Aamir Khan no more India tourism's brand ambassador

January 7, 2016

New Delhi, Jan 7: Bollywood actor Aamir Khan will no more be promoting India as an attractive tourist destination as McCann, the global advertisement agency, has not renewed his contract.

akIt came amid perception that the actor’s long association with the ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ campaign was purged as he recently joined the countrywide debate over “intolerance” recently.

As a result, the actor also does not remain the brand ambassador of the Government of India for promotion of Indian tourism products abroad.

Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma confirmed the news after day-long speculations in media over whether Aamir was part of the ‘Incredible India’ campaign of the government or not.

“Our contract was with the McCann Worldwide agency for ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ campaign. The agency had hired Aamir for theJOB . Now the contract with the agency is over,” the minister told media, as pressure to clean the air on the issue increased by the evening.

He also sought to dispel notions about the role of his ministry in removing the actor from the campaign. He said:“The ministry has not hired Aamir Khan. It was the agency which has hired him. Since the contract with the agency is no more, automatically the arrangement with the actor no longer exists."

When asked specifically if Aamir was still the tourism ministry's brand ambassador, the minister categorically said: "Definitely not". Earlier in the day, the ministry came out with a carefully drafted vague statement saying there was “no change in the stand of the ministry in this matter,”

“The ministry further clarifies that at present it has a contractual agreement with creative agency McCann Worldwide to produce social awareness campaign and the said campaign featured Aamir Khan,” it also said, apparently to draw its hands off from the issue.

McCann, however, remained tight-lipped on the issue, even as the speculation were rife here on media and netizens were posting pro and against comments on Aamir’s expulsion from the India tourism campaign.

“I have forwarded your request to our leadership n India,” McCann’s Chief Communications Officer Jeremy C. Miller told Deccan Herald, responding to a mail seeking clarification from the company.

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Agencies
March 7,2020

Mumbai, Mar 7: A 'farm-to-fork' themed restaurant 'He-Man' situated on National Highway in Haryana's Karnal -- franchised by veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra -- has been sealed for building law violations, officials said on Saturday.

The Karnal Municipal Corporation sealed the franchise outlet on Friday for not furnishing the change of land use (CLU) certificate and illegal constructions, an official said.

The restaurant is located on National Highway 44 on the outskirts of Karnal, some 150 km from here.

The franchise was given to Delhi-based businessman Pramod Kumar.

"After the success of my restaurant Garam Dharam Dhaba, I am now announcing a farm-to- fork themed restaurant 'He-Man'," Dharmendra had announced on Instagram after its launch on Valentine's Day.

Karnal Deputy Commissioner Nishant Yadav said the action was initiated as the restaurant owner did not respond to MC notice on the issue.

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News Network
June 9,2020

Mumbai, Jun 9: Actor Sonu Sood, who has been arranging transport for migrant workers stranded in Mumbai and has faced criticism from the Shiv Sena for "enacting a political script written by BJP", was stopped outside the Bandra Terminus in Mumbai by police from meeting labourers.

A Mumbai Police official said the actor was stopped by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) when he reached the station on Monday night to meet some labourers, and added that they have not received any complaint so far in this connection.

The migrant labourers were supposed to take the Shramik Special train from Bandra Terminus to Uttar Pradesh.

Mumbai's Nirmal Nagar police station's senior inspector Shashikant Bhandare told news agency PTI that "The actor was stopped by the RPF, not by us. He wanted to meet labourers who were going to their native place. We have not received any complaint regarding this till now."

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday wondered whether the BJP propped up Sonu Sood to "offer help" to migrant workers from north India stranded in Maharashtra amidst the lockdown, with the political motive to show the Uddhav Thackeray government in poor light.

In his weekly column 'Rokhthok' in Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana', Sanjay Raut questioned the sudden rise of "Mahatma" Sood on the social scene of Maharashtra during the lockdown.

Mr Raut also referred to an alleged "sting operation" against Sonu Sood ahead of the 2019 general elections, saying he had agreed to promote the BJP-led government at various platforms through his official social media accounts.

However, later that day Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray lauded Sonu Sood's initiative to arrange buses for stranded migrant workers.

The actor met Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's residence 'Matoshree' in suburban Bandra on Sunday night.

On Monday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh backed Sonu Sood for his work for stranded migrant workers, and questioned the Maharashtra government's criticism of the actor.

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News Network
January 9,2020

Los Angeles, Jan 9: Actors Salma Hayek and Tiffany Haddish are hopeful about the future for women in Hollywood and now cinema is making films about women because the audience was "neglected".

The duo along with Rose Byrne star in Like a Boss, a comedy directed by Miguel Arteta, which follows best friends Mia and Mel (Haddish and Byrne) who join forces to run their own boutique cosmetics company.

When the prospect of a big buyout offer from a notorious titan of the beauty industry (Hayek) tempts them, their lifelong bond - and their business - is put in jeopardy.

Hayek said she is happy with the increase in female-driven films in Hollywood.

"We're on the right path. And we're not going to stop," the actor told Variety.

"What I can tell you is that a lot more women are directing and acting and writing and producing. And there are a lot more movies made about women and for women because the audience was neglected, she said.

She was speaking at the premiere of the film in New York.

Haddish added that the mantle for change shouldn't be left to the traditional decision-makers.

To get things, one has to sometimes make noise, the actor-author said.

"It's about us putting in the work and creating the projects and creating the opportunities in order to do those things to make it better. I sit back and I listen to people talk sometimes, saying, 'They're not letting us; they're not giving it to us.' Why do we have to ask permission? Why can't we just start putting it together? If they want to come on board with it, come on board. And if not, oh well," Haddish said.

"I'm about creating an opportunity. People say I'm loud and obnoxious, but sometimes it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the oil and gets things done," she added.

The comedy comes on the heels of a year gone by in cinema that featured female protagonists in films like Little Women and Captain Marvel.

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