'PK' row: Maha CM says no probe; film shows to continue

December 31, 2014

PK row2Mumbai, Dec 31: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today ruled out any probe into Aamir Khan starrer 'PK', a day after MoS for Home ordered an inquiry into the film's "content" amidst raging protests, and promised adequate protection for its smooth screening.

"There will be no inquiry. Shows of PK will continue all over Maharashtra and we will provide necessary protection to ensure smooth screening of the film," he told reporters.

Amid protests by right-wing groups demanding a ban on the movie, which takes a swipe at Hindu gods, godmen and superstition, Maharashtra's Minister of State for Home Ram Shinde had said yesterday that he had asked police to probe contents of the film.

"Shows of PK won't be stopped. PK will continue to be screened in Maharashtra," Fadnavis said following reports that some theatres had cancelled the shows under threat from right wing groups like Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

With protests spreading to several states, the film's director Rajkumar Hirani had said yesterday he had no intention to hurt anyone's sentiments and maintained that the film upholds the true spirit of religion while condemning "only the abuse" of it.

"I'm deeply saddened and concerned about the protests by some groups against our film 'PK'. On behalf of the entire team of 'PK', I would like to clarify that we respect all religions and faiths," the 52-year-old celebrated film director had said, in a statement.

Shinde had asked IG (Law and Order) Deven Bharti to look into objectionable scenes, if any, in the film and promised "necessary" action if any "wrong" was found.

"The Censor board may have found the film fit to be released and hence they cleared it from their end. But after the release some organisations have objected to some parts of the film," Shinde had said, adding the government will "step in" if the issue snowballed into a major law and order problem.

The film has the rightwing Hindu groups up in arms, staging protests that have turned violent in some places including BJP-ruled Gujarat where theatres have been vandalised. Protests have also taken place in several states including Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Odisha, Haryana and Delhi, besides Hyderabad and Mumbai.

Leela Samson, chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification, has already made it clear that the board will not remove any scenes from the film.

Aamir has also trashed accusations of him having "insulted" the Hindu religion because he was a Muslim, saying, "We respect all religions. All my Hindu friends have seen the film and they have not felt the same".

Clarifications from Hirani and Aamir Khan have, however, cut no ice with the agitators.

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News Network
February 27,2020

Mumbai, Feb 27: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Wednesday said it's with constant education that a country, a family can move forward as there is never an end to learning.

In December last year, when the actor visited the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, the La Trobe University announced the 'Shah Rukh Khan La Trobe University PhD Scholarship'. At the event to announce therecipient of the scholarship here on Wednesday, Shah Rukh said it was his honour to lend his name or be attached to the scholarship.

"I am a big believer in education. I truly believe that the way forward for any country, any family, city, state is by educating itself more and more.

"There is never an end to education. I've come to realise the more I know, I figure out, the less I understand. It's very important to keep educating ourselves for the rest of our lives.

"I've always believed education in India and elsewhere in the world, is the most important step forward for any nation," he said.

The scholarship aims to provides an opportunity for an aspiring female researcher from India to undertake research.

The 54-year-old superstar said what also will help taking the world move ahead is educating women.

"Related to the fact, is of course, education of women, empowering women, to look after themselves to look after their families...

"If you are able to empower them with education, the world goes even further forward," the actor added.

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Agencies
August 3,2020

Mumbai, Aug 3: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan says he has immense gratitude for the doctors who provided him with medical care for Covid-19 and feels overwhelmed to be free of the virus finally.

Amitabh, on Sunday, tested negative for the novel coronavirus and was discharged from hospital.

The 77-year-old actor was admitted to Nanavati hospital along with son Abhishek after testing positive for Covid-19 on July 11. Abhishek, 44, is still positive and will remain under medical care.

"It has been heartening to be back from the Hospital after the ‘mukti’ from the coronavirus but a sour taste in the mouth when Abhishek has to still be in the medical care," Amitabh wrote in his blog.

The actor said doctors are tirelessly working towards battling the virus "each hour" through consultation, sharing of information and experience with their fraternity from other parts of the world which gives "the hope of repair."

"Assuring us each minute that ‘all shall be well’ , when in fact they themselves struggle to find that confirmed patent that can be used, delivered, executed to save lives and conditions from the virus.

"When I had addressed them as 'angels in white' I had never imagined that I would be supine in their midst to savour their angelic presence, as they give us hope, inspiration and the strength to fight. They are quite quite remarkable. My gratitude shall never fail for them... feeling bad for Abhishek .. prayers he comes home soon," he added.

On Sunday, Abhishek thanked well-wishers for their continued support and said he would remain under medical care.

"I, unfortunately, due to some comorbidities remain Covid-19 positive and remain in hospital. Again, thank you all for your continued wishes and prayers for my family. Very humbled and indebted. I'll beat this and come back healthier! Promise," he wrote.

Abhishek's wife, actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, 46, and eight-year-old daughter Aaradhya were discharged from the hospital on Monday after testing negative for Covid-19.

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News Network
July 3,2020

Mumbai, Jun 3: Investigators will subject the cloth allegedly used by actor Sushant Singh Rajput to hang himself to "tensile strength" analysis to determine whether it can bear the weight similar to that of the filmstar, as part of probe into his death, an official said on Friday.

Rajput (34) was found hanging at his suburban Bandra residence on June 14.

According to the investigators, the actor ended his life by hanging himself from the ceiling using a green coloured night gown made of cotton.

No suicide note was found from the spot, the police had said then.

Besides viscera from the actors body, the police also sent the gown for chemical and forensic analysis at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in suburban Kalina, he said.

It will take at least three more days to get final forensic report, the official said.

To ascertain the exact cause of death, forensic experts will check pattern of ligature marks around the actors neck and also determine the strength of the gown with the help of "tensile strength" analysis, he said.

The tensile strength test will technically establish whether the cloth can bear around 80kg, the weight of the actor, he said.

The test will help determine if there was any foul play, the official said.

Tensile strength is maximum load that a material can support without fracture when being stretched.

Viscera analysis will help in checking whether there were any traces of chemical, poisonous or narcotics substance in his body, the official said.

"Usually, it takes eight to ten working days to get s report from the FSL in regular cases. But since this case is sensitive, experts are taking more precautions to avoid any kind of error in their analysis," the official said.

The forensic report of the actors mobile phone is also awaited, he said.

Recently, the police received the final post-mortem report of the actor from Cooper Hospital, which mentioned the cause of the death as asphyxia due to hanging"

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