Actor Aparshakti Khurana has joined the cast of choreographer-director Remo D’Souza’s film “ABCD 3”.
The third installment in the “ABCD” franchise features Varun Dhawan and Sharaddha Kapoor in the lead roles.
“I’m glad to be part of the ‘ABCD 3’ team. I’m very excited to collaborate with Bhushan Kumar and Remo and looking forward to share the screen space once again with Varun Dhawan after ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya,” Aparshakti said in a statement.
The actor, who impressed both the audiences and the critics with his performance in last year’s “Stree”, will also be seen in “Luka Chuppi” alongside Kartik Aryan and Kriti Sanon and “Jabariya Jodi” featuring Sidharth Malhotra and Parineeti Chopra in lead.
“ABCD 3” is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar and Lizelle D’Souza.
Five people were arrested for allegedly killing a 58-year-old man after they had robbed his son earlier in Gokul Nagar area of Maharashtra’s Thane district, police said on Sunday.
The five accused in the early hours of Saturday robbed grocery shop owner Sonu Jaiswal of Rs 40,000, said a Rabodi police official.
“Jaiswal came home and told his family about the incident who went to confront the accused. They were assaulted by the accused resulting in the death of Pradeep Jaiswal, the victim’s father,” said a Rabodi police official.
Police identified the main accused as Amin Mehboob Shaikh and his brother Shoukat. Three others have also been arrested and charged with murder, the official added.
Actor Aditi Rao Hydari will be the showstopper for designer Sailesh Singhania at the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort edition. Titled “Shaahanaa”, the collection represents the splendour of Indian Royalty.
The range features combination of zari fabric and silk tissues. The designer aims to promote sustainability in fashion, Indian craftsmanship and the idea of ‘Make in India’ through his collection.
Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2019 will take place from January 30 to February 3 at JioGarden, Bandra-Kurla Complex.
Filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s next film will hit the theatres in July 2020. According to Variety, Warner Bros. announced on Friday that Nolan’s next film would open in IMAX on July 17, 2020.
The project was also described as an “event film”, although any other specifics including title, plot and cast were not revealed. Warner Bros released Nolan’s last directorial venture “Dunkirk” on the same weekend in 2017.
Nolan’s new film is the third title slated to release on July 17, 2020, joining Paramount’s “The SpongeBob Movie” and Fox’s “Bob’s Burgers”.
Confident of growth with an ambitious fleet and route expansion plan underway, airline major SpiceJet’s head Ajay Singh who was here to participate in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting that ended on Friday said that the airline would soon be able to start operating seaplanes under the regional air connectivity scheme (Udan) and hoped that the focus is also on keeping costs low to ensure profitability.
He also said that things are shaping up quite well. We have added a lot many planes in last few months and we will further add a lot more in this year and in next few years. We have also started cargo planes. It is looking quite good. The focus is clearly on growth and at the same time to keep costs lower to ensure we are profitable and we are quite confident that we will achieve the profitability target. We have ordered for 200 planes to be delivered by 2024. The first 10 were delivered in December 2018. In addition, we have ordered 50 smaller propeller planes, mostly for Udan type routes. Of these, currently we have 27 planes with us, so these have started coming in quite rapidly.
He further added that SpiceJet made profits for 14-15 quarters in a row and it was only the last 2-3 quarters that were difficult, largely because of massive increase in oil prices. With moderation in oil prices, things should be better again. At the same time, companies like ours are also adopting new technology in terms of aircraft. The new aircraft coming in will have fuel bill reducing considerably by 15-20 per cent. When these new aircraft become a larger proportion of the fleet, then airlines like ours will become profitable in any case.
On plans to launch seaplanes, Singh added saying that “we were waiting for two things — first the government was to frame regulations and that have been formulated now. Second, we wanted to include some of the seaplane routes under the Udan scheme and we have actually bid for some seaplane routes under the scheme now and hopefully we can soon get them started.”
Singh had helped start SpiceJet in 2005 with the objective of making flying affordable for all. After a successful tenure, he exited from the airline in 2010 before buying it back again when it was near shutdown in 2015. He has since scripted one of the most remarkable turnaround stories in global aviation by leading SpiceJet to 14 consecutive quarters of profit. At the five-day WEF summit, Singh chaired the Aviation, Travel and Tourism (ATT) Governor’s meeting, becoming the first Indian to be made the ATT Governors Board Chair. He also has other ‘turnarounds’ to his credit, including for the loss-making Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and the national television broadcast network Doordarshan. He has an engineering degree from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, LLB from Delhi University and an MBA from Cornell University in the US.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has all the qualities to make a good prime minister. The BJP’s propaganda machinery spent hundreds of thousands of crores to malign the Congress leader’s image. There was never a question mark over Gandhi’s leadership, even after such a long negative campaign against him, he (Gandhi) has won the hearts of the people through his perseverance, kindness and large-heartedness. However, the issue of who will be the prime minister can be settled after the 2019 polls by grand alliance members collectively, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said.
The Congress victory in the three major states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh under Gandhi’s leadership has infused a sense of confidence and energy in the party, and in the minds of 69 per cent electorate who had not voted for Narendra Modi in 2014, Yadav said and when asked if Gandhi has all the qualities to make a good prime minister, the former Bihar deputy chief minister said: “Yes! He has all the qualities, he is the national president of India’s oldest party and been in Parliament for the last 15 years. Don’t forget his party has five chief ministers in the country and he is leading them. So, no question should be asked on (Gandhi’s) leadership and qualities.”
Last month, president of DMK, one of the big allies of the Congress, M K Stalin, for the first time had publicly proposed that the united opposition must field the Congress chief as its prime ministerial candidate to defeat the Narendra Modi government. Stalin was criticised, but he stuck to his views. However, Yadav, when asked if Gandhi was the obvious choice to lead a pan-India alliance, said that India is a democracy, in which people choose their representatives and they in turn choose the leader who becomes the prime minister. Democracy is always people-centric; it is not person-oriented. We do not want a dictatorship form of government. Presently, the BJP is suffering from Idol worship. We don’t want that culture. Alliance is about parties and not about a single party and its leader. Once we go about the elections, we can always sit down and choose a leader after the elections are over; there is no hurry for that. Don’t forget, Manmohan Singh ji was not a PM candidate in 2004, however, he successfully ran the government for 10 years. When asked if he would be playing the role of opposition unifier that was played by his father in 2004, the RJD leader said that he is the youngest leader in the opposition camp, and just a learner, not a leader.
Yes, my father unified the UPA-I and he has been a vocal supporter of opposition unity since May 2014. I will be happy if anyone from our party could emulate his feat, Yadav said further adding that he was making efforts to the best of his ability to bring like-minded parties in the opposition camp and had done so successfully in Bihar. However, Yadav also alleged that the BJP was framing him in false cases with the help of its alliance partners such as the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department. But, we are not afraid as we are known for our fearless politics. Neither we indulge in, nor fear, vindictive politics.
Yadav also said that he is ready to go to any extent to ensure that the BJP and the Sangh don’t come to power and alleged that the Constitution that empowers backwards, minorities and Dalits in the country, is at stake.
Indian women’s hockey team put up a spirited fight before losing 2-3 to Spain in their opening match against hosts Spain.
Udita (12th minute) and Gurjit Kaur (48th) scored for India, while Maria Tost (23rd), Lola Reira (39th) and Begona Garcia (40th) sounded the board for Spain on Saturday.
India used strong attacking strategy to begin the first quarter on a positive note.
The team made the first breakthrough when it managed to earn a penalty corner in the 8th minute but could not convert the shot.
However, in the following minutes the forward line worked together to support experienced Vandana who created a splendid opportunity for compatriot Udita to score in the 12th minute.
A reverse pass by Vandana was picked up well by Udita who made no mistake in sending it past the Spanish goalkeeper Maria Ruiz to take a 1-0 lead.
In the second quarter, hosts Spain stepped up their game after the initial setback to score an equaliser in the 23rd minute through Maria Tost.
While the second half saw both teams defend well to contain each other from taking a lead, the third quarter completely belonged to Spain as they struck two goals in the 39th and 40th minute through Lola Reira and Begona Garcia respectively.
The fourth quarter remained tense for India as they fought back to make amends to their defensive lapses in the previous quarter.
A tactical approach to their attack saw them win a crucial PC which was brilliantly converted by dragflicker Gurjit Kaur in the 48th minute.
The following minutes were evenly fought by both teams but Spain ensured they upped their defence to deny India an equaliser.
Actor John Abraham whose upcoming films Batla House and Romeo Akbar Walter are both political dramas has said that he enjoys doing politics-themed films and that “it is good to have good politicians in power.”
“I have made films like ‘Madras Cafe’ and ‘Parmanu’. It is always good to have good politicians and good people in power. Except for this, I can’t comment much. I would not like to comment. We are from the industry and our job is to entertain everyone and make films,” Abraham told agencies at a marathon for children.
The actor was responding to a question about the recent formal entry of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra into politics.
When asked, Abraham also said that the current Narendra Modi led government would return to power in the forthcoming elections.
“If you are asking me generally, the present government will definitely return to power, according to me. It’s not that I want it to happen, this is my general prediction. And I feel Modi will get another term.”
Talking about his upcoming films he said, “Romeo Akbar Walter is a very political film. In the north the Babri Masjid, Batla House (encounter) are major controversial issues and I am working on a film titled ‘Balta House’ based on the issue.”
“‘Madras Cafe’, ‘Parmanu’, ‘Vicky Donor’ are all my productions, I like such subjects and I make films on these. I enjoy doing these films,” the actor said.
‘Romeo Akbar Walter’ is scheduled to release on April 12 and ‘Batla House’ is set to hit theatres on August 15 this year.
The actor-director, who is a known fitness buff, also gave tips to children at the ‘Little Heart’ marathon organised by Wadia Hospital in Mumbai, where children from different age groups participated under three categories- 1.5 km, 2 km and 2 km.
It was a spectacular rally in the pre-historic city of Guwahati on January 23 that strongly opposed the Indian Union government’s latest initiative to amend the country’s citizenship act in favour of religious asylum seekers from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Organised by All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) along with 30 indigenous groups at the historic Latashil playground of Guwahati on the southern bank of mighty Brahmaputra, the demonstration witnessed vivid participation of around 3,000 people from different sections in the society. Not only Guwahati in the Brahmaputra valley of Assam but most of
northeastern localities presently witness an uproarious situation against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in New Delhi. The region, surrounded by Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet (now under China), Myanmar and Bangladesh, has recently observed a Bandh (shut down) protesting against New Delhi’s adamant attitude to pass the citizenship amendment bill in Lok Sabha and prepare placing in Rajya Sabha soon.
For almost two years now, the civil society groups and a large section of writer, artiste, media personalities etc of the region have been opposing the move to grant citizenship to the religious asylum seekers from India’s neighbouring countries. They came out with clear demand that the Narendra Modi-led government’s move to benefit the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian asylum seekers must immediately be abandoned. Their logic include that Indian citizenship cannot be conferred on the basis of religion as it is a secular country and if done it would go against the spirit of the Constitution. The other one, which has been supported by 95 per cent of the protesting organisations, argues that Assam has already taken the burden of numerous illegal migrants (from 1951 to 1971) and it should not get more migrants, as it would destroy the State’s demography and Assamese as a language. The protest gained momentum, when the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, arrived in Guwahati in May last year for public hearings. A number of indigenous organisations, local politicians, intellectuals, media personalities, etc. assembled on the venue and raised their voices against the bill.
However, the subsequent hearing in Silchar of Barak valley witnessed a different picture as most of the organisations supported the initiative. Lately, when the Lok Sabha passed the said bill on January 8, the anti-bill protests got escalated in the region. The local media were full of anti-bill statements, plentiful news related to agitations along with long newspaper editorials and charged television talk-shows. Many political observers even started comparing the situation with another session of historic Assam movement in the making. The Assam agitation, launched in 1979 with the demand to detect and deport all illegal migrants (read Bangladeshi nationals) from the country, culminated after six years with an accord signed by the agitators with the Centre in presence of the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Leaders of AASU and now defunct Asom Gana Sangram Parishad agreed to accept everyone entering Assam prior to March 25, 1971, as legal Indian citizens. Need not to mention that the movement started with the ultimate goal to deport all illegal migrants on the basis of the national cut-off year (1951) for which over 850 people sacrificed their lives and thousands of others faced humiliations in different occasions. But the agitators, most of whom later became seasoned politicians, had never tried to validate the accord with legal frameworks. Shockingly, the accord was never passed in the Parliament for endorsement.
The present-day movements have been led by AASU leaders along with Northeast East Students’ Organisation and many Assam-based ethnic civil society groups, where they maintain that Assam would burn if the bill is passed in the upper house of Parliament. AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya commented in various public meetings that the BJP-led governments in both New Delhi and Dispur had been hatching conspiracies to destroy the peaceful ambiance of the region as the bill would threaten the existence of indigenous people in the region. Lately, two northeastern Chief Ministers belong to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance family have come out raising voices against the bill. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Mizoram Chief
Minister Zoramthanga have opposed the initiative and asserted that they would not take any burden of foreigners in their States. Even Manipur Chief Minister and a senior BJP leader N Biren Singh expressed his concern over the probable negative implications of the initiative in his State.
However, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal have supported the move arguing that it would not affect the region. Remaining silent over the matter for months, Sonowal now start making voluminous public comments that the Centre’s new initiatives would never harm the local populations but benefit them in the long term.
Sonowal categorically stated that a section of vested interests was trying to create disturbances in Assam by spreading misinformation that 19 million Bangladeshi Hindu nationals would get citizenship as an immediate outcome of the bill. It cannot encourage any foreigner to come to India as the bill has a cut-off date of December 31, 2014, asserted the young Chief Minister. “The bill, if duly passed in the Parliament, will simply allow the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians to apply for citizenship after a mandatory residency of seven years. Once they apply, the citizenship applications will be verified by the local authorities,” stated Sonowal adding that his government is duty-bound to protect the interests of indigenous communities of Assam. More blatant arguments were put by Himanta Biswa Sarma, the powerful minister in Sonowal’s cabinet, where he asserted that the citizenship amendment initiatives would help the local Assamese population. Expressing serious concern over the aggressive mentality of Bangladeshi Muslim settlers, Sarma claimed that the initiative would prevent Assam from becoming another Kashmir.
In various public discourses, Sarma openly suggested that Assamese people should support the non-Muslim asylum seekers from Bangladesh to safeguard their political, social and cultural rights in Assam. He also criticised the anti-Assam forces (read Naxal/ Leftists) which continue crying against the amendment bill. In a recent public debate, Sarma commented, “They want us to be slaves of a particular civilisation (read Islamic). However, in this civilisational fight, we must win.”
Lately, a forum of patriots expressed concerns over the prevailing turbulent situation in Assam along with few other parts of the region and urged the Centre to assure the local people that the region would not be affected by the citizenship law amendment initiatives. Patriotic People’s Front Assam (PPFA), in a recent statement, also called upon the Union government to review the cut-off year for detection of illegal migrants in Assam (from 1971 to 1951).
“A nation should not have two separate cut-off years with one meant
specifically for one province to detect illegal foreigners. Challenging the 1971 cut-off year, Asom Sanmilita Mahasangha has already approached the Supreme Court of India and the case is still pending. Few other organisations including Prabajan Virodhi Manch are also raising voices against it,” said the PPFA statement adding that it wants the apex court to settle the matter so that the issue can be resolved for good.
-BY Nava Thakuria
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of AFTERNOON VOICE and AFTERNOON VOICE does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
Five people were arrested for allegedly killing a 58-year-old man after they had robbed his son earlier in Gokul Nagar area of Maharashtra’s Thane district, police said on Sunday.
A two-year-old boy who fell into a 70-feet deep borewell in Kerher Village of Madhya Pradesh’s Singrauli has been rescued, officials said on Sunday.
Actor Aditi Rao Hydari will be the showstopper for designer Sailesh Singhania at the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort edition. Titled “Shaahanaa”, the collection represents the splendour of Indian Royalty.
Filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s next film will hit the theatres in July 2020. According to Variety, Warner Bros. announced on Friday that Nolan’s next film would open in IMAX on July 17, 2020.
Confident of growth with an ambitious fleet and route expansion plan underway, airline major SpiceJet’s head Ajay Singh who was here to participate in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting that ended on Friday said that the airline would soon be able to start operating seaplanes under the regional air connectivity scheme (Udan) and hoped that the focus is also on keeping costs low to ensure profitability.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has all the qualities to make a good prime minister. The BJP’s propaganda machinery spent hundreds of thousands of crores to malign the Congress leader’s image. There was never a question mark over Gandhi’s leadership, even after such a long negative campaign against him, he (Gandhi) has won the hearts of the people through his perseverance, kindness and large-heartedness. However, the issue of who will be the prime minister can be settled after the 2019 polls by grand alliance members collectively, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said.
Indian women’s hockey team put up a spirited fight before losing 2-3 to Spain in their opening match against hosts Spain.
