It was on July 23 last month that I read a report in Mid-Day which caught my attention. It mentioned that Zee5 is all set to release as many as 29 Pakistani shows on its OTT platform! It also led to the relaunch of the Zindagi channel for the Indian viewers.

This development was something that obviously shocked me. After all, the Bollywood film industry was forced to shun all its association with Pakistani actors after the Uri attack of September 2016. The episode happened 40 days before the release of Karan Johar’s film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil was to release. As luck would have it, it starred Pakistani actor Fawad Khan in a supporting role. Post the attack, a section of politicians demanded that Bollywood should boycott Pakistani artistes. Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) threatened Karan that they won’t let his film release unless he removes Fawad’s character from the film overnight. That, obviously, was not possible. Soon, more people joined in this ‘movement’. The ruling party at the Centre, BJP, did nothing to stop MNS from threatening Karan Johar, though KJo resides in a state which was also ruled by them (Maharashtra). The only thing they could do is ‘broker’ peace between the two parties so that Ae Dil Hai Mushkil could release without any problem. The film saw a peaceful light of the day but Karan was mercilessly trolled by self-declared nationalists for his ‘crime’.

The repercussion of this controversy was that Pakistani actors got banned from working in Bollywood. For some weird reason, Bollywood was still ‘allowed’ to have singers from the neighbouring country. Less than a year after the Uri attack, the whole nation got charmed by the recreated version of 'Mere Rashke Qamar' from Baadshaho, sung by Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. A few months later, music lovers fell in love with 'Dil Diya Gallan' crooned beautifully by Atif Aslam, in Tiger Zinda Hai. It’s only after the unfortunate Pulwama attack of February 2019 that self-declared patriots realized that we need to ban singers as well for revenge. Since then, even the singers from across the border have stopped working in Bollywood.

Hence, the decision of Zee5 to launch Pakistani shows was astonishing. I read the article and was sure that soon, there would be a backlash. But nothing of that sort happened. Then on July 31, Zee5 dropped the trailer of its first Pakistani web series, called Churails. Directed by Cake director Asim Abbasi, it stars Sarwat Gillani, Mehar Bano, Nimra Bucha, and Yasra Rizvi. The show revolves around the four women who run a detective agency that exposes the cheating husbands in Karachi.

I saw the trailer and was impressed by its quirkiness and bold quotient. I was scared to scroll down and check the comments as I expected tons and tons of hate, which is the norm nowadays. Nowadays, people are already presumed to be very angry with Indian-based celebrities like Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Mahesh Bhatt and of course, Karan Johar. I can’t imagine the volley of abuses they must have spewed on the actors and team of Churails; after all, they belong to ‘enemy country’.

I gathered courage and finally began to see the comments. And I couldn’t believe my eyes. The discussions and posts made by people seemed very cordial and respectful! Was I dreaming? People can be seen appreciating Pakistani makers and writers for making such path-breaking stuff and criticized Bollywood for not learning from them! I kept scrolling and kept waiting for that one revolutionary person who would have written ‘PKMKB’ or ‘Boycott Churails’ type of comments. There was none.




I kept a tab on Twitter for a few days, next. I was sure #BoycottChurails, #UnsubscribeZee5 or #UninstallZee5 would soon start trending. That didn’t happen, either!

Of course, it didn’t take me much time to understand why the self-appointed deshbhakts have gone into hibernation this time. First, let us understand how these boycott protests actually work, especially in context of Bollywood and web series. There’s a group of influential people with millions of followers, all staunch supporters of right-wing ideology. They have their masters, usually connected with political parties, who instruct them to start these boycott campaigns. In most cases, a time is decided and the hashtag is given in advance in a Google document. Then, at the designated time, millions of followers start using the hashtag in question and hence it started trending. Now, the regular netizens notice the ‘trend’. They feel a spontaneous movement has begun against Bollywood or some actor from the film industry. These people don’t want to feel left out or sometimes they do have a soft hatred towards the industry. Hence, they too start using the hashtag and hence the ‘movement’ grows further.

The next step is to target more gullible people on WhatsApp. As is common knowledge, the messaging app is where most rumours and misinformation gets generated and spread. The same group of people who started the ‘movement’ will create several messages which are provocative and which showcase members of Bollywood fraternity as sell-outs and traitors. They’ll push you to forward the said message in ‘national interest’. There are sensible people who rubbish these forwards and even inform the sender about the lies in the message. But most of the times, people happily share. The ‘movement’ further grows! The ‘movement’ would not have begun had these professional and organized trolls not even started the ‘boycott’ mania in the first place. And most of these movements don’t really make a difference to the lives of the people. For instance, was your life seriously affected because of Pakistani artistes in Bollywood? But you were made to believe otherwise. In short, you became a puppet in the hands of these people and they shamelessly used you for your selfish agenda.

The question that has surely risen in your mind is – why isn’t the right-wing trolls boycotting Zee5 then? The answer can be found in the first 3 letters of the name of the OTT platform – Zee! Zee5 is a part of the sprawling Zee Group, founded and run by a man called Subhash Chandra. He’s known to be a staunch supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is even quite close to him. His biography was launched by the Prime Minister himself, that too from his residence, in a high-profile event. One of the channels of the Zee group is the Hindi news channel Zee News. It openly flaunts its love for the ruling government and has time and again spread lies to favour BJP and show its opponents in negative light. And believe it or not, Subhash Chandra had stopped airing Pakistani shows on Zindagi channel less than a week after the Uri attack, in national interest of course!

Hence, it’s no surprise that Churails, presented by Zee5, has been spared the abuses and boycott campaigns by the ruling party. After all, it’s the ruling party that controls most of these right-wing influencers. And since the party command didn’t instruct the influencers, these professional trolls chose to look the other way when Churails trailers was dropped and even the series got released, on August 11. In turn, you, too, are okay with the development!

I know many of you still can’t believe what I have written here and have loads of questions for me as a counter. Let me pick few ones:

“I was not aware that Churails has released on Zee5. Or else, I would have surely protested”
Yes, it’s a possibility that you didn’t realize that the said show has dropped online. But many did. As of August 15 2:15 PM IST, it’s trailer on YouTube has got nearly 42 lakh views. Moreover, it has not released on any unknown platform but on Zee5, which is one of the biggest streaming portals in India. On YouTube, it has 3.86 million subscribers. It has lakhs of followers on social media websites as well. Churails was well promoted across these websites. Lakhs of people knew about its existence, including the professional trolls and their political masters.

“There’s not much of anger against Pakistan anymore. With time, the anger has subsided”
If only that was true! In June this year, T-Series faced severe backlash (again it was generated) for uploading a song sung by Pakistani singer Atif Aslam. The ‘criticism’ was so immense that T-Series had to remove the track and even tender an apology. I refuse to believe that the ‘anger’ against Pakistan was present till June 2020 but vanished within a month’s time, when the trailer of Churails released. This also makes it clear that if Karan Johar or Bhushan Kumar (of T-Series) or Aditya Chopra had backed Chudails, it would have also become a target of the trolls.

Try as much as you want. Put up as many excuses as you can think of. But the fact remains – you have been played all along all this while by the politicians. They used you. You let them. You didn’t realize they are using you. Instead, you felt patriotic. You considered yourself a ‘warrior’ who fulfilled his duty towards the country by insulting Bollywood personalities. Today, when an Indian channel has released a Pakistani show, the same netas have changed the rules. That’s because the channel owner is their ally and hence, he is immune. And yet, you are silent. You don’t feel cheated or used. Or maybe you do but you won’t accept. Or else, you might argue, “But what can I do?” The saddest part is that if tomorrow, for some reason, a boycott campaign starts against Churails, you’ll happily join in and make it clear that you are at their service for their selfish needs at their beck and call!

Is that what you really are, dear countryman? We have the largest workforce and we are easily amongst the world’s most smartest, creative and hard-working people. The country’s situation is concerning and there’s so much we can all do together. But instead, the government diverts our attention using silly hashtags. It makes villain out of people who are merely doing their job and working day and night to entertain us. Are we still going to give in to their wishes? Or are we going to speak and reject such useless movements that do nothing to improve our lives?

I have often revisited Churails trailer just to see the comments and to see the sanity out there, which has been missing on the internet since a long time. It feels so good to read people’s thoughts at a place where the government hasn’t jumped in to divide-and-rule. But on second thoughts, that’s because the government has chosen to step away to support its founder. I am waiting for the day when the people of this country make it loud and clear that government’s interference and stupid strategies won’t work and they need to focus on the real issues at hand. That’ll be the day when art will totally flourish and where boycott and bans will be relics of the past. This Independence Day, let’s hope that day comes soon!

P.S.: This post is not against Churails or Zee5 and doesn’t support any boycott campaign against them at all. I appreciate Zee5 for taking this initiative. I haven’t seen Churails but I shall watch soon and also looking forward to their other shows. Shailja Kejriwal, chief creative officer — special projects, Zee Entertainment, has hinted that Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan might also be seen in one of their upcoming shows. Bring it on!

Director H E Amjad Khan, on the making of the Malala biopic and why it took so long to bring it to Indian cinemas
Nikhil Nihal (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 11, 2020)

On January 25 last year, H E Amjad Khan’s Gul Makai, the biopic on Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai, was screened at a United Nations event in London for 450 dignitaries. Now, the film is ready for a theatrical release in India. Ask the filmmaker why it took so long, and he explains, “Whenever I thought of releasing it, India-Pakistan relations got worse. The Pulwama attack, Balakot airstrike and (Lok Sabha) elections happened last year. Eventually, I realised things weren’t going to change anytime soon, so there was no point delaying the film.”

Gul Makai marks the big screen debut of TV actress Reem Shaikh, who plays Malala in the movie. Khan informs that as part of prep, he asked the cast to read up all the information available in the public domain. “That way, they’d get an idea of their characters. For Reem, I conducted a 40-day workshop to get the dressing sense, body language, mannerisms and dialect right,” he informs.

Khan states that his intention for making the film was to educate Indian parents who are not very supportive of daughters. “I wanted to highlight the revolutionary change and remarkable impact a girl can bring about,’ he says, going on to heap praise on Atul Kulkarni, who essays Malala’s father Ziauddin Yousafzai. “I cast him as he effortlessly slipped into the character. The only tough part was getting the Pashto accent right. Divya (Dutta, who plays Malala’s mother Toor Pekai) is a marvelous actor who doesn’t need glycerin. She also sang a song in the Pashto language,” he concludes.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; August 23, 2019)

Vivek Anand Oberoi is all set to back a movie that salutes the valour of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The movie will be based on the Balakot airstrike, the capture and the subsequent release of Indian Air Force’s Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman — an aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack that took place in February this year. The movie will be shot in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Agra, and will go on floors later this year.

Vivek has received the required permission to make the film. Plans are afoot to make it a trilingual — in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu — with established actors from these industries playing pivotal roles, including that of Abhinandan and Squadron Leader Minty Agarwal, who guided the IAF’s interception mission to stop Pakistan’s fighter jets. While Abhinandan has been awarded the Vir Chakra, Minty has become the first woman to receive the Yudh Seva Medal.

Talking about the project, Vivek told us, “As a proud Indian, a patriot and a member of the film fraternity, it’s my duty to highlight what our armed forces are truly capable of. This film is a powerful tool to underline the achievements of brave officers like Abhinandan, who went behind enemy lines and did what makes every Indian proud of them. The Balakot airstrike was one of the most well-planned attacks by the IAF. I followed everything in the news, right from the attack in Pulwama to the airstrike. There was a lot that was speculated and spoken about back then; this film will put all of that to rest, once and for all. I thank the IAF for trusting us with this story and we hope to do justice to it.”

Avijit Ghosh (THE TIMES OF INDIA; August 20, 2019)

1927—2019

1976 was no time for tender melody. The Emergency was on. Rajesh Khanna’s era of romance was gone. Fists had replaced dialogues in Bombay cinema. And songs were no longer what they used to be. Hardly the moment for a music director nearing 50 to make a comeback.

But Khayyam, who passed away on Monday at the age of 92 following a cardiac arrest in a Mumbai hospital, grabbed the opportunity that Yash Chopra’s ‘Kabhi Kabhie’ brought to his sluggish career.

The inter-generational love story required two different styles of compositions. Khayyam excelled in both. For the first, he produced two minimalist masterpieces of melody which enhanced Sahir’s reflective poetry. The title track, ‘Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein khayal aata hai’ became the topper in Binaca Geet Mala’s annual countdown show. ‘Main pal do pal ka shayar hoon’ became an anthem for any self-effacing versifier.

In times when action movies ruled the roost, Khayyam’s music was a figurative triumph of violins amidst violence. For the younger generation, he produced loopy tunes – Tere chehre se and Tera phoolon jaisa rang – sending a loud message to producers that the 1940’s composer could better the sound of the 1970s.

For the next 10 years, Khayyam was at the peak of his creative powers and in his commercial prime. Umrao Jaan, Noorie, Thodi Se Bewafaai and Bazaar became synonymous with melodies that drew you closer to the radio.

A perfectionist, he scored for only 54 released films in a career spanning over five decades. Some of his compositions were so delicate they did not fit into the mould of film music – Kahin ek masoom nazuk si ladki (Shankar Hussain), Aaje re dilbar aaja (Noorie), Tumhari palkon ke chilmanon mein (Nakhuda), Baharon mera jeevan bhi sawaaron (Aakhri Khat). At the same time, he could throw up surprises with simple, swinging tunes of adolescent enthusiasm - Gapuchi gapuchi gam gam (Trishul), Mausam mausam lovely mausam (Thodi Si Bewafai) and Aaj se college band hai (Khandan).

Under him, an assortment of singers thrived. Bhupinder sang his first solo for him in Aakhri Khat (Rut Jawan). His wife Jagjit Kaur sang in films like Shagoon and Bazaar. This year, Khayyam had donated Rs 5 lakh to the families of soldiers killed in the Pulwama blast.

Born Muhommad Zahoor Khayyam Hashmi in Rahon, a little town near Jalandhar, Khayyam wanted to be a singer-actor in films. To boost his chances, he learnt music from the masters, Pandit Amarnath and Husanlal-Bhagatram, and assisted composer GA Chisti. He also joined the Indian Army during World War II.

He made his debut as a music director with Heer Ranjha (1948). His first hit was Akele mein woh ghabrate to honge (Beewee, 1950). He assumed the name, Sharmaji, for these early films.

Khayyam found his musical métier with Footpath (1953). The film had one of the finest ghazals composed in Hindi cinema: Sham-e-gham ki kasam (singer: Talat Mehmood). The composer used a piano, a guitar and a solo vox, a basic form of synthesizer, and yet it sounded totally traditional. The song, Khayyam told this reporter once, was put together from several recordings.

He earned more critical acclaim with Ramesh Saigal’s Phir Subah Hogi. The film based on Dostoevsky’s Crime And Punishment had some of the finest lyrics written by Sahir Ludhianvi: Woh subah kabhi to aayegi and Chino-Arab hamara. “After listening to the compositions, Asha Bhonsle told me, ‘Khayyam saab aapki to subah ho gayee’. Mukesh immediately told her, ‘You have said the right thing’," the music director once told this reporter.

Khayyam is gone. But his melodies of matchless tenderness will always be heard and remembered.

Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; August 14, 2019)

With Shah Rukh Khan shooting for the multi-starrer tribute video dedicated to the CRPF personnel martyred in the Pulwama attack, Tu Desh Mera has added another name to its star list. Despite his busy schedule, the actor shot for the four-minute video last week. As many as 14 actors were approached to shoot for the video, and most, including Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan and Ranbir Kapoor, have already done so.

Moses Dhinakaran, DIG and official spokesman of the CRPF, says, “This tribute to our heroes and martyrs reaffirms our faith that the whole nation stands in solidarity with us. The overwhelming participation of celebrities for the cause is commendable and heartening. The initiative of Happy Productions in bringing up the idea and its resolute execution deserves all the praise. Our ability to stand united gives us a formidable strength to face challenges and makes our nation great.”

Abhishek Mishra, MD, Happy Productions India, tells us, “To say that we were excited by the prospect of Shah Rukh Khan joining us for the video is an understatement. He was travelling that week and was quite busy. We are grateful that he took out the time to shoot for the video. We shot Shah Rukh’s part of the video at the Mehboob Studios in Mumbai after midnight.”

A member from the production team says, “We were following up with Shah Rukh for some time. After finishing the shoot, he told us that he was glad to be a part of this tribute video for soldiers.” He adds, “We are still figuring out the dates of the launch. However, we will release the song’s teaser on Independence Day.” The video was initially scheduled to be released on the CRPF Day, however, it was later rescheduled.

The song, Tu Desh Mera, has been mainly sung by Javed Ali, Jubin Nautiyal, Shabab Ali and Kabir Singh but some actors, including Shah Rukh Khan, have also lent their voices to the number. A production member says, “Shah Rukh sang theses lines for the video – Tere liye jiyen marein, vaade jo tujhse kiye poore sab karein. Desh ke rang mein ranga hua, kehta hai ye lahu mera, aanch bhi aaye tirange ko to beh jaaun katra-katra. Tu desh mera, main hu tera…”

The video has been shot at multiple locations across the country, including at CRPF camps and in Srinagar and Gulmarg. Over 150 CRPF jawans are a part of the production.

The four-minute video will show the lives of CRPF jawans. While the song has been sung by Sonu Nigam and Sukhwinder, 14 actors have been approached to feature in it, most of whom have given their nod
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; April 21, 2019)

Recently, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) handle shared pictures of Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor and Aamir Khan shooting a tribute video for the CRPF personnel martyred in the Pulwama attack. The post read, “Commendable work has been done by @SrBachchan, @aamir_khan and #RanbirKapoor for the tribute song #TuDeshMera dedicated to the Martyrs of Pulwama. We would like to thank you all for showing your support towards the Martyrs.” Now, we have learnt that more Bollywood stars have been roped in to be a part of the four-minute video, titled Tu Desh Mera.

14 ACTORS APPROACHED FOR VIDEO

The video, a collaboration between the CRPF and Happy Productions, will show the lives of CRPF jawans and has been shot at multiple locations across the country. Fourteen actors have been approached to star in the video.



AN ODE TO CRPF MARTYRS, THE VIDEO WILL BE LAUNCHED IN MAY IN DELHI
Abhishek Mishra, the owner of Happy Productions India, tells us, “We are figuring out shooting dates with Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh. Salman Khan will also shoot for this video. We wanted to create something along the lines of Mile Sur Mera Tumhara to pay tribute to CRPF martyrs. It’s not only for those martyred in the Pulwama attack, but for all CRPF martyrs. All the actors I have approached really liked the idea and agreed to be a part of it. We have also approached Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn for the video.” The song Tu Desh Mera has been sung by Sonu Nigam and Sukhwinder, and the actors will also sing a few lines and share messages in the video.

Last week, Bachchan had mentioned the video in his blog. He wrote that it was “an ode to those brave hearts that sacrificed their lives at Pulwama .. a salute visually through an inspiring song, that shall have patriotic homage...”

VIDEO TO BE LAUNCHED IN MAY
Moses Dhinakaran, DIG, CRPF, tells us, “We have not commissioned this video. In the first week of March, we received a written request from the production house that they wanted to create a video to pay tribute to CRPF martyrs. We checked the credibility of the production house after which we gave our approval. We are not providing any financial support, but we gave them permission to shoot with CRPF jawans. Messages from Bollywood actors will probably appear in the end of the video.”

The video will be launched in May in Delhi by CRPF officials. Abhishek said, “I can’t reveal much at the present, but we have a grand event planned in Delhi and we will also announce a scheme to help the children of martyrs.” There are also plans to shoot more such videos with Bollywood actors for the CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) and the Indian Army.

14 ACTORS APPROACHED FOR THE VIDEO

Amitabh Bachchan

Aamir Khan

Ranbir Kapoor

Alia Bhatt

Ranveer Singh

Salman Khan

Deepika Padukone

Madhuri Dixit-Nene

Shah Rukh Khan

Akshay Kumar

Ajay Devgn

Vicky Kaushal

Tiger Shroff

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; April 2, 2019)

He’s the guy who rages and roars on screen, ripping apart the wrong doers with deadly vengeance that makes you shudder and scream, but it feels real. He walks through the walls and doors, with every sinew in that 100-kilo body, throbbing with energy. And be forewarned, you can’t mess with the man in real life, too. He doesn’t mince words when he says, “It is very difficult to tell me lies and get away with it. There is nothing that will get past me.” His action avatar aside, what John really loves delving into is history and world politics, and understanding how all of that impacts human lives. In a chat with BT, the actor excitedly talks about his upcoming spy thriller, RAW (Romeo, Akbar, Walter), a story that’s inspired by true events from the 1971 Indo-Pak war, his views on social media activism and how he will always stand up and speak his mind, through his stories on celluloid. Read on...

Stories that stem from real incidents and significant episodes in history have always interested you (Madras Café, Parmanu: The Story Of Pokhran, and the upcoming Batla House). So, what clinched it specifically for RAW? Also, the mood of the country is different now from what it was a year ago, post the heinous Pulwama attack. Hence, films with a political backdrop need to be doubly sure that they are touching the right chord with the audience. Would you agree?
I read the script and I wanted to do it, I knew this was a fantastic story. I was fortunate that Robbie Grewal (writer-director) approached me, though he didn’t expect me to do it. The minute I heard it, I was floored and the first thing I told him was that this is not flaky stuff; the film is so well-researched. Robbie has grown up in an army background; his father was part of the military intelligence, so the subject is close to his heart. Both Robbie and I are intrinsically India lovers. The good thing is that this film is not jingoistic or overtly patriotic. It does not get into the zone of bashing other countries, it is a thriller. Just like Raazi, which was after all a human story, this one is, too. Unfortunately for us, the film is releasing post the Pulwama attacks. It has been in the making for a year. In fact, it was always meant to release between March 15 and April 12, you can find it mentioned in the industry trade magazines. We pushed the date ahead to April 5. We know that unfortunately, the film resonates with the mood of the country, but it’s not pre-planned.

RAW is inspired by true events, and set against the backdrop of the Indo-Pak war of 1971. How much have you personally researched the events that happened during that period? And while doing that, did it throw up interesting insights and give you a different perspective on the subject?
When I hear stories about wars from people in general, they mostly come from a space of ignorance, pardon me for saying this. In this case, a huge amount of research has gone into the film; I give all credit to Robbie for it. On my part, I think the fact that I am politically aware and I know what has historically happened in the world around us, helps while telling such stories. Subjects like Madras Café, Parmanu: The Story Of Pokhran, Batla House and RAW is the space that I dwell in. We shot this film in Kashmir, in the middle of a shootout that happened during Eid. We know and understand the mood of the region and are aware of the history of what has happened there for a long time. When you make a film on a sensitive subject, you have to be very responsible in your storytelling. You cannot fudge anything, or take creative liberties, it has to be factual. My biggest source of information was of course, Robbie and all that he had gathered from his father. Other than that, I have read numerous books on the pre-Partition and post-Partition eras. I generally read a lot on such subjects, so if you ask me about what’s happening in Syria, Ecuador, Venezuela or any other part of the world, I am well-informed. I like understanding why there is conflict, where it is coming from and what is the root of it all. You understand all this, process it, and then, when you read Twitter hashtags that tell you… say yes to this, say no to that, I feel bad. You need to have the right information before Tweeting and commenting on such serious issues.

Yes, social media commentary is common these days and it is often misleading. There is no dearth of armchair activists on social media platforms, people who have an opinion on most issues and dole out advice on various subjects. There are some who genuinely make an impact, but a huge number of them say things out of line to simply draw attention…
I would say that it is dangerous. If you are saying something that is sensitive, you rather not say it if you are not backed by the knowledge to comment on the subject. The most dangerous thing in this world is low IQ and high confidence. It can’t get worse than that.



While you might have strong views on pertinent issues and you are well-informed, one does not see you participating in debates, discussions, or commenting on burning issues (political, social or otherwise) on such forums...
I keep telling people that I am not in the business of trending on social media. I do not want to be in a space where I have to be in the news and say something exceptional that will trend. In our line of work, things have changed so much. Earlier, a producer would take you to a hoarding in Juhu and tell you, ‘Look, here is where you are’. Now, the same producer says, ‘Look, you are trending at number one and you are tracking so well’. It might make some actors happy, but I have seen film promotions that have got the fastest 100 million views online, but then, what’s happened to some of those films after they hit the theatres? I feel that a good film will always find its audience. So, my point is, just make a good film, and don’t worry how it is tracking, trending or anything else.

You have backed good films as a producer and made brave choices with movies that went on to make a mark at the box office. Do you think that made industry folks build more faith in you as an actor, too?
Yes, people take my word for it and I am very responsible with my words. If I tell a certain studio that this content is good, they take my word for it, as they trust my instinct and know that I would be saying the right thing. I think I have worked hard for that. Ever since I turned producer, I have always gone with my instinct and taken risks. We released Parmanu: The Story Of Pokhran during the IPL semi-finals, it was like committing hara-kiri. I had gone through a court case with the producer (Prernaa Arora), but I saw that release through and it taught me a lot. I learnt a lot about the legal process and how things work in court. I learnt a lot about distribution and about everything else under the sun. In some of my interviews during that time, I had said that it is very difficult to tell John lies and get away with it. There is nothing that can fool me or will get past me.

You took a strong stand and fought it out in court, and others followed...
(Cuts in)… I will always take a stand, even as an actor when I am working on my movies. I am not one of those politically correct actors who is pro-India, but will not say anything that will antagonise anybody. I won’t make a political statement just to trend on social media, but I will say things as they are, as they are meant to be said and I will say it through my films.

You recently said that looking ahead, you can see your best five years coming up (as an actor and producer). The fact that the audience’s appetite for cinema is growing, actors are getting greedier for better and well written roles and that there is a plethora of options for actors to choose from, has a huge role to play in the benchmark you have set for your career goals. Right?
Yes, even going ahead, I will only develop content. I will work with the new Ayushmanns (Khurrana) of the world and new directors. I will give them opportunities, and at the end of the day, who will be the hero? The content. Nothing else will drive the film other than good content. I look at it from the audience’s perspective, as I converse a lot with my audience. Why did I become a producer in the first place? For two reasons, firstly, as an actor, I wasn’t getting the kind of films that I wanted to do. Secondly, I wasn’t getting to watch the kind of films I wanted to watch as an audience. If you see my trajectory as an actor before I turned producer and post that, there is a quantum leap. It is because I am doing films which I am convinced that I am meant to do, and I am saying this with all humility. I am a learner, I have learnt through the process. I couldn’t understand the garish performances and overacting that was considered good acting when I first came into the industry, where my subtle acting was considered underacting. People would think, ‘He is not acting’. Today, that subtle acting is considered good. The audience’s tastes have changed and we are at that inflection point, where there is need for content, new-age cinema, subtleties in performances, and everything I am here for.

Even while you are doing these content-heavy films, I assume that you would still want to be seen as Action Abraham, the kickass action hero, right? Also, today, the action in our films has gone notches higher (as far as skill, technique and style are concerned). Do you see it scaling up even further?
You could do the best action in this country, but it will not work if you don’t connect emotionally with the story. If the EQ (emotional quotient) is good and the action is average, your film will still do wonders. So, I feel that movies here still run on emotions, not on great action. Think of this…who are your biggest action heroes? Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, Dwayne Johnson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, these are the massive action heroes of Hollywood. What is common between all of them? None of them can really do action…it is their attitude that makes them such huge action heroes. When Arnold says, ‘I will be back’, it’s the way he says it that stays with you. It is the attitude that makes an action hero, not the action itself.

Given how involved you are in every aspect of filmmaking, you must have given some thought to the idea of turning director, too?
Yes, I have. I will direct someday. I get a lot of hope when I see films directed by artistes like Bradley Cooper, Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford. They are actors who are also such fine directors, they inspire me.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; April 1, 2019)

In just six months of making her foray into the movie business opposite Akshay Kumar in Gold, Mouni Roy, one of the most popular faces on TV, bagged films with John Abraham, Ranbir Kapoor, among others. Starting next week with RAW (Romeo Akbar Walter), she’s likely to be seen more often on the big screen now. In a conversation with BT, the actress talks about her films, finding more me-time in the middle of crazy shooting schedules and why patriotism is not a sentiment you imbibe suddenly while doing a film. Excerpts:

For the last six-eight months, you’ve virtually been living on different movie sets. Does it feel any different from the world of television?
It’s pretty much the same for me. Even before signing up for Gold, I spent long hours on set with two seasons of Naagin and a season of Jhalak Dikkhlaa Jaa. My well-wishers are happy about my transition and my relationship with work is still 100 per cent pure. The only difference is the medium where my work is displayed. While the journey of every actor is different, for me, TV is home. I loved it with all my heart. Each one of those shows helped me get where I am today.

Often, the transition for television actors to cinema is not very smooth and simple. In your case, you had RAW and Brahmastra in your kitty before Gold released. The rise has been quick, which has been lauded and also been a subject of much discussion.
Don’t most people often do that? There are people who pull others down and say these unpleasant things about them. What they fail to see is that I have worked for a decade, spending 15-19 hours on a set, without allowing myself to have a personal life, or even have the time to recuperate from that fatigue. I had auditioned for Brahmastra and was finalised only after the look tests. This is because of TV, which prepares you like nothing else. Today, there is nothing on a film set that I can’t deal with — be it production issues or a script change. We’ve seen such hard deadlines that we’re prepared for almost everything. Yes, the distinguishing factor is that with every film, it’s a new role, whereas with TV, we’re doing the same character for months or even years. I’ve understood one thing: if you love your work, it loves you back. It doesn’t ever cheat on you, unless you cheat on it.

Are you now able to manage some me-time for yourself?
Yes, and it’s wonderful! I have been reading, spending time with friends, taking short trips between schedules, planning little breaks to be with family, and working on myself to become a better actor. I’ve always valued me-time, and now that I have it, I use it well. As actors, we sometimes get restless, feel insecure and look for escape routes. Today, I know how to get rid of my insecurities. There’s no point devoting time to anyone other than yourself, and to a handful of people who add value to your life.

While most debutants take a while to sign up their second film, you dived into RAW even before the release of Gold. Don’t you sometimes feel that it all happened too soon?
No, I don’t think so. It’s working on its own pace. The good part is that even while working on Gold, no one treated me like a novice. I was petrified, because I was working with so many big names in a huge set-up, but they were so respectful towards my experience. We all had a great time working together. Sometimes, you don’t get the time to soak in the success of a show or a film. For instance, we knew Naagin was delivering numbers, but we realised how popular it had become when it won accolades and awards. It’s the same case with Gold. I feel I got lucky and benefitted a lot from it. There is a certain taboo as not many TV actors are able to make a smooth transition. In that sense, Gold did a lot for me to make in-roads in this business.

Let’s talk about RAW. What was the high point of shooting an espionage drama, which has John Abraham playing a spy?
I had a lot to express, but very little to talk and that’s a challenge for any actor. There are a few scenes that look very simple, but they’re quite emotionally challenging to pull off. I am not a girl of a few words, I like to elaborate on things. I go quiet or speak less only when I am angry. Here, I was playing a woman who says a lot with her eyes. She’s someone I have had no reference for and that made it all the more exciting.

The sentiment of the nation when you started the film last year was different from today. Does that bother you?
Yes, the sentiment was different then. What happened in Pulwama is unfortunate, but there’s no connection between RAW and the recent string of events. Our film was always meant to release in this window. It’s just that a lot of untoward things happened around the time when we brought out our trailer. At an individual level, I feel terrorism should not be tolerated by any country and no nation should encourage it on their soil either. There are lives at stake all over. War may not be a solution to a problem, but breeding terror is also not the way out, right? Although our film would have been relevant anyway, I now want people to see RAW and feel what we have felt for thousands of brave-hearts, who’ve done a lot for the nation, but have no place in history.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; March 29, 2019)

Any regular cinegoer, who has seen the last two films helmed by Robbie Grewal, will find it hard to associate him with a movie that looks as intense as RAW (Romeo Akbar Walter). A successful ad filmmaker, he forayed into feature films with a thriller titled Samay: When Time Strikes (2003). He followed it up with MP3 (2007) and Aloo Chat (2009). It’s taken Robbie almost a decade since then to make his dream film — one that narrates the human side of army intelligence, set against the backdrop of the 1971 Indo-Pak war. The filmmaker has his father, a retired Army officer, to thank for introducing him to the idea. Here are excerpts from his interview with BT...

You stayed away from making feature films for almost a decade. As a filmmaker, how was that experience?
I would have had an answer had I been waiting in the wings. But I wasn’t, because I have an ad film production house and my bread and butter was taken care of with that. Besides, I didn’t find a story that compelled me to wield the megaphone again after Aloo Chaat.

I waited to hear a voice from within. Seven years ago, when my father told me about espionage, the 1971 war and what had really happened, I started reading up on it. The more I delved into it, the more it forced me to craft a story revolving around the human side of army intelligence. That world is truly fascinating.

Your army background (his father was in the Indian Army) perhaps acted as a trigger for you to work on this story…
In a way, it did. Patriotism is in my blood and when my father introduced me to what happened in 1971, considered to be a glorious year for our army intelligence, I was easily drawn to it. Though films have been made on the Indo-Pak war, not enough has been spoken about those faceless, nameless people who provided India its greatest tool in the battlefield. I’ve always wondered, what does a spy get in lieu of what he/she does for the nation? A soldier gets martyrdom; we get praise and monetary benefits when we do well. But what do they get? Nothing! Not even a mention in history for doing the most reward-worthy acts. I wanted to get into the psyche of people who do that. That triggered my desire to make RAW.

A decade-long wait to make a feature film, though you have a parallel business that keeps you going, can still be very daunting, isn’t it?
Not really. On the contrary, it can sometimes be very rewarding. It was therapeutic to invest years of my life writing this film. I could research and write it to the best of my ability without being pressed for time. I was enjoying it. If I didn’t have my safety net, then, maybe, I would have had to worry. In hindsight, if I had come out with this film two years ago, I don’t think it would have made me as content as it has made me today.

Before John Abraham came on board, you were ready to roll the film with Sushant Singh Rajput. What are your thoughts on that today?
It’s a mood film. We had to shoot it at a certain time in the year at a certain place. Sushant’s dates, as clichéd as it may sound, didn’t work out. But I am so happy that it didn’t work out with him. I thank God that John walked into the project at the right juncture. RAW came into both our careers when we were ready for a challenge. By far, John is the most intelligent actor I have worked with. He works meticulously to understand the person he’s playing on screen. Also, we think alike in a lot of ways. He’s honest and I don’t like falsifying either. He came without baggage. Whether we shot at an abattoir, a crowded market or a closed-door set, he was at ease. And he doesn’t come with a barrage of people in his team; he doesn’t even have a bodyguard. Actors usually sulk if they have to put in extra hours, he doesn’t. So, I’ve begun to believe ki bhagwan jo karta hai, bhale ke liye karta hai.

How did John react to the fact that he wasn’t the first choice to play the part?
John knew it all along, but he’s never reacted to it. In fact, right from the time we first met, he has only reacted to the script and to how we plan to execute it. Today, every actor is hungry for great content. It doesn’t matter to most of them if someone else was offered the role before. Of course, there are people who live in an ivory tower and think differently. Thankfully, John is not one of those. Once he agreed to come on board, I didn’t ever feel the need to rake up the past with him.

Your film talks about intelligence officials of the 1970s. But times have changed since then. Today, we rely a lot more on technology. In that context, what would be your take on the divided opinions that people have on India’s attack on Balakot, shortly after the Pulwama terror attack?
It’s unfortunate that our opinions are divided on something like that. There’s no need for any of us to question the armed forces, their intelligence devices or their intent. The armed forces are straightforward and undivided as a community. Despite being a Jat Sikh, my father was in the Gurkha regiment, which he’s very proud of. We all take pride in it. It’s not fair to question what our armed forces did in retaliation. Let’s just respect them.

Given the issues around national security and the simmering tension between India and Pakistan, the timing of your film’s release is being talked about ...
My film would have held its own, even without the current circumstances in the country. Honestly, I wish things wouldn’t have been the way they are. I wish we weren’t topical, for a change. I wish the Pulwama attack hadn’t happened, just for my film to start sounding relevant to people at large.

Given that the film is being considered well-timed, people will watch it with a keener eye. Does that unnerve you?
John and Sushant had both reacted to the narration in a similar manner, which means that the film has something that will strike a chord with the audience. The fact that people will now see it more keenly doesn’t unnerve me. On the contrary, it’s a blessing. Intelligence, as an outfit, is not something I need to educate people about. People know and so, they and I can invest ourselves fully into the human story that the film has to offer. This is the kind of wait I enjoy, when I’m eager for the reactions and people are eager for the film.

Meena Iyer (DNA; March 1, 2019)

Akshay Kumar is a man on a mission. Yesterday, he reached Surat to personally collect a huge contribution of over Rs 5 crore that was collected locally and handed over to him. The Kesari actor, in turn, will pass it on for the welfare and rehabilitation of the families of the slain soldiers. While it is known that contributions can be done online, sources say that Akshay is keen to meet those, who like him, have made it their personal mission to contribute to the Indian Army.

Since February 15, a day after the unfortunate Pulwama tragedy in which 49 soldiers lost their lives, the Bollywood superstar has been committed to just one initiative — Bharat Ke Veer.  In the last fortnight, the actor has personally supervised that all contributions made through the website — which was launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs — have reached the families of the Indian bravehearts who have laid down their lives. Akshay’s own involvement with Bharat Ke Veer is already widely reported. And post Pulwama, he is like a man possessed. He has been continuously monitoring the fund disbursements through the app and website.

Filmmaker JP Dutta, who completed his war trilogy in 2018 with Paltan, speaks to BT about the attack executed by the Indian Air Force during the wee hours of yesterday morning
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; February 27, 2019)

I woke up with the news that 12 Mirage 2000 fighter jets from India have struck and destroyed terrorist camps across the Line of Control (LOC) in Pakistan, killing about 300 terrorists. It shook me up and it also somewhere made me feel that we’ve somewhat avenged what we lost in Pulwama. Those were some 40 jawans, who were not on the border but sitting inside a truck when they were blown away. India as a country has never been the aggressor, but it does pick up the weapon in its defence. What makes me happy and proud is that we have not taken the Pulwama or Uri attacks lying down.

Paani sar ke upar se jaa chukka hai. Retaliation in equal measure is often the only option left. It’s important to retaliate because enough is enough. You can’t turn a blind eye and keep looking the other away when someone attacks you. It’s a reality that we have lost so many soldiers to several such attacks in the past. We have lost civilians on so many occasions — train blasts, Mumbai terror attack in the 1990s, the 26/11 attack… I mean how much more should India tolerate?

I have friends and relatives in the Armed Forces. From what I understand, if you want to make a strong impact, the attack has to be from the top, something that our Air Force officials did in the wee hours today. The terrorist camps were destroyed. Increasingly, wars will be fought in this manner because everyone understands the impact an air strike can have. It will just be boots on the ground.

Birender Singh Dhanoa, our current Air Chief Marshal, was my brother, late Deepak Dutta’s colleague and friend. Today, I feel proud of what he has pulled off. He and all the other armed forces chiefs are capable people and with their experiences, they know what they’re doing. They have a very clear mind and they’re tough officers.

In recent times, it was the images of those coffins carrying the bodies of those jawans that killed something in me. It reminded me of everything I’ve experienced from close quarters. Today, we probably have avenged the deaths of some of our soldiers.

Terrorism is like cancer in an advanced stage. It only needs chemotherapy. What is sad is that we have never attacked Pakistan or tried to create hysteria on their land, among civilians but they have only done that. Twenty years ago, we foiled their attempt to infiltrate through Kargil. They don’t seem to be affected at all, not even when children on their soil are killed in a Taliban-led terror attack. They have always refused to acknowledge the fact that there are terrorist base camps operating on their soil.

My brother Deepak had fought the Longewalla battle when Pakistan’s attempt to infiltrate India was foiled. That’s how I wrote the story of Border when I was still in college. I vividly remember my mother being glued to the radio to know what was going on, praying that her son is not one of the martyrs. She spent days sitting by the radio set. I had a song in Border, ‘Mere dushman, mere bhai, mere hum saaye’. I have never understood why can’t they live in peace and let us also be.

Today, while I feel happy that the Air Force officers put out an act of bravado in the form of the air strike, I also say a silent prayer, thanking god that no family today lost a loved one. 

Daler Mehndi gets emotional while talking about the recent Pulwama terror attack, which claimed the lives of 44 CRPF jawans
Faguni Verma (BOMBAY TIMES; February 25, 2019)

After actors showing solidarity with Pulwama martyrs, singer Daler Mehndi is also urging the music and film fraternity to contribute towards the security of our soldiers. “Be it Bollywood or the South film industry, I want all of us to come together through our profession, and present the security forces with bulletproof jackets and vehicles, and jammers so that they are safer,” said Daler in Chandigarh. He added, “God forbid, if any tragedy strikes in the future, at least the impact will be lessened due to better equipment. Not just the soldiers, these should be provided to every police personnel, besides other security forces manning the country’s safety.”

Daler says that he is taking this task seriously and intends raising funds for the same. Speaking about his contribution, he added, “I will do anything to collect the funds for this task. Even if I have to do 100 shows throughout the year, where they don’t pay me, the money collected should be used to buy bulletproof jackets and vehicles along with jammers, and distributed by us.”

Saddened by the martyrdom of the jawans, Daler said, “I get deeply distressed by the news of someone’s brother, father or son getting killed in such devious attacks. If I try to sing about the emotions that well up within me during such incidents, I will fail. My heart goes out to the families, who are suffering the loss. I might end up crying if I speak more on them.” 

Little terrorist director Ashvin Kumar on re-releasing his 2005 Oscar-nominated short in wake of Pulwama terror attack
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 25, 2019)

Almost 14 years after Little Terrorist earned a nomination at the 2005 Academy Awards for Best Live Action Short Film, director Ashvin Kumar has re-released it on YouTube. The 15-minute drama, he says, is pertinent today given the political climate between India and Pakistan, following the Pulwama terror attack.

“We were set to release Little Terrorist during the Oscar week to mark the 15th anniversary of the film going to the awards gala in 2005. However, the events [that transpired in] Kashmir recently made us pause. Seeing the mindless assault on every voice of reason, we were advised not to proceed. A fear of backlash also prevailed,” says the director.

However, a rethink made him realise that he wanted to spread the film’s message of compassion among viewers. “Given the wave of violence and hostility that has seized the nation since, we reasoned if we don’t release it now, then when? What better time for a film that speaks about the triumph of empathy and compassion over hate and violence, to be made freely available to the public?”

The 2004 release traces a Pakistani boy who accidentally crosses the India-Pakistan border while playing cricket. The drama goes on to show his bond with a Hindu Brahmin who gives him shelter. “The film is about people who are divided by borders, but are essentially similar. It is about acceptance and peace,” says Kumar, whose next No Fathers In Kashmir is awaiting a Censor certificate since seven months.

MUMBAI MIRROR (February 23, 2019)

A petition has been filed with the Lahore High Court seeking a complete ban on trade, exhibition and selling of Indian films in Pakistan. This is in retaliation to Bollywood’s call for a ban on Pakistani artistes in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack on February 14 that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF troopers.

Sheikh Muhammad Latif who filed the petition, pleaded through his counsel that the Import Policy Order 2016 announced by the federal government banning import of Indian films and content be imposed again. It wasn’t effective the first time because then Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, through a notification of the Ministry of Information on January 31, 2017, had announced the screening of international films, including those from India continue under the garb of revival of Pakistani films and industry.

On February 17, FWICE and 24 crafts of the Indian film and television industry had issued an inviolable diktat, warning filmmakers against working with actors and singers from across the border. Producers of films like Total Dhamaal, Luka Chuppi, Arjun Patiala and Made In China have announced that they won’t release their films in Pakistan.

As filmmakers take stand against Pulwama terror attack, Total Dhamaal director Indra Kumar says film not releasing in Pakistan won't affect business
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; February 22, 2019)

In a mark of solidarity with the bravehearts who lost their lives in the Pulwama terror attack, several Bollywood filmmakers have decided to not release their films in Pakistan. While Ajay Devgn announced last week that Total Dhamaal will not hit theatres across the border, filmmaker Dinesh Vijan too followed suit for his forthcoming films, including Luka Chuppi, Arjun Patiala and Made In China.

With Indian films suspending their release in one of their markets, one wonders if the movie collections will be affected. However, Total Dhamaal director Indra Kumar is not worried about a drop in business. "The loss of not releasing a film is not bigger than the loss of our army men. This is the time to show solidarity. That's why we took the decision of not releasing our film. We aren't concerned about the money, our country comes first."

While big-ticket films earn a chunk from their overseas collection, the revenue from Pakistan reportedly comprises only four to five per cent. Trade analyst Amod Mehra says, "The collections generated from there make up a minuscule portion of the total box-office collection. The decision won't have a large impact on the films' fate."

Producer Dinesh Vijan says, "This is a small way of showing our soldiers that we are with them."

The actress talks about the controversy around Navjot Singh Sidhu & Kapil Sharma
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; February 20, 2019)

While there are reports claiming that Archana Puran Singh has replaced former cricketer and politician Navjot Singh Sidhu on The Kapil Sharma Show, the actress says nothing has been finalised yet.

Kapil, too, came out in support of Singh and said that while he is with the government, banning or replacing Sidhu is not the solution. Since then, ‘Boycott Kapil Sharma’ has been trending on Twitter and not just that, fans have asked Salman Khan (producer of the show), to take strict action against Kapil for this.

We spoke to Archana about the entire controversy and she said, “Clearly, social media has become so big today that one has to be very careful before commenting or expressing their opinion on any issue.”

‘It is important that people’s sentiments are not hurt. Whatever you wish to express should be expressed in a responsible manner. I don’t know if I am replacing Sidhu permanently. I had shot for two episodes because he was busy with his political commitments. In the past too, many times when Sidhu had other commitments, I had stepped in for him on the show. Kapil and I go back a long way; I have known him from the time he was a participant on Comedy Circus. Kapil, his entire team and the channel are family for me. So, when your family needs you, you can’t say no to them. If the channel and makers want me to step in, I will do so,” says Archana.

Meanwhile, Kapil Sharma has been criticised on social media for supporting Sidhu and saying that banning or replacing him is not the solution. Ask Archana about this controversy and she says, “I would not like to express my views on what happened and whether someone should have commented on the current situation in the country, but I have a strong stand. Whenever our country is in conflict with any other nation, I will strongly stand by what my country, the government, the Prime Minister and opposition leaders feel is in the best interests of the nation. And this is not because the concerned person has said something, this is my belief that I will not have any other stand but to support my country.” 

After Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan pledges support to families of bravehearts; Ajay Devgn contributes Rs 50 lakh on behalf of Total Dhamaal team
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; February 18, 2019)

Athe nation mourns the loss of its bravehearts in the Pulwama terror attack on Thursday, people across the country are joining forces to lend their support to the kin of the victims. Within 48 hours of the attack, Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar pledged financial assistance to the slain jawans' families. Now, Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn too have paid their homage — while Khan has pledged Rs 5 lakh to each of the families of the heroes, Devgn has committed to contribute Rs 50 lakh on behalf of the cast and crew of Total Dhamaal.

Says a source, "In recent times, Bollywood stars have often been pulled up for not taking a stand on sensitive issues, but they would rather do their bit silently. Ajay Devgn, who is producing Total Dhamaal [along with Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria] has contributed Rs 50 lakh, and is consulting the PMO to expedite the process. Salman, too, has committed to donate Rs 2.5 crore to the families of the 49 soldiers who lost their lives or were injured in the attack. He is doing it through his foundation, Being Human." Yesterday, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju took to social media to thank Khan for his gesture.

In the dastardly attack, Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Adil Ahmed Dar rammed his explosive-laden SUV into a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) bus on the Srinagar-Jammu highway, thus claiming over 40 lives. Soon after, Kumar reportedly donated Rs 5 crore to Bharat Ke Veer, the fund-raising initiative that was launched in April 2017 to help the next of kin of slain soldiers. He also urged fellow countrymen to do their bit for the cause.

A source close to the actor says, "The Bharat Ke Veer fund has received an unprecedented response in the past three days. Till yesterday, it had received about Rs 18 crore, excluding Akshay's contribution of Rs 5 crore. Akshay is in London, but is keeping a tab on the goings-on." When mid-day reached out to the team of Total Dhamaal, the film's spokesperson confirmed the news of the contribution. While Khan remained unavailable for comment, a source from his team informed, "He hasn't finalised the amount, but he will make the contribution today."

Ashoke Pandit, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, Gajendra Chauhan, Isha Koppikar, Virender Sehwag (below) at the protest in Film City

FWICE and 24 industry bodies, along with cricketers, join protests against Pulwama attacks
MUMBAI MIRROR (February 18, 2019)

The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has called for a complete ban on all Pakistan artistes, said its chief advisor Ashoke Pandit in the wake of the terror attack in Pulwama. “We’re officially announcing the inviolable diktat.”

On Sunday, FWICE and its 24 crafts of the film and television industry, held a solidarity march at the Film City gate from 2 pm to 4 pm to pay its respects to the martyrs and their families. The protest saw participation from major film bodies and the association of cinematographers, make-up men, costumes, junior artists, editors, fighters, dancers.

The shooting of Amitabh Bachchan’s next, Brahmastra, and a commercial featuring cricketers Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina, was voluntarily stopped for two hours and Sehwag, Singh, Raina and VVS Laxman, among others, joined the protest in solidarity. “Whatever we say or do will perhaps be less for the soldiers. We can only thank them and should do whatever we can to help them,” Sehwag said. Big B could not come outside as he was in his get-up.

Meanwhile, Paresh Rawal appealed to Indian news channels to not invite any Pakistani guests or Indian terrorist sympathisers on their shows.

T-Series has pulled down videos and stopped promotions of two songs by Pakistani artistes after a demand from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to music labels to stop collaborations with them, in retaliation for the February 14 attack which left at least 49 CRPF troopers dead. The music company removed its recently released songs—Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s single and Atif Aslam’s “Baarishein” from YouTube. Two songs from the film Notebook, for which Atif had given playback, will be recorded again with an Indian singer.

Vicky Kaushal, who fronted Uri: The Surgical Strike, has condemned the attack, describing it as “sad”. “It is a great loss of human lives. If in any possible way, we can support the family of martyrs, it would be a great contribution from our end, as a society. The whole incident should not be forgiven and forgotten,” he was quoted as saying on the sidelines of an event organised by CINTAA over the weekend.

The Arts Council of Pakistan has criticised veteran Indian actress Shabana Azmi and her lyricist-writer husband Javed Akhtar for axing their visit to Karachi. The couple was set to take part in centenary celebrations of Shabana’s poetfather Kaifi Azmi on February 24-24. The Dawn newspaper on Sunday quoted Council President Ahmed Shah as saying that Shabana had “crossed the line” the way she attacked Pakistan in a manner not appropriate for a literary person.

DNA (February 17, 2019)

There’s a huge outpour of public sentiment across India. Anger, sadness, indignation — mixed feelings about the mindless attack by Jaish-e-Mohammed that took place in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, on February 14, have been expressed across the nation. The Hindi film industry is both agitated and upset about this tragedy, which claimed the lives of over 45 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. Besides expressing their thoughts through their social media accounts, members of the industry will unite to express solidarity with the armed forces and protest against the ghastly terror strike.

Film industry to march for the slain soldiers
Today afternoon, 24 film associations including the FWICE (Federation of Western India Cine Employees) and IFTDA (Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association) will participate in a protest at Film City, Goregaon. The various units at the location will halt work for two hours between 2 pm and 4 pm and come together to condemn the terror attack. Similarly, the crews of TV shows, which are being shot today at various venues across the city, will stop work for the two hours as a mark of respect for the bravehearts.

Ashoke Pandit, filmmaker and President of IFTDA, said that they have shared details of their protests with all the film bodies. He says, “We have invited everyone who is a part of the industry to join us as we protest this gruesome terror attack and pay tribute to our martyred soldiers.”

Pandit added that the industry bodies will also call for a blanket ban on working with talent from the neighbouring country. “They have never condemned any attack by the terrorists. While in the past, there have been instances of keeping cultural exchange separate from confrontations at the border and terror attacks, this time around, we must make it clear that we won’t collaborate with them. Moreover, we should not release our films in Pakistan,” he said, adding, “After this protest, we’ll work on passing a resolution to ban Pakistani talent if they can’t speak against such attacks. If they are gaining from their collaborations with our industry, they must show solidarity with India in such situations as well. They can’t use us only to further their careers.”


Music label axes songs by Pak artistes
The music industry, too, is taking a tough stand. Neha Kakkar and other Indian singers have apparently opted out of a show to be held in Houston, USA, in April, which was backed by a Pakistan-based organiser. Performers from across the border, like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif Aslam, seem to have been dropped, too. T-Series, which had recently released tracks with the two singers, have already taken those off their online channels. The music label and production house has also stopped the promotions of these songs.

On a sombre note
Keeping in mind the magnitude of the tragedy, industry people cancelled various film-related and personal events. Kangana Ranaut had planned to celebrate the success of her historical epic Manikarnika - The Queen Of Jhansi with a party at her home on February 16. However, she called off the bash after reports of the attack came to light. Meanwhile, filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala has asked his team to cancel all the plans for his birthday tomorrow.

B-Town grieves for the jawans
Industry folk expressed their grief through their social media accounts. Akshay Kumar, who has been pursuing the cause of looking after martyred soldiers’ families, said, “Numb beyond belief at the dastardly terror attack on #CRPF soldiers in #Pulwama. May God give peace to their souls, and strength to their grieving families. Wishing the injured a speedy recovery. We can’t let this be forgotten.” He also implored people to donate for the kin of these martyrs. He tweeted, “#Pulwama is something we cannot & will not forget. We’re all angry & it’s time to act. So act now, donate to the martyrs of Pulwama on www.bharatkeveer.gov.in  There’s no better way to pay homage to them & show your support.”

Aamir Khan expressed that he was heartbroken upon hearing the news. He said, “I am heartbroken to read about the terrorist attack on our CRPF Jawans in Pulwama. It’s so tragic. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the Jawans who have lost their lives.” Salman Khan tweeted, “My heart goes out for the Jawans of our beloved country and their families who lost their lives as martyrs to save our families...”

The third Khan of the trio, Shah Rukh, too put his sentiments into words, saying, “Heartfelt condolences to the families of our valiant jawans. May the souls of our countrymen who laid their lives down for us rest in peace. #Pulwama”

Some actors also voiced sadness and anger at the news of the incident. Ajay Devgn said, “Horrible and disgusting. Anger can’t be put into words. #KashmirTerrorAttack.” Ranveer Singh, who wears his emotions on his sleeve, said, “Disgusted at the cowardly terror attack on the #CRPF soldiers in #Pulwama — my sincere condolences to the families of our brave jawans. Saddened. Angry.”

Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor’s strong words were, “Shameful shocking reprehensible. Absolute act of cowardice. Perpetrators of this heinous crime cannot be friends with people of Kashmir. We stand by the bereaved families.” Karan Johar’s tweet read, “My deepest thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the Pulwama attacks and their families.”

Bollywood actresses, too, were vocal about their feelings. Anushka Sharma said, “It is extremely painful to read about the attack on our brave #CRPF jawans in #Pulwama. My deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of our martyred soldiers.” Pointing to the despair, Swara Bhasker wrote, “What a dark dark day... Can’t stop thinking of the mindless violence, evil hate & sinister politics that has killed 40 working class bravehearts today... Thinking of their bereaved families. May they find the strength to deal with this cruel tragedy. Prayers. #PulawamaTerrorAttack”

DNA (February 17, 2019)

In the wake of the recent attack on the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel at Pulwama, Indians everywhere are uniting in their grief and coming forward to help the deceased’s kin. According to sources, Amitabh Bachchan will donate Rs 2.50 crore to the families of the jawans who sacrificed their lives for the nation.

Currently, the thespian is finding out from government sources how and where this amount can be distributed in order to expedite the process.

Confirming the same, his spokesperson said, “Mr Bachchan will be giving Rs 5 lakh to each of the families of the martyred CRPF jawans and is currently finding out the correct process to do so.” The legend of Hindi cinema, who was supposed to be a special guest of at a high-profile event today, has also cancelled his attendance. In the recent past, Big B has donated Rs 2.25 crore to the kin of martyrs in Maharashtra, who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.