Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Should torture be banned?' that was published in Newsband

Should torture be banned?

Prohibiting torture is both moral and a necessity. The Union government is seriously considering about passing a law to prevent torture and punish its perpetrators. There can be no reason to further delay legislative measures to eliminate all forms of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading forms of treatment.

India has made many requests for extradition of offenders from other countries, and the absence of an anti-torture law may prevent these countries from acceding to India’s requests. Conditions in India’s prisons are bad, the chronic problem being over-crowding. Domestic law against torture will not only be in the national interest but also have positive implications for the protection of human rights. Custodial violence continues to be prevalent in the country. There should be a law for punishing public servants who inflict torture and that just compensation be paid to victims.

Custodial torture should be eliminated so as to allow free and fair trial of a case in any court and allowing more protection to the witnesses. But there are many people who are against the idea of eliminating torture. According to them, if the police's hands are tied and they can only request the agitators to clear the way, nothing is going to happen but if they wield their lathis then within 10 minutes the road is cleared.

There is another angle to the issue of custodial torture. We find most of the (murder) cases failing at the court for want of proof, witness, evidence etc etc. We often boo at the lack of seriousness of the police. If there is further compulsion for the police to follow restraint while investigation, one wonders how to find out the culprit. Shall we smoothly ask the accused if he has committed the heinous murder and let him off if he says he didn't? Of course there are limits and aberrations. Police men are also human beings. Instead of a dressing down in public they might better be counselled within their own department to use alternative methods to elicit facts from the accused.

To begin with we can have CCTV cameras installed in all police stations and police vans. Custodial interrogation leading to death in multiple cases has been in the limelight since ages and it should be done with, for common good. Foreign nations stating 'absence of no effective system of protection from torture in the receiving state' is a serious allegation and should be looked into as a priority. Also, it’s not a hidden fact that the India’s prisons are over-crowded, and if this is one of the reasons for the country’s extradition requests failure, so isn't it something the administration should look into? Like maybe, working on rehabilitation of prisoners, working on awareness against crimes on a larger scale, etc. Quick and speedy justice and implementation of more such stringent laws in all the required areas can be taken into task.

Custodial tortures are common feature of Indian system of punishment. Many innocents are incarcerated and tortured without any crime being committed. Hence, the legal system should be reformed and unnecessary tortures must be outlawed at the earliest.

Dinesh Kamath’s column ‘New movies released in Navi Mumbai’ (Tera Intezaar, Firangi, Ajji, Amityville: The Awakening and Wonder) that was published in Newsband

New movies released in Navi Mumbai

By Dinesh Kamath

Tera Intezaar

Tera Intezaar (English: Waiting for you) is a 2017 Bollywood musical romantic film, directed by Raajeev Walia and produced by Aman Mehta and Bijal Mehta. The film stars Arbaaz Khan and Sunny Leone in lead roles.

The film's plot seems simple - Arbaaz's character paints the woman of his dreams and that's the character of Sunny Leone. They both fall head over heels in love but Sunny’s past catches up with her, which makes it a lethal deal for Arbaaz, who goes missing. Sunny Leone is adamant to find the love of her life only to discover all this is not as it seems. Will true love find its way? The film appears to be a Sunny show all the way. It also features a dance number, where she dances "like a Barbie doll". Between a painting that paints itself and a car which suddenly breaks down after all four tires burst at the same time, you get the sense of some paranormal activity. Khan is nowhere to be found while his lady is dealing with abusive men, which makes you wonder — Is he responsible for the notoriety?

The film has Arbaaz Khan, Sunny Leone, Arya Babbar, Sudha Chandran, Salil Ankola, Hanif Noyda, Richa Sharma, Bhani Singh and Gowhar Khan.

The music of the film is composed by Raaj Aashoo while the lyrics have been penned by Shabbir Ahmed. The film has songs like "Intezaar" (Title Song), "Barbie Girl" , "Khali Khali Dil", "Mehfooz", "Abhagi Piya Ki", "Abhagi Piya Ki" (Version 2), "Mehfooz" (Reprise) and "Mehfooz" (Version 2).

Firangi

Firangi (English: Foreigner) is an Indian Hindi-language period action-comedy drama film set in the year 1920. It is directed by Rajiev Dhingra. The film stars Kapil Sharma, who is also the producer, along with Ishita Dutta and Monica Gill. The film was shot primarily in Punjab and Rajasthan.

In 1920 during India's freedom movement, one man firmly believes the British are not as bad as everyone believes. Set during the British Raj in India, the colonising Englishmen are demonised with glee, the Indian kings are shown as selfish, soulless beings, and the poor villagers are simpletons. But there’s a rustic charm to the comedy as this film dwells on an isolated incident that unites gullible villagers against the cruel colonisers, and not a snapshot of the Independence struggle or the bloodbath ensues. Sharma plays the simpleton Manga who falls in love with Sargi (Ishita Dutta). It’s love at first sight for Manga, but it isn’t their tender romance that keeps us hooked. The second half, which is filled with a mad bunch of villagers trying to outwit the evil royalty and an Englishman, are the best parts about the drama. Sharma should ideally stick to comedy — his mushy Romeo turn feels contrived. Dutta, the village belle who captures his fancy plays Sargi, is in a forgettable role. She’s on call to look like a hapless damsel. But the same cannot be said for Kumud Mishra, who plays the greedy, lustful king Raja Inderveer Singh, or Rajesh Sharma who plays Sargi’s father. They manage to bring some zest into the period comedy. Raja Inderveer Singh colludes with an English government official to uproot a village and build a liquor factory in its place. He even pawns his posh Oxford-educated daughter, played by Monica Gill, off to the Englishman for better profits. Manga — who is known as the miracle man because he can heal people’s back problems with a kick on their backside — gets unwittingly involved in their modus operandi. The next thing you know Sharma is taking charge and outwitting the English and the villains with a combination of buffoonery and sharp-wittedness. The climax is long-drawn but enjoyable.

The film has Kapil Sharma as Manga, Ishita Dutta as Sargi, Monica Gill as Princess Shyamali Devi, Edward Sonnenblick as Mark Daniel, Kumud Mishra as Raja Inderveer Singh, Neeta Mohindra as Maharani, Rajesh Sharma, Inaamulhaq, Aanjjan Srivastav as Lala Ji, Jameel Khan, Vishal O Sharma, Maryam Zakaria, Roshni Walia and Naisha Khanna.

All music is composed by Jatinder Shah. The film has songs like "Oye Firangi", "Sajna Sohne Jiha", "Sahiba Russ Gayiya", "Tu Jit Jawna", "Gulbadan" and "Sahiba" (Male Unplugged).

Ajji

Ajji (English: Granny) is an Indian Hindi language drama film directed by Devashish Makhija. The film stars Sushama Deshpande, Sharvani Suryavanshi, Sadiya Siddiqui, Manuj Sharma, Sudhir Pandey, Kiran Khoje, and Smita Tambe in major roles. "Ajji" has been positioned as a dark take on the classic fairy tale, "Red Riding Hood". The film is backed by Yoodlee Films, a production venture of Saregama.

Little Manda is found raped and dumped in a trash heap in her slum. Her parents are more concerned with survival than dignity and want to forget and move on. The cops are powerless to help as the rapist is a local politician's son. But Manda's grandmother Ajji cannot accept the injustice of it all. Can a frail, arthritic and powerless old woman grapple with the big bad wolf? Is there still hope for justice in a cruel world? Can anything act as a deterrent to rape? Ajji is a parable of our times. There are no easy answers.

The film has Sushama Deshpande as Ajji, Sharvani Suryavanshi as Manda, Sadiya Siddiqui as Leela, Smita Tambe as Vibha, Abhishek Banerjee as Vilasrao Dhavle, Vikas Kumar as Dastur, Sudhir Pandey as Sharafat, Kiran Khoje as Dhavle's wife, Manuj Sharma as Umya, Shrikant Yadav as Dhavle Senior, Trimala Adhikari as Dolly, Pooja Chauhan as Female customer in salwarat at Sharafat shop, Kamod Kharade as Gawli, Shreyas Pandit as Milind and Juhi Nair as Female customer in burqa at Sharafat shop.

The music of the film has been given by Mangesh Dhakde with Kaamod Kharade working as sound designer and Aditya Yadav as sound editor.

Amityville: The Awakening

Amityville: The Awakening is a 2017 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Franck Khalfoun, and starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bella Thorne, Cameron Monaghan, Thomas Mann, and Kurtwood Smith. It is the tenth installment of the main Amityville film series and a metafilm taking place in the "real world" outside of the continuity of the series which establishes The Amityville Horror (1979), the sequels from 1982 to 1996, and the 2005 remake of the original film as fiction. Its plot follows a teenager who moves into 112 Ocean Avenue with her family, who shortly find themselves haunted by a demonic entity using her brain-dead twin brother's body as a vessel.

When some footage dating back to 1976 is discovered, the case of the haunted house in Amityville is reopened. An ambitious woman who is working as a television news intern seizes the opportunity to advance her career and is soon leading a team of journalists, clergymen, and paranormal researchers into the house, but she may have unwittingly opened a door to the unreal that she will never be able to close.

The film has Bella Thorne as Belle Walker, Cameron Monaghan as James Walker, Jennifer Jason Leigh as Joan Walker, Mckenna Grace as Juliet Walker, Thomas Mann as Terrence, Taylor Spreitler as Marissa, Jennifer Morrison as Candice and Kurtwood Smith as Dr. Milton.

Wonder

Wonder is a 2017 American drama film directed by Stephen Chbosky and written by Jack Thorne, Steve Conrad, and Chbosky, based on the 2012 novel of the same name by R.J. Palacio. The film stars Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, and Jacob Tremblay, and follows a child with Treacher Collins syndrome trying to fit in.

Born with facial differences that, up until now, have prevented him from going to a mainstream school, Auggie Pullman (Jacob Tremblay) becomes the most unlikely of heroes when he enters the local fifth grade. As his family, his new classmates, and the larger community all struggle to find their compassion and acceptance, Auggie's extraordinary journey will unite them all and prove you can't blend in when you were born to stand out.

The film has Julia Roberts as Isabel Pullman, Auggie’s mother and Nate’s wife, Owen Wilson as Nate Pullman, Auggie’s father and Isabel’s husband, Jacob Tremblay as August "Auggie" Pullman, Isabel and Nate’s son who was born with Treacher Collins syndrome, Izabela Vidovic as Olivia "Via" Pullman, Auggie’s sister, Mandy Patinkin as Mr. Tushman, Daveed Diggs as Mr. Browne, an English teacher at the school and Auggie’s home room teacher, Noah Jupe as Jack Will, Auggie’s best friend at school, Danielle Rose Russell as Miranda, Via's best friend, Nadji Jeter as Justin, Via's boyfriend, Millie Davis as Summer, Auggie's friend, Ali Liebert as Ms. Petosa, Auggie's science teacher, Elle McKinnon as Charlotte, Bryce Gheisar as Julian, the school bully and main antagonist, James Hughes as Henry, Ty Consiglio as Amos, Kyle Harrison Breitkopf as Miles, Crystal Lowe as Julian's mother, Sonia Braga as Mrs. Russo, Isabel's mother, Laura Mozgovaya as Julian's sister and Gidget as Daisy, Auggie's dog.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Everyone should have the right to Internet' that was published in Newsband

Everyone should have the right to Internet

The principles of equality in cyberspace is right. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) must be congratulated for upholding this core principle. Access to internet remains non-discriminatory. In a highly digitised world, internet has become the basic infrastructure that advances the free speech rights of citizens. It offers equal opportunities to everyone. The consumers use internet to drive up their productivity and improve awareness.

Net neutrality is the pivotal concept which makes uniform usage of internet without differentiation for entity. But such flawless usage depends upon the fair play of the telecom operators who may show partiality between service utilisers. Inernet gives equal platform to every one regarding its usage. But the operators are with different marketing concept and they may differentiate. A monitoring agency is needed to do the job of watching the performance of operators in consonance with net neutrality.

TRAI wants ‘neutral’ Net to push free speech. Curbs on access can hamper innovation, growth. TRAI upheld the basic principles of Net neutrality, disallowing telecom operators from prioritising, throttling or blocking content on their networks. TSPs may exercise their ability to disadvantage/advantage certain content over others, which could potentially harm innovation and competition in the internet ecosystem, and the broader telecom sector.

Allowing the gatekeepers of the infrastructure to differentiate on the basis of content, would impose negative externalities on the rest of the network. This would have a direct impact on the health of the internet services sector as a whole internet use should be facilitated so that it advances the free speech rights of citizens, by ensuring diversity of views, opinions, and ideas.

The provision of any specialised services should be excluded from the principle of non-discrimination. These services will be decided by the government, but could cover online healthcare. Telecom operators may deploy reasonable traffic management practices to ensure they can use their network efficiently. Any such exceptions must conform with the basic requirements of reasonableness, and should be transparent. The Authority proposes to supplement its disclosure and transparency requirements by framing additional regulations.

Internet is an important platform, especially in the context of innovation, start-ups, online transactions, various government applications, and the ‘Digital India’ programme. It is important that the platform is kept open and free and not cannibalised. Internet for all is not negotiable

 Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the government will not allow any company to restrict entry of Indians into the worldwide web. He said that right of access is important and is not negotiable. The government plans to make six crore people in rural areas digitally literate under the PM’s digital literacy programme,

Under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan, one crore people in rural backward areas have already been made digitally literate, and another six crore will be trained in the next two years. India is trying to create an inclusive, safe and secure cyber space for sustainable development. The focus is on looking beyond mere digitisation to digital technologies as means to empower people.

As far as cyber diplomacy is concerned, in this new world order, collaboration and cooperation among nation States is entering a new phase. There is already recognition for such cooperation in areas such as cyber defence and security. However, rules of engagement relating to international concerns, including cyber warfare espionage and crime, need to be evolved.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'The Executive-Judiciary relationship' that was published in Newsband

The Executive-Judiciary relationship

Are there differences between the executive and the judiciary? Doesn’t judiciary trust the Prime Minister to make fair judicial appointments? Is there a need to maintain the balance of power between the executive and the judiciary? Is the Union government putting the judiciary on the defensive?

The Supreme Court’s 2015 verdict striking down the law creating the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) reveals the judiciary’s distrust in the Prime Minister and the Law Minister. Should the system in which judges appoint judges be brushed aside?  Is the present system flawed and does it lack transparency? Is there a need to have a better and more credible process in making judicial appointments?

It is best if both sides take a pragmatic view of the situation and sink their differences and come up with a mutually agreeable system of appointing judges. It is best to discontinue the colonial practice of appointing practising lawyers as judges in the lower judiciary subordinate to the High Courts. All appointments to levels below the High Court ought to be on the basis of an All-India level examination. As for appointments to the High Courts and the Supreme Court no candidate should be considered qualified unless he/she either has sufficient judicial experience at lower levels or has published excellent research work in philosophy or social science in addition to possessing a degree in law and adequate experience of teaching in a law school. Practicing law as a professional ought to be considered as a disqualification.

The Supreme Court, through the Collegium decision, has usurped a right that the Constitution did not grant to them, namely the power to decide who gets to be a HC/SC judge. The right to amend the Constitution is the unquestioned prerogative of Federal and state legislatures, acting as representatives of the people.

The best thing to do would be to find the best practices from other democratic countries with respect to judicial appointments. The biggest blockers for this issue are the ego of involved parties/organizations and the mistrust against each other based on their past experiences.

There must be transparent and impartial judicial system. But, it could be possible only through the interference of independent experts and practical thoughts of citizen. So, government should give such powers to their citizens for the selection of their respective judges.

It seems both judiciary and executive do not believe in the balance of power which drags the issue to an impasse.

Photograph of Editor Dinesh Kamath clicked by Sanjay Tayade

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Funds needed from developed countries to tackle global warming' that was published in Newsband

Funds needed from developed countries to tackle global warming

Bonn climate meet was a success. Alliances were formed for phasing out coal; putting up green buildings and accelerating eco-mobility. The developing countries stood as a solid bloc and forced the rich countries to disclose how much of funds they would transfer, and tell the world what they have done to combat global warming. All these mean satisfactory progress towards implementation of the Paris Agreement

The national actions require cross-border funding and technology flows. The US — the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter — is in the process of leaving the Paris pact, and China, the second biggest, while making a big show of shutting down coal plants on its soil, is building more elsewhere in the world.

The developed countries are singularly responsible for the climate mess. Developing countries need money and know-how for dealing with climatic effects. The next meeting at Katowice, Poland, is to finalise the “rulebook” for implementing the Paris accord. Bonn had little cheer for India.

Now, all the things to do under ‘dealing with climate change’ fall into three broad categories: mitigation, adaptation and loss & damage. Mitigation is all about limiting further rise in global temperature. This involves phasing out fossil fuels and shifting to renewables, electric vehicles, green buildings etc. Adaptation is about what to do to cope with the effects of climate change that are already upon us, or bracing ourselves for floods, droughts and diseases. Loss and damage (L&D) is about all the repair work that would need to be done after a certain climate event, say a hurricane, hits a place.

India is particularly vulnerable to climate risks. North India will be visited upon alternately by floods and droughts if the Himalayan glaciers melt (they are melting). South India is already experiencing the deleterious effects of erratic monsoons.

Guess how much the fund has given out in the ten years of its operations? $462 million. At Bonn, Germany contributed €50 million to the Fund — it is like offering a banana to a hungry elephant. The Green Climate Fund, set up in 2010 with target of making available $100 billion annually by 2020, has so far collected a corpus of $9.2 billion — cumulatively, in the last seven years. It has so far allocated a paltry $2.65 billion to 54 projects (including $35 million to a water project in Odisha.)

Arivudai Nambi Appadurai, who heads India Adaptation Strategy at World Resources Institute, notes that India, which has 121 highly climate-vulnerable agro-climatic zones, urgently needs to pay attention to adaptation. India has its own National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change with ₹531 crore from the Budget. Appadurai says that the demand is so high that the government cannot manage from its own resources. India needs to seek more multilateral funding from the developed world.

After being flat for three years, global carbon emissions from human activities are slated to grow 2 per cent to 41 billion tonnes this year. This is mainly because of increased emissions from China, which is witnessing a spurt in industrial growth. While carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel and industry in China are expected to rise about 3.5 per cent, after about two years of economic slowdown, India’s contribution to the atmospheric build-up would go up by nearly 2 per cent,

In the US and EU, on the other hand, emissions came down by 0.4 per cent and 0.2 per cent respectively. They grew 1.9 per cent in the rest of world.

Dinesh Kamath is Both a Screen Hero and Print Hero

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'A Cunning Election Strategy' that was published in Newsband

A Cunning Election Strategy

The producers of Padmavati have decided to ‘voluntarily’ defer its release. The conduct of politicians over the past few days has been cynical and deeply unmindful of the rule of law.

In February 1989, days after Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran had issued a fatwa against the novel The Satanic Verses, by Salman Rushdie, his book had already been banned in India in October 1988, Rushdie had then written to the then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi that his Government had become unable or unwilling to resist pressure from more or less any extremist religious grouping.

The current row over Padmavati is a similar case. A number of Chief Ministers across north India rail against the film and threaten to disallow its screening. Once again the governments are unwilling to resist pressure from extremist groups such as the Karni Sena.

The issue here is no longer Padmavati, its artistic merit or the factuality. What is of real concern is the spectacle of state functionaries ignoring their constitutional responsibility in upholding free expression

Threatening anyone is illegal and immoral too at least in our nation. If anyone has any problem with anyone else, they are free to file a petition in the courts. Why the call for bloodshed? And selective outrage has become a common phenomenon in our nation. There are people who would sit silently in their cozy rooms when a particular sect is insulted and would cry foul when some other religion faces something similar. Irony is, these people are known as 'Secular' which according to a common dictionary, should mean not favoring or siding with any religion. Bad times are these when a particular propaganda is spread even if it's a fallacy. Our history is quite rich, but what we know about it is nothing next to it.

We should move a level up. Why are we busy and so much retrogressive about such trivial things? Are Politicians keen only in these sorts of things when their plate is already full with a lot many sensible and much needed responsibilities? If this remains the case, when roads are dilapidated, children are malnourished and are not getting proper education, politicians should forget history and think only of PRESENT and the very responsibility which they have got. Switching to sensational and ill valued matters is just running away from responsibilities by the politicians.

The up-rise against Padmavati is clearly sponsored by BJP leadership at the top followed by the Yes Men CMs of BJP ruled States. It is a cunning election strategy to polarize voters in the name of false pride.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'A great honour for India' that was published in Newsband

A great honour for India

The election of Justice Dalveer Bhandari to the International Court of Justice for a second term is a big news for India. Justice Bhandari and Christopher Greenwood of the United Kingdom had a tough fight. For the first time, the U.K. will not have a judge on the ICJ. It is also the first time that a permanent member of the UNSC has lost at the ICJ on a vote.

The loss at the ICJ is being read as confirmation of the U.K.’s diminishing role in global affairs. Remember that UK is America’s inseparable and unquestioning junior partner.

India’s success was built primarily on the support of developing countries, among whom it has nurtured goodwill over the decades. For India, the takeaway is clear: to find a louder global voice. India should thank the world for its success in ICJ.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed gratitude to members of the United Nations General Assembly and the U.N. Security Council for “their support and trust in India”. He said the election process reflects respect for its constitutional integrity and independent judiciary.

The UN Security Council and the General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in support of India. Judge Dalveer Bhandari received all 15 votes in the UN Security Council and 183 out of the 193 votes in the UN General Assembly. The extraordinary support from the UN membership is reflective of the respect for strong constitutional integrity of the Indian polity and independence of the judiciary in India,

The re-election is also crucial as it ensures India’s continued influence at the ICJ where the Kulbhushan Jadhav case against Pakistan will come up next month.

The overwhelming majority is an indication of how much respect India commands in the international sphere. India's secular democratic image coupled with its respect for rule of law has yielded this result.

It seems, India, led by Modi has become an important country internationally, and majority countries around the world believe in India, and take it as a powerful country. The credit for India's victory should go to Modi, our permanent representative in the UNO, and external affair ministry. Lets hope, the opposition led by Congress do not find any fault in India's diplomatic victory over UK, and support to India by majority countries.

With Justice Dalveer Bhandari's re-election, this will be the first time in the 70-year history of the U.N. that the U.K. will not be on the world judicial body. One of the British Mr Rycroft displayed his sportsman spirit by saying, “We are naturally disappointed, but it was a competitive field with six strong candidates. If the U.K. could not win in this run-off, then we are pleased that it is a close friend like India that has done so instead. We will continue to cooperate closely with India, here in the United Nations and globally.”

This is a major victory for India. It is a mistake to equate a position of Judge in the International Court of Justice to being one of the five permanent members of the Security Council. The Seniority and Experience and the individuals personal integrity is the virtue on which they are elected. The position of permanent member of the Security Council is almost in India’s grasp but India does not merit the seat for very good reasons. India should have the Mind and Guts to step in into any problem in the neighbourhood and bring peace there, never mind who is at fault. India is having friction with both Pakistan and Sri Lanka and therefore it is impossible to act with justice in both those places without political interference and destabilisation from within the country.

All is well that ends well. Then this is what India had achieved now. But this glory should not be allowed to rest at this stage. In fact this success is to be treated as a stepping-stone for the next important and of course long pending move of getting a permanent membership in U.N. Security council with veto powers. The permanent members like China Russia U.S.A. UK and France should by the latest developments in U.N. body have now seen as to how the wind is blowing. Hereafter at least now these nations should realize that keeping India out is not justified anymore. The Government Of India should move faster.

Dinesh Kamath’s column ‘New movies released in Navi Mumbai’ (Tera Intezaar, Co Co, Julie – 2, Kadvi Kawa, The Forest, Thank You For Your Service and Murder On The Orient Express) that was published in Newsband

New movies released in Navi Mumbai

By Dinesh Kamath

Tera Intezaar

Tera Intezaar (English: Waiting for you) is a 2017 Bollywood musical romantic film, directed by Raajeev Walia and produced by Aman Mehta and Bijal Mehta. The film stars Arbaaz Khan and Sunny Leone in lead roles.

The film's plot seems simple - Arbaaz's character paints the woman of his dreams and that's the character of Sunny Leone. They both fall head over heels in love but Sunny’s past catches up with her, which makes it a lethal deal for Arbaaz, who goes missing. Sunny Leone is adamant to find the love of her life only to discover all this is not as it seems. Will true love find its way? The film appears to be a Sunny show all the way. It also features a dance number, where she dances "like a Barbie doll". Between a painting that paints itself and a car which suddenly breaks down after all four tires burst at the same time, you get the sense of some paranormal activity. Khan is nowhere to be found while his lady is dealing with abusive men, which makes you wonder — Is he responsible for the notoriety?

The film has Arbaaz Khan, Sunny Leone, Arya Babbar, Sudha Chandran, Salil Ankola, Hanif Noyda, Richa Sharma, Bhani Singh and Gowhar Khan.

The music of the film is composed by Raaj Aashoo while the lyrics have been penned by Shabbir Ahmed. The film has songs like "Intezaar" (Title Song), "Barbie Girl" , "Khali Khali Dil", "Mehfooz", "Abhagi Piya Ki", "Abhagi Piya Ki" (Version 2), "Mehfooz" (Reprise) and "Mehfooz" (Version 2).

Coco

Coco is a 2017 American 3D computer-animated musical fantasy adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Based on an original idea by Lee Unkrich, it is directed by Unkrich, and co-directed and co-written by Adrian Molina. The story follows a 12-year-old boy named Miguel who sets off a chain of events relating to a century-old mystery, leading to an extraordinary family reunion. The concept of the film is based on the Mexican holiday of Día de Muertos. The screenplay was penned by Adrian Molina and Matthew Aldrich, and the story by Unkrich, Molina, Jason Katz, and Aldrich. Pixar began developing animation in 2016. Unkrich and some of the film's crew members also visited Mexico for inspiration. Composer Michael Giacchino, who had worked on prior Pixar animated features, composed the score.

Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colourful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector (Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history.

The cast of the film: Anthony Gonzalez as Miguel Rivera, a 12-year-old aspiring musician. Gael García Bernal as Hector, a charming trickster in the Land of the Dead who must enlist Miguel's help to visit the Land of the Living. Benjamin Bratt as Ernesto de la Cruz, the most famous musician in the history of Mexico and Miguel's idol. Revered by fans worldwide until his untimely death, the charming and charismatic musician is even more beloved in the Land of the Dead. Antonio Sol provides de la Cruz's singing voice, except for "Remember Me". Renée Victor as Abuelita Elena, Miguel's grandmother who enforces the ban on music. Ana Ofelia Murguia as Mamá Coco, Miguel's great-grandmother. Alanna Ubach as Mamá Imelda, Miguel's great-great-grandmother. Jaime Camil as Papá Enrique, Miguel's father. Sofía Espinosa as Mamá Luisa, Miguel's mother. Selene Luna as Tía Rosita, Miguel's aunt. Alfonso Arau as Papá Julio, Miguel's great-grandfather. Edward James Olmos as Chicharrón, a friend of Hector's who is forgotten in the Land of the Dead. Luis Valdez as Tío Berto, Miguel's uncle. Herbert Siguenza and Taylor Cooper as Tío Felipe and Tío Oscar, Miguel's identical twin uncles. Dyana Ortellí as Tía Victoria, Miguel's aunt. Lombardo Boyar as a Mariachi Miguel meets in Santa Cecilia Plaza. Octavio Solis as the Arrival Agent Gabriel Iglesias as the Head Clerk. Cheech Marin as a Corrections Officer. Carla Medina as Departure Agent. Blanca Araceli as an Emcee. Natalia Cordova-Buckley as Frida Kahlo. Salvador Reyes as Security Guard. John Ratzenberger as Juan Ortodoncia.

 Julie – 2

Julie 2 is an Hindi thriller film written, co-produced and directed by Deepak Shivdasani and produced by Vijay Nair. It features Raai Laxmi in the lead role which marks her debut in Hindi cinema. This is the sequel to Shivdasani's earlier film Julie (2004). Viju Shah composes the film's score and soundtrack while Sameer Reddy handles the cinematography.

A simple girl rises to be a big star, but the story of her success is not without its dark side. Julie 2 is a sequel to 2004 movie Julie, which starred Neha Dhupia in the lead. The movie depicts how a girl next-door becomes a sensational star, within no time. The movie also showcase the darker side of production, which includes casting couch. South Indian sizzling actress Raai Laxmi is ready to mesmerize Bollywood audience with her bold Avtaar. The story of this movie revolves around a simple girl and it is completely different from the story of Julie. It’s a completely different story of a simple girl-next-door who goes on to become a huge star. What happens after is the real suspense. Raai will be seen in 96 different outfits.

The film has Raai Laxmi as Julie, Ravi Kishan, Aditya Srivastava, Pankaj Tripathy, Rati Agnihotri and Yuri Suri.

The film has songs like "Mala Seenha", "Oh Julie", "Kabhi Jhoota Lagta Hai", "Kharama Kharama" and "Koi Hausla Toh Hoh".

Kadvi Kawa

Kadvi Kawa is a 2o17 film directed by Neel Madhav Poda and produced by Dhrishyam Film’s Akshay Parija and Neel Madhav Panda. It is a serious movie but yet an artistic work. It has entertainment too.

The story of the film is related to the state of air and water. It depicts dry Bundelkhand on one side and Oddisha on the other. Owing to drought the people of Bundelkhand had tough time. Many of them had to migrate to cities for better living.

The movie has actors like Sanjay Mishra, Ranvir Shouri, Tilottam Shom, Bhupesh Singh and Ekta Sawant playing important roles.

The Forest

The Forest is a movie directed by Ted Clarke and written by him too.

A runner witnesses a horrifying situation in a forest and decides to intervene. However, things aren't quite as they seem.

The film stars Cassandra Ebner and Glenn Ennis in the lead roles.

Thank You For Your Service

Thank You for Your Service is a 2017 American biographical war drama film written and directed by Jason Hall, in his directorial debut, based on the 2013 non-fiction book of the same name by David Finkel. Finkel, a Washington Post reporter, wrote about veterans of the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment returning to the vicinity of Fort Riley, Kansas, following a 15-month deployment in Iraq in 2007. The film is about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depicting U.S. soldiers who try to adjust to civilian life, and stars Miles Teller, Haley Bennett, Beulah Koale, Amy Schumer and Scott Haze.

A group of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq struggle to integrate back into family and civilian life, while living with the memory of a war that threatens to destroy them long after they’ve left the battlefield.

The Cast of the film consists of Miles Teller as Staff Sergeant Adam Schumann, Saskia's husband, a soldier who leaves Iraq as a broken man. Haley Bennett as Saskia Schumann, Adam's loyal and supportive wife. Beulah Koale as Specialist Tausolo Aieti, Alea’s husband, an American Samoan soldier who feels that the military has made his life better. Joe Cole as Billy Waller, a soldier who returns home in crisis and tries to find his fiancée and their daughter who have left him. Amy Schumer as Amanda Doster, Saskia’s best friend and the wife of Sergeant First Class James Doster. Brad Beyer as Sergeant First Class James Doster, Amanda’s husband. Keisha Castle-Hughes as Alea, Tausolo Aieti's wife. Scott Haze as Michael Adam Emory, a soldier suffering from PTSD. Omar Dorsey as Dante, a veteran who now operates as a drug smuggler. Jayson Warner Smith as VA Receptionist. Sean P Mcgoldrick as Private Chris Kyle Jr. and Kate Lyn Sheil as Bell.

Murder On The Orient Express

Murder on the Orient Express is a 2017 British mystery drama film directed by Kenneth Branagh with a screenplay by Michael Green, based on the 1934 novel of the same name by Agatha Christie. The film stars Branagh as Hercule Poirot, with Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Josh Gad, Derek Jacobi, Leslie Odom Jr., Michelle Pfeiffer, and Daisy Ridley in supporting roles. The film is the fourth adaptation of Christie's novel, following a 1974 film, a 2001 TV film, and a 2010 episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot. The plot follows Poirot, a world-renowned detective, who seeks to solve a murder on the famous European train in the 1930s.

What starts out as a lavish train ride through Europe quickly unfolds into one of the most stylish, suspenseful and thrilling mysteries ever told. From the novel by best-selling author Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express tells the tale of thirteen strangers stranded on a train, where everyone's a suspect. One man must race against time to solve the puzzle before the murderer strikes again.

The film has Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot, Penélope Cruz as Pilar Estravados, Willem Dafoe as Gerhard Hardman, Judi Dench as Princess Dragomiroff, Johnny Depp as Samuel Ratchett, Josh Gad as Hector MacQueen, Derek Jacobi as Edward Henry Masterman, Leslie Odom Jr. as Dr. Arbuthnot, Michelle Pfeiffer as Caroline Hubbard, Daisy Ridley as Mary Debenham, Tom Bateman as Bouc, Olivia Colman as Hildegarde Schmidt, Lucy Boynton as Countess Helena Andrenyi, Marwan Kenzari as Pierre Michel, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Biniamino Marquez, Sergei Polunin as Count Rudolph Andrenyi and Miranda Raison as Sonia Armstrong.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Is Rahul Gandhi finding Modi too tough?' that was published in Newband

Is Rahul Gandhi finding Modi too tough?

Rahul Gandhi knew since he was born that the leadership of the Congress was his for the asking. Just his mother, Sonia Gandhi, had to step down. No one but a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family can lead the Congress Party. The December election will see Rahul Gandhi as Congress president. He is taking on the responsibility just before the Assembly election in Gujarat,

The Amit Shah-Narendra Modi combine is giving a tough time to the Congress Party. Rahul Gandhi is ready for the long haul. He will try to be a rock in the way of the Modi juggernaut. It is true that Dynasty has taken him to the top of the party but he will have to articulate a political vision which people will buy.

Mahatma Gandhi, in 1924, had made a young Nehru as General Secretary of the INC overlooking very senior party men. He made Nehru the Congress President five years later at the Lahore session in 1929, succeeding his own father, Motilal Nehru, again superseding senior members and over loud objections of dynastic rule. Nehru was President for two successive terms, again violating the norm. There was no looking back for the Nehru family's hold on the INC (and India) after that. The Nehru family has never shown their ability to lead this country (save once in 1971) and we cannot afford another member from that dynasty just because of the lineage. That is a sheer travesty in a country blessed with talent.

Rahul Gandhi has to prove himself to have the material to lead this country. So far it has not been exhibited. Only the coterie close to the present leadership considers him as capable. But his behaviour does not show the mettle or material. This might be the last nail in the coffin of Congress Party. Rahul has a formidable task to bring Congress at par with BJP.

The Congress's vision is only: how to catch up with the BJP? RSS-Modi reached the pinnacle of power decrying the Nehru-Gandhi 'dynasty'.

After the debacle in elections, Congress, particularly Rahul Gandhi, has been slow to counter the right wing and could not even try to convert favourable positions like Goa and Manipur. The party was passing through a difficult phase. Only recently, Rahul has shown some sort of resilience. He needs more than just activism to stay in the fray in future

Rahul Gandhi should make himself as a strong and perfect candidate for the post of Prime minister instead of becoming the rival of Modi. He needs to bring much maturity in his nature to be a perfect competitor of BJP.

Despite the party’s image tottered much under the weight of too many scams and allegations and it would go to any extent to appease minorities for vote-bank politics; its forte even now lies in its pseudo secular character.

Time alone will tell whether the elevation is in right direction or not. Certainly, Rahul Gandhi has to prove his worth as "Prime Ministerial material." The Nehru-Gandhi family stands slurred for the 'dynasty rule' tag.

When Dinesh Kamath had acted in a film inspired by the novel 'The Godfather' and made by Manoj Barua in the year 2000. Dinesh Kamath had played the role of Don's Bodyguard. Unfortunately the film got shelved before it could get released. Only three fourth of the film was shot. Bad Luck!.

When Dinesh Kamath had acted in the TV Serial inspired by the novel 'Dynasty' and made by Somnath Majumdar in the year 1997. Dinesh Kamath had played the role of a Hotelier. Unfortunately, the TV serial got shelved before it could get telecast on TV. Only seven episodes of the TV Serial were shot. Bad Luck!

When Dinesh Kamath was a Custom Officer in Indian Customs