Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Clemency powers misused?' that was published in Newsband

Clemency powers misused?

Is the Indian judiciary misusing its clemency powers in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case? The judiciary displayed a humanitarian outlook, even after the convict in the case had death sentence confirmed and mercy petitions rejected. The reason for showing mercy to the convicts was the unexplained delay on the part of the executive in disposing of mercy petitions.

The waiting of eleven long years has been an excruciating and nightmarish experience for the convicts. The verdict has politely but firmly disapproved the wisdom behind the torturous delay for whatsoever reasons. This verdict has created a humane atmosphere and has given a boost to those who advocate abolition of death penalty.

In the past it was found that Race, religion, political clout of the perpetrators, religions of the victims and the perpetrators, lobbying, political fallouts from an execution, electoral considerations, international pressure and a host of other extraneous issues made application of the death penalty arbitrary and abuse prone. For example, the Hindu right clamoured for the execution of Afzal Guru; Sikhs petition for sparing the life of Bhullar; TN politicians have vested interests in the fate of the Rajiv Gandhi assassins etc. etc.

Since the application of the death penalty in India is highly arbitrary, having it in the statute books is dangerous and will inevitably lead to miscarriages of justice. So it is time to drop this barbaric punishment.

In the context of Rajiv Gandhi assassination case the Supreme Court of India seems to be expanding in its exercise of jurisprudence and vision in consistent with the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. This highlights the process of maturity of political and social democracy and cementing faith of citizens in the integrated judicial system with the Right to Review. This is one step ahead in the direction of more civilized society with no room for savaged and inhuman act 'capital punishment'. Our enlightened citizens, particularly politicians, ought to take inordinate delay and isolated imprisonment for the accused on death row into account to be not less than a corporal punishment. A justice system with a broad humanitarian outlook irrespective of intensity of offences ensures justice in more wise and natural way.

One also can’t dismiss the argument that hard core criminals should be executed for the self-defense of the society at large. Killing in self-defense is not murder. But is this argument applicable in this case?

Dinesh Kamath’s column ‘New movie-releases in Navi Mumbai’ (Shaadi Ke Side Effects, Mr Peabody Sherman, Anuradha, Non-Stop and Dallas Buyers Club) that was published in Newsband

New movie-releases in Navi Mumbai

By Dinesh Kamath

Shaadi Ke Side Effects

What's the movie Shaadi Ke Side Effects about? The iconic characters, Sid and Trisha, come to life in the sequel, now as husband and wife. Sid having beaten his fear of marriage and Trisha having finally gotten around to saying her vows the third time round. Now they must address themselves to the impossible task of coping with each other's fantasies and realities. Will they succeed? Only Shaadi Ke Side Effects will tell.

Shaadi Ke Side Effects (English: The Side Effects of Marriage) is a Bollywood comedy movie. The film is directed by Saket Chaudhary and stars Farhan Akhtar, Vidya Balan, Ram Kapoor, Vir Das and Hariharan. The film is produced by Balaji Motion Pictures and Pritish Nandy Communications.

The film is about a young couple who experience many comic events after their marriage.

Sid (Farhan Akhtar) is a happy go lucky guy enjoying his bachelorhood with his friend Vir Das but soon is hit by the cupid arrow and falls in love with Trisha (Vidya Balan). He enters into the marital life with the lady, unaware about how his life is going to be. The problem begins when a child is born and the love and affection between the two starts fading. Frustrated by this relation, Sid looks out for a piece of advice from his another friend Ram Kapoor. How he manages his life with those unscrupulous advices is what Pritish Nandy tells us with this drama.

The film has Farhan Akhtar as Anuj, Vidya Balan as Trisha, Ram Kapoor, Vir Das, Gautami Kapoor, Purab Kohli as Sekhar, Ira Arun, Rati Agnihotri and Mia Maelzer.

The music director is Pritam Chakraborty and the lyricist is Amitabh Bhattacharya. Mikey McCleary is a guest composer for the track Ahista Ahista.

The film has songs like Harrys Not a Brahmachari sung by Jazzy B and Divya Kumar, IM Sorry Par Tumse Pyar Ho Gaya        by Nikhil Paul George, Neeti Mohan and Mili Nair, Tauba Main Vyaah Karke Pachtaya by Shahid Mallya, Poorvi Koutish and Alam Lohar, Desi Romance by Arijit Singh and Suchi, Yahaan Vahaan by Farhan Akhtar, Bawla Sa Sapna         by Mohit Chauhan, Harrys Not a Brahmachari (Original Song) by Jazzy B and Divya Kumar, Tauba Main Vyaah Karke Pachtaya by Arif Lohar and Poorvi Koutish, Bawla Sa Sapna (The Children Come To Sing) by Diva, Yahaan Vahaan by Farhan Akhtar, Harrys Not a Brahmachari (remix) by Jazzy B and Divya Kumar and Ahista Ahista   by Farhan Akhtar.

Mr Peabody Sherman

Mr. Peabody & Sherman is a 2014 American 3D computer-animated comic science fiction film based on the characters from the Peabody's Improbable History segments of the 1960s animated television series The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. It is produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Rob Minkoff is the director, and Alex Schwartz and Denise Nolan Cascino are the producers. Tiffany Ward, daughter of Jay Ward, one of the creators of the original series, is the executive producer. Mr. Peabody & Sherman features the voices of Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Ariel Winter, Stephen Colbert, and Leslie Mann. Mr. Peabody & Sherman is the first DreamWorks animated feature to feature characters from the Classic Media library since DreamWorks Animation's 2012 acquisition of Classic Media.

The movie has an interesting plot. The film features Mr. Peabody, a talking dog who is the smartest being in the world, and his adopted boy Sherman. On his first day of school, Sherman comes into conflict with another classmate named Penny Peterson. The adoption agency informs Peabody that they will reclaim Sherman if any more incidents occur at school. To complicate this issue, Peabody invites the Petersons over to "break the ice." After Sherman's misuse of their time traveling WABAC machine to impress Penny has disastrous and comical results, it is up to them to put things on track before the space-time continuum is irreparably destroyed.

The following are the Voice Cast: Ty Burrell as Mr. Peabody, a talking dog, business titan, inventor, scientist, Nobel laureate, gourmet, and two-time Olympic medalist; Max Charles as Sherman, Peabody's seven-year-old adopted boy; In the original series, Mr. Peabody is Sherman's owner; Ariel Winter as Penny Peterson, Mr. & Mrs. Peterson's daughter and Sherman's classmate; Stephen Colbert as Paul Peterson, Penny Peterson's father and Patty's husband; Leslie Mann as Patty Peterson, Paul's wife and Penny's mother; Allison Janney as Mrs. Grunion, a school counselor; Stephen Tobolowsky as Principal Purdy; Mel Brooks as Sigmund Freud; Stanley Tucci as Leonardo da Vinci; Patrick Warburton as King Agamemnon; Lake Bell as Mona Lisa; Zach Callison as King Tut; Lauri Fraser as Marie Antoinette; Guillaume Aretos as Maximilien de Robespierre and Dennis Haysbert as Chairman.

Anuradha

Anuradha is a Bollywood film directed by Raju Mavani starring Disha Chaudhary, Sachin Khedekar, Manoj Joshi, Hrishitaa Bhatt, Smita Jaykar and Kishori Shahane. What's the movie about? Anuradha is the story of a girl who has many faces. She is a cultured daughter of her parents who brought her up that way. She is a model for her younger sister. She is the favourite of the people of her town and she is clever. She loves her husband more than anybody else. She is the responsible daughter-in-law of her in-laws. She is a great friend. She has all the best characteristics and human qualities. In spite of all her super qualities, a section of the society looks at this innocent girl with their dirty eyes and thoughts and covert her life from heaven to hell. How this section of the society makes her life miserable is what the film depicts.

Music Director of this film is Farzan Faaiz. The singers are Kavita Krishnamurthy, Altamash Faridi, Rooprekha Bannerjee and Palak Muchhal. Lyricist is Faaiz Anwar.

Non-Stop

Non-Stop is a 2014 French–American action thriller film starring Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Michelle Dockery, Anson Mount, Lupita Nyong'o and Scoot McNairy. It is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. This is the first film to be distributed by Universal Pictures.

The film takes place on an international flight from New York to London. During the flight, U.S. federal air marshal Bill Marks (Liam Neeson) receives a series of threatening text messages, stating that a passenger will be killed every 20 minutes unless $150 million is transferred into a secret bank account. When the bank account is discovered to be under Marks' name and a bomb is found aboard the plane, Marks is branded as a hijacker.

Dallas Buyers Club

Dallas Buyers Club is a 2013 American biographical drama film, directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and scripted by Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack. Matthew McConaughey stars as AIDS patient Ron Woodroof, who smuggled unapproved pharmaceutical drugs into Texas when he found them effective at improving his symptoms, distributing them to fellow sufferers by establishing the eponymous "Dallas Buyers Club" whilst facing opposition from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Dallas Buyers Club tells the true-ish story of Ron Woodroof, who became an outlaw to get the drugs he and his AIDS-afflicted peers needed. In the film, his sexuality is aggressively heterosexual. We're introduced to him engaged in a threesome, and cheesecake photos of women are an ever-present part of his Buyer's Club office. This is the first sign of trouble in Dallas Buyers Club. The screenwriters Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack make their protagonist straight, but also they opted to make him a homophobic man's man who hurls slurs and is physically repulsed but the gay community he deals to.

Faced with the commonality of his struggle with the LGBT community, he'd realize he's not so different, and his prejudices and bigotry would melt away! But that's not what happens in the film. The gay community is more set dressing than an essential or ingrained part of the film. Serving as backdrop, it severely downplays the fact that the AIDS crisis predominantly impacted gay men at the time. Nonetheless, Ron rebuffs any inclusion in the community, and even profits off it for most of the narrative, selling drugs they need to live and buying flashy clothes and cars in exchange. His closest connection to the queer community is his tumultuous friendship with the trans woman Rayon, a character he regularly calls "idiot."

Rayon was born a man, but clearly identifies as female. She favors women's clothes, make-up and jewelry to identify her gender. She mentions a hope to get breast implants. Yet no one in the film - even her so-called friends - gives her the respect or courtesy to address her with female pronouns. Even after Rayon's death, Dr. Eve (Jennifer Garner) bellows out, "He was my friend too!"

When they meet, both Ron and Rayon - regardless of sexual orientation - have risky lifestyles. Both use hard drugs, presumably engage in unprotected sex, and work in a field that risks their physical well-being, be it rodeo or prostitution. But once Ron starts chasing down medications, he cleans up his life: no drugs, sex only with other HIV-positive partners (women of course), and dedicatedly eating better. But Rayon still gets high and eats junk food, no matter how much Ron warns her. And she dies. The contrast suggests that she deserved it for not changing how she lived her life. 

Most of the pictures in Dinesh Kamath's Blog are clicked by Photo-Journalist of Newsband Ashok Dhamija with his sophisticated camera and by Editor of Newsband Dinesh Kamath with his mobile phone camera

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Democracy in India needs to be revived' that was published in Newsband

Democracy in India needs to be revived

India is supposed to be the world’s largest democracy. But are we a democracy only in name? Look at our Parliament. It today resembles a wrestling arena. India’s future is imperiled if its Parliament is imperiled.

One begins to wonder what the meaning of democracy is when one sees the proceedings and events in Parliament. How the people will have faith in the system? It is time to change the behavior of the politicians.

There is need to enforce discipline which is the blood and oxygen for Democracy that is in Intensive Care Unit inside and outside parliament.  There should be introspection and improvement in behavior of the legislators.

Healthy debates should replace frequent 'Dharnas'. One should evolve and observe a code of conduct for legislators. Besides, the Election Commission needs to ensure that the candidates with criminal background do not get their tickets. One should select and put forth candidates of character and competence.  

We need someone like T N Sheshan to revive democracy in our country. He was the man who could make right rules. We need people of steel to enforce these rules.

Parliament needs more security not just outside but also inside, otherwise the day is not far when a Member of Parliament will enter into house with ‘Revolver’ and excuse will be ‘Self Defense’ from fellow parliamentarian. If one sees the manner in which our Parliament functions today, it won’t be surprising if in the near future the houses of representatives will think of transparent bullet proof covering around their seats to shield them from the atrocities of their fellow representatives who came in through the so called democratic process which profusely permits goondas and hooligans.

The way in which the House proceedings went on during these five years conveys that our democracy is more in form than content. While the pepper spray was irritating to the eyes of those present in the House, the TV black out has shocked the whole nation. Where are we going from here?

If you really want to save parliament, speaker's post should be thrust on a right person. Any member who disrupts the house should be banned with immediate effect and he should not be allowed to complete five years.

Our parliamentarians should learn to behave like the British or American parliamentarians. The quality of parliament behavior cannot be ensured by creating strong disincentives only but by electing law makers who are not criminal law breakers.

Dinesh Kamath's cartoons based on 'Alooramji' that were published in Newsbnd

Dinesh Kamath's news 'ZEAL 2014 celebrated with great vigor and enthusiasm' that was published in Newsband

ZEAL 2014 celebrated with great vigor and enthusiasm

By Dinesh Kamath

Picture 1: The chief guest Mr Chandershekhar Shende, General Manager (HR), Bombay Dyeing & Mfg Company Ltd, who was the Chief Guest, General Manager (HR), Bombay Dyeing and Manufacturing Company Ltd, (in Center) along with the teaching faculties of BVIMED

Picture 2: Mr Chandershekhar Shende, delivering his inaugural speech from the dais of Zeal 2014

Picture 3: Mr Chandershekhar Shende inaugurating the sports events at Zeal 2014. Prof. (Dr.) Raman Kumar Saily, Dean, BVIMED clapping on the occasion.

Picture 4: The overall winner of the sports BVIMED team along with Prof. (Dr.) Vaishali Patil, Mr Chandershekhar Shende, and the faculty members of the BVIMED

Picture 5: Prof.(Dr.) Ram Kumar Saily felicitating Mr. Sriram Athri who conducted a live seminar on “Mind Management and Success” at Zeal 2014.

Picture 6: Dr. D. Y. Patil, Director BVIMSR honouring Mr Kamal Kumar, Associate Vice President, ThyssenKrupp Industries India, while Dr. Vaishali, Dr. Saily and Prof. Deshmukh clap

Picture 7: Dr. D. Y. Patil, Director BVIMSR appreciating the enthusiastic participation of students for Zeal 2014

Picture 8: Mr Kamal Kumar, Associate Vice President, ThyssenKrupp Industries India, interacting with the audience of the prize distribution function at Zeal 2014

NAVI MUMBAI: Bharati Vidyapeeth University is celebrating its Golden Jubilee in 2014. As a part of this celebration, the students of Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship Development, Navi Mumbai celebrated the Annual Fest “Zeal 2014” with great vigor and enthusiasm. The event started with the inauguration on 13 February at the hands of Director, Dr. D. Y. Patil and Mr Chandershekhar Shende, General Manager (HR), Bombay Dyeing & Mfg Company Ltd, who was the Chief Guest.

It was a three day event intracollegiate event organized from 13 to 15 February 2014. The students organized various Academic, Cultural and Sports competitions like Debate, Ad Mad Show, Business Quiz, Decision Analysis, Rangoli and Mehndi Competition, Nail Art, Hairstyling, Cricket, Volleyball. There was active participation from all the students in all the competitions. To encourage girls’ participation in sports, competitions like Throw Ball and Box Cricket were also organized.

On 15 February, a seminar was organized for the students by Mr. Sriram Athri on “Mind Management and Success” which was very effective. “We learnt Teambuilding Skills, Management Skills and Organization Skills through this event,” says Rohit Verma who worked hard as a Volunteer for this event. Dr R. K. Saily, Dean, BVIMED commended the rich contribution of students in making this students’ driven event a grand success under the stewardship of Prof Ritu Goswami and Prof Kawaljit Deshmukh, the event conveners.

 On 15 February, the event ended successfully with Variety Entertainment Program and prize distribution at the hands of Mr Kamal Kumar, Associate Vice President, ThyssenKrupp Industries India. This event served as a platform for the students to showcase their talent and celebrate the spirit of the joy of togetherness mixed with fun.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Make cricket free of corruption' that was published in Newsband

Make cricket free of corruption

Justice Mudgal committee has come up with a report relating to cricket. From the report it is clear that there is need for thorough clean-up of cricket in the country. The report says that Gurunath Meiyappan was not the owner of Chenai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League but just an enthusiastic follower of the team. The report describes him as a team official.  The report accuses him of having indulged in betting and passing on information. The report recommends further investigation into allegations of betting and spot fixing against Raj Kundra of Rajasthan Royals.

But the committee’s third member, Nilay Dutta, does not accept the allegation of betting against Mr. Meiyappan. During the days of test cricket in the past there was never a need to appoint committee to probe into the cases relating to corruptions of test cricketers. The new form of cricket has given birth to these corruptions. But one can’t jump to the conclusion that the new forms of cricket that have come up today are worse than the test cricket that we had in the past. 

IPL has done a lot of good to cricketers and the cricket fans. The Twenty Twenty format has made the game more exciting like football or hockey. No wonder it is called ‘Cricketainment’. A sport without entertainment cannot be called a sport. Test cricket in the past used to be a boring affair. Cricket has been converted into a very exciting sport today considering the ‘Carnival’ kind of atmosphere that gets generated in an IPL game with excitingly dressed dancing Cheerleaders also getting equal TV coverage along with Fast Paced, 'Sixers' Based and 'Sixers' Packed cricket with bowlers getting mercilessly punished on grounds with shortened boundaries and with new rules and restrictions on field placements. Financially too it has done such wonders for professional cricketers.

The negative side of this new form of cricket is that it has become a money game and with such high stakes involved, it has led to corruption.

Cricket is a game that was introduced to the World by the British. Test cricket was their idea. But non-English cricketers should be given the credit for introducing today such exciting forms of cricket instead of the boring test cricket matches that we used to have in the past.  

It is true that certain steps are needed to break the nexus of money making in the name of cricket. The investigation by Mudgal Committee clearly laid down the curtain from the dark side of Indian cricket. This money game is loosing its moral and ethical norms. Players, senior officials and others are indulging in the conspiracy. On the basis of Mudgal report, Apex court should take an initiative for a proper vigilance of IPL as well as other format of this game. A strong action is needed against the perpetrators.

After all, a sport should be a sport only. Cricket in India is no longer a sport. With underworld links it represents an aberration which should be removed.

Dinesh Kamath's news 'Inorbit Malls presents Karaoke Night' that was published in Newsband

Inorbit Malls presents Karaoke Night

By Dinesh Kamath

Picture of Inorbit Mall, Vashi

Here is a chance for you to shed off your boring routine and get in groove with Sunday night special Karaoke brought to you by Inorbit Malls. Set a high note with the best music in town and get going with the live band and karaoke evening at Inorbit Mall, Vashi.

Heavy dose of live music and interactive entertainment will woo the audience and fill the evening with power packed performances on 23 February, 2014 (Sunday) at Inorbit Mall, Vashi.

Thus Inorbit Malls, which is a group company of the K. Raheja Corp, is living up to its objective to not just create physical structures but also to influence lifestyles. Inorbit Malls, committed to setting benchmarks in retailing in India, provides an excellent walk through experience for customers. Inorbit Malls combine the knowledge of the Indian Consumer and a changing Indian market scenario in locating, designing, planning and managing retail environments.

Inorbit Malls which began their journey in early 2004 in Mumbai, has one of its world class malls in Vashi - Navi Mumbai. The mall has universal class and appeal and seeks to provide a one-stop destination for fashion, lifestyle, food, and entertainment leading to an international experience.  

Dinesh Kamath's news 'Inorbit Mall organizes Cancer Awareness Program' that was published in Newsband

Inorbit Mall organizes Cancer Awareness Program

By Dinesh Kamath

VASHI: Five Lakh people die every year because of Cancer and with an aim to achieve zero deaths. Inorbit Malls in association with Care Assure Foundation is conducting a cancer awareness campaign at the mall premises.

Under its initiative Inorbit Connect, the campaign by Inorbit Malls will educate people on holding strong zeal against the dreaded diseases like cancer; through news bulletins and patients leaflets. It will highlight about problems of millions of cancer patients who still require support and consideration from society. This educative drive will also talk about how cancer disease is curable if detected at early stage and make people aware on its symptoms.

One can bring about a major difference with the little contribution by one’s presence at Inorbit Mall, Vashi. The campaign began on 21 February and will continue till 22 February 2014. 

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Why Americans prefer Modi and not Kejriwal?' that was published in Newsband

Why Americans prefer Modi and not Kejriwal?

The U.S. has ended the boycott of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. But its 2005 decision to refuse him a visa remains unchanged. Modi’s then existing tourist/business visa was revoked under sections of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act that make any foreign government official who was “responsible for or directly carried out, at any time, particularly severe violations of religious freedom” ineligible for a visa; his then proposed travel plan to the U.S. was declared “not for a purpose that qualified for a diplomatic visa”.  It is clear that if Washington needs to reverse its stand on the visa question, it will do that too.

Modi has been absolved by an investigation team of any direct role in the Gujarat riots in which more than 1,000 people, mainly Muslims, were killed; the clean chit has been accepted by a trial court. That could be one of the reasons why America has chosen to support him.  

Another reason for the US offering an olive branch to Modi could be because there is a big rich Indian group including the Friends of BJP whose support the Democrats want. These groups have in the past supported the Republicans.

The United States feels that it has to appease Modi as he is viewed by many Indians as the most competent prospective helmsman of India. Americans are well known for their deft moves in the arena of International politics. The move comes only on the expected lines as now it is palpable that this man has the nearest possibility of forming next Government in the Union. Also, the United States cannot afford to strain its engagement with India in the near future to sustain its hegemony in the South Asian region given the robust economic advancement of China

Modi had addressed in one of the public meeting, in response to denial of visa to America, “Americans denied my visa to America today but I will create 1000 Americas in Gujarat so that Americans will visit Gujarat”. This statement by Modi must have impressed the Americans. Americans are smart enough to recognize merit and necessity across the globe, and it is not exception in the case of Narendra Modi.

Some compare the US engagement with Taliban or Muslim Brotherhood in the same line with Modi. Do the Americans view Bharatiya Janata Party as a Hindu organization comparable with those Muslim communal groups?

One question that arises is why Americans don’t prefer to support Arvind Kejriwal in his pursuit to occupy the Prime Minister’s seat just to eliminate corruption from the soil of India? If Americans are really concerned about the entire Indians then they would appreciate the mission of completely wiping off corruption that Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party strongly believe in. If Americans had the interest of majority Indians in mind they would have supported Kejriwal. But if they have their own selfish interest in mind, then supporting Modi is the right stand that they have taken.  

Dinesh Kamath’s column ‘New movie releases in Navi Mumbai’ (Darr @ the Mall, Battle of the Damned, Gang of Ghosts, Monuments Men, Highway, Pompeii and Dee Saturday Night) that was published in Newsband

New movie releases in Navi Mumbai

By Dinesh Kamath

Darr @ the Mall

Darr @ the Mall is a horror film directed by Ragini MMS fame director Pavan Kirpalani. The film features Jimmy Shergill and Nushrat Bharucha in the lead roles. The film revolves around Jimmy Shergill who plays the role of a security guard of the mall. The film is presented and produced by Multi Screen Media (MSM) and Contiloe Entertainment.

The movie has an interesting story. Asia's largest mall is ready for inauguration, although there's a myth surrounding the mall. Over the period of its construction people have started labeling it as Haunted Mall. The legend has it that the mall is haunted with the presence of a 'chudail'. Some say it’s a typical white saree white hair ghost, others say it's a woman with overturned feet. The fact is no one has seen her personally. Yet the fear is unquestionable.

On the opening eve the owner of the mall, Mr. Manchanda calls a press conference and to dispel the fears announces that he would spend a night at the Mall with the board of directors. The news is flashed around town. Manchanda and his cronies step into the Mall to spend a night and this to Manchanda is a big business strategy. Manchanda and group are not the only ones to be inside the Mall this night. Manchanda’s daughter Ahana and her junky friends make their way inside, as does 24 year old Vishnu, the chief of security at the Mall who has a past that haunts him.

Facts come clear only by the end when circumstances throw Vishnu, Manchanda and Ahana together. Their stories connect and lead to a mysterious past. The Mall is a spine chilling tale of one night and an encounter with the past.

The music has been composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, the lyrics are penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya, background score has been given by Ranjit Barot and the lead vocal singers are Shreya Ghoshal, Neeti Mohan, Aditi Singh Sharma and Sharmistha Chatterjee. The film has songs like Chaahatein sung by Sharmishta Chatterjee, Darr Theme by Ranjit Barot, Pinacolada Remix by Aditi Singh Sharma and Neeti Mohan, Pinacolada by Aditi Singh Sharma and Neeti Mohan and Tera Reham by Shreya Ghoshal.

Battle of the Damned

Battle of the Damned is a 2013 American action, sci-fi film directed by Christopher Hatton, and starring Dolph Lundgren. Following a deadly viral outbreak, private soldier Max Gatling (Lundgren) leads a handful of survivors and a team of robots in a fight against an army of the dead.

This time Lundgren is up against virus-infected human zombies, 'Eaters' as we call them. Max is sent into an infected, abandoned city to find the daughter of a rich industrialist. He gets more than he bargained for. He then enlists some kick-ass, run-away robots to help him in the battle.

In various South-East Asian countries, different corporations are able to work on projects that their home countries would frown upon. At some point in the near future one such project is accidentally released during its production; a lethal pathogen that basically turns people into zombies. This region of the Earth is cut off from the rest of the world.

Aside from the occasional military unit dropping in for a mission from time to time there is no contact with any possible survivors. Max Gatling, played by Dolph Lundgren, is one soldier dropped into “Hell” with his unit on a random mission. After his team leaves, Max must fight his way through the infected hordes and save the kid of the head of the corporation responsible for the virus. In other words, he’s the only man for the job and he has to save the President’s daughter and also the robots.

Gang of Ghosts

Gang of Ghosts is a Hindi paranormal comedy film, produced by Venus Records & Tapes Pvt Ltd and The Satish Kaushik Entertainment, directed by well known Actor/Director Satish Kaushik. It is a remake of Bengali film Bhooter Bhabishyat.

The film has an interesting plot. The story is about a haunted house which is being pulled down and being replaced with a swanky shopping mall. Apparently, the ghosts who belong to different era consider this as their home so what happens later on shapes the rest of the story.

The grand old mansions and mills of South Mumbai are being razed to the ground to make way for swanky condominiums, malls and Multiplexes. Some of these dilapidated disputed buildings were haunted by Ghosts who had taken shelter there over centuries. They were evicted and are homeless today. There is no rehabilitation package on offer. Politicians, media, intellectuals, civic society - no one gives a dam to them. After all, Ghosts can't vote.

Royal Mansion is one such heritage property which is rented out for film shoots to facilitate its maintenance. A heroine faints during a shooting allegedly sighting Ghost in a mirror. A filmmaker on a reconnaissance trip to the building gets to hear of a spooky story revolving around the house. But is it just a tall tale or is there a twist in the 'tail'?

The film has song and dance, drama, romance, action and even an item number. It has all the filmi masala as well as some food for thought.

The actors of the film are Sharman Joshi as writer, Mahi Gill as Manoranjana Kumari, Anupam Kher as Gendamal, Parambrata Chatterjee as director, Meera Chopra as a rich girl, J. Brandon Hill as Mr Ramsey, Rajesh Khattar as builder, Saurabh Shukla as Bengali, Rajpal Yadav as cook, Yashpal Sharma as Brigadier, Vijay Verma as musician, Chunky Pandey, Jackie Shroff as Don, Asrani as Atmaram and Paoli Dam and Aniruddh Dave in guest appearance.

Monuments Men

The Monuments Men is a 2014 American-German war film directed by George Clooney, written and produced by Clooney and Grant Heslov, and starring Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville, and Cate Blanchett. Based on the non-fiction book, The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History, by Robert M. Edsel, the film follows an allied group, the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program, tasked with finding and saving pieces of art and other culturally important items before their destruction by Hitler during World War II.

The premise is promising: a ragtag team of misfits from Europe and America, united by a shared love of art, sent into the field of battle to stop the Nazis plundering and/or destroying the fruits of human culture – paintings, books, sculptures, icons etc. The message is clear – fight people and they fight back; destroy their culture and they cease to exist

Highway

Highway is a 2014 Bollywood drama film directed by Imtiaz Ali and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. It stars Randeep Hooda and Alia Bhatt in the lead roles. The film has Randeep Hooda as Mahabir Bhati and Alia Bhatt as Veera Tripathi.

The film has an interesting story. A city girl (played by Alia Bhatt) – young, full of life – is on the highway at night with her fiancé. They are about to get married in four days. Suddenly, her life is swung away from the brocade and jewellery of marriage to the harsh brutality of abduction. Her life will never be the same again.

 The same night, the gang is in panic. The girl is a big industrialist’s daughter. His links in the corridors of power make ransom out of the question. They are doomed. But the leader of this group is adamant. For him sending her back is not an option. He will do whatever it takes to see this through. But as the days pass by, the scenery changes, the light changes, the sun sets and rises and the air changes, she feels that she has changed as well.

Gradually, a strange bond begins to develop between the victim and the oppressor. It is in this captivity that she, for the first time, feels free. She does not want to go back but she also doesn't want to reach where he is taking her. She wishes this journey to never end. Maybe the Highway will not really change her. Maybe this feeling is just a passing phase. Maybe not. In the end, Alia is fabulous!

Pompeii

Pompeii (referred to by marketing as Pompeii in 3D) is an American disaster-adventure film produced and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. The film stars Kit Harington, Emily Browning, Carrie-Anne Moss, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jessica Lucas, with Jared Harris, and Kiefer Sutherland.

The film has an interesting plot. Set in the Roman city of Pompeii in the year AD 79, Milo (Kit Harington) is a slave turned invincible gladiator who finds himself in a race against time to save his true love Cassia (Emily Browning), the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant who has been unwillingly betrothed to the corrupt Roman Senator Corvis (Kiefer Sutherland). As Mount Vesuvius erupts, Milo must fight his way out of the arena in order to save his beloved as the once magnificent Pompeii crumbles around him.

The film has Kit Harington as Milo, a slave who became a gladiator, Emily Browning as Cassia, Kiefer Sutherland as Senator Corvis, Jared Harris as Lucretius, Jessica Lucas as Ariadne, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Bridgageous, Carrie-Anne Moss as Cassia's mother, Paz Vega as Flavia and Joe Pingue as Graecus.

Dee Saturday Night

Dee Saturday Night is a 2014 Indian Hindi film directed by Jay Prakash. It stars Prashant Narayanan, Arif Zakaria, Aman Verma, Amit Dimri, Mahi Khanduri, Gaurav Dixit, Mushtaq Khan, Vishwajeet Pradhan and Nazneen Patel. Dee Saturday Night is about rave parties.

The film has an interesting plot. Dee Saturday Night is about the dark side of life in Mumbai full of parties, drugs and sex. Controversial cop Vasant Dhoble is back in the limelight, only this time the Mumbai ACP has not raided some restaurant or pub armed with cameras, but inspired 'Dee Saturday Night', a Bollywood flick centred on his character! It is clear that the theme of the film connects to Dhoble's character.

The film has songs like Ishq Ki Aag, Jhatak Ke Nacho, Saturday Night, Dagabaz Hai Yeh Waqt and Nasha Sar Pe Chadke Bole.

Videos: Dinesh Kamath - A Popular Journalist and Blogger (A Biopic in 9 parts)

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Dinesh Kamath's news 'D Y Patil Univeristy Department of Business Management launches MBA in Aviation Management' that was published in Newsband

D Y Patil Univeristy Department of Business Management launches MBA in Aviation Management

By Dinesh Kamath

NAVI MUMBAI: The D Y Patil University Department of Business Management (DYPDBM) has recently launched a new program the MBA in Aviation Management in association with the airline industry. The MBA program is a two year full time program.

Dr. R. Gopal, Director, Dean and Head of the Department of Dr. D. Y. Patil University’s Department of Business Management, said, “The department has this year launched a new industry oriented program -- the MBA in Aviation Management Program. The program is UNIQUE and there does not seem to be any such programs in the country. The program aims at providing the airline sector with professionals trained in the aviation field. The job opportunities in this field are quite huge and well paying. By 2015, many new airlines, airport construction companies, airline software companies are likely to take off.

The discussions with the airline industry panel have all appreciated this program and some of them have promised to take these students at the end of the 2 year MBA program.”

With the recent growth in the airline industries and new airlines e.g. Jet-Ethihad Airways, Tata Singapore Airlines, Air Asia etc entering the Indian airfield, there is a need for a large number of professionals in addition to the need for large number of pilots and cabin crew personnel. Several aviation consultants like KPMG, Ernst and Young are also entering the field in a big way. Tata Honeywell, Mahindra Aerospace, IBM, Infosys, WIPRO, Kale Consultants HCL are some of the big names in this industry.  Additionally with the construction of new airports big and small all over the country and globally, international airport construction giants like Airport Authorities of India, Reliance Industries, GVK, GMR KIAL are gearing up to meet the challenges of this industry. Consequently, the demand for professionals in aviation management is only increasing. Further as can be seen Passenger and Cargo traffic has been increasing steadily in leaps and bounds. Domestic Passenger output increased from 73 million passengers in 2006 to 160 million passengers in 2012 and is likely to increase to 337 million passengers in the next 5 to 6 years. There is an almost double digit growth in the passenger and cargo traffic.

Job opportunities excluding pilots and cabin crew are aplenty. Most of these job opportunities are in the area of ground handling, software development, consultancy services, airport construction and management services etc.

Dr. Ajeenkya D.Y. Patil, Chairman of the D.Y. Patil Group said, “Department of Business Management is today a force to reckon with in the Management field. They are the pioneers in introducing new and industry oriented program in consultation with the various industry experts.”

Dr. R. Gopal, the Director of the Department said, “The department is in discussion with the various experts and the various aviation industries so as to bridge the needs of the aviation industry and the educational institutions. Additionally, discussions are being held in relation to guest lectures, summer placements and final placements. Many aviation organizations have already committed to absorb our students at the end of the two year period.”

The course is piloted by Captain Shashi Koppikar, a veteran in the airline industry with around 45 years experience.