Political Wind of change…. So brutal for BJP

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December 11, 2018

T

he Loss in three states brought our Prime Minister back to his senses; he had a word of advice for the lawmakers that they should work in the interest of the people than the party as he walked to the Parliament on the opening day of the Winter Session. While giving this advice, he maintained pin drop silence over BJP’s defeat in three major states.

The Winter Session of the Parliament is likely to see a united Opposition piling up pressure on the government on a range of issues, such as the exit of RBI Governor Urjit Patel, rumblings in the CBI, and the Rafale deal controversy, while parties like Shiv Sena are set to make a renewed pitch for Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The outcome of the assembly elections in five states is a clear message to the Bharatiya Janata Party and there is a need for the ruling coalition to introspect. Gujarat, somehow with great difficulty, the party managed to retain; as we all know, in Goa and Tripura in spite of Congress winning in majority, BJP formed its government with the help of other political parties. Somewhat Congress replied them in a similar tone in Karnataka, by hooting BJP out of power. Within four and half years of rule, BJP lost its sheen. PM Modi kept on chest beating against Congress and Gandhi family but this time, the voters did not fall in his trap. There were rallies for the Ram Mandir, there were killings in the name of Cow, and there was propaganda against Congress and its leaders in the name of Hindutva; however, BJP could not sell their agenda. People of India are smart and you can’t fool them every time. Moreover, power is not permanent for anyone. Since 2014, the amount of arrogance that BJP and its leaders have shown was just unreasonable; the distance they kept from the people was very unfortunate! The drift has reflected that the BJP’s victory chariot has been paused.

Losing in Rajasthan was not at all shocking. Vasundhara Raje’s personal traits are believed to be one of the main reasons behind the BJP’s defeat in Rajasthan Assembly election. Her image of behaving like a Maharani and being inaccessible did not go along well with the voters. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi’s promise of farm loan waiver within 10 days of Congress government coming to power has been one of the most important factors for the BJP’s defeat. The farmers, suffering from distress, seem to have lapped up Rahul Gandhi’s promise. The Vasundhara Raje government seems to have failed to dispel the notion that the farmers were under severe stress in her state. The Rajputs went against the BJP particularly after the killing of a gangster Anandpal Singh by the police in an encounter. Anandpal Singh, a Rajput, was popular among a large section of his caste people. This turned the Rajputs against Vasundhara Raje and the BJP. Vasundhara Raje ordered broadening of the roads and beautification of the cities by removing the encroachments. In the process, several temples, many of them makeshift ones, were either demolished or removed. This angered the Hindus who thought that the BJP was working against the interests of the majority community.

Vasundhara Raje was not seen as being on the same page as the BJP’s national leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah. For instance, the appointment of Rajasthan BJP state president remained in limbo for a long time because of disagreement on names. This perception went against her. Rajasthan is known for returning alternate governments every assembly election for the past 20 years. Narendra Modi and Amit Shah sought to dispel this notion but seem to have failed to convince the voters there.

On the other hand, the people of Chhattisgarh took the fight in their own hands. Moreover, Raman Singh’s son also played a major role in BJP’s defeat. Chhattisgarh has been the undisputed stronghold of the BJP ever since the state came into existence. Although Congress’ Ajit Jogi served as the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh for the initial three years but ever since Raman Singh stormed to power, he has been ever-present at the CM’s chair. However, BJP’s bastion just collapsed. Modi’s loud speeches failed to create magic. BJP had to take a defeat in the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections too and Congress has taken a significant lead.

In Telangana, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) won with a majority and that will form the government for the second time. In Mizoram, the Mizo National Front (MNF) has left the ruling Congress party far behind in its tally of seats.
Mizoram chief minister and Congress candidate Lal Thanhawla lost from both his home turf Serchhip and Champhai South seat. But here also BJP settled on one seat.

If we look at Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh was confident of winning the elections. Even before the counting gets started, he started celebrating his victory. BJP and Congress were caught in a close fight but finally Congress got mandate of the people. MP elections were not lost on development alone. Caste and religion have played the key role in past elections, and this time was no different. BJP and Congress both have publicly advertised their Hindu credentials in the run-up to the polls. People were not happy with the mafiaism of Chauhan in Sand and dumper business. The farmers were not happy; Vyapam was another scam that made a lot of uproar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi both campaigned in the state, exchanging acrimonious attacks. For the Congress, this victory in the state would set the stage for a new leadership.

BJP’s campaigner Narendra Modi was loud and vocal about Congress Mukt Bharat, but voters have clearly rejected BJP. The BJP, which was in power in all three Hindi heartland States, just shooed out by the voters. Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh — BJP has faced a concerted challenge from the Indian National Congress, the country’s main Opposition party whom Modi was supposed to finish. The voters in these states have been frustrated by unemployment and pressures on the agricultural sector.

The BJP has done nothing for the farmers burdened by loans. They just made promises but failed to deliver; all these three states somewhat faced same problems with their respective governments. The farmers want loan waivers and higher prices for the crops but the government has made only empty promises. After a number of poor results, however, the INC bounced back since 2017 by winning the northern state of Punjab, where the BJP had been sharing power with an ally. Modi’s party just about managed to retain its majority in his home state of Gujarat the same year. Now in 2018, Congress gave strong message to PM Modi, that eliminating Congress from Indian politics is not his cup of tea.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@www.afternoonvoice.com)

MNF bounces back to power in Mizoram; Cong suffers ‘humiliating’ defeat

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Afternoon Voice

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December 11, 2018

The Mizo National Front returned to power in Mizoram after 10 years on Tuesday, capturing 21 seats in the 40-member Assembly and inflicting a humiliating defeat on the Congress.

MNF is ahead in five other seats, Election Commission (EC) sources said.

With the results, the Congress has now lost power in all the seven states in the northeast.

The party which had bagged 34 seats in the 2013 Assembly elections managed to win just five seats this time.

Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla suffered defeat from both the seats he contested, including his home turf Serchip. He also lost from Champai South constituency.

Sources at the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said Thanhawla was likely to tender his resignation to Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan around 5 pm.
The Mizo National Front (MNF) had lost power in the state in 2008.

The Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) won five seats and is ahead in three other seats.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opened its account in the largely-Christian dominated state as party candidate and former minister Buddha Dhan Chakma won from the Chakma-dominated Tuichawng seat in south Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district.

F Lalnunmawia of the MNF defeated state Agriculture Minister K S Thanga by a margin of 2,037 votes in Aizawl South-III seat.

Former Assembly Speaker Lalchamliana of the MNF defeated the lone woman MLA and Cooperation Minister Vanlalawmpuii Chawngthu from Hrangturzo seat, while Lalrinawma of the MNF retained the Tuikum seat by defeating Sangzela Tlau of the ruling Congress.

K Beichhua and Lalruatkima of the MNF also retained their seats–Siaha and Aizawl West-II, respectively.

Former home minister Tawnluia of MNF won from Tuichang seat, defeating his nearest ZPM rival W Chhuanawma by 701 votes.

Semifinal shows BJP is nowhere in 2019: Mamata Banerjee

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Afternoon Voice

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December 11, 2018

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while reacting to election trends, termed the assembly poll results as ‘semi-final’ ahead of the 2019 ‘final match’.

In a series of tweets, she said it is the people who are always the “man of the match” in a democracy. She said, “Semifinal proves that BJP is nowhere in all the states. This is a real democratic indication of 2019 final match. Ultimately, people are always the ‘man of the match’ of democracy. My congrats to the winners,” she said.

Stating that people have voted against the BJP, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief asserted, “People voted against BJP. This is the people’s verdict and victory of the people of this country. Victory of democracy and victory against injustice, atrocities, destruction of institutions, misuse of agencies, no work for poor people, farmers, youth, Dalits, SC, ST, OBC, minorities and general caste.”

The Chief Minister further said that the great institution of the country must strive to remain independent. “Let us cherish the ‘idea of India’ for which our freedom fighters laid down their lives. Our people and our great institutions must strive to remain “independent”, in the true sense of the word,” Banerjee tweeted.

With an aim to defeat BJP in the general elections slated next year, Chief Minister Banerjee had recently announced to hold a mega anti-BJP rally on January 19 and claimed that several top opposition leaders from across the country have already confirmed their presence on the occasion.

Goan Catholic Wedding Customs and Ceremonials — Part II

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Jubel D'Cruz

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December 11, 2018

Catholic Wedding, Goan Catholic Wedding, Christian Wedding, Bride Couple, Bridal Couple, bride and the groom, relatives and friends — Image Courtesy: Saviocolaco

After this, another ceremony known as the ‘roce’ is held on a day before the wedding (East Indians call it ‘Umbracha Pani’). Here, the bride and the groom, each at their respective residences are required to bathe in coconut water. For this, the first coconut juice called ‘apros’ is used. According to Goan tradition, coconut milk is poured even on the bridesmaids, flower girls, page boy, and the best man. Relatives and friends attending the function, apply the ‘roce’ to the bridal couple which symbolises purification and signals the end of spinsterhood and bachelorhood. After this, it is said that the couple should not go out of the house till the day of the wedding. A sweet dish made of rice, coconut and jaggery known as ‘atol’ (‘Atola’ in East Indian Marathi) is served to the guests at the end of the roce ceremony along with food and hot drinks.

In honour of the departed souls of the house, a lunch known as ‘Bicareanchem Jevonn’ is also held. Before the cooking of this meal begins, a senior member of the family breaks a coconut in front of the house. The specialty in this lunch is a spicy aromatic dry prawn curry known as ‘samarachi koddi’ that is cooked with dry unripe salted mango (mango sol). ‘Voddes’ made of rice and urid dal is also served. A sweet made of wheat and sugar cooked in coconut juice known as ‘soji’ and another made of gram dal, coconut juice and jaggery known as ‘vonn’ is also served. For this meal, special paddy is boiled and all this is accompanied by ‘zotis’.

On the wedding day, a close relative of the groom who is supposed to help the bride dress up comes to her house with the wedding gown and other items. Before going to the church, all close relatives and friends bless the bride and the groom in their respective residences. The wedding car comes to pick up the bride after reaching the groom to the church. Here, at the nuptials, the couple declare the wedding vows and the priest then pronounces them man and wife.

After this, on their return from the church, the newly wedded couple comes to the groom’s house and the groom’s mother puts a gold chain on the bride’s neck and places the ‘saddo’ on her shoulder.
They then proceed to the venue for the reception where the wedding cake is cut and all dancing and merrymaking takes place with food and drinks being served. A toast is also raised for the happiness and prosperity of the married couple.

At the end of the reception, all relatives and friends of the bridal couple who have remained till the end, draw an imaginary line known as ‘xim’. The bride’s family assembles at one side and the groom and his family on the other. Prayers are offered and later few of the bride’s relatives cross the ‘xim’ and formally invite the couple to the bride’s house the next day for lunch, which is called ‘apovnemn’ in Konkani.

Thus, all the festivities and celebration of the wedding comes to an end after the reception.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@www.afternoonvoice.com)

Letters to the Editor: December 11, 2018

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Afternoon Voice

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December 11, 2018

Ramesh Mohite making a mark

Winning is a habit and the best senior chess player of the satellite city of Navi Mumbai Ramesh Mohite proved this point time and again with significant victories to keep the name of seniors high by winning chess tournaments on a regular basis. He is cool as a cucumber and his each every move makes the opposition look for cover rather than going for a win. He proved beyond doubt that form is temporary and class is permanent. Ramesh is confidence personified when he plays rapid chess or a full match at various levels in the city.

Ramesh Mohite is in the news and he is the Chess wizard of 2018 from veteran’s side. He is a member of the Jestha Nagarik Sangh, Sector 9, Sanpada and since June this year he has been in the news with winning performances in the chess field. He won Grand Chess Tournament in the month of June, followed by the Rapid Chess Tournament (Magathane) in July and also made a mark in the Rapid Chess tournament (Dombvilli) in August — becoming the Best Chess player during the Independence Day matches. Sonkar Chess Championship came in his way in September followed up with NMMC Chess tournament first prize in October and to add up to that the Rapid Chess award in the veteran category — all this made him a complete player. His Rapid Chess Tournament victory in October gave him the much-needed spirit to fight at all levels. Now he again won the Rapid Chess Tournament in December to show his star performance in 2018.

He deserves Man of the Year award for all his efforts in the field of chess.

Recent success came for Ramesh Mohite as he was picked as the Best Chess Player in 1st Sumatram Chasak (Trophy) Maharashtra State opens rapid chess tournament organised by Asmita Chess and Sports Academy, Panvel on December 9, 2018. There were 192 participants from various districts viz. Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Amravati, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Satara etc. Winning a number of tournaments around the city made him a tough chess player with remarkable performances, thus helping him to win laurels and keep the name and fame of Senior Citizen’s Sangh, Sanpada flag flying high in Navi Mumbai.

– CK Subramaniam

Sonkar Chess Championship

Ambanis showcased not just their wealth but also their charitable side as the doting daughter of Mukesh Ambani weds Piramal scion to begin a new chapter in their life. Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal make a happy couple and here I am wishing the made for each other couple A Very Happy and Prosperous life of marital bliss and togetherness. Beautiful Udaipur has been decked like a bride as the ‘Who’s who of the world’ has assembled in the lake city to witness the wedding of the century and perhaps the most lavish marriage celebrations ever seen.
But what caught my attention was the noble gesture from the super-rich bride and groom family of feeding over 5,000 poor families for a sumptuous and lavish meal from their own hands. The free meal as I am told, would go on for the entire stay of the Ambanis/Piramals stay in Udaipur both morning and evening which is a gesture which others should emulate while sharing personal happiness with the not so fortunate people.

– SN Kabra

Paying price for pollution

Air pollution deaths are increasing day by day and touched a new high of 1.08 lakh deaths in the year 2017. Mumbai and other metro cities are cramped with high-rise buildings and the increase in the number of vehicles on the road. Adding to that, a number of Industries are located in the outskirts throwing smoke, dirt and chemical solutions on the city on a daily basis. People suffer from air pollution deaths from particulate matter and Ozone. Rapid degradation is being felt. People suffer from both Asthma and Bronchitis throughout the year. The high-level pollution is the root cause for all the troubles and it is very difficult to put forth this problem with a congenial atmosphere. The lifeline of Mumbai, the local trains, where commuters cram themselves into the train every day and the other alternative transports that services available are not used much to reduce the pollution level. Clear air will increase life expectancy by in the state by 1.5 years, which we fail to achieve due air pollution in Maharashtra.

– Calicut Krishnan Suresh

Rohera’s record in Ranji trophy

Cricket is a team game where performance is the name of the game. Ajay Rohera etched his name in the annals of record books by scoring 267 on debut for Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy. He overhauled the aggregate of 260 runs scored by Amol Muzumdar against Haryana in 1993-94. Thus, Rohera broke a 24-year-old record. Rohera was confidence personified when he knocked a double hundred on debut in a 345 ball knock with 21 fours and 5 sixes. It was a superlative show from a debutant as MP defeated Hyderabad by an innings in style. In the process, Ajay became the highest individual scorer for MP surpassing JP Yadav’s 265. Amol Muzumdar congratulated Ajay Rohera for his record show on debut in the Ranji Trophy.

– Anandambal Subbu

Airport Attacks

Unruly behaviour at the entrance of the airport will be recorded by the security wear cameras without your knowledge. So instead of getting involved in trivial fights with security staff or with the airport staff over various issues, you will have to handle things cleverly without any altercation. The fight may start for a trivial issue may turn out to be a serious one with blows exchanged in the spur of the moment. Out of one lakh of passengers nearly 15% passengers misbehave in a fit of anger and later on realise their follies. But the camera will capture your act of arrogance and show it to the monitor keeping track of things from a security perspective. Such occurrences of fight generally takes place when asked to open their baggage during random checks or when checked, made to remove prohibited items they were carrying inside their baggage. Such unruly behaviour will not be tolerated and timely action should be taken after verifying the act through the recorded clipping. Thus, an air passenger cannot hide the act of arrogance on the entrance of airport and are compelled to behave well throughout his journey and that also includes while getting the boarding pass. Camera check is a useful tool to check unruly instances on travel.

– Nikhil Anantharaman

Parking posing problem

Parking is posing a problem in Mumbai and now getting closer to getting a parking authority is good news for vehicle users in this city. It is indeed a bold and purposeful move to form a panel of urban planners to map spaces and make a study of the area for providing parking area for the local public. The proposed parking authority is expected to target the growing problem of lack of space for vehicles. Parking space currently available is not enough to cater to the needs of increase of vehicles on the roads. The work is likely to be completed within a week and may throw open lots of parking spaces to meet the increase in fleet of cars on the road. Multi-storey parking is the only alternative for the pressing parking problem in the city.

– Jayanthy S Maniam

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

After Urjit Patel’s resignation, govt appoints Shanktikanta Das as new RBI Governor

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Afternoon Voice

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December 11, 2018

Former bureaucrat Shaktikanta Das on Tuesday was appointed the new governor of the Reserve Bank of India, a government statement said.

Das, who retired as Economic Affairs Secretary in May 2017, has been appointed for a term of three years.

He replaces Urjit Patel, who surprisingly resigned from the central bank Monday.

VVIP Chopper case: Court allows CBI plea to take Michel’s signature, handwriting samples

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Afternoon Voice

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December 11, 2018

A Delhi court on Tuesday allowed the CBI plea seeking permission to take specimens of signature and handwriting samples of Christian Michel, the alleged middleman who has been chargesheeted in the graft-tainted AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal.

Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar passed the order after Michel’s counsel said he has no objections to the CBI’s plea and he wanted to prove his client’s innocence.

The CBI has said Michel’s handwriting and signature samples are required to match them with the documents which are already in the possession of the agency.

With Congress heading towards victory, Sidhu calls Rahul ‘rising sun’

By

Web Team

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December 11, 2018

With the Congress leading in the Assembly election trends in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and almost neck to neck in Madhya Pradesh, Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday called the party chief Rahul Gandhi the “new rising sun.”

Sidhu told media that with his party surging ahead in the BJP ruled states “history has been created.”

“Rahul is the new rising sun. With the support of the people, bad days will soon vanish and Rahul Gandhi will rise to power,” said Sidhu, while speaking to an agency.

“Today history has been created. India’s portrait and future is changing. The hands that will handle this change are very strong, Rahul Gandhi will lead the nation,” added Sidhu.

In Rajasthan, the Congress is leading on 101 seats and the BJP 72 seats at around 3 pm. In Chhattisgarh, trends suggested that the Congress was leading on 60 seats, while the BJP on 14 seats. Similarly, in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP was leading in 112 seats, while the Congress on 107 seats.

Bollywood strugglers crushed under financial exploitation

By

Twinkle Mehta

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December 10, 2018

Sexual harassment or exploitation is well spoken about in the Bollywood industry especially after the wake of #MeToo that started recently. However, taking the advantage of being an unorganised sector, the film industry sets aside to peep into the financial exploitation taking place to the junior artists and strugglers every day.

Many advertisements are being published for the requirement of models, actors, spot boys, dancers for films, and TV serials, both male and female adults as well children that promises for a compensation of Rs 500 – Rs 2,500 per day without any need of artist card. Nonetheless, there are various instances that have taken place with the newcomers wherein they are assured to pay a particular amount on daily basis but in the end are milked and provided with less than half of the committed wages. As the film industry is an unorganised sector and there are no written agreements signed by the parties, the filmmakers take due advantage of the strugglers and junior artists who are in a dire need of work.

The junior artists supplying agencies also seize an opportunity for capital gains for acting as a chain between the filmmakers and artists. The popular filmmakers who have their policies never refrain from paying the assured compensation but the middleman or the agent usually plays the role of the exploiter being the link to those newcomers from a non-industry background and seals the pact in an unbalanced ratio that benefits the agent more. However, many agents in the name of industry service get the strugglers and newcomers hitched in the prostitution.

Junior artist Jhilik Pal shared her experience with AV. She said, “Before coming into the Hindi television industry, I was working as a junior artist in the South movies. What I experienced in both the industries is that the middlemen (agents) don’t allow us to make a direct contact with the producers, neither we get to know the exact amount that the producers are paying us as we always get the payment from the middleman. It is not the truth when people say that the industry has minimum opportunities for the outsiders like us, financial exploitation by these middlemen becomes a barrier to fulfil our dreams.”

In order to deal with the #MeToo situation that created a hype in the last few months, the Producers Guild of India took initiative to issue an official statement on October 17 in support of the movement. While making it compulsory for all the members to sign a declaration affirming that laws around sexual harassment of women at workplaces are implemented, the association has promised to ensure strict action against proven sex offenders. Although there has never been any public disclosure regarding the measures taken by the regulatory body to curb the financial exploitation which is also a crucial case of concern. Now after the exposure of various incidents of financial exploitation, will they take any steps ahead to control the same?

Afternoon Voice is awaiting Cine & TV Artists Association’s (CINTAA) take on the matter. We will update our readers on the same once we receive their reply.

In a few instances, where the strugglers are in a desperate need of work due to unemployment and difficulty faced to enter the industry without any support, tend to fall into the trap to work without any remuneration just to open their gates for more work in the future.

When AV tried to contact casting agencies from the city, while few remained unavailable, others denied any reports on exploitation, and the rest restrained from commenting anything on the matter.

In the struggle for perceived stardom and the mirage

By

Vaidehi Taman

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December 10, 2018

In the struggle for seeming stardom and the mirage of megabucks, ethics, and so-called societal values have no place in the Bollywood industry. Auditions are sometimes dysphemism for ‘pleasure sessions’. People with name, fame, and money, checking out young, good-looking men and women, film and trial is just an eyewash for small timers, more of a trade here. These Victims or most of the time the volunteers call themselves aspiring models or aspiring actors as soon as they disembark in Mumbai. Bollywood’s seamy underside is not news. It has been around since the industry began, but what is new is the attitude: do and don’t die. In the words of a producer, “There are two types of girls who walk into the office every day. Those who genuinely want a career in film and those who want to use their looks to make money. The struggle for the ‘strugglers’ begins right at the beginning — finding a roof in Mumbai. Anyhow, if they could manage the roof, the next struggle is having a roadmap to the film industry; many a times, to sustain with lifestyle, the girls land up as escorts to rich old men enroot to stardom. These girls will need a lakh per month to keep up their lifestyle. On the other hand, boys do private shows for rich women and become strippers or gigolos. Given this parallel industry, for the genuine ones, it is often a struggle to ensure that one is not taken for a ride.

There are many incidences where Mumbai Police have rescued Bollywood strugglers lured in sex racket by the Models themselves. The film industry has its glitter but the story also has a very different, dark side. Earlier, Bollywood was completely a male-dominated industry and Women were given trivial or insignificant roles in the movies, but were also underpaid. Time has changed so the industry, many youngsters and running towards the film industry to make their carrier. Here starts the saga of the dark side. These youngsters walk into Bollywood and its colourful fringes — being clueless. They knock various doors; some get work and maximum land in doing what they never thought off because returning becomes a dilemma. Young boys and girls with starry dreams arrive by the dozens every day. Only 3 per cent of these strugglers ever make it to the glitzy side of the real Bollywood, but this depressing statistic never affects the surge of hopefuls who finally don’t even care if they make it in the film as long as they find some way of earning.

It is not easy to break into big-time Bollywood if you are not born into a powerful and influential star family. Therefore, aspiring starlets feel the need to develop connections and get themselves a ‘sugar daddy’ in the business that will smoothen their ride to the top. With desperate aspirants willing to almost throw themselves at their mercy, Bollywood bigwigs are not shy of exploiting the scenario or these junior artistes. According to the insiders, things have only become more rampant of late because of the willingness of starlets to give in.

The Indian media has played a major role in revealing instances of the casting couch in B-town. In a sensational sting operation in 2005, India TV trapped famous Bollywood baddie Shakti Kapoor and TV star Aman Verma. They were caught on tape making advances to a starlet planted by the channel. Last year, actress Rani Mukherji’s brother Raja found himself in the thick of trouble when he was arrested for allegedly molesting a TV actor named Priya Mishra who had approached him with a script. However, the most famous casting couch scandal in B-town could well be a case where the man was wronged. Starlet Preeti Jain created a sensation in 2004 when she accused ace director Madhur Bhandarkar of raping her for many years after making false promises of giving her a film role. The case dragged on for years and finally in 2012, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Bhandarkar and rejected the rape charge. Actress Payal Rohatgi was in the thick of controversy in 2011 when she accused director Dibakar Banerjee of trying to sexually exploit her in exchange for a movie role. Banerjee’s friend, noted filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, jumped into the fray to defend his pal and dismissed Payal as being ‘mentally unstable’. In heartless B-town, it seems even established stars cannot escape persecution.

Well, the narrative of dark side won’t stop here, but many models and small-time artists have got in the sex rackets and flesh trading, they catch all those strugglers who are in rush to earn money, this industry has too many stories of human trading and compromises. Hopes rise and sink in every rented apartment housing ‘filmi hopefuls’. On any given day, Andheri’s coffee shops swarm with ripped bodies and girls in slinky clothes, all hoping to get discovered like Kangana Ranaut did. Markets stock Ranbir Kapoor T-shirts and Sonam Kapoor accessories. Every gali has a gym where you can rub triceps with a minor star. Every locality has an adda where young strugglers hang out. If you dream of the spotlight, it’s pointed at Andheri. For most hopefuls, it’s not just a struggle to get to the top, it’s a struggle to get by. Forget notching a role in the film, even landing for an audition is a task. One stands for hours before they register their name. But the strugglers have a theory.

The famous and name earned banners and producers have their own modus operandi to choose their cast; they mostly find options from film fraternity or star kids are their preferences. A newcomer, one in hundred, makes his/her way to cast. It’s every day gambling for these aspirants. Meanwhile, there is no guarantee that one is safe here. The scavengers keep their grip on those strugglers who have big dreams but no sleep. They lure them with various indecent proposals and finally, one who gets stuck never has returned. Filmy glamour has a very superficial layer of the bright side, beneath everything is deep dark.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@www.afternoonvoice.com)