Bangladesh selects Irrfan Khan's 'Doob' for Oscar's foreign language category

Agencies
September 24, 2018

Los Angeles, Sept 24: Irrfan Khan-starrer "Doob" ("No Bed of Roses") is Bangladesh's official entry for the Oscars next year.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film, directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, that was initially banned in Bangladesh, will be contesting in the Best Foreign Language category at the 91st Academy Awards.

"Doob" courted controversy in the wake of reports that it was loosely based on late Bangladeshi writer and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed.

Farooki denied that it was a biopic and the film later received a No Objection Certificate from the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation. The film released on October 27, 2017.

The movie features Irrfan, who is currently in London undergoing treatment for neuroendocrine tumour, in the lead.

India's Parno Mittra and Nusrat Imrose Tisha and Rokeya Prachy of the neighbouring country are also part of the cast.

Irrfan plays Javed Hasan, a successful director going through midlife crisis when he has a tryst with his daughter's childhood friend whom he also marries, causing a national scandal. Rokeya plays his wife, while Nusrat plays the daughter and Parno plays her childhood friend.

The director said in a statement that he took inspiration from a real-life incident "which shook the very foundation of Bangladesh's judgmental Muslim society" and "how women struggle in our society and find strength in despair".

An India-Bangladesh co-production, "Doob", bagged independent jury award at the 39th Moscow International Film Festival besides being nominated for Golden Goblet Awards in Shanghai International Film Festival just before release.

Farooki's previous films, "Third Person Singular Number" (2009) and "Television" (2012) were also submitted as Oscar entries.

Bangladesh is yet to secure an Academy Award nomination.

Partition-set drama "Khacha" was its last year's entry.

The Oscars award ceremony will be held on February 24.

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News Network
July 27,2020

Mumbai, Jul 27: Reel life villain Sonu Sood turned real life hero once again, this time by gifting a tractor on Sunday to a farmer in a remote village in Andhra Pradesh to help him till the land. The actor came up with the gift after coming through a video clip on Twitter wherein a tomato farmer in Madanapalle in Chittoor district was seen ploughing the land with his two daughters carrying the yoke on their shoulders.

In his instant reaction, Sood promised a pair of ox to the farmer, but later said the family deserved a tractor. "So sending you one. By evening a tractor will be ploughing your fields. Stay blessed," Sood, who acted as a villain in numerous Telugu films, said in a tweet.

True to his word, a new tractor was delivered to the elated farmer Nageswara Rao at his Mahalrajupalle village by Sunday night. Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, who belongs to Chittoor district, hailed the actor's gesture.

"Spoke with @sonusood ji and applauded him for his inspiring effort to send a tractor to Nageswara Rao's family in Chittoor district. Moved by the plight of the family, I have decided to take care of the education of the two daughters and help them pursue their dreams," Naidu said in a tweet.

Rao's elder daughter completed her Intermediate while the second one passed Class 10. Rao used to run a tea stall in Madanapalle before coronavirus left him out of business. He returned to his native Mahalrajupalle village to take up agriculture once again.

Given his penury, he could not hire either a pair of bulls or a tractor to till the land, when his daughters volunteered to help him on the chores. Their plight went viral on social media following which the actor stepped in with help.

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News Network
April 25,2020

Mumbai, Apr 25: Actor Vidya Balan has decided to donate 1000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits to the frontline healthcare staff across India.

In a video message posted on her Facebook page, the actor announced that she is also collaborating with celebrity shout-out platform Tring to raise money for additional 1000 PPE kits.

“In the war against COVID-19 our health care professionals are like our soldiers at the border fighting for our health and freedom. Just like we equip our soldiers for the battle we must do the same with our medical staff. There is a critical shortage of PPE for our senior doctors, residents, nurses and ward boys in their daily work.

“As a result, a lot of our hospitals are not functioning at full capacity. Join me in changing this now. I am donating 1000 PPE ktis to hospital and medical staff across the country. And I am pledging to raise money for another 1000,” she said.

According to a statement issued by the actor’s team, she has joined hands with Tring to provide additional 1000 PPE kits, in association with Manish Mundra of Drishyam Films and photographer-producer Atul Kasbekar.

For donations made through Tring, Vidya will be recognising the support of every donor by sending a personal thank you video message, and a chance for a two-minute video call with her.

Vidya said each PPE kit is worth Rs 650 (all-inclusive of delivery costs and applicable taxes) and it consists of one coverall laminated and waterproof, nitrile gloves, goggles, face shields, 3-ply surgical mask and shoe covers.

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Agencies
May 17,2020

Mumbai, May 17: TV actor Manmeet Grewal, who worked on shows like "Aadat Se Majboor" and "Kuldeepak", committed suicide after struggling with dwindling finances amid lockdown, family friend-producer Manjit Singh Rajput said.

Grewal, who was originally from Punjab, hanged himself on Friday night at his Kharghar residence here where he lived with his wife. He was 32.

Rajput, who had known Grewal for nearly seven years, said the actor was facing "financial crisis" and wasn't able to earn due to the lockdown. 

"He was going through a major financial issue and he was also in depression. The added pressure of not being able to repay loans amid this (no work phase) got to him. His wife is completely shocked and devastated," Rajput told PTI.

The producer said last rites of the actor were performed on Saturday. 

Grewal was working on projects like a webseries and some commercials, which were put on hold due to the nationwide lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

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