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Archives for April 2018

Mehbooba Mufti meets PM Modi, seeks help to end violence, alienation in Kashmir

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J&K CM also sought frequent engagement at top political level between India and Pak to arrive on an amicable solution of Kashmir imbroglio.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti at a meeting in New Delhi on Saturday. PTI Photo/PIB(PTI8_27_2016_000068B)


Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s help towards finding ways to end bloodshed in the state and growing alienation among its youth.

Mehbooba Mufti during her meeting with the Prime Minister in New Delhi on Monday also sought frequent engagement at top political level between India and Pakistan to arrive on an amicable solution of Kashmir imbroglio.

She called for a similar rendezvous between the two countries’ military authorities to put an end to border skirmishes “which bring with them enormous amount of miseries” for the people living in close proximity of the divide line.

This comes days after the Chief Minister had made a passionate appeal to the country’s political leadership that it should while cutting across party lines listen to the “voices of pain” from Jammu and Kashmir and support the people of the state in getting out of “vicious cycle of violence and uncertainty”.

The Chief Minister during her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi apprised him about the overall obtaining situation in her state in the wake of recent turbulence triggered by the killing of 13 Hizb-ul-Mujahedin militants and five civilians in security forces stepped up counterinsurgency measures.

An official spokesperson in Jammu said that Mehbooba Mufti urged the Prime Minister “to find ways and means to end the cycle of violence in the state by addressing the element of alienation among youth”.

She reiterated that the people of the state who have suffered immensely during the turmoil of past three decades look up to the country’s political leadership to support them in getting out of this cycle of uncertainty and deaths.

Mehbooba Mufti also asked for peaceful engagement with all stakeholders in this regard and sought more frequent meetings at the highest levels between India and Pakistan besides favouring the idea that the top military leadership of the two countries should stay in touch with each other to minimise the level of tension across the borders as frequent skirmishes have resulted into huge suffering to tens of thousands of people living in villages in close proximity to the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in J&K.

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister also pleaded for taking the cross-LoC movement to next higher level by working on opening more historic routes across the de facto border and movement of more people to build public confidence in the peaceful engagements.

She also pleaded for working for opening Sharda Peth, ancient seat of learning of Kashmiri Pandits near Muzaffarabad and developing it like Nalanda and Takshila.

The Chief Minister had on Friday she that said it was high time for the entire country to support the people of J&K in getting out of the “vicious cycle of killings and uncertainty”.

Mehbooba Mufti said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the most powerful political executive of the country can lead this peace project by responding to the need of putting a stop to the bloodshed in the State which has been going on for almost three decades now.”

She had said that peace, reconciliation and dialogue form the core of ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ reached out between her Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and that it was the belief in Prime Minister Modi’s “leadership abilities and his political clout” that the people of the State are looking up to for the resumption of the same (dialogue).

The Chief Minister had further said, “Our state and the whole region expect the Prime Minister to revive the spirit of former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s, initiative and also expect the other shades of political opinion in the country to avoid falling into the trap of old partisan politics and instead support such an initiative.” This, she had hoped, would get the State out of the uncertainties and herald into an era of progress and development.

Referring to the Prime Minister’s assertion that the Kashmir problem “will not be solved by bullets or abuses but only with embracing the people) made during his Independence Day speech, the Chief Minister had hoped the same to be translated into reality by everyone in the country dealing with the affairs of the state. From media to administration, strategic community and the security forces, everyone will have to be part of this national effort”, she had said.

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister added, “It is high time that enough hope is generated to persuade young men from going on a violent path by creating their stakes in peace and life rather than in death and rebellion.”

She had asserted that a successful peace process in J&K alone can fulfill the objectives of democracy and justice in the country. “India”, she said, “can truly don the moral leadership of the region by increasing the level of satisfaction of the people of the State by winning their trust and hearts and minds.”

National Buzz : Ola Pioneers A Trip Insurance Program for Customers

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In a big step towards enhancing customer experience, Ola, India’s leading and one of the world’s largest ride – sharing companies, launches a comprehensive in – trip insurance program for its customers across India. Extending the benefits of the “Chalo befikar” insurance program to its customers, Ola becomes the 1st ever smart mobility platform in the country to offer an in – trip insurance cover to its users, across all categories viz. cabs, auto, kaali –peeli & even e-rickshaw. Ola has partnered with Acko General Insurance Ltd to launch this program designed to benefit its customers across 110+ cities. A user booking an Ola ride can opt for an in – trip insurance cover while booking the ride at a premium of INR 1 for all intra – city travel; INR 10 for Ola Rentals; INR 15 for Ola Outstation.

The 1st – ever – of – its – kind program is being rolled out for customers in major metros and will be scaled up to all cities, covering the entire base in the coming weeks. The comprehensive insurance program provides benefits in cases of loss of baggage or laptops, missed flights, accidental medical expense, ambulance transportation cover, and much more. The optional in – trip insurance program can be purchased through the Ola app. The claims can be made through the Ola app as well as Acko’s website, mobile app and, call center. Ola’s partnership with ICICI Lombard General Insurance Ltd will be live in the coming months.

Vishal Kaul, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Ola said, “We are thrilled to introduce in – trip insurance for our customers under the “Chalo Befikar” insurance program. Just for INR 1, Ola customers can avail an insurance policy of INR 5 lakh which will also provide cover for missed flights, loss of baggage, loss of laptop, emergency hotel requirements, and many more. The launch of this initiative, a 1st – ever – of – its kind in India, reiterates our resolve of building customer – first solutions.”

“Chalo Befikar” has been extremely beneficial for Ola driver partners, extending the benefits to customers as well is the right step forward, bringing the entire ecosystem under this essential insurance program.

Varun Dua, Founder & CEO, Acko General Insurance Ltd. said, “Ola is a pioneer of mobility in India and Acko is excited to partner with them. Together with Ola we have created a 1st – ever – of – its – kind in -trip insurance that would be of great value to millions of Ola users and would ensure that their daily commute is stress – free. We have been able to develop an easy to understand product that is delivered seamlessly to the user. As India’s 1st insure – tech player we made this possible with our capabilities in product design along with our technology platform that is capable of high volume insurance transactions in real time for both policy issuance & claims management.”

Sanjeev Mantri, Executive Director, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd. said, “At ICICI Lombard, we are proud to partner with Ola, India’s leading ride sharing platform. We are happy to offer yet another of our innovative digital insurance solutions to their customers. As India’s leading general insurance company, we have always been ahead in terms of introducing new age solutions that address the emerging market dynamics and meet the requirements of India’s young & aspiring consumers. We believe that this partnership will immensely benefit Ola’s large base of customers.”

How can a customer avail in – trip insurance program?

New user → in – app communication while booking a ride

Menu → profile → ride insurance → toggle insurance ‘on’ (once a customer has given his / her consent, insurance is charged on all his / her future rides unless the toggle is put to ‘off’)

Founded in 2011 by Bhavish Aggarwal & Ankit Bhati, Ola is one of the world’s largest ride – sharing companies. Ola integrates city transportation for customers & driver-partners onto a mobile technology platform ensuring convenient, transparent, and quick service fulfillment. Ola is focused on leveraging the best of technology and building innovative solutions ground – up, that are relevant at global scale. Notably, in 2016, Ola Play the world’s 1st ever connected car platform for ride – sharing was launched, transforming commuting experiences and setting the tone for global innovation in this space. Using the Ola mobile app, users across 110+ cities, can connect with over 1,000,000 driver – partners across cabs, auto -rickshaws, & taxis. Driven by a hyper local approach, Ola is committed to its mission of building mobility for a billion people

Acko is an independent general insurance company with its entire operations offered through the digital platform. It will provide personalized products after measuring customer behavior using data analytics. Set – up by Varun Dua, previously founder of Coverfox, Acko has raised $30mn, which in effect makes it one of the largest seed rounds for a start -up in India. The company is backed by Narayan Murthy’s Catamaran Ventures, Accel & SAIF Partners, Kris Gopalakrishnan, Co – founder Infosys, Hemendra Kothari of DSP Blackrock, Atul Nishar – Founder & Chairman of Hexaware Technologies, Rajeev Gupta, veteran investment banker & Founder of Arpwood Capital, Venk Krishnan & Subba Rao of NuVentures, Swiss Re & Transamerica Ventures.

ICICI Lombard are the largest private – sector non -life insurer in India based on gross direct premium income in fiscal 2017, a position they have maintained since fiscal 2004 after being one of the 1st ever few private-sector companies to commence operations in the sector in fiscal 2002. They offer their customers a comprehensive & well – diversified range of products, including motor, health, crop, fire, personal accident, marine, engineering & liability insurance, through multiple distribution channels.

China says won’t interfere in Nirav Modi’s arrest

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China on Monday hinted it won’t push for fugitive Indian jeweller Nirav Modi’s arrest, who is suspected to be in Hong Kong, saying the Chinese autonomous region has its own set of judicial rules and India can deal with the authorities directly.

India has reportedly asked Hong Kong to arrest the main accused in the $2billion fraud bank fraud who is believed to be in Chinese territory, a former British colony which enjoys a high degree of autonomy.

“According to the one country two system and basic laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the assistance and authorization of the central government, the Hong Kong SAR can make a proper arrangement on judicial mutual assistance with other countries,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said.

“If India has made a relevant request to the Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region), we leave the matter to the Hong Kong SAR and hope that it will follow the basic laws and relevant judicial system agreement with India to deal with the relevant issue,” Geng said.

Hong Kong has its own independent system where China has its say only in defence and external affairs. While India has an extradition treaty with Hong Kong, there is no such agreement with China.

Modi, a regular on the lists of rich and famous Indians since 2013, along with his group companies — Diamond R US, Stellar Diamond and Solar Exports, and an uncle and business partner and others have been named in the huge scam, admitted by the PNB in February and leading to a massive upheaval in the country’s banking system.

Modi owned a chain of boutiques in Hong Kong.

RTI throws up EVM irregularities in Maharashtra, UP poll commissions too

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There are contradicting records of the numbers of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in stock, their costs, their mode of transportation and other details, as per replies received under the Right to Information Act.

Further, it has emerged that no audits have been conducted by the State Election Commissions of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh on EVMs.

Seeking to corroborate the information received from Election Commission of India (ECI), Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL), Hyderabad and Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), Bengaluru, Mumbai RTI activist Manoranjan S. Roy had sought information on EVMs from two major states — Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh — and received alarming replies.

The Maharashtra State Election Commission (M-SEC) informed on May 2, 2017 that since 2014-2017, it had not conducted any audit pertaining to the number of EVMs, their cost, the security staff, mode of transportation of the EVMs, etc.

However, M-SEC confirmed it is in possession of 76,250 Balloting Units (BUs) and 76,050 Controlling Units (CUs) — the two parts of the EVM system. Additionally, the ECI had provided it with another 15,000 BUs and 110,000 CUs, each costing Rs.9,200 (BU+CU). But it gave no information on the number of defective EVMs lying with it.

When probed further on this, major differences came up in the information provided by the ECI on March 03, 2017 and July 01, 2017 — which points a needle of suspicion towards misuse of EVMs, Roy contended.

In response to a query, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that for corporation elections on February 21, 2017, it had set up 7,304 polling centres in which it deployed 8,161 BUs and 7,304 CUs.

At that time, 136 BUs and 752 CUs were were found to be defective prior to the elections and another 16 BUs and 15 CUs broke down on election day.

To similar queries, the Uttar Pradesh State Election Commission (UP-SEC) said on 08-05-2017 that it had deployed a total 159,791 BUs and 147,164 CUs in the February-March 2017 assembly elections.

Like M-SEC, the UP-SEC also stated that no audits were conducted for the same, adding the (audit) could be available with ECI.

There were differences in the number of EVMs the UP-SEC said it had received from ECIL in 2012, since the ECIL had already made it clear it had not supplied any EVMs to any state during 2006-2013.

Also, the ECI and UP-SEC figures differ vastly on number of polling booths. According to UP-SEC, the total number of polling booths set up were 190,388 in Assembly elections 2017 while the ECI said the number of booths were 11,356 — an obviously incorrect figure.

For those elections, the BEL supplied 139,438 BUs and 105,218 CUs of Model M2MEK, and ECIL supplied 84,480 BUs and 85,170 CUs from five different states, totaling to 224,918 BUs and 190,388 CUs for the assembly polls.

Again at variance with the ECIL’s replies, the UP-SEC said on 30-10-2017 that in 2011, the company had supplied 16,730 BUs and 12,100 CUs for a payment of Rs 142.86 crore plus transportation and VAT of Rs 32,276.

The ECIL had earlier stated that from 2006-2013, it had not supplied any EVMs to any state, as per RTI reply of 16-09-2017.

No transportation details were provided by UP-SEC on grounds that the EVMs were received from different states across India.

The UP-SEC said for the 2017 elections, it received 6,000 BUs and 3,000 CUs from Maharashtra plus another 81,800 BUs and 47,750 CUs from the ECIL, contradicting the UP-SEC’s own figures which said on 08-05-2017 it had deployed a total 159,791 BUs and 147,164 CUs in the assembly elections.

On January 11, 2018, the Madhya Pradesh-State Election Commission (MP-SEC) had supplied on loan 50,000 BUs and 25,000 CUs of EVM Model M1 to the UP-SEC.

“The RTI replies by both Maharashtra and UP SEC’s show they have not conducted audits, maintained proper accounts, there are contradictions galore among all the concerned agencies on the number of EVMs supplies Or received, raising serious doubts on where such huge amounts of public money have actually gone,” Roy said.

“There are absolutely no records of which EVMs were actually used for elections, how many are defective or defunct, why and which different models were deployed, who has approved these different models, the type of software-hardware used and whether they are hack-proof, whether the software is dedicated (exclusive) or purchased from the markets, etc,” Roy said.

The net result is that large stocks of unaccounted EVMs along with BUs/CUs are lying with various state elections commissions all over India and prone to severe misuse by vested interests during different elections where they are deployed, he explained, adding that Karnataka elections are coming up in May 2018.

Moreover, since the past 30 years, there is continuous purchase of EVMs by the ECI for the elections, but even the basic details are missing.

“There’s clearly (unexplained discrepancy) running into many thousands of crores of rupees, blatantly going on since nearly three decades. If this is the situation in just two states, the state of affairs in all other states can well be imagined,” Roy said.

All this calls for a thorough review of the authentic stock position of all EVMs from 1989, the number of non-functional or defective EVMs of both the suppliers and the available stocks with all states, the models and software installed, etc, well before the next general elections, Roy demanded.

Roy has filed a Public Interest Litigation in Bombay High Court, seeking directions to all parties to provide all records/documents pertaining to EVMs, setting up of a suitable probe panel to ban EVMs till the logical outcome of the probe.

States asked to be alert for anti-reservation shutdown on April 10

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The Union Home Ministry has asked all the state governments to be extra vigilant to avoid any violence and loss of life and property amid calls on social media for a “Bharat Bandh” (nationwide shutdown) by various anti-reservation groups to protest clashes during the SC/ST Bharat Bandh on April 2.

The ministry has particularly asked the state governments to make the District Magistrates and the district police chiefs “personally responsible” for the law and order situations in their areas of jurisdiction, sources said on Monday.

States have been advised to beef up security and make appropriate arrangements to prevent any untoward incident, including issue of prohibitory orders, if necessary.

They have been asked to intensify patrolling in all sensitive locations so as to prevent any loss of life or property, a senior ministry official said.

The advisory has stressed that District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police be made “personally responsible for ensuring that law and order situation remains firmly under control” in the areas of their jurisdiction, the official added.

A Bharat Bandh on April 2 by Dalit groups against the alleged dilution of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by a Supreme Court order had led to violence and arson in many parts of the country which claimed several lives and left hundreds of civilians and policemen injured.

Over 100 injured amid student protests across B’desh

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As violence spread across the campus, thousands of male and female students launched into pitched battles with police.

Thousands of students across Bangladesh staged protests and sit-ins Monday after clashes at the country’s top university left at least 100 people injured.
Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at Dhaka University students fighting what they consider “discriminatory” government job quotas in favour of special groups.
It was one of the biggest protests faced by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her decade in power.

A minister was due to meet protest leaders in Dhaka on Monday.

But students at state-run universities in Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barisal, Rangpur, Sylhet and Savar boycotted classes and staged sit-ins, police and media said.

“More than 1,000 students joined the demonstrations at Jahangirnagar University,” said Ataur Rahman, a protester in Savar where the university is located.

The clashes, which began Sunday night and went into the early hours of Monday, turned Dhaka University into a battleground.

Copycat protests soon started in other major cities as thousands of students boycotted classes and staged sit-ins.

Organisers in Dhaka said they were holding peaceful protests when police started firing tear gas and rubber bullets. They used batons and water cannon to clear a central square.

As violence spread across the campus, thousands of male and female students launched into pitched battles with police.

“More than 100 people were injured,” police inspector Bacchu Mia said, adding they were treated in hospital but their condition was not serious.

Protesters threw rocks, vandalised the home of the Dhaka University vice-chancellor, torched two cars and ransacked the fine arts institute, said senior police officer Azimul Haque.

Fifteen people were detained, police said.

The students are angry at the government’s decision to set aside 56 percent of civil service jobs for the families of veterans from the 1971 war of independence and for disadvantaged minorities. That leaves most university graduates to fight for only 44 percent of the jobs.

Hasan Al Mamun, a leader of the protests, said tens of thousands of students joined the demonstrations nationwide. Police declined to estimate the number.

Al Mamun said the quota for top-grade jobs should be reduced to only 10 percent.

“These quotas are discriminatory. Due to the quota system, 56 percent of the jobs are set aside for five percent of the country’s population. And 95 percent of the people can compete for the 44 percent,” he said.

Students are particularly upset at the 30 percent quota set aside for descendants of veterans of the independence war.

Sheikh Hasina, whose father was the architect of the country’s independence from Pakistan, has rejected demands to slash the quotas.

On duty policemen suspended that he showers money to dancers

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The suspended cops were part of the team deployed to watch over an annual community event in Madnapur village.

A police constable and an officer have been suspended for their conduct while on duty, a senior police officer said.
The suspended cops were part of the team deployed to watch over an annual community event in Madnapur village.

“Every year, the event takes place for three days. We have seen the video and ordered an inquiry. The two cops seen in the clip have been suspended and investigations are underway,” a police officer told news agency.
In the video of the incident on Saturday, the cops can be seen showering money on dance performers dressed in glittery attires. They invite the dancers by showing off currency. Soon the cops are surrounded by dancers and money is being thrown in the air. The women as well as their associates make a dash for flying notes. The cops, seemingly delighted, shower some more and it continues.

It is not yet known if the cops were in an inebriated condition as well.

Bollywood Buzz

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POSTER OF HINDI FILM ‘3 DEV’ UNVEILED

Karan Singh Grover, Ravi Dubey & Kunaal Roy Kapoor will play Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma & Lord Shiva respectively in 3 Dev releasing on 11th May 2018. The film also stars Kay Kay Menon, Tisca Chopra, Raima Sen, Poonam Kaur, Priya Banerjee & Prosenojit. The tagline for the film reads, “Undercover Bhagwan”. Perhaps Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu & Lord Shiva will take human forms for a tour of the Earth. The film is directed by Ankoosh Bhatt who also made films like Bhindi Bazaar & Mumbai Mirror. Ankoosh Bhatt said, “The film is a realistic comedy, which deals with ‘why God is required in our lives’. It goes on to ask what the identity of God is, and if he is synonymous with hope & belief. Today, people only remember God in times of need. Bumbada plays the film’s sutradhar.” The poster was unveiled on Twitter by Varun Dhawan. The film is produced by Chintan Rana. Sajid Wajid has given the music for the film.

AUSHIM KHETARPAL’S DAUGHTER AARTI KHETARPAL MAKES HER DEBUT IN FILMS

From star children like Janhvi Kapoor (daughter of Late Sridevi) & Sara Ali Khan (daughter of Saif Ali Khan) to television divas such as Ankita Lokhande & Mouni Roy, there are many fresh faces that are going to begin their Bollywood innings this year. Joining the list who are all set to make their Bollywood foray is Aarti Khetarpal, daughter of well -known actor – filmmaker Aushim Khetarpal & Hindi religious film Shirdi Saibaba fame. Since last 3 years, Aarti Khetarpal is very much in this celluloid world; especially on television. Aarti featured as an actress in television serials like Shirdi Saibaba & Air Lines. She anchored shows like Go Digital on NDTV. Apart from anchoring many other shows & acting in music videos, she has also hosted live musical shows of great singers like Mika Singh, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan amongst others. Adding to her kitty, she has modeled in more than 35 ad commercials along with Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan etc. A resident of New Delhi, Aarti Khetarpal makes her film debut in her home production. The untitled film is made by her father Aushim Khetarpal where she plays a meaty role in this challenging corporate world. Apart from acting, she has also rendered a romantic song in the film too.

JACQUELINE FERNANDEZ & ROHAN GANDOTRA ARE THE NEW BRAND FACES FOR M BAAZAR

M Baazar, Eastern India’s leading fashion retail store chain has recently signed up with the Fashion Diva, Jacqueline Fernandez as their latest Brand Ambassador. A former Miss Srilanka, Jacqueline is ecstatic about her association with M Baazar. “When they showed me their collection, I just fell in love with what I saw. So, I just couldn’t say no when they requested me to be associated with their Brand.” Rohan Gandotra has been paired with Jacqueline in this hi – fashion campaign. Rohan is a young charming TV Star, who has the next door boy charm & amazing cool attitude. He is popular across top brands for many successful ad campaigns. M Baazar campaign has been shot by fashion photographer Abhay Singh. The styling of this super glamorous shoot is done by Tanya Ghavri. The campaign travels through all the festivities of the year in super chic western wear casuals & formals as well as traditional Indian wear for both ladies &m men’s wear. Today, M Baazar has a presence of 50 stores across 7 Indian states and boasts of a range of menswear, ladies wear, kids wear & accessories catering to today’s fashion trendy Generation.

“THE STRANGER TRILOGY” TO BE ADAPTED INTO A ROMANTIC THRILLER SERIES

Penguin has acquired the rights of Novoneel Chakraborty’s novella The Stranger Trilogy, a bestseller known for its edgy, gripping & engaging plot. Partnering with Goldie Behl, this 3 season show will bring the romantic thriller series to life. The show will revolve around the fictional love story of a lady & her pursuer. This will be a coming – of – age drama where we’ll see the protagonist transform from a sheltered, spoilt brat to a strong & independent woman. Goldie Behl is now all set to make his grand entry into the web space with “The Stranger Trilogy”. Sameer Nair, CEO, Applause Entertainment says “Pocket content & web series are most enjoyed by the viewers of today. “The Stranger Trilogy” are extremely enthralling novels and by collaborating with Goldie Behl & Novoneel Chakraborty for this show, we aim to provide the audiences with 3 exciting seasons of the trilogy’’. “As the digital medium is where the audiences are today, we hope to tap their interest and create a binge worthy show” says Goldie Behl. The show is yet to be titled and casting of the series is currently underway with the shoot looking to begin in Apr, 2018. The series will be shot extensively across varied locales in Mumbai.

IT TOOK 7 HOURS FOR AMITABH & RISHI TO GET INTO ‘102 NOT OUT’ LOOK

‘102 Not Out’ will see Amitabh Bachchan & Rishi Kapoor sharing screen space after a gap of 27 years. Bachchan plays Rishi Kapoor’s father. A lot of prosthetics & make up was used to make them look like their character’s age. Director Umesh Shukla states that it would take his ageing protagonists a staggering 7 hours for make – up every day, followed by 6 hours of shooting. He says, “Initially, I thought they would get irritated with the long – winded process but the make – up actually helped them emote and complemented their characters really well. Both Amitabh sir & Rishi ji would walk onto the sets at 5 am with a different kind of energy and we would commence shooting after lunch and go on till 6 pm. At times, the shoot extended to 9 pm. While Bachchan’s dentures were manageable, Kapoor’s bald cap was a cause of concern. Rishi ji, who plays a 70 year old character, would feel extremely hot in it. Whenever he removed it, and I am not exaggerating, it looked like he was sweating by the glass. He had to wear that cap for at least 12 hours every day,” he revealed. The film has been written by Saumya Joshi & directed by Umesh Shukla.

SONAM KAPOOR TO MEET ANUJA CHAUHAN, AS PART OF PREPARATION FOR ‘THE ZOYA FACTOR’!

Sonam Kapoor will soon step into the shoes of Zoya Solanki, the much loved character from Anuja Chauhan’s novella “The Zoya Factor” to be adapted for the big celluloid silver screen. The story revolves around Zoya Singh Solanki who meets the Indian Cricket Team through her job as an executive in an advertising agency and ends up becoming a lucky charm for the team at the Cricket World Cup. Since Chauhan’s novels have been described as tailor made for screen adaptations, Sonam who is a voracious reader herself, will soon meet the author to better understand her character. Sonam wants to well prepare for her role in the film, a rom – com that touches upon superstition & luck. She is keen on understanding the story & her character in detail from Anuja Chauhan. Since Chauhan has penned the book, Sonam thought it best to meet her and discuss the book as part of her prep. Sonam says, “I’ve read the book and absolutely loved it. Anuja Chauhan has lived with the character & the book for so long and knows it better than anyone else. I look forward to meeting her soon to discuss Zoya before we start shooting for the film”

ZEE STUDIOS INTERNATIONAL TAKES ‘BEYOND THE CLOUDS’ BEYOND BORDERS!

Zee Studios International is all set to take the film beyond borders! Iranian auteur Majid Majidi’s 1st ever India set feature Beyond The Clouds. The film will see a 34 territory release including a wide release in Iran as well as over 70 screens in the GCC region including Dubai, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain & Qatar, focussing on Indian as well as local audiences. Beyond The Clouds, introduces us to Ishaan Khatter & Malavika Mohanan. The film is produced by Zee Studios & Namah Pictures. The film narrates a heart – warming tale of a brother & sister, and how they find happiness in separation & turbulent times. The film celebrates the triumph & adoration of life against a Mumbai backdrop. Vibha Chopra, Head – Zee Studios International (Film Marketing, Distribution & Acquisition) says, “The popularity of Indian cinema, Hindi as well as other regional films, is rising at rapid pace. Majid Majidi’s films are those that are awaited by Indians as well as non – diaspora audiences worldwide. And that is why the different approach to the film. Content is what is key, around the globe. We have tapped 34 territories in the 1st ever phase of release for the film and are looking to go wider in phase 2.”

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SONAL CHAUHAN’S ROLE IN ‘PALTAN’!

With an arresting screen presence in her Bollywood debut, Jannat, Sonal Chauhan instantly became one of the most loved girls – next – door and there has been no looking back ever since. Set to make a stir yet again, the gorgeous actress recently went de -glam in order to essay the role of a Rajput girl in J P Dutta’s Paltan. A natural beauty, Sonal often posts pictures of herself in little to no makeup over her social media handles, so facing the camera sans makeup was easy. Dutta was looking for someone with a certain vulnerability, poise & strength that would suit the role of a Rajput girl in the film. The veteran filmmaker’s search ended, as Sonal fit the bill perfectly on all accounts and also interestingly happens to be a Rajput in real life! Says Sonal, “I have admired J P sir’s films. It is an honor to be part of this huge project. I am so glad that J P sir deemed me as the right choice for the role. I can’t wait to know how it’s received by the audiences. I got a chance to say my thanks to the Indian army through this film and for that I am overwhelmed beyond words.”

KANIKA KAPOOR TO TURN SHOWSTOPPER AT THE DUBAI FASHION LEAGUE!

Versatility is the name of the game for singer Kanika Kapoor, who not just captivates with her vocal abilities but also tweaks regular things for a surprisingly alluring result, when it comes to her personal sense of style. A regular at the Milan & Paris Fashion Weeks, Kanika has always been praised for her strong fashion game & continues to remain one of the most looked up fashion icons in the country today. It’s no surprise then that the singer will turn showstopper for Pakistani designer at the Dubai Fashion League, a 3 day fashion extravaganza that celebrates the best sartorial names from Asia & United Arab Emirates (UAE). No stranger to the ramp, Kanika Kapoor has taken to it, for designers like Alberta Ferretti and wowed in their ensembles. Kanika is also a regular at Milan Fashion Week and owns a clothing label named, House of Chikankari, a luxury ethnic wear brand, which gained a commendable number of patrons across India in a short span of time. At her international trips, the singer cum style icon can be seen brushing shoulders with the fashion aficionados, designers & entrepreneurs of the world. Says Kanika, “Fashion has been one of my many loves and this gives me a chance to revisit it”.

WHEN 2 CINEMA STALWARTS MET!

Anil Kapoor who is currently shooting for his next film Race 3, recently met his Mission Impossible 3 co – star Tom Cruise while shooting in United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital. Anil Kapoor & Tom Cruise have known each other for several years now and have kept in touch ever since they worked together in Mission Impossible 3 (MI 3). Soon as they found out that they were both in the same city, they moved their incredibly packed schedules around to make time to meet each other. The 2 powerhouses spent an entire day together catching up on their professional & personal journeys since the last time they saw each other. Tom & Anil spent hours talking about their films, families, food & fitness. It wasn’t surprising that a large part of their conversation revolved around fitness, since they’re both passionate about it, and Tom even said that he was happy to see Anil looking fitter than ever. They spoke at length about the stunts in the new “Mission Impossible” (MI) franchise film as Anil has often expressed his admiration for Tom’s work ethics, specifically the fact that Tom performs all of his own stunts, regardless of how dangerous & demanding they are. Tom commended him on his infectious energy & enthusiasm, even in the face of 4 upcoming releases.

​NEW YORK BASED SCHOOL TO MAKE DOCUMENTARY ON RAVEENA TANDON’S SINGLE MOTHERHOOD!

Raveena Tandon was the 1st ever to do away with the stigma of single parenthood as she adopted 2 daughters in 1995. And 2 decades after that, the super mommy has been approached by a New York based school called “Film Connection” to narrate the story of motherhood in a documentary based on her life, which shall outline the journey of raising up 2 daughters by herself. Always the one to be ahead of times, Tandon says, “Back then, the wave of feminism hadn’t hit India as strongly as it has today. Female infanticide was on the rise. No one wanted to adopt daughters.” Raveena, who apparently adopted the girls from a distant cousin encountering financial troubles, says, “The moment I set my eyes on my girls, my life has been a joyride ever since.” When asked about the challenges of raising 2 children, the ravishing beauty said that the teen years were a rough patch but they have been her best friends ever after. Raveena added, “Unfortunately, people say nasty things to you when you take such a step, even if your intentions are pure. I faced a lot of flak from people, who said that the move would ruin my career. However, it turned out to be for the better. My life would have never been as blissful without them as it is today.”

‘MAASSAB’ IS AN ODE TO EDUCATION

Maassab Produced by Purushottam Studios & directed by award winning director & South Star Aditya Om & starring Shiva Suryavanshi & Sheetal Singh is on a roll getting selected at prestigious film festivals all over India. Maassab has also got critical appreciation from Cannes directors fortnight curator Benjamin Illios. The film is all about to start its international film festival circuit journey and is expected to release at the start of next year in India. Maassab is a unique film which deals with the state of primary education in rural India, where the concept of Mass education did not exist for centuries as education was only for the privileged. Many reformers, thinkers & teachers went about correcting this wrong and with democracy the speed of educating the masses grew manifold and so did the number of schools both private & Government. Private enterprise treated education like a business, provided better facilities but charged exorbitantly too making education elitist and deprived the poor. Government schools lack quality teachers and have poor infrastructure & rampant corruption. Our protagonist is one such reformer who believes that education is like a universal treasure on which everyone has equal right and sets about to do whatever he can in his individual capacity to spread quality education even in smaller villages to make every underdog a winner.

BANITA SANDHU SAYS, “SHOOJIT SIR DID NOT HOLD ANY WORKSHOPS FOR THE FILM OCTOBER”

October has created a buzz all over the country with its mesmerizing trailer. The leads of October, Varun Dhawan & Banita Sandhu shared their experiences on the unique working style of their director Shoojit Sircar. When asked about the prepping up process for their characters, debutant Banita Sandhu said, “Shoojit Sir wanted raw emotions, hence there were no workshops held for us. This helped us to explore ourselves and bring out our emotions in the most natural manner. I could not have asked for a better debut than October. Having worked with him in an ad film before, Shoojit Sir is par excellence.” Varun Dhawan adds, “Shoojit Sircar is a genius! His style of working has not only made me grow as an actor but also changed me personally as a human being. My brief was simple as I had to play myself onscreen”. Produced by Ronnie Lahiri & Sheel Kumar, October stars Varun Dhawan & Banita Sandhu.

Runway closure hits 120 flights in Mumbai

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Some 120 flights were cancelled and many more rescheduled due to a two-day closure of the Mumbai International Airport runway starting from Monday.

An official said the planned closure was necessitated “on account of pre-monsoon maintenance activities” and requested all passengers to contact their respective airlines for revised travel schedules.

Though airport officials did not reveal the exact number of flights affected due to the closure, individual airlines have been announcing cancellations or rescheduling of services to and from Mumbai.

Air India has announced cancellation of at least 34 flights and rescheduled around half a dozen other services till Tuesday evening.

While Jet Airways has cancelled at least 18 flights, Spicejet has also cancelled around 70 services.

Body chopped into 15 pieces, dumped in a canal, false missing case registered

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A man mercilessly killed his loving wife by chopping her into 15 pieces and dumping the chopped mortal remains into a canal. This dreadful incident took place at Hosapete on April 8th.

The accused has been identified as Chandrahasa (27) from Anavumol at Kaimana village in Puttur Taluk. The victim is his wife Bharati (24).

8 years back, Chandrahasa had joined for work at a garments shop in Bellary. Bharati, from M. P. Prakash Nagar in Hampi was also working at the same shop. He fell in love and married her. Later, he started his own garment shop and stayed with his wife in a rented house at ‘Sunnada Batti’ area of the city.

On February 19th, Bharati insisted Chandrahasa to buy a car. A fight broke out in-between them with regard to this issue. Furious Chandrahasa forcefully slapped Bharati. The impact of the slap was such that, she fell down unconscious and died.

Chandrahasa panicked and chopped his wife into 15 pieces. He stuffed those pieces into four bags. He then disposed off the bags at L.L.C. canal near the city’s railway station road, informed the police of Hosapete rural police station.

Chandrahasa called his wife’s relatives and informed them that she had gone missing. He convinced them to conduct the search by themselves and not to inform the police. He acted his part of searching his wife for some days after which he himself went missing.

The elder brother of Bharati got suspicious and registered a complaint at Hospete rural police station. The police started the investigation after registering a murder case.

Tearful Chandrahasa was arrested on April 5th and subjected to intensive questioning which squeezed out the actual facts of the incident.

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