Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'All the Best, Mr. Modi!!!' that was published in Newsband

All the Best, Mr. Modi!!!

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with 57 Ministers, took oath of office at a grand swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan on Thursday. BJP chief Amit Shah finally deciding to join the Union government, and former Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar making a surprise entry into the Union Cabinet, among the top 10 Ministers. Former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also opted out.

Other notable exclusions were former Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, former Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Maneka Gandhi (making it possibly the first time that no Gandhi on either side is in government), former Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu, former Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore, and former Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha.

In all, the council of ministers saw representation from 22 States, and an attempt to balance caste and regional equations. Tribal, minority and backward and upper caste representation found place in the coveted list. Women accounted for six out of the 58 berths, with three Cabinet nods for Nirmala Sitharaman, Harsimrat Badal of the Akali Dal and Smriti Irani. There were representation from Dalit communities. Another good move was picking up of Pratap Sarangi who won from Balasore in Odisha and whose almost fairy tale like story of forging a political life while living in near poverty captured the imagination of the country.

A very appropriate and intelligent selection of Ministers in the cabinet and the results will be seen during the tenure of BJP under Modi. Jana Sangh has come a long way as a party and now has absolute majority in the Indian Parliament as BJP. A great success story under Prime Minister Modi.

Best wishes to the New Goverment of India to perform even better than its first tenure from 14 to 19. They need to concentrate on providing better living conditions to all citizens irrespective of cat, creed and religion. Hoping that next five years are going to be good for us. Government and citizens should work together to improve the living standards of millions by removing poverty.

The left out MPs of all NDA collision parties should first work at the grass root level in their Parliamentary constituencies to get the good will of Farmers, uplift the poverty ridden people, provide minimum water availability in rural villages etc. The villages are still in a poor state particularly in West Bengal, Orissa, AP, Telengana, Chhattisgarh, MP where vast scope is there for development. Vast rivers are flowing through these States. Still their living conditions were not taken care of in the last seventy years. The most excellent Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj during her tenure did wonders. We will not hear her wonderful speeches in Parliament. She should become an advisor to the present government. Regarding Sri Arun Jaitley as Finance Minister really did wonders. Demonetisation and GST are the excellent works of Jaitley. Even so many Intelligents, Economists, IITians turned Economists were not able to understand and touch the pulse of Finance Minister. Congratulations to Sri Arun Jaitley. We will not hear again his quality speeches.

The Opposition may kindly be requested to play a Constructive and Positive role to keep the confidence of the people.

Wishing the New Government a happy Success in their Second tenure duly taking into consideration the upliftment of poor and unemployment at the lower level. Good to see that new leaders have got the golden opportunity to exhibit their experiences. Now this is a time to set goals for the development of nation. The average age of this council of ministers is possibly the lowest in the history of independent India. It will be Modi's responsibility to handle this inexperienced team and groom them for the future. In the process, the nation and the NDA might get a few outstanding leaders and administrators.

Lastly, Jaishankar's inclusion comes as a surprise. He was a brilliant diplomat throughout. Hope his abilities will be put to good use by the government.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'NMMC should be lauded for focusing on gutter-cleaning' that was published in In New Bombay

NMMC should be lauded for focusing on gutter-cleaning

Just before the monsoon begins, NMMC is focusing on cleaning the nallahs and gutters so that there won’t be accumulation of rainwater. The waste management department is making all the efrots to complete the work by 30 May as instructed by municipal commissioner Dr Ramaswami N.

The municipal commissioner has given strict orders that during the monsoon period, the city residents should not face any kind of problems. He has asked the waste management department to get all the nullahs and gutters of the city totally cleaned so that no problem occurs during the monsoon. He has asked even the concerned department’s ward officers and executive engineers and the nodal officers of every ward to achieve the goal that he has set for them.

Why do gutters need to be cleaned? A debris-clogged gutter can cause a leaky roof or water damage to the interior or exterior of your home. They serve to control the flow of rainwater to protect your roof, walls, foundation and landscape. When neglected, experts say gutters can turn from a necessity to a nightmare.

How often do gutters need to be cleaned? Many experts recommend cleaning your gutters at least twice a year

What happens if you don't clean your gutters? An unfixed gutter leak can cause damage to your home. If the leak causes mold and rotting, it is possible that the gutter will give way and fall off of your roof. Gutters drain toward the bottom exterior of your home, but if they are not working properly or aren't cleaned, water can collect and leak into your basement

Why are clogged gutters bad? If a gutter gets clogged up by dust, leaves, dirt, etc, however, it can stop or slow the drainage off your roof, causing more damage than you may know. Clogged gutters can rot fascia boards, therefore making it easier for water to enter the house to cause wall and ceiling damage.

It is good to know that NMMC has realized on time the damages that unclean gutters can cause. Municipal commissioner Ramaswamy N is setting a good example by giving a lot of focus on gutter cleaning before the monsoon starts.

Dinesh Kamath's column 'Movie World: Bollywood actresses who romanced young actors on the big screen – Part 3 (Nargis Fakhri–Varun Dhawan)' that was published in Newsband

Movie World

Bollywood actresses who romanced young actors on the big screen – Part 3

Nargis Fakhri–Varun Dhawan

By Dinesh Kamath

There are many actresses who have romanced actors younger than them on the big screen. While Varun was actually paired opposite Ileana D’Cruz in Main Tera Hero, his pairing with Nargis Fakhri in the film was liked by the audiences more. But we are sure not many would know that Nargis is 8 years older than Varun, but in the film, the age gap was not at all visible. Here are some information about the film ‘Main Tera Hero’.

Main Tera Hero (transl. I am your hero) is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language romantic action comedy film, directed by David Dhawan and produced by Shobha Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor for Balaji Motion Pictures. The film stars Nargis Fakhri, Varun Dhawan and Ileana D'Cruz in the lead roles. Principal photography for the movie began on 30 May 2013, filming started on 5 July 2013 and was completed by 15 October. The film released on 4 April 2014 to mixed reviews from critics. It became a moderate commercial success. It is a remake of the 2011 Telugu film Kandireega.

The film received mixed to positive review. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 20% based on 5 reviews, and an average rating of 5/10.

Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave the movie 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "On the whole, MAIN TERA HERO is a wild, wacky, madcap entertainer that has the unmistakable stamp of the master of entertainers – David Dhawan. An over the top plot, humor quotient and performances are three aces the film stands on. The film should work well with admirers of typical Bollywood masalathons, also because Varun Dhawan pulls off the act with flamboyance and bowls you over with an uproarious act in this zany entertainer. Go, have fun and laugh out loud!" Srijana Mitra Das of Times of India gave the movie 3.5/5 stars saying, Main Tera Hero is a pav bhaji picture, quick, spicy, hot. It has the depth of a comic strip but it also has its neon-shaded fun. For those who want a light laugh, here's your boy. Paloma Sharma of Rediff gave the movie 3.5/5 stars, and wrote, Main Tera Hero rests almost solely on the bases of strong performances extracted by a tough taskmaster, director David Dhawan—who makes a surprisingly clean film for the most part but doesn't seem to have been able to resist the temptation to indulge in a few less-than-tasteful jokes post-interval. The second half is primarily where the problem lies. The script dwindles slightly. Too many characters with too many subplots emerge, messing things up for a bit. Film Critic Subhash K. Jha gave the film 3 stars, saying ""Main Tera Hero" is a cleverly designed blues-chaser...While Varun Dhawan goes about the task of filling up the screen with his confident zest, David Dhawan ensures there is enough fuel to furnish the funnies with a furious tempo".

Mohar Basu of Koimoi praised the film, stating that, "Main Tero Hero transports you into a world of fun that we have been kept devoid of from weeks. Quick witted, jocular and pricelessly silly, this film is a sure shot must watch." She gave the film 3 out of 5 stars. Raedita Tandan of Filmfare rated the movie with 3 stars stating, "Main Tera Hero (MTH) is a textbook David Dhawan movie. This is the kind of low-brow humour you enjoy without pretensions. It's not great cinema but it is a paisa vasool comedy." Sarita Tanwar of DNA gave the movie 3/5 stars and said, "Main Tera Hero is a light-hearted entertainer, under two hours long which moves along at a brisk pace. Tushar Hiranandani has penned a mad script that will reel you in as soon as the credits end. If the industry was looking for a replacement for Govinda, then there isn't a better option than Varun." Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave the movie 2.5/5 stars and said that "Main Tera Hero is an action-packed romantic comedy that is peppered with vivacious performances, peppy musical set pieces, and a breezy and an unusual love triangle that eventually acquires an additional angle. The story, which is clearly only a pretext to hang the film's many gags on, delivers frantic twists and turns that strain credulity." Zee News Aparna Mudi, rated the movie 2.5/5 stars, stating, "The cast of the movie have definitely been given leverage to play their characters with ease, and performances are good all around. They also seem to have had a lot of fun with the movie, especially Varun, as he looks adorable pulling faces and romancing the two lead heroines. Highly entertaining in the first half, 'Main Tera Hero' slumps in the second. The jokes are slightly in-your-face and fail to make you laugh at times."

Abhishek Gupta of India TV gave it 2.5 stars and wrote, "Twists and turns in the climax look forcibly inducted to give a feeling of suspense, though, it doesn't work at all. The cop and the Don turning into comic characters were expected from it but despite all these hiccups, Main Tera Hero reaches its destination." The Hindustan Times' Anupama Chopra gave the film 2 stars, saying, "There are a few moments in the film that took me back to the good old day. But mostly, Main Tera Hero is loud and tiring. The frenzied plot didn't deliver enough funny lines. The burden of making this enterprise work rests mostly with Varun, who is as hyper as a helium-filled energizer bunny. Meanwhile, the two svelte heroines – Ileana D'Cruz and Nargis Fakhri – simper about looking sexy. I just wish it had been more interesting". India Today gave the film 2 stars: "If this film was made to establish Varun Dhawan as a comedy actor who can do something different then they have achieved what they wanted. Because he does put a great show together but there is absolutely nothing else that deserves any compliments."

Main Tera Hero opened to an occupancy of around 40% in India. The film, which released alongside Captain America: The Winter Soldier, led in the morning shows in places like Rajasthan, Gujarat and CI while lost out to it in multiplexes of Kolkata, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai. The film saw a major setback during evening shows in the first day of its release owing to the semi-final match between India and South-Africa collecting ₹200 million (US$2.9 million). The film collected another ₹279 million (US$4.0 million) on the second day of its theatrical release—taking its two-day total to ₹500 million (US$7.2 million)—showing a considerable growth of 80%, which was expected considering the loss on its first day to the cricket match. On the third day it collected ₹75 million (US$1.1 million)—₹77.5 million (US$1.1 million) to take its weekend total to ₹400 million (US$5.8 million)—₹403 million (US$5.8 million) which though "high" by normal standards were understandable because of the cricket matches affecting its growth. On its first Monday it had a collection of around ₹375 million (US$5.4 million)—₹436 million (US$6.3 million). On the fifth day of its theatrical release there was a growth of 15% courtesy a holiday, another ₹27.5 million (US$400,000) on the next day pushed the film's six-day total to ₹308 million (US$4.5 million). Overall the film had a decent first week collecting ₹335 million (US$4.8 million) domestically. The film with the fourth highest first week total of the year—after Jai Ho, Gunday and Ragini MMS 2—performed best in circuits like CP Berar, Nizam and Andhra Pradesh, where it collected an estimated ₹221 million (US$3.2 million) plus and above all in Gujarat with ₹400 million (US$5.8 million). Suffering a heavy drop of 75% the film collected ₹15 million (US$220,000) on its eighth day. The film in all collected ₹128 million (US$1.9 million) in its second week managing a two-week total of ₹463 million (US$6.7 million) with best collections from Mumbai, Rajasthan and CP Berar circuits. From the Mumbai circuit—comprising the Gujarat-Saurashtra belts—alone it collected ₹180 million (US$2.6 million). It was declared a "Semi Hit" by Box Office India.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Modi shows his preferences in matter of foreign policy' that was published in Newsband

Modi shows his preferences in matter of foreign policy

The invitation to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand is a continuation of the “neighbourhood first” policy behind Modi’s invite to leaders of South Asia for his 2014 swearing-in ceremony. By not inviting leaders of Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Maldives on this occasion, the government is underlining that its regional preferences have shifted from the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) grouping to BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation).

 Modi is signalling that he does not hold the same optimism in 2019. His moves are indications of India’s “Act East” initiative and outreach to East Asia. The separate invitation to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation chairperson indicates India’s commitment to the Central Asian grouping led by China and Russia.

India’s engagement with both BIMSTEC and the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation), which India joined as an observer in 2005, is at a promising but incipient stage. India sees BIMSTEC as a possible alternative to SAARC. The SCO, which inducted India and Pakistan as full members last year, is yet to demonstrate its utility for India.  

It is quite in order for the PM to show his preferences here. This is foreign policy in a nutshell.

India's Act East Policy must continue to focus on strengthening collaboration with the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). Partnerships must aim at promoting economic revival through implementation of India-ASEAN FTA in services and investment and strategic cooperation to fight terrorism, freedom of navigation, maritime security and de-fence cooperation. Modi's use of soft power such as Buddhism, tourism, people-to-people contacts, and cultural ties with the region must also be harnessed. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sect-oral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is projected to not only increase mutual economic productivity but also promote peace and prosperity in the Northeast region. Beyond ASEAN, India must work to strengthen ties with East Asia, particularly Japan and Republic of Korea and Australia, which are both relevant for India's strategic and economic interests. Technology transfer, civilian nuclear cooperation, de-fence, and innovation are important sectors that need to be targeted.

Foreign policies are determined and should be analysed on needs of the country's welfare. SAARC's alternate could be BIMSTEC if it serves more than the former. In recent years, owing to tension and skirmishes on border with Pakistan, India wants to be less engaged in SAARC till a firm and effective resolution to disputes does not come into way. India's policies of Neighbours First and Look to East are meant to strengthen its regional position and thus providing India a chance to be one of the best economies of the world. Already, Indian markets and trade have become a hub center for a flourishing commerce, which is just a tunnel of getting riches and wealth. India must heed on its importance from ancient time to till date. These were Indian markets which on per se became center of exports as well as imports for British rule and its predecessor East India Company. Now when government is on majority it must take part to legislate laws concerning to trade within and outside.

By not inviting Imran, Pakistan Prime Minister, Modi has sent a clear message that abetting terror is a stumbling block in the friendly relationship of the two neighbors.  

Dinesh Kamath's column 'Movie World: Bollywood actresses who romanced young actors on the big screen – Part 2, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan – Ranbir Kapoor/Rajkummar Rao' that was published in Newsband

Movie World

Bollywood actresses who romanced young actors on the big screen – Part 2

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan – Ranbir Kapoor/Rajkummar Rao

By Dinesh Kamath

Not once, but twice Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has romanced actors who are younger than her. In Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, the actress romanced Ranbir Kapoor who is 9 years younger than her. Well, their sizzling chemistry was the highlight of the film. In last year’s release Fanney Khan, Aishwarya was seen romancing Rajkummar Rao who is 11 years younger than her. The scenes featuring the two were the saving grace of the film.

A fews words about the films Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Fanney Khan.

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (lit. "O heart, it is difficult") is a 2016 Indian romantic drama film written and directed by Karan Johar. It stars Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Fawad Khan, tells the story of unrequited love. It was released on 28 October 2016 during the Diwali festival.

The film earned ₹2.37 billion (US$34 million) worldwide against a budget of ₹700 million (US$10 million). At the 62nd Filmfare Awards, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil received nine nominations, including Best Director for Johar, and won four awards for its soundtrack.

The movie has an interesting plot which provides scope to both Aishwarya and Ranbir to display their romantic angle.

The movie begins with the interview of Ayan Sanger, a singer who has newly acquired fame with his non-filmy songs. He tells the story of his experience of love in a flash back.

In London, a chance meeting in a disco between Ayan Sanger (Ranbir Kapoor) (a novice in terms of sex-related matters), and Alizeh Khan (Anushka Sharma) (knowing a little more) ends up with them trying to make out, and it turning into a comedy. They get to know about each other, and become friends.

Later, when they discover their respective partners are cheating on them, they break up with their lovers: Ayan with Lisa D'Souza (Lisa Haydon) and Alizeh with "Dr." Faisal Khan (Imran Abbas), and the two go to Paris to spend a week together.

While Ayan falls in love with Alizeh, she considers him to be only a "friend".

One day, Alizeh stumbles upon DJ Ali (Fawad Khan), her ex-boyfriend / lover, who wants to reconcile. Partially confused, but still in love with him, Alizeh decides to go with DJ Ali, and so stops hanging out with Ayan and they cease communication.

A few days later, Alizeh calls and invites Ayan to her wedding with DJ Ali in Lucknow. Ayan is petrified on hearing this but agrees to the invitation. At the wedding, he tells Alizeh he loves her but she rejects his feelings causing Ayan to leave the ceremony heartbroken.

At the airport to board a flight to Dubai, Ayan meets Saba (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), a poet, who is leaving for Vienna. She consoles Ayan and gives him a note with her poetry and number on it. Ayan calls after three months stating that he is in Vienna and wants to meet her.

Ayan learns that Saba is divorced and has no place for love in her heart. Ayan also meets Saba's ex-husband, Tahir Taliyar Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) in a fine arts gallery, who tells him that one sided love is not a weakness but empowering.

Ayan, who had blocked Alizeh from contacting him in all ways, finally calls and reconnects with her. He begins to send pictures of Saba to her to induce jealousy. One day Alizeh informs Ayan that she's coming to Vienna and wants to meet him. Ayan invites her for dinner with Saba to provoke Alizeh into loving him, but Alizeh thinks Ayan has found love in Saba and is happy for him. Meanwhile, Saba begins to develop feelings for Ayan, but he loves Alizeh. Seeing his love for Alizeh, Saba leaves Ayan.

Ayan continues to harbour love for Alizeh and becomes a famous singer. He meets DJ Ali one day and realises that they have parted ways. Ayan goes to Alizeh's favourite point and waits there until she arrives.

Alizeh tells Ayan that she is diagnosed with cancer stage IV and will not live much longer. Ayan and Alizeh try to make the best of their time together. Ayan tries to make Alizeh love him, to no avail. This leads to a fight between the two, and Alizeh decides to leave Ayan.

Eventually, Ayan makes peace with the fact that he and Alizeh can at best be friends and nothing more. The screen blacks out and goes back to the beginning where Ayan, still a popular singer, is giving an interview based on the love of his life.

Ayan sings the song "Channa Mereya" which is inspired by Alizeh, then finishes the interview.

Fanney Khan (Hindi pronunciation: [pʰənneː xaːn]) is a 2018 Indian musical comedy film written and directed by debutant Atul Manjrekar. It was jointly produced by the banners T-Series Films, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Pictures and Anil Kapoor Films & Communication Network. A remake of the 2000 Belgian film Everybody's Famous!, it follows Kapoor as the titular character, the middle-aged father of a young, aspiring, and overweight teenage girl whom he pushes to be a singer. He kidnaps a famous soloist to make way for his daughter to become a star.

The film was announced in June 2016 with Kapoor playing the lead role; after considering Priyanka Chopra and R. Madhavan among others for the other two starring roles, Rai and Rao were chosen. It was mostly filmed in Mumbai in September 2017. Rai's costumes were redesigned by Manish Malhotra after she expressed dissatisfaction over the previous clothes. After shooting was disrupted in April 2018 over producer KriArj Entertainment's non-payment of dues, Bhushan Kumar of T-Series took over the entire production. Filming was completed in Mehboob Studios, Mumbai in June 2018.

Fanney Khan was initially scheduled for a worldwide release on 15 June 2018, coinciding with Eid. It was postponed, and had its initial release in the United Arab Emirates on 2 August 2018, and was released worldwide on 3 August 2018.

The movie has an interesting plot which again provides scope to both Aishwarya and Rajkummar Rao to display their romantic angle.

Prashant Sharma "Fanney Khan" (Anil Kapoor), a part-time vocalist in an orchestra, dreams of becoming a singer but circumstances prevent him from being one. He rushes to the hospital and holds his newborn daughter, whom he names Lata, which is the name of famous singer Lata Mangeshkar.

A grownup Lata (Pihu Sand) has an excellent voice but is ridiculed because she is overweight. She is a fan of Baby Singh (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), a famous singer, who is tired of her life and wants a break. Prashant's factory is closed and he starts working as a taxi driver.

One day, coincidentally, Baby Singh travels in Prashant's taxi. When she asks for water, Prashant mixes sleeping pills in the water bottle. He calls his best friend Adhir (Rajkummar Rao) and tells him that he is kidnapping Baby Singh to release an album of his daughter. After much pleading, Adhir agrees to help him.

During this incident, Adhir and Baby Singh become friends. Adhir finally takes her out and she starts enjoying herself. She also thanks him for bringing her dog, Ustaad, who she considers to be her true friend but problems arise when Prashant sees on TV that the police are aware of Baby Singh's kidnapping as the watchman of Baby Singh's house reveals that he saw a man (Adhir) kidnap her dog.

While wearing a mask of Rajnikant, Prashant asks Baby's director Kukkad(Girish Kulkarni) to release an album of his daughter. Lata is excited about her own album, and after recording, she talks about her experience, leading the director to realise that her father is the kidnapper and is the famous Fanney Khan. He recognises him in their next meeting. Prashant finally removes his mask and reveals that he can trust him and his friend Adhir.

Lata replaces Baby Singh as the performer on the reality show India ki Awaaz. Meanwhile, Adhir and Baby are nowhere to be found. Police and TV arrive outside Prashant's factory and surround the premise. Prashant calls Kakkad and asks him what is happening and Kakkad tells him to walk outside and tell the Police and TV that if Lata does not perform, he will shoot the real Baby Singh. The TV reporters patch Prashant through with the TV placed inside India ki Awaaz and Prashant and Lata have an emotional talk. She performs well and stuns the audience. Later, Prashant walks out of the factory with his hands up but to his surprise, the Police and TV men clap for Prashant.

Later, a video is released depicting Baby and Adhir in a live-in relationship and on vacation. They both state that they are fans of Lata Sharma. The film ends with the society praising Lata and the hard work done by Prashant to make his daughter a singer.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial ''India first' policy is the need of the hour' that was published in Newsband

'India first' policy is the need of the hour

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s declared that the trust of all — sabka vishwas — will be a dimension of governance in his second term. He said the BJP needed to win the trust particularly of the minorities. He rightly identified the trust deficit the BJP faces among religious and linguistic minorities and stressed the need to overcome it. He put the blame on his political opponents who, he alleged, had created an ‘imaginary fear’ among the minorities.

The Prime Minister’s statement about winning the trust of the minorities and accommodating regional aspirations while pursuing national aspirations must be backed with action. It is possible that the wider Sangh Parivar will not take kindly to suggestions of parity between Hindus and non-Hindus,

 The ‘Modi wave’ is not the first in Indian democracy. Nehru/Congress wave dominated the first two general elections. Later, the Indira wave swept in 1971 and Rajiv sympathy wave was visible in 1984. In the recent elections, the BJP projected Modi as the sole prime-ministerial candidate

People vote for a strong leader, an icon for unity and security of the country. Only Modi fulfilled these requirements in people’s perception. In hindsight, the Congress failed to fulfil Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of poverty alleviation, removal of caste system and promoting cleanliness. It only crafted slogans on social evils to win elections.

The victory of Modi and his party has shown that the people of India recognize him as their savior who will bring development and progress to India. The media need not advise him about appeasing the religious minorities with disregard to the majority Hindus. He will ensure equal opportunities for all Indian citizens.

The Regional parties under the Mahagathbandhan banner played on caste and religious divisions to win votes. This has to be condemned. The BJP transcended caste and religious divides. The media should be more supportive of the current Government instead of always playing the 'Minority' card. The Minorities must also fully join the mainstream and teach inclusivity and modernisation. 'India first' policy is the need of the hour.

Modi had won the trust of all people as the results had showed, he will continue to win the trust of all sections of the society. But it is the media that magnifies negatively the isolated incidents to portray that he is not concerned with minorities. In fact during the past decade or so lot of majority Hindus were neglected because of appeasement of minorities which media had failed to report.

Modi’s advise to his party members to address the “imaginary fear” created by opponents among minorities has two possible interpretations: (a) outreach to the minorities that the fear-mongering is not true; (b) tacit acceptance of fear created by BJP and address it.

Modi has won the elections by majority.  Allow him to rule the nation.  Do not disturb him by slogans like intolerance, visiting foreign nation and all.  Opposition termed demontisation a wrong move. So too GST. Opposition should not stall the proceedings of the Parliament often. It is not good for a healthy democracy.  People have voted Modi as PM.  Let him rule and any shortcomings can be pinpointed and not all his actions criticized. He has become a popular leader among the masses.  Now he is acclaimed as a world leader. Pseudo secularists, urban naxals and social activities, award wapsi gang should keep their mouths shut. 

The media must raise up to help Modi and the Government at the Centre & States by learning to report positive news first and seed the thoughts of positiveness among people, especially educated illiterate. These steps will helps Government and BJP in their efforts. Media should not function in isolation by only highlighting the negative and thereby spoiling the efforts of the administration.

Can we overlook certain ground realities? Muslim fundamentalists in many democracies have challenged civil societies; their appeal is basically to reject democratic values. Saner, educated individuals in many Muslim communities the world over are scared of the fundamentalists. In fact the saner elements are silenced by aggressive extremists in Muslim communities the world over. The educated Muslims in countries like ours have to show courage and fight Islamic fundamentalists; in India PM Narendra Modi needs their full support.

Dinesh Kamath's column 'Movie World: Bollywood actresses who romanced young actors on the big screen – Part 1 {Rekha – Akshay Kumar}' that was published in Newsband

Movie World

Bollywood actresses who romanced young actors on the big screen – Part 1

Rekha – Akshay Kumar

By Dinesh Kamath

In Bollywood there are many actresses who have romanced actors younger than them on the big screen.

In 1996 release Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, Rekha was seen romancing Akshay Kumar. The actress is 13 years older than Akki and their chemistry in the song In The Night No Control had become the talk of the town.

Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (English: Player of Players) is a 1996 Indian action film starring Rekha in her first villain role, Akshay Kumar, Raveena Tandon and former WWF wrestlers "Crush" and Brian Lee as "The Undertaker". It was the 6th highest-grossing movie of the year 1996. It was the fourth installment in the Khiladi (film series). The movie is loosely based on the Hollywood film Lionheart.

The film is about a deadly game of survival in the ruthless world of crime and sleaze. A criminal don, Maya (Rekha), hosts illegal wrestling matches in U.S (New York) and has the full support of the local Police Commissioner. Ajay Malhotra has relocated to US and has started his own orchestra with the help of some of his friends.

His brother, Akshay (Akshay Kumar), decides to visit him on hearing that he wants to marry his beloved in Canada; on the airplane he meets Priya (Raveena Tandon), and both fall in love. Once in the U.S., Akshay finds out that the police have a warrant for the arrest of Ajay and want to question him. Akshay's attempts to locate Ajay land him with Maya, who happens to be Priya's sister. Apparently Maya is holding Ajay and will only release him after he hands over incriminating documents. Akshay soon wins Maya's confidence by rescuing her from attempts on her life made by King Don (Gulshan Grover), and Maya begins to like him and trust him. Akshay then proposes to her, to which Maya agrees, much to the disappointment of Priya.

Soon Akshay kills Maya's men when they get to know of his true identity. He also organises a fake kidnap drama with Ajay's friends, who kidnap him and demand that Maya come to meet them with Ajay. By now Maya realizes that Akshay is Ajay's brother, and Priya actually loves Akshay. At the end, Maya commits suicide, and before dying she hands over her sister Priya to Akshay.

Rekha and Akshay Kumar reportedly got too close for comfort during the shooting of Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi.

Raveena Tandon set the screen ablaze with her sultry Tip Tip Barsa Pani act. And while all the men were losing their hearts to her, Raveena had lost hers to Akshay Kumar. Speculation was rife that sparks flew between them during the making of their 1994 film Mohra.

Then their 1996 film Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi happened. Stories of Akshay Kumar's growing proximity with Rekha during the film's shooting spread like wildfire. But in Raveena's eyes, Akshay had done no wrong, and it was Rekha who was trying to get too close for comfort.

At one point Rekhs wanted to get lunch dabbas for Akshay from home. That's when Raveena put he foot down. She felt it was taking things a bit too far. Raveena would not hesitate to show Rekha where to draw the line. However, Akshay knew how to handle the situation.

Now, Raveena is happily married to Anil Thadani, while Akshay is enjoying marital bliss with Twinkle Khanna.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Modi promises secularism' that was published in Newsband

Modi promises secularism

One word conspicuous by its absence from the election campaign was secularism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought it back in his victory speech. His great achievement, he implied, was to have unmasked these fake secularists and single-handedly dismantled secularism.

But the insecurity amongst minorities is created largely by Mr. Modi’s own political supporters. Is the secularism propounded or implied by the Prime Minister genuine? At least in theory, ‘sabka saath sabka vikas’ gets one thing right: no individual citizen should face discrimination on grounds of religion. Basic amenities, good health, education, housing and employment should be available equally to all, regardless of their religion. If he succeeds in this endeavour, he would make great strides towards realising secularism.

Secularism combats exclusion, oppression and humiliation, and opposes intra-religious domination. Equally important for secularism is opposition to religious fanaticism and bigotry. There was a time when people viewed secularism first as a tool to protect the interests of Muslims and Christians, of no relevance to Hindus, and then for twisting it to appear as pro-Muslim and anti-Hindu.

Secularism is needed as much to protect Hindus from intra-religious domination, from their ‘fringe elements’. It is required equally to protect minorities from their own orthodoxies and extremisms. Genuine secularism plays that role. Fake secularism protects fanatics and legitimises gender and caste-based domination.

What then must be expected from real, genuine secularism? Justice to all citizens, affirmation of all reasonable religious identities, rejection of majority communalism, careful defence of legitimate minority rights only when accompanied by a robust critique of minority extremism, and a critical appraisal of religions with a deeper, empathetic grasp of their traditions. The government’s primary business is to prevent religion-based violence, oppression and discrimination. Perhaps, those outside the government should attend to its other functions. Together, we may just rescue our genuine secularism.

Fake secularism is due to the presence of insufficient amount of employment opportunities to all. Hence they hope from all the political parties that at least they will be provided employment opportunities. Reservation system has been one of the worst system in Indian society that basically arises the feeling of majority and minority. When people's needs will be fulfilled they can think in a more innovative way and can differentiate between good and bad also the meaning of minority will be futile for them. Reservation system should not be present in the Indian society. Until and unless it is there, the sense of real secularism will not prevail.

Religions were created throughout human history for the benefit of humans to preserve “HUMANITY” but unfortunately politics crept in slowly in all religions and exploited it for power.

Now is the secularism propounded or implied by the Prime Minister genuine? At least in theory, ‘sabka saath sabka vikas’ gets one thing right: no individual citizen should face discrimination on grounds of religion. Basic amenities, good health, education, housing and employment should be available equally to all, regardless of their religion. If he succeeds in this endeavour, he would make great strides towards realising secularism

Dinesh Kamath's column 'Movie World: Shooting for Bollywood cricket film ‘83’ begins' that was published in Newsband

Movie World

Shooting for Bollywood cricket film ‘83’ begins

By Dinesh Kamath

Dressed nattily — in black and white suits, and sporting blue ties — the cast of upcoming Bollywood film ‘83’ has left for the London round of its shooting schedule. The movie will trace India’s historic victory at the 1983 cricket World Cup. Ranveer Singh, who leads the cast of the Kabir Khan directorial playing the role of former Indian skipper Kapil Dev, chose to call the squad “Kapil’s Devils”. The rest of the cast, includes Saqib Saleem, Adinath Kothare, Chirag Patil, Harddy Sandhu, Ammy Virk, Jatin Sarna, Pankaj Tripathi, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Dinker Sharma, Jiiva, Sahil Khattar, Dhairya Karwa, Nishant Dahhiya and R Badree.

 ‘83’ is being presented by Reliance Entertainment, and will release on April 10, 2020 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The final of the 1983 Prudential Cup was played between India and West Indies at Lord's on 25 June 1983. This was the third consecutive World Cup final appearance for West Indies. India playing their first finals defeated the West Indies to claim the title. It was the first World cup win for India.

After losing the toss, India were asked to bat first against a West Indies team that arguably boasted the world's best bowling attack. Only Mohinder Amarnath (26 from 80 balls) and Kris Srikkanth (38 from 57 balls) put up any significant resistance as Andy Roberts, Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner and Michael Holding ripped through the Indian batsmen, ably supported by Gomes. Surprising resistance by the tail allowed India to compile 183 (all out, 54.4 overs). Only three sixes were hit in the Indian innings, one from Srikkanth, one from Sandeep Patil (27 from 29 balls), and one from Madan Lal (17 from 27 balls). However, the Indian bowling exploited the weather and pitch conditions perfectly to bowl out the best batting line-up of the era for 140 from 52 overs in return, winning by 43 runs and completing one of the most stunning upsets in cricket history, defeating the previously invincible West Indies. Amarnath and Madan Lal (3–31) each took three wickets, and one memorable moment was the sight of Captain Kapil Dev running a great distance (about 18–20 yards) to take a catch to dismiss Richards, the West Indies top scorer with 33 from 28 balls. Amarnath was the most economical bowler, conceding just 12 runs from his seven overs while taking 3 wickets, and was once again awarded the Man of the Match award for his all-round performance.[1] There was no "Man of the Series" award in 1983.

The 1983 Cricket World Cup (officially the Prudential Cup '83) was the 3rd edition of the Cricket World Cup tournament. It was held from 9 June to 25 June 1983 in England and Wales and was won by India. Eight countries participated in the event. The 1983 World Cup was full of dramatic cricket all through the tournament. Teams like India and Zimbabwe who were not playing well during those times scored upset victories over the West Indies and Australia respectively. England, Pakistan, India and tournament favourites West Indies qualified for the semi-finals. The preliminary matches were played in two groups of four teams each, and each country played the others in its group twice. The top two teams in each group qualified for the semi-finals.

The matches consisted of 60 overs per innings and were played in traditional white clothing and with red balls. They were all played during the day.

The format of the 1983 World Cup was 2 groups of four teams, each team playing each other twice. The top two teams from each group then advanced to the semi finals with the winners further advancing to the finals. Every game was of 60 overs with all day matches.

In the first semi-final, at Old Trafford on 22 June, England won the toss and elected to bat. The English batsmen mistimed many balls and used the bat's edge frequently, as the restrictive Indian bowling led England to score 213 (all out, 60 overs). Graeme Fowler (33 from 59 balls, 3 fours) top scored, and Kapil Dev took 3 for 35 in eleven overs, with Mohinder Amarnath and Roger Binny taking two wickets each. In reply, Yashpal Sharma (61 from 115 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) and Sandeep Patil (51 from 32 balls, 8 fours) made half-centuries, as India reached their target in 54.4 overs, winning by 6 wickets in a classic victory over the previous tournament's runners-up. Mohinder Amarnath (46 from 92 balls, 4 fours, 1 six) picked up the man-of-the-match award for his all round performance, which saw him add 46 runs to his earlier bowling success (2/27 in 12 overs).

Semi final Scorecard: Pakistan - 184/8 (60 overs) v West Indies - 188/2 (48.4 overs)

West Indies won by 8 wickets

The second semi-final, between Pakistan and the West Indies, was staged at The Oval on the same day. West Indies won the toss and invited Pakistan to bat, whom they restricted to just 184 (8 wickets, 60 overs). Mohsin Khan (70 from 176 balls, 1 four) fought his way past 50 against the superb West Indies Bowling (he was the only Pakistani batsman to reach 50). Malcolm Marshall (3/28) and Andy Roberts (2/25) starred with the ball. The West Indies innings was based around a superb innings by Viv Richards (80 from 96 balls, 11 fours, 1 six), who took the man-of-the-match award, and an unbeaten half-century by Larry Gomes (50 from 100 balls, 3 fours), as the defending champions reached their target for the loss of just two wickets.

Final Scorecard: India - 183 (54.4 overs) v West Indies - 140 (52 overs)

India won by 43 runs

In the final, India lost the toss and were asked to bat first against a West Indies team that arguably boasted the world's best bowling attack[citation needed]. Only Krishnamachari Srikkanth (38 from 57 balls) and Mohinder Amarnath (26 from 80 balls) put up any significant resistance as Roberts, Marshall, Joel Garner and Michael Holding ripped through the Indian batsmen, ably supported by Gomes. Surprising resistance by the tail allowed India to compile 183 (all out, 54.4 overs). When Indian chips were down Kapil Dev said "team if this is not a winning total it's definitely a fighting total" One of the popular quotes of all time. However, the Indian bowling exploited the weather and pitch conditions perfectly to bowl out the best batting lineup of the era for 140 from 52 overs in return, winning by 43 runs and completing one of the most stunning upsets in cricket history. Amarnath and Madan Lal each took three wickets, and one memorable moment was the sight of Kapil Dev running about 20 yards (18 m) to take a catch to dismiss Richards, the West Indies' top scorer with 33 from 28 balls. Amarnath was the most economical bowler, conceding just 12 runs from his seven overs, while taking 3 wickets, and was once again awarded the Man of the Match award for his all-round performance. There was no 'Man of the Series' awarded in 1983.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Dynasty politics will ruin Congress' that was published in Newsband

Dynasty politics will ruin Congress

The Congress party can be revived only by setting aside its obsession with dynasty politics and returning to its ideological roots. Otherwise, its days are numbered.

The reasons for this decline are the deep-rooted culture of sycophancy within the party and the lack of an ideological backbone. The sycophantic culture had become so deep-rooted within the Congress that it was impossible for its leaders to even consider appointing a person who did not belong to the Gandhi family as Prime Minister.

The fact that UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi did not see the writing on the wall after the 2014 debacle and relinquish the leadership of the party was less a reflection of their political naiveté than their desire to control the party at all cost for their benefit.

Now that the 2019 election has ratified the 2014 verdict, with Rahul Gandhi losing his Amethi seat, it is time that all members of the Gandhi family resign from their party positions for the greater good of the party.

Indira Gandhi, unabashedly used the “Hindu card” to return to power in 1980. Rajiv Gandhi engaged in dual appeasement. The Congress learnt from the 2014 defeat that Hindutva sells and that it if you cannot beat the Hindu nationalists, you should join them. Rahul Gandhi attempted to project himself as a janeudhari Brahmin and visited umpteen temples in the countdown to State and national elections in the past two years. Terms such as ‘secularism’, ‘minorities’ and ‘lynching’ disappeared totally from the Congress rhetoric in the run-up to the 2019 elections.

The only way the Congress can try to rejuvenate itself is by discarding its sycophantic culture, ditching the ‘dynasty’ for good, re-instituting inner-party democracy. If it does not do this, it will find itself relegated to the dustbin of history.

Congress need to do lot of introspection. They must understand on what principles this party was formed. The Gandhi family themselves are their own sycophants. What's stopping Rahul and company from stepping out and staying clear for a few years? A rudderless ship? Scared that their grandfather's party will wither away? If so, so be it. Every other national party has done that.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Movie World: Dimple Kapadia to act in Hollywood film' that was published in Newsband

Movie World

Dimple Kapadia to act in Hollywood film

By Dinesh Kamath

Veteran Indian actress Dimple Kapadia will act in a Christopher Nolan film. The National Award-winning actress, who has been a part of showbiz since 1973, was initially hesitant to take on the role.

Mumbai-based talent manager Purvi Lavingia Vats, pitched Dimple for the part and things fell into place. While the prospect of working with Christopher Nolan sounded very exciting, she was a bit hesitant in the beginning as there was not much information on the role. She still sent footage of her work to the casting office and they really liked what they saw. After a more detailed brief was sent, she then decided to audition. The casting director was then flown from Los Angeles to Mumbai and he and Nolan met her. The rest was history. They found Dimple the perfect fit.

On the Indian screens, Dimple had become an overnight star with "Bobby" in 1973, but turned her back on stardom to marry Rajesh Khanna, Bollywood's first superstar. After a decade of absence, she returned with "Saagar", and then went on to prove her mettle in "Aitbaar", "Arjun", "Rama Lakhan", "Batwara", "Kaash", "Rudaali" and "Lekin".

"Dil Chahta Hai", "Luck by Chance", "What The Fish" and "Finding Fanny" are some of the offbeat films Dimple chose after 2000. She was last seen on the big screen in "Welcome Back".

Nolan, by no means, is regular for an Indian film actor. Plus, a part of the film will also be shot in India, where a part of his movie "The Dark Knight Rises" was filmed. The shoot is likely to take place in August or September. Warner Bros. Pictures are aiming to release it in theatres worldwide on July 17, 2020.

The probability of an actor from India getting cast in Hollywood for a non-Indian part is very less. The chances of an actor booking a role as an Indian character is much higher. Vats, who has been a talent manager for the past 7 years, wants to work with talent from India and bridge the gap in Hollywood.

The nature and size of the role notwithstanding, Kapadia’s foray into Hollywood with a Nolan film was regarded as big news in the Indian film industry.

While Kapadia herself has yet to open up about the role, her manager explained how Nolan and co chose her for the film. Apparently Nolan saw some footage of Kapadia’s work which left him quite impressed. Kapadia then had an audition tape shot and sent to the director and his team through her manager, which further convinced Nolan that she was right for the part. The auditioning experience was kind of a new thing for Dimple, having never given auditions previously. Her manager sat her down and talked her into the process, explaining how important it is in Hollywood productions to help the studios assess talent.

Kapadia’s casting probably stemmed from Nolan’s decision to shoot at least some sequences of Tenet in India. Together, the movie should be looking at India as a sizeable market and coupled with Nolan’s visit to the country last year, should bode well for Tenet‘s box-office performance in India already.

"Tenet" is Nolan's follow-up to his Oscar-nominated war drama "Dunkirk" and besides Kapadia will feature Robert Pattinson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kenneth Branagh, Clemence Poesy, Michael Caine, John David Washington and Elizabeth Debicki in the film.

The action film will be filmed across seven countries. Kapadia's elder daughter Twinkle took to Twitter to congratulate her on her Hollywood debut. "Congratulations mother! So so proud of you! You are truly amazing and you set an example for all of us that age is not an obstacle in the path of ability and talent #Hurrah," Twinkle wrote on Twitter.

Back home in India, Kapadia has received acclaim for her performances in films such as "Rudaali", which earned her a National Film Award for Best Actress, "Gardish", "Krantiveer", "Dil Chahta Hai", "Being Cyrus", "Finding Fanny" and others.

The 61-year-old actor, who married superstar Rajesh Khanna, was last seen in Anees Bazmee's 2015 film "Welcome Back".

Dimple Kapadia was launched by Raj Kapoor at age 16, playing the title role in his teen romance Bobby (1973). In that same year she married Indian actor Rajesh Khanna and retired from acting. Kapadia returned to the film industry in 1984, following her separation from Khanna. One of her films of that period was the drama Saagar (1985). Both Bobby and Saagar won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She went on to establish herself as one of the leading actresses of Hindi cinema in the 1980s.

Initially recognised as a national sex symbol, Kapadia was keen to avoid being stereotyped and expand her range of acting roles. She subsequently took on more serious parts in a range of film genres, from mainstream to parallel cinema, and received acclaim for her performances in such films as Kaash (1987), Drishti (1990), Lekin... (1990), and Rudaali (1993), which earned her a National Film Award for Best Actress and a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress. She followed with supporting roles in Gardish (1993) and Krantiveer (1994), the latter of which garnered her a fourth Filmfare Award.

Kapadia continued working infrequently through the 1990s and the 2000s. She played a minor part in Dil Chahta Hai (2001) and was noted for her portrayal of the title role in the American production Leela (2002). Some of her later film credits include leading roles in Hum Kaun Hai? (2004), Pyaar Mein Twist (2005), Phir Kabhi (2008) and Tum Milo Toh Sahi (2010), and supporting roles in Being Cyrus (2005), Luck by Chance (2009), Dabangg (2010), Cocktail (2012) and Finding Fanny (2014). Kapadia is the mother of Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna, both former actresses.

When Kapadia made her comeback to movies, she faced constant comparison to her Bobby days. According to Jyotika Virdi, author of the book The Cinematic Imagination, Kapadia trajectory is "different from that of any female Hindi film star", and she "turned every disadvantage to her advantage." Virdi mentioned Kapadia's forthright manner as having a major contribution to her career: "Speaking candidly to the press, she and the reporters plotted her life's narrative from the innocent teenager snared into an impossible marriage to the emergence of a mature 'woman with experience.'" Virdi also noted Kapadia for "fighting her way to the top, preferring to perform roles she described as serious and exacting rather than flippant and unchallenging," calling her parts in Aitbaar (1985), Kaash (1987) and Drishti (1990) as roles "where she drew from the well of her own experience."

Kapadia is known for her assertive and moody nature; during the making of Janbaaz (1986), director Feroz Khan remarked, "No other girl has so much of pent-up aggression." Journalist Bhawana Somaaya, who conducted a series of interviews with her during the 1980s, stated, "She's a strange bundle of contradictions. Her moods change in a jiffy." According to some critics, this approach has sometimes been at the cost of professional opportunities as "her unpredictable nature and moods have distanced many well wishers". In reply to this, she said, "I am moody by nature. But I have never consciously hurt anyone." According to Shobha Dé, Kapadia "hates being 'surveyed' and she finds herself in that unenviable situation all the time."