Kangana Ranaut on Censorship of Queen: Nothing Vulgar About a Bra

June 10, 2016

Mumbai, Jun 10: In the wake of controversy over Udta Punjab, National Award-winning actress Kangana Ranaut on Thursday supported filmmakers and said that the film fraternity deserves its creative liberties and doesn't need a parental attitude towards audiences to protect them.

kanganaThe Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) headed by Pahlaj Nihalani is said to have suggested cuts to the Abhishek Chaubey-directed film, which deals with drug abuse in Punjab.

Ms Ranaut, 29, was asked about her opinion on the Udta Punjab controversy at an award ceremony and she said: "We all have been very concerned with the way things are going. I am not a director and I have not been through that process."

"But people whom I closely work with seem extremely disturbed with the way things are and to an extent, they feel bullied. They know there is a process of certification. We do not ought to have that sort of parental attitude towards audiences that we need to protect them," said Ms Ranaut.

Ms Ranaut, who has won three National Awards for her roles in Fashion, Queen and Tanu Weds Manu Returns, said that during the release of Queen, director Vikas Bahl was asked to blur a scene as the censor board thought it was "vulgar."

"In Queen, there was a little funny moment where a boy spots a bra on my bed. So the director called me and said that the censor is blurring the bra as they think it is vulgar. My director was furious. As artistes we don't see it as a danger to society. There is nothing vulgar about a woman's bra," said Ms Ranaut.

Mr Bahl is one of the three people who heads Phantom Films, which has co-produced Udta Punjab.

"Cinema is all about detailing. We need our own creative freedom and we are definitely sort of pressed against the wall and there is so much outrage. I hope it will be addressed and I hope there won't be such incidents in future," said Ms Ranaut.

Udta Punjab stars Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt and Diljit Dosanjh in pivotal roles.

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June 8,2020

Mumbai, Jun 8: Veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar has won the 2020 Richard Dawkins Award for critical thinking, holding religious dogma up to scrutiny, advancing human progress and humanist values.

Akhtar has become the first Indian to be given the honour, which recognises a distinguished individual from the field of science, scholarship, education, or entertainment, who publicly proclaims the values of secularism and rationalism and upholding scientific truth.

Akhtar's wife, veteran actor Shabana Azmi said the award's relevance becomes more prominent especially in the current times when secularism is under attack.

"I am thrilled. I know what a hero Richard Dawkins has been for Javed. The award gains all the more significant because in today’s time when secularism is being attacked by religious fundamentalists of all hues, this award comes as a validation of Javed’s long service to rational thinking," Azmi told PTI.

The award is named after world-renowned English evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. Actor-comedian Ricky Gervais received the honour last year.

Bollywood celebrities Anil Kapoor and Dia Mirza took to Twitter to congratulate the 75-year-old writer for the recognition.

"Knowing that Richard Dawkins has been your hero since you read 'The Selfish Gene', the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award must be extra special for you @Javedakhtarjadu Saab! It's a truly incredible honour! Congratulations!" Kapoor tweeted.

Dia said Akhtar's win is a proud moment for rhe country.

"Javed Akhtar Saab has won the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award 2020 for critical thinking, holding religious dogma upto scrutiny, advancing human progress and humanist values. He is the only Indian to have won this award! @Javedakhtarjadu Congratulations! You make us proud," Dia wrote.

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News Network
June 16,2020

Mumbai, Jun 16: In the wake of Sushant Singh Rajput's death, veteran actor Deepti Naval has opened up about her struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts in the early 90s.

Naval shared a poem that she wrote during her struggle with depression on her Facebook page after paying tributes to Rajput, who was found hanging in his Bandra apartment on Sunday at the age of 34.

According to a police official, Mumbai Police found out during the probe that the actor was under medication for depression

"Dark days these... So much has been happening - mind has come to a point of stillness... Or rather numbness. Today I feel like sharing a poem I wrote back in the years when I was fighting depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts - Yes, fighting... and like how," Naval wrote.

The 68-year-old actor made her debut with Shyam Benegal's 1978 "Junoon" and went on to feature in films like "Chashme Buddoor", "Ankahee", "Mirch Masala", Saath Saath among others in the 80s.

Naval's poem, titled "Black Wind", begins by describing how anxiety engulfs a person.

"Anxiety grips me with both hands, spiked claws dig deep into my soul I gasp for breath and stagger around sharp corners of my single bed.."

In the poem, Naval talks about fighting suicidal thoughts and depression, describing it as a "ghoulish lust" she won't succumb to.

"The telephone rings... no, it stops...God damn! Why don't anyone speak? A voice, Just a human voice In this shameless, pitiless Abyss of the night - gloom deepens into darkness, turns purple I feel dark inside."

The actor ends by writing that she will survive the night, its "deathly design" and fight.

"The world's a snake pit, so let it be! I dare the devil to get the better of me! Deepti Naval, Night of July 28, 1991."

In an interview with PTI last year, Naval had mentioned how acting assignments started to thin in the late 90s and as a "serious actor" it was "devastating" to be ignored.

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News Network
February 21,2020

Kolhapur, Feb 21: Voicing against Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), renowned lyrics and thinker Javed Akhtar has said that the act was an assault to secularism and integrity of India and with the ongoing protests, the nation had reached a threshold for an another struggle.

Speaking here on Thursday night at an event organised on the 5th death anniversary of CPI senior leader and progressive leader Com Govind Pansare, Mr Akhtar said the newly amended citizenship act was a plot to split the country.

Mr Javed said that communalism has a deep root in India and it spread after the formation of Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League in British India. "Muslim league got Pakistan but Hindu Mahasabha is still unsatisfied," he alleged and added that BJP was now 'working as a branch of RSS' and trying to 'split the country' through NRC.

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