Citing lack of evidence, a fast track court has acquitted six persons accused of allegedly raping a 32-year-old married woman, filming the incident and circulating the clip on the social media.
Justice Balraj Singh pronounced the order on Monday letting off Irshad, Nazer, Sajid, Salauddin, Naushad and Sattar saying the prosecution had failed to substantiate its story in the case.
According to the complaint filed by the victim, she was abducted and gang-raped by the six accused in 2013 at Kailawda village under Khatoli Police Station in the district.
The accused shot a video of the incident and circulated the clip on social media.
The victim was blackmailed into submission for three years after the incident and threatened of dire consequences if she approached the police, the complaint had said.
In January, 2016, police had arrested Irshad and Nazer and booked three shopkeepers in the village for allegedly leaking the video on social media.
The incident had caused tensions between two communities in the village prompting the state government to deploy extra police force in the area.
She was not the first choice but it is a role that has come to define her. Looking back, Preity Zinta says “Kal Ho Na Ho” will always have a special place in her heart.
The film, which completes 15 years Wednesday, was first offered to Kareena Kapoor but it came to Preity after she declined it. Ironically, Preity was supposed to play Geet in “Jab We Met”, a role that Kareena will forever be associated with.
“It was very special to me because I lost my first love. I was in love with him, he was not. I felt strongly when the film was offered to me. Some of the best things have happened to me during that film,” Preity told agency in an interview.
The film revolved around a young, introvert woman, who has trust issues after her father’s suicide. Eventually, she falls into love but that is not to be.
Preity, 43, said she and Jaya Bachchan, who played her mother in the film, share a great bonding now.
She also recalled her bonding with director Karan Johar’s father Yash Johar, who tragically passed away after the film. Also, Shah Rukh Khan underwent a major surgery during the shooting.
“It was one of those films that filled me with joy but it broke our hearts as well. It was a roller coaster ride… It is a timeless film. I am fortunate that I was a part of it,” Preity said.
The actor had turned down “Jab We Met” but has no regrets about the film, which is considered a modern romantic classic. Preity said she and Kareena have a “karmic connection”.
“There is a karmic connection between Kareena and me. We both are in very good karma with each other because she said no to Kal Ho Na Ho’ and I said no to Jab We Met’, both of them are iconic and career defining films. People tell me they liked me a lot in Kal Ho Na Ho’ and I think she did a wonderful job as Geet,” she said.
After treating the audience with two back to back hits- ‘Badhaai Ho’ and ‘Andhadhun’, Bollywood actor Ayushmannn Khurrana is all set to team up with Nushrat Bharucha for his next untitled film.
Backed by Ekta Kapoor, the film will be a comedy riot and will be directed by Raaj Shaandilyaa.
Nushrat, who will be seen sharing the screen space with Ayushamann for the first time, said, “After working with Ekta in the past, this is a homecoming of sorts for me. I am excited to work with Ayushmann for this comedy entertainer. Interestingly, this year has been favourable for strong content-driven films; and this film will, hopefully, continue this tide.”
The movie will go on floors in the first week of December.
Nushrat was last seen in ‘Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety’ opposite Kartik Aaryan and Sunny Singh, which garnered immense appreciation from the audience owing to its quirky storyline.
Bollywood diva Katrina Kaif is all geared up for the Delhi schedule of Ali Abbas Zafar directorial ‘Bharat’. The actor wrapped up the Abu Dhabi shoot of the movie in October.
Raising temperatures, the 35-year-old shared a photo on her Instagram handle, striking a pose with her hair-stylist as she got decked up to shoot for the film in Delhi.
She wrote, “Delhi 4, Bharat.”
The Bollywood diva looked absolutely stunning with soft curls and subtle make-up.
‘Bharat’ is director Ali Zafar’s third collaboration with Salman Khan, after the 2016 film ‘Sultan’ and 2017’s ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’.
In the film, Bollywood’s Bhaijaan will be seen sporting five different looks spanning over 60 years, including a crucial part which will showcase the actor in his late 20s, looking much leaner and younger.
Katrina Kaif was roped into the movies after Priyanka Chopra decided to walk out of the film. The film also stars Tabu and Disha Patani in pivotal roles and is slated to hit the big screens on June 5, 2019.
Just days before their wedding, the much-in-love couple Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas stepped out with their gang to kick start the pre-wedding festivities in Mumbai.
The groom-to-be shared a picture on his Instagram story in which he can be seen posing alongside his lady love, brother Joe Jonas, his to-be sister-in-law Sophie Turner, and Priyanka’s cousin Parineeti Chopra, among others. He captioned the post as “Mumbai nights.”
Post that, the couple was also spotted at a restaurant in Juhu where they were again accompanied by Joe and Sophie, along with Parineeti and Alia Bhatt. PeeCee’s brother Siddharth Chopra was also present at the dinner.
Nick’s brother Joe Jonas and fiancee, Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner reached Mumbai on Monday.
Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra will marry in December in Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhawan Palace.The two confirmed their engagement in August during a trip to Mumbai, where their families gathered for festivities, including a Roka ceremony and a big engagement bash.
The bride-to-be received a special send-off from ‘The Sky is Pink’ team members, including director Shonali Bose and producer Siddharth Roy Kapur, in the national capital last week, where she was shooting for the film.
It was on the night of November 26, 2008, when the first shots by terrorists were fired and in another few hours, many of Mumbai’s brave and innocent had lost their lives. It was also the time when I noticed my mother’s face had turned ashen-pale with fear and shock. My mother isn’t the kinds who get scared easily, and certainly not because of bombs and bullets. It had to be something else.
She had been complaining of a severe headache since morning and I could sense something was terribly wrong with her. I immediately started reaching out to the doctors, but by then the whole of Mumbai city had come to a standstill. Nothing or no one was available for a reasonable discussion. Our family doctor on phone said that she needs an immediate CT scan or MRI.
She needed urgent medical attention, but Mumbai had shut down. Streets were empty, taxis unavailable, houses were locked, communication lines choked. I couldn’t find a place to get her scanned, until a kind doctor opened his center from the back door, examined her, and gave the dreadful news that she had a clot between brain and the skull and required an urgent neurosurgery.
While I discussed with him, my mother sat glued to the TV screen, as did rest of the city, occasionally muttering ‘this is wrong’. I felt so helpless for the first time in my life, where to take her, how to get her surgery done, how many hours she could handle — Mumbai was under attack and we had nowhere to go. Nearly 40 km from Taj Hotel, in Andheri Suburbs, for the first time, I understood how chaos could rule a city and the true meaning of ‘dread’.
I managed to take the first flight out of Mumbai and get her operated in Delhi the next day. I remember the first words she spoke after regaining consciousness. She feebly asked, “Is it over?” I assumed she was asking about the surgery and replied, ‘Yes Maa. It’s over, you were incredibly brave.” Then she said, “No, I am asking about Mumbai!”
But it didn’t get over till the 29th, till our city was burnt, egos crushed, our pride taken, grieving families scarred for life and Kasab became a household name. As we watched TV, saw clips of NSG commandos take charge, and neutralise the enemy, my mother commented, “These are brave people…heroes!”
The words remained embedded in my mind. It was a few years later I decided to do a series on the Heroes, our extraordinary men, and women in uniform. I covered Mumbai Police, Railway Police, and Fire Men amongst others. I have worked closely with security forces since last few years, observed and photographed them and I have learned why they are Heroes in every sense. Every person, be a policeman, a fireman, a doctor or a commando, or even an ordinary citizen who acts selflessly in the face of an extreme threat — is a Hero.
We might have been caught unaware once, but now it’s a different story. Now, we are more than just ready.
I have had the honour of photographing and spending some time with NSG, more popularly known as the Black Cat Commandos – and on the 10th anniversary of Mumbai Terror Attacks, I would like to share a few unseen photos of these great soldiers of the nation as a tribute to the martyrs.
Their highest level of patriotism, training, and commitment to the cause of ‘Nation First’ has left an indelible impression on our collective minds. The world may never get to see their faces but will forever hear their stories of bravery and courage in the darkest of hours.
Himanshu Jhunjhunwala
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in 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.)
Jason Momoa, Matt Damon and Claire Foy will host the each December episode of ‘Saturday Night Live’ (SNL).
Foy, who recently appeared in Ryan Gosling-starrer biopic ‘First Man’, is set to make her hosting debut on the show. She will kick-off the month on Saturday, December 1 and will be joined by musical guest Anderson.
On the other hand, the ‘Aquaman’ star will host the show on December 8 alongside musical guest Mumford & Sons, who are returning for their third outing to promote their new album Delta.
Damon will host the final new show of 2018 on December 15, with Mark Ronson and Miley Cyrus as musical guests. It will be ‘The Martian’ actor’s second hosting stint as he previously appeared on SNL in September to parody then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
The official Twitter handle of the show made the announcement saying, “Early present for you. #SNL”.
Moving far away from the love and laughter of Disney’s “Jungle Book”, actor-director Andy Serkis says he has tried to assimilate the complexities of Rudyard Kipling’s classic, including his complicated relationship with India as an imperialist, in his new film “Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle”.
Serkis said his take on Kipling’s 1894 classic “The Jungle Book”, about man cub Mowgli who is brought up by wolves in the jungles of India, is dark and closer to the original story.
Kipling was born in Mumbai in 1865. Though his first language was Hindi and India inspired most of his work, he is often called an “empire loyalist” dividing modern critics on his literary legacy.
It is this “split personality” in Kipling and his writings that Serkis has attempted to reflect in his film.
“You cannot make this film and not locate it in India and make it feel like it’s owned by India. Since arriving here, I have spoken to so many people and everyone seems to own it, it is the story they love and grew up with. So, there is a very complicated relationship between Kipling and India,” Serkis told a agency in an interview.
Serkis, who is on his first trip to India for the premiere of his movie, is best known for his mastery in performance capture technology with films such as the “Lord of the Rings” and the “Planet of the Apes” series.
In his view, Mowgli is “kind of a version of Kipling and his split personality and his struggle for discovering his own identity”.
“But we didn’t want to ignore the fact that Kipling was an imperialist or part of an imperialist culture. So that’s why I made the hunter character, a white hunter, and not a hunter from the village so that there’s a sense of the white man coming in.
“There’s a quote in the book which says When tigers kill the sacred cows, the man’s cattle, that would mean danger for the jungle because along would come many brown men with gongs and white men with guns’. So that was the impetus to make the hunter character a colonialist,” he said.
The director, 54, said Kipling was morally dubious and so is the hunter.
“I felt that that was going someway to allow us to tell the story in this day and age,” he added.
Serkis started making the film in 2014, even before Disney started the live action movie “The Jungle Book”, which was a big hit.
The director said he decided to “do it properly” rather than be in a race with the other film.
“Because the other film started being made and we were using performance capture and that was gonna take time to evolve and to do it properly, we found ourselves in a race with the other film. We decided not to go into the race and let them come out and then we take our time so that we could really properly do the work that we wanted to do on the characters,” he said.
Making the story darker than the more popular versions may alienate younger audiences but Serkis said he didn’t want to tone down the darkness inherent in the story.
“The story is complex, dark… We start reading that book at around 10 or 12 maybe. It is a very ideologically complex book. We all knew the film we were making and we were not going to shift away from that,” he said.
The director, however, believes younger children of reading age can watch the film because “there’s nothing in it that is gratuitously violent” or “not meant to be there”.
“I think it’s good for children, even young children to witness something that is visceral and intense if it’s part of the story that is well intentioned,” he added.
Serkis said he would like to see more of the country but there was no time between the premiere and media interviews, and a second trip is already on his mind.
“Unfortunately, I have seen nothing apart from going outside this hotel to the premiere which is a shame. I want to come back for sure, there is no question,” he said.
The film, which has a stellar cast with big names such as Christian Bale (Bagheera), Benedict Cumberbatch (Shere Khan), Naomie Harris (Nisha), Cate Blanchett (Kaa), Freida Pinto and Matthew Rhys, starts streaming on Netflix from December 7.
Bollywood stars Abhishek Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff have done the voices for the Hindi version.
India has extended a $5 million aid to Myanmar as its assistance for development projects on the Indo-Myanmar border.
India’s Ambassador to Myanmar, Vikram Misri handed over a cheque of $5 million to Myanmar’s Minister for Border Affairs, Lt General Ye Aung at a ceremony on Monday.
Under the 2012 Border Region Development agreement, Indian government is extending $5 million micro development assistance every year for five years for projects on India-Myanmar border.
“Friendship Project|Amb @VikramMisri handed over US$ 4.95 Million Ceremonial Cheque to Union Minister for Border Affairs, Lt. General Ye Aung as India’s assistance to Myanmar’s Border Area Development Project,” Misri tweeted.
?? India Myanmar ??
Friendship Project|Amb. @VikramMisri handed over US$ 4.95 Million Ceremonial Cheque to Union Minister for Border Affairs, Lt. General Ye Aung as India’s assistance to Myanmar’s Border Area Development Project pic.twitter.com/M2OpjZwEVp
India and Myanmar signed a Memorandum of Understanding for border development in May 2012, under which India is to provide a total of $25 million to Myanmar, divided into five tranches of $5 million each.
Under the first year project plan, 21 schools, 17 health centres and eight bridges are being built in Chin State and Naga Self Administered Zone of Myanmar through the Myanmar’s Border Affairs ministry, according the information available on the website of the Indian Embassy in Myanmar.
The Myanmar government is in the process of selecting contractors to execute the second year projects under which five road projects each would be completed in Chin and Naga Self-Administered Zone, it said.
Three schools would be also set in Chin state and eight in the Naga Self-Administered Zone, it added.
Myanmar shares around 1600 km border with four Northeastern Indian states Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram.
