS Additional Commissioner of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, New Delhi.He was speaking at the closing ceremony of the 48th KVS National Sports Meet for girls at Sree Kanteerva Stadium on Sunday. He said KVS has provided the finest platform for its students to take advantage and utilise the opportunity to become good sportspersons.

Over 3,500 girl’s students of Kendriya Vidyalayas from across the country participated
in the four-day event held at various Kendriya Vidyalayas in the city.

Arjuna Awardee and former national badminton champion U Vimal Kumar, who was the guest of honour at the closing ceremony, said he was delighted to see such a big gathering of girl athletes. It looks as though a mini India has gathered at the stadium. He asked the students to work hard and at the same time not neglect their studies. The combination of sports and education can make best sportspersons, SriKumar said.

P Deva Kumar, deputy commissioner, KVS, Bengaluru region said the sports meet of the KVS went on well and thanked all the participants for displaying sportsmanship during this grand sporting event. Overall championship trophy was bagged by Bengaluru region with120 points followed by Delhi region with 96 points. Ernakulum region won the best overall marchpast trophy.

Region wise final winners:

Archery: Gurugram, Athletics: Delhi, Judu: Delhi,
Lawn Tennis: Chennai, Swimming: Bengaluru, Table Tennis: Guwahati, Taekwondo: Bengaluru, Yoga: Delhi, Basketball: Bhopal, Handball: Jabalpur, Hockey: Lucknow, Kabbadi: Jammu,
Khokho: Bengaluru, Volley Ball: Gurugram,
Badminton: Tinsukia

LANDMARC FILMS’ PIPSI CHOSEN FOR JIO MAMI’S ‘HALF TICKET’

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Mumbai Film Festival (MFF), organized by Jio MAMI, realising the importance and dearth of creative content addressing the life and point of view of children and young adults, has created a special section for it called ‘Half Ticket’. This year, Vidhi Kasliwal-helmed Landmarc Films’ Pipsi is selected as a contender in this prestigious section of Jio MAMI. Pipsi is a heart-touching, bitter-sweet, coming-of-age film that traces the adventures of two eight-year-old children.Vidhi Kasliwal is known for her Marathi films Sanngto Aika starring Marathi super icon Sachin Pilgaonkar followed by the Sai Tamhankar–Priya Bapat starrer Vazandar that tackled issues of weight and the National Award winning film, Ringan, based on a father-son relationship and how they find a newer meaning to life in Pandharpur. “Filmmakers draw inspiration from what is around. I believe in telling tales that entertain and yet provoke you to sit up, take notice and make a change. With Pipsi, I would like the viewers to go on a soul-stirring journey with the young protagonists and through the simplistic narrative become a part of their lives. I am glad our film has found its space in the ‘Half Ticket’ section of Jio MAMI,” enthuses Vidhi Kasliwal.

T-SERIES & KRIARJ JOIN HANDS FOR SHREE NARAYAN SINGH’S NEXT STARRING SHAHID KAPOOR

Shree Narayan Singh of Toilet Ek Prem Katha fame has teamed up with Shahid Kapoor for his next untitled being produced by T-Series & KriArj Entertainment. Prernaa Arora of KriArj Entertainment is bankrolling interesting content and riveting subjects under her banner. She loved this script, which she shared with Shahid who immediately came on board to do the film. It’s a very strong script, which depicts the entire gamut of emotions & has a very realistic & earthy feel to it. Says director Shree Narayan Singh, “With films like Kaminey, Jab We Met, Haider and Udta Punjab, Shahid Kapoor has definitely proved his mettle as an actor. Having said that , his star presence is undeniable and I look forward to working with him.” Says producer Prernaa Arora, “Shahid is one of the industry’s finest actors and would completely do justice to the role. We are so excited to be collaborating with him on this one as the role is tailor-made for someone with his talent & calibre. Together, Shahid & Shree, will form a brilliant combo, a winner for us, for sure! ” Says Producer Bhushan Kumar, “We are working with KriArj on several other films and coming together strengthens the association. Shree Narayan Singh is a director who balances strong message driven film with entertainment by making it commercially viable.”

SANJAY SHARMA DIRECTS BLANKET

Producer Jaswinder Singh Rana( who has been a well known distributer) and director Sanjay Sharma have completed a 22-day shooting stint for Dashmesh Pictures’ BLANKET recently in Mandeshwar and Omkareshwar locales and in and around Indore. The film has been written by Yusuf Khan.Music: Rajesh Sharma who has recorded two songs in the voices of Palak Muchhal and Javed Ali. The next shooting stint of ten days will be held in Mumbai locales from mid-October onwards. The film has newcomers in the leading roles.

ANAND L RAI AND KANGANA RANAUT CONFIRM TANU WEDS MANU FRANCHISE

After 2 years of the blockbuster rom com, Tanu Weds Manu returns, filmmaker Anand L Rai and Kangana Ranaut have confirmed that the third franchise is in the making.After Anand L Rai wraps up his ongoing project Starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kangana winds up Manikarnika, her next film based on the life of Jhansi Ki Rani, both will collaborate on the said film.The film will take off next year sometime.

MAATR DIRECTOR ASHTAR SAYED’S NEXT IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER
Maatr director Ashtar Sayed‘s next is a psychological thriller. Psychological mind games and genre which is not been explored in the Indian film Industry. Post Maatr, Ashtar is keen to explore this genre and is in talks for lead artists. Maatr was a brain child of his Producer Michael Pelico and he had written the story in Indian context, he was very sure that he wanted the film in Hindi for Indian audiences but he had no clue on how Indian censors function when he decided to produce the film. Bhoomi, Mom and Maatr after a hiatus are all about rape and revenge. Says Ashrat “When I see Maatr being talked in the same breath as the other two it becomes important to bring forth the fact that Maatr was released with 62 cuts killing its prospects totally. The same film received standing ovation from audiences when we screened it in Santa Monica without any cuts.”Bhoomi & Mom had the same topic and it was brought on screen in different vision by the directors. What’s the difference though, Ashtar Sayed said “We all have our way of storytelling and I had shot the film keeping the narrative in mind but Indian Censor board gave us 62 cuts. The film post the cut was not my film at all, I could not relate to the film or what was left of it.

ABHAY DEOL AND PATRALEKHAA TEAMED IN NANU KI JAANU

Abhay Deol and Patralekhaa have come together for the first time for Faraz Haider’s Nanu Ki Jaanu which is an afterlife love story. Inbox Pictures Pvt Ltd presents the film Nanu Ki Jaanu produced by Sajid Qureshi and directed by Faraz Haider and the film is set to release in April, 2018.

RAJKUMMAR RAO’S NEXT ‘SHAADI MEIN ZAROOR AANA’ TO RELEASE ON 10TH NOVEMBER.

After winning over the nation with his honest and outstanding performances in Bareilly Ki Barfi & Newton, Rajkummar Rao is all set to endear the audience with his upcoming film Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana, the makers of which have just announced the release date of the film. The film stars Rajkummar Rao and Kriti Kharbanda in lead roles and is all set for a worldwide release on the 10th of November. Directed by Ratna Sinha, Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana has been shot in Allahabad and Mumbai.Presented by Deepak Mukut and Soham Rockstar Entertainment, the film is produced by Vinod Bachchan.

ANIL KAPOOR URGES FATHERS TO CELEBRATE DAUGHTER’S DAY!

The great bond that Anil Kapoor shares with his children is worth noticing. The 60-year-old dad took to Twitter to share a beautiful video depicting the beauty of Father-Daughter relationship and urged all parents to celebrate Daughter’s day every year by expressing love towards their beloved princesses.The doting dad shared the video on his social media handles , stating how the video brought back some beautiful moments he has shared with his daughters! .The loving bond that a father and daughter share, builds lifelong and loving memories and Anil Kapoor’s heartfelt message for his daughters through the video, sure manages to tug the right chords of our heart. We urge all fathers to not make just this day but each day a special one for their daughters.

METRO SHOES LTD. ROPES IN KATRINA KAIF AND SIDDHARTH MALHOTRA AS NEW BRAND AMBASSADORS

Metro Shoes Ltd, India’s leading fashion footwear retailer has appointed style icons Katrina Kaif and Siddharth Malhotra as their new brand ambassadors. The stylish and vivacious young actors will endorse Metro Shoes’ stylish footwear range as the brand looks to strengthen its position as the country’s foremost and one-stop-shop destination for fashion footwear.Metro Shoes will be running a print, digital and outdoor campaigns featuring Katrina and Siddharth as their image as style icons perfectly fit its personality and positioning. With this collaboration, Metro Shoes elevates its pan-India presence. It is investing around INR 25 crores on the new endorsement deals and campaign, “We are delighted to have Katrina Kaif and Siddharth Malhotra representing Metro Shoes Ltd. They are the perfect embodiment of what we stand for – distinctive style with a confident and a sparkling personality. Our new campaign aims to be a strong fashion-forward statement which is aptly represented by trendsetters Katrina and Siddharth. We look forward to charting an exciting brand journey with them.”As part of the brand association, Katrina and Siddharth will feature in Metro Shoes Ltd. latest brand campaign to be released on September 28th, 2017, ahead of the festive season. The new campaign is an evolution of our ‘Find your pair’ campaign. Sid and Kat endorsing their choice of ‘’# my pair ‘’ in the new campaign aims to reinforce our communication to customers of all ages. The brand will look to leverage the actors’ popularity and reach as a youth icon to engage with the target audience.

VARUN & SHRUTI TO FEATURE IN FOSSIL’S FIRST EVER MULTIMEDIA CAMPAIGN IN INDIA – FOSSILFIRSTS

Fossil has appointed Varun Dhawan and Shruti Haasan as its first ever Indian celebrity brand ambassadors. Varun and Shruti will feature in Fossil’s first ever multimedia campaign launching throughout India by the end of the year. The partnership with these celebrities celebrates the launch of the new generation of Fossil Q touchscreen smartwatches. Both were chosen both for their unique personal style as well as their integral relationships with the brand. Just as our smartwatches represent the next generation of watches, these celebrities represent the next generation of Fossil fans. India becomes the second country in the subcontinent, close on the heels of South Korea, to engage celebrities to represent the brand in the country. Johnson Verghese, Managing Director, FOSSIL India said, “Varun and Shruti not only represent the next generation of Fossil fans, but also personify a rare blend of talent, class, intelligence and popularity. ” Varun Dhawan added, “I have always admired this iconic brand and am particularly excited to be the chosen one to launch the GEN 3 Fossil Q touchscreen smart watch collection. ”. Shruti Haasan said, “ I am incredibly flattered to represent a brand of global scale and to feature in one of the most interesting campaigns this season.”

MUMBAI FC COACH TO TRAIN VISHAL MALHOTRA FOR HIS NEXT FILM

Vishal Malhotra who is popularity known for his roles in hip hip hurray, ishq Vishq, Jannat and host of IPL is all set for a huge comeback from the film Tu Hi Mera Sunday Hai playing one of the lead roles. The film is about 5 friends who struggle to find place to play football in Mumbai and hence the whole team learnt how to play football. Vishal who loves to get into the skin of the character is not a professional football player and hence he wanted to take professional football training before he starts shooting. Little did he know that the production already hired a football coach for Vishal and other team members, and that coach is none other than the coach of Mumbai FC team.” I am not a football player but when I was offered this film, I loved the story and decided to take it. But there are lots of scenes in the film where I will be seen playing football, hence I thought why not learn a new sport. It will not only help me in the film but will be fun as well. Then one day I got a call from the productions and they informed me that they have spoken to Mumbai FC coach and he obiliged to teach football to the whole team.” Says Vishal. The film will see Vishal in a different look and it will be great to see our favourite Mambo back on screen.

BEING HUMAN IN GOLMAAL AGAIN

The trailer and first song of Golmaal Again has received abundance and overwhelming love from the audience and media. They showed their excitement during the trailer launch and have not stopped showering the team with love since then. @BeingSalmanKhan recently tweeted a picture of the entire Golmaal Again team. For the shooting of a scene in the upcoming song ‘Maine tujhko dekha’, Salman Khan showed his love and support by giving them his Being Human cycles to shoot with. The song will be out tomorrow. Reliance Entertainment Presents, In Association with Mangl Murti Films and Rohit Shetty Picturez, Produced and Directed by Rohit Shetty, Golmaal Again is set to release on 20th October 2017.

SAIYAMI KHER STUNS THE AUDIENCE IN HER LATEST PHOTO SHOOT

In her latest photo shoot with a film magazine, Saiyami Kher is indeed rocking in a sporty avatar. The Mirzya actress is known for being an active sports person and this shoot brings out the best side of her.

RAAMA MEHRA’S KOHINOOR DELUXE HOTEL IS COMPLETE

Writer-director Raama Mehra has completed the entire shooting of musical-murder-mystery Karigar Arts’ KOHINOOR DELUXE HOTEL in a non-stop 22 days shooting stint in Jaipur locales recently and the editing of the film has also commenced last week at J.D. Editing Studio. The film is being produced by Rohitash Kumawat. The star cast includes Newfinds Kundan, Saahil Khan, Megha Saxena, Saakshi, Zoya Khan,Tariq Khan, Gauri Wankhede, Adi Irani, Shiva, Rana Jung Bahadur, Vikas Anand, Ali Khan, Ajeeta Singh, Bhupender and Raama Mehra. The lyrics and music are by Dheeraj Sen.
ANDH – LET’S PLAY BLIND IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND FILM

Vijay Sharma, an author, poet, screenplay writer, actor and director, has recently directed a film called Andh: Let’s Play Blind. The film is adapted from his own novel titled Let’s Play Blind; the novel has a sequel too.Vijay Sharma is a CA by profession. But such was his passion for acting and love towards the craft; he ended up doing an acting course at Barry John Acting Studio in New Delhi. And later, he decided to write the story and script. The story of film Andh: Let’s Play Blind was inspired by a real event in USA, which plays a very small but very important part in the movie. The entire script was built around this incident by Vijay.Vijay Says,” I am very excited to present the first part of my novel and movie to the world. I still get goosebumps when I think of the story myself. It is the most suspenseful story ever! “The Film is slated to release on 27th October 2017.

SUNNY LEONE ATTENDED THE BIG BOYS TOYS EXPO

Big Boys Toys Expo, an exciting and thrilling lifestyle expotainment show was held in Mumbai at MMRDA Ground, BKC, Mumbai. The expotainment was inaugurated by Mayor of Mumbai Principal Vishwanath Mahadeshwar. The highlight of the first day was the presence of Sunny Leone. Sunny, being an avid car lover enjoyed the array of luxurious cars displayed at the expo. Sunny was also seen checking out the top men’s lifestyle brands which were part of the expo. Sunny stated, “Big Boys Toys has created a great experience with top brands and the latest in tech under one roof right from cars, bikes, gadgets, gizmos, lifestyle and so much more! I’d recommend everyone to go play at BBT this weekend. Congratulations Event Capital and Laqshya Live Experiences on creating such a unique format!” Deepak Choudhury, Founder and Director of Event Capital, said “It was our pleasure to have Sunny as part of BBT this year. She loves cars and loved her experience here. ” Big Boys Toys Expo, is a unique global format which brings technology, sports, music, entertainment, fashion, and luxury all under one roof for an experience of a lifetime. It is showcasing the newest trends in cars and bikes, gadgets & gizmos, fashion & lifestyle, health & fitness, adventure, technology, gaming, sports and leisure to audiences. Wrangler, the Style partner of BBT season 4, also felicitated the winners of its flagship travel based event True Wanderer 6.0 at BBT on Day 1.

TEASER OF KALKI KOECHLIN AND SUMEET VYAS’S RIBBON RELEASES

Kalki Koechlin and Sumeet Vyas brings heart touching film, Ribbon, a young love story that’s funny, poignant and painfully relatable, directed and co-written by Rakhee Sandilya. The teaser of the film was launched today at facebook headquarter.Love’s all about sticking together through life’s knotty turns and loose ends.Directed and co-written by Rakhee Sandilya, RIBBON has been produced by Prakash Mondal and Swathi Mondal of Red Cart Films and is slated to release across India on November 03, 2017.
TRAILER OF RUKH STARRING MANOJ BAJPAYEE UNVEILED

The intriguing trailer of Eros International and Drishyam Films’ next, RUKH, slated for a pan-India release on 27th October 2017, was unveiled by Zee Music Company recently. Writer-director Atanu Mukherjee’s debut feature Rukh is about the journey of a boy rediscovering his lost connections and familial ties, through the secrets and memories he must confront on his way. With a soulful soundtrack by Amit Trivedi, the film will release on October 27. The film boasts of many powerful performances by an acclaimed cast led by Manoj Bajpayee, Adarsh Gourav (Mom, Madly, My Name is Khan), Marathi actress Smita Tambe (Umrika, 72 Miles – Ek Pravas) and Kumud Mishra (Airlift, Sultan, Rockstar). Manish Mundra, the founder of Drishyam Films and producer of Rukh says “This trailer gives a true insight to the deeply emotional texture of the film, as well as a sneak peek into the melody of Khidki beautifully sung and composed by Amit Trivedi. .”Atanu Mukherjee, the director of Rukh, says “Rukh is an intimate portrait of a family, inspired from a few real life events and characters. Torn apart by grief, brought together by loss — this family deals with life in ways that we can all relate to. I’m really happy that I have got to make my debut film with Drishyam Films .”Sunil Lulla, Managing Director, Eros International Media Ltd added, “We are looking forward to release another content-driven gem like Rukh, an apt follow up to our forthcoming release, the much-appreciated and highly-anticipated Newton.” Drishyam Films’ other upcoming films include Nila Madhab Panda’s Kadvi Hawa starring Sanjay Mishra and Ranvir Shorey.

MALAIKA ARORA LAUNCHES REVOLUTIONARY HAIR REDUCING TECHNOLOGY FOR RICHFEEL

RichFeel has unveiled actress Malaika Arora as the face of the brand and introduced Europe’s most advanced laser hair reduction technology called Ice Cube 2.0. A revolutionary Cool Brush Hair Reduction Treatment that cools the skin while it makes it silky.This prestigious launch event was held recently in Mumbai in presence of Malaika Arora along with Dr. Apoorva Shah, Founder, Rich Feel & Dr. Sonal Shah, Co-founder, Rich Feel respectively.

JUHI CHAWLA’S KIDS LIVE UP TO THEIR FAMILY LEGACY!

Actress, mother, entrepreneur and social activist Juhi Chawla is currently on a month long break from work to help her children settle into their boarding school in Charter House, one of the most prominent public schools in the UK. The actress who is at the moment spending time with her sister in law, husband and kids before they head off to school is delighted about the fact that the kids are now studying where husband Jay used to when he was growing up.Speaking on the same she said,”Jay used to study here when he was growing up! Spread over 200 acres , Charter house offers many activities and sports apart from academics.”Signing off she said,”I am excited and happy that Jhanvi and Arjun will be studying here, away from all the pollution and traffic. Though i will miss them a lot during festivals and special occasions here.”
PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI WELCOMES ADNAN SAMI’S DAUGHTER MEDINA

Adnan Sami shared the news of his daughter’s birth with the Prime Minister and even shared sweets with for the same. Mr. Modi has become a huge fan of Adnan’s daughter and even told Adnan about the same and also congratulated the couple on the birth of their daughter.

VARUN SHARMA IS AN INFORMER!

Having played memorable roles in successful films including Fukrey, Dolly Ki Doli and Dilwale among others, the cute and lovable actor Varun Sharma is set to make his debut in a brand new avatar, he will be seen playing a character never attempted before on the digital platform with a web series titled, Informers.Produced by Amin Surani and written-directed by Rohan Bajaj, Informers is an upcoming web series based on the gripping real-life stories of informers and their tryst with a notorious terrorist organisation. It portrays their corroborative efforts of law enforcement that they faced head on in a brutal, bloody conflict. It details the many, often-conflicting forces – legal, political, police, military and civilian – that joined hands in the effort to control terrorism, one of our world’s most lethal commodities.Based on true events, Informers talks about the period of September 2008- during a period of national uproar and panic, a few brave men held their cards close to their chests and embarked on a covert mission.Informers revolves around the unlikely union of three confidential police informants, formed by a daredevil encounter specialist, who rose to the challenge and became the unlikely unsung heroes. These men spent months tracking down the Indian Mujahideen terrorist group, right down to where their leader Riyaz Bhatkal was hiding, but as history tells us, trust & deceit are brothers in arms.

LUV RANJAN’S SONU KE TITU KI SWEETY TO RELEASE ON JANUARY 12, 2018

Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety starring Kartik Aaryan, Nushrat Bharucha and Sunny Singh will release on 12th Jan, 2018.Written and Directed by Luv Ranjan, the film is produced by T series’ Bhushan Kumar & Luv Films’ Luv Ranjan and Ankur Garg. Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety is a quirky, new-age love triangle set in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. This is his next film after the success of Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2.

VIACOM18 MOTION PICTURES ACQUIRES RIGHTS FOR MITHALI RAJ BIOPIC

With a phenomenal record of being the highest run scorer in One Day Internationals averaging above 51, the captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team, Mithali Raj has had a remarkable journey on field.An inspiration to billions of young girls in the country, her life is now all set to be documented on the silver screen. The rights of the film have been acquired by Viacom18 Motion Pictures, the studio that backed content driven films like Queen, Manjhi, Drishyam, Mary Kom, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and the recent hit, Toilet Ek Prem Katha.Ajit Andhare, COO, Viacom18 Motion Pictures, says, “Viacom18 Motion Pictures has always been the pioneer in showcasing content with portrayal of strong women characters right from Queen to Kahani to Mary Kom. We are proud to be collaborating with the young and inspirational Mithali Dorai Raj, a name single handedly responsible in bringing about a shift in the way women’s cricket team was perceived in our country.”Mithali Raj is the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket and the only woman cricketer to surpass the 6,000 run mark in ODIs. She is also the first player to score 7 consecutive 50s in ODIs. She also awarded the Padma Shri in 2015, India’s fourth highest civilian award for her contribution towards the sport of cricket.Mithali Raj says, “I am extremely happy on this association with Viacom18 Motion Pictures. Hoping that this movie inspires more people especially young girls to take up sports as a career.”

AZURE ENTERTAINMENT AND WARNER BROS. ANNOUNCE COLLABORATION FOR INDIAN REMAKE OF INFERNAL AFFAIRS

Mumbai based AZURE Entertainment Pvt. Limited and Warner Bros. India today announced a strategic collaboration to jointly invest in and produce an Indian remake of “Infernal Affairs”. The 2002 Hong Kong Original is a cult film with global recognition and was the film upon which the multi award-winning The Departed (directed by Martin Scorsese in 2006) was based. This project is the first of a two-picture deal between the two companies to jointly develop, produce and distribute key titles from the coveted Warner Bros. library for the Indian local film market.Sunir Kheterpal, CEO – AZURE Entertainment says, “It is a matter of pride for a young company like ours to collaborate with Warner Bros. to jointly develop and produce the local language adaptation of this amazing movie. We are thrilled to be working with the Warner Bros. India team and cannot wait to get started.”Denzil Dias, Managing Director – Warner Bros. India said, “This is an exciting time for us to be partnering in local language production with the team at AZURE, who are passionate about film and storytelling, and ideally placed to adapt and develop foreign language source material into Indian language remakes. We could not have chosen a better title than Infernal Affairs to announce this collaboration. We look forward to bringing great new Indian language films to local and global audiences.”AZURE and Warner Bros. India are at an advanced stage of formalizing the director for the proposed Hindi Remake of Infernal Affairs and shall soon make an official announcement on the same. In near future, they will also announce the second Warner Bros. title on which an Indian Remake shall be developed.

YASH RAJ FILMS CHOSEN AS INDIA’S NUMBER 1
FILM PRODUCTION HOUSE BRAND

Yash Raj Films is synonymous to a legacy of quality cinema and wholesome entertainment in India. Now, the Media Research Group (MRG) has selected the banner as India’s Number 1 Brand 2017 based on the outcome of its insightful Brand Research Report.A unique recognition of the success and ingenuity of growing brands that contribute to the Indian economy and the nation’s global image, Yash Raj Films has been chosen as the Number 1 brand amongst Film Production houses by peers and consumers. As the one chosen in the production house category, the banner holds place amongst blue chip companies and leading consumer brands from India. Previously, Yash Raj Films was awarded the ‘Most Trusted Film Production House in Asia’ Award for 2016 by IBC Media and was also honoured with ‘India’s Most Trusted Brand’ Award consecutively in 2016 and 2015, by IBC Media, a global brand consultancy in Bangkok. With this recognition, YRF reiterates its position as the most recognized and trusted Indian cinema brand worldwide once again.

URVASHI RAUTELA DELAYS HER HOLLYWOOD DEBUT BECAUSE OF HATE STORY 4 TIGHT SCHEDULES!

Urvashi Rautela, who has the record of winning maximum number of beauty titles in entire pageant history, was recently offered a role of an ‘apsara’ in a Hollywood film. She was also offered a lead role in an action flick. But due to her commitments in Bollywood, the actress had to decline both the films. When Urvashi was in LA, she was offered two films. One of the filmmakers wanted her to play an Indian aspara in a fantasy film and the other was an action flick. But she had to go let of the offers since the Indian producers wanted to start filming this year and start workshop soon. She was quite excited about the offers, she had to turn down both the films. Urvashi is extremely busy this year as she has two upcoming projects with T-Series and three movies with Zee films. Despite her busy schedule, the actress who has her own foundation called Urvashi Rautela Foundation recently visited the flood-affected areas of Uttarakhand to help the victims. The actress recently confirmed that she has signed Hate Story 4 in which plays a lead role. She will soon start shooting for the film in London.

BOLLYWOOD AND TV SIZZLING SENSATION, STYLE ICON KARISHMA SHARMA

Bollywood and TV sizzling sensation , style icon Karishma Sharma who started her career at a very early age has made her presence in TV shows like Pavitra Rishta,Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya,Ye Hai Mohabbatein,Love By Chance, Aahat (season 6),and Fear Files: Darr Ki Sacchi Tasvirein. Karishma has also tried her hands in web series life Sahu Hai where she was appreciated for her brilliant performance is now making her debutas a lead in Bollywood with Ragini MMS franchise returning as a digital show titled Ragini MMS Returns, on Ekta Kapoor’s web channel ALT which has her in her sultry avatar.

SUNNY LEONE SHOOTS FOR FRESH DESI GHEE FOR BALAJI CREATOR’S COMMERCIAL

Sunny Leone is now endorsing Dholpur Fresh’s desi ghee in Kittu Saluja’s ad film.”It is neither the gym nor the latest diet programmes, it is ghee that has helped me maintain my physique” quips Sunny Leone. Puneet Sharma of Balaji Creators says ” Sunny Leone is the face & inspiration to many Indian women and epitomizes hard work and perseverance – an apt quotient for the product. This is the first time we are working with Sunny Leone, in fact this also the first time that she is promoting a food brand. We aim to transport the audience to a different era which epitomizes quality & originality which Balaji Creators stands for” Sunny Leone says “This is the first time that I am the face of a desi ghee brand. The stature of the ad is something which no one has ever attempted or showcased on television in regards to food oil or ghee brands. I am more than happy to come on board with Balaji Creators.” The ad spot opens with celebratory music on the soundtrack which showcases Sunny Leone portraying a princess doing her shringar, helped by her maids.

MUKTA A2 CINEMAS FORAYS INTO TAMIL NADU MARKET

Mukta A2 Cinemas – one of India’s most reputed and esteemed chain of cinemas have made their foray in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, in association with Rohini Silver Screens, to provide a quality movie experience to the local audience. One of India’s most reputed and esteemed film banners, Mukta Arts Limited has been consistently providing its audience with the best on-screen entertainment for decades. Taking this legacy forward, their chain of cinemas, Mukta A2 Cinemas has announced their foray in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, in association with Rohini Silver Screens, to provide a quality movie experience to the local audience. With this partnership, the 5-screen multiplex Rohini Silver Screens will be converted to a 7-screenproperty. Mukta A2 Cinemas will provide the technical expertise and F&B services at the cinema. Known for its state-of-the-art amenities and providing world-class movie experience at an affordable price, Mukta A2 Cinemas have marked their presence in the industry as well as in the audience’s hearts. Satwik Lele, COO, Mukta A2 Cinemas Limited further said, “Expanding our reach in the Tamil Nadu market is a big step for Mukta A2 Cinemas. Rohini SilverScreens, which is such a reputed name in the market, will help us build our brand. We have successfully delivered on expectations of our patrons at all our properties on a consistent basis. We believe in the quality of services we bring to the table and aim to provide the same to this market’s audience as well.” Nikilesh Surya, Executive Director, Rohini Silver Screens commented “We at Rohini SilverScreens are thrilled to be associated with Mukta A2 Cinemas. We believe we share a common vision with Mukta A2 Cinemas in making good quality cinema affordable to the general public. We hope this first partnership of ours grows to many more cities and towns in the Southern part of our country”

POONAM DARES TO BARE AGAIN

Poonam Pandey flaunts her sultry figure in latest bikini photo shoot in Singapore.Social media queen Poonam Pandey, who takes the Internet by storm with every picture of hers, knows how to enjoy her vacation and have a good time.The Nasha actress recently went to Hong Kong and Singapore for a vacation and the first picture of her vacation has emerged online.In the picture, Poonam can be seen in a skimpy pink bikini revealing her famous figure as she struck a sultry pose by the pool. The glamorous model-turned-actress is seen flaunting her figure with envy-inducing confidence.She also put her toned tummy and long model-honed legs on display in the skimpy swimwear.Poonam has left fans a little hot under the collar with her latest bikini picture. No wonder, her fans never seem to have enough of her!

​ALIA BHATT TELLS YOU WHY YOU SHOULD DONATE YOUR DENIMS
As part of the Coexist campaign for the welfare of street cats and dogs, Alia Bhatt has started a denim donation drive across different cities in India.‘Something as simple as cleaning out your closet could actually help save lives’ says Alia. ‘Motopaws, a youth led initiative, uses old denims to create reflective collars for street dogs. This makes it easier for motorists to see the dogs from a distance and helps prevent accidents.’ Denim forms the base of the collar which is then covered by waterproof fabric and topped with retro reflective tape. Approved by vets, the collar has no harmful effects on dogs or humans.‘Street dogs have no safe shelter and are sometimes injured or run over by motorists especially at night, due to low visibility. Through this campaign we shall focus on building a safer environment for our indies.’The denim donation drive will be held across multiple cities such as Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Delhi, Dehradun, Goa, Hyderabad, Indore, Kanpur, Kokrajhar, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Mumbai, Mysore, Pune, Shimoga, Surat and Vishakhapatnam. While donation boxes are placed across Mumbai and Pune, donors from other cities could get in touch with the Motopaws representative in their city. Details are available on the Motopaws webpage www.motopaws.com‘Small steps lead to big results. Visit our blog and facebook page to know how you could contribute to this campaign.’

EROS INTERNATIONAL & COLOUR YELLOW PRODUCTION’S NEWTON IS INDIA’S OFFICIAL ENTRY TO THE OSCARS 2018!

Newton featuring Rajkummar Rao in the lead role has been named as India’s official pick for Oscars 2018 in the Foreign Language Film category. The coming-of-age satire directed by Amit Masurkar stars Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Sanjay Mishra and Anjali Patil etc. Rajkummar says, “Newton is a film which has been made with so much purity and honesty, without keeping any commercial aspects in mind. It’s a simple, honest story and it’s resonating with everyone. Now, more number of people would be interested in watching Newton!” Aanand L Rai of Colour Yellow Productions informs, “Good films need to reach the audience. We as a production company are lucky to be in a place that we can be instrumental in this process. Newton is an important film and we will call it an investment not a punt. We really believe the film it’s getting what is deserves and hope it soars more heights.” Amit Masurkar says, “It’s a great honour for us to represent India at the Oscars. We hope this film will bring attention to the need to strengthen democracy in our country. The film is in theatres at the moment and this announcement will help us reach out to a larger audience.”

DEV ANAND’S SONG “JIA O JIA KUCH BOL DO” TO BE RECREATED IN JIA AUR JIA

Filmmaker Howard Rosemeyer is recreating the iconic Rafi chartbuster song ” Jia Ho Jia Kuch Bol Do”, which featured Dev Anand and Asha Parekh from the film Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai. The new version of the song with snatches of Rafi’s voice is composed by Nisschal Zaveri and sung by Jyotika Tangri. “During the shoot, everyone was humming the song because the title sounds similar to the song. So I approached the music company, with the idea of adapting the original song into a party track,” informed Howard. The song was picturised on Kalki Koechlin and Richa Chadha. “It’s in sync with the film’s vibe and reflects the growing camaraderie between the two Jias though Kalki and Richa are not completely in character. They will be dancing in slow motion and the viewer will want to get up and join them.”The film is shot is Sweden. Jia Aur Jia is about Richa and Kalki signing up for a holiday embarking a life changing journey, from sharing a hotel room to trailer the 2 girls become best friends and share the problems and face the darkest secrets together. The film produced by Mirza N Askari also stars actor Arslan Goni in the lead.

Chennithala demands probe into spike in Amit Shah’s son’s business wealth

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Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress party in Kerala on Monday demanded a comprehensive probe into allegations of phenomenal rise in the business owned by Jay Shah, son of BJP national president Amit Shah.

Leader of Opposition and Congress veteran Ramesh Chennithala in a press release said that the “fake image of the stand taken by the BJP against corruption has fallen flat with the revelation of the huge growth achieved by the business owned by the junior Shah”.

“In a matter of three years after the Narendra Modi government, when the country’s economy went into a crisis, the phenomenal growth of the business of Amit Shah’s son speaks volumes of the things that are happening. While the ordinary man was hit badly on account of demonetisation, the corporates had a field day. Now that the allegations have surfaced, the BJP has been caught on the back foot and the need of the hour is for a comprehensive probe into these allegations,” said Chennithala.

Chennithala’s demand has come at a time when the Kerala unit of the BJP led by state president Kummanem Rajasekheran is on a state-wide padyatra against the CPI-M. The yatra, which began on October 3 and will reach here on October 17, is being participated by every top national leader of the party besides Union Ministers.

The BJP has termed the media report on Jay Shah’s alleged rise in wealth as “malicious and defamatory” and is going ahead with filing a defamation suit against it.

(IANS)

Will pay half to avoid fare hike, let us take over Delhi Metro: Arvind Kejriwal to Centre

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New Delhi: Amid a face-off with the Centre over a proposed metro fare hike, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has offered to take over the Delhi Metro claiming to make it more efficient and said the Aam Aadmi Party government was ready to provide half the funds needed to meet the gap in its finances for three months.

In a letter to Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Mr Kejriwal said the Centre bore the entire loss of Kolkata Metro and there should be no difficulty if it provided half the funds in the case of Delhi.

Mr Puri had on Friday told the Delhi government it would need to pay Rs. 3,000 crore annually for five years if it wanted to stop fare hikes on the Delhi Metro.

Arvind Kejriwal said Mr Puri’s contention that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was bound to follow the Fare Fixation Committee’s recommendations seemed “untenable”.

Citing Section 86 of the DMRC Act, he said it was the Centre which had set up the fourth Fare Fixation Committee after a lapse of seven years. Therefore, the Union minister’s contention that the central government was “powerless” in respect of fare fixation was “flawed”.

The Fare Fixation Committee-recommended fare hike, a second in seven months, will come into effect on October 10.

Mr Kejriwal said the AAP government was confident it would be able to fund the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation by improving its efficiency rather than imposing fare hikes.

“As for your suggestion regarding a grant to the DMRC (Delhi Metro) for meeting the gap in their finances, my government is willing to bear half the grant if only a matching grant is provided by the central government.”

“As you know, the central government and the Delhi government are 50-50 owners of the DMRC (Delhi Metro) and its equity etc. have been shared in this proportion all along,” Mr Kejriwal said in his letter.

“Let an assessment be made of the financial gap likely to be created on account of the postponement of the second fare hike and we will be able to bear half of it,” he said.

Sources in the Delhi government said that the chief minister offered to provide on a short-term basis, half the funds the DMRC (Delhi Metro) needed to meet the gap in its finances so that another Fare Fixation Committee could be set up to recommend fresh fares.

Besides cooperative federalism, the point remains that the Centre and Delhi government are equal partners in the DMRC, Mr Kejriwal said. “From the recent developments, it is becoming evident that the relationship is not one of equal partners since what the Delhi government proposes is often summarily disposed by the Cental government.”

“If the Central government agrees, Delhi government would be willing to take over the DMRC (Delhi Metro),” he said.

Fares will go up by a maximum of Rs. 10 after the latest hike comes into effect.

The existing fare structure is: up to 2 kms — Rs. 10, 2-5 kms — Rs. 15, 5-12 kms — Rs. 20, 12-21 kms — Rs. 30, 21-32 kms — Rs. 40 and for journeys beyond 32 kms — Rs. 50.

From October 10, for a distance of up to two kilometres, the fare will remain Rs. 10, but for a distance between two and five kilometres, it will go up from Rs. 15 to Rs. 20. For the subsequent slabs, it will go up by Rs. 10 each, which means the maximum fare will be Rs. 60.

Delhi Metro managing director Mangu Singh also met the chief minister at his residence today. It was immediately not known as to what transpired at the meeting.

(PTI)

No firecrackers for Delhi-NCR during Diwali: SC

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that there will be no sale of firecrackers during Diwali, as it restored a November 2016 order banning the sale and stocking of firecrackers in Delhi and National Capital Region.

A bench headed by Justice A.K. Sikri, while restoring the order, said: “We should see at least in one Diwali the impact of a cracker-free festivity.”

However, the court said that the September 12, 2017 order lifting the ban on the sale and stocking of firecrackers in Delhi NCR will be back into effect from November 1.

(IANS)

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