Bollywood actress defiant over masturbation scene

Agencies
June 8, 2018

Mumbai, Jun 8: Bollywood actress Swara Bhasker has hit back at a torrent of online abuse over a masturbation scene in a film dubbed India's answer to "Sex and the City" that is proving a hit worldwide.

"Veere Di Wedding", meaning "Friend's Wedding" in English, has caused a stir on social media for its portrayal of female sexuality -- a taboo subject in patriarchal, socially conservative India.

The Hindi-language movie has raked in $7.8 million in India since its June 1 release, according to Box Office India, and is in the top 10 in Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

The film, also starring Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor and Shikha Talsania and which was produced by a woman, centres on four female friends and their attitudes towards sex, love and marriage.

Many critics have praised the film as a powerful statement about female empowerment but others have accused it of having a shallow plotline.

In one scene the husband of the character played by Bhasker walks in on his wife masturbating with a vibrator.

Bhasker has received a flood of negative comments online -- including vicious personal attacks -- but has defended the film and her role in it.

"In a culture that largely silences or ignores or shames female sexuality showing a girl gratifying herself in a film in a non-judgemental way is empowering," Bhasker wrote in one tweet.

In another response she wrote: "It's okay to do something privately and not tell your parents about it. It's called discretion.

"Do u describe your morning shit to your parents when they ask you what u did when you woke up? #logic."

Bhasker has also received an outpouring of support from fans.

"I sometimes feel like giving @ReallySwara a hug and a truck full of chocolate.

"She deserves to get a day off from uninformed people trying to pull her down for every word she says and every role she plays," wrote Twitter user Hannah Pillai.

Critics have likened the film to an Indian version of "Sex and the City", the hit US television series that also portrays four friends as they navigate love and sex in New York.

"Veere Di Wedding" centres on four female friends and their attitudes towards sex, love and marriage. Swara Bhaskar (R) has hit back at a torrent of online abuse over a masturbation scene in the film

The Hindi-language movie has raked in $7.8 million in India since its June 1 release.

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News Network
March 6,2020

Los Angeles, Mar 6: Filmmaker-writer Taika Waititi is set to direct two animated series based on Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" for Netflix.

Waititi, who won an Academy Award in February for his adapted screenplay, "Jojo Rabbit", will also serve as the writer and producer on the animated series.

According to Deadline, the first series will be based on the world of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", while the second will be an original take on the Oompa-Loompa characters from the book.

The Oompa-Loompas are little humans who were preyed upon in Loompaland before Wonka invited them to work at his chocolate factory. They are paid in cocoa beans and love practical jokes and singing songs.

Netflix said the animation series would "retain the quintessential spirit and tone of the original story while building out the world and characters far beyond the pages of the Dahl book for the very first time."

The series will follow in the footsteps of Gene Wilder's 1971 portrayal of Willy Wonka and Johnny Depp's 2005 interpretation.

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News Network
March 11,2020

Washington, Mar 11: Pop star Selena Gomez made some revelations about her personal life in a recent interview.

While explaining the lyrics of her song "Rare" on the 'Genius' YouTube channel, the 27-year-old said that there are times when she feels that she will ever be able to find a suitable partner for herself, reported Fox News.

"Some days when I wake up and I am annoyed and I am like, 'I am going to be alone forever.' But after that 15 minutes go away, I say to myself, 'I know that there is someone for everybody," the singer told in the seven-and-a-half minute long video.

However, she remains optimistic as she is still young and "this isn't the end all be all".

Elaborating upon the chorus of her song, Gomez opened up and said, "self-esteem and confidence is a constant struggle".

"It's getting better with time and age, but it will always be something that I'm working on," she added while explaining the lyrics further.

"So what I think is so important about this chorus is that it's acknowledging, 'Hey, I don't have it all. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I do know that I'm special,' and I think that is a humble approach of saying, 'Why don't you see that I am different?'" the singer added as reported by Fox News.

Touching upon her experiences from past relationships, she commented: "In certain relationships, I've heard and I've experienced and whatnot, I think men and women do it -- especially teenagers and young people in love -- is there's this satisfaction out of hurting someone because you know that they care. Purposefully putting someone down because they want to keep them at a level. I've had someone actually say that to me before".

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News Network
February 24,2020

New Delhi, Feb 24: Indian Idol 11 winner is Bhatinda's Sunny Hindustani. Sunny, who mostly sang Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's songs on the show, won the coveted trophy. The Bhatinda boy took home the Indian Idol 11 trophy along with the prize money of Rs 25 lakh, a car and a singing contract with T-Series.

Sunny's entry on the show was much-talked-about. His soul-soothing voice had mesmerised the judges on the audition day itself as he sang Afreen Afreen. He got a standing ovation and former Indian Idol 11 judge Anu Malik even said that he felt as if Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan himself was performing on the Indian Idol stage. His audition video had gone viral after Anand Mahindra shared it on social media.

On the finale night, Sunny sang a medley of songs, which included Mere Rashke Qamar and Halka Halka Suroor. Ayushmann got emotional seeing Sunny's journey on screen. He said, "Hum na actor bade self-obsessed hote hain. Humein lagta hai hamari struggle sabse achchi hai, sabse badi hai. Inke saamne toh kuch hai he nahi. Jahaan se aye hai, jitna hunar inke paas hai...mujhe lagta hai inki maa sabse ameer hain."

The first and second runner-up of the show Rohit Raut and Ankona Mukherjee got Rs 5 lakh each, while Ridham Kalyan and Adriz Ghosh who were fourth and fifth on the show, took Rs 3 lakh home. Every finalist also received Rs 1 lakh cheque from Lotus Herbals and gift hampers from the sponsors.

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