Here’s Vidya Balan’s first look from NTR biopic

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December 20, 2018

Vidya Balan’s first look from biopic on megastar and politician NT Rama Rao is out and the actor looks breathtakingly beautiful in the vintage look.

Film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh took to Twitter and revealed Vidya’s first look as NTR’s wife, Basavatarakam.

He tweeted, ” Vidya Balan… Presenting her look from #NTRBiopic… Also check out the massive star cast in the second poster… Trailer launch tomorrow… #NTRKathanayakudu #NTRMahanayakudu #NTRTrailer #NTRTrailerOnDec21.”

In the picture, Vidya can be seen playing a harmonium dressed in a traditional south Indian silk sari and jewelry while actor Balakrishna, sits beside her.

Rakul Preet Singh will essay the role of late Sridevi in the biopic while Rana Daggubati will play the role of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.

The trailer of the movie will be launched on December 21.

NT Rama Rao, fondly known as NTR, was an Indian actor, producer, director, editor and politician who served as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh for seven years.

He received three National Film Awards for co-producing ‘Thodu Dongalu’ (1954) and ‘Seetharama Kalyanam’ (1960) and directing ‘Varakatnam’ (1970).

NTR has also received the erstwhile Rashtrapati Awards for his performance(s) in films like ‘Raju Peda’ (1954) and ‘Lava Kusa’ (1963).

Bombay HC upholds death penalty of woman techie killer

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December 20, 2018

The Bombay High Court Thursday upheld a trial court verdict awarding the death penalty to a man convicted of raping and killing a 23-year-old woman techie from Andhra Pradesh here in 2014, describing him as a “menace to the society”.

The convict, 30-year-old Chandrabhan Sanap, was pronounced guilty by a special court in 2015 and awarded the death sentence.

A bench of Justices Ranjit More and Bharati Dangre dismissed an appeal filed by Sanap (30) challenging the trial court verdict.

The bench was simultaneously hearing Sanap’s appeal and the Maharashtra government’s plea for confirmation of Sanap’s death sentence.

Reading out the operative portion of the verdict in an open court, the bench observed the defence had failed to bring on record any “mitigating” circumstances or evidence to help Sanap’s case.

The judges also said Sanap had “failed to show any remorse,” and that there was “no possibility of his reformation”.

“There is no mitigating circumstance or evidence on record in favour of the convict. He has been married thrice… he has shown no remorse and his actions shook the collective conscience of the society,” the bench noted.

“He (Sanap) is a menace to the society,” the bench said.

On October 30, 2015, a special court had convicted Sanap of raping and murdering the woman after picking her up from the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) Railway Station under the false promise of dropping her to her hostel in Andheri in his taxi.

The software professional, originally a native of Andhra Pradesh, was employed with a leading IT firm in Mumbai.

The trial court had observed that the case falls under the ‘rarest of rare’ category.

According to the prosecution, the techie had returned to the city on January 5, 2014, after visiting her family in Machilipatnam.

She met Sanap at the LTT station in suburban Kurla. He posed as a private taxi driver and offered to drop her in her hostel in Andheri for Rs 300.

The woman agreed to board his taxi and on the way Sanap raped and killed her, the prosecution said.

He dumped the body in the bushes along the Eastern Express Highway in Bhandup, it said.

After an extensive search by her family and the police, the body was found on January 16, 2014.

Sanap was arrested in March that year and charged with murder, rape, abduction and other offences under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Maha to have five-day budget session with vote-on-account

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December 20, 2018

Maharashtra legislature will have a five-day budget session in February next year which will be the last session before the Lok Sabha elections.

The state cabinet decided Thursday to postpone the start of the budget session from February 18 to February 25. A vote-on-account will be presented on February 27, and the session will end on March 1.

The cabinet decided to request Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao to convene the session on February 25, sources in the BJP-led government said.

A full-fledged budget will be presented during the monsoon session in July, sources informed.

Earlier, the budget session was supposed to start from February 18 and go on for three weeks.

However, with the model code of conduct expected to come into force in March, it would be difficult to implement the schemes announced in the budget, so it was decided to have a shorter session with a vote-on-account, sources said.

The monsoon session will be the last session for the Devendra Fadnavis-led government as Assembly polls are due in Maharashtra by October.

No funds to buy machines to raze illegal bungalows: Raigad collector tells HC

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December 20, 2018

Tasked by the Bombay High Court to demolish all illegal structures constructed along the beaches at Alibaug, the Raigad Collector’s office told the court on Thursday that it does not have funds to carry out such demolition work.

Since 2009 the high court has been hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging that several “wealthy persons” have constructed bungalows and private structures along the beaches in Alibaug in violation of the state’s and Coastal Zone Authority’s norms.

Appearing for the Collector’s office, lawyer P B Kakade told a bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice M S Karnik Thursday that his client had urged the court to direct the state government to extend some financial aid for the purpose.

Kakade said the Raigad district authorities and the Collector’s office had already written to the state government stating that they do not have funds to purchase or engage the services of “JCBs and other excavating and demolishing” devices.

“The collector has urged this court to direct the state to allocate funds for the purpose,” Kakde said.

At this, the bench expressed its surprise and asked, “Isn’t the district collector also part of the state government? Then how can you write a letter to yourself asking for funds?”

The court directed the state urban development and revenue departments to look into the issue.

Earlier this month, the state had filed an affidavit in the court stating that orders had been issued to demolish fugitive jeweller Nirav Modi’s illegal bungalow in Alibaug.

Nirav Modi, a key accused in the $2 billion Punjab National Bank fraud case, has fled the country.

Kakade told the court on Thursday that since the bungalow had been attached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the state government had written a letter to the ED stating that it needed to demolish the structure in compliance with a previous HC order.

He also said that of the 58 other illegal properties that were served with the demolition notice on December 4, five had already been demolished.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by activist Surendra Dhavale seeking that the court direct the authorities to demolish all unauthorised constructions “within the low and high tide areas” at several villages in Alibaug.

The petition claimed that there are around 175 such private residences in coastal regulation zone areas in villages such as Varsoli, Sasvane, Kolgaon and Dokvade, among others, belonging to many “wealthy persons, including Nirav Modi and several businessmen and film actors”.

Sushil Kumar sets his eyes on 2020 Tokyo Olympics

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December 20, 2018

Two-time Olympic medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar has set his sight on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He says the year 2019 will mark the start of the preparations for the prestigious tournament, for which “I am working really hard.”

The 35-year-old wrestler from Haryana said that he already has bronze and silver Olympics medals in his kitty. It is the yellow metal that he is aiming for.

“Preparations for Tokyo Olympics will start in 2019. I need good wishes from the countrymen to perform well. I have already won the Olympics bronze and silver medal but one thing (gold medal) is left,” Sushil said.

“I am working hard to achieve that. My coaches are putting in a lot of effort, as well. I just want my countrymen to constantly support me as they have one in the past.”

Reflecting on the kind of performance Indian wrestlers gave in the year 2018, Sushil said that the year has been great for wrestling as they gave some solid performances.

Talking about his own experiences of 2018, the wrestler said that the year was special to him in the sense that he made a comeback after a gap of almost four years. While admitting that there were some low moments, Sushil said that he is content with his performance.

Sushil had clinched a gold medal in the 2018 Commonwealth Games which was his third consecutive gold in the competition. The wrestler, however, had a forgettable campaign at the 2018 Asian Games where he did not manage to open his winning account.

‘There are not many characters in our game’: Allan Border defends Virat Kohli

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December 20, 2018

Former Australia captain Allan Border has come to the defence of Virat Kohli, saying his antics might be over the top but the game needs characters that show passion.

The Indian skipper has come under criticism for his sledging and heated exchanges with Australian counterpart Tim Paine during the tense second Test in Perth, which at one point needed the umpire to intervene.

Test great Mitchell Johnson also slammed Kohli for failing to acknowledge the crowd’s applause after he was controversially given out in the first innings for 123, and for his frosty handshake with Paine at the end of the game.

Kohli’s animated wicket celebrations have also widely frowned upon while India great Sunil Gavaskar hit out at his “selection blunders”.

And in a stunning rebuke, veteran Bollywood star Naseeruddin Shah described him as “not only the world’s best batsman but also the world’s worst behaved player”.

“Kohli’s cricketing brilliance pales beside his arrogance and bad manners,” added Shah on Facebook.

But Border said that the game needed characters like Kohli.

“I haven’t seen anyone sort of carry on so much as a captain when his side takes a wicket,” he said in a Fox Sports podcast on Thursday. “It’s really over the top but it’s good in a way. You can see some passion about what he’s trying to do.

“There’s not many characters in our game at the moment,” Border added.

“The professional era has sort of beaten that out to a certain degree. It’s good to see guys with that passion, drive and a bit of character.”

Border, who played 156 Tests, including 93 as captain, said he believed Kohli was passionate by nature, but also motivated by a “quiet” squad and the desire to win India’s first ever series in Australia.

“To drive the team to be number one, which he’s achieved, but to win away from home is one of those important things you notice as a captain,” he said. “I think he’s feeling that pinch.”

The four Test series is tied 1-1 with the next one starting in Melbourne on Boxing Day.

Raman pips Kirsten for Indian women’s team coach job

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December 20, 2018

Former opener W V Raman was on Thursday preferred over celebrated South African Gary Kirsten for the position of India’s women’s cricket coach despite dissention within the administrators over the selection process, a BCCI source told agencies.

The 53-year-old Raman is currently a batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.

“Kirsten was the top choice for the BCCI ad-hoc selection committee but Raman got the job as the South African was not keen on giving up his plum job with IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore,” the official said.

The selection committee comprised former captain Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad, and Shantha Rangaswamy.

The panel recommended three names — Kirsten, Raman and Venkatesh Prasad in order of preference — to the Board, a reliable source said. Eventually, the BCCI picked Raman for the job.

The appointment was made despite the Committee of Administrators (COA) being divided on the issue with Diana Edulji asking chairman Vinod Rai to put the selection process on hold. BCCI treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry too questioned the process being followed as it had Rai’s approval and not Edulji’s.

Raman, who played 11 Tests and 27 ODIs, is now one of the most qualified coaches in the country. He has coached big Ranji Trophy teams like Tamil Nadu and Bengal, and has also had a stint with the India U-19 team.

From his cricketing days, Raman is best remembered for being the first Indian to score a century in South Africa during the 1992-93 tour.

Besides Kirsten, Raman and Prasad, the other shortlisted candidates out of the 28 applicants who were interviewed on Thursday were Manoj Prabhakar, Trent Johnston, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Brad Hogg and Kalpana Venkatachar.

Referring to me as ‘wife’, speaks volumes about your conditioning: Sona hits out at Sonu

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December 20, 2018

Sona Mohapatra on Thursday shot back at Sonu Nigam, saying that by addressing her relationship with a man to describe her identity speaks volumes about his “conditioning and world view”.

Giving a point-by-point rebuttal to Nigam’s comments where he labelled her criticism of his reported defence of #MeToo accused Anu Malik as “vomiting on Twitter”, Mohapatra said the remarks were in “bad taste”.

“To define me on basis of a relationship with another person & not as an individual, going to the extension of memory loss for my name; a gift of patriarchal conditioning.

“To refer to my opinions and stand in the #MeToo movement as vomiting’; bad taste,” she wrote.

In a statement on Thursday, Sonu said, “The respectable lady vomiting on Twitter, is the wife of someone who I consider very close to me, so although she’s has forgotten the relationship, I’d like to maintain the decorum.”

In her response, Sona also said that she refuse to call Sonu as “someone’s papa or someone’s husband or someone’s son”.

“You are yet for me one of the greatest classic film singers of India and someone I have found to be particularly nice to me every time we’ve met for close to a decade and half. In personal and professional settings.

“That you found no other means of experiencing me as a person despite knowing me for over a decade, but as a wife’, speaks volumes, of your conditioning and world view,” Sona said.

The singer is married to composer Ram Sampath and the duo are partners in their music production house OmGrown Music.

She said she will not “defend or behave with anyone in a particular manner basis a personal ‘relationship’.”

“We occupy a public space as artists and it is my duty to stand for what is right. Glad you value your relationship with my partner Ram Sampath with whom you have not only sung songs like ‘Dil Dooba’ in ‘Khakhee’ but others over the years.

“I do not occupy a position of power in your eyes for you to value my worth. Know one thing though, not all relationships are basis, give and take. Some are basis a shared value and belief system. We possibly have none, unfortunate,” she added.

Sona said it is “unbefitting” of Sonu to “hide under bluster, male ego and pettiness”.

Ranveer’s energetic dance moves in ‘Aala Re Aala’ will surely make you groove!

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December 20, 2018

The third song, titled ‘Aala Re Aala’, from ‘Simmba’ featuring Ranveer Singh is finally out and the actor’s killer moves will surely make you want to dance!

Ranveer took to his Twitter handle to share the video of the foot-tapping number and captioned it as, “AALA RE AALA!!! SIMMBA AALA!!!”

‘Aala Re Aala’ has been sung by Dev Negi and Goldi while Tanishq Bagchi has composed the peppy track. The ‘Padmaavat’ actor dances his heart out in the song and like always Rohit Shetty has taken the song to another level, with a lavish set boasting of swanky cars and bikes.

The song introduces Ranveer’s character who looks his stylish best sporting a red shirt with beige pants and makes a grand entry, surrounded by women on bikes wearing Maharashtrian style sarees, turbans, shades and sports shoes as they wave saffron flags. Ranveer adds the right amount of fun and energy to the song with his entertaining dance moves.

The 33-year-old star has given the audience many energy-packed songs before including ‘Tattad Tattad’ from ‘Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela’ and ‘Malhari’ from ‘Bajirao Mastani’.

The makers of ‘Simmba’ treated their fans with two songs earlier-‘Aankh Marey’ which featured Ranveer and Sara Ali Khan grooving to the number along with Golmaal stars Arshad Warsi, Shreyas Talpade, Tusshar Kapoor and Kunal Kemmu and a romantic song titled ‘Tere Bin’.

‘Simmba’ is Sara Ali Khan’s second Bollywood movie after she made her debut with Abhishek Kapoor’s ‘Kedarnath’ earlier this month.

Rs 150 cr relief to onion growers in Maharashtra

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December 20, 2018

Maharashtra Government on Thursday announced Rs 150 crore as relief to onion farmers.

The decision by the state cabinet came amid reports about farmers selling freshly harvested onions at as low as Rs 1.50 a kg in Maharashtra, the top producer of the bulb in the country.

The financial relief consists of an ex-gratia payment at the rate of Rs 200 per quintal (with an upper limit of 200 quintal per onion farmer) for the kitchen staple sold between November 1 and December 15, 2018.

Principal secretary (agricultural marketing) Anoop Kumar said the decision will be applicable to 75 lakh metric tonne of onions.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asked the officials concerned to preparing a comprehensive policy for onions.

Last month, farmer Sanjay Sathe, from Nashik district, had sent his onion sale earnings of Rs 1,064, after selling 750 kg of his produce in a wholesale market, to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) as a protest.

The PMO had later returned the farmer’s money order.

The farmer had said his intention was to prompt the government to take some steps to ease the financial stress that farmers were suffering because of the low prices.

Another farmer from Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district, Shreyas Abhale, had sent a money order of Rs 6 to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as a mark of protest against the crashing prices of onion and the paltry returns.

Abhale had said that after selling 2,657 kg onions at the rate of Rs 1 per kg at the Sangamner wholesale market in the district and adjusting market expenses, he was left with only Rs 6.