I'm not a very communicative person: Aamir Khan

May 30, 2017

Mumbai, May 30: Aamir Khan has as many as 20.9 million followers on Twitter and is the most followed Indian on the Chinese microblogging site Weibo. But the superstar believes in communicating with fans through his films rather than taking the social media route as he says he is “not very communicative”.

aamir

After breaking records at the Chinese box office with his latest Bollywood offering Dangal, he became the most followed Indian on Weibo this month. Asked if he would become more active on social networking sites now, Aamir said, “The fact is I am not the kind of person who is active on social media. I don't think that will change. Once in a while, I go online and say something. Right now I am in Malta for Thugs of Hindostan. My entire focus is on the film. It's difficult to come out of that. I also believe that my major communication with fans in India or anywhere else is through my work. That's how I communicate with my audiences.”

Is that the reason why he does not regularly share posts about his activities? “I just feel that's the kind of person I am. Social media is a wonderful platform to connect with people. It's a great platform. But each one of us has a different personality. I am not a very communicative person in that sense. So, I've never been active on social media, and I don't think it will change.”

Nevertheless, his fan following just keeps growing, especially after Dangal, which saw Aamir essay a retired wrestler encouraging his daughters to take up the sport that's dominated by men. It's not just the Indian audience who showered love on the film by turning up in huge numbers at cinema halls, but also the movie buffs in China who helped Dangal to create history by becoming the first highest-earning non-Hollywood film in the country.

The Nitesh Tiwari directorial that chronicles the story of the real life Phogat sisters -- Geeta and Babita -- released in China as Shuai Jiao Baba (Let's Wrestle, Dad) on May 5 in around 7,000 screens. The film garnered Rs 872 crore in China until May 28 evening. “While we were hoping that 'Dangal' connects with the people of China, not in our wildest dreams we thought that this is the kind of connect we would have. It was unprecedented. We are pleasantly surprised,” said Aamir, whose PK, 3 Idiots and Dhoom 3 also did well in China.

So what clicked with the Chinese audience this time? “The reason it has become so huge, according to me, in China is that they connected on an emotional level with the story, the characters and the moments. I have been reading their reactions on social media. They have been saying things like how the movie moved them and how the characters inspired them so much. It made them realise what their parents went through. Many of them called up ther parents and cried. It's a very emotional reaction. That is what has made the film really work.”

Dangal was slammed by a section of the people in China, especially feminists, who tagged it as a movie that reeks of patriarchy and male chauvinism.

But Aamir is overwhelmed with the positive impact that the movie has left on people. “It had a deep impact on women and men, and how we as a society can treat the girl child. It also had a big impact on wrestling. The kind of interest people have taken in wrestling after the film is significant,” he said.

Aamir feels it's not fair to compare the sport with cricket, which is like a religion to many in India. “Everything can't be compared on the same level. If you are comparing wrestling with cricket, then I don't know if you can compare that. But it has had an impact,” he said.

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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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News Network
June 2,2020

New Delhi, Jun 2: 'Dabangg' actor Sonakshi Sinha was showered with greetings as she turned 33 on Tuesday.

Sonakshi's father and veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha took to social media to express gratitude that the family is spending time together during the lockdown period.

"This week is very special for my family, as we have a lot to thank for during this lockdown period. The family got to really spend some good quality time together," the veteran actor tweeted.

"Today we all celebrate our darling @sonakshisinha Sona's birthday. May she always be positive & abundantly blessed," his tweet further reads.

Actor Preity Zinta also made sure that she wishes the 'Kalank' actor as she posted a picture with her on Instagram.

"Happy Birthday my darling Sona. Wish you all the wonderful things, today and always. Keep Smiling and shining always. Love you loads @aslisona," the 'Kya Kehna' actor wrote in the caption.

Fashion designer Manish Malhotra also posted a picture of himself with Sonakshi on his Instagram stories and wrote, "@aslisona Happy Birthday Beautiful."

Actor Huma Qureshi too extended birthday greetings to Sonakshi by posting a picture with her on her Instagram stories.

Huma wished her friend in what seems like a code language as she wrote, "You are...this friendship..how to...Love...Dosti.." along with the picture.

"Don't want to use words, you know what I mean..right@aslisona," she further wrote.

Sonakshi was last seen in the third installment of her hit film series 'Dabangg' which was released last year in December.

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News Network
June 19,2020

New Delhi, Jun 19: With the demise of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput stirring a debate on nepotism in the film industry, singer Sonu Nigam on Thursday spoke out on the "mafia" of the Indian music industry.

Nigam shared a 7-minute-long Vlog (video blog) on his YouTube channel where he is seen talking about roadblocks in the career of the newcomers created by big music labels and in turn urged them to be kind.

"I want to request everyone and especially our music companies to be kind because today an actor - Sushant Sigh Rajput - has passed away, tomorrow you can hear the same about a singer or a composer or a lyrics writer because unfortunately there is a bigger mafia in the music industry than the film industry," the 46-year-old musician said.

He then talks about how the young and struggling musicians are distressed because of the monopoly of "only two music companies" in the industry that rule and decide everything.

"I came into the industry years ago and at a younger age so I didn't fall in the trap but this new generation is going through a lot," he said.

"They are distressed because the composer would want to work with them, the producer and director would want to work with them but the music company would say 'no this is not our artist.' This is not right that the power is in just two hands - two music companies only - they will decide who will sing who will not sing," he added.

He then stressed on the fact that he is completely out of the music industry but the situation is very grim for the newcomers.

"I am out of it and neither do I have any wish to sing since the last 15 years, I am very happy in my own world but I have seen the frustration in the eyes, in the voice and in the words of new singers, new composers, new lyric writers," he said.

"They cry and if they attempt suicide you too will have to answer the questions. Be a little kinder please, to the newcomers because they are Gandharva (skilled singers), please be a little easy on them," he added.

Nigam then shared a personal experience and without naming anyone described how a powerful actor from the Bollywood industry had control over the music world too.

"It might happen with me that the song I am singing and the same actor who is being questioned these days would say 'don't make him sing' as he has deals with Arijit Singh. So, how can you use your power like that?" he said.

"You call me, ask me to sing, and then get my song dubbed. This is funny especially because I have been working since 1991 in Bombay, I have been working since 1989 in the music industry and if you do this with me then what will you do with the young generation," he added.

The 'Aal Izz Well' singer ended the Vlog urging the big music labels to be "a little more chill" and humane towards the younger lot and warned that the distress might cause the newcomers to attempt suicide.

"Guys you need to chill a little, be a little humane. Please don't torture the younger ones, please step into their shoes, they need you, they need your help, they need your kindness," he said.

"Even directors and producers are not happy because they are not being allowed to make the music that they wish to. This is not right. Creativity should not be only in two hands. Be kind so that more people do not suicide," he added.

The alleged suicide of Sushant Singh Rajput has led to a lot of controversies in the entertainment industry. The investigations in the matter are still underway.

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