I'm concerned about country's anger: Sonu Nigam

Agencies
December 25, 2018

New Delhi, Dec 25: Singer Sonu Nigam, who has been in the proverbial eye of the storm for his comments on Pakistani musicians and the #MeToo movement, says he is concerned about the "country's anger" and would like people to "smile and be a little easy". 

An eye for an eye leads to lynchings and road rage incidents and is just not his style, said the singer who ignited twin controversies last week.

He said during a media summit that it would be better if he was from Pakistan so he would get more offers from India. Nigam also attracted attention with his verbal spat with Sona Mohapatra on #MeToo movement. 

"I am very concerned about the country's anger. There has to be some decorum. The kind of language people use is unbelievable. The kind of language she (Sona) used, there is so much hatred. I maintained my decorum in all my statements. We need to smile and be a little easy," Nigam told PTI.

The 45-year-old said he became a victim of sensational headlines and their viral effect on social media.

"When I want to communicate something I will say what I know or believe in. I will speak the truth. Eye for an eye is not my style of dealing with things. This leads to mob lynching, road rage," he added. 

With his comments on Pakistan drawing flak, Nigam issued a statement saying he has immense respect for global musicians, including Pakistani singers, but wishes for Indian artistes to be given same facilities as their foreign counterparts.

He said he made the remarks in response to a question on the current situation of the country's music industry.

"I was asked about how the business of music functions in India. I was just giving them a clear understanding of the business status right now. These days music companies want to own the singers so when the artiste performs the companies get a cut from that," he said. 

"... The companies have this rule for Indian singers but not for the talent coming from Pakistan or any other country," he added. 

Nigam asserted that singers from Pakistan were his friends and he has been the only one in the last 20 years to criticise those banning Pakistani singers. 

"I don't believe in the banning politics. Having said that, if Indian singers are made to follow a certain rule, the same system should be implemented on people from abroad," he said.

At the summit, Nigam was quoted as saying that Anu Malik, his longtime friend, was accused without any proof and had maintained a dignified silence on the #MeToo allegations.

Mohapatra voiced her disapproval with Nigam for his comment on Anu. She had earlier called the music composer a "serial predator".

"The respectable lady vomiting on Twitter, is the wife of someone who I consider very close to me, so although she's has forgotten the relationship, I'd like to maintain the decorum," Nigam had said.

Mohapatra, who is married to music composer Ram Sampath, retorted that addressing her relationship with a man to describe her identity speaks a lot about his "conditioning and world view".

Nigam said his comments on #MeToo movement and Anu were misconstrued. 

"It is an evil thing to try to bring out something so negative from something so positive. One person is saying common people should decide the punishment for a culprit, the other person is saying law should decide. Common man should not have the right to punish the culprit. It will be a riot like situation if common man decides to give the judgement and punishment." 

He added that he has two sisters and had seen them going through a lot. 

"Why will I justify something which will harm any woman? Shaming is perfect, but to decide the punishment is not right. Let the law do its duty. Misconstruing my words like this is evil. But it's a part of life," he said.

The singer-actor reiterated his views on last year's 'azaan controversy', saying his comments were not directed towards any religion but at the use of loudspeakers.

"It was the headline which was given... 'Sonu against azaan'. If they would have written 'Sonu against loudspeaker' there would have been no controversy. If you play anything on loudspeaker, even a lullaby, I will have a problem with it." 

The singer said he objected to singing on the mic during a recent visit to a temple in Rishikesh. 

"In a civil society you need to behave in a certain way. You can't be doing anything in the garb of religion. I was right that day and I am right now as well," he said.

It may seem that Nigam, one of the biggest singers in Bollywood during '90s and early 2000s, is in the news more for his comments than his music, but he said he has been here for too long to use gimmicks to further his career.

"I don't want to impress people who are just talking about social issues to be in the news. I am not here to impress anyone. If I believe I make sense I will say what I want... My intent is very important to me. If my intent is wrong then I am wrong. If my intent is right then I do not care at all. I am answerable to myself," he added.

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News Network
June 17,2020

Jerusalem, Jun 17: Calling Sushant Singh Rajput as "a true friend", Israel has expressed its deepest condolences at the passing away of the young Bollywood star.

Rajput, 34, was found dead in his Bandra apartment on Sunday.

On Tuesday, Gilad Cohen, deputy director-general of Israel's foreign ministry, took to Twitter to mourn the actor's sudden demise.

"Sending my deepest condolences on the passing of Sushant Singh Rajput, a true friend of Israel. You will be missed!" Cohen wrote while sharing the link of the song "Makhna" from the actor's last film "Drive".

Sushant and his co-star Jacqueline Fernandez had shot the song in Israel as part of its ongoing efforts to bring Bollywood to the country.

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News Network
April 3,2020

Washington, April 3: American actor Kristen discussed her experience being isolated with husband and their two kiddos.

According to Fox News, the 39-year-old actor discussed how she and Shepard are finding quarantine to be a little tough in a video chat to Entertainment Tonight.

Bell admitted: "We've gotten on each other's last nerve these last couple days. We're doing much better now because were laughing about it. But when we were not laughing about it for the first couple of days, that's the hard spot."

The 'Bad Mom' actor then shared her thoughts on why quarantining with loved ones can be so tough. She explained that she loves spending time with her husband and he loves spending time with her.

But what she thinks is different about this quarantine time is you have so much more time to think about the other persona and their actions and sort of replay what they said or attach a meaning to something that they did.
Bell added: "Nobody really needs time for that. That's useless."

The 'Frozen' actor also discussed having to make adjustments in regards to her kids, 7-year-old Lincoln, and 5-year-old Delta, and the schedule she tried to keep once the quarantine began.

She said that the biggest lesson she learnt, in the beginning, was that she wrote out the colour coded schedule, and noted about when will be their academic and academic time.

Kristen explained that by day five of schedule, she was making everybody miserable. About a week ago, she woke her kids up and encouraged her daughters to rip up the schedule, explaining that the kids "felt so good."

"I said the learning lesson here is that if you make a plan and it's not working, you pivot," said Bell.

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News Network
June 16,2020

Mumbai, Jun 16: Filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee remembers Sushant Singh Rajput as a dance loving 'chhokra' from an engineering college who, having made it in Bollywood, was “enthused, sincere and totally focused” on his craft.

Banerjeee said the actor always had “a book or two” with him and took pride in the fact that he had an “inner intellectual life away from the shallower aspects of showbiz”.

Rajput was found dead in his Bandra apartment on Sunday at the age of 34, leaving his friends, colleagues and collaborators in a state of shock.

The Patna-born actor and the director worked together in 2015 film "Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!" when Rajput was a relative newcomer in the industry. Banerjee says it was Rajput's vulnerability and willingness to do different that made him stand out for the role.

In an interview with news agency, the filmmaker looks back at Rajput's sincerity, his love for science and astronomy and how an outsider has to work harder than a "mediocre, unmotivated and entitled establishment elite" to succeed in Bollywood.

Excerpts:

You worked with Sushant when he was less than two-year-old in the film industry. What struck you the most in him to cast as Detective Byomkesh Bakshy?

Banerjee: His vulnerability and intensity and the ambition to do different things than the usual Bollywood stuff.

What were your memories of Sushant- the actor and the person?

Banerjee: As an actor he would tense himself up for the scene and then completely plunge in take after take. He would put a lot of value on preparation. He would be up the previous night of the shoot, reading the scene and making notes and land up on the sets all raring to go.

He would be on, ready and give his hundred per cent throughout the shoot of Byomkesh - no matter how hard or long the day. The unit did not really have to worry about him - considering he was the star. That's what I remember - a total pro, enthused, sincere and totally focused.

As a person, he seemed to me a happy dance loving 'chhokra' from an engineering college who had made it in showbiz and now was serious about acting. He was deeply nostalgic about his carefree student days in Delhi. We used to laugh a lot - I remember that quite clearly.

Sushant's friends say that he spoke more about books and his love for astronomy than films and their fate, which is rare for an actor in the industry. Do you also remember him that way?

Banerjee: Totally true. He was a science and astronomy nut. Always had a book or two with him - and was proud of the fact that he had an inner intellectual life away from the shallower aspects of showbiz. I recognized it as a reflex, protective action to prevent the Bollywood swamp sucking him in totally. And also an identity he wanted to protect and project.

Sushant's death has brought to the fore the struggles of outsiders and the alienation they often face from the nepotistic culture of the industry. Did you feel that Sushant was also fighting this battle despite being a successful actor?

Banerjee: We all fight it, day in and out - whether successful or failing. But the trick is to define that success and failure ourselves and not let the narrative constantly forced by the establishment to get to you. Those who know this weather the storm and ultimately survive and thrive.

The biggest unfairness in all this is that it takes double the talent, energy and hard work for an outsider to convince the audience and the industry that he or she is as safe a box office bet as a mediocre, unmotivated and entitled establishment elite.

The media colludes in this by wallowing in family, coterie and celebrity worship. This leads to deep anger and frustration. Those who can let this slide survive. Those who can't - those who hurt a little more or are vulnerable and impressionable - they are at risk.

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