Salman being targeted for his celebrity status: Father

August 2, 2015

Mumbai, Aug 2: Days after Bollywood superstar Salman Khan got into a controversy by opposing the death penalty for 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon, his father, veteran writer Salim Khan, dismissing his son's tweets as "childish and meaningless", said he was being targeted for his celebrity status which gives accusers more publicity.

SalmanSalim says his son was not the only person who had held such a position.

"These things have been said by many people. Salman was not the only one. Probably his way of putting it was little childish and meaningless. First person to condemn it was me. Lots of people like Naseeruddin Shah, Shatrughan Sinha, (Justice) Markandey Katju have said the same thing," Salim told news channel India Today.

"You get more publicity when you attach Salman because he is a big star," he added.

Salman, 49, who is out on bail after being sentenced to five years in jail in the 2002 hit-and-run case in May, tweeted on July 25 that Yakub, who was hanged in Nagpur jail on Thursday, should not be punished for his brother Tiger Memon's crime.

The reaction to the tweets led authorities to deploy around 50 policemen outside his residence in Galaxy Apartment in Bandra in fear of possible violence and even set up barricades.

However, Salman, the very next day (July 26) apologised for what all he said. The "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" posted on Twitter that his father wanted him to retract his tweets "as they have the potential to create misunderstanding". And he promptly deleted the earlier tweets.

Asked whether Salman is being targeted because of being an Indian Muslim, Salim said: "The people here who have come up with the agitation and blocked the road... personally I felt that these are the people, probably lots of them are against (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji. He (Modi) is totally aware of all these things that he comes to know."

Yakub Memon was involved in the deadly 1993 blasts that left 257 people dead and over 700 injured in what was then the world's worst urban terror attack.

He is the brother of one of the main accused, Tiger, who along with others is absconding. Indian officials believe he and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim are in Pakistan.

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Agencies
March 24,2020

Los Angeles, Mar 24: In a bizarre video shot from her rose petal filled bathtub, pop star Madonna has called the coronavirus pandemic "a great equaliser".

The music icon said the virus doesn't discriminate between rich and poor.

That's the thing about COVID-1. It doesn't care about how rich you are, how famous you are, how funny you are, how smart you are, where you live, how old you are, what amazing stories you can tell.

It's the great equaliser and what's terrible about it is what's great about it. What's terrible about it is that it's made us all equal in many ways, and what's wonderful about is, is that it's made us all equal in many ways, Madonna said in the video while having a milky bath in tub full of roses.

The 61-year-old singer, who had to cancel two of her concerts in Paris due to coronavirus outbreak, also referenced her 1995 song Human Nature in the video saying we are all going down together .

According to the Johns Hopkins coronavirus tracker, the death toll from the virus globally has risen to 14,641 with 336,000 cases reported in 173 countries and territories.

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News Network
April 25,2020

Mumbai, Apr 25: Actor Vidya Balan has decided to donate 1000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits to the frontline healthcare staff across India.

In a video message posted on her Facebook page, the actor announced that she is also collaborating with celebrity shout-out platform Tring to raise money for additional 1000 PPE kits.

“In the war against COVID-19 our health care professionals are like our soldiers at the border fighting for our health and freedom. Just like we equip our soldiers for the battle we must do the same with our medical staff. There is a critical shortage of PPE for our senior doctors, residents, nurses and ward boys in their daily work.

“As a result, a lot of our hospitals are not functioning at full capacity. Join me in changing this now. I am donating 1000 PPE ktis to hospital and medical staff across the country. And I am pledging to raise money for another 1000,” she said.

According to a statement issued by the actor’s team, she has joined hands with Tring to provide additional 1000 PPE kits, in association with Manish Mundra of Drishyam Films and photographer-producer Atul Kasbekar.

For donations made through Tring, Vidya will be recognising the support of every donor by sending a personal thank you video message, and a chance for a two-minute video call with her.

Vidya said each PPE kit is worth Rs 650 (all-inclusive of delivery costs and applicable taxes) and it consists of one coverall laminated and waterproof, nitrile gloves, goggles, face shields, 3-ply surgical mask and shoe covers.

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Agencies
May 17,2020

Mumbai, May 17: TV actor Manmeet Grewal, who worked on shows like "Aadat Se Majboor" and "Kuldeepak", committed suicide after struggling with dwindling finances amid lockdown, family friend-producer Manjit Singh Rajput said.

Grewal, who was originally from Punjab, hanged himself on Friday night at his Kharghar residence here where he lived with his wife. He was 32.

Rajput, who had known Grewal for nearly seven years, said the actor was facing "financial crisis" and wasn't able to earn due to the lockdown. 

"He was going through a major financial issue and he was also in depression. The added pressure of not being able to repay loans amid this (no work phase) got to him. His wife is completely shocked and devastated," Rajput told PTI.

The producer said last rites of the actor were performed on Saturday. 

Grewal was working on projects like a webseries and some commercials, which were put on hold due to the nationwide lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

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