Showing posts with label Navika Kumar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Navika Kumar. Show all posts
Bollywood vs news channels: How studios, screenwriters, artistes came together over six weeks for the move
8:08 AM
As film bodies and production houses file a suit seeking to restrain certain news channels / journalists, industry insiders hail the move, while channels say they’ll pursue the truth
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; October 14, 2020)
On Monday, 38 film bodies and production houses filed a suit in the Delhi High Court, seeking to restrain two news channels and four TV journalists, from making or publishing alleged “irresponsible, derogatory and defamatory remarks” against the film industry, and conducting media trials on various issues. The lawsuit named Republic TV, its editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and consulting editor Pradeep Bhandari; Times Now, its editor-in-chief Rahul Shivshankar and group editor Navika Kumar as well as social media platforms.
While Bollywood insiders feel it was “high time the industry fought back”, the anchors say they will “continue to fight for the truth”. Filmmaker R Balki, whose company Hope Productions is a part of the lawsuit, says: “You can’t keep defaming the industry, and indulge in name-calling just because you have a TV channel. Forget about them following ethics, there are certain guidelines that they must abide by. It’s not a ‘free-for-all’ kind of a world. So, at the end of the day, taking the legal route is the logical and correct way.”
The lawsuit was filed by four Bollywood industry associations and 34 production houses including those owned by leading actors Anushka Sharma, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn, actor-director Farhan Akhtar, and filmmakers Vishal Bhardwaj, Karan Johar, Kabir Khan and Rohit Shetty, besides Yash Raj Films etc.
Director Anees Bazmee says, “This should have happened way earlier, but koi baat nahi, der aaye, durust aaye. Defaming the entire industry is not acceptable. There may be certain wrong things in Bollywood but that could be true of every industry. That doesn’t mean you will disrepute everyone and say that 90% of the industry is bad. However, I’m a bit confused as to why the suit has been filed in the Delhi High Court, and not in Mumbai.”
We reached out to filmmakers such as Nikkhil Advani, Guneet Monga, Siddharth Roy Kapur (also president of the Producers Guild of India) and Shibashish Sarkar, whose production houses are a part of the lawsuit, but they refrained from commenting as the case was subjudice.
Goswami, during his show on Monday night, stated that he and his team will continue to look for the truth. “Let them do what they can, the truth will come out and the drugs connection to Bollywood, for those who have come together today [referring to the suit], the truth there also will come out. Our pursuit of the truth will only become stronger, intense and more focused,” he said on his show.
Navika tweeted: “If fighting for justice invites court cases, bring it on. All the A-listers can come together but India will continue to fight for the truth. You can’t intimidate us and can’t take away the viewers who believe in us. Let truth prevail,” tagging Aamir, Shah Rukh and Johar in her tweet.
Shivshankar too, tweeted, tagging Salman, Aamir, Devgn, Johar and Kangana Ranaut; “Cases against journalists of Times Now that have only sought justice for those who are wronged are a bad precedent. The mighty may think they can weaken the resolve of the fearless, but they are wrong.”
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After 34 production houses file a lawsuit against Times Now, Republic TV for 'irresponsible' reportage, plaintiffs tell mid-day how studios, screenwriters, artistes came together over six weeks for the move
Uma Ramasubramanian, Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 14, 2020)
Over the past four months, Bollywood was a sitting duck as a section of television anchors — who believe that the loudest is the truest — referred to it as "druggies", "scum" and "the dirtiest industry in the country". On Monday, in an unprecedented move, four cine bodies and 34 studios — including Aamir Khan Productions, Ajay Devgn Ffilms, Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment and Zoya Akhtar's Tiger Baby Digital — moved the Delhi High Court, seeking to restrain Republic TV and Times Now from making "irresponsible, derogatory and defamatory remarks" against the industry. The lawsuit sought a direction to Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and journalist Pradeep Bhandari, Times Now editor-in-chief Rahul Shivshankar and group editor Navika Kumar, instructing them to restrain from interfering with the right to privacy of persons associated with the industry. It also called to pull down all the defamatory content published by them against Bollywood.
One of the key plaintiffs reveals that in early September, artistes and filmmakers discussed taking action against the vilification of Bollywood. "A prominent association requested other bodies to join forces and take measures. Finally, a few weeks ago, the cine bodies — including Cine & TV Artistes Association, Producers' Guild, Indian Film & TV Producers' Council and Screenwriters Association, which boasts 31,000 writers — teamed up at the behest of filmmakers. After numerous discussions with prominent artistes and producers, they unanimously decided to seek legal recourse. Now, the industry is speaking up together as their dignified silence was being misconstrued as an admission of guilt," says the plaintiff.
The lawsuit stated that the industry is not asking for a blanket gag order against these channels' reportage of the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. Another plaintiff says, "We're not questioning the factual reporting of the case, but we want them to stop the media trial. The industry is made up of hardworking individuals and they are all being viewed derogatorily because of this smear campaign." If other cine bodies or individuals want to vouch support, provisions will be made for them to legally join the suit.
mid-day reached out to DSK Legal's senior advocate Anand Desai, who filed the lawsuit. He refused to comment as the matter is sub-judice.
Top film houses move HC against 2 news channels
11:18 AM
Richa Banka (HINDUSTAN TIMES; October 13, 2020)
New Delhi : Many of Bollywood’s biggest production houses and industry bodies came together on Monday to move the Delhi High Court seeking to restrain two television news channels from making or publishing alleged “irresponsible, derogatory and defamatory remarks” against the film industry.
The lawsuit — filed by four industry associations and 34 production houses, including those owned by Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Karan Johar, Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, Rohit Shetty, Vinod Chopra, and Ashutosh Gowariker — also asked for the channels to be barred from conducting a “media trial”.
The Film & Television Producers Guild Of India (PGI), Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA), Indian Film and TV Producers Council (IFTPC), Screenwriters Association (SWA), Yash Raj Films, and Reliance Big Entertainment, were among the other petitioners.
The petitioners sought directions against Republic TV, its editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and consulting editor Pradeep Bhandari; Times Now, its editor-in-chief Rahul Shivshankar, and group editor Navika Kumar, as well as social media platforms.
“The plea comes in the wake of these channels using highly derogatory words and expressions for Bollywood such as ‘dirt’, ‘filth’, ‘scum’, ‘druggies’ and expressions such as ‘it is Bollywood where the dirt needs to be cleaned’, ‘all the perfumes of Arabia cannot take away the stench and the stink of this filth and scum of the underbelly of Bollywood’, ‘This is the dirtiest industry in the country’, and ‘cocaine and LSD drenched Bollywood’,” read the petition, filed by law firm DSK Legal. The matter is likely to be heard this week.
“We are seeking an apology and stay on the kind of coverage that’s being done on news channels,” said Ramesh Taurani, board member, IFTPC.
Amit Behl, senior joint secretary of CINTAA, said the film industry comprised hard-working individuals and couldn’t accept being collectively labelled with allegations. “All of us stand united against attempts to defame the entire filmmaking community,” he added.
The petition came after roughly four months of media controversy over the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in his Mumbai home on June 14.
The incident is currently being probed by several government agencies — including the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate and Narcotics Control Bureau. Some sections of the media have blamed Bollywood stars for the death of the 34-year-old actor and, based on private chats and messages, implied that some top film stars and producers were part of a drug ring.
Kumar and Shivshankar said they did nothing wrong.
“Cases against journalists of Times Now that have only sought justice for those who are wronged are a bad precedent. The mighty may think they can weaken the resolve of the fearless at Times Now but they are wrong,” Shivshankar tweeted.
“If fighting for justice invites court cases, bring it on. All the A-listers can come together but India will continue to fight for the truth. You can’t intimidate us @TimesNow & can’t take away the viewers who believe in us. Let truth prevail,” Kumar tweeted.
“Even after the case involving the unfortunate death of actor Mr. Sushant Singh Rajput (which appears to have triggered the diatribe against Bollywood) was transferred to the CBI, these defendants indulged in what could be aptly described as a frenzy suggesting that the CBI would start making arrests,” the petition read.
The petition said it didn’t seek a blanket gag order on media reportage in the Rajput case but wanted an injunction on publication of material that violated applicable laws.
The plea said Bollywood was a huge source of revenue, foreign exchange and employment. “The livelihood of persons associated with Bollywood is being severely impacted by the smear campaign being run by the defendants,” the petition said.
The suit alleged that the defendants conducted and published private investigations and effectively acted as courts to condemn people connected with Bollywood as guilty based on alleged evidence, making a mockery of the criminal justice system.
“The privacy of the members of Bollywood is being invaded, and their reputations are being irreparably damaged by painting the entire Bollywood as criminals, seeped in drug culture, and making being part of Bollywood as synonymous with criminal acts in the public imagination,” the plea read.
The suit contended this was not the first time legal action was initiated against the defendants and some of them were penalised earlier for alleged irresponsible reportage and defamatory content.
The petition came days after actor Rhea Chakraborty – Rajput’s girlfriend – got bail in a drug case. Chakraborty’s lawyer also threatened to take action against people who implicated the 28-year-old actor in Rajput’s death and the drug racket.
Others who have filed the suit are Screenwriters Association (SWA); Aamir Khan Productions; Ad-Labs Films; Ajay Devgn Fflims; Andolan Films; Anil Kapoor Film and Communication Network; Arbaaz Khan Productions; Ashutosh Gowariker Productions; BSK Network and Entertainment; Cape of Good Films; Clean Slate Filmz and Dharma Productions.
The list also included Emmay Entertainment and Motion Pictures; Excel Entertainment; Filmkraft Productions; Hope Production; Kabir Khan Films; Luv Films; Macguffin Pictures; Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment; One India Stories; R.S. Entertainment (Ramesh Sippy Entertainment); Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Pictures; Red Chillies Entertainment; Reel Life Productions; Reliance Big Entertainment and Rohit Shetty Picturez.
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