Nearly a year after the demise of 44-year-old anti-freebie crusader-advocate S. Subramaniam Balaji, Tamil movie “Sarkar” has stirred a controversy over the freebie schemes of the state government.

Protesters outside theatres in Coimbatore, Chennai and Madurai have been
damaging the film’s banners and demanding the removal of certain scenes from A.R. Murugadoss directed political thriller that hit the screens this week.

The ruling AIADMK is angry at the Vijay starrer for criticsing their schemes. Many AIADMK ministers and party cadres expressed their displeasure over certain scenes by damaging banners of the film and cut-outs of the actor.

It is, however, neither Vijay nor Murugadoss, but the late Balaji, who deserves credit for this anti-freebie crusade. The political activist-lawyer died on November 2017, couple of months after meeting with a road accident and suffering head injuries.

Balaji had fought against the freebie schemes of the both the key Tamil Nadu parties — DMK and the AIADMK’s governments — going up to the Supreme Court.

The apex court in 2013, while not banning freebie schemes, had ordered the Election Commission to frame guidelines for political parties to announce freebies in their election manifestoes.

Balaji had strongly felt a golden opportunity was lost to reign in political parties from creating private assets out of public money to be in power.

The top court had observed that promising freebies in the election manifesto doesn’t amount to corrupt practice under Section 123 of the Representation of Peoples Act, while ordering the Election Commission to frame guidelines for political parties.

The court gave the ruling after Balaji filed the case against the distribution of free colour television sets by the DMK to the people as part of its pre-election promise in 2006.

In an attempt to outdo DMK, the AIADMK then under late J. Jayalalithaa promised mixers, grinders, fans and laptops and other freebies during 2011 assembly polls.

Cheap rice, free TV, free power, free stove, cash dole promises by political parties is nothing but “bribery”, Balaji had contended.

So, it is neither Vijay nor “Sarkar” director A.R. Murugadoss who could be termed as anti-freebie fighters but the young crusader Balaji.

A government cannot enrich private individuals out of consolidated funds. Giving free land or free TVs or monthly cash doles are precisely that, Balaji had said.

Hailing from a family of lawyers, Balaji’s father N. Sivasankaran is a High Court lawyer, his elder sister Mahalakshmi Ramaswamy is a lawyer, too.

IANS

The 49th International Film Festival of India (IFFI 2018) will be held in Goa from 20th Nov, 2018 to 28th Nov, 2018. The 49th edition of the fest will showcase 212 films from over 68 countries, which reflects diversity of taste. The “International Competition” section has 15 films out of which 3 are Indian. The “Competition section” itself will represent films produced & co-produced by 22 countries. The Fest’s Kaleidoscope section carries 20 critically acclaimed international films that have been to major film fests & the majority of them being multiple award winners. This is one of the most sought after sections of the fest that showcases the “Best” & the “Top” films of the year. The “World Panorama” section has 67 films, which are specially curated for the fest. This includes 4 World Premieres, 2 International Premieres, 15 Asia Premieres & 60 India Premieres. This year the “World Panorama” section presents 15 films, which are Oscar submissions from their respective countries.

Retrospective Of Ingmar Bergman

On the occasion of the 100th year anniversary of Ingmar Bergman’s birth, the International Film Festival of India (IFFI 2018) will showcase the 7 best films of his career. A documentary on Ingmar Bergman titled “Bergman Island” directed by Marie Nyrerod which presents the master behind the camera has also been included in this section. The official opening of this section is scheduled on 21st Nov, 2018 with panel discussion followed by the screening of Wild Strawberries.

The Opening Film: World Premiere Of ‘The Aspern Papers’
The Festival will open with the World Premiere of The Aspern Papers with international star cast. The Aspern Papers tells a story of obsession, grander lost & dreams of Byronic adventures. The delegation constitutes Jonathan Rhys Meyers (lead actor) Golden Globe winner, Joely Richardson (lead actress), Oscar nominated actress Julia Robins (actress), Morgane Polanski (actress & daughter of Roman Polanski), Nicolas Hau (actor) & Julien Landais (director).

Country Focus – Israel

Every year the International Film Festival of India (IFFI 2018) features a Country of Focus that brings out the cinematic excellence & contributions of that particular Country. In its 49th edition the International Film Festival of India (IFFI 20918), the Country of Focus will be on Israel. 10 films in collaboration with the Consulate General of Israel in Mumbai, has been selected for the country focus package. The opening film for the “Country Focus Section” is The Other Story by Avi Nesher. Important celebrities from Israel including the famous Israeli Actor, Alon Aboutboul, is the special guest from Israel, who has worked in several Hollywood films including, Rambo III, Munich by Steven Spielberg, Body of Lies by Ridley Scott & The Dark Knight Rises to name a few. The Indo-Israeli co-production seminar is slated to be held on 22nd Nov, 2018.

A State focus – Jharkhand
The movies in the Jharkhand Package include Death In The Gunj, Ranchi Diaries, Begum Jaan with others. Jharkhand has been selected as the “State Of Focus” for the 49th International Film Festival of India (IFFI 2018) & the “Jharkhand Day” will be celebrated on 24th Nov, 2018 as part of the fest.

The International Competition Jury

The International Competition jury comprises of John Irvin, Adrian Sitaru, Polish director Robert Glinski, Anna Ferraioli Ravel & Indian member Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.

Indian Panorama – 26 Feature & 21 Non Feature Indian Films

Olu directed by Shaji N Karun as the Opening feature film of Indian Panorama Section. Kharvas directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale as the Opening non-feature film of Indian Panorama. 26 feature films & 21 non–feature Indian films are selected by the Indian Panorama Jury to be screened as part of this section out of the 100’s of entries sent by filmmakers from varied parts of the Country. The feature film jury selected the film Olu directed by Shaji N Karun as the opening feature film of the Indian Panorama 2018. The non-feature film jury selected the film Kharvas directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale as the opening non-feature film of the Indian Panorama 2018. The prominent feature films are as follows: Olu (Opening film) Malayalam by Shaji N Karun, Nagarkirtan Bengali by Kaushik Ganguly, Sa Bengali by Arijit Singh, Uma Bengali by Srijit Mukherji, Abyakto Bengali by Arjun Dutta
& Uronchondi Bengali by Abhishek Saha. The feature film jury of 13 members was headed by acclaimed film director & screenwriter, Rahul Rawail & the other prominent members included: Major Ravi, filmmaker & actor, Ahathian, director, Ujjwal Chatterjee, director, producer & screenwriter, Imo Singh, director & Utpal Datta, filmmaker & others. The non-feature film jury of 7 members was headed by acclaimed film director & editor, Vinod Ganatra. The jury constituted of the following Members: Uday Shankar Pani, filmmaker, Parvati Menon, director & film educationist, Mandar Talaulikar, filmmaker, Padmaraj Nair, film journalist, Ashok Sharan, actor & producer & Suneel Puranik actor, director & producer.

Sketch On Screen (Animation Film Package)
The sketch on screen (Animation Film Package) is a section which will screen around 3 International feature length films done in collaboration with Indian studios.

Indian Sports Biopics
The Indian spoirts biopics like Gold, Mary Kom, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, 1983, MSD: The untold story & Soorma will be screened at the 49th International Film Festival of India (IFFI 2018) as an extension of the “Khelo India Branding”. The “Open Air Screenings” are organized during the fest where a large screen is put up in a vast open area, where these films will be screened.

The ICFT Prize

The ICFT prize consisting of the UNESCO Gandhi Medal to a film, which reflects the ideals promoted by UNESCO. This year 10 films will be showcased for selection of a film to be presented with this coveted award. The International Film Festival of India (IFFI 2018) collaborates with the International Council for Film, Audiovisual Communication (ICFT) Paris, to present a special ICFT prize consisting of the UNESCO Gandhi Medal to a film, which reflects the ideals promoted by UNESCO. This year 10 films will be showcased for selection of a film to be presented with this coveted award.

Masterclasses & In-Conversation Section

The masterclasses & in-conversation section will feature several renowned celebrities from the film industry including Prasoon Joshi, Dan Wolman, Sreekar Prasad, Anil Kapoor, Sumit Israni, Boney Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Jahnvi Kapoor, David Dhawan, Varun Dhawan, Rohit Dhawan, Jairaj, Kaushik Ganguly, Shaji Karun, Srijit Mukhrjee, Sridhar & Sreeram Raghvan, Anupama Chopra, Rajiv Masand, Bhawana Somaaya, Jason Hafford, Meghna Gulzar, Leena Yadav, Gauri Shinde et al. A retrospective of films of the recipient of the most prestigious film award of the Country, Dadasaheb Phalke Award is showcased during the 49th International Film Festival of India (IFFI 2018). This year Vinod Khanna received the award posthumously. The 49th International Film Festival of India (IFFI 2018) will be showcasing some of his best films including Achanak, Lekin & Amar Akbar Anthony. Retrospective of the Lifetime Achievement Awardee section recognizes the contribution of our Lifetime Achievement Awardee in the field of Cinema by showcasing some of his/her “Best Films”. This year Dan Wolman from Israel will be honored with Life Time Achievement award.

The “Homages” section pays tribute to the film personalities of our country who has taken refuge in the abode of God. This year homage will be paid to the Late Shashi Kapoor, the Late Sridevi, the Late M. Karunanidhi & the Late Kalpana Lajmi. in the International Homages this year the fest will pay a tribute to Terence Marsh, Milos Forman & Anne V Coates.
A special package for Visually Impaired Children’s special screenings with audio description will be organized for the children who are visually impaired. The fest will showcase the movies Sholay & Hichki under this section. This year there will also be a special presentation of the Tunisian films.

The Thugs Of Hindustan’s Song “Manzoor – E – Khuda” Is A Salute To Being Free. Katrina Kaif & Fatima Sana Shaikh Salute The Spirit Of Freedom

Films mega action adventure Thugs of Hindostan has wowed audiences worldwide with its larger than life, extravagant trailer & its lavish & catchy songs, making it the biggest ever Hindi film release. This visual spectacle about an epic war & adventure on the high seas, is releasing this Diwali. YRF is now releasing the teaser of its 3rd song that is surely going to light up the internet. Titled “Manzoor – E – Khuda”, this patriotic dance number salutes the spirit of freedom & has Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif & Fatima Sana Shaikh dancing on it. Director Viktor (Vijay Krishna Acharya) says, “Manzoor – E – Khuda” comes at a very crucial turning point in the film & it had to be a moving & powerful song. I think it’s lyrics, composition & vocals have created an overwhelming effect, making this salute to being free an incredibly special song. We love the song & we are certain that the audiences will love the spirit of freedom in it.” The Thugs take on the mighty British Empire in the film. Thus, the significance of this song is immense. Chinni & Rekha Prakash, who are known for their unique choreography which always becomes a huge talking point, has directed it. Sukhwinder Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan & Shreya Ghoshal, 3 of the most brilliant singers of our generation have sung this powerful song. Composed by the talented duo Ajay-Atul, “Manzoor – E – Khuda” literally means “By The Will Of God”. This particular track talks about undaunting grit & determination of the Thugs. Standing up for freedom, of living as per one’s free will, is the message that’s embedded at the heart of this inspiring song. Visually grand, the powerful lyrics have been written by Amitabh Bhattacharya. Thugs of Hindostan brings 2 of the biggest icons of Hindi cinema Amitabh Bachchan & Aamir Khan for the 1st ever time the celluloid silver screen, making it a must watch movie for Hindi film lovers worldwide. The film is set to treat audiences with the biggest jaw -dropping action sequences seen on screen to date. With its edge – of – the – seat thrills & a visually immersive experience, Yash Raj Films (YRF) out & out Diwali entertainer, Thugs of Hindostan, is all set to release on 8th Nov, 2018, a national holiday, in Hindi, Tamil & Telugu.

Allah Rakha Rahman Thanks Keeravani

M M Keeravani is in for praise from musical genius Allah Rakha Rahman. It’s because the senior musician from Telugu cinema has rendered a song for the upcoming Rajinikanth-Shankar magnum opus. “Keeravani Garu …Thanks for singing ‘Bulliguva’ for #2point0 Telugu … Looking forward to the release tomorrow,” the Mozart of Madras today tweeted out. It will be interesting to listen to Keeravani’s voice in this much awaited movie. Many years ago, Allah Rakha Rahman had interned with Keeravani as a learner. He must have given a ting song to his one-time guru.

Government Passes An Order For ‘Sarkar’

Thalapathy Vijay’s Sarkar releasing on the festive occasion of Diwali day on 6^th Nov, 2018 is tracking for a staggering rupees 50 Crores opening day collection worldwide. Celebrations have already started in theaters screening the much awaited film as the posters & the banners have been put & fans too are decorating the buildings & the entrance arches. But the irony of the whole thing is that Panneerselvam the President of the Theater Owners Association has sent a circular to all the cinemas screening Sarkar to remove any poster or banners that have Vijay smoking in accordance with the Government’s order.

Rajnikanth’s Film ‘2.0’ Screening – Mind Blowing Technology Used 1^st Time Ever In The World

The trailer of Superstar Rajinikanth’s film 2.0 launch is taking place in a grand manner at Sathyam Cinemas Chennai.  It has been revealed that the new age technology of 4D sound has been used for the 1^st time ever in the world for this mega Sciene – fiction thriller.  Usually, the surround sound system consists of speakers on the ceiling & the side walls.  This innovative sound system will be placed under the seats to give a realistic & immersive viewing experience.

Rana Daggubatti – The Manly Macho Hunk

Hunk Rana Daggubati is on a roll. Only the other day, he signed up to do the Hindi comedy-drama Housefull 4. He got the role that Nana Patekar had vacated.  And now comes the news that the Baahubali villain will romance Sai Pallavi in a movie to be produced by Sudhakar Cherukuri. The big news about this project is that Sai Pallavi will be its heroine.   Venu Udugula, who directed the critically overrated Needhi Naadhi Oke Katha, will wield the megaphone. Now that he has impressed Rana Dagubatti & the Fidaa girl. Sai Pallavi awaits the release of Sharwanand-Hanu Raghavapudi’s Padi Padi Leche Manasu on 21^st Dec, 2018.

Rehamanan The Anchor Turns An Actor In Vanilla

Handsome, well built & eloquent speaker Rehmanan is making a big leap from anchoring to acting. He was a strong contender in Big Boss Season 3. He is all set to star in his 1^stever film titled Vanilla as a researcher & caring brother to female protagonist Swathi Konde in the film. A news reader in a very popular television channel Rehaman was picked for this film Vanilla by director Jayathirtha for his looks & Kannada diction. Rehaman has already acted in Gara Kannada cinema in the direction of advocate turned director Muralikrishna. In Gara he is hero with a negative shade. It is in post production stage.

Trisha Makes A Request To Sun TV

The pure romance film 96 starring Vijay Sethupathi & Trisha has appealed to all sections of the audiences & it is one of the biggest hits of 2018 considering its budget.  The film directed by Premkumar & produced by Nandagopal has been snapped up by Sun Group for Satellite broadcast. Sun TV has scheduled 96 as one of its high profile Diwali day telecasts on 6^th Nov, 2018 much to the chagrin of the fans, the cast & the crew.  Trisha has sent out a request stating “It’s just our 5^th week and we still have 80% occupancy in all theatres. We as a team feel it’s unfair to be premiering 96 this early. So it’s our request to push it to a Pongal viewing please. Will be grateful” It remains to be seen if the television giant relents or telecast the much loved movie as advertised.

Vishal – Tamannaah’s New Movie Launched

Vishal and Tamannaah Bhatia shown to user

Trident Arts, the popular production & distribution company celebrated its 25^th year anniversary recently in which many Kollywood celebrities were present. The 4^th production under the banner was jointly launched by Samuthirakani & Sasikumar. The untitled project has Vishal & Tamannaah as the lead pair reuniting after Kaththi Sandai. Sundar C is helming the project and this will be his 3^rd film with Vishal after Aambala & the unreleased film Madha Ghaja Raja.

‘ABCD’ In Last Schedule & Release Date Sealed

‘ABCD’ (standing for “American Born Confused Desi”), starring Allu Sirish as the hero, is gearing up for a release on 8^th Feb, 2018. The remake’s final schedule is currently on in India. “The entire shooting will be completed by 15^th Dec, 2018.” says debutante director Sanjeev Reddy. Rukshar Dhillon of Krishnarjuna Yuddam fame is the heroine. Famous child artiste Bharath will be seen as the hero’s friend. The son of Sirivennela Seetharamasasthri Raja, Kota Srinivasa Rao & Subhaleka Sudhakar is also part of the cast. Produced by Madhura Sridhar Reddy on Madhura Entertainments banner in association with BigBen Cinemas’ Yash Rangineni, its music is by Sandalwood music director Jodha.

Adah Sharma Upbeat About Rajasekhar’s ‘Kalki’

Adah Sharma, who was recently famously seen in Puri Jagannadh’s Heart Attack & the thriller Kshanam, has bagged a female lead’s role in Rajasekhar’s upcoming investigative thriller, Kalki. And the Commando actress is gung-ho about it.   “My next Telugu film will be Kalki. I always try to do something different & like Heart Attack, Son Of Sathyamurthy & Kshanam, I hope I can bring something new to this film too! I am super happy to be the leading lady in a film directed by Prasanth Varma,” she writes. Prasanth this year debuted with the multi-genre Awe!.   “I am doing a period film after 1920 & Rajasekhar garu & a producer like C Kalyan will bring the grand scale that is required for a film like this. I am thrilled that they chose me to play the leading lady. Can’t wait to start! Need all your love & blessings,” Adah further writes.

East Coast Vijayan’s New Film Announced

East Coast Vijayan, a well-known Malayali lyricist, is credited with changing the dynamics of Malayalam video album songs. The news is that he is going to direct a feature film In the past, he has done 2 movies, namely Mohabath & Novel. His new outing is titled Chila New Gen Nattu Visheshangal and it is expected to be yet another family entertainer. Written by S L Puram Jayasurya, it will have music by M Jayachandran. “Their combination has produced some of the most memorable melodies of Malayalam. Jayachandran has composed the songs for the film and this is a highly anticipated part. KJ Yesudas, P Jayachandran, Sankar Mahadevan & Shreya Ghoshal will render their voice to these songs,” a source says.

Jeetu Joseph Maker Of ‘Aadhi’ Starts His Bollywood Debut Film

Drishyam fame Malayalam director Jeethu Joseph has started the work on his bollywood debut film. The director informed the matter through social media .The bollywood actors Emraan Hashmi & Rishi Kapoor will play important roles in this film. The director shared a couple of photos from the movie’s sets on his social media Facebook’s page. The movie is being produced by Sunil Kheterpal & will be presented by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures. According to the makers, it is a crime thriller with elements of horror. It is said to be the remake of Spanish thriller The Body, which was released in the year 2012.

Anupama Gowda Doing Suhasini Role In ‘Bah’

The talented actress of the small screen arena namely Anupama Gowda is taking up a big task in a feature film. She had acted in Aa Karala Rathri of director Dayal Padmanabhan. She caught attention at Big Boss 5 competition. She was noticed prior to that for her Akka TV serial. A good performer today Anupama Gowda is doing the role of what Suhasini Manirathnam had done in K Balachander’s Kannada cinema Benkiyalli Aralida Hoovu. The title of this film is used once again & the character of Anupama Gowda is 21^st century’s Suhasini Manirathnam’s role. It is in this film that Dr Kamal Haasan played the role of bus conductor.

Mumbai Bollywood and television celebrities attended a grand Diwali bash hosted by producer Ekta Kapoor at her residence here.

The attendees on Tuesday night included Shraddha Kapoor, Arbaaz Khan, Giorgia Andriani, Nitesh Tiwari, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Mona Singh, Shabana Azmi, Tusshar Kapoor, Sophie Choudry, Karishma Tanna, Tina Ahuja, Urvashi Dholakia, Nushrat Bharucha, Karan Johar, Kiara Advani, Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra, Shabir Ahluwalia, Kanchi Kaul, Anita Hassanandani and Rohit Reddy.

In the photos, Mouni Ganguly is seen wearing a beige coloured lehenga choli with a pair of statement earrings, while Krystle D’Souza donned a green floral print asymmetrical gown with trumpet sleeves.

Karishma wore a corset style blouse and golden lehenga skirt with a complimentary dupatta. Mona wore a black long kurti and palazzo pants whereas Urvashi looked pretty in a simple black lehenga and a pink dupatta draped in saree style.

The new lovebirds in town Himansh Kohli and Neha Kakkar were also present at the party.

Neha Dhupia also arrived at the party in her full pregnancy glow and accompanying her was husband Angad Bedi.

“Dilwale” actress Kriti Sanon reached the venue in a red outfit. Popular director and father of Varun Dhawan, David Dhawan also graced the party with his presence. The director was joined by his wife.

Meanwhile, the couples of television namely Divyanka Tripathi and Vivek Dahiya, Karan Patel and Ankita Bhargava, Karan Kundrra and Anusha Dandekar were snapped while making their way towards Ekta’s bash.

(IANS)

Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) general secretary, Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Monday filed a complaint against Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan for allegedly hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community in his upcoming venture Zero.

In a complaint filed at the North Avenue Police Station, Sirsa has said that they have received a number of complaints from the Sikh Sangat.

In the complaint, Sirsa alleged that in the promo of the movie, actor Shah Rukh Khan has been shown wearing ‘Gatra Kirpan’ (Article of Sikh Faith) in their movie promo which has created an outrage among Sikh community worldwide.

The Akali Dal legislator told the police that according to the Sikh Rehat Maryada only an ‘Amritdhari Sikh’ can wear Gatra Kirpan. He further urged the police to lodge FIR against the movie.

He further said that in the promo, the film star not only appears wearing the Kirpan but also the poster shows the star in a lighter mood thereby further showing the Sikh article of faith in a lighter vein. He added that Sikhs cannot tolerate such mischievous acts either in films or in real life. Sirsa further added, “Sikh Guru Sahiban have given enough power and strength to the Sikhs to fight with such situations if they arise in their life.”

The film Zero is an upcoming venture of Shah Rukh Khan, and also features Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma. It has been directed by Anand L. Rai.

(Attn Editors: Ravi Subramanian’s “Don’t Tell The Governor”, a novel set against the backdrop of demonetisation, arrives on the stands on Tuesday. Below is an exclusive excerpt from the book)

Harsha Ranjan was standing on the balcony of his first-floor bedroom, smoking a cigarette. The official RBI Governor’s residence, a two-storeyed heritage bungalow just off Mumbai’s Carmichael Road, had been his home for the last three years. Parked right under the balcony were the two cars that had been provided by the government for his use.

He sighed as he blew out smoke and glanced at his watch. He was in a pensive mood. The monetary policy announcement was scheduled for that morning, A few unpopular decisions were about to be announced; steps which had been mandated by the state of the economy.

However, what worried him was the government’s reaction to what he was about to unveil. It was no secret that his relationship with the Finance Minister was a strained one. Most of it was a consequence of Harsha trying to chart his own course when the government would have liked him to be subservient. The never-ending battle between the Finance Ministry and the RBI had taken its toll on him.

The Finance Minister had called him the previous night. ‘Remember, Harsha, we have to bring down the interest rates. RBI needs to help the government,’ he cautioned.

‘I cannot commit to anything, sir,’ Harsha responded.

‘Do you remember our conversation that night when we had met with Khosla? We had discussed it that day and you had agreed,’ Pande reminded him.

‘With due respect, sir, I had not agreed. I had only said that I would consider it,’ Harsha argued. But his response hadn’t gone down well with the FM, who had blown his top. This was not the first time the FM had reacted the way he did and it would not be the last.

But Harsha knew that he was nearing the end of his tenure as RBI chief and the government could make make his last days miserable, turning him into the fall guy for their failed economic policies. The risk he was taking and the repercussion it could have on his reputation worried him.

Ever since Independence, the autonomy of the RBI had been a contentious issue. What was the amount of influence the government would, rather ‘should’, wield on the RBI was often a topic of heated debate in the corridors of North Block. At the heart of this conflict were the interest rates prevalent in the economy.

A higher interest rate controls inflation, whereas a lower one fuels it. The Reserve Bank of India controls inflation using one tool — the repo rate. Very simply put, the repo rate, which the RBI decides, is the interest rate at which banks borrow money from the RBI. The RBI announces its stance on the economy and supports it directionally by announcing the repo rate in the monetary policy, which is released bi-monthly. Whenever the RBI lowers or increases the repo rate as a part of its monetary policy, the banks follow suit.

When RBI raises the repo rates, the banks end up paying higher interest to the RBI on the monies they borrow. As a consequence, to make up for that, they charge more from the customers they loan money to, thereby making loans costly. Costlier loans dissuade consumers from taking then.

Even companies avoid taking high-interest loans from banks and reduce their borrowings. This reduces the consumer’s ability to spend. For companies, reduction in borrowing leads to lesser availability of money, lesser investment and consequently, a drop in production. The combined effect of all this is that the economic growth rate slows down and consequently reduces inflation.

In simple terms, high interest rates lead to reduced inflation, but also slow economic growth. Low interest rates lead to growth in the economy, but also inflation. Growth and controlling inflation are often seen as two deliverables at diametrically opposite ends of the same line.

That was where Harsha Ranjan’s conflict with the government lay. The Finance Minister wanted a higher economic growth rate and had asked Harsha to support the government’s cause by lowering the interest rates. Harsha was reluctant to do so because falling interest rates would have made money cheaper, loans easier and hence, fuelled consumption. And increased consumption would fuel inflationary growth. The rising prices would make life difficult for the poor.

Therefore, he was not in favour of dropping interest rates. And it wasn’t like the RBI was an outlier. Central banks the world over are paranoid about inflation and don’t drive the interest rates down just to cater to the whims of the central government. Most of them strongly feel that driving growth in an economy is the government’s agenda and deliverable, not theirs.

Given his stance, Harsha’s new monetary policy was on expected lines. Much against public sentiment and government persuasion, the interest rates were not lowered by the RBI. To add to the government woes, the RBI also brought out an official statement saying that the economy was overheated and it expected inflation to rise. Hence, as a conservative monetary policy measure, it would not reduce the interest rates.

IANS

National Award-winning film editor Sreekar Prasad, known for his contribution to popular films like “Dil Chahta Hai”, “O Kadhal Kanmani” and “The Ghazi Attack”, says there are no ready takers for serious cinema as buyers or theatres focus more on box-office earnings which come with “established actors”.

His name has been long associated with Mani Ratnam’s movies and other films that create fireworks at the box-office. But Prasad is also known for working on indie films like Chezhiyan Ra’s directorial “To Let”.

Earlier this year, the Tamil film, which deals with house rental issues, won the National Film Award. It has also been screened at about 30 film festivals across the world. A few weeks ago, it bagged awards at the first edition of the Pondicherry International Film Festival.

“When ‘To Let’ was made, its target audience was the festival circuit and so every festival that it attends and an award it wins, is a vindication of the film. I am also happy as it has been selected for the Indian Panorama Film Section at International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2018,” Prasad, who had edited the Malayalam film “Olu” — the opening movie of the upcoming edition of IFFI, told IANS in an email interview.

Despite being a hit at film fests, “To Let” is yet to release in theatres.

“There are no ready buyers for serious cinema in the market as the buyers or theatres are looking for collections and numbers which come with established actors. These sort of films have to create a brand for themselves with various festivals and awards to create awareness about the film and subsequently, get somebody to back it and release it in theatres,” he said.

“It is a huge task no doubt but in this case, filmmakers are optimistic as it is a relatable story and I too believe it will have its audience in public exhibition too. I wish there are theatres to showcase all types of cinema and not only targeted cinema, even if it is on a smaller scale, Prasad added.

“Otherwise, we will see the demise of pure cinema and filmmakers.”

He doesn’t let a film’s budget “distract” him. “Kayamkulam Kochunni”, touted as Malayalam film industry’s most expensive movie, is one of his most recent works.

“‘…Kochunni’ was a very well-planned effort by the director (Rosshan Andrrews) and it had all the ingredients in it to appeal to the masses. We had a few discussions at the script level and once the shooting started… though it took a lot of time to shoot and execute and edit, I was sure it would sort of work well,” he said.

After making his debut in early 1980s, he worked on films in Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Assamese.

Coming from a Telugu-speaking family settled in Chennai, he did not have a plan or preference for editing films in any particular language.

“It was more about getting work to showcase my skills. Chennai was strategically the industry hub for south Indian films and also for the east and northeast part of India. So many filmmakers used to come to Chennai to do their post-production. During that period, I met a few filmmakers from other parts of the country and slowly, I started getting work in different languages,” he said.

His initial independent venture “Raakh”, which released in 1989, got him a National Film Award.

“So people noticed my capabilities, but the beauty of working in different languages, meeting people from different cultures and different types of stories have greatly contributed to my evolution as a film editor,” said Prasad.

But editing bilinguals or remakes is quite a task.

“Huge effort goes into them to maintain the same intensity as the one that was shot first but as time passes by, you get used to this pressure and we do it,” he said.

The last bilingual he made was “The Ghazi Attack” and he is in the middle of editing “Saaho”. “It has been an enjoyable experience,” he said.

IANS

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