Half-Indian Priyanka Yoshikawa crowned Miss Japan, but not everyone’s impressed

September 6, 2016

Tokyo, Sep 6: A half-Indian with an elephant trainer’s licence was crowned Miss Japan on Monday, striking a blow to those demanding a ‘pure’ Japanese pageant queen.

Priyanka

Priyanka Yoshikawa’s tearful victory comes a year after Ariana Miyamoto faced an ugly, racist backlash for becoming the first black woman to represent Japan.

Social media lit up after Miyamoto’s trail-blazing triumph as critics complained that Miss Universe Japan should not have gone to a “haafu” -- Japanese for “half”, a word used to describe mixed race.

“Before Ariana, haafu girls couldn’t represent Japan,” Yoshikawa said after her exotic Bollywood looks helped sweep her to the title.

“That’s what I thought too. I didn’t doubt it or challenge it until this day. Ariana encouraged me a lot by showing me and showing all mixed girls the way.”

Yoshikawa, born in Tokyo to an Indian father and a Japanese mother, vowed to continue the fight against racial prejudice in homogenous Japan, where multiracial children make up just two percent of those born annually.

“I think it means we have to let it in,” said the 22-year-old when asked what it signified for her and Miyamoto to break down cultural barriers.

“We are Japanese. Yes, I’m half Indian and people are asking me about my ‘purity’ -- yes, my dad is Indian and I’m proud of it, I’m proud that I have Indian in me. But that does not mean I’m not Japanese.”

Yoshikawa, like Miyamoto, was bullied because of her skin colour after returning to Japan aged 10 following three years in Sacramento and a further year in India.

Mahatma Gandhi’s visit

“I know a lot of people who are haafu and suffer,” said Yoshikawa, an avid kick-boxer whose politician great-grandfather once welcomed Mahatma Gandhi for a two-week stay at their home in Kolkata.

“We have problems, we’ve been struggling and it hurts. When I came back to Japan, everyone thought I was a germ,” she added.

“Like if they touched me they would be touching something bad. But I’m thankful because that made me really strong.”

Yoshikawa, who speaks fluent Japanese and English and towered over her rivals at 1.76 metres (5 ft, 8 ins), will contest for the Miss World crown in Washington this December.

“When I’m abroad, people never ask me what mix I am,” said Yoshikawa, who earned her elephant trainer’s licence to add spice to her resume.

“As Miss Japan, hopefully I can help change perceptions so that it can be the same here too. The number of people with mixed race is only going to increase, so people have to accept it.”

Reaction to Yoshikawa’s victory failed initially to trigger any real outrage, although predictably some were unhappy.

“What’s the point of holding a pageant like this now? Zero national characteristics,” grumbled one Twitter user, while another fumed: “It’s like we’re saying a pure Japanese face can’t be a winner.”

As the Japanese government continues to push its “Cool Japan” brand overseas to entice foreign tourists for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Yoshikawa promised to win over any doubters.

“There was a time as a kid when I was confused about my identity,” she admitted. “But I’ve lived in Japan so long now I feel Japanese.”

japan

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News Network
January 28,2020

Bandipur, Jan 28: British adventurer Bear Grylls and superstar Rajinikanth arrived at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve and National Park in Karnataka on Tuesday for shooting a special episode of the show 'Man vs Wild'.

The actor arrived at the location dressed in comfortable sporty clothes. Donning a dark blue jacket and grey track pants, Rajinikanth was also carrying a cross-body sling bag.

Videos and photographs of Rajinikanth arriving at a helipad were shared widely on social media.

Reports say that an agreement was signed between the Karnataka Forest Department represented by the Field Director of Bandipur and Banijay Group, Seventaurus Entertainment Studio Private Ltd, Mumbai for shooting of the documentary in December 2019. The team was also allowed to do a recce from December 27th to 29th as per the agreement, a report said.

The shooting has been permitted for six hours. "Permission for the shooting has been given for Sultan Batteri highway and ranges of Mulleholle, Maddur and Kalkere ranges. They will be shooting in non-tourist zones. If permission was given for the shooting of Wild Karnataka, then this can also be permitted. Also, no tourist or regular forest patrolling activities will be affected. The shooting will be done under special forest protection and no one will be aware of the locations," a forest official was quoted as saying in another news report.

Earlier in 2019, Grylls shot an episode of the show with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Grylls is also back with the latest edition of his National Geographic show ‘Running Wild With Bear Grylls’, where actors such as Channing Tatum, Brie Larson, Joel McHale, Cara Delevingne, Rob Riggle, Armie Hammer and Dave Bautista take on adventurous challenges in remote wilderness.

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News Network
February 11,2020

New Delhi, Feb 11: 'Housefull 4' actor Pooja Hegde will star opposite Salman Khan in his Eid 2021 release 'Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali'.

Film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh made the announcement on Twitter on Tuesday.

"CONFIRMED... #PoojaHegde opposite #SalmanKhan in #KabhiEidKabhiDiwali... Directed by Farhad Samji... Story and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala... #Eid2021 release," read Adarsh's tweet.

Earlier, Salman Khan had announced the title of the film 'Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali' in January, keeping the trend alive of gifting his fans a movie to enjoy on Eid al-Fitr.

The film is being co-produced by Salman Khan, Sohail Khan, and Atul Agnihotri under the banners Salman Khan Films, Sohail Khan Productions and Reel Life Production.

The flick will hit theatres on Eid 2021, which will be around May 21.

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News Network
July 11,2020

Mumbai, Jul 11: Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan announced on Twitter late on Saturday that he tested positive for the novel coronavirus infection.

Taking to Twitter to announce the news, he said, "I have tested CoVID positive... " He added that family and staff had also undergone tests while Bachchan has been shifted to a hospital. 

Bachchan ended his tweet saying, "All that have been in close proximity to me in the last 10 days are requested to please get themselves tested !"

Bachchan, who was last seen in Gulabo Sitabo that released on OTT platforms, will be seen in Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Bhrahmastra.

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