New ad film focuses on pregnancy bias in corporate world

December 4, 2015

New Delhi, Dec 4: Fashion portal Myntra whose ad film earlier this year dwelt on the 'social taboo' of homosexuality today released another short film starring Bollywood's Radhika Apte highlighting pregnancy-based discrimination at workplace.

raThe film titled "The Calling" for Anouk forms the sequel to the ethnic wear brand's trilogy of films "Bold is Beautiful" that dealt with other social issues such as single parenting, eve-teasing and women's relationship choices.

The new film is a tight narrative of two minutes that takes place in a drive after work when Uma, a senior architect drops her pregnant colleague Shaheen (played by Radhika Apte) home.

En route Shaheen confronts Uma on the discrimination she is facing at work due to her pregnancy, for which Uma (played by Shernaz Patel) is largely responsible.

By the end of the film, Shaheen eloquently delivers the message that she can manage both roles of being a mother and an architect with aplomb.

The two minute long film is set to be aired across digital platforms starting today.

"I truly believe in the brand's philosophy of celebrating the bold and beautiful attitude of Indian women. I loved the simple yet powerful script and felt myself being completely involved in narrating the story of a pregnant woman who takes her choices very seriously and defends them feistily. It's very important for women to do that," Apte said in a statement.

Apte attempts to personify women who when considering maternity are at their most vulnerable state of their careers, with many corporates handling a pregnant woman's insecurities in the most callous and discriminating manner.

Manish Aggarwal, VP,MARKETING , Myntra Fashion Brands, said, "Anouk is for the modern Indian woman of today. Taking the topical short film approach forward, we wanted to communicate the brand message of 'Bold is Beautiful' in a non- intrusive manner through a real, slice of life story."

The film, he said exemplifies how the Indian woman can voice herself, express her identity and craft her own destiny.

"It is more about individualism than feminism," he said.

Commenting on the new TV commercial, Abhishek Verma, Head, Myntra Fashion Brandssays said, "We see Anouk as the bridge between the old and the new, not just in terms of the apparel we design, but the attitude associated with the brand. All our short stories clearly bring out the essence of the brand while celebrating the modern Indian women."

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Agencies
July 25,2020

Mumbai, Jul 25: Movie theatres have been shuttered for months due to the coronavirus pandemic in the country, but the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has now recommended that the Union Home Ministry allow cinema halls to reopen in August. 

I&B Secretary Amit Khare indicated this at a close-door industry interaction with the CII Media Committee on Friday. He said Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla at the Home Ministry would take the final call.

Khare said that he has recommended that cinema halls may be allowed to reopen all over India as early as August 1, or at the latest, around August 31.

The formula suggested is that alternate seats in the first row and then the next row be kept vacant, and proceeding in this fashion throughout.

Khare said that his ministry's recommendation takes into consideration the two metre social distancing norm, but tweaks it gently to two yards instead. The Home Ministry, however, still has to revert on the recommendation.

Cinema owners, present in the interaction, however, pushed back and said this formula is unwise and merely running films at 25% auditorium capacity is worse than keeping the cinemas shut.

The attendees at the meet included media CEOs like N.P. Singh of Sony, Sam Balsara (Madison), Megha Tata, (Discovery), Gaurav Gandhi (Amazon Prime), Manish Maheshwari (Twitter), S. Sivakumar (Bennett Coleman and Co Ltd), and K Madhavan, Star & Disney, and also Chairman, CII Media Committee.

The OTT platforms present, including Gandhi of Amazon Prime, did not push back. Some Bollywood producers, notably those of Amitabh Bachchan's Gulabo Sitabo, have posted their movies on OTT, rather than live out the lockdown uncertainty.

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News Network
March 25,2020

New Delhi, Mar 25: Actor Priyanka Chopra on Tuesday night through an Instagram Live conversation put forward questions about coronavirus to World Health Organisation (WHO) experts and busted some myths about the global pandemic.

WHO General-Director Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's Technical Lead, were part of the live conversation which Priyanka shared on her Instagram. More than 45,000 fans participated in the session.

"There is so much information circulating about Covid-19. And right now we're all searching for clarity. My friends at @WHO and @glblctzn graciously brought the doctors working on the front lines here to give us answers straight from the experts. Please take some time to watch my IG Live with Dr. Tedros (General-Director at W.H.O.) and Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove (Technical Lead for Covid-19) from @WHO, who answered some questions that so many of you sent in," Chopra captioned the post.
Bollywood's 'Desi' girl also asked her fans to spread awareness about the disease and tag their friends and family in the post who are looking for answers and action steps.
PC even posted few questions submitted by the general populace and answers to the same on her Instagram story. The first question came from her husband, Nick Jonas, who also joined in on the conversation.

One of the questions was about the latest 21 day lockdown in India. Priyanka and Nick have been in self-isolation for weeks now.

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News Network
July 9,2020

Mumbai, Jul 8: Veteran Actor-comedian Jagdeep, best known for his role as Soorma Bhopali in "Sholay", died on Wednesday at his residence. He was 81.

The actor, whose real name is Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jafri, was not keeping well. "He passed away at 8: 30 pm at his residence in Bandra. He was not keeping well due to age related issues," producer Mehmood Ali, a close family friend, told news agency.

Jagdeep appeared in around 400 films but it is his role as Soorma Bhopali in 1975 film "Sholay" that is etched in audiences' minds even today. He also played memorable roles in "Purana Mandir" and in "Andaz Apna Apna" as Salman Khan's father.

Better known by his stage name Jagdeep, the actor also directed the movie "Soorma Bhopali" with his character as the protagonist. He is survived by two sons - Javed and Naved.

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