Religion & science don't have to be divorced, says 'Mission Mangal' star Vidya Balan

Agencies
August 19, 2019

Mumbai, Aug 19: Science and religion can co-exist rather than being pitted against each other, says Vidya Balan about her character of a god-fearing ISRO scientist in "Mission Mangal".

The actor said a person can have multiple identities but there is a problem in the way being religious is interpreted today.

"I think there is a problem with the way religion is being interpreted today. I know a lot of people who are shying away from calling themselves religious and I am one of them. I have always felt like I don't want to say I'm religious. I always call myself spiritual," the actor told PTI in an interview.

"Religious has become or obtained a negative connotation because being religious has become synonymous with being intolerant. But they don't have to be divorced," Viday said adding that Tara Shinde, her character in the film, believes in a power beyond science.

The actor also spoke about the increase in "you versus me" debate, which she believes, has led to the dilution in the concept of "us".

"Not just in our country but world over, it is becoming 'you' vs 'me'. That feeling of 'us' has been diluted lately. I wonder why though? Does it have to do with fewer resources or access to fewer resources and therefore wanting to hold it and then finding groups to align it with religion or some language or region or race or something like that... I don't know," the actor said.

"We need to question ourselves over how open minded we are. This is also a world, where freedom, I think means that I want to be free but I want to control you. That, to me, is not freedom... Everyone is screaming out loud. There are some blatant wrong things that are angering but look at what happens on Twitter. Everyone is taking offence to what is being said."

The film, released on Independence Day, features an ensemble cast including Vidya, Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Sonakshi Sinha, Nithya Menon and Kirti Kulhari.

Vidya said her character brings her own set of tricks as a homemaker in the professional space.

She relied on the research done by director Jagan Shakti to play her part.

"I spoke to director Jagan Shakti's sister, who works in ISRO. For me, it was important to understand how she strikes a balance between being a scientist, an extremely demanding job, and at the same time being a homemaker.

"Jagan met hundreds of scientists and I think he got all the requisite information about the mission. And then (R) Balki, Jagan and the team interpreted the theory the mission was based on."

The film highlights one of India's successful achievements in the field of science - Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) aka Mangalyaan and Vidya believes there should be more such stories in cinema.

Talking about the integration of nationalism and cinema, she said, "It (nationalism) should be there in the cinema and not in cinema halls."

"There are so many things that Indians can be proud of but we don't necessarily do that. When we travel across the globe, you realise India is so rich in colour, heritage, natural beauty. There are some attempts to preserve it, market it and the kind of tourism it will attract. So we need to celebrate our nation," she added.

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News Network
January 13,2020

Mumbai, Jan 13: On the ongoing protests against new Citizenship Law, Bollywood actor Zeeshan Ayub said that everyone has been exposed and the common man has understood everything and the right-wing people cannot make a fool out of them by giving vague statements.

Talking to ANI, Zeeshan said, "Law is supposed to give the citizenship but the way in which the criteria have been changed is the trouble here."

Disagreeing to the continuous statements put forward by the BJP government that CAA is not a hindrance to the citizenship, the actor further said, Things are clear now, people have now understood the facts, the people and the intention behind are now exposed,.. they can't make a fool out of common people any more."

Zeeshan said it actually the other way round, those people are the ones who are misleading the general public by fluctuating their own statements. "Home minister said something, the next day something else is being said in the Ram leela..people are getting confused., the 'Ranjahanna' actor added.

He further said, "Earlier it was Hindu-Muslim propaganda, but that didn't work, so now you are making it a case between two political parties.. basically you are changing your own statements." When asked about his take on the ongoing JNU Violence, the actor said the members of the alleged political party itself have come out and explained their part in the case and yet no action has been taken.

The actor finally said that people should develop a sense of humanity.

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Agencies
February 10,2020

Hollywood star Joaquin Phoenix finally ended his dry run at the Oscars as he picked up the best actor trophy for his performance in and as "Joker" at the 92nd Academy Awards.

The 45-year-old actor had earlier bagged a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his turn as a failed, unhinged stand-up comedian who descends into chaos.

In a lengthy and rambling speech, Phoenix touched upon racism, climate change and gender inequality. He also remembered his brother River Phoenix, who died of a drug overdose at the age of 23 in 1993.

"When he was 17, my brother wrote this lyric. He said, 'run to the rescue with love and peace will follow'," Phoenix said. At the Academy Awards and the entire Hollywood award season, Phoenix had emerged as an undisputed frontrunner even though he was up against the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio ("Once Upon a Time in Hollywood"), Adam Driver ("Marriage Story"), "Antonio Banderas ("Pain & Glory") and Jonathan Pryce ("The Two Popes").

An Oscar had eluded Phoenix for the most part of his career, despite his successful collaborations with Ridley Scott ("Gladiator"), James Mangold ("Walk The Line") and Paul Thomas Anderson ("The Master"), all of which had earned him nominations.

But as Arthur Fleck aka The Joker, Phoenix finally managed to break that jinx and became the second actor to win an Oscar for playing the DC comic book villain after the posthumous best supporting actor win to Heath Ledger in 2008.

As Joker, Phoenix took a deep dive into character, capturing its essence as well as maniacal spirit in both body and soul.

He lost 52 pounds to get into the physicality of Fleck and turned to a pathological disorder to get his distinct laughter right.

Phillips wrote the part keeping Phoenix in mind though the actor took some convincing to play the role.

Phoenix started the film's festival circuit tour on a positive note at Cannes last year that followed by stops at Venice and Toronto.

The film had also courted controversies, owing to its theme of gun violence in the movie as well as Phoenix's temperamental press tour that saw him walking out of an interview midway.

But critics and the fans loved the actor's riveting turn in the movie and his pointed speeches.

At the Golden Globes, he called out the industry for its insensitivity towards climate change and pulled up his peers for using private jets for travel, while at the SAGs, he joked how he would always lose a role to DiCaprio and asked Christian Bale to deliver a bad performance for once in his career.

In his acceptance speech at the BAFTAs, Phoenix acknowledged the lack of diversity in the nominations, calling himself a part of the problem. Phoenix's career most praised performances include "Signs ", "We Own the Night", "Two Lovers", "The Immigrant", "Her", "You Were Never Really Here" and "Inherent Vice".

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News Network
April 7,2020

New Delhi, Apr 7: Actor Disha Patani on Tuesday extended her warm wishes to legendary martial artist and actor Jackie Chan on his birthday.

The 'Baaghi 2' took to Instagram to share a throwback picture of herself with the Hong Kong-based actor and reminisced the times when she got the opportunity to work with him.

"Happiest b'day taguuu this was the first time I met you, I remember being so nervous but It turned out to be the best day of my life, getting an opportunity to work with my "superhero" is the best thing that has ever happened to me," she wrote in the caption.

"You teach people to be giving, loving and hardworking, thank you for blessing the world with your unreal performances and the most unforgettable life risking action sequences. Nobody can ever be "jackie chan" love you the most @jackiechan," she added.

Disha Patani and Jackie Chan worked together in a Chinese adventure comic film 'Kung Fu Yoga'.

The film was released worldwide in 2017 and it later became the highest-grossing film of Jackie Chan in China.

Besides Disha, the film also had two other Bollywood actors - Sonu Sood and Amyra Dastur.

Jackie Chan turned 66 today. He was many laurels to his name including the prestigious Oscar Award which was handed over to him in 2016 for his extraordinary achievements in the cinema industry.

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