Pakistani artistes come here on visa, not illegally: Om Puri

October 3, 2016

Mumbai, Oct 3: Veteran actor Om Puri and director Nagesh Kukunoor have come out in support of Pakistani actors, saying art and politics should be kept separate and banning the artistes will not change the situation.

OmpuPuri said Pakistani artistes are not working illegally here and if they are sent back, Indian producers, who have signed them for their films, will suffer heavy losses.

"When the government is taking an action, we all should stay quiet. It hardly matters if we send back the artists from Pakistan, who are working here, or let them stay. I have been to Pakistan six times and have met people from all strata," the 65-year-old actor said here.

"I have always received love and warmth. If the Pakistani actors leave the projects they are doing here in middle, then people in India (filmmakers) will also face financial loss. Hence, this is insignificant. The actors have not come here through any illegal way. They have valid visa. But, if the government will ask them to leave, then it is different," he said.

Filmmaker Nagesh Kukonoor said though the situation between India and Pakistan is complex, he believes art should be kept away from politics.

"I have always believed that art should stand alone. Even if you take the worst periods in a nation's history, World War II, art still had its voice. I don't think the two should be mixed.

"Having said that, the India-Pakistan situation is an extremely complex one. We are all part of the same country. 60-70 years is a very short period to actually find some kind of peaceful common ground."

Their remarks came days after superstar Salman Khan opposed the ban on Pakistani actors, saying they are artistes not terrorists.

The film industry has been divided on the issue of banning Pakistani artistes in the wake of Uri attack. Actor Randeep Hooda, filmmakers Ashoke Pandit, Anupam Kher are among those who have backed the ban.

Hooda tweeted that Pakistan should be culturally isolated.

"We are trying to isolate Pakistan economically & diplomatically so the cultural isolation must follow #BanPakArtists #IndiaComesFirst #India," he wrote.

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar said though he believes that art has no boundaries, the situation right now is such that nothing is bigger than the country.

He also said that Pakistani artistes, who have worked in India should condemn the Uri attack.

"Definitely the artists are not terrorists, and I believe

that art has no boundary but the situation today is very different. When you see our 19 soldiers have been killed, and when we see the whole scenario... I feel a lot of Pakistani artists who work here they should have condemned the attacks on India over the years.

"When they can condemn US attack, when they can condemn Istanbul, Paris (attacks), all those attacks then why not India? My problem is that. When Peshawar (attack) happened, everybody in India condemned. So, if the Pakistani actors feel it (the attack) is happening over here, they should at least tweet about it. Right now I think nothing is bigger than the country.

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, when asked if Pakistani actors should be allowed to do work in India, refused to be drawn into the controversy.

"This is our government's job. Our government has a lot of expertise who look after these matters and policies. Being an artist I have no opinion on this controversy. This is not my job. Government decides it and it is their duty," he told reporters at an event in the capital.

The debate began after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena demanded the ouster of the artistes from the neighbouring country.

Recently, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association also announced ban on the actors and technicians from the neighbouring country till things don't get normal between the two nations.

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News Network
April 8,2020

Washington, Apr 8: Choosing stethoscope over the crown, Miss England 2019, Bhasha Mukherjee, has returned to work as a doctor as the world battles with coronavirus pandemic.

According to CNN, she was a junior doctor with a specialisation in respiratory medicine, before being crowned as Miss England in August last year. The beauty queen, who has her roots in India's Kolkata city, had taken a career break from the medical field.

She had paused her medical career for some humanitarian work that she was offered by several charities and was on a tour to different countries including India.

"I was invited to Africa, to Turkey, then to India, Pakistan and several other Asian countries to be an ambassador for various charity work," CNN quoted her as saying.

She had been in India at the beginning of March for four weeks. During her stay as an ambassador of the Coventry Mercia Lions Club, the 24-year-old had visited several schools and had donated stationery and other items to the needy.

Mukherjee then returned back UK as the situation worsened there with the coronavirus spreading at a fast rate. She then contacted the hospital and asked them that she wanted to rejoin.

According to CNN, the Miss England beauty pageant winner said that she felt wrong to be wearing the crown while people around the world were dying from the virus.

"When you are doing all this humanitarian work abroad, you're still expected to put the crown on, get ready... look pretty. I wanted to come back home. I wanted to come and go straight to work," CNN quoted her as saying.

"I felt a sense of this is what I'd got this degree for and what better time to be part of this particular sector than now. It was incredible the way the whole world was celebrating all key workers, and I wanted to be one of those, and I knew I could help," she added.

As the beauty queen has a recent travel history, she is currently in self-isolation and will return to work once her quarantine period is over.
She was crowned as Miss England 2019 in August last year.

According to World Health Organisation, 13,53,361people have been affected by coronavirus and over 80,000 people have lost their lives to it.

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News Network
June 9,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 9: There’s no denying the fact that Sudeep is one of the most popular and sought-after names in Kannada cinema. The versatile actor has won the love of fans due to his ‘pan-India’ look and impressive selection of roles. A self-made star, he paid his dues before making it big in Sandalwood. The Bachchan actor had, some time ago, told Film Companion that his initial years in the industry were anything but easy.

 The mass hero revealed that his first two movies never saw the light of the day as they were abandoned midway. Following the setback, he finally made his Kannada debut with V Umakanth’s Thayavva and began a new chapter in life. Sadly, the film sank without a trace and was removed from theatres within three days of its release.

“My first two films did not see the light of the day while the third one did not see people,” he added.

Sudeep ultimately tasted success with the 2001 release Huchcha and the rest is history. Over the years, ‘Deepanna’ has starred in several commercially successful movies and proved that he is a certified ‘A-lister’. The star has also made an impact in non-Kannada movies like Rann and Eega, expanding his fanbase big time.

Coming to the present, Sudeep was last seen in the Bollywood biggie Dabangg 3 that did decent business at the box office. The actioner saw him share screen space with Salman Khan, giving fans a reason to rejoice. The cast included Arbaaz Khan and Sonakshi Sinha.

He will be turning his attention to the Kannada biggie Kotigobba 3, the third instalment of the Kotigobba series. The film, directed by Shiva Karthik, is one of the biggest movies of the year. It features Shraddha Das, Madonna Sabastian and Aftab Shivdasani in key roles.  He  will also be seen in the Anup Bhandari-directed Phantom.

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News Network
June 30,2020

Mumbai, Jun 30: Actor Aamir Khan on Tuesday issued a statement and confirmed that some of his staff members have tested positive for COVID-19, while the rest of his family members have tested negative.

Khan also announced that he was taking his mother for a COVID-19 test and urged his fans to pray for her test to come out as negative.

The '3 Idiots' star put out the statement on Instagram and said, "This is to inform you that some of my staff have tested positive. They were immediately quarantined, and BMC officials were very prompt and efficient in taking them to a medical facility."

Thanking the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for their precautionary steps, he added, "I would like to thank the BMC for taking such good care of them, and for fumigating and sterilising the entire society."

Informing about the health of his family members, the 'Thugs of Hindostan' actor added, "The rest of us have all been tested and found negative," and informed that, "Right now I am taking my mother to get her tested. She is the last person in the loop. Please pray that she is negative."

Thanking the BMC, and hospital authorities for their swift prompt, he added, "I would, once again, like to thank the BMC for the prompt, professional and caring manner in which they helped us. And a big thank you to Kokilaben Hospital and the doctors, nurses and staff there. They were very caring and professional with the testing process."

Aamir also urged his fans to be safe amid the coronavirus outbreak.

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