Hollywood actor Harrison Ford 'battered but OK' after LA plane crash

March 6, 2015

Los Angeles, Mar 6: Hollywood star Harrison Ford was injured on Thursday when the small plane he was flying suffered engine failure and crash-landed on a golf course outside Los Angeles, officials said.

Hollywood actor Harrison Ford

The 72-year-old Indiana Jones and Star Wars actor suffered multiple gashes to his head and was left bleeding after the crash of the vintage two-seater plane, according to the TMZ celebrity website.

"At the hospital. Dad is OK. Battered, but OK! He is every bit the man you would think he is. He is an incredibly strong man," said Ford's son Ben in a tweet.

"He was banged up and is in the hospital receiving medical care. The injuries sustained are not life threatening, and he is expected to make a full recovery," added the star's publicist, Ina Treciokas.

The striking yellow-silver plane -- which was left with its nose cone ripped open after the crash -- had just taken off from Santa Monica Airport.

In audio with air traffic control, Ford can be heard saying, in an urgent voice: "Engine failure," before requesting "immediate return" to the airport.

The aircraft clipped trees only yards from houses, and a few hundred yards from the airport runway he was trying to return to, before crashing onto what looked like a fairway.

"I'm sure the pilot was glad that there was a golf course here," said Patrick Jones of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

A Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman, who did not identify Ford, initially said the pilot was critically injured, but that was later changed to moderately hurt.

"When we arrived on scene we had a small aircraft that was down on Penmar Golf Course, near the Santa Monica Airport," spokesman Erik Scott told AFP, recounting the early afternoon crash at the golf course in Venice, southwest of Los Angeles.

Another LAFD spokesman, Patrick Butler, speaking at the scene, described the injuries as "fair to moderate."

"The patient left the scene conscious and breathing," said Butler.

The KTLA television station cited witnesses as saying Ford was helped out of the plane by bystanders on the golf course, and that he could use his legs.

TV pictures of the aircraft showed that it had gashed a stretch of grass on the golf course before coming to a halt the right way up.

The crash is expected to be investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said the LAFD spokesman Scott.

Experienced pilot

Ford was flying a Ryan PT-22 two-place open cockpit trainer, one of many hundreds manufactured during World War II to train US military pilots.

Built in 1942, with a 160-horsepower radial engine and a top speed of 131 miles per hour, it was retired by the military after the war, and eventually fell into disrepair, according to a 2008 feature in AOPA Pilot magazine.

It was acquired in 1992 by an Illinois design engineer as a restoration project, and went on to win the prize for best antique airplane at Oshkosh, the world's biggest air show, in 1998.

It went on to be sold to a new owner shortly afterwards, and is currently registered in the name of a Delaware company, according to FAA records.

Ford took his first flying lessons in college, gave up due to lack of money, but got back into it after becoming an established film star. He has been the owner of several planes, from two-seat bush aircraft to corporate jets.

Tom Haines of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), who has flown with Ford, told CNN the actor was "a very skilled pilot and very safety conscious," describing him as "meticulous."

Last June, Ford broke his leg on the set of the new Star Wars movie at Pinewood Studios outside London. Filming began in May last year on the new episode of the iconic franchise, directed by blockbuster filmmaker J.J. Abrams.

Ford is back as smuggler Han Solo, Mark Hamill will return as Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker and Carrie Fisher, 57, reprises the role of Princess Leia.

The veteran actor remains one of the biggest names in Hollywood, in a glittering career stretching back decades.

As well as the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies, he has had a string of movie hits -- and misses -- from the acclaimed Witness and The Fugitive to the panned Hollywood Homicide and Random Hearts.

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News Network
June 19,2020

New Delhi, Jun 19: After the recent sudden demise of Sushant Singh Rajput, actor Kangana Ranaut who went public slamming nepotism in the Hindi film industry, has now revealed that she faced similar struggles like that of Sushant.

In a new statement, the "Queen" actor alleged that she was asked to apologise to Hrithik Roshan's family in order to survive. Both Kangana and Hrithik had been in the public spotlight in the year 2016 over their alleged former relationship and legal battle.

The 'Queen' actor said: "Once Javed Akhtar had called me to his house and told me that Rakesh Roshan and his family are very big people. If you don't apologise to them, you will have nowhere to go. They will put you in jail, and eventually, the only path would be that of destruction...you will commit suicide. These were his words. Why did he think if I don't apologise to you will have nowhere to go. They will put you in jail, and eventually, the only path would be that of destruction...you will commit suicide. These were his words. Why did he think if I don't apologise to Hrithik Roshan, I would have to commit suicide? He shouted and yelled at me. I was shaking in his house,"

She further continued, "Were there people calling Sushant? Were there people putting such thoughts into his mind? I have no idea, but obviously, he was in a similar situation. In his interviews, he had said that nepotism cannot co-exist with talent because they don't allow the right talent to come up. I can relate to it, and hence I am raising questions. I want to know who played the catalyst in this situation?"

Kangana adds, "I know Sushant had a big fallout with Aditya Chopra also. When I refused Sultan, he had threatened he would never work with me. Ever since our industry ganged up on me. I remember so many times feeling really lonely and feeling what will happen to me..."

The 'Manikarnika' star also revealed that all this not only happened to her professionally but personally as well it hampered her relationships. "They are very insecure about things. Despite what they did to me, there was a guy who wanted to get married to me. But he distanced himself, they made sure he ran away. With no surety about my career, my love-life completely has gone awry, with six court-cases against me, they're still trying to put me in jail."

Kangana also talked about herself: "I'm a different person; I'm very expressive. I went out there, and I just vented it out. Sushant was not a person like that at all. He just bottled it up. Media too has played a considerable part in this--the kind of monster image that was given to him. Everybody who knew him closely agrees that he was a soft and emotional person. I think that after a point it really got to him. I can understand it because even I have been portrayed as a witch and as a stalker."

Sharing that the bullying and outbursts had a psychological impact on her life situations, Kangana says, "I remember initially when people used to come to my home, I felt so embarrassed to even offer them water. Forget having a relationship or going on a date post the disaster of a relationship I had. I can only imagine that even during Manikarnika what they did to me."

Talking about the 'Kai Po Che' star, she added, "But perhaps he was just not able to vent. In fact, all these constant jibes on these petty show that he should be killed and which rated him as the least efficient... his films have done more business than your Gully Boy. People like Salman Khan said who Sushant Singh Rajput? It was after M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, everybody knew who Sushant was. We need to stop these."

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Agencies
April 25,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 25: Malayalam actor Ravi Vallathol, well-known for his acting in television serials and movies, passed away on Saturday at a hospital here, family sources said.

Vallathol, son of drama legend T N Gopinathan Nair and Soudamini, was the nephew of the famous Malayalam poet Vallathol Narayana Menon.

The veteran actor had appeared in around 50 Malayalam movies and more than 50 television serials starting from1986 with the serial 'Vaitharani' on Doordarshan.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi VIjayan expressed condolences on the passing away of the actor.

"He had an extraordinary ability to immortalise the characters with a wide range of emotions," Vijayan said, adding that, his demise was a loss to both theatre, film and TV serial industry.

Opposition Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala also condoled the demise of the Vallathol.

Chennithala remembered Vallathol as a brilliant writer and social activist. Vallathol made his film debut in 'Swathi Thirunal' directed by the late Lenin Rajendran in 1987.

He had also played versatile characters in hit movies movies including Godfather, Mathilukal, Sargam, Vidheyan, Kottayam Kunjachan, Naalu Penningal, Idukki Gold among others.

He has penned more than 25 short stories among which two were adapted into television series.

He is survived by his wife Geethalakshmi.

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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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