Padmaavat: Bikes set ablaze in Gujarat; theatres refuse to screen film

Agencies
January 24, 2018

Ahmedabad, Jan 24: At least 30 motorcycles were set on fire and several other vehicles parked outside three city malls were damaged on Tuesday by protesters opposing the release of the controversial film 'Padmaavat', police said.

Ahmedabad police commissioner A K Singh said several people have been arrested over the violence.

"Some anti-social elements today damaged vehicles outside three malls in the name of holding protests. It is a matter of investigation that who exactly were behind these acts. We have arrested several persons who were involved in the violence," Singh said.

An official from city police control room said the mobs first torched 21 bikes parked in the premises of the Acropolis mall, which houses the PVR multiplex.

Later, the same mob reached Himalaya mall, which houses Carnival Cinemas and wrecked havoc by torching several bikes parked outside it, the official said.

Then the protesters torched around 10 bikes parked outside the Alpha One mall, which houses Cinepolis multiplex, the official added.

Meanwhile, Gujarat minister of state for home Pradeepsinh Jadeja promised action against those guilty of the violence."The situation deteriorated after some of the protesters, who took part in the candle march against the movie at S G Highway, reached these malls," Jadeja said.

"We will take strict action against the perpetrators. They first took part in the candle march at S G Highway and then reached these malls. I will seek report from city police as to how many policemen were deployed at these multiplexes," Jadeja said.

According to an eyewitness, some persons wearing masks threw stones inside the mall and then set ablaze vehicles.

Officials of the Rashtriya Karni Sena and the Rajput Karni Sena, the organisations which are vehemently opposing the release of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed movie, denied any responsibility over the violence.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said on Tuesday that most theatre owners in the state had voluntarily decided to not screen controversial Bollywood film 'Padmaavat' as he emphasised that the state government was trying its best to maintain law and order.

The deputy chief minister's comments came on a day when Karni Sena leader Lokendra Singh Kalvi issued a veiled threat suggesting there could be violence if the Bollywood flick was released despite widespread opposition.

"Most theatres have declined to screen the film, despite the green signal from the Supreme Court. They have taken the decision voluntarily. The government is trying its best to maintain law and order in the state," Patel told reporters in Gandhinagar.

In Porbandar, Mahatama Gandhi's birthplace, Kalvi said that when so many people from all walks of life were standing firm against the film, it will be a "huge insult for all of us" if it releases on January 25.

"I respect the ethos of non-violence propagated by Mahatma Gandhi. I too believe that non-violence is absolutely necessary. Therefore, do not compel us to take to the path of violence," he said.

Surat police arrested 19 more persons, accused of holding violent protests against the film in the city two days ago, taking the number of arrests to 42. Surat saw violent protests on January 21.

We have learnt that those arrested in connection with the violence in Katargam were members of Karni Sena, Mahakal Sena and Bhavani Sena, said a police officer.

"Though we have assured police protection to cinema owners, they have informed us that none of them will screen the film on January 25. They also told us that the decision as to whether to screen the film on a later date will be taken afterwards," he added.

The Supreme Court had on Thursday paved the way for the nationwide release of 'Padmaavat' on January 25 by lifting the ban on the screening of the film in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court refused to modify its order, rejecting pleas filed by Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh governments.

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News Network
May 14,2020

Mumbai, Mar 14: Animal Planet has announced a new documentary "The Zoo: COVID-19 And Animals", which seeks to explore the effects of coronavirus on animals.

The special will see Dave Salmoni, Animal Planet’s big cat expert, talking to a number of experts, from the World Health Organization to wildlife biologists, in order to find out how COVID-19 is affecting animals and what pet owners can do to safeguard them.

The issue came to forefront when a four-year-old Malayan tiger tested positive for COVID-19 at Bronx Zoo in New York.

The documentary will feature chief veterinarian of Bronx Zoo, who will give an update on the big cats and their treatment, and also Dr Peter Embarek from WHO's COVID-19 Task Force, who works particularly on all aspects of the virus related to animals.

In a statement, Salmoni said, "When news about Nadia the tiger came out the questions immediately began; what about my pets? How do I keep my animals and family safe? We’re going to answer these questions and more through this documentary."

"We're speaking to a wide range of experts from the World Health Organization, to wildlife biologists, to veterinarians. We are at war with this disease and so we get down to the nitty-gritty, and discuss practical questions about daily lives with our pets," he added.

Sai Abishek, Director – Content, Factual & Lifestyle Entertainment – South Asia, Discovery, said, "We have been the forefront of busting myths around novel coronavirus with international documentaries. With this latest film, we take a hard look at how animals are being treated during such a crisis and the safety measures that can be taken to keep both, the people and their pets healthy."

"The Zoo: COVID-19 And Animals" will premiere on May 17 on Animal Planet, Animal Planet HD and Discovery Plus app.

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Agencies
March 3,2020

Chennai, Mar 3: Makkal Needhi Maiyam president and actor Kamal Hassan on Tuesday appeared before Chennai Police on Tuesday in connection the deaths last month of three people on the set of the movie, 'Indian 2'.

Hassan appeared before Chennai Police Commissioner in Egmore to record his statement.

Three people died while around 10 suffered injuries when a crane collapsed while shooting of the film was underway in Chennai at EVP Studios on February 19.

Madhu, personal assistant to director Shankar, Krishna, assistant director, and a staffer Chandran, lost their lives in the incident.

In an open letter, "Indian 2" Director S Shankar announced Rs 1 crore as financial assistance to the kin of the deceased.

'Indian 2' stars Kamal Haasan, Kajal Agarwal, Rakul Preet, Siddharth, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Delhi Ganesh and Nedumudi Venu in prominent roles.

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News Network
January 27,2020

Los Angeles, Jan 27: Lil Nas X, Lady Gaga, Beyonce and... Michelle Obama?

Yep.

The former first lady can now add Grammy winner to her resume, after snagging the award on music's biggest night for Best Spoken Word Album, for the audiobook of her memoir Becoming.

Her win on Sunday gives the Obama household its third Grammy: former president Barack Obama has already snagged two Grammys in the same category for his books.

She faced an eccentric group of rivals that included Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys for Beastie Boys Book and John Waters, the director-performer known for his transgressive cult films, for Mr. Know-It-All.

 Released in late 2018, Becoming saw the former first lady slam U.S. president Donald Trump for questioning her husband's citizenship and promoting the notion that he was born abroad.

"The whole [birther] thing was crazy and mean-spirited, of course, its underlying bigotry and xenophobia hardly concealed," Obama wrote.

America's first black first lady also dug into her personal life in her book, expounding on issues including a miscarriage, using in-vitro fertilization to conceive her daughters and marriage counseling.

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