Govt should decide if banning actors can stop terrorism: Varun

September 27, 2016

Mumbai, Sep 27: With the MNS asking Pakistani artistes to leave India in wake of the Uri terror attack, actor Varun Dhawan says it is the government which should decide if terrorism can be stopped by such bans.

varun

The Raj Thackeray-led party recently asked Pakistani artistes like Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan to leave India, failing which the shooting of their films would be stalled.

When asked about this, Varun told reporters last evening, "I'll follow what the government of India says. Whatever the government of India says, woh sar aakho par, I'll follow that. The attacks which happened on our jawans are horrible, my heart goes out to them."

The "Dilwale" actor says a mandate to ban Pakistani actors, if at all, must come from the government if they feel this is a solution to curb terrorism.

"I totally stand with the government of India, but this should come from the government. If they are are taking any steps, then what after that? If terrorism can be stopped by banning actors then they should do it. But that is something the government needs to decide first," he said at the 'India Nightlife Convention Awards'.

Filmmaker Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra feels though artistes from across the border are not responsible for terror acts, they often get trapped in these things.

"This problem is real. jo ye activities hoti hai (Because of these activities), somewhere rest of the innocent people get trapped in this, including the artistes. Artistes are not doing all of this but in this fire they get trapped.

"I say 'no an artiste should be kept out of this, how can you involve the artiste' but if you look at the larger picture, mothers have lost their children, sisters have lost their brothers. The sole breadwinner of the family died in the camp. The nation will get angry. And it will come out somewhere," he said.

The "Mirzya" helmer says whenever there is some tension, innocent people end up being targets.

"Yes, it is absolutely right that don't drag artistes into this but I want to ask, whenever a situation like this arises, in any part of the world, tension is there. The peace loving people are targeted," he said.

The director feels if there is something which can strengthen the ties between two nations, it is economic relationship.

"If there is a flourishing economic relationship between India and Pakistan, then we won't fill this valley of hatred with our children, but may be through business things will move forward...," he said.

"Even in our country we cast vote on the basis of caste, religious intolerance, so what can we say to others. Let's make our homes better first," he added.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
January 4,2020

Mumbai, Jan 4: After the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur constituted a panel to decide whether legendary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz's poem 'Hum Dekhenge' is offensive to Hindu sentiments, filmmaker Shoojit Sircar had a cryptic take on the burning controversy.

"Best time for the rich & small businesses to make money as most of the population are engaged with a revolutionary poet named Faiz," Sircar said in a tweet.

The poem, penned down by the iconic poet in 1979, came into limelight again recently during the protests against CAA and NRC in IIT Kanpur.

Earlier on Thursday, senior lyricist Javed Akhtar rejected the claims about the poem being 'anti-Hindu'.

IIT Kanpur on Thursday had set up a committee to look into the issue.

The move came after a complaint that the students who took out a peaceful march in the campus on December 17 against the Citizenship Amendment Act and in solidarity with Jamia Millia Islamia students, sung it as a mark of protest, which hurt the sentiments of other communities.

The CAA grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians who faced religious persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and came to India on or before December 31, 2014.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
July 25,2020

Mumbai, Jul 25: Movie theatres have been shuttered for months due to the coronavirus pandemic in the country, but the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has now recommended that the Union Home Ministry allow cinema halls to reopen in August. 

I&B Secretary Amit Khare indicated this at a close-door industry interaction with the CII Media Committee on Friday. He said Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla at the Home Ministry would take the final call.

Khare said that he has recommended that cinema halls may be allowed to reopen all over India as early as August 1, or at the latest, around August 31.

The formula suggested is that alternate seats in the first row and then the next row be kept vacant, and proceeding in this fashion throughout.

Khare said that his ministry's recommendation takes into consideration the two metre social distancing norm, but tweaks it gently to two yards instead. The Home Ministry, however, still has to revert on the recommendation.

Cinema owners, present in the interaction, however, pushed back and said this formula is unwise and merely running films at 25% auditorium capacity is worse than keeping the cinemas shut.

The attendees at the meet included media CEOs like N.P. Singh of Sony, Sam Balsara (Madison), Megha Tata, (Discovery), Gaurav Gandhi (Amazon Prime), Manish Maheshwari (Twitter), S. Sivakumar (Bennett Coleman and Co Ltd), and K Madhavan, Star & Disney, and also Chairman, CII Media Committee.

The OTT platforms present, including Gandhi of Amazon Prime, did not push back. Some Bollywood producers, notably those of Amitabh Bachchan's Gulabo Sitabo, have posted their movies on OTT, rather than live out the lockdown uncertainty.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
July 20,2020

Los Angeles, Jul 20: Hollywood stars Robert Downey Jr and Tom Holland have joined their "Avengers: Endgame" co-star Chris Evans in sending sweet messages to a young boy who saved his sister from a dog attack.

Six-year-old Bridger saved his four-year-old sister on July 9 by standing between her and a charging dog.

According to Nicole Noel Walker, his aunt, the child received 90 stitches after getting bitten by the canine.

After Walker reached out to the Avengers team through an Instagram post, Evans, in a video message, promised to send Bridger, an avid Avengers fan, "an authentic Captain America shield".

Now the 'Iron-Man' star promised he will gift Bridger something "special" on his next birthday.

"Bridger, you're a rockstar. I hear (Captain America) sent a shield your way. I'm gonna do one better, you call me on your next birthday. I got something special for you. By the way, that's a promise. A promise beats a shield," Downey Jr said.

Holland, meanwhile, spoke to Bridger on a video call and invited him to come to the sets of the next "Spider-Man" film.

"If you ever want to come to set and hang out, and see the Spider-Man suit up close, and hang out with us, you're always welcome. I want to say you are so brave, mate. We are all so proud of you, and your little sister is so lucky to have someone like you," he added.

Other Marvel stars Mark Ruffalo and Brie Larson, Hollywood star Anne Hathaway, "The Flash" series stars Grant Gustin and Robbie Amell also praised Bridger's bravery.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.