Showing posts with label Rajeev Masand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rajeev Masand. Show all posts
I had to save Dev Anand’s Baat Ek Raat Ki from scrap heap-Shivendra Singh Dungarpur
8:01 AM
Members of the film fraternity describe the thrilling chase to acquire the duplicate negatives of the 1962 thriller movie, before it disappeared forever
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; February 20, 2023)
Last month, the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) received a crucial tip-off – the reel of Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman’s 1962 film Baat Ek Raat Ki was being sold to a scrap dealer for silver extraction. And the ensuing attempt to rescue this thriller movie sounds like a thriller movie plot in itself, says filmmaker and director, FHF, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur.
Dungarpur got a call from a scrap dealer who came upon the duplicate negative of the black and white film. The plan was to strip it for silver, but the scrap dealer was willing to give him the film in return for some compensation. Dungarpur says, “I knew I had to save this film. I called filmmaker Atul Sabharwal who in turn urged friends to contribute towards acquiring the film. I’d like to thank Atul, Rajeev Masand, Vikramaditya Motwane and Mayank Shroff, who pooled in the funds along with me to rescue Baat Ek Raat Ki from the scrap heap so we could preserve it for posterity.”
The funds were raised within hours, but acquiring the reels still wasn’t easy. It took the FHF team almost a month to finalize the deal. He adds, “Just a day before the delivery of the cans, I got a call saying they were no longer interested in selling it. Someone told me to give up, saying, ‘film ki life itni hi thi’. But we continued negotiations and were finally told the reels will be left outside a house in Bandra for us to collect.”
He wanted to film the whole process, but was told that was off-limits and the seller didn’t want to be identified. Dungarpur says, “I got the report from my team that the film is in good condition. Now, lab work begins.”
He adds that he is well-acquainted with the network of scrap dealers in Mumbai and across the country, and has also acquired other films from them in the past, like an original camera negative of the film Bharosa (1963), starring Guru Dutt.
Filmmaker Atul Sabharwal adds, “This is the first time that I have been directly involved in something like this. In the past, I have brought Dungarpur and Romesh Sharma together for the restoration of Hum and introduced him to several other producers for restoration. There is still limited awareness about film restoration in India, and producers also have their own apprehensions. Besides, most of the studios that made those films do not exist anymore. Any archiving work is important. It is not just about A film or B film. Preserving these reels is about preserving a piece of history. We’ve celebrated the centenary of Indian cinema, but we have lost so many films. We have to restore films now so that the future generations can also understand the journey of the films from these cans to the digital medium.”
Pyaar, Dosti, Etc 2.0: Films are reflecting changing definition of love & friendship for the youth
8:10 AM
The definition of love and friendship is changing for the youth and films are reflecting that
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; November 19, 2016)
"I knew the world had shifted when Katrina Kaif and Shah Rukh Khan were shown having premarital sex in Jab Tak Hai Jaan, a Yash Chopra film. It was casual, and there was no comment on it. That’s when the landscape altered irrevocably,” declares well-known film critic Anupama Chopra.
Indeed, when Yash Chopra who’s known to epitomize romance incorporates premarital sex, it becomes a bold move, a defining moment. Something which his son Aditya Chopra has taken forward in the upcoming Befikre, the posters of which have the lead pair Ranveer Singh and Vaani Kapoor smooching in different positions! The trailers too promise some no-holds-barred make-out scenes between the two, who strike up a friendship in Paris and just hang out with sex on their minds — friends with benefits, anyone?
The recently released Ae Dil Hai Mushkil questioned the very definition of love and friendship — pyaar mein junoon hai, dosti mein sukoon — sparking a debate across generations. If in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, his 1998 debut directorial, Karan Johar showed that you can’t be friends with someone you are in love with, in ADHM, he took a 180-degree turn and showed that a boy and girl can be friends and in love but it need not be a romantic relationship!
Clearly, pyaar and dosti have undergone a sea change in cinema and what was true just five years ago doesn’t hold water now.
Liberal outlook
Says noted film critic Raja Sen, “Earlier, there were certain things that the hero and heroine were not allowed and that line has been blurring over the years. Now, it has come to a point where audience is intrigued by more unconventional cinema, by relationships that are more casually and interestingly depicted.” Take for instance, the upcoming Dear Zindagi. From what we see in the promos, it is evident that Alia Bhatt’s character goes through three romantic relationships and later seeks the guidance of Shah Rukh Khan, who plays her life coach. As Rajeev Masand, Entertainment Editor, CNN-IBN says, “Though I can’t gauge exactly what it is about, it’s definitely a new language, very different from what we were used to seeing back in the day.”
Sex and sexuality
Sex is no longer taboo in films. Since Khwahish that was publicised as the film with 17 liplocks, and Bhatts spawned the era of erotic thrillers, steamy scenes have become de rigueur. Yet, when a Karan Johar brings a gay character in mainstream cinema — Kapoor & Sons — without making it caricaturish and saddling it with clichés, or shows an older woman hooking up with a young lover in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, it is a turning point. Aditya Chopra moving from pure romance in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge to casual sex in Befikre, is a paradigm shift, the genesis of which was laid in his production Neal ‘N’ Nikki. Says Anupama, “Actually it was with DDLJ that the whole exploration — the question of love and friendship — started. It’s not an overnight change, it’s an ongoing process. But yes, sexuality has definitely changed. Even the conversations that happened then (during DDLJ) have a different interpretation now.” Agrees Tushar Joshi, Editor, Bollywood Life.com, “The concept of love in 2016 is different from what it used to be. Films have overcome sexuality, genders and other boundaries set by society. The third spoke in marriage — the extramarital affair that stunned people in Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna is no longer a taboo. In Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, people talked about Aishwarya’s steamy scenes, but they were not shocked that a divorced woman is having a relationship with a younger guy.” Certainly not, when you have the oh-so-beautiful Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and the good looking Ranbir Kapoor doing the deed.
Targetting the youth
With 50 per cent of India’s population in the less-than-25 age group, youth has become omnipresent. The digital platform has already logged in with web series targetted at youth whose concept of love, relationship and marriage has undergone a radical change. Series like Bang Bajaa Baraat and Permanent Roommates which tackle issues close to them like live-in relationships, love and friendship have scored big with the youth. It’s the same demographic that is now the target audience of filmmakers. Says film exhibitor Akshaye Rathi, “Romcoms typically are focussed on the young urban market. With films like Befikre and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, filmmakers are clearly trying to reach out to the young audience — identifying their taste-buds and catering to them — as they are the ones going to the multiplexes in a big way today.” The phenomenon began in the West eight years ago and five years back in India. Says Rajeev, “Filmmakers have recognised that the paying public is the youth. That is why you see so many superhero films, sequels and franchises in the West. These films cater to the young male demographic and the same thing is happening here.”
Alienating the older generation
While filmmakers haven’t entirely abandoned the older generation, the fact that it’s the youth which goes to the movies the most, is influencing the content. “Films make maximum business on the weekends and fortunately or unfortunately, it’s the youth that still believes in watching movies first day, first show. The elders do not want to rush or jostle for the movie, they will watch it aaram se or even wait for it to air on satellite TV and watch it at home. So, the films reflect what the young college kids want,” says Rajeev. He explains that even in the West, dramas have become fewer in number, coming during the year-end when the Oscars are closer, simply because the older generation is not going to the cinemas. But Anupama feels that all sorts of movies are being made, even dramas, “Some like Sooraj Barjatya go back to the traditional mould, which he projects in his cinema.”
Way ahead
Even as audiences debate over the daring content in cinema, and filmmakers fight with the censor board over cuts, Anupama feels that our cinema is still too timid. “It is not exactly reflecting the reality, when you look at how far urban India has moved in terms of sexuality. For me, the most startling moment was in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil when a younger lover is meeting his lover’s ex husband and the conversation flows in a somewhat mature manner. They are treating each other fine. Where do you have this in Hindi cinema?” It goes without saying that filmmakers have to move with the times and reflect what’s happening around us. As Akshaye puts it, “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was a rage among the youngsters then, but today’s youth in their 20s with the kind of exposure they have will probably cringe at the film or find it cheesy.”
Arjun-Ranveer-Karan weren't our first option, they were our only option-All India Bakchod
9:31 AM
A rowdy, live stand-up act that signed up filmstars for voluntary ridicule, is proof that Bollywood's newly famous are redefining stardom
MUMBAI MIRROR (February 1, 2015)
The definition of a Roast, for those who are aren't adept in the kitchen, changed when the funny men at All India Bakchod released their AIB Knockout online earlier this week. Roast (v): to cook film stars by direct exposure to deeply offensive insults, especially in front of thousands.
The Roast is a tradition that dates back to 1949, where comics invite guests of honour, who are ridiculed publicly. The goal — to have a good laugh.
Last December, the comedy collective founded by Tanmay Bhat and Gursimran Khamba, went down in comic history for hosting the first Roast of its kind in India at Worli's NSCI grounds before an audience of 4,000. Their meat of choice — Bollywood's new breed of actors; Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Roastmaster, director Karan Johar.
The three celebrities, along with film critic Rajeev Masand, and Roadies producer Raghu Ram joined standup comics Abish Mathew, Aditi Mittal, Tanmay, Gursimran, Rohan Joshi and Ashish Shakya to form the panel of Roasters. What ensued was a slew of insult comedy that spared no one, on stage or off it. Deepika Padukone's (she was in the audience) choice in men; Arjun's academic failure; Karan's sexuality and Ranveer's reputation with the ladies were all up for taking. The result — close to three lakh hits in two days.
Tanmay credits the "overwhelming appreciation" to the stars. "Bollywood's young actors and directors share the sensibility of India's youth; they are good at taking a joke," he says.
The idea to host a Roast happened by chance. "In August, we were discussing the possibility of making a video with Ranveer. I met him at a dance studio where he was practising, and we got talking about the Roast format. He said he was in if we ever did it." That proceeds from the NSCI show, minus venue rental and production cost, went to charity, made it easier," says Vijay Nair, CEO of Only Much Louder (OML), a live music and entertainment conglomerate that handled production. "We weren't just taking their pants off for fun. It was for a good cause," smiles Tanmay.
It was Ranveer who suggested AIB approach Arjun, who agreed instantly. "We wanted Karan Johar to be the Roastmaster because he would lend legitimacy. Besides, he is known for his wit and sarcasm," he continues. Once Johar was on board, the date was set.
What the creative team didn't know was who would turn up in the audience.
Actors Deepika Padukone, Sonakshi Sinha, Anurag Kashyap, Sanjay Kapoor and Alia Bhatt booked a seat each for Rs 4,000. "Stars invited their colleagues and friends, but we had no idea who would turn up," says Tanmay, who calls the gang "just four middle-class kids with no connections". "The three stars weren't our first option, they were our only option".
But, over the last two days since the Roast ambushed the Internet, it isn't being celebrated for its stellar content, but for the ease with which stars are lending themselves to be the butt of jokes.
Bollywood enthusiasts will recall an awards function in 2010, hosted by Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan, where Shah Rukh cracked a joke about actor Neil Nitin Mukesh's triple-barrelled name. It backfired, when Neil snapped (his singer-father Nitin Mukesh was beside him), asking him to "shut up".
In 2013, veteran actor Manoj Kumar filed a criminal case against Shah Rukh and Farah Khan, director of Om Shanti Om (2007), in which the superstar had mimicked Kumar. Khan, who together with brother Sajid Khan, had a made a career of parodying old-school Bollywood, had apologised to the veteran. That sort of move, explains Tanmay, "is to avoid going to jail". AIB couldn't follow the no-holds barred approach of a conventional Roast. "As comedians, we had to find the line. In a conventional Roast, it doesn't exist," he says.
And so, they had to stick to script. The team of six comics wrote all 300 jokes that made it to the show. After thinking of 60 jokes a day for more than a fortnight, they had a bank of 1,000. Following which, it was the question of sifting to stay with the best.
The grammar of a joke means they needed to allow for all permutations and combinations — for instance, jokes that were about Karan, a rebuttal from him, transitions that could mean taking a joke forward later, etc. After the material was ready, it was sent out to the stars for vetting, unlike in a traditional Roast where no one has a clue of what's coming at them. Jokes that a star wasn't comfortable about were deleted; these included those that a star believed would upset someone else in the fraternity. "For the online video, another round of editing was put in place because some stars didn't want all of it going out," explains Tanmay. This included jokes that played on ruling politicians and party.
Of the Roastees, Karan, says Tanmay, encouraged AIB to go all out. "We were surprised when he later said his mother and maasi were going to be in the audience. He was a great sport."
The point of a Roast, he says, is consent. It is not the same as picking on someone on Twitter.
After vetting, the players could prep themselves on delivering humour with comic timing. This made things simpler for Rajeev, for instance, who was nervous about his bit. "I wanted to explore humour, let people see a side of me they usually don't on TV. I knew what they would be going for; being fat, being paid for reviews, etc. I wanted to see how good I was at giving it back to them," he says, adding, "But nothing prepares you for what happens on stage."
What industry observers are asking is if the young stars have, in effect, defanged their critics and hecklers.
The trend was set, say some, by the Alia Bhatt Genius of the Year video which was a game-changer. After becoming the butt of jokes when she wasn't able to name India's President on the rapid fire round in Karan Johar's chat show, in August last year, she collaborated with AIB to silence Internet bullies with a video that showed her taking IQ classes. With self-deprecating humour as tool, the 21-year-old, six-film-old actor, silenced her detractors. It's also likely that no one will joke about Arjun's battle with weight and nepotism after this. "That was a shrewd move," says Rajeev.
Filmmaker and critic, Raja Sen, says, with this, the demystifying of stardom is complete. Other than Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, almost every star is on social media. They are accessible, available to fans, killing the established practice of a star talking to a select few. "There used to be so many holy cows in the industry. This show managed to do away with quite a few. Even if it was scripted and they were all role-playing, this kind of role-playing was important," he says.
But, offering themselves to the mercy of a punch line isn't everyone's choice. When one of the guests met Priyanka Chopra after the Roast, curious if she would have participated, her answer was, no. "Why would I subject myself to this?" she asked. Those who know Shah Rukh and Saif say that the two are game at laughing at others, but they wouldn't enjoy it if the joke was on them. Rajeev agrees that the old guard would rather steer clear.
It's definitely not hurting business, though. "Bollywood has helped open up the scene to a wider audience and more people have discovered the Indian English comedy genre," believes Nair.
While the Roast went off smoothly, to a standing ovation, in fact, the challenge for the AIB team came after.
"A Roast is filthy, offensive, hilarious. The point isn't just to shock but also make people laugh. I expected more backlash, but fans have taken it well, except a few. But then, taking offence is our national sport," says Tanmay.
Audience reaction can be difficult to judge. "For instance, I think Mr Bachchan may have a spectacular sense of humour but the audience might be offended. It's a weird culture where supporters go crazy, saying, 'how dare you!'"
How does one top a show like this? "Mr Bachchan would be a spectacular Roastmaster," is all Tanmay will say.
Now showing - Censor board vs govt: After Leela Samson, 8 Members Quit To Protest 'Meddling'
8:34 AM
Avijit Ghosh & Himanshi Dhawan (THE TIMES OF INDIA; January 15, 2015)
In a day of dramatic
developments, censor board chief Leela Samson quit citing bureaucratic
interference, coercion and corruption, triggering a series of
resignations of board members. At last count, at least eight of the 23
board members had either resigned or were planning to in the next 24
hours. A few more may follow.
The government fielded the junior I&B minister, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, to deny any interference in the board's functioning. He said if Samson or any other member had any evidence of interference, in the shape of a letter or SMSs, it should be brought to the government's notice.
Samson said there was “total interference on every film, big and small“. Sources said overruling Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) objection and hastily clearing MSG: The Messenger of God, a controversial film by Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan, by the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) was the tipping point for her decision to resign. The board felt that the film promotes obscurantism. The CBFC members who have submitted their resignation, or are in the process of doing so, include academic Ira Bhaskar, AICC secretary (Hindi dept) Pankaj Sharma, TV journo Rajeev Masand, film actor Arundhati Nag, filmmaker Shahji Karun, theatre personality M K Raina, TV producer Nikhil Alva and Lora K Prabhu.
The term of all the members had expired in May 2014, and they were being given extensions by months. On top of this the board was allegedly being starved of funds, and had not met since early 2014. That apart, their efforts to bring structural changes in the composition and qualification of examining committee members were also thwarted by the ministry. This, many members said, had made their role irrelevant. CBFC member Ira Bhaskar says they were frustrated by the bureaucracy at every step.“We are going to resign in support of Leela Samson. But what's happening now is a culmination of a long process. There was no money for meetings. The board didn't meet since early 2014. We wanted to bring about positive changes. To that end we had also written to the UPA government in the summer of 2013. As members, we are supposed to put across our views in meetings. Otherwise what's the point in being a member?,“ she said.
It is learnt that Raina and film writer Anjum Rajabali had already tendered their resignations some time ago.“But it seems it wasn't accepted. Because suddenly a few days back, I received a card extending my tenure,“ Raina told TOI. Bhaskar, who also teaches cinema in JNU, said: “Our term ended in May 2014. But we kept getting extension by one or two months. There was no extension after September 2014. Then strangely I received a letter on Thursday night with my new card as a board member extending my tenure till March 2015.“
In Mumbai, board member Nandini Sardesai, who headed the review panel of MSG, said the film shows him projecting himself as having miraculous powers to cure deadly diseases and eliminate enemies. On Friday a board member in Mumbai said, “MSG was twice rejected by the board, once by an examining committee, another time by a seven-member review panel. Those who saw the film felt it can cause disharmony in society.“
TV producer Nikhil Alva said, “We have resigned en masse in solidarity with the chairperson. I think the board serves no purpose except to take flak on certification. It acts as a buffer between the I&B ministry and the world when there is something wrong and I think given their attitude its best that the ministry take on the work of certification itself.“
Film critic Rajeev Masand said that being part of the board had been a “frustrating experience“ and concerns raised on issues of corruption and interference had fallen on “deaf ears“. He said the board was not allowed to function, or meet and several letters sent to the ministry had not been addressed.
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Citing “corruption and interference by the I& B ministry”, Board chief Leela Samson stepped down on Thursday night; Ira Bhaskar, another member, shall also put in her papers and others are likely to follow suit
Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; January 17, 2015)
MSG : The Messenger of God has many disbelievers in the Censor Board. After the film received swift clearance from the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) post-rejection from the examining and revising committees of the Central Board of Film Certification — also called Censor Board — the board chief and another member stepped down from their positions.
Censor Board chief Leela Samson put in her papers on Thursday night, amid reports that MSG : The Messenger of God , the film featuring Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan, had been cleared by the FCAT. In support of Samson, Ira Bhaskar, another member, will also put in her papers. Said Bhaskar, “ I am going to email my resignation and this is in support of the chairperson. We, as a board, stood for transparency in certification. We wanted the board to work as a certification body, not a censoring body, and wanted to encourage dialogue.” An en masse resignation of members is expected today.
The Censor Board had refused to clear the film, saying it could hurt religious sentiments and also promoted superstition and blind belief.
Moral stand
In her resignation letter, Samson, a Bharatnatyam dancer, cites “interference, coercion and corruption of panel members and officers” in the organisation who are appointed by the I& B Ministry, as well as “having to manage an organisation whose board has not met for over nine months as the Ministry had ‘no funds’ to permit the meeting of members.” She added that the term of all the members as well as the chairperson of the CBFC was over. “But since the new government failed to appoint a new board and chairperson, a few were given extensions and asked to carry on till this procedure was completed,” says Samson, who was appointed chairperson in 2011, succeeding Sharmila Tagore.
She also pointed fingers at Shravan Kumar, CEO, Children’s Film Society of India, who holds additional charge as Censor Board’s CEO. “Recent cases of interference in the working of the CBFC by the Ministry, through an ‘additional charge’ CEO and corrupt panel members has caused a degradation of those values that the members of this Board of CBFC and chairperson stood for,” she wrote.
Asked if there was any pressure from the Central government, which is allegedly close to the producer of MSG : The Messenger of God — the godman Insan — she said, “ There was no direct pressure put on me by any official or political party. But, the inordinate speed and interest taken in passing this film is unprecedented.”
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, minister of state for information and broadcasting, challenged Leela Samson’s allegations. Speaking to the media, he said yesterday, “I would like to see one SMS or mail which suggests that a member has been coerced.’’
‘Fast-track’ clearance
Nandini Sardesai, a board member who was part of the revising committee (RC) that also rejected the film, is equally shocked with the tribunal’s nod. She explained, “Usually, the tribunal screening takes two to three weeks, but within 24 hours of RC rejecting the film, it was screened and cleared. Though the I& B minister Raghuvendra Rathore said there was no political interference, who got the film cleared within a day? I am glad she (Samson) has taken a stand.”
Sardesai argued that the Mumbai regional officer, who headed the board’s examining committee, was not aware of the tribunal screening until an hour before it happened. “What about our credibility? We spend time to watch the film, and people from all walks of life are involved in this procedure. We brainstorm over it. All this was overruled. It is nothing but mockery of the CBFC. This is only to encourage other godmen to make films on themselves,” she stated.
According to an industry source, “Even a film like Raajneeti, which was referred to the tribunal, took three days to be cleared. This (quick clearance) has never happened in the past and is shocking.”
The government fielded the junior I&B minister, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, to deny any interference in the board's functioning. He said if Samson or any other member had any evidence of interference, in the shape of a letter or SMSs, it should be brought to the government's notice.
Samson said there was “total interference on every film, big and small“. Sources said overruling Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) objection and hastily clearing MSG: The Messenger of God, a controversial film by Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan, by the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) was the tipping point for her decision to resign. The board felt that the film promotes obscurantism. The CBFC members who have submitted their resignation, or are in the process of doing so, include academic Ira Bhaskar, AICC secretary (Hindi dept) Pankaj Sharma, TV journo Rajeev Masand, film actor Arundhati Nag, filmmaker Shahji Karun, theatre personality M K Raina, TV producer Nikhil Alva and Lora K Prabhu.
The term of all the members had expired in May 2014, and they were being given extensions by months. On top of this the board was allegedly being starved of funds, and had not met since early 2014. That apart, their efforts to bring structural changes in the composition and qualification of examining committee members were also thwarted by the ministry. This, many members said, had made their role irrelevant. CBFC member Ira Bhaskar says they were frustrated by the bureaucracy at every step.“We are going to resign in support of Leela Samson. But what's happening now is a culmination of a long process. There was no money for meetings. The board didn't meet since early 2014. We wanted to bring about positive changes. To that end we had also written to the UPA government in the summer of 2013. As members, we are supposed to put across our views in meetings. Otherwise what's the point in being a member?,“ she said.
It is learnt that Raina and film writer Anjum Rajabali had already tendered their resignations some time ago.“But it seems it wasn't accepted. Because suddenly a few days back, I received a card extending my tenure,“ Raina told TOI. Bhaskar, who also teaches cinema in JNU, said: “Our term ended in May 2014. But we kept getting extension by one or two months. There was no extension after September 2014. Then strangely I received a letter on Thursday night with my new card as a board member extending my tenure till March 2015.“
In Mumbai, board member Nandini Sardesai, who headed the review panel of MSG, said the film shows him projecting himself as having miraculous powers to cure deadly diseases and eliminate enemies. On Friday a board member in Mumbai said, “MSG was twice rejected by the board, once by an examining committee, another time by a seven-member review panel. Those who saw the film felt it can cause disharmony in society.“
TV producer Nikhil Alva said, “We have resigned en masse in solidarity with the chairperson. I think the board serves no purpose except to take flak on certification. It acts as a buffer between the I&B ministry and the world when there is something wrong and I think given their attitude its best that the ministry take on the work of certification itself.“
Film critic Rajeev Masand said that being part of the board had been a “frustrating experience“ and concerns raised on issues of corruption and interference had fallen on “deaf ears“. He said the board was not allowed to function, or meet and several letters sent to the ministry had not been addressed.
-------------------------------
Citing “corruption and interference by the I& B ministry”, Board chief Leela Samson stepped down on Thursday night; Ira Bhaskar, another member, shall also put in her papers and others are likely to follow suit
Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; January 17, 2015)
MSG : The Messenger of God has many disbelievers in the Censor Board. After the film received swift clearance from the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) post-rejection from the examining and revising committees of the Central Board of Film Certification — also called Censor Board — the board chief and another member stepped down from their positions.
Censor Board chief Leela Samson put in her papers on Thursday night, amid reports that MSG : The Messenger of God , the film featuring Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan, had been cleared by the FCAT. In support of Samson, Ira Bhaskar, another member, will also put in her papers. Said Bhaskar, “ I am going to email my resignation and this is in support of the chairperson. We, as a board, stood for transparency in certification. We wanted the board to work as a certification body, not a censoring body, and wanted to encourage dialogue.” An en masse resignation of members is expected today.
The Censor Board had refused to clear the film, saying it could hurt religious sentiments and also promoted superstition and blind belief.
Moral stand
In her resignation letter, Samson, a Bharatnatyam dancer, cites “interference, coercion and corruption of panel members and officers” in the organisation who are appointed by the I& B Ministry, as well as “having to manage an organisation whose board has not met for over nine months as the Ministry had ‘no funds’ to permit the meeting of members.” She added that the term of all the members as well as the chairperson of the CBFC was over. “But since the new government failed to appoint a new board and chairperson, a few were given extensions and asked to carry on till this procedure was completed,” says Samson, who was appointed chairperson in 2011, succeeding Sharmila Tagore.
She also pointed fingers at Shravan Kumar, CEO, Children’s Film Society of India, who holds additional charge as Censor Board’s CEO. “Recent cases of interference in the working of the CBFC by the Ministry, through an ‘additional charge’ CEO and corrupt panel members has caused a degradation of those values that the members of this Board of CBFC and chairperson stood for,” she wrote.
Asked if there was any pressure from the Central government, which is allegedly close to the producer of MSG : The Messenger of God — the godman Insan — she said, “ There was no direct pressure put on me by any official or political party. But, the inordinate speed and interest taken in passing this film is unprecedented.”
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, minister of state for information and broadcasting, challenged Leela Samson’s allegations. Speaking to the media, he said yesterday, “I would like to see one SMS or mail which suggests that a member has been coerced.’’
‘Fast-track’ clearance
Nandini Sardesai, a board member who was part of the revising committee (RC) that also rejected the film, is equally shocked with the tribunal’s nod. She explained, “Usually, the tribunal screening takes two to three weeks, but within 24 hours of RC rejecting the film, it was screened and cleared. Though the I& B minister Raghuvendra Rathore said there was no political interference, who got the film cleared within a day? I am glad she (Samson) has taken a stand.”
Sardesai argued that the Mumbai regional officer, who headed the board’s examining committee, was not aware of the tribunal screening until an hour before it happened. “What about our credibility? We spend time to watch the film, and people from all walks of life are involved in this procedure. We brainstorm over it. All this was overruled. It is nothing but mockery of the CBFC. This is only to encourage other godmen to make films on themselves,” she stated.
According to an industry source, “Even a film like Raajneeti, which was referred to the tribunal, took three days to be cleared. This (quick clearance) has never happened in the past and is shocking.”
How celebrities, critics react to trolls, hate comments by fans
9:23 AM
Upala KBR (DNA; February 1, 2014)
Trolls are the latest online monsters sabotaging Twitter feeds or Facebook posts with their abusive and angry comments. Usually anonymous, trolls tend to drive their victims crazy — to a point that many a times they delete their original post, which led to trolling. Celebrities have been prey to vicious trolling by many people on Twitter — some of which even include rival camp fans of stars. We speak to some high-profile celebs and film critics who get trolled almost regularly and how they deal with them. Read on...
Raja Sen (Film critic)
I
can’t think of one tweet per se that has sparked off rage among my
easily-infuriated readers, but being dismissive of Salman Khan usually
gets them frothing at the mouth pretty quick. As a film critic, I’m more
than used to being vilified by people who take stars (and, indeed,
star-ratings) far too seriously. I might have been appalled if the
criticism was coherent, but as a friend once said, ‘I’ve made enemies
among the ungrammatical’. Which is something I can more than live with. I
never block people. That makes the trolls more determined to ruin your
day. It’s easiest to shrug off the nonsense. While it’s easy to label
Salman fans the most vociferous of the lot, I think the Theseus-tards,
if I may, are just as bad as the bhai-tards. 
Komal NahtaAnything you write about Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, that is perceived as being detrimental to their interests, will evoke a reaction from their fans. Even if you don’t tweet anything against them but just mention that SRK’s film has done so much more business than Salman’s, fans will troll against that. I never block anybody. In extreme cases sometimes I hit back by replying and show them the mirror. I am not scared of trolling and I expose them by showing how idiotic their abuses sound. But mostly I ignore the trolling.
Taran Adarsh (Film critic)
I can’t
pinpoint but the maximum trolling is when you write about Shah Rukh and
Salman or when I have written reviews on films like Besharam or written
bad things about Akshay Kumar’s films. Sometimes, a rival website with
multiple IDs also troll my reviews. I have realised that you have to be
thick-skinned here. I never react to anyone. I have seen a lot of stars
deactivating their account because of trolling. I am also sensitive but
if you have to be on Twitter you can’t react. The moment you react you
are playing into their hands. I used to block people. Now I just ignore.
I am only doing my job and writing about what I like which is
Bollywood. Sadly Ajay, Akshay, Salman and Shah Rukh are so nice in real
life but their fans don’t realise that. All the top actors fan clubs are
so strong but I say one thing — instead of abusing and fighting, go and
buy a ticket and make the film a hit. 
Amul Mohan (Film production house, Manager Creative)The best troll was when I wrote on not liking Anurag Kashyap’s The Girl In Yellow Boots and the film not making money. Anurag’s fan clubs and boys abused me a lot. Anurag called me and asked why was I doing this to his film. SRK trolls abused and even threatened me — some even wanted to kill me but I refused to back down! Salman trollers say I am biased and visit Mannat while SRK trollers say the same about Salman. I never block people. All fans are like that but some of the worst ones are of Katrina and Deepika’s.
Miss Malini (Blogger)
It depends on
the current topic. People get passionate about anything on Twitter!
Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif fans are so polarised. Some are just
funny and sometimes I send a slightly cheeky message back. If I explain
my stance with logic they usually understand. The opposite of love is
not hate but indifference. I don’t block anyone ever. It’s hard to say
who are the worst fan clubs — I think Sussanne Roshan has been trolled
the most post her separation with Hrithik. 
Rajeev Masand (Film critic)Any time you praise a film of a certain actor you get trolled by rivals. I wonder for someone as humanitarian, philanthropic and kind as Salman, how his fans can be so badly behaved? Salman and Shahid Kapoor’s fans are the worst on Twitter. They are very passionate fans and will abuse with passion.
Shobhaa Dé (Writer)
I have a pretty simple
approach. I say what I have to say. And move on. I don’t read or respond
to comments. I don’t track anybody else’s accounts. It’s a democratic
space. If you can’t handle it, stay out. Gul Panag (Actress)
When Gul Panag recently tweeted “Mr G may have many talents. The gift of eloquence is not one of them. Nor is articulation,” on Rahul Gandhi’s interview on a TV channel, she was trolled viciously. She says “I don’t get trolled as I am a troll slayer. There’s a reason that I am not afraid to voice my opinion. If somebody questions me I have the conviction to answer them and the gumption to stick to it. I hardly ever block somebody unless they become really nasty.”
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