Bollywood condemns journalist Gauri Lankeshs murder

Agencies
September 6, 2017

Mumbai, Sep 6: Bollywood celebrities such as Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi, Sonam Kapoor and Dia Mirza have condemned the killing of senior journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, calling it an attack on independent press.

The Kannada journalist-activist, known for her left- leaning outlook and forthright views on Hindutva politics, was shot dead by unidentified assailants at her residence last night.

Citing a pattern in the murder, Akhtar wrote on Twitter, Lankesh died a similar death as rationalists Narendra Dhabolkar, Govind Pansare and M M Kalburgi.

"Dhabolkar, Pansare, Kalburgi, and now Gauri Lankesh. If one kind of people are getting killed which kind of people are the killers," the lyricist-writer tweeted.

Azmi tweeted, "#Gauri Lankesh shot dead outside her home. Shocking. Devastating. Dabholkar Pansare Kalburgi culprits must be punished."

While Sonam wrote, "Truth alone prevails. Your voice will be heard and shall turn into an echo towards justice. #GauriLankeshMurder."
Mirza tweeted that the incident was "deeply disturbing" and the perpetrators "must found and punished".

"To kill someone for their views is not Democracy, its beginnings of a Banana Republic, where violence speaks louder than words #GauriLankesh," wrote filmmaker Shekhar Kapur.

Director Vivek Agnihotri said, "#GauriLankesh was in my batch at IIMC. An idealist leftist. In the end, became victim of the same politics she believed in and fought for."

Director Onir raised his voice, saying, "What a shame for the entire nation. #GauriLankesh killing is a blot on our democracy and is an attack on indie press."

Actor Jaaved Jaaferi wrote, "Extremely dangerous signs when a country witnesses crusaders activists and journalists who question the government being murdered. RIP #GauriLankesh."

Lankesh, 55, had returned home in her car and was opening the gate when motorcycle-borne assailants fired at her indiscriminately, with two bullets hitting her in the chest and one on her forehead, police officials said.

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News Network
June 17,2020

Jerusalem, Jun 17: Calling Sushant Singh Rajput as "a true friend", Israel has expressed its deepest condolences at the passing away of the young Bollywood star.

Rajput, 34, was found dead in his Bandra apartment on Sunday.

On Tuesday, Gilad Cohen, deputy director-general of Israel's foreign ministry, took to Twitter to mourn the actor's sudden demise.

"Sending my deepest condolences on the passing of Sushant Singh Rajput, a true friend of Israel. You will be missed!" Cohen wrote while sharing the link of the song "Makhna" from the actor's last film "Drive".

Sushant and his co-star Jacqueline Fernandez had shot the song in Israel as part of its ongoing efforts to bring Bollywood to the country.

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News Network
April 5,2020

New Delhi, April 5: Superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Sunday in a written message urged people to stay kind to each other and support each other in the testing times amid coronavirus crisis.
The message was shared by the actor's production company - Red Chillies Entertainment.

"At a time when the human race is facing an immense crisis, there can only be one true response: The expression of Humanity itself. This is a moment for all of us to come together in a collective effort to make each other kinder, stronger and braver to face the days ahead," said Khan.

The message from the megastar can be seen as an attempt to instill positivity and calm amidst the current situation of chaos.

"This crisis is not going to pass in a hurry, it will take its time and its toll on all of us. It will also show us that there isn't really a choice between looking out for ourselves and looking out for one another," he said.

"There's nothing more obvious in the spread of this pandemic than the fact that each one of us is inextricably connected to each other, without any distinction," he added.

He urged people to stay compassionate towards each other and also said that how we deal with this pandemic will define India as a Nation.

"So, while we do whatever we can to support each other in our own small ways, the compassion we show to those who are likely to face the most brutal brunt of both, the pandemic and its economic consequences will define us as a generation and as a Nation," the 'Kal Ho Na Ho' actor said.

"The scourge we are up against. is fearsome and unknown to us. Like all uncharted paths, our journey to overcome every new challenge it throws at us will be arduous. There will be times when the best intentions might yield the wrong results. There may also be times when we accidentally stumble upon important solutions," he added.

The 54-year-old actor urged people to confront each challenge with courage and said that he will do his best it.

"All we can really do is try our utmost to adapt and confront each challenge with courage. As a nation, and as a people, it is our duty to give it all we've got. I am going to try my best and I know each one of you will do so too. Only together we will able to fight through these difficult and unimaginable days. Together. we will overcome," he said.

He also added short poetry which said that a bright day follows this dark night and new beginnings of the day are awaiting.

"Raat ke baad naye diin ki sahar aayegi, Din nahi badlega, tareekh Badal jayegi..." read the message.

King Khan ended the message by urging people to ta maintain a physical distance with others.
"I pray for you and your families, please do the same for me. And follow Physical Distancing..........Physical Distancing.. Physical Distancing...PLEASE," said Shah Rukh Khan.
Earlier on Saturday, the Padma Shri awardee along with his wife Gauri Khan offered their personal office space in Mumbai for quarantine purpose for children, elderly and women.
The couple has also made donations to the PM CARES Fund and shared that his companies -- Kolkata Knight Riders, Red Chillies Entertainment, Meer Foundation, and Red Chillies VFX -- are taking several initiatives to support the relief efforts.

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News Network
January 27,2020

Los Angeles, Jan 27: Lil Nas X, Lady Gaga, Beyonce and... Michelle Obama?

Yep.

The former first lady can now add Grammy winner to her resume, after snagging the award on music's biggest night for Best Spoken Word Album, for the audiobook of her memoir Becoming.

Her win on Sunday gives the Obama household its third Grammy: former president Barack Obama has already snagged two Grammys in the same category for his books.

She faced an eccentric group of rivals that included Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys for Beastie Boys Book and John Waters, the director-performer known for his transgressive cult films, for Mr. Know-It-All.

 Released in late 2018, Becoming saw the former first lady slam U.S. president Donald Trump for questioning her husband's citizenship and promoting the notion that he was born abroad.

"The whole [birther] thing was crazy and mean-spirited, of course, its underlying bigotry and xenophobia hardly concealed," Obama wrote.

America's first black first lady also dug into her personal life in her book, expounding on issues including a miscarriage, using in-vitro fertilization to conceive her daughters and marriage counseling.

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