We do nothing to promote Indian documentaries: Nishtha Jain

May 10: Azaan is an integral part of the faith, not the gadget, says veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar, asking that the Islamic call to prayer on loudspeakers should be stopped as it causes "discomfort" to others.

In a tweet on Saturday, Akhtar wondered why the practice was 'halaal' (allowed) when it was, for nearly half a century in the country, considered 'haraam' or forbidden.

"In India for almost 50 years Azaan on the loud speak was Haraam. Then it became Halaal and so halaal that there is no end to it, but there should be an end to it. Azaan is fine but loud speaker does cause of discomfort for others. I hope that atleast this time they will do it themselves (sic)," Akhtar tweeted.

When a user asked his opinion on loudspeakers being used in temples, the 75-year-old writer said everyday use of speakers is a cause of concern.

"Whether it's a temple or a mosque, if you're using loudspeakers during a festival, it's fine. But it shouldn't be used everyday in either temples or mosques.

"For more than thousand years Azaan was given without the loud speaker. Azaan is the integral part of your faith, not this gadget," he replied.

Earlier in March, Akhtar had supported the demand to shut mosques amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country, saying even Kaaba and Medina have been closed due to the pandemic.

He had also appealed to the Muslim community to offer prayers from home in the holy month of Ramzan, which began on April 24.

"I request all the Muslim brothers that now that Ramzan is coming, please say your prayers but make sure that this doesn't cause problems to anyone else. The prayers that you do in the mosque, you can do that at home. According to you, the house, the ground, this all has been made by Him. Then you can do your prayers anywhere," he had said.

Mumbai, Apr 14: Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope has thanked Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan for providing 25,000 personal protective equipment for health workers.

Khan on Monday provided the personal protective equipment (PPE) kits to the frontline medical staff in Maharashtra fighting to contain the novel coronavirus pandemic in the state.

Tope took to Twitter to thank the actor for the help.

Many thanks Mr. Shah Rukh Khan for your kind contribution of 25,000 PPE kits. This will go a long way in supporting our fight against COVID19 & protecting our frontline medical care team @iamsrk @MeerFoundation @CMOMaharashtra," he tweeted.

The actor and his wife Gauri Khan recently offered their four-storey personal office space for treating COVID-19 patients.

Khan had earlier announced various initiatives to help the country during the crisis.

Mumbai, Jun 30: Actor Vivek Oberoi on Tuesday announced that he is set to make his debut as a producer with a high-concept thriller titled "Iti- Can You Solve Your Own Murder”.

The whodunit thriller will be directed by Vishal Mishra, who has previously helmed on films "Coffee With D” (2017) and "Hotel Milan” (2018).

"Iti" will be produced by the actor's banner Oberoi Mega Entertainment, Mandiraa Entertainment and Girish Johar. It is creatively backed by Prernaa Arora.

The 43-year-old actor said he trusts Vishal’s vision and liked the idea so much that he decided to back the project.

"I’m sure it’s going to be an exciting journey with Prernaa, team Mandiraa and Girish. We hope to present an engaging piece of cinema to the audiences with this," Vivek said in a statement.

The film revolves around a woman who is racing against time to solve her own murder. The project is expected to go on floors by October and release in the first quarter of 2021.

“I’m super excited and keen to share this story with our audiences. Vishal is a very gifted talent and we are pretty sure that with this film, we have a winner on our hands," Johar said.

Vivek's last Bollywood big-screen appearance was in 2019’s "PM Narendra Modi". He was also seen in season two of Amazon Prime Video's thriller "Inside Edge".