Want 'Newton' to break India's dry spell at Oscars: Rajkummar

Agencies
November 16, 2017

New Delhi, Nov 16: With "Newton" being unanimously chosen as India's official entry to the Academy Awards next year, actor Rajkummar Rao hopes that his dark comedy on Indian democracy manages to win the golden statuette.

Directed by Amit Masurkar, the movie featuring Rajkummar in the title role has been chosen to represent the country in the Best Foreign Language category at the awards.

As it is barely months to the ceremony, the actor says the team is working round-the-clock, which includes showing the film around and acquiring the services of a publicist.

"The campaign is on. We are trying our level best and hoping for the best. The team is already there. A lot of screenings are going on in Los Angeles as we speak. There are a huge number of films, that are in the running for the Oscars.

"I really want 'Newton' to break India's dry spell at the Oscars. I can't say, obviously, if it will happen or not. But I wish it does," Rajkummar says in an interview with PTI.

There were reports that suggested "Newton" was a rip-off of the 2001 Iranian film "Secret Ballot". But the reports were quashed by filmmaker Anurag Kashyap's timely intervention. He reached out to the director and the producer of the Iranian film to clarify that "Newton" bore no similarity with their project.

Rajkummar quipped, "(He) butchered those people who were saying 'it's a copy, it's a copy'.

"I don't understand people have so much time in this world. I don't know why they don't focus on making their life better."

Rajkummar was in the capital to promote his upcoming web series, "Bose: Dead/Alive", in which he features in the title role of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

It premieres on AltBalaji app from November 20.

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News Network
January 22,2020

Patna, Jan 22: Actor Kangana Ranaut has expressedher desire to make a movie on Chandragupta, the shepherd-turned-emperor who founded the Maurya dynasty, noting that the film industry has “not done enough justice to our history”.

The national award winner was here to take part in a programme organised by the publishers of a leading Hindi daily where she performed a jig to the tunes of Bhojpuri songs along with actor-turned-politician Ravi Kishan before the duo participated in a question and answer session.  Replying to the questions posed by Kishan, who is also the BJP MP from Gorakhpur, Ranaut on Tuesday said it was her second trip to Bihar.

“The last time, I was here as a child though I have not yet got a chance to explore the state with which I feel a connect as my Yoga teacher has his roots here,” she said.

Ranaut, who won acclaim for portraying Rani Laxmibai, the valiant queen of Jhansi who took on the British during the revolt of 1857 -- in ‘Manikarnika’, when asked if she would like to be associated with a film on any historical figure from Bihar, said, “It would be Chandragupta Maurya. The film industry has not done much justice to our history”.

A self-confessed admirer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the 32-year-old, who has won three National Awards in the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories, replied in the affirmative when asked about reports that she has turned producer and her first venture is based on the theme of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The Himachal Pradesh-born actress, who has courted controversy for taking on well-entrenched Bollywood “insiders” like Karan Johar and Hrithik Roshan, said she has had a rebellious streak since childhood and shared an anecdote about her breaking her teacher’s stick upon being hit for chatting with a classmate in school.

When Kishan asked why she has gained so much weight, Ranaut replied it was in preparation for her upcoming biopic “Thalaivi”, based on late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

The actress said her forthcoming release “Panga” is a family drama.

Ranaut said after landing in Patna, she gorged on ‘Litti Chokha’, a local delicacy.

She also regaled the audience by greeting them in Bhojpuri and repeating several commonly used phrases of the dialect after Kishan.

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News Network
January 9,2020

Mumbai, Jan 9: Actor Juhi Chawla on Wednesday said instead of constantly criticising the government, one should reflect on own conduct and talk about uniting rather than dividing.

The actor attended an event which aimed to counter "Free Kashmir (narrative), anti-India slogans, false propaganda and clear the misconception."

Juhi said as artistes, it's unfair to be questioned about incidents "just for a reaction" when they should be given time to truly understand the situation.

"We are going to work, thinking how to execute our task, then some incident happens somewhere and suddenly the media asks, 'what do you think about this?' We haven't understood the matter, people haven't understood the matter but you need a reaction.

"Let people understand, whether it's NRC or CAA, and what's is it about, why is this being talked about," Juhi told reporters.

The actor said it is sad that people talk about division more than unity.

"Everyone is quick to talk about dividing. Why don't we talk about uniting? Why does everyone say 'what is the government doing, why is it doing this?' but I say if you point one finger there then three fingers are at you.

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News Network
January 2,2020

Jan 2: A young filmmaker was allegedly assaulted by an acquaintance during an argument over CAA-NRC in neighbouring Salt Lake City, police said on Wednesday.

The police have arrested the accused following a complaint by the filmmaker.

According to a senior police officer, the argument over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) began following a social media post by the filmmaker.

The accused allegedly went to the house of the filmmaker on Monday night and picked up an argument, which led to a scuffle.

"During the scuffle, the accused attacked the filmmaker with a knife," the senior police officer said, adding that the accused has been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

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