By Vishal Thapar
"MAY THERE BE LOVE AND RESPECT IN THE WORLD" THAT IS THE MESSAGE INDIA IS SENDING TO THE WHOLE WORLD.
More than half a century ago India became a democratic secular republic nation. When Europe was devastated by the war, and finding its foot on the grounds of new thoughts, new values and new future,
Indians found freedom from centuries long foreign rule, wrote and adopted one of the finest constitutions and a vast opportunity to prove to itself and to the world the greatness of India. And there is no doubt, the hardworking intelligent people of India has done a fine job. India has own rockets, satellites, finest educational institutions, plenty of food, plenty of industries, relatively few violence, huge foreign currency reserves, leading R&D institutes, a fantastic defense, a stable government and unparallel brains. And all this was achieved without force, without significant foreign help, and without any violent revolution. Not too many countries can claim such an achievement after centuries of slavory.
YES INDIA HAS PROVEN TO BE GREAT. AND WE ALL WISH THAT OUR NEIGHBORS AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES WILL FOLLOW OUR PATH.
Yet, we are somewhat away from what we can be. Here are my thoughts on current problems/shortcomings and how to solve them:
1. There are still millions of destitudes our own Indian brothers, sisters and children - Give them free land to settle, give them food+clothes+education for work, train them to be useful and productive, make them self-sufficient
2. violent crime (especially in some cities) have increased to alarming rate - make the police and law enforcement system stronger and efficient. e.g. double the number of trained police, computerize the criminal record and its exchange, give deadline of 1 month to settle all criminal court cases.
3. Education, in general, still seems quite unbalanced, aimless and of inadequate quality - put some highly educated, pragmatic people with industry experience to review the courses being taught at all levels in all schools of India without exception and ask them to teach their own children exactly the same. Introduce more work and learn programs (hands on learning), useful learning, reduce amount of pages and repetitions, teach civics, Indian Laws, and health conciousness right from the begining.
4. TV and Media seems to play quite a significant role in people's lives, unfortunately often detrimental role. Give Rs.1000 TV to all with just TWO Channels(Hindi and local language) Both educational channel 2 hours a day. Brief news, cultural programmes, social and patriotic films with ZERO violence, educate aboout health, environment, practical living and basic knowledge about safety, civility, good family life, etc. in simplest language.
5. Politics in India unfortunately is the biggest barrier to faster progress of India - I wish I had a solution to that, but I do not at this point. But I guess the only direction India has to take is "cleanlieness" in politics. Anyone who wants to run for a MLA, MP position must have an earned Ph.D., or 10 years of volunteer social service and/or army experience. No under-achiever, loser, scumbag, dishonest, useless for everything else, thugs and thugs promoter individual should choose to or have the right to lead the intelligent people of India. Prove your ability first through hard work and intelligence or else go to some other country to be politician. Remember leaders are to SERVE us the people, not the otherway around? remember it is democracy not their "Baap ka Raj"? Remember millions of patriotic Indians sacrified thier lives to bring us the freedom from this kind of exploiters? We have not forgotten the blood and sweat of our forefathers, that freed us, it was not to replace British crooks with Indian crooks, it was for freedom and equality.
6. Equality seems still a dream. Very often the Rich treat the middleclass as inferior, middleclass treats the poorclass as inferior, one group treats the other as inferior, and it goes down to even the poorest people. It is not funny at all, it is true, I have seen it, and I will not deny that this sort of mentality exists among us. All I can say is, if we Indians ever want to be really great, WE MUST TREAT EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING WITH LOVE AND RESPECT. Yes remember the song we proudly sang about our culture
"ITNA AADAR INSAAN TO KYA, PATTHAR BHI PUJE JATE HAIN"* (there is so much respect(in Inidia) that not only humans, even the stone is worshiped). Let us practise that once again.
How about practising that on your "servant", the nearest tree, the streets you use and the streetdog from today? Yes, Please do stop for a minute from your ultrabusy schedule and take the left over for the dog who barked to keep the thieves away everynight, yes please stop for a minute and pick up that plastic bag from the sidewalk and throw in the garbage-bin, stop for a minute and carry the bag for the poor old man crossing the street. For all that you know, your children may love and respect you even when you grow old, for you will be earning it by your actions. And you will have the satisfaction that you are a good man, your self respect will go up many folds, there is no better feeling than that.
(Note: Expressed views are solely from the author, HNN will not hold any responsibility in his views or consequenses, whatever it may be. - EDITOR)
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query films tv. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query films tv. Sort by date Show all posts
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Friday, December 05, 2014
What’s Riding On Salman Khan? Rs. 700 Crore Or More!
But with a crucial new development in his 2002 hit-and-run case (a chemical analysis expert recently testified that the alcohol content in his blood on the day of the incident was higher than normal), many in Bollywood and the ad world are nervous about the eventual outcome.
“Currently, he is the biggest star, who churns out one box-office success after another,” says trade analyst Komal Nahta. As per industry estimates, a whopping Rs. 650-700 crore is riding on the star — combining big-ticket films, ad campaigns and a particular TV show contract.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Are non-film music albums dying out?
By Ruchika Kate
Acclaimed singers like Sonu Nigam, Shaan, KK and even Asha Bhonsle have come out with independent music albums that have been popular with audiences. But these non-film albums are now on the decline and many blame Bollywood for the downward trend.
Some allege that artists and albums are not promoted well, while others say Bollywood music has completely overshadowed independent music.
'Albums are dead. It doesn't make sense to waste nine good songs on a box of plastic when people will only listen to what TV offers them. I think I should do films now,' said Rabbi Shergill, whose song 'Bulla ki jaana' topped popular charts.
Some of the other non-film songs that did great business over the past years include 'Tanha dil' -, 'Ab ke saawan' -, 'Dhoom' -, 'Tu' - and 'Bheegi bheegi raaton mein' -. But such albums have now taken a backseat.
'The main reason for the diminishing presence of non-film albums is that our country is very Bollywood-centric,' said Sachin Gupta, the in-house composer of Tips Industries Ltd.
This trend has accelerated the pace of musicians and even lyricists heading towards the Hindi filmdom and expressing their creativity through movie songs.
'It isn't that I don't want to do a non-film album. I love doing albums because I get more creative freedom and there are no constraints or limitations of the storyline,' said lyricist Prasoon Joshi, who has penned the lines for songs like 'Dooba dooba' - and 'Man ke manjeere' -.
'But the problem is that the market for private albums is shrinking. People now are more inclined towards film music. So that's why I now try and find my expression in Bollywood songs,' he added.
Along with the popularity of film music, singers cite inadequate publicity as a major reason for the failure of non-film albums in the Indian market.
'Independent or non-film albums are not promoted the way they should be. It's sad that channels don't even give them enough airplay,' said pop artist Shibani Kashyap, who became popular with her song 'Ho gai hai mohabbat'.
'Even music companies today feel that investing in a non-film album is a losing proposition and not commercially viable because most music channels play Bollywood numbers.
'It was very disappointing to see that even an album by legends Asha Bhonsle and Ghulam Ali saw very little airplay and there was hardly any promotion visible on TV,' she added.
So what can remedy the situation?
'I have done 17 albums last year and I'll keep doing that because you never know what clicks with the audience. If we stop churning out albums then obviously the segment will die. So we need to keep trying to revive it,' said Sachin Gupta.
'Along with implementing sufficient promotional tools for the albums, I feel there should be a channel dedicated to only non-film albums. We need dedicated space to revive them,' suggested Shibani.
Acclaimed singers like Sonu Nigam, Shaan, KK and even Asha Bhonsle have come out with independent music albums that have been popular with audiences. But these non-film albums are now on the decline and many blame Bollywood for the downward trend.
Some allege that artists and albums are not promoted well, while others say Bollywood music has completely overshadowed independent music.
'Albums are dead. It doesn't make sense to waste nine good songs on a box of plastic when people will only listen to what TV offers them. I think I should do films now,' said Rabbi Shergill, whose song 'Bulla ki jaana' topped popular charts.
Some of the other non-film songs that did great business over the past years include 'Tanha dil' -, 'Ab ke saawan' -, 'Dhoom' -, 'Tu' - and 'Bheegi bheegi raaton mein' -. But such albums have now taken a backseat.
'The main reason for the diminishing presence of non-film albums is that our country is very Bollywood-centric,' said Sachin Gupta, the in-house composer of Tips Industries Ltd.
This trend has accelerated the pace of musicians and even lyricists heading towards the Hindi filmdom and expressing their creativity through movie songs.
'It isn't that I don't want to do a non-film album. I love doing albums because I get more creative freedom and there are no constraints or limitations of the storyline,' said lyricist Prasoon Joshi, who has penned the lines for songs like 'Dooba dooba' - and 'Man ke manjeere' -.
'But the problem is that the market for private albums is shrinking. People now are more inclined towards film music. So that's why I now try and find my expression in Bollywood songs,' he added.
Along with the popularity of film music, singers cite inadequate publicity as a major reason for the failure of non-film albums in the Indian market.
'Independent or non-film albums are not promoted the way they should be. It's sad that channels don't even give them enough airplay,' said pop artist Shibani Kashyap, who became popular with her song 'Ho gai hai mohabbat'.
'Even music companies today feel that investing in a non-film album is a losing proposition and not commercially viable because most music channels play Bollywood numbers.
'It was very disappointing to see that even an album by legends Asha Bhonsle and Ghulam Ali saw very little airplay and there was hardly any promotion visible on TV,' she added.
So what can remedy the situation?
'I have done 17 albums last year and I'll keep doing that because you never know what clicks with the audience. If we stop churning out albums then obviously the segment will die. So we need to keep trying to revive it,' said Sachin Gupta.
'Along with implementing sufficient promotional tools for the albums, I feel there should be a channel dedicated to only non-film albums. We need dedicated space to revive them,' suggested Shibani.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Games industry cool to slowdown blues
By Sarah Williams
The games industry is booming, helped by new peripherals that ratchet up the realism on your Xbox, PS3 or WiiMatt Bingham.
House prices might be plummeting and car sales dwindling but one sector is bucking the global economic trend: the video games industry has never had it so good. Gamers bought a record 82.8m titles in 2008. That’s a 26% increase on the previous year, making the UK the second-biggest games market in the world behind America. Analysts from Gfk Chart-Track, the British research company that published the report, say that as consumers hunker down at home, 2009 is likely to be another bumper year. Britain isn’t alone in experiencing a gaming boom. Last year global revenue from games software added up to an estimated $32 billion enough to overtake DVD sales for the first time.
The reasons for this growth aren’t hard to fathom. Just as cinema audiences grew during the Great Depression of the 1930s when people sought out good-value entertainment, so the recession is making gaming all the more attractive.
Games designers have been quick to capitalise on the trend by making their titles all the more complex and adding online play, extending their titles lifetimes. But its the accessories market thats really taking off. An entire industry now supplies add-on hardware for Xboxes, PlayStations, Wiis and PCs, bringing unprecedented levels of realism to gaming.
The first step for most gamers trading up their hardware to enjoy these cinematic games is to invest in a bigger, higher-resolution TV. But for a dream gaming setup, only a projector will do. Forget memories of dusty slide-shows on a wobbly screen; todays gaming projectors will splash a bright, high-definition image onto a wall at a size far larger than any TV set.
The most elaborate games pay a great deal of attention to audio design, and to do them justice a dedicated sound system is needed. Many titles support 5.1 sound a subwoofer, a central speaker and four satellite surround-sound speakers which is particularly useful for alerting players to sneak attacks in action games. Philips amBX system even adds lighting and air effects from fans to the audio mix, although hardcore gamers turn to the pinpoint accuracy of surround-sound headphones.
But the current cutting edge of gaming is 3-D. At the giant Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas earlier this year, Sony demonstrated a 3-D version of the Gran Turismo driving game running on a standard PS3. Already available to buy in America at least is the GeForce 3D Vision system from Nvidia, the graphics card manufacturer. The card is compatible with more than 300 existing PC games, and splits the video signal sent to a 2-D monitor into the familiar red and blue channels used for 3-D films. Seen through the glasses that are included, driving games such as Burnout Paradise and first-person shooters such as Left 4 Dead become much more playable, with furniture such as maps and personal statistics floating eerily in the players peripheral vision. Threats and fast-moving objects, meanwhile, become easier to spot. The Nvidia kit costs $199. Expect many more innovations such as this to filter down from the PC gaming world into the next generation of consoles. The film industry had little competition in 1930s when it came to exciting, affordable entertainment; this time it’s got a fight on its hands.
The games industry is booming, helped by new peripherals that ratchet up the realism on your Xbox, PS3 or WiiMatt Bingham.
House prices might be plummeting and car sales dwindling but one sector is bucking the global economic trend: the video games industry has never had it so good. Gamers bought a record 82.8m titles in 2008. That’s a 26% increase on the previous year, making the UK the second-biggest games market in the world behind America. Analysts from Gfk Chart-Track, the British research company that published the report, say that as consumers hunker down at home, 2009 is likely to be another bumper year. Britain isn’t alone in experiencing a gaming boom. Last year global revenue from games software added up to an estimated $32 billion enough to overtake DVD sales for the first time.
The reasons for this growth aren’t hard to fathom. Just as cinema audiences grew during the Great Depression of the 1930s when people sought out good-value entertainment, so the recession is making gaming all the more attractive.
Games designers have been quick to capitalise on the trend by making their titles all the more complex and adding online play, extending their titles lifetimes. But its the accessories market thats really taking off. An entire industry now supplies add-on hardware for Xboxes, PlayStations, Wiis and PCs, bringing unprecedented levels of realism to gaming.
The first step for most gamers trading up their hardware to enjoy these cinematic games is to invest in a bigger, higher-resolution TV. But for a dream gaming setup, only a projector will do. Forget memories of dusty slide-shows on a wobbly screen; todays gaming projectors will splash a bright, high-definition image onto a wall at a size far larger than any TV set.
The most elaborate games pay a great deal of attention to audio design, and to do them justice a dedicated sound system is needed. Many titles support 5.1 sound a subwoofer, a central speaker and four satellite surround-sound speakers which is particularly useful for alerting players to sneak attacks in action games. Philips amBX system even adds lighting and air effects from fans to the audio mix, although hardcore gamers turn to the pinpoint accuracy of surround-sound headphones.
But the current cutting edge of gaming is 3-D. At the giant Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas earlier this year, Sony demonstrated a 3-D version of the Gran Turismo driving game running on a standard PS3. Already available to buy in America at least is the GeForce 3D Vision system from Nvidia, the graphics card manufacturer. The card is compatible with more than 300 existing PC games, and splits the video signal sent to a 2-D monitor into the familiar red and blue channels used for 3-D films. Seen through the glasses that are included, driving games such as Burnout Paradise and first-person shooters such as Left 4 Dead become much more playable, with furniture such as maps and personal statistics floating eerily in the players peripheral vision. Threats and fast-moving objects, meanwhile, become easier to spot. The Nvidia kit costs $199. Expect many more innovations such as this to filter down from the PC gaming world into the next generation of consoles. The film industry had little competition in 1930s when it came to exciting, affordable entertainment; this time it’s got a fight on its hands.
Thursday, April 04, 2013
'My Family Is My First Priority': Kajol Devggan
The versatile screen performer, who has two kids, says she is a strict mother and her husband, Bollywood star Ajay Devgn, does not like when she scolds her children.
"I am the stricter one between two of us. Ajay doesn't like when I scold our children in his presence. I have to be strict because I'm more of an 'at home' parent. When Ajay is around it is playtime.
Our children are used to me in his absence," Kajol told in an exclusive interview with INN.
Post-marriage, the 38-year-old actress cut down on her work though she continued to feature with big stars and collect accolades for her performance.
Despite having worked with some big banners and production houses, Kajol’s critics have one complaint against the actress — that she does not experiment and look at out-of-the-box cinema. “To be honest, I don’t like most scripts that come to me I don’t mind slightly uncomfortable characters, but I don’t like the dark roles. I do what makes me happy and I’ve been fortunate enough to have that choice,” she says adding that she wouldn’t want to do item numbers either.
The actress has been spotted making an evolved style statement at public appearances. For someone like her who hardly paid attention to her looks, Kajol has become style-conscious. Considering the illustrious lineage the actress has, she says she sees glimpses of her father in her while narrating stories to her kids. “I think I see a lot of my mum in me when I disciple my children. And sometimes I see glimpses of my aunt Nutan. But that’s that about my lineage,” she says and signs off.
Her major releases after marriage were 'Fanaa', 'U Me Aur Hum' (2008), 'My Name is Khan' (2010), 'We Are Family' (2010).
But Kajol has done special appearances in several films like 'Kal Ho Na Ho', 'Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna', 'Om Shanti Om', 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' and 'Student of the Year'.
"Once I got married and had babies, I had to take time out for my children. Hence I took a break. My personal life took over my professional life and I was very happy about it," she said.
Apart from her film commitments, Kajol has been in demand for brand endorsements as well. She has been appointed brand ambassador of Kimberly-Clark Lever and will be seen in a new TV commercial of the US-based consumer goods firm's product for babies.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Cooking Expert: Sanjeev Kapoor, The Chef Extraordinaire
With his million dollar smile and affable attitude, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor has stolen many-a-heart with his tantalising delicacies served with his customary style. One of the biggest powerhouse in the world of flavours became a household name with his hit Indian TV show ‘Khana Khazana’ - the longest running cookery show in Asia which aired in 120 countries for around two decades and had over 500 million dedicated viewers.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Games industry cool to slowdown blues
By Sarah Williams
The games industry is booming, helped by new peripherals that ratchet up the realism on your Xbox, PS3 or WiiMatt Bingham.
House prices might be plummeting and car sales dwindling but one sector is bucking the global economic trend: the video games industry has never had it so good. Gamers bought a record 82.8m titles in 2008. That’s a 26% increase on the previous year, making the UK the second-biggest games market in the world behind America. Analysts from Gfk Chart-Track, the British research company that published the report, say that as consumers hunker down at home, 2009 is likely to be another bumper year. Britain isn’t alone in experiencing a gaming boom. Last year global revenue from games software added up to an estimated $32 billion enough to overtake DVD sales for the first time.
The reasons for this growth aren’t hard to fathom. Just as cinema audiences grew during the Great Depression of the 1930s when people sought out good-value entertainment, so the recession is making gaming all the more attractive.
Games designers have been quick to capitalise on the trend by making their titles all the more complex and adding online play, extending their titles lifetimes. But its the accessories market thats really taking off. An entire industry now supplies add-on hardware for Xboxes, PlayStations, Wiis and PCs, bringing unprecedented levels of realism to gaming.
The first step for most gamers trading up their hardware to enjoy these cinematic games is to invest in a bigger, higher-resolution TV. But for a dream gaming setup, only a projector will do. Forget memories of dusty slide-shows on a wobbly screen; todays gaming projectors will splash a bright, high-definition image onto a wall at a size far larger than any TV set.
The most elaborate games pay a great deal of attention to audio design, and to do them justice a dedicated sound system is needed. Many titles support 5.1 sound a subwoofer, a central speaker and four satellite surround-sound speakers which is particularly useful for alerting players to sneak attacks in action games. Philips amBX system even adds lighting and air effects from fans to the audio mix, although hardcore gamers turn to the pinpoint accuracy of surround-sound headphones.
But the current cutting edge of gaming is 3-D. At the giant Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas earlier this year, Sony demonstrated a 3-D version of the Gran Turismo driving game running on a standard PS3. Already available to buy in America at least is the GeForce 3D Vision system from Nvidia, the graphics card manufacturer. The card is compatible with more than 300 existing PC games, and splits the video signal sent to a 2-D monitor into the familiar red and blue channels used for 3-D films. Seen through the glasses that are included, driving games such as Burnout Paradise and first-person shooters such as Left 4 Dead become much more playable, with furniture such as maps and personal statistics floating eerily in the players peripheral vision. Threats and fast-moving objects, meanwhile, become easier to spot. The Nvidia kit costs $199. Expect many more innovations such as this to filter down from the PC gaming world into the next generation of consoles. The film industry had little competition in 1930s when it came to exciting, affordable entertainment; this time it’s got a fight on its hands.
The games industry is booming, helped by new peripherals that ratchet up the realism on your Xbox, PS3 or WiiMatt Bingham.
House prices might be plummeting and car sales dwindling but one sector is bucking the global economic trend: the video games industry has never had it so good. Gamers bought a record 82.8m titles in 2008. That’s a 26% increase on the previous year, making the UK the second-biggest games market in the world behind America. Analysts from Gfk Chart-Track, the British research company that published the report, say that as consumers hunker down at home, 2009 is likely to be another bumper year. Britain isn’t alone in experiencing a gaming boom. Last year global revenue from games software added up to an estimated $32 billion enough to overtake DVD sales for the first time.
The reasons for this growth aren’t hard to fathom. Just as cinema audiences grew during the Great Depression of the 1930s when people sought out good-value entertainment, so the recession is making gaming all the more attractive.
Games designers have been quick to capitalise on the trend by making their titles all the more complex and adding online play, extending their titles lifetimes. But its the accessories market thats really taking off. An entire industry now supplies add-on hardware for Xboxes, PlayStations, Wiis and PCs, bringing unprecedented levels of realism to gaming.
The first step for most gamers trading up their hardware to enjoy these cinematic games is to invest in a bigger, higher-resolution TV. But for a dream gaming setup, only a projector will do. Forget memories of dusty slide-shows on a wobbly screen; todays gaming projectors will splash a bright, high-definition image onto a wall at a size far larger than any TV set.
The most elaborate games pay a great deal of attention to audio design, and to do them justice a dedicated sound system is needed. Many titles support 5.1 sound a subwoofer, a central speaker and four satellite surround-sound speakers which is particularly useful for alerting players to sneak attacks in action games. Philips amBX system even adds lighting and air effects from fans to the audio mix, although hardcore gamers turn to the pinpoint accuracy of surround-sound headphones.
But the current cutting edge of gaming is 3-D. At the giant Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas earlier this year, Sony demonstrated a 3-D version of the Gran Turismo driving game running on a standard PS3. Already available to buy in America at least is the GeForce 3D Vision system from Nvidia, the graphics card manufacturer. The card is compatible with more than 300 existing PC games, and splits the video signal sent to a 2-D monitor into the familiar red and blue channels used for 3-D films. Seen through the glasses that are included, driving games such as Burnout Paradise and first-person shooters such as Left 4 Dead become much more playable, with furniture such as maps and personal statistics floating eerily in the players peripheral vision. Threats and fast-moving objects, meanwhile, become easier to spot. The Nvidia kit costs $199. Expect many more innovations such as this to filter down from the PC gaming world into the next generation of consoles. The film industry had little competition in 1930s when it came to exciting, affordable entertainment; this time it’s got a fight on its hands.
Games industry cool to slowdown blues
By Sarah Williams
The games industry is booming, helped by new peripherals that ratchet up the realism on your Xbox, PS3 or WiiMatt Bingham.
House prices might be plummeting and car sales dwindling but one sector is bucking the global economic trend: the video games industry has never had it so good. Gamers bought a record 82.8m titles in 2008. That’s a 26% increase on the previous year, making the UK the second-biggest games market in the world behind America. Analysts from Gfk Chart-Track, the British research company that published the report, say that as consumers hunker down at home, 2009 is likely to be another bumper year. Britain isn’t alone in experiencing a gaming boom. Last year global revenue from games software added up to an estimated $32 billion enough to overtake DVD sales for the first time.
The reasons for this growth aren’t hard to fathom. Just as cinema audiences grew during the Great Depression of the 1930s when people sought out good-value entertainment, so the recession is making gaming all the more attractive.
Games designers have been quick to capitalise on the trend by making their titles all the more complex and adding online play, extending their titles lifetimes. But its the accessories market thats really taking off. An entire industry now supplies add-on hardware for Xboxes, PlayStations, Wiis and PCs, bringing unprecedented levels of realism to gaming.
The first step for most gamers trading up their hardware to enjoy these cinematic games is to invest in a bigger, higher-resolution TV. But for a dream gaming setup, only a projector will do. Forget memories of dusty slide-shows on a wobbly screen; todays gaming projectors will splash a bright, high-definition image onto a wall at a size far larger than any TV set.
The most elaborate games pay a great deal of attention to audio design, and to do them justice a dedicated sound system is needed. Many titles support 5.1 sound a subwoofer, a central speaker and four satellite surround-sound speakers which is particularly useful for alerting players to sneak attacks in action games. Philips amBX system even adds lighting and air effects from fans to the audio mix, although hardcore gamers turn to the pinpoint accuracy of surround-sound headphones.
But the current cutting edge of gaming is 3-D. At the giant Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas earlier this year, Sony demonstrated a 3-D version of the Gran Turismo driving game running on a standard PS3. Already available to buy in America at least is the GeForce 3D Vision system from Nvidia, the graphics card manufacturer. The card is compatible with more than 300 existing PC games, and splits the video signal sent to a 2-D monitor into the familiar red and blue channels used for 3-D films. Seen through the glasses that are included, driving games such as Burnout Paradise and first-person shooters such as Left 4 Dead become much more playable, with furniture such as maps and personal statistics floating eerily in the players peripheral vision. Threats and fast-moving objects, meanwhile, become easier to spot. The Nvidia kit costs $199. Expect many more innovations such as this to filter down from the PC gaming world into the next generation of consoles. The film industry had little competition in 1930s when it came to exciting, affordable entertainment; this time it’s got a fight on its hands.
The games industry is booming, helped by new peripherals that ratchet up the realism on your Xbox, PS3 or WiiMatt Bingham.
House prices might be plummeting and car sales dwindling but one sector is bucking the global economic trend: the video games industry has never had it so good. Gamers bought a record 82.8m titles in 2008. That’s a 26% increase on the previous year, making the UK the second-biggest games market in the world behind America. Analysts from Gfk Chart-Track, the British research company that published the report, say that as consumers hunker down at home, 2009 is likely to be another bumper year. Britain isn’t alone in experiencing a gaming boom. Last year global revenue from games software added up to an estimated $32 billion enough to overtake DVD sales for the first time.
The reasons for this growth aren’t hard to fathom. Just as cinema audiences grew during the Great Depression of the 1930s when people sought out good-value entertainment, so the recession is making gaming all the more attractive.
Games designers have been quick to capitalise on the trend by making their titles all the more complex and adding online play, extending their titles lifetimes. But its the accessories market thats really taking off. An entire industry now supplies add-on hardware for Xboxes, PlayStations, Wiis and PCs, bringing unprecedented levels of realism to gaming.
The first step for most gamers trading up their hardware to enjoy these cinematic games is to invest in a bigger, higher-resolution TV. But for a dream gaming setup, only a projector will do. Forget memories of dusty slide-shows on a wobbly screen; todays gaming projectors will splash a bright, high-definition image onto a wall at a size far larger than any TV set.
The most elaborate games pay a great deal of attention to audio design, and to do them justice a dedicated sound system is needed. Many titles support 5.1 sound a subwoofer, a central speaker and four satellite surround-sound speakers which is particularly useful for alerting players to sneak attacks in action games. Philips amBX system even adds lighting and air effects from fans to the audio mix, although hardcore gamers turn to the pinpoint accuracy of surround-sound headphones.
But the current cutting edge of gaming is 3-D. At the giant Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas earlier this year, Sony demonstrated a 3-D version of the Gran Turismo driving game running on a standard PS3. Already available to buy in America at least is the GeForce 3D Vision system from Nvidia, the graphics card manufacturer. The card is compatible with more than 300 existing PC games, and splits the video signal sent to a 2-D monitor into the familiar red and blue channels used for 3-D films. Seen through the glasses that are included, driving games such as Burnout Paradise and first-person shooters such as Left 4 Dead become much more playable, with furniture such as maps and personal statistics floating eerily in the players peripheral vision. Threats and fast-moving objects, meanwhile, become easier to spot. The Nvidia kit costs $199. Expect many more innovations such as this to filter down from the PC gaming world into the next generation of consoles. The film industry had little competition in 1930s when it came to exciting, affordable entertainment; this time it’s got a fight on its hands.
Saturday, May 03, 2014
Modi Factor Tilts The Voting Balance In Andhra Pradesh
POINT BLANK Is there a Modi factor in the residual state of Andhra Pradesh, comprising Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra, which goes to polls on May 7th? To check the facts for myself, I chose to visit Madanapalle in the Rayalaseema region, which was part of Modi’s itinerary on May First. I had indulged in a similar exercise in Tamil Nadu, when I attended a rally in Krishnagiri, addressed by Narendra Modi, the Gujarat Chief Minister and the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate. Unlike TN where the BJP is in alliance with small parties, here, in AP, it has tied up with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a regional giant. Both Seemandhra and Telengana are having simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and to their respective state assemblies.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Are non-film music albums dying out?
By Ruchika Kate
Acclaimed singers like Sonu Nigam, Shaan, KK and even Asha Bhonsle have come out with independent music albums that have been popular with audiences. But these non-film albums are now on the decline and many blame Bollywood for the downward trend.
Some allege that artists and albums are not promoted well, while others say Bollywood music has completely overshadowed independent music.
'Albums are dead. It doesn't make sense to waste nine good songs on a box of plastic when people will only listen to what TV offers them. I think I should do films now,' said Rabbi Shergill, whose song 'Bulla ki jaana' topped popular charts.
Some of the other non-film songs that did great business over the past years include 'Tanha dil' -, 'Ab ke saawan' -, 'Dhoom' -, 'Tu' - and 'Bheegi bheegi raaton mein' -. But such albums have now taken a backseat.
'The main reason for the diminishing presence of non-film albums is that our country is very Bollywood-centric,' said Sachin Gupta, the in-house composer of Tips Industries Ltd.
This trend has accelerated the pace of musicians and even lyricists heading towards the Hindi filmdom and expressing their creativity through movie songs.
'It isn't that I don't want to do a non-film album. I love doing albums because I get more creative freedom and there are no constraints or limitations of the storyline,' said lyricist Prasoon Joshi, who has penned the lines for songs like 'Dooba dooba' - and 'Man ke manjeere' -.
'But the problem is that the market for private albums is shrinking. People now are more inclined towards film music. So that's why I now try and find my expression in Bollywood songs,' he added.
Along with the popularity of film music, singers cite inadequate publicity as a major reason for the failure of non-film albums in the Indian market.
'Independent or non-film albums are not promoted the way they should be. It's sad that channels don't even give them enough airplay,' said pop artist Shibani Kashyap, who became popular with her song 'Ho gai hai mohabbat'.
'Even music companies today feel that investing in a non-film album is a losing proposition and not commercially viable because most music channels play Bollywood numbers.
'It was very disappointing to see that even an album by legends Asha Bhonsle and Ghulam Ali saw very little airplay and there was hardly any promotion visible on TV,' she added.
So what can remedy the situation?
'I have done 17 albums last year and I'll keep doing that because you never know what clicks with the audience. If we stop churning out albums then obviously the segment will die. So we need to keep trying to revive it,' said Sachin Gupta.
'Along with implementing sufficient promotional tools for the albums, I feel there should be a channel dedicated to only non-film albums. We need dedicated space to revive them,' suggested Shibani.
Acclaimed singers like Sonu Nigam, Shaan, KK and even Asha Bhonsle have come out with independent music albums that have been popular with audiences. But these non-film albums are now on the decline and many blame Bollywood for the downward trend.
Some allege that artists and albums are not promoted well, while others say Bollywood music has completely overshadowed independent music.
'Albums are dead. It doesn't make sense to waste nine good songs on a box of plastic when people will only listen to what TV offers them. I think I should do films now,' said Rabbi Shergill, whose song 'Bulla ki jaana' topped popular charts.
Some of the other non-film songs that did great business over the past years include 'Tanha dil' -, 'Ab ke saawan' -, 'Dhoom' -, 'Tu' - and 'Bheegi bheegi raaton mein' -. But such albums have now taken a backseat.
'The main reason for the diminishing presence of non-film albums is that our country is very Bollywood-centric,' said Sachin Gupta, the in-house composer of Tips Industries Ltd.
This trend has accelerated the pace of musicians and even lyricists heading towards the Hindi filmdom and expressing their creativity through movie songs.
'It isn't that I don't want to do a non-film album. I love doing albums because I get more creative freedom and there are no constraints or limitations of the storyline,' said lyricist Prasoon Joshi, who has penned the lines for songs like 'Dooba dooba' - and 'Man ke manjeere' -.
'But the problem is that the market for private albums is shrinking. People now are more inclined towards film music. So that's why I now try and find my expression in Bollywood songs,' he added.
Along with the popularity of film music, singers cite inadequate publicity as a major reason for the failure of non-film albums in the Indian market.
'Independent or non-film albums are not promoted the way they should be. It's sad that channels don't even give them enough airplay,' said pop artist Shibani Kashyap, who became popular with her song 'Ho gai hai mohabbat'.
'Even music companies today feel that investing in a non-film album is a losing proposition and not commercially viable because most music channels play Bollywood numbers.
'It was very disappointing to see that even an album by legends Asha Bhonsle and Ghulam Ali saw very little airplay and there was hardly any promotion visible on TV,' she added.
So what can remedy the situation?
'I have done 17 albums last year and I'll keep doing that because you never know what clicks with the audience. If we stop churning out albums then obviously the segment will die. So we need to keep trying to revive it,' said Sachin Gupta.
'Along with implementing sufficient promotional tools for the albums, I feel there should be a channel dedicated to only non-film albums. We need dedicated space to revive them,' suggested Shibani.
Are non-film music albums dying out?
By Ruchika Kate
Acclaimed singers like Sonu Nigam, Shaan, KK and even Asha Bhonsle have come out with independent music albums that have been popular with audiences. But these non-film albums are now on the decline and many blame Bollywood for the downward trend.
Some allege that artists and albums are not promoted well, while others say Bollywood music has completely overshadowed independent music.
'Albums are dead. It doesn't make sense to waste nine good songs on a box of plastic when people will only listen to what TV offers them. I think I should do films now,' said Rabbi Shergill, whose song 'Bulla ki jaana' topped popular charts.
Some of the other non-film songs that did great business over the past years include 'Tanha dil' -, 'Ab ke saawan' -, 'Dhoom' -, 'Tu' - and 'Bheegi bheegi raaton mein' -. But such albums have now taken a backseat.
'The main reason for the diminishing presence of non-film albums is that our country is very Bollywood-centric,' said Sachin Gupta, the in-house composer of Tips Industries Ltd.
This trend has accelerated the pace of musicians and even lyricists heading towards the Hindi filmdom and expressing their creativity through movie songs.
'It isn't that I don't want to do a non-film album. I love doing albums because I get more creative freedom and there are no constraints or limitations of the storyline,' said lyricist Prasoon Joshi, who has penned the lines for songs like 'Dooba dooba' - and 'Man ke manjeere' -.
'But the problem is that the market for private albums is shrinking. People now are more inclined towards film music. So that's why I now try and find my expression in Bollywood songs,' he added.
Along with the popularity of film music, singers cite inadequate publicity as a major reason for the failure of non-film albums in the Indian market.
'Independent or non-film albums are not promoted the way they should be. It's sad that channels don't even give them enough airplay,' said pop artist Shibani Kashyap, who became popular with her song 'Ho gai hai mohabbat'.
'Even music companies today feel that investing in a non-film album is a losing proposition and not commercially viable because most music channels play Bollywood numbers.
'It was very disappointing to see that even an album by legends Asha Bhonsle and Ghulam Ali saw very little airplay and there was hardly any promotion visible on TV,' she added.
So what can remedy the situation?
'I have done 17 albums last year and I'll keep doing that because you never know what clicks with the audience. If we stop churning out albums then obviously the segment will die. So we need to keep trying to revive it,' said Sachin Gupta.
'Along with implementing sufficient promotional tools for the albums, I feel there should be a channel dedicated to only non-film albums. We need dedicated space to revive them,' suggested Shibani.
Acclaimed singers like Sonu Nigam, Shaan, KK and even Asha Bhonsle have come out with independent music albums that have been popular with audiences. But these non-film albums are now on the decline and many blame Bollywood for the downward trend.
Some allege that artists and albums are not promoted well, while others say Bollywood music has completely overshadowed independent music.
'Albums are dead. It doesn't make sense to waste nine good songs on a box of plastic when people will only listen to what TV offers them. I think I should do films now,' said Rabbi Shergill, whose song 'Bulla ki jaana' topped popular charts.
Some of the other non-film songs that did great business over the past years include 'Tanha dil' -, 'Ab ke saawan' -, 'Dhoom' -, 'Tu' - and 'Bheegi bheegi raaton mein' -. But such albums have now taken a backseat.
'The main reason for the diminishing presence of non-film albums is that our country is very Bollywood-centric,' said Sachin Gupta, the in-house composer of Tips Industries Ltd.
This trend has accelerated the pace of musicians and even lyricists heading towards the Hindi filmdom and expressing their creativity through movie songs.
'It isn't that I don't want to do a non-film album. I love doing albums because I get more creative freedom and there are no constraints or limitations of the storyline,' said lyricist Prasoon Joshi, who has penned the lines for songs like 'Dooba dooba' - and 'Man ke manjeere' -.
'But the problem is that the market for private albums is shrinking. People now are more inclined towards film music. So that's why I now try and find my expression in Bollywood songs,' he added.
Along with the popularity of film music, singers cite inadequate publicity as a major reason for the failure of non-film albums in the Indian market.
'Independent or non-film albums are not promoted the way they should be. It's sad that channels don't even give them enough airplay,' said pop artist Shibani Kashyap, who became popular with her song 'Ho gai hai mohabbat'.
'Even music companies today feel that investing in a non-film album is a losing proposition and not commercially viable because most music channels play Bollywood numbers.
'It was very disappointing to see that even an album by legends Asha Bhonsle and Ghulam Ali saw very little airplay and there was hardly any promotion visible on TV,' she added.
So what can remedy the situation?
'I have done 17 albums last year and I'll keep doing that because you never know what clicks with the audience. If we stop churning out albums then obviously the segment will die. So we need to keep trying to revive it,' said Sachin Gupta.
'Along with implementing sufficient promotional tools for the albums, I feel there should be a channel dedicated to only non-film albums. We need dedicated space to revive them,' suggested Shibani.
Wednesday, July 03, 2013
Salman Khan Vs Rahul Gandhi = Filmdom Vs Politics
If there is anything more confusing than Rahul Gandhi‘s role in the Congress, it has to be Salman Khan’s role in the lives of several beautiful women who make it to tabloid headlines everyday. A quick round up of recent news around Salman and women would throw up stories about the actor planning to launch Katrina’s sister Isabella, advising Suraj Pancholi to get rid of Jiah Khan and backing starlet Sanaa Khan who allegedly tried to abduct a 14-year-old girl.
With partial or no confirmation from Khan, these pieces of news fizzled out after Twitter ran out of jokes. However, the girl who has remained in focus is Iulia Vantur, a Romanian TV actor who has earned the good fortune of being called his ‘girlfriend’ by the media.
So who is Iulia Vantur? Since, none of us have enough language skills to refer to Romanian TV we’ll have to go by hearsay.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
UPA'S 'BHARAT NIRMAAN' FOR 2014 @ 600 CRORES
By M H Ahssan & Kajol Singh
What didn’t shine for the National Democratic Alliance ( NDA) in 2004 may still help construct a third United Progressive Alliance ( UPA) victory in 2014. That’s what the ruling Congress- led coalition believes anyway.
Nine years after the saffron disaster of India Shining, the Congress is all set to unleash an advertising blitzkrieg that will remind the electorate of the UPA’s achievements and, most importantly, avoid the ‘ shining’ mistakes of their predecessors.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
'I Want No Fame, No Money, Just My Freedom' : Sanjay Dutt
Excerpts of the interview:
On Thursday evening, Imperial Heights, the famous Dutt building in Pali Hill was buzzing, thanks to little Iqra and Shahran, Sanjay Dutt’s twins with his wife Manyata. Their squeals of excitements at the sight of a visitor, who they wanted to play with, took over the room. Very fit and with tattoos on practically every visible portion of his anatomy, Sanjay Dutt played the indulgent father as we chatted in an exclusive interview. “Shahran is a ditto copy of my childhood,” he laughed.
Did you ever imagine that you’d be a new father at 50?
It’s a lovely surprise for me. This is the most satisfying phase of my life! I have two lovely kids, a nice wife. My whole family is together in the same building and my career is doing fine! I was truly waiting for something like this.
That sounds great, especially since you’ve always felt that life’s been unfair to you. Is Manyata responsible for the change?
There are phases when you feel terrible, and phases like this one help balance your thoughts. I was going through a very difficult phase when I met Manyata. I felt secure and stable after she came into my life — in fact, a lot of things came into my life when she did. She brought me back on track. There were so many issues and by God’s grace, all are getting sorted out. I know I was very unstable and unhappy all through my life. I lost my mother and then my father. Losing dad was like losing the bearings of my life. My sisters took it badly, but I took it worse. Throughout my lean phases, dad was like a solid rock, supporting me, whether it was work, or my jail term. And everything crumbled after he was gone! Today life’s become much more comfortable and beautiful. We all live in the same building; it’s a big happy family. I mean my sisters’ kids, my kids, all of them together… it’s just unbelievable. Touch wood!
Is there anything now that you feel you lack?
Yes. I want my freedom back. I have been embroiled in court cases for the last 20 years. I have lost all my youth and a lot of time! I couldn’t do many things. Now my final hearing is coming up. I just pray that I get my freedom back. I want no money, no fame, just my freedom!
Yes, I want to. My parents were in the Congress, and I have come back to it. There was a phase when I meandered to some other political party, but it was a mistake. I went a little haywire. If I am approached to contest elections, I will give it a thought.
You look fitter than before. What do you do?
I work out like a maniac, three times more than anything I did in the past. I am off carbs, salt, sweets, and live on a fish diet. And I promise I am not going to indulge in food again. See, when I was 49 years old, I was fine, but the moment I touched 50, I felt that something within me had changed drastically. My metabolic rate dropped.
Are you a doting father?
Absolutely! With the kids around, this is a different world to me. I spend a lot of time with them till they go to their playschool. I wake up early, have breakfast with them. I come back from work and am with them again till they go to bed by 10 pm. Touch wood, this is what I wanted always.
Do you feel the absence of your first child, Trishala?
All the time! I try my best to keep in touch with her but sometimes the timings are inconvenient for both of us. I obviously can’t go to the US because I am not given a visa. But I try and meet her outside the country sometimes. Unfortunately, I cannot spend as much time with her as I want to. She’s grown into a beautiful girl! One thing that really bothers me is that the time and moments I am spending with Iqra and Shahran, I wish I would have spent with Trishala when she was growing up. I really miss it. And for that I am apologetic to Trishala. I know she understands.
Can’t she shift here to be with you?
I can’t see Trishala in this country. It would be unfair for me to uproot her. She has a strong base there. She loves New York City, her friends and life are there. I remember, years ago, we were in the family court and the judge told me that if I wanted to bring her back to India then I should do it in phases, never uproot her. I really understood what he meant. At that time, we didn’t have the Pizza Hut and McDonald’s culture in Mumbai. And that was Trishala’s growing up phase and she wanted all this. It would have been unfair.
Trishala wants to get into movies but you are dead against it. Why?
None of my sisters are in the movies, nor are my nieces going to be. That’s how Dutt sahab, my dad, brought up the girls in the family and I am just carrying his thought forward. If he had been alive today, Trishala wouldn’t have thought about getting into movies. In any case, she’s worked so hard in her academics. She has seen me go through my court trauma and she was very passionate about becoming a criminal lawyer to fight cases for innocent people. She studied forensic science. I really think she should continue it.
But it seems her heart lies in movies.
There’s a lot of labour that goes behind the glamour. Many youngsters are attracted to it without knowing the dynamics of it. It’s not an easy route to success. Plus, Trishala doesn’t know Hindi. Also, there are too many things involved. I have told her several times that the film industry doesn’t guarantee superstardom to everyone. There’s a grind you have to go through. Your lineage and surname become irrelevant after your first film. Audiences do not care.
Absolutely not. Both my father and mother belonged here. The film industry is a lovely family and I respect it. I am only trying to say it’s not easy.
Unlike many of your contemporaries, you are still sustaining your stardom.
I don’t want to compare myself with anyone and I have gracefully accepted my age. I am not scared to take up roles that suit my age. Secondly, I am physically and mentally fit. Sometime ago I know I went out of shape and everything career-wise went haywire. Then I got Karan Johar’s Agneepath and I was born again! I think, as long as you accept your age and are willing to experiment with those kinds of roles, you can sustain your career. I can’t do what Salman does. It’ll look odd on me. You cannot keep thinking you are young; you have to accept age someday. Salman is at that juncture where I was once. The feeling is surreal! But listen, I am not saying I am against working with younger actresses. For me, the story has to sound sensible.
You have patched up with Sanjay Gupta after five years and even with Kangana Ranaut…
I’ve known Sanjay since he was an assistant director in a movie called Thanedaar. We have done some great films together. Even though we weren’t on talking terms, I never spoke ill about him. Recently I was at Amitji’s birthday party. When I came in, Sanjay was standing at the foyer. We just happened to look at each other after five years. And before we realised it, we were hugging each other. I am sure even he felt my absence in his life. See, every family fights. I remember my youngest uncle (dad’s brother) fought with my dad and they didn’t talk to each other for 10 years. But eventually, everything vanished in a second when they met somewhere. It’s a matter of connect eventually.
Of course I miss being there. It was a wonderful experience. I don’t give too much emphasis to whys and hows. Salman is there and that’s as good as me. That’s the relationship I share with him. He is like my younger brother. We are always there for each other, be it good times or bad times. Let me tell you, there are not many people around you in times of crisis. But Salman has been with me and I have been with him throughout. I am worried about him as much as he is about me. There can be never be a problem with Salman. Touch wood.
What’s your dream role?
I have done all kinds of roles, but Tony Montana’s role in Scarface is something I would love to play.
You are reprising Pran sahab’s role in Zanjeer. Have you met him?
I worked with Pransaab in few films. But I haven’t met him recently. Once we start shooting, I’ll go and see Pransaab.
Yes, Amrita is a friend, but we are in touch off and on. I don’t know why Saif and Bebo didn’t invite me to their wedding. I think it was a closed affair. But I am fine with it. I wish them all the best. I have known Lolo and Bebo since they were little girls. Saif and I have done many films together and we have had some great times together in my house.
Sanjay Dutt’s advice to his favourite five:
- Salman Khan: Bro, you are doing a great job, great charity work, just maintain whatever you are doing. You have God’s blessings. And yes, get married.
- Shah Rukh Khan: You have made peace with a lot of people, but you should make peace with everybody. We are all one big family.
- Aamir Khan: You make the right movies and choose perfect roles. Your TV show Satyamev Jayate had great intent. You are one of the greatest actors we have. Aamir, stay in touch like before.
- Akshay Kumar: He’s my paaji. Whenever his film is released and I find it interesting, I call him and he takes my call. Bro, remain the way you are.
- Ajay Devgn: He works from the heart. And he spends a lot of money. Bro, don’t be like me. You need to keep a check on your money.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Not Living a Muslim Lifestyle?
By Samiya Anwar & M H Ahssan
There is more to a Muslim lifestyle, though, than glossy photographs in a magazine, no matter how attractive they appear. A Muslim lifestyle is altogether different from the ways of life of many of the people we live with. It is maybe because so many Muslims are living the kind of lives which are not really Muslim lifestyles, that the rest of the world so misunderstands Islam. Take, for example, the real case of the restaurant in North London. The sign over the door read, "Fully Licensed Halal Restaurant." In other words, the halal restaurant was licensed to serve alcohol! What sort of message does that give to non-Muslims?
Let us be quite clear. Islam is perfect and has nothing at all to be ashamed of. Nothing. Muslims, however, are not perfect at all. We all make lots of mistakes and we often settle for second best in the way we live our lives. Peer pressure is very strong and it is easy to give in to pressure from friends and others, who are urging us to relax the code of behaviour we learned at home or in the mosque. Very subtle advertising on the television or in the press shows us ways of dressing, for example, or styles of music that are not acceptable in Islam. Not going along with the crowd can make us feel left out and alone.
There are other behaviours, though, which go beyond this trend of fashions and music. Settling for that sort of lifestyle runs the risk of putting us outside the bounds of Islam. Every Muslim knows that drinking alcohol is haram. We all know, though, that some Muslims do drink, and some even drink alcohol to excess. Even worse, the trend of taking mind altering drugs, which is also haram, has become acceptable in some circles as just one of those things you do when you are growing up. Just as alcohol can lead to a lowering of our own self-control and, in its turn, lead us on to do other things that we know to be wrong, "mild" drugs can lead us on to more addictive drugs and to a lifestyle in which we need money to finance such an expensive habit.
In life, all people crave happiness and fulfilment. Some people will go to great lengths to achieve it. The great message of Islam is that true happiness can only be found in Allah. When we see football hooligans on television or read the alarmingly high levels of suicide or alcoholism or drug addiction in many countries of the Western, "developed" world, we see the results of people craving happiness where it cannot be found. Temporary "highs" will not answer the deepest needs of our hearts.
In the same way, relationships in Islam are governed by ways of behaviour. We have ways of being introduced to members of the opposite sex, for example. We have codes of behaviour for when boys and girls, men and women, are together. We have rules of courtship and ways of preparing for marriage. All of these are not just cultural baggage, as some would want us to believe. They exist for a very real reason. Casual sexual relationships may be quite common in some, non-Muslim societies, but Muslims have this code of behaviour to prevent such relationships. And it is not just to prevent freedom that we have such rules. Casual relationships do not bring happiness. Sexual activity before marriage, with one or many partners, of the same or the opposite sex, leaves people feeling used and taken advantage of. Films and soap operas may present such behaviour to us as normal, but it is not normal to behave in such a way, because using other people as sexual objects is to deny why they exist at all. It is to cheapen ourselves and to settle for second best in life.
Settling for second best is the worst trap we can fall into. Loving relationships are what we all hope to find in life. We all hope to find that special person we can one day settle down with and who will make us feel whole. That person will complete us and will complete our religion. Out of that union will come children, in sha' Allah. Settling for the kind of casual relationships we see on TV as normal, is not what Muslims want. It is not what you would want for your sister or your mother, is it? Islam has the highest respect for women. It also has the greatest respect for human beings and their bodies. Settling for second best and giving in to desires are not what will answer the deepest needs of our hearts.
Almighty Allah has given us, as Muslims, a way of life that does bring that happiness we crave. Islam teaches us that we must control bodily desires, like the desires for food and for drink and for sexual gratification, in order to become better people. Just remember, for example, how good it feels in Ramadan to fast for the sake of Allah and to deny our bodies the right to rule over us. Muslims are human beings like anyone else. They did not drop out of the sky. Sometimes it is really difficult to live a chaste and decent life, especially when all those around us are just doing whatever they want and behaving with no limits to stop them. Islam, though, is there to help us as much as to make rules to govern us. Islam brings the real happiness we are all after, if we will allow it to.
The consequences of living a non-Muslim lifestyle can be seen in any Western country. They can be seen in marriage breakdown and divorce figures. They can be seen in the number of unwanted pregnancies or in the high levels of crime and violence that exist in many of the world's big cities. They can be seen by the way people are discarded when they are no longer of any use. Islam, on the other hand, presents us with a different way of looking at life. It shows us that people are created by Almighty Allah and that they exist to serve Him and to find true happiness in doing so. Care for children and the elderly, respect for parents and for the place of women in society, all of these are what Islam holds up as being of importance.
“We are the world” is the voice of today’s young minds. They are comfortable with every thing of today and welcome the changes open heartedly. Religion is absolutely no bar. It is not that only a Christian or American drinks or night out often and not the other religions youth. Gone are those days when we hear any such news. Now, it is same with everyone. More to join this genre is the Muslims. Yes. In the present day of globalization and westernization, where everything is getting influenced and adapted, Muslims are no at the back. They are more of Muslims in every crime and hoax we find around us these days.
Now, more than ever, the youth is often regarded as the source of society's challenges and deficits. Who is responsible for all these parents, teachers or they themselves who are away from the true knowledge of the world? The underage drinking, drugs, sexual preferences and violence is what we find in the youth today
The decency and simple life of Prophet, the messenger of Allah is out of the brains and what is left is the new western culture. There are less of prayers (Ibadat) more of music in the houses. We are not addicted to reading The Holy Quran but hooked to the new gadgets. The Muslims are undoubtedly changed from years and welcome every change for the sake of entertainment and pleasure. It is all about making life’s simple and easy they say. But no they are heading life towards a baffled world where they are left muddle up.
I have seen many young men and women walk down parks and green lanes with earphones and portable music systems or cell phones, completely shutting out from the world. They don’t care of anyone or everyone. The lifestyle they portrays is only night outs, lounging in the pubs, tapping feet to the rocking music in discs, showing off 8 GB I-pods; N-Series mobiles, the latest bike, Levis jeans and Woodland shoes are the common lifestyle of the urban youth today. All these ’cool stuffs’ are essentials, if they don’t have it, then it will affect their “so called image” in college campus or their common hang-outs. This is the youth of today-unorganized with limited outlook and lack of aim in life.
The youth has forgotten that praying five times is a good exercise than any other weight loosing machines. A simple morning walk is better and outdoor games are much more vigilant than video games available in mobile phones and computers. No doubt, they are useful to us but Possessions and acquisitions may seem marvelous. But after a while, you do not own them, they own you.
Youth is getting a raw deal from the media, its entertainment industries and fashion designers who are said to be responsible to have created an image containing a more negative look for our youth occupying sexuality, violence, coarser language and revealing clothing. It is this which makes young minds turn to terrorist and cheat themselves in the name of religion. Is this true or another typecast question or anything else?
It won’t be anonymous to say that today the life has become a puzzle to many who doesn’t understand what is right and what is incorrect. They just move with the money. . It is not long ago India had several terror attacks and it is the youth behind every threat. It is only because they are confused. They don’t follow their heart but do what is wanted by others. “Anything for money” is the new slogan of every person.
We see these days youngsters running for IT jobs in spite of market being down, pink slips on rise. Everyone is ready to crush their minds for American labor. They are ready to miss the “good night sleep” of 5-6 days in a week and have snaps in the day but do their jobs honestly. There is a negative perception of this vibrant segment of our society, the American Muslim youth who work for American or abroad return or holding American Visas have to cope with threat of terrorism. Muslim youth often find themselves in unfriendly environments within their own communities, where activities and programs are not relevant to their needs, where their opinion doesn't count. They have to face the stereotype questions and where their voice is seldom heard.
What's wrong with today's youth is that the parent's are more interested in being their kids "friend" then being a parent. And this leaves them with more of freedom irrationally to do things they wish and every wrong becomes good as they feel of it being wanted. Wants are always unlimited. There is no limit to them. But it is important to fulfill the needs not wants. Today parents have no control over kids but kids do control them otherwise.
The recent beaten up girl by people in Mangalore pubs is no good to hear such a harsh humiliation from India. The women is said to be garment of men who is treated in inhuman way for catching up in pubs. Who is to blame here? Gals says they are above 18 and independent to hang out with guys and party at pub or whatever. Society has become more violent than it was, and young people are pushed towards adulthood faster than they were. This is Americanism not Indiana’s or Islam. The Muslims of today has left behind the religious books and teachings of Prophets and live life wishfully which is becoming more perplexed than ever. It is only we the youth responsible for all. Unless the Muslim youth realize that they are moving in a wrong direction, nothing can be done. There is a need to take initiative by every parent, every teacher to nurture best of religion and humanism in the mind of children so that they inherit the best of values which can only help us to see a better and change tomorrow in the coming years.
There is more to a Muslim lifestyle, though, than glossy photographs in a magazine, no matter how attractive they appear. A Muslim lifestyle is altogether different from the ways of life of many of the people we live with. It is maybe because so many Muslims are living the kind of lives which are not really Muslim lifestyles, that the rest of the world so misunderstands Islam. Take, for example, the real case of the restaurant in North London. The sign over the door read, "Fully Licensed Halal Restaurant." In other words, the halal restaurant was licensed to serve alcohol! What sort of message does that give to non-Muslims?
Let us be quite clear. Islam is perfect and has nothing at all to be ashamed of. Nothing. Muslims, however, are not perfect at all. We all make lots of mistakes and we often settle for second best in the way we live our lives. Peer pressure is very strong and it is easy to give in to pressure from friends and others, who are urging us to relax the code of behaviour we learned at home or in the mosque. Very subtle advertising on the television or in the press shows us ways of dressing, for example, or styles of music that are not acceptable in Islam. Not going along with the crowd can make us feel left out and alone.
There are other behaviours, though, which go beyond this trend of fashions and music. Settling for that sort of lifestyle runs the risk of putting us outside the bounds of Islam. Every Muslim knows that drinking alcohol is haram. We all know, though, that some Muslims do drink, and some even drink alcohol to excess. Even worse, the trend of taking mind altering drugs, which is also haram, has become acceptable in some circles as just one of those things you do when you are growing up. Just as alcohol can lead to a lowering of our own self-control and, in its turn, lead us on to do other things that we know to be wrong, "mild" drugs can lead us on to more addictive drugs and to a lifestyle in which we need money to finance such an expensive habit.
In life, all people crave happiness and fulfilment. Some people will go to great lengths to achieve it. The great message of Islam is that true happiness can only be found in Allah. When we see football hooligans on television or read the alarmingly high levels of suicide or alcoholism or drug addiction in many countries of the Western, "developed" world, we see the results of people craving happiness where it cannot be found. Temporary "highs" will not answer the deepest needs of our hearts.
In the same way, relationships in Islam are governed by ways of behaviour. We have ways of being introduced to members of the opposite sex, for example. We have codes of behaviour for when boys and girls, men and women, are together. We have rules of courtship and ways of preparing for marriage. All of these are not just cultural baggage, as some would want us to believe. They exist for a very real reason. Casual sexual relationships may be quite common in some, non-Muslim societies, but Muslims have this code of behaviour to prevent such relationships. And it is not just to prevent freedom that we have such rules. Casual relationships do not bring happiness. Sexual activity before marriage, with one or many partners, of the same or the opposite sex, leaves people feeling used and taken advantage of. Films and soap operas may present such behaviour to us as normal, but it is not normal to behave in such a way, because using other people as sexual objects is to deny why they exist at all. It is to cheapen ourselves and to settle for second best in life.
Settling for second best is the worst trap we can fall into. Loving relationships are what we all hope to find in life. We all hope to find that special person we can one day settle down with and who will make us feel whole. That person will complete us and will complete our religion. Out of that union will come children, in sha' Allah. Settling for the kind of casual relationships we see on TV as normal, is not what Muslims want. It is not what you would want for your sister or your mother, is it? Islam has the highest respect for women. It also has the greatest respect for human beings and their bodies. Settling for second best and giving in to desires are not what will answer the deepest needs of our hearts.
Almighty Allah has given us, as Muslims, a way of life that does bring that happiness we crave. Islam teaches us that we must control bodily desires, like the desires for food and for drink and for sexual gratification, in order to become better people. Just remember, for example, how good it feels in Ramadan to fast for the sake of Allah and to deny our bodies the right to rule over us. Muslims are human beings like anyone else. They did not drop out of the sky. Sometimes it is really difficult to live a chaste and decent life, especially when all those around us are just doing whatever they want and behaving with no limits to stop them. Islam, though, is there to help us as much as to make rules to govern us. Islam brings the real happiness we are all after, if we will allow it to.
The consequences of living a non-Muslim lifestyle can be seen in any Western country. They can be seen in marriage breakdown and divorce figures. They can be seen in the number of unwanted pregnancies or in the high levels of crime and violence that exist in many of the world's big cities. They can be seen by the way people are discarded when they are no longer of any use. Islam, on the other hand, presents us with a different way of looking at life. It shows us that people are created by Almighty Allah and that they exist to serve Him and to find true happiness in doing so. Care for children and the elderly, respect for parents and for the place of women in society, all of these are what Islam holds up as being of importance.
“We are the world” is the voice of today’s young minds. They are comfortable with every thing of today and welcome the changes open heartedly. Religion is absolutely no bar. It is not that only a Christian or American drinks or night out often and not the other religions youth. Gone are those days when we hear any such news. Now, it is same with everyone. More to join this genre is the Muslims. Yes. In the present day of globalization and westernization, where everything is getting influenced and adapted, Muslims are no at the back. They are more of Muslims in every crime and hoax we find around us these days.
Now, more than ever, the youth is often regarded as the source of society's challenges and deficits. Who is responsible for all these parents, teachers or they themselves who are away from the true knowledge of the world? The underage drinking, drugs, sexual preferences and violence is what we find in the youth today
The decency and simple life of Prophet, the messenger of Allah is out of the brains and what is left is the new western culture. There are less of prayers (Ibadat) more of music in the houses. We are not addicted to reading The Holy Quran but hooked to the new gadgets. The Muslims are undoubtedly changed from years and welcome every change for the sake of entertainment and pleasure. It is all about making life’s simple and easy they say. But no they are heading life towards a baffled world where they are left muddle up.
I have seen many young men and women walk down parks and green lanes with earphones and portable music systems or cell phones, completely shutting out from the world. They don’t care of anyone or everyone. The lifestyle they portrays is only night outs, lounging in the pubs, tapping feet to the rocking music in discs, showing off 8 GB I-pods; N-Series mobiles, the latest bike, Levis jeans and Woodland shoes are the common lifestyle of the urban youth today. All these ’cool stuffs’ are essentials, if they don’t have it, then it will affect their “so called image” in college campus or their common hang-outs. This is the youth of today-unorganized with limited outlook and lack of aim in life.
The youth has forgotten that praying five times is a good exercise than any other weight loosing machines. A simple morning walk is better and outdoor games are much more vigilant than video games available in mobile phones and computers. No doubt, they are useful to us but Possessions and acquisitions may seem marvelous. But after a while, you do not own them, they own you.
Youth is getting a raw deal from the media, its entertainment industries and fashion designers who are said to be responsible to have created an image containing a more negative look for our youth occupying sexuality, violence, coarser language and revealing clothing. It is this which makes young minds turn to terrorist and cheat themselves in the name of religion. Is this true or another typecast question or anything else?
It won’t be anonymous to say that today the life has become a puzzle to many who doesn’t understand what is right and what is incorrect. They just move with the money. . It is not long ago India had several terror attacks and it is the youth behind every threat. It is only because they are confused. They don’t follow their heart but do what is wanted by others. “Anything for money” is the new slogan of every person.
We see these days youngsters running for IT jobs in spite of market being down, pink slips on rise. Everyone is ready to crush their minds for American labor. They are ready to miss the “good night sleep” of 5-6 days in a week and have snaps in the day but do their jobs honestly. There is a negative perception of this vibrant segment of our society, the American Muslim youth who work for American or abroad return or holding American Visas have to cope with threat of terrorism. Muslim youth often find themselves in unfriendly environments within their own communities, where activities and programs are not relevant to their needs, where their opinion doesn't count. They have to face the stereotype questions and where their voice is seldom heard.
What's wrong with today's youth is that the parent's are more interested in being their kids "friend" then being a parent. And this leaves them with more of freedom irrationally to do things they wish and every wrong becomes good as they feel of it being wanted. Wants are always unlimited. There is no limit to them. But it is important to fulfill the needs not wants. Today parents have no control over kids but kids do control them otherwise.
The recent beaten up girl by people in Mangalore pubs is no good to hear such a harsh humiliation from India. The women is said to be garment of men who is treated in inhuman way for catching up in pubs. Who is to blame here? Gals says they are above 18 and independent to hang out with guys and party at pub or whatever. Society has become more violent than it was, and young people are pushed towards adulthood faster than they were. This is Americanism not Indiana’s or Islam. The Muslims of today has left behind the religious books and teachings of Prophets and live life wishfully which is becoming more perplexed than ever. It is only we the youth responsible for all. Unless the Muslim youth realize that they are moving in a wrong direction, nothing can be done. There is a need to take initiative by every parent, every teacher to nurture best of religion and humanism in the mind of children so that they inherit the best of values which can only help us to see a better and change tomorrow in the coming years.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
In Focus: Hyderabad Is In The Middle Of 'Telangana Tussle'
The ugly scenes in Parliament last week involving MPs of Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana Bill boil down to the issue of Hyderabad. Sreenivas Janyala explains why.
It was one of the most dramatic days even the most disruptive Parliament session in India’s history had seen. On February 13, MPs agitating against Telangana broke glass items, flung computers, allegedly brandished a knife and sprayed pepper from cans, sending colleagues to the hospital sneezing, coughing or with their eyes watering.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Existential Crisis: 'I Sacrificed Everything - Health, Wealth And Teenage To Study At IITs - But Why It's Not Worthy?'
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| By Ananya Rathi in Mumbai |
Impressed, my class teacher asked me, “So what have you finally decided? Who do you want to be: a cardiologist, a historian or a scientist?” Those days I used to proudly proclaim that I wished to be a cardiologist, primarily because my doctor parents used to tell me that it was the hottest specialisation in medicine. Excited by my teacher’s praise, I went to my father and told him about it. It brought a proud smile on his face and he said, “Tell her you want to become an IITian.”
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Actor Veena Malik Kissed By 100 Men In 1 Minute, Makes World Record
“I am a celebrity anyway and if you say that it is for publicity, ok, yeah, we need publicity for ‘The City That Never Sleeps‘,” Veena said here Tuesday after breaking the earlier record set by Salman Khan of 108 kisses. “We have to break 20 records for the film and this is one of the records,” she added.
In 2011, Salman had got 108 kisses in a minute on a TV reality show “Guinness World Record – Ab India Todega“. It was Veena’s birthday Feb 26 and the men were chosen through contest “The City that Never Sleeps-Bollywood Hunt”. “Long back we decided that I will break this record on my birthday and now we have to break 19 more records for ‘The City That Never Sleeps’,” Veena said. “So if you call it publicity, then yes, it is for publicity. Films are for what? For publicity, right?”
When she was asked which Bollywood actor she wants to kiss on the screen, she said: “I would like to kiss the actor who does not like kissing on-screen and he is our ‘Dabangg‘ Khan Salman Khan. I think that would be beautiful if we have a kiss on-screen.”
Sunday, April 07, 2013
'Remembering Actress Divya Bharti' - 'No One Killed Her'
At 15, Divya had given up school books to listen to story narrations. At 16, the super-hit Bobbili Raja made her a superstar of Telugu cinema. At 18, in 1992, as the ‘Saat samundar’ girl in Vishwatma and the cancer-stricken protagonist in Dil Ka Kya Kasoor, had audiences warming to her innocent vibe. Pehlaj Nihalani’s hit Shola Aur Shabnam (all the above released on three consecutive Fridays, the first for an actress) followed the two. Raj Kanwar’s Deewana (who can forget her exuberance in Aisi deewangi or her torment as a widow) and Hema Malini’s Dil Aashna Hai, were catalysts in her bagging the Filmfare Best Face of the Year Award.
A dozen projects made her the highest paid actress... and then she fell to her death on April 5, 1993. It’s with great trepidation that I call up Divya’s parents, Om Prakash and Mita Bharti, fearing that I’d be treading on a painful premise. The meeting leaves me both shocked and surprised. Shocked that the once robust Mita Bharti is today a shadow of her former self (she’s lost 25 kilos). And surprised at the warmth and respect the Bhartis have for Divya’s producer-husband Sajid Nadiadwala and his second wife Wardha, contrary to the cloud that hung over him after Divya’s death.
The suburban apartment is free of flamboyant frames eulogising Divya. “I don’t believe in natak (drama),” is Om’s stoic response. Mother Mita is however more fluid in her emotions. “People worship the rising sun but you’ve cared to remember an extinguished lamp,” she says. “Even after 20 years, people ask me, ‘What exactly happened that night? Was it an accident or murder? For them it’s curiosity but it takes me back 20 years. I sink into a depression once again. I tell them, ‘I know as much as you do. The rest only Divya and God know’, ” she says moist-eyed.
DIVYA – THE DOLL
Divya was a loving child says Mita. “Whenever I bought her a new dress or toy, she’d insist that I get them for her cousins, my brother’s girls. She’d address her younger brother Kunal (Bharti) as bhaiyya,” she says. “She was a lovely child. Once, I made Divya sit in the front seat of my car, while I was putting things in the dickey. On spotting her, a man asked, ‘Where did you get this doll?’ I said she’s not a doll. He even opened the car door to check.” Mita continues, “She wasn’t fond of studying. Out of 10 subjects, she’d fail in nine. Once she told me, ‘Please read out my lessons’. I began reading only to find that she was standing in front of the mirror and mimicking Sridevi’s Ta thaiya ta thaiya ho (Himmatwala)!”
MISS AND HIT
“When she was in the ninth standard she was approached by Kirti Kumar (Govinda’s producer brother) for Radha Ka Sangam. She stopped going to school as she had to learn dance, acting and classical singing.” Divya was fun-loving and enjoyed going for long drives and hanging around with friends. This upset Kirti who wanted to keep his heroine under wraps says Mita. “They had a tiff and suddenly we got to know that they’d signed Juhi Chawla.” But soon Boney Kapoor was scouting for a new face for Prem and showed interest in Divya. However, she was replaced by Tabu. The third time round it was Subhash Ghai who wanted her for Saudagar but the role went to Manisha Koirala. The hat-trick of rejections upset young Divya and Mita took her for a holiday to Kashmir.
But the mother-daughter had to cut short their vacation as well-known South producer D Rama Naidu had come to Mumbai for a narration. “Divya, who was by now quite disinterested in films, kept dozing through the story session. Rama Naidu asked us if we could leave with him for Hyderabad that evening. Divya agreed just for a lark,” recalls Mita. The film was the super hit Bobbili Raja (1990).
Back home Rajiv Rai wanted to sign Divya for Vishwatma. Says the mother, “As signing amount Divya just wanted a ‘Rs 500 Gandhiji note’. Rajiv was taken up with her innocence.’’
The film gave her the chartbuster Saat samundar. “While Ayesha Jhulka and Pooja Bhatt came in with her, she reached the top league of Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit. While she resembled Sridevi, she never copied her. After pack-up she’d happily slip in T-shirt and jeans. She didn’t care for glamour.”
The top-billed star was bindaas. “Once they had a birthday party for her at China Garden. After the party, she stood on the bonnet and started dancing. Sajid asked her to step down wondering what people would say. But Govinda said, ‘This is what enjoying life means’. Mita adds, “She’d talk in her inimitable style, ‘Chalna yaar, jane de na yaar… hansti rehti thi (she was friendly to all and laughed a lot)’.” There were several stories about her pranks on the sets.
“One day she scratched Shah Rukh Khan on the sets of Dil Aashna Hai. His secretary called up to say that Shah Rukh wouldn’t work with her. But later, Shah Rukh said, ‘I said this just to scare her. She’s a bachhi (child)’.”
LOVE & MARRIAGE
In keeping with her emotional nature Divya fell in love young. Her marriage to Sajid (1992) was fraught with conjectures. “I knew she was married. Youth is like behta paani (flowing water). I’d never have been able to stop her. I supported her so that she’d continue confiding in me and wouldn’t head in another direction,” reveals Mita. “They must have had normal tiffs. Sajid and Divya were only together for eight months. Where did they have the time to enjoy life?” Mita insists her daughter was conventional at heart. “She was not ambitious. Her aim in life was to marry and have children. She’d joke, ‘I’ll throw my kids in your lap and go to work’.”
TRYST WITH TRAGEDY
Mita regrets she wasn’t around Divya on April 5, 1993, the day she died. “I had been to my brother’s house and from there had gone to play cards. I didn’t know Divya had returned to Mumbai from Madras. They say maut khinch laati hai (death pulls you).” She scrolls through Divya’s last day. “That day she got a beauty treatment done and then went to see an apartment with my husband Omji and son Kunal in Bandra. She was told, ‘After you return from Mauritius, you’ll get the keys’. She started dancing on the street. She wanted the house for get-togethers. She spent the evening with our former neighbours in Pali Hill when Sajid called her saying that Neeta Lulla (costume designer) had come home to discuss costumes. Kunal dropped Divya at Sajid’s house in Tulsi Apartments, Versova.” Kunal had just reached home when the family received a call that Divya had fallen from the 5th floor.
Mita continues,“I never asked Neeta and Shyam Lulla (Neeta’s psychiatrist husband who was present with her in Divya’s home) what happened that night. It would pain me all the more. What’s gone is gone. Reportedly, Neeta said she and Shyam were watching TV when Divya went to the balcony. She must have sat on the ledge, lost her balance and fallen. Our maid Amrita (she had been with Divya since her birth) was in the kitchen then. I don’t blame anyone, it was destiny.” Incidentally, Amrita, unable to bear the loss, died of a heart attack within a month.
THE AFTERMATH
Mita had to muster courage to face the after effects. “Omji had hysterical fits. He was tied to a cot in the hospital. The dilemma then was whether she should be cremated or buried. Sajid was not in his senses and had frequent fainting spells. Then some senior persons of the industry advised that she be cremated. Divya died on April 5. She was cremated on April 7.” Mita continues, “After a few days when Omji overcame the shock, I took him to the place where Divya had fallen from and where she was cremated.” Mita, who had internalised her pain, underwent the 10 ‘worst years’ of her life after that. “I went into heavy depression. It was in 2003, when her son Kunal got married that he pleaded, ‘Don’t I mean anything to you? Hamare liye wapas aajao (return for our sake)’. So after many years, I wore a piece of jewellery for his wedding.” She says with resolve, “I keep myself busy. I swim, I walk, I meditate. I see Divya in my granddaughter Alika. Divya loved Siddhi Vinayak modaks. My granddaughter also loves them. Every morning, I go to Siddhi Vinayak Temple. I take a bus to the temple though I can go in a car.”
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Earlier, says Mita, she often saw Divya in her dreams. “On days when I had to wake up early Divya would appear in my dream and wake me up.” She adds, “Wardha (Sajid Nadiadwala’s second wife) says Divya often appeared in her dreams. She’d see Divya on one side of Sajid while she was on the other. But after about six years of their marriage, Divya stopped appearing.” She adds, “Wardha respects Divya a lot. She calls me ‘Mummy’ and Omji ‘Daddy’. She decorated Kunal’s room for his wedding, just as Divya would have. When our granddaughter was born, she got her everything from napkins to the cradle.”
Sajid and his mother Saba observe Divya’s death barsi (anniversary) every year. “Sajid’s mother is a loving and chatpati (lively) personality. Divya loved her very much. On Saba’s birthday she’d put cake all over her face and lick it.”
Mita has no regrets about Divya joining showbiz. “She lived as much she was destined to. She gave us all she could. Perhaps, she repaid a debt. Once she randomly said, ‘Daddy, give all that I have to bhaiyya’. We don’t want to cry and give her pain. When tears well up in my eyes, I control myself.”
ALSO READ: All About Divya Bharti
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Romantic, Reckless Or Narcissists? Couple In Trouble For Pre-Wedding Shoot In Mysore Palace
By SHAZIA REHMAN | INNLIVE
In the past couple of days, local TV channels in Bengaluru have been full of the daring pre-wedding shoot that a couple shot inside the Mysore Palace. The video which went viral on social media, got the couple, their photographers and the palace board officials into serious trouble.
The romantic pre-wedding photo shoot inside the Durbar Hall in the Mysore Palace, would have gone undetected, but for the video being uploaded on YouTube and Facebook. Pictures, videos and selfies are not allowed inside the Durbar Hall, unless special permission is taken from the Royal family. This is usually given only during the Dasara celebrations.
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