Aamir Khan rules out joining politics but accepts his role in nation building

Agencies
August 13, 2018

Pune, Aug 13: Aamir Khan has ruled out the possibility of joining politics. The Bollywood actor, while responding to a query on whether he would enter politics, if he were offered a Rajya Sabha berth for his social work, said, “We are currently doing a lot of work and I think to do that work, there is no need to enter into politics.”

On Sunday, the Dangal star said people like him, who are working in the creative fields, have a major responsibility towards nation building and making the “social fabric” strong.

“I am working in the creative field and people in this field have a major responsibility towards nation building and making the social fabric of the society strong,” he said at a press conference on Monday, after attending an event organised by his Paani Foundation to declare the Watercup awards.

Political leaders cutting across the party lines attended the award distribution ceremony held in Pune in Maharashtra. Paani Foundation is a not-for-profit company set up in 2016 by the team of the TV series Satyamev Jayate to fight drought in rural Maharashtra. It was founded by Aamir Khan and his wife Kiran Rao.

Paani Foundation conducts a competition called the Satyamev Jayate Water Cup, in which villages compete to win prizes for the best watershed management work.

About expanding the scope of the watershed movement, Khan said instead of going larger, the foundation will try go deeper. “Currently, 75 tehsils have been covered under the watershed movement. We would like to go deeper rather going larger,” he said.

The actor said they would now focus on areas like the soil health, grass land, crop planning and tree plantation.

“We would conduct parallel competition for the villages where the watershed movement has already been done and we will give them training on the soil health, crop planning, tree plantation and grass land,” he said.

Khan said Paani Foundation has plans to go to urban areas to work on water harvesting projects.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis, state unit Congress chief Ashok Chavan, Opposition leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, NCP leader Ajit Pawar, state ministers Ram Shinde and Vijay Shivtare attended the award distribution programme.

The first prize of Rs 75 lakh and a trophy for the Water Cup 2018 competition was won by Takewadi (Andhali) village in Satara district.

Bhandwali and Sindkhed villages in Satara and Buldhana districts jointly won the second prize of Rs 50 lakh and a trophy. The third prize went to Anandwadi and Umtha villages in Beed and Nagpur districts. It carried a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh each and a trophy.

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News Network
May 1,2020

May 1: Rubbishing reports of hospitalisation, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah on Thursday said he was "fine" and at home observing the nationwide lockdown.

Shah, 69, in a Facebook post, thanked people for their concern and reassured them about his health.

"I thank all those enquiring after my health and reassure them I am fine," he said.

"I'm at home and observing the lockdown. Please don't believe any rumours," he added.

"A Wednesday" actor's younger son Vivaan Shah also dismissed rumours about his father's health.

"He's alright. These are just rumours," Vivaan said.

Reports about Shah's health started surfacing on social media as the industry was coming to terms with the deaths of Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor.

Rishi Kapoor, aged 67, died on Thursday in a hospital here after a two year-long battle with lukaemia, while Irrfan, 54, passed away on Wednesday due to neuroendocrine tumour, a rare form of cancer.

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News Network
March 28,2020

Chennai, Mar 28: Chennai City Corporation personnel stuck a home quarantine sticker at the office of actor-politician Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam office on Saturday, leading to speculation that the matinee star was quarantined for the coronavirus.

While there was speculation if Kamal Haasan was quarantined, the Greater Chennai Corporation said their staffers pasted the sticker on the premises because actress Gautami Tadimalli "returned from Dubai recently and her passport has this address (Eldams Road in upscale Alwarpet)."

The present residence of the actress was not known immediately.

The sticker read, "We are in home quarantine to safeguard ourselves and Chennai from the coronavirus." It was removed soon, an official said, declining to elaborate.

Kamal Haasan clarified in a statement that he was not quarantined.

"Based on the notice stuck outside my house, news has been spread saying that I have been quarantined. But most of you already know that I have not been living there for the past few years and the Makkal Needhi Maiam party office has been functioning from there," he said.

Further, the actor said, the news that he has been quarantined "is not true."

As a precautionary measure, he has been maintaining social distancing, he said.

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News Network
July 1,2020

Los Angeles, Jul 1: Actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas has struck a two-year television deal with Amazon. The 37-year-old actor shared the news about her "multimillion-dollar" first look deal with the streamer in a post on Instagram.

"So honoured and excited to finally share this news with you. Looking ahead, we already have so much on our slate! Big thank you to @jsalke and her team at Amazon for being such great partners, and for sharing in the belief that talent and good content knows no boundaries," Priyanka wrote.

The actor, who launched her own production banner Purple Pebble Pictures in 2015, said she aims to create "great content" featuring "creative talent" from all over the world.

"This has always been the DNA of my production house Purple Pebble Pictures, and is the foundation of this exciting new endeavour with Amazon. ⁣⁣

"And as a storyteller, my quest is to constantly push myself to explore new ideas that not only entertain but most importantly, open minds and perspectives," Priyanka said.

She thanked her fans for being a "big part of my journey so far".

"And for those who are just getting to know me, or maybe only recognise me as Alex Parrish from 'Quantico', I'm excited for you to get to know me better," Priyanka concluded.

Priyanka, who started her Hollywood career with ABC series Quantico, has featured in films such as Baywatch and Isn't It Romantic.

Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke told Variety that she bonded with the actor over their "shared passion for diverse global storytelling".

"Priyanka is drawn to exciting original content and characters that can resonate globally. She’s a powerhouse producer, and we are thrilled to collaborate with her for years to come," she added.

Prior to her deal with Amazon, the actor lined up two projects with the streamer. She will star opposite Game of Thrones actor Richard Madden in upcoming thriller series Citadel, to be produced by Anthony and Joe Russo.

The actor will also feature in Sangeet, an unscripted series co-produced with her husband, Nick Jonas.

Priyanka's another project with Amazon is a film about Ma Anand Sheela, the assistant to guru Bhagwan Rajneesh (also known as Osho). The actor will be producing the movie which is based on Netflix docu-series Wild Wild Country.

Besides her association with Amazon, the actor will next star in two Netflix projects -- superhero movie We Can Be Heroes and The White Tiger,  opposite Rajkummar Rao.

She is currently shooting for Keanu Reeves-starrer The Matrix 4, which recently resumed filming after production was halted by the pandemic.

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