Kader Khan: Looking at Padma awardees, it's good I didn't get it

January 30, 2016

Mumbai, Jan 30: considering the Bollywood celebrities who have made it to the Padma awardees' list this year, "it's good that I did not get one", says veteran actor-writer Kader Khan.

kkThis year, names like Rajinikanth, Anupam Kher, Priyanka Chopra, Madhur Bhandarkar, S.S. Rajamouli, Udit Narayan and Malini Awasthi, among others, are in Padma awardees' list.

The ever-versatile actor also hinted that "flattering" around the movers and shakers in Lutyens' Delhi could be one of the reasons behind his colleagues getting the honour.

On being told the names of the industry colleagues who were earlier this week named for the Padma awards, the 79-year-old actor told IANS in an exclusive interview: "... it's good that they did not give me a Padma Shri. I have neither flattered anyone in my life, nor will I ever. I don't want these awards if they have been given to people (in the industry) who got it this time."

He believes "an award is a no big thing, but its importance lies in the people it has been conferred upon"."Earlier, there was a certain honesty in these awards but it's not the same case now. People have now forgotten to respect others and have become way too selfish.

"I would think that I was not as capable as those who were chosen for the Padma awards this year. I, however, thank all those who proposed my name for it," Khan added.

Khan, who has regaled the audience with his comic side in films like 'Himmatwala', 'Aankhen' and 'Coolie No.1' among several other entertainers, also urged actors to refrain from indulging in politics."I would like to urge all the actors to return from the politics. 'Laut aao, politics tumhari manzil nahi hai' (Come back, politics is not your destination). It is only breaking you."

Khan, who it seemed was finding it difficult to speak due to his old age-related illness, sounded especially upset with actor Anupam Kher, who has been named for a Padma Bhushan. "What has he done except singing praises for (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi," he asked. "I am not contesting the government's decision of conferring him with the award but the only thing I want to know is the credentials that I lacked for it (the award)," Khan, who termed audiences' love for him the biggest honour, said. The central government on January 25 announced the list of Padma awardees, and it led to an outcry on the social media over Kher's inclusion in it.

In a tweet that he posted in 2010, he had questioned the authenticity of the Padma awards. Kher, whose wife Kirron Kher is a Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Chandigarh, is of late seen posturing with the Narendra Modi government.

He also led a 'Tolerance March', criticising artistes across the spectrum who indulged in 'Award Wapsi' as a mark of protest against growing intolerance in the country. In fact, Malini Awasthi and Madhur Bhandarkar were also on the forefront of the march with Kher.

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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
May 28,2020

Agartala, May 28: Tripura Police has registered a complaint against Bangladeshi singer Mainul Ahsan Nobel, who earned fame in the music reality show 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' in Kolkata, for allegedly humiliating Prime Minister Narendra Modi over social media.

The complaint was filed by a resident of Belonia town in South Tripura district who is a student of Pandit Deen Dayal Petroleum University at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.

The complaint was filed on May 25, the person who is called Suman Paul said.

Nobel is not yet a popular singer in Bangladesh and has always been rejected by the audience of that country. He participated in the TV music reality show called Sa Re Ga Ma Pa in Kolkata, earned money, gained fame and returned to Bangladesh. If the person insults our prime minister it cannot be accepted. So I filed the FIR, Paul told reporters.

Belonia superintendent of police Jal Singh Meena confirmed that the complaint was registered and forwarded to Tripura Polices cyber crime cell.

The complaint was registered the same day it was filed at Belonia police station under Indian Penal code sections 500 (punishment for defamation), 504 (intentional insult), 505 (public mischief) and the IT Act.

We have registered the complaint and forwarded it to the cybercrime cell because it is not in the Indian cyberspace. We have started an investigation into the issue, the SP said.

Rajib Dutta, the officer-in-charge of Belonia police station said that as per the complaint the Bangladeshi singer had abused Modi in a Facebook post calling him a "mere chaiwala (tea seller)'.

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Agencies
January 6,2020

Kochi, Jan 6: A trial court on Monday framed charges against Malayalam film actor Dileep and other accused in the case of alleged abduction and molestation of a south Indian actress in 2017.

The actor and nine other accused were present in the additional special sessions court in Ernakulamwhen the charges were framed against them.

All of them have denied the charges.

On Saturday, the Court had dismissed a plea filed by Dileep, seeking to exclude him from the list of accused.

The Court had admitted the prosecution argument that there is prima facie evidence against him in the crime and dismissed the plea of the actor, who is eighth accused in the case.

The court had also not allowed a plea by the actor to grant him 10 days time to file the appeal in a higher court in the light of the Supreme Court order in November 2019 that the trial should be completed in six months.

The court is hearing the case in-camera.

On December 19, Dileep, along with his lawyers and a technical expert, had examined the contents of the electronic records at the closed room of the court.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed that the actor be allowed to inspect the records to enable him to present an effective defence during the trial.

In February 2017, the actress was allegedly abducted and molested by the accused.

Seven people, including the key accused 'Pulsar' Suni were arrested in connection with the actress' abduction case.

There are 10 accused in the case.

The entire act had allegedly taken place in a moving vehicle, which was filmed by the accused to blackmail her.

Dileep was subsequently arrested and arrayed as an accused in connection with offences under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and IT Act.

The top court had directed that the trial in case be concluded expeditiously, preferably within six months from the date of the judgement.

A woman judge is hearing the case.

In February 2019, the High Court, while considering a plea seeking to transfer the case to a Sessions Court headed by a woman judge to conduct the trial, had ordered the CBI special court Judge-III Ernakulam Honey M Varghese to complete the trial expeditiously.

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