Showing posts with label Bajrang Dal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bajrang Dal. Show all posts
Shah Rukh Khan makes 2 am call over anti-Pathaan stir; CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says he will give security
8:41 AM
THE TIMES OF INDIA (January 23, 2023)
Guwahati: Actor Shah Rukh Khan called up Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at 2am on Sunday, expressing his concern over the protests in Guwahati against the release of his film ‘Pathaan’ reports Kangkan Kalita.
On Friday, Bajrang Dal activists stormed a cinema hall in the city on Friday and tore down and burnt posters of the film.
In a tweet on Sunday, Himanta said, “Bollywood actor Shri @iamsrk called me and we talked today morning at 2 am. He expressed concern about an incident in Guwahati during screening of his film. I a ssured him that it’s duty of state govt to maint ain law & order. We’ll enquire and ensure n o such untoward incidents,” Sarma tweeted.
Quizzed about the incident by media persons on Saturday, Sarma had said he was not aware about what ‘Pathaan’ is and no Shah Rukh Khan called him seeking help in the matter. “Shah Rukh Khan would have called me if there was any problem but he has not,”
Sarma had said, adding, “Action will be taken if law and order has been violated and a case has been registered. ” Even as the Bajrang Dal has threatened that it will not allow the release of ‘Pathaan’, hall owners are getting ready to run house-full shows.
Bajrang Dal barges into ‘Aashram 3’ set; smears ink on Prakash Jha; 4 held
8:36 AM
THE TIMES OF INDIA (October 25, 2021)
Bhopal: Bajrang Dal activists allegedly smeared ink on filmmaker Prakash Jha’s face and disrupted the shooting of the web series ‘Aashram 3’ in Bhopal on Sunday evening. They vandalised the set and damaged several vehicles, including lead actor Bobby Deol’s vanity van.
Four suspects were arrested late at night, DIG Irshad Wali told TOI, adding that all the culprits will be nabbed and strict action taken against them. No complaint had been filed till then.
The DIG said police can take action in cognizable offences without waiting for a complaint. A case under IPC 151 was registered at MP Nagar late at night. “No such incident will take place in the city in the future. All the crew members are safe,” Wali said, adding, “We are taking proper measures to keep the city safe from those who are trying to defame it.”
VHP-Bajrang Dal Madhya Prant spokesperson Jitendra Chouhan said the 'protest' was carried out by Bajrang Dal. “We demand that the government refuse permission for the shooting of films that hurt Hindu sentiments,” he said. The organisation issued a statement, saying it objects to the naming of the web series.
The incident occurred in Old Jail area in Arera Hills.
50 activists barged into the set, manhandled bouncers
Around 50 alleged Bajrang Dal activists barged into the set, manhandled bouncers and also raised slogans against Jha and Bobby Deol, claiming that the web series “hurts Hindu sentiments”.
There was tension in the area and traffic was disrupted on the busy road. Senior police officers rushed to the spot and tried to defuse tension. Police used mild force to disperse the protesters, surrounded the area and forced the protesters out.
Shooting for the web series started in Bhopal last week. Hindu organisations have opposed it all along, saying it shows Hinduism in a bad light. They demand a total ban on its shoot in Bhopal and wanted the series to be renamed.
Sharman Joshi brings the Graham Staines story to screen
8:05 AM
The actor plays a journalist in the film which also features Hollywood actors Stephen Baldwin and Shari Rigby
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 20, 2019)
Sharman Joshi is playing a reporter in his next, The Least Of These: The Graham Staines Story, which dates back to 1999 when an Australian missionary known for his charitable work with lepers in Odisha was burnt alive allegedly by Bajrang Dal fundamentalists. According to locals, it was because they believed he was luring his Hindu patients into Christianity. Along with Staines, his two sons, Philip (10) and Timothy (6), were also charred to death while they were asleep in their station wagon at Manoharpur village on the night of January 23.Talking about the film in which he is asked to launch an undercover investigation into the missionary’s activities, Sharman says that Staines’ story is relevant today, when tolerance is the need of the hour. “What happened was tragic,” he adds.
In 2003, Bajrang Dal activist Dara Singh was convicted of the murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. However, Staines’ widow, Gladys, forgave him, hoping he would repent and reform. She had continued to live in India, caring for leprosy patients until 2004 when she returned to Australia. The following year, she was awarded the Padma Shri.
Sharman admits that he didn’t have a reference point for his character. “But human emotions are the same all over the world and depicting them on screen is always a challenge. I was very young when the incident took place but I remember I was moved by it and wondered why it happened. While working on the film, the mystery unravelled for me, like it did for my character,” he explains.
The film has been shot in Hyderabad, Odisha and a small valley in Andhra Pradesh. The American-Indian production, directed by Aneesh Daniel, also features Hollywood actors Stephen Baldwin and Shari Rigby. “I had’t worked with mainstream American actors apart from Alice Patten in Rang De Basanti, before this. It was a delight to work with Stephen and Shari. We were not sure what to expect as actors from both ends, but Stephen and I exchanged notes, because it was a different world for him shooting in India,” admits Sharman.
His next project is also an Indo-American venture. “We’ll shoot the film in Pondicherry,” he shares, adding, “We’ve also bought the rights of this West End production, The Play That Goes Wrong, and it’s currently showing all over.”
Agra created in London by Victoria & Abdul makers due to the fear of right-wing groups?
8:01 AM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; March 27, 2017)
Fearing opposition from
certain radical political outfits, Agra will be recreated in London for
the last schedule of the upcoming British-American drama, Victoria & Abdul. The film, based on Shrabani Basu's eponymous book, delves into
the little-known
relationship between Queen Victoria (played by Judi Dench) and her young
Indian clerk Abdul, portrayed by Ali Fazal.
The decision to recreate Agra in London was taken because of security reasons, after a right wing group disrupted the shoot of the film in the city of the Taj Mahal, last November. The attack was sparked off by the installation of Queen Victoria's statue, which was seen as a reminder of British colonialism in India. The incident resulted in much delay and financial losses for the makers, who decided to play it safe during the last schedule.
The Times of India had reported then, “The shoot was stalled in Agra by Bajrang Dal members. The protesters had taken offence over the setting up of a statue of Queen Victoria at Mehtab Bagh. A scene was being shot where Fazal's character, Abdul, kisses the feet of a statue of Queen Victoria, that was put up against the Taj's backdrop. The protesters claimed that the film's team had taken permission to shoot, but not to install the statue.“
Cut to the present. Agra will now be recreated near the Lake District, where the sets are already being built. The shoot is slated to begin by mid-April. The scenes, we hear, pertain to Abdul's back story - his house and life back in India. So, Agra's streets, houses and bazaars will berecreated in London. A source close to the film confirmed, “After facing opposition in Agra last year, the team s ended the India schedule with just 10 days of shoot remaining. The team came back to d India last month to do a recce and realised that instead of obtaining a plethora of per missions - they also feared further trouble - it'd be best to move the shoot to London. It was a collective decision.“
To maintain authenticity, a production design team was sent to India and historians were appointed to collect images and references for recreating 1800s' Agra in London.
The decision to recreate Agra in London was taken because of security reasons, after a right wing group disrupted the shoot of the film in the city of the Taj Mahal, last November. The attack was sparked off by the installation of Queen Victoria's statue, which was seen as a reminder of British colonialism in India. The incident resulted in much delay and financial losses for the makers, who decided to play it safe during the last schedule.
The Times of India had reported then, “The shoot was stalled in Agra by Bajrang Dal members. The protesters had taken offence over the setting up of a statue of Queen Victoria at Mehtab Bagh. A scene was being shot where Fazal's character, Abdul, kisses the feet of a statue of Queen Victoria, that was put up against the Taj's backdrop. The protesters claimed that the film's team had taken permission to shoot, but not to install the statue.“
Cut to the present. Agra will now be recreated near the Lake District, where the sets are already being built. The shoot is slated to begin by mid-April. The scenes, we hear, pertain to Abdul's back story - his house and life back in India. So, Agra's streets, houses and bazaars will berecreated in London. A source close to the film confirmed, “After facing opposition in Agra last year, the team s ended the India schedule with just 10 days of shoot remaining. The team came back to d India last month to do a recce and realised that instead of obtaining a plethora of per missions - they also feared further trouble - it'd be best to move the shoot to London. It was a collective decision.“
To maintain authenticity, a production design team was sent to India and historians were appointed to collect images and references for recreating 1800s' Agra in London.
Bajrang Dal activists disrupt shoot of Hollywood film Victoria & Abdul in Agra
8:11 AM
THE TIMES OF INDIA (November 19, 2016)
A group of Bajrang Dal
members staged a protest on the sets of a Judi Dench-starrer Hollywood
film 'Victoria & Abdul' on Friday, shouting slogans against the
installation of a statue of Queen Victoria in Mehtab Bagh, a
centrally-protected monument.
The group said no relic of colonial rule would be allowed to be installed in Agra, even if it was for a film. Two years ago the right-wing group had forced the local administration to stop installation of two statues of Queen Victoria at Agra's Paliwal Park. Speaking to TOI, actor Ali Fazal, who is playing Mohammad Abdul Karim, Queen Victoria's Muslim Indian attendant, in the British-American drama, said, “The group was shouting 'Jai Shri Ram' and was creating nuisance around the set.“
According to eyewitnesses, the group barged into the shooting area at around 11.30am, triggering fear among the crew and actors who have been in Agra for four days now to shoot the last leg of the film. The filmmakers immediately draped the statue before things went out of control. The incident happened in spite of the presence of police security. The film, based on a 2010 non-fiction, Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen's Closest Confidant, is being directed by British filmmaker Stephen Frears.
The legendary Judi Dench plays Victoria, while Fazal has bagged the role of Karim, the Indian attendant who was sent to Britain as a “gift“ to the British monarchy, but became a confidant and Urdu teacher of the Queen. The movie is set for a 2017 release. Dench wasn't present during the shoot.
Bunty Thakur, Bajrang Dal's city coordinator at the Agra unit, said, “The crew did not have permission from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to install the statue of Queen Victoria in the park. Even if they had it, we would't have allowed any relic of colonial rule to be installed in Agra, so what if it's for a film shoot. These English people have ruled over us for 200 years“
Narendar Kumar, station officer of Itmad-ud-Daula police station, said, “There was police presence around the shoot area, so nothing major happened. The men, who were creating unnecessary trouble, were asked to leave the premises“ ASI superintending archaeologist, Bhuvan Vikrama, said, “The film crew had proper permission from our New Delhi headquarters for the shoot and installation of the statue.“
The group said no relic of colonial rule would be allowed to be installed in Agra, even if it was for a film. Two years ago the right-wing group had forced the local administration to stop installation of two statues of Queen Victoria at Agra's Paliwal Park. Speaking to TOI, actor Ali Fazal, who is playing Mohammad Abdul Karim, Queen Victoria's Muslim Indian attendant, in the British-American drama, said, “The group was shouting 'Jai Shri Ram' and was creating nuisance around the set.“
According to eyewitnesses, the group barged into the shooting area at around 11.30am, triggering fear among the crew and actors who have been in Agra for four days now to shoot the last leg of the film. The filmmakers immediately draped the statue before things went out of control. The incident happened in spite of the presence of police security. The film, based on a 2010 non-fiction, Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen's Closest Confidant, is being directed by British filmmaker Stephen Frears.
The legendary Judi Dench plays Victoria, while Fazal has bagged the role of Karim, the Indian attendant who was sent to Britain as a “gift“ to the British monarchy, but became a confidant and Urdu teacher of the Queen. The movie is set for a 2017 release. Dench wasn't present during the shoot.
Bunty Thakur, Bajrang Dal's city coordinator at the Agra unit, said, “The crew did not have permission from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to install the statue of Queen Victoria in the park. Even if they had it, we would't have allowed any relic of colonial rule to be installed in Agra, so what if it's for a film shoot. These English people have ruled over us for 200 years“
Narendar Kumar, station officer of Itmad-ud-Daula police station, said, “There was police presence around the shoot area, so nothing major happened. The men, who were creating unnecessary trouble, were asked to leave the premises“ ASI superintending archaeologist, Bhuvan Vikrama, said, “The film crew had proper permission from our New Delhi headquarters for the shoot and installation of the statue.“
Protest against Aamir Khan blockbuster PK turns ugly; Ahmedabad theatres vandalised
8:00 AM
PTI (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 30, 2014)
Wielding batons and iron
rods, nearly two dozen Bajrang Dal activists on Monday vandalised
theatres screening Aamir Khan blockbuster PK in Ahmedabad and Bhopal for
making 'fun' of Hindu Gods and godmen.
Though the police did not name Bajrang Dal men as perpetrators, the organisation claimed responsibility. “We are yet to identify the persons behind these attacks. We are collecting CCTV footages. Theatre owners are in the process of lodging a case,“ said DCP Virendra S Yadav.
Angry at the theatre owners ignoring the 'diktat' not to screen the movie, 15 to 20 of our members descended on City Gold Multiplex and Shiv theatre on Ashram Road in Ahmedabad to protest, said Ahmedabad Bajrang Dal chief Jwalit Mehta.
“I am warning other theatres to stop the screening, otherwise, we will intensify our protest,“ he added. He said had asked theatre owners to stop its screening on Sunday. “But they ignored our warning,“ he said.
Activists of the hardline Hindu outfit also staged a protest outside Jyoti Talkies in Bhopal.
Though the police did not name Bajrang Dal men as perpetrators, the organisation claimed responsibility. “We are yet to identify the persons behind these attacks. We are collecting CCTV footages. Theatre owners are in the process of lodging a case,“ said DCP Virendra S Yadav.
Angry at the theatre owners ignoring the 'diktat' not to screen the movie, 15 to 20 of our members descended on City Gold Multiplex and Shiv theatre on Ashram Road in Ahmedabad to protest, said Ahmedabad Bajrang Dal chief Jwalit Mehta.
“I am warning other theatres to stop the screening, otherwise, we will intensify our protest,“ he added. He said had asked theatre owners to stop its screening on Sunday. “But they ignored our warning,“ he said.
Activists of the hardline Hindu outfit also staged a protest outside Jyoti Talkies in Bhopal.
Sunny Leone to visit Indore despite threats from Bajrang Dal
8:08 AM
Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; March 12, 2014)
Unfazed by threats from the saffron brigade, the team of Ragini MMS 2 — which stars Sunny Leone — has decided to visit Indore next week for the film’s promotions.
Bajrang Dal activists had taken exception to the former adult film actress’s entry into the city and even warned the owner of a mall against allowing the crew inside.
However, producer Ekta Kapoor is determined not to skip Indore from her list of promotion venues. “Indore is an important market and we have written to the authorities concerned seeking entry to certain places. At the end of the day, it is about connecting with the audience,” said Ekta.
Pinku Chhabbra, owner of the C- 21 Mall that the Ragini MMS team has selected as a promotional venue, said, “Sunny’s past could be an issue with some people. We are aware that the Bajrang Dal members may create problems for us, but she is welcome to our mall.”
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