Today, I have had the (dis)honour of watching two panel-discussions involving Indian women’s discussion on #metoo. In both these panels, ludicrous comments which exhibit everything wrong in terms of approaching the topic of sexual harassment, like victim blaming and shaming, is heard.

Last month, Preity Zinta faced flak for her insensitive comments on the #metoo movement when she said, ‘People will treat you the way you want to be treated’ and ‘Aajkal ki Sweetu kal ki metoo ho sakti hai’. Maybe it is the lack of awareness or the rigidity of the brain which refuses to evolve as per the changing times, but Rani Mukerji is the latest person to join the brigade.

In the past, whenever Tavleen Singh or other women dissed #metoo and Time’s Up, I tried to ignore them. In this case, we have a woman dominating a panel, making the same problematic comments like ‘Women should protect themselves’ and that ‘women who feel cornered and not strong enough to retaliate, are the ones who need to change’. When Anushka Sharma pointed out that her comments are similar to victim blaming, Rani said ‘At some point, we have to take responsibility for ourselves.’. Meh!

Wake up Rani! This is exactly what is happening. This is the reason why girls have stricter hostel rules as compared to boys, the reason behind socially constructed 6 pm curfews for both urban and rural women, early marriage, male guardianship and what not. Women are held accountable for their own safety.

Why Arguments Related to Self-Defence are Problematic

There is a massive problem with the whole idea of instilling the necessity for self-defence. I am not against women or their family’s desire to learn the same. After Dec 16^th incident, my family (including my grandmother who was initially against the idea of learning martial arts as ‘it is meant for boys’) prompted me to take lessons in self-defence. I learned Karate for one week and Kung Fu for 4 years. Although it did instil a sense of confidence, I promise you, my complete safety cannot be guaranteed because at the end of the day, so many things like circumstances and number of perpetrators are to be considered. Also, self-defence is taught due to the notion that there are men who will rape no matter what.

So, do both Rani Mukerji and Tavleen Singh think that women could simply slap their way out of harassment? Do they think that it will stop the whole culture that perpetuates harassment? Does Rani seriously think that kicking a man between the legs will end the threat and that the man will simply stand there and get slapped or kicked?

When it comes to the circumstances, I want to give an example. I watched a Malayalam movie named ‘Mummy and me’ where the character played by Archana Kavi was sexually harassed by her college mate. She retaliates by hitting him. We might laud her for doing it, but the problem is that the situation didn’t end there. He follows her with (hyper) masculine male friends to confront her. One of them says ‘Women should remember their place’ and goes on to harass her further. She slaps him again, but the situation is neutralised thanks to her friend. When she narrates this incident to a male friend, she is warned. ‘Men’s ego might make them react violently. It was a bad idea to hit a man’. One day they confront her again and this time the man who was slapped, hits her and says ‘You will hit men? Do it again, I dare you’. He was exhibiting his physical strength and dominance, which is still an advantage men have over women, assuming that he is taller and heavier. Men tend to see women overpowering them, as an insult to their masculinity which leads to them retaliating severely. Although this is just a movie, it reflects a real-life scenario.

A friend of mine once slapped a man for sexually harassing her while she was on her way back home from school. She faced the same situation as mentioned in the movie; where her perpetrator showed up again with more male friends to ‘teach her a lesson’. If it weren’t for the people at that spot, they could have done worse. She narrated this incident as her #metoo story when the movement broke out last year.

I saw this kind of culture in educational institutions where girls were always taught to be careful and to not ‘provoke’ with their words. During a discussion about #metoo with Faye D’Sousa and Barkha Dutt, Tavleen Singh said, ‘#metoo but I slapped the man’. I am glad that she was able to react the way she wanted to and the result was in her favour but little did both Rani and Tavleen Singh know that Jyothi Singh Pandey too fought the six rapists when they attacked her in the bus. And, what did they do to her when she tried to fight back? Many people, including one of the rapists Mukesh, said that she shouldn’t have fought back, could have saved her intestines. This also doesn’t work in cases of domestic violence, and as per a survey by Anita Raj and Jay G. Silverman in 2002, from a pool of women aged between 18-60, 65.2% of women reported being sexually abused as a part of domestic violence.

A Trivandrum based girl once hit a man who harassed her, but she was arrested for assaulting him. She couldn’t prove the harassment and he was seriously injured by her assault. Padukone added to the invalidity of the statement; ‘Unfortunately, everybody is not constructed with that DNA. People who haven’t faced this, they’ve either been lucky or have had the strength,’ she said.

While Rani mockingly made martial arts noises during the discussion, Deepika Padukone finally made a valid point; ‘Does it always have to reach the point till women have to taught martial arts?’. Women are drugged and raped. Girls as young as 2 and 3 years of age are raped. Babies are raped. One of the worst cases recorded in India’s history involved the gangrape of an 8-year-old inside a religious place by multiple men. This was a horrifying example of malevolent power structure as the perpetrators’ intentions were to scare the Muslim community and the victims’ family. Many girls and women are raised to believe that they can’t say no. Marriage as a system has perpetuated the husband’s right to have sex more than wife’s right to say no.

Rani belongs to an industry that has made movies after movies in which heroes forcefully kiss heroines and where heroes persistently woo women who reject them until they fall in love with them. The biggest problem with the whole scenario is that the same power dynamics will shame a woman for having consensual sex. Tanushree Dutta was shamed for speaking up because she did an ‘erotic’ scene in ‘Aashiq Banaya Aapne’. During a panel on We The Women, Dutta explained that she gave her consent to do the song while she refused to give the same to Nana Patekar.

I came across this satire line ‘Algebra is confusing but then the society was introduced to the idea of consent’. Consent became a term that is only associated with feminism or ‘feminists and their convenience’. No, it is very important, and it is the only thing that can save generations of women and children from sexual harassment and assault. Kirron Kher screamed at the parliament in 2015 that boys should be taught in schools that consent belongs to women. Self-defence alone won’t solve the problem because we know that if one person in that bus had chosen not to rape and had instead protected Pandey, then she would have been alive.

In yet another WTF moment, Rani says, ‘It’s the women who are raising these boys’ and ‘You can’t tell mothers how to bring up their children’. Irony died in that sentence. Well, it is just sad to see influential people make ludicrous comments. Women are agents of patriarchy. You can see that when Tavleen Singh said ‘He likes women’ while defending allegations against MJ Akbar. Women with the wrong idea about consent will end up raising children with similar bad ideas.

The whole point of #metoo is to question the power structure surrounding the sex-based crimes and to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions, instead of questioning the circumstances of the victim. Whether it is a stranger who attacks a woman who is alone or an authority who asks for sex in return for favours.

The post #MeToo: Dear Rani, Do You Think Self-Defence Is As Easy As You Say It Is? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Baking up a storm to focus my attention on writing about Kader Khan, I can say that he lived life and knowledge as an accomplishment. It was certainly not what he knew; it was definitely what he did with what he knew accurately. In all probability, Kader Khan was born in Kabul, educated in Mumbai and died in Toronto. This is a uniquely different distinction of his long life, which he lived with all the dynamism. He left the mortal world for the celestial one on the last day of the year 2018.

He was not keeping well for a while and had been suffering from supranuclear palsy, a degenerative disease. He was admitted to the hospital after he complained of breathlessness. He was staying with his youngest son and his family in Canada. He even taught mathematics but he could not achieve his life’s time-span up to the last basic mathematical numeral of one hundred. Not within the human grasp in any way, his precious life was predestined for only 81 years.

His dialogue delivery in his films will always remain fresh in our memory. He contributed dialogues for Bollywood movies like Khoon Pasina, Mr Natwarlal, Satte Pe Satta, Hum, Inquilab and many more films. The screenplay for Hindi films like Naseeb and Agneepath was penned by him. His dialogues were a hit with the audience. As a result, he was signed up for a dozen films of Prakash Mehra and Manmohan Desai. He gave Amitabh Bachchan that famous line Hum Jehan Khade Ho Jattey Hein, Line Wahi se shuru ho jati hai. He entered into the Hindi film world with small roles but soon received lengthy roles. In the year 1989, he experimented with the comic role in the film Himmatwala. A person like Dilip Kumar spotted his intrinsic writing ability and offered him to write the script of the film Jawani Dewani.

The man named Kader Khan never looked back. The man who did not possess slippers at one time of his life, became much famous in another span. Our worldview changes once the acquired knowledge turns into a thorough procedure. He was greatly aware of what quadrant he was in, at any given moment. He made a concentrated endeavour to move to a place with the higher quality of attention. However, his lamentation cannot altogether be ignored when he expressed how depression got the better of him, on being neglected by the Hindi film world.

The post Kader Khan Lived A Long Life With All The Dynamism appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

It’s that time of the year when lists will be the mainstay of the entertainment articles that you read. There will be lists about the best films, the worst films, the ones that made the most money, the ones that lost the most money, so on and so forth. If you have been following Bollywood for a couple of years, you will see some names that you probably only recognized earlier, without realizing that they’d be in so many lists – and that too on such a positive note.

Those names are Rajkummar Rao, Ayushmann Khurrana, Vicky Kaushal and the others of their ilk. The ones who still have the ‘actor’ tag firmly attached to them – and have yet, somehow, overshadowed the superstars. It’s a pity that the Bollywood superstars are so busy becoming brands and planets unto themselves that they don’t have time to peer and learn – because these are some refresher courses that Rajkummar Rao, Ayushmann Khurrana and company can teach the Bollywood superstars.

1. Content is King:

It’s cool to say this during interviews, but none of the script choices of Bollywood’s superstars have proved that they follow this. Shah Rukh Khan’s films have been repeatedly criticized for being lame after the interval, Aamir Khan’s one-off miss (Thugs of Hindostan), is said to have an exasperating screenplay, memes about Bhai’s film’s scripts are all around, and reviewers can’t really tackle Akshay Kumar’s script sensibilities because ‘sacchi ghatnao pe aadharit hai’.

Anyone who has even written a short story will tell you that the twist in the middle – and the aftermath – is what makes the piece click. One look at the audience outside the theatres in the interval break will give all the Kings and the Bhais of Bollywood information about what kind of euphoria the second half and the climax should give – but then, where are those superstars who want to know the junta’s pulse?

Come to the actors’ den and you’ll see marvellous plot points, scripts, screenplays in films like “Andhadhun”, “Stree” and so many more. This happens when the actor – as is said in interviews – surrenders themselves to the script. That’s when the real magic happens.

2. Shock and Awe is the Key:

I have watched Andhadhun and Stree in the theatres. I saw both twice – because the experience was that-damn-good. And that’s because both these films were meant to twist and mangle the audience’s mindset enough to have them come out of the theatre with a high. Let’s take the example of a joyride in an amusement park. The films signed by the superstars of today are a scenic route, something that mesmerizes the audience with its visual spectacle and then gives them a soft landing, out of the cinema halls and towards the family dining restaurants. Films like “Andhadhun”, “Stree” and even “Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety”, are full-bodied, red-blooded twisted rides that will have the audience gasping at the entire experience.

3. Not a One Act Play:

So, here’s a nugget of information. The person who plays Stree in the film is Flora Saini. She’s not unknown either. She’s been in films since 1999 and has now made a name for herself because of streaming platforms, most recently with ALT Balaji’s Gandi Baat 2. Having known her for a year or so, and seeing Stree succeed behemoth coolly ignoring her, it’s irritating. Yes, the actual, literal, titular character of Stree is Flora Saini at best and Flora and Shraddha Kapoor are the titular characters.

Apart from this one anonymity, the other films I talk about have allowed the other actors to thrive. Stree had casting director Abhishek Banerjee play a much juicy role than Rajkummar Rao, and there wasn’t even a controversy about it. “Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety”, again, Karthik Aryan strutted his stuff while Sunny Nijar took most of the ‘oohs’ and the ‘aahs’ from the female audience.  All this is a far cry from films like “Raees”, “Zero”, “Thugs of Hindostan”, “Race3” and the others where the screen lights up every time the fattest paycheck – or is it profit proceedings now – comes on screen.

4. Controversy Doesn’t Work:

What the big stars need to do, pronto, is sack their PRs and their films. As soon as a big budget film is announced, there’s a controversy that follows it like the twin that took some time to get delivered. It’s happened with almost every big-ticket film this year and it’s irritating.

Here’s an eye-opener – the Indian middle class doesn’t like violence. It doesn’t like bandhs, it doesn’t like hartals. Political parties that brought down Mumbai to its knees in the nineties with the bandhs and the hartals were voted out of power. I have watched a harmless film like Bombay Boys under police protection. It is not a good memory. I understand that audiences should support freedom of expression and all that. But when you have three credit card bills and a home loan to pay, and three anniversaries to celebrate, nobody’s coming to the theatres to merely watch a film, knowing that there can be a hungama.

So, the controversy that erupts as Shah Rukh’s character dons a kirpan, the tamasha that ensues as someone says that Zero shames people with disability, the discussion that opens up when a convicted criminal beats up the baddies in theatres – are things that are weaning audiences away from the theatres, not bringing them closer.

Taking the cynical view, assuming all this is a plant by the producers to kick off the film, sack the PR. They should know its 2019 and nobody’s going to risk their life and limb to watch a movie. Taking the positive view that these are genuine controversies, the superstars should ensure that such things don’t crop up in a film.

So, this is the end of the article that disses your favourite superstar and celebrates the upcoming big names. That is the in thing nowadays, and though it’s correct, there needs to be a disclaimer. Younger bloggers are surprised when I tell them that the likes of Shah Rukh, Salman and Akshay did go through the slog overs in the 90s and came out unscathed. They did experiment with their roles and tried changing their clichés – rather than becoming clichés. Everyone knows Shah Rukh did Baazigar and Deewana, but few know that Salman did Garv and Veergati. Everyone knows Akshay is the patriotic poster boy, but few remember he did some whacky comedies like Waqt Hamara Hai. Everyone criticizes Aamir Khan for his urban films, and few remember his Lagaan. However, the nineties have been particularly hard on him, with films like Daulat Ki Jung, Afsana Pyaar Ka, Jawani Zindabad, Aatank hi Aatank and so many more. They are box office mavericks and know when and how to evolve. If they just shrug off the lethargy that comes with superstardom, they might just once again rule Bollywood.

The post Lessons Bollywood Stars Should Imbibe From Khurrana, Rao, Kaushal And Co. For 2019 appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

A big difference between us and the previous generation is the existence of social media. Our parents did not have Facebook or Instagram to post pictures and share personal information. Millennials spend at least 27 hours every week on social media. The existence of social media has also changed lives of celebrities in India.

Actors have had stardom in previous decades but they were a mystery for common people. Today, they are relatable. Today, we see them through pictures, thanks to the paparazzi. They also post pictures on social media themselves. Paparazzi has been doing a commendable job clicking celebrities in and out, their favorite being a little kid Taimur Ali Khan!

But this connect has influenced our lives in more than one way. According to McKinsey, social media is highly responsible for referrals brands get, hence boosting their sales. Millennials have also started  following their favorite celebrity’s lifestyles. But is it worthwhile? It is good to look good but everyone’s priorities may be different. Celebrities spend a lot of money on their appearance. It is an important part of their work to look a certain way.

Due to this influence, fitness has also become something more than simply a healthy lifestyle. Millennials believe starving is fine, if it can give flat abs. At times obesity can be a medical condition but now body shaming does not spare you even if you have PCOD. You have to be perfect. All this and what not!

Paparazzi has helped us build connect with celebrities and their luxurious lifestyle. It is upto us to use this connect in a healthy way. Instead of aping every move, we can get inspired by them and try and be successful like some of them are.

Featured image for representative purpose only.
Featured image source: lewisha1990/Flickr; viralbhayani/Instagram.

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It is really hard to decide what they actually think 0f their future plans, but their respective statements give some covert indications. If one is a Hollywood figure another is a Bollywood celebrity. Their age is not the same, even though the acting skills are identical.

During an exclusive interview Maleficent star, Angelina Jolie, was asked if she would consider going into politics. What she precisely indicted she was, that now she was open to the idea of embarking on a political career. In case she finds the unfamiliar field of politics as the finest mode for bringing a change into the noisy world, she would certainly not hesitate in joining politics.

The 43-year-old big name in the world of American films was not at all ready to run for the year 2020 presidential elections, probably because she wants to focus on her undeviating passion for much needed humanitarian work. At present, she is absolutely engaged in promoting virtuous humanitarian causes, which also comprise ending sexual violence against women. And this does while choosing not to be in the limelight. If she happened to run for the American President’s polls in the future years, she would surely be another Hollywood star, joining the field of politics after Ronald Reagan, who was the 40^th president of the United States of America.

Back in India, a famous actor Naseeruddin Shah has shot into extra fame by his nearly daring remarks. He drew a lot of criticism over his comment on religion and society. Despite all the hue and cry, he made it utterly clear that he had no regrets about saying what he uttered in the previous days. After a few days, he spoke on the triple talaq row as well. However, his opinion on instant triple talaq remained similar to that of the union government. That’s why there was not enough hullabaloo raised. If the proposed Bill becomes a law ultimately, it will definitely land erring husbands in jail for a period of close to three long years, or 36 months, or 156 weeks, or 1095 days.

The actor clearly said that it was a barbarous thing and it should be abolished. He also maintained that he had no compunction in saying so. He outrightly rejected any inclination in his sharp mind, at the age of 68 years, that would compel him to join the field of politics, upon an abrupt query put up by none other than Rajdeep Sardesai. He did not want to tread the path of Anupam Kher, but there are doubts over his denial as many think. It was his reaction to some burning topics directly related to Muslim women that probably evoked the question. He, like Jolie, appears to be escaping from getting into politics but seems to be a little slow in the kind of realisation that Jolie has had already. Nothing like this has occurred to him at this instant.

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I am a guy. I love watching rom-coms. There is something about the emotions, drama and the unrealistic romantic chase that I just crave. Plus, we all love watching a well made romantic-comedy movie, right?

In every rom-com at the end of the film, the hero always finds the person who understands him and accepts him irrespective of being an emotional mess. He breaks down all the barriers, chases down the hallway, and makes us realize that even a guy like that can find love, which in reality is total bullshit. Of course, everyone loves watching an over-dramatized version of a story, which is far away from reality. The reality of life tells you a different life story which is very different from the story on the big screen. Love is a journey between two people, which has its turns, twists, roadblocks and hardships. Love happens between two people, which starts over a period of time, which can’t forcibly be extracted out of a person. If it happens, it’s there, otherwise it’s not.

I made the mistake of equating every girl I have been with on a date with, to the last rom-com movie I could remember. I made the connections with every moment, with the situations as shown in the movie. Every time a girl blew me off, I’d tell myself, “Go after her and get her.” My mind talks to me, asks me to take the plunge. Needless to say, it does not go the way I envision it would unfold. I am not going to say that rom-coms are full of lies, but most of them are far from reality. It took me a long time to recover from the attempt of making my love story cute, but I did learn a valuable lesson. Don’t try to write your life story like a rom-com, for that doesn’t make any sense. I learnt it the hard way when I realized that I had missed out a lot. If only life were like a romantic comedy. Then no matter whatever hardships we face, everything would fall in place, and you would unite with your love.

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I genuinely hoped from the bottom of my heart that in 2019, everyone, especially people occupying positions of political and non-political power, would open their mouths for the right reasons. But it didn’t take long to be proven wrong, by none other than Rani Mukerji, while she spoke at Rajeev Masand’s 2018 Bollwood Round Table.  Commenting on the #MeToo movement, her exact words were, “I think as a woman you have to be that powerful within yourself, you have to believe that you’re so powerful that if you ever come into a situation like that, you have the courage to say ‘back off.’ I think you have to have the courage to be able to protect yourself. You have to take responsibility for your own self.” She made a few more non-nonsensical statements which I choose not to quote.

It is extremely problematic when we have celebrities, who have been given the opportunity to speak on a sensitive issue on a platform which has over a million viewers, make downright derogatory comments that don’t just question their sensibility, but also have the potential to destroy the courage, strength and power many women displayed when they chose to speak about their story, as well as those who supported these women. It is absolutely disgusting to even think that an influential personality like her could even indirectly equate ‘being abused’ to ‘weakness’, because according to her if one cannot fight back her abuser, she should be told that ‘she cannot be felt cornered’ and that she needs to be taught ‘MARTIAL ARTS’, which apparently would be the end of the problem. Wow!

I’m pretty sure she’s got the real life of most women, mixed with her reel life character in the movie ‘Mardani’, conveniently assuming that if one has the skills and knowledge of self-defense, one is sorted. It was quite disappointing to to see that she didn’t stop speaking utter nonsense, even when other actresses tried to intervene to make a sensible point. It goes on to show how her lack of common sense and awareness, coupled with a privileged, glossy life, has blinded her to the miseries of the real world, where every woman has a #MeToo story to share.

To hear statements that demean menstruating women, or those that challenge the courage people show while taking a stand against their perpetrators is irking, because influential women figures such as Smriti Irani and Rani Mukherjee go on record to reaffirm the wrong doings of the society. They indirectly blame and shame the victim, which speaks volumes about them and our society, and also indicates why India has a long, long way to go before it achieves any progress in the real sense of the word. It is 2019, and yet our leaders (in every way) behave like they’re living in the 1960’s.

It would be great if such people educated themselves first before educating others.

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पता नहीं क्या सोचकर मैंने It’s not that simple वेब सीरीज़ देख ली और अपना पूरा दिन बर्बाद कर लिया। वेब सीरीज़ के ट्रेलर और प्रमोशन में इसे एक मिडिल क्लास हाउस वाइफ के सपनों की उड़ान की तरह बेचा गया। किस तरह वो बंबई जैसे महानगर में रहते हुए अपने तलाक के मामले से निपट रही है और अपनी 10 साल की बच्ची को भी पाल रही है।

लेकिन वेब सीरीज़ में ऐसा कुछ नहीं है। मेरे हिसाब से ‘मीरा’ नाम की महिला का किरदार बहुत ही कमज़ोर लिखा गया है। पूरी सीरीज़ में वो अपनी सेक्शुएलिटी एक्स्प्लोर करने की बजाय आदमियों के लिए एंटरटेनमेंट बनी ही नज़र आ रही हैं।

एक प्रगतिशील महिला की पसंद बनाम उलझनें

उनका कई साल पुराना दोस्त उनपर बुरी नज़र रखता है। वो उसके साथ जिस्मानी रिश्ते ना रखने के लिए उसे खराब चरित्र की महिला कहता है लेकिन मीरा जैसी स्ट्रॉन्ग महिला अपने चरित्र पर सवाल उठाए जाने के बावजूद उसे बेस्ट फ्रेंड ही रखती हैं।

मतलब ऐसा कौन सा बेस्ट फ्रेंड होता है जो अपनी महिला मित्र की शादी होने और उसकी 10 साल की बच्ची होने के बावजूद, उसे सिर्फ खराब नज़रों से देखे? एक आदमी जिसे मीरा के हज़ार बार ना कहने या उसके कंसेंट की परवाह नहीं वो कैसा बेस्ट फ्रेंड? वेब सीरीज़ के लेखकों ने बड़ी चालाकी से अपने दूसरे किरदार से चंद सेकेंड्स में कंसेंट पर एक डॉयलॉग ज़रूर बुलवा दिया ताकि सोशल मीडिया की बहसों और ज़िरह में भी रेलेवेंट ही बने रहें।

सातों एपिसोड्स के दौरान मीरा का किरदार कहता रहता है कि उसकी सफलता किसी मर्द के बिस्तर से होकर नहीं जाएगी लेकिन करतीं बिलकुल उसका उल्टा हैं। अपने बेस्ट फ्रेंड, जो कि सारा समय उनसे सेक्शुअल फेवर्स मांगता रहता है, उसे जाने ही नहीं देतीं। बॉस, जिसका सिर्फ एक ही मकसद है, उसे पाना, उसे भी एंटरटेन करती हैं। हां बाद में धोखा मिलने पर यह ज़रूर कहती हैं कि वो उसे जेल भी भिजवा सकती हैं, बिकॉज़ सेक्शुअल हैरेसमेन्ट एट वर्क प्लेस, लेकिन भिजवाती नहीं हैं।

पता नहीं आजकल किस तरह के तलाक हो रहे हैं। जिस पति से तलाक लेकर वो अपना ‘सेल्फ’ खोज रही हैं, उस पति को एंटरटेन भी कर रही हैं। वो उसी के घर रहता है, उसी से चिकन वाला सूप भी बनवा रहा है लेकिन दोनों तलाक भी ले रहे हैं। वेब सीरीज़ में ये साफ नहीं हो पाता कि वो तलाक ले क्यों रहे हैं?

एक स्टॉकर या फिर एक संवेदनशील पुरुष

एक अंगद नाम के पत्रकार हैं जो पद्मश्री लिए बैठे हैं, वो कोई मीटिंग्स अटेंड नहीं कर रहे, कोई रिपोर्टिंग नहीं कर रहे, बस एक शादीशुदा महिला को स्टॉक कर रहे हैं।

क्योंकि देर रात दोनों की गाड़ियां भिड़ जाती हैं और दोनों लड़ पड़ते हैं। उसके बाद दोनों सोशल मीडिया पर एक दूसरे को भयंकर ट्रोल करते हैं। इसके बावजूद अंगद, मीरा के पीछे 500 चक्कर, 600 ईमेल और करीब हज़ारों बार फोन करते हैं क्योंकि उन्हें मीरा से सलाह लेनी है कि वो अपनी बेटी को सच कैसे बताएं, जो उनकी है तो बेटी लेकिन दोस्त भी है।

पागलों की तरह एक दूसरे को सोशल मीडिया पर ट्रोल करने के कुछ सीन बाद ही अंगद, द पद्म श्री पत्रकार, मीरा के घर बैठे हैं और उसको गले लगाकर कहते हैं कि वो उनकी ज़िंदगी में मायने रखती हैं।

मीरा, उस आदमी को भी ना नहीं कह पाती जो उनके घर-दफ्तर के 500 चक्कर लगा चुका है जिसे लीगल टर्म्स में पीछा करना यानी स्टॉकिंग कहते हैं। बाद में अंगद के किरदार को बाकी मर्दों से अलग दिखाने की छोटी सी कोशिश की गई है। वो आदमी जो मदद मांगती महिला का फायदा नहीं उठाता लेकिन सारा समय उससे साथ सेक्शुअल जोक्स ज़रूर करेगा। उसे मजबूर करके अपने कमरे में रखेगा, अपनी शर्ट उतारकर काम करेगा।

लेकिन वह बाकियों से तो अलग ही है क्योंकि उसने फायदा तो नहीं उठाया ना!

स्टीरियोटाइप तोड़ रहे हैं या कहानी की कमड़!

इस सीरीज़ में एक और स्टीरियोटाइप तोड़ने के लिए लेस्बियन कपल की भी कहानी जोड़ दी गई है। हालांकि वो कपल कहानी में क्यों रखा गया ये मुझे अंत तक समझ नहीं आया। हो सकता है लेस्बियन यौन संबंध दिखाने की फैंटसी पूरी करने के लिए जोड़ दिया गया हो।

एक और चीज़ भी समझ नहीं आई, आदमियों को शर्टलेस दिखाने की क्या ज़रूरत थी? एक तरफ फेमिनिज़्म का ध्वज दूसरी तरफ माचोइज़्म का भी? मतलब बराबरी बनी रहे!

हालांकि वेब सीरीज़ में फेक न्यूज़ को भी पकड़ने की कोशिश की गई है। अंगद, द पद्म श्री पत्रकार, फेक न्यूज़ पर भी एक डायलॉग मार रहा है। वीरे दी वेडिंग की तरह चार-पांच डायलॉग महिलाओं के बारे में ओछी टिप्प्णियों वाले भी रखे गए हैं।

कुल मिलाकर काफी प्रोग्रेसिव येट रिग्रेसिव वेब सीरीज़। कमज़ोर महिला के किरदार को पावरफुल दिखाकर बेचने की कोशिश। ज़्यादातर कंटेंट फेसबुक से उठाकर फेसबुक की जनता को ही परोस दिया गया है। स्वरा भास्कर, पूरब कोहली और सुमीत व्यास जैसे अच्छे एक्टर्स का टाइम बर्बाद किया गया है। देखने वालों का तो हो ही रहा है।

The post “वेब सीरीज़ It’s not that simple देखकर मेरा पूरा दिन बर्बाद हो गया” appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

14 January, 2000. Nineteen years ago, the whole of India was left spell bound, because one of the most iconic films of the new millennium, “Kaho na … pyar hai” released on that day. Making his debut as a lead actor was the incredibly talented and handsome Hrithik Roshan, and the whole world was at his feet. He was the new superstar on the block, the most accomplished actor of the new generation, the next Bollywood phenomenon. He was compared with Shah Rukh Khan – the then reigning king Khan. He was the heartthrob of all the young girls and a fitness icon for all the young boys. Nothing could go wrong for Hrithik. The film was a colossal hit and grabbed the maximum number of awards. Hrithik was here to stay, or we felt.

In his career spanning 19 years, he gave us some brilliant performances – like Guzarish, Kaabil, Zindagi na milegi dobara, Jodha Akbar, Koi Mil Gaya. But these all can be counted on the fingertips. And we expected a lot more from our perfect man Hrithik – who is blessed with the features of a Greek God and a talent anyone would kill for. When Agneepath released in 2012, we hoped that he would bounce back with all his ability and strength. But, the person who bounced back instead was Kangana Ranaut.

What we have been seeing since then is the fall and fall of our beloved Hrithik. Krrish 3, Bang Bang and Mohenjo Daro were out and out flops and seemed more like desperate attempts to cling on to his fading stardom. Kabil showed a little bit of spark, but that was it.

Since the last three years, we only saw his personal life being discussed more than any kind of art. And his awful interviews, explanations and statements felt more like lame attempts at justifying his image. It pains and hurts so much to see one of our favorite and gifted actors wasting his talent in cleansing his reputation, than investing in anything constructive.

With Super 30 on the verge of a release this year, we earnestly hope that Hrithik gets out of the darkness and shines brightly again. And for that to happen, dear Hrithik, please live up to some of the recommended new year resolutions:

1. Get a grip – Of your life, your career, your abilities, your everything.
2. Own up – We all know you screwed up the entire Kangana Ranaut episode. Accept it and move on. Digging it up again and again will take you nowhere.
3. Focus – Focus more on the films you do, not the interviews you do.
4. Get back the shine – By the shine we mean that innocent yet confident and passionate shine in your eyes. You can let go of those dark glasses first and then the confused, restless and dazed look in the eyes.
5. Tell the truth – Be it the interviews or the shows or your personal life – say the truth even if it’s bad or ugly. We know you are human and we are not expecting anything divine.
6. Transition – Accept that times are changing and content is the star. Value the story, rather than your stardom or your ability to pull off a film only with your acting and dancing.
7. Be out there – Gone are the days when stars were treated like Gods. Now actors are nothing more than a Twitter handle, with trolls ready to rip them apart. So be out there and be yourself. The more you connect the more you get.
8. Promote “Hrithik Roshan – the Actor”, more than “Hrithik Roshan – the Brand”. Period
9. Lastly – As you turn 45 years old on the 10 January, find yourself 45 reasons to smile and give them back to people like us, who love you.

The post To Hrithik, With Love: 10 New Year Resolutions Recommended By Your Fan appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Disinformation, or fake news, has become the biggest threat to the idea of democracy and the idea of free choice. The repeated instances have been reported where political parties have used disinformation to influence masses. During elections, people are swamped with partial truth, unauthentic information, false claims, among many others as a part of political parties’ propaganda model, where sadly even media is party to it. As a result, voters are left in a dilemma of who and what to believe. The dangers of a confused and misdirected voters are reflected when they make misinformed choices.

Gujarat Vikas model advertisement, where Union Minister Babul Supriyo falsely claimed that the government has inaugurated a world-class bus stand in Rajkot, is an example of how fake news is used to manage perceptions. By the time people realized it was fake, they had already voted and elected their representative.

Fake news has become a global nuisance. In US Presidential elections, disinformation was used to kill Hillary Clinton’s chances of becoming a President. The investigators in the USA have found that Russian agencies rigged the elections using disinformation and targeted information dissemination. Further, the Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal revealed how data is used to peddle fake news and influence voter preferences.

If US elections can be rigged by breaching cybersecurity and misusing the data, so can India. Fake news and its impact can further intensify if other countries try to manipulate voter choices in the country. Such efforts have led to many civil wars in middle-eastern countries. The question is how can we defend ourselves from becoming victim to this widespread manipulation of thoughts and opinion.  Researchers and experts believe that these four approaches can prevent us from falling prey to disinformation:

1. The government makes a rule on the control of disinformation.

Going by the latest BBC report this looks like a far-fetched dream. Further, the data protection laws are still not in place and the progress has been at snail’s speed.

2. The Social Media companies censor information

Social media companies can evolve methods to censor news and content that are abusive, full of hatred, and doubtful facts/data. For this, they may be required to give away a few of their advertisements.

3. Media companies verify information before putting it in public domain.

Media is society’s watchdog. They should stick to journalistic ethics and inform people and curb the spreading of fake news. However, in the age of corporations owning media houses and raking revenues through sensationalization,  it is least likely that media would mend its ways.

4.Self-Research

The best approach is self-help. We could verify most of the information using simple google searches. Fact-checking websites AltNews or HoaxSlayer are a good alternative to counter and expose fake news.

The post Fake News Is A Potent Political Tool To Influence Voters appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

PUBG अर्थात प्लेयर अननोन बैटल ग्राउंड्स, इससे आज कल स्मार्टफोन रखने वाला हर युवा परिचित है और उनके अभिभावक उनसे कई ज़्यादा। ऐसा क्यों? इसकी चर्चा हम बाद में करेंगे पहले पबजी के बारे में थोड़ा जान लेते हैं।

PUBG यानी कि प्लेयर अननोन बैटल ग्राउंड्स एक ऑनलाइन वीडियो गेम है जिसका निर्माण PUBG कॉरपोरेशन द्वारा किया गया है, जो कि दक्षिण कोरिया की वीडियो गेम कंपनी ब्लू होल की साझेदार है। इसे सबसे पहले दिसंबर 2017 में विंडोज़ पर लॉन्च किया गया और उसके बाद फरवरी 2018 को एंड्राइड के लिए उपलब्ध कराया गया, जिसके बाद तो यह वीडियो गेम के इतिहास के सारे रिकॉर्ड तोड़ते चला गया और गूगल प्ले द्वारा भी इसे सबसे पॉपुलर गेम का अवॉर्ड प्राप्त हुआ।

यह द्वितीय विश्वयुद्व के समय सोवियत रूस द्वारा इस्तेमाल किये गए एक द्वीप की अवधारणा वाली कहानी को रचता हुआ गेम है, जिस द्वीप को सोवियत रूस ने अब छोड़ दिया है। एक बार में करीबन सौ खिलाड़ियों को द्वीप पर उतारा जाता है और फिर प्रारंभ होता है हिंसा का वह दौर, जिसमें आपको या आपके सहियोगियों के संग मिलकर (जो कि चार के ग्रुप में होते हैं) बाकियों को मारना होता है, अंत तक जीवित रहना होता है।

गेम के दौरान रोमांच बरकरार रखने के लिए बैटल ग्राउंड की सीमा घटती रहती है, जिसे ब्लू लाइन के नाम से जाना जाता है और इसे इलेक्ट्रिक फील्ड की संज्ञा दी जाती है। जो कि द्वितीय विश्वयुद्व की उसी अवधारणा पर है, जो सोवियत रूस की आर्मी, द्वीप पर आने वाले दुश्मनों के खात्मे के लिए इस्तेमाल करती थी।

अब सवाल उठता है गेम तो इतना मजे़दार है फिर यह समस्या कैसे उत्पन्न करती है। तो बात दरअसल यह है कि यह पूरी तरह एक ऑनलाइन गेम है और इसमें खेलने वाला हर एक व्यक्ति दुनिया के किसी-ना-किसी ज़ोने में बैठा है यानी इसमें कोई कंप्यूटर प्रोग्रामिंग किया हुआ दुश्मन नहीं है, इसलिए आप जितनी बार खेलेंगे आपको नया रोमांच प्राप्त होगा और आपको गेम से बोर नहीं होने देगा।

साथ-ही-साथ जब आपने गेम खेलना प्रारम्भ किया तो औसतन आप एक बार में बीस मिनट तो बिताएंगे ही और जल्द आउट होने के बाद आपको तुरंत वापस खेलने के लिए इसका ज़बरदस्त ग्राफिक्स मजबूर करता है। साथ ही खेलते हुए सहयोगियों के साथ वॉयस चैट का फीचर जो कि कई सोशल चैट ऐप से भी बेहतर है आपको और भी इसकी ओर आकर्षित करता है। जिसकी वजह से आज छोटे बच्चे से लेकर हर उम्र के युवा इसकी जद में हैं।

PUBG खेल जितना मजे़दार व रोमांचक है, उससे भी ज़्यादा शारीरिक, मानसिक और सामाजिक दृष्टि से खतरनाक। स्मार्टफोन पर उपलब्ध होने की वजह से अधिकांश लोगों तक आराम से मौजूद है एवं आप इसे आसानी से कहीं भी किसी भी जगह खेल सकते हैं। कई महारथियों को मैंने घर के बेड से शौचालय तक इस खेल का आंनद उठाते देखा है। अपने खाली समय में बच्चे एवं युवा छुट्टियों में भी बाहर शरीरिक खेल ना खेल इसी पर लगे हुए हैं। ज़्यादा देर तक खेलने के कारण हमारी आंखों को भी नुकसान पहुंचा सकता है तथा मानसिक रूप से हमें बीमार बना सकता है।

यह खेल एक हिंसात्मक खेल है, जिसमें आपको काल्पनिक रूप से ही सही किन्तु अन्य लोगों की हत्या करनी होती है जो बाल मन एवं युवाओं की सोच को दिग्भ्रमित कर सकती है।

इसलिए ऐसे खेलों के प्रति हमें सचेत होने की ज़रूरत है क्योंकि इसका बुरा प्रभाव सभी पर पड़ेगा। आप PUBG खेले किन्तु दायरे में रहकर और सिर्फ मनोरंजन के लिए इसे ज़िन्दगी का हिस्सा ना बनाएं।

The post क्या लोगों को हिंसक बना सकता है पबजी गेम? appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

It certainly would be no hyperbole to say that the quality of content available on Netflix has improved quite considerably. 2018 saw some excellent feature films and web shows being churned out for viewers across all age groups. As far as the films are concerned, the American entertainment giant has treated its viewers to some excellent feature films this year around. Right from the Spanish period thriller ‘Gun City’, which deals with the countless reasons that led to the outbreak of the Spanish civil war to the Indian romantic comedy “Love per Square Feet”, which deals with the ever-so-serious problem of housing in Mumbai, we’ve seen some top-notch stuff on Netflix this year around.

Within the crime-thriller genre, Calibre, a film directed by Matt Palmer, kept the netizens such as myself on the edge of their seats. The film is set in the Scottish Highlands and features two friends who embark on a hunting trip. The rest of the film deals with the trials and tribulations both of them face in their bid to keep their crime under the wraps.

An Overview

The story begins rather simply, with two childhood friends Vaughn and Marcus embarking on a hunting trip. Vaughn and his wife are expecting their first child.  Both of them make their way to the Scottish Highlands. The woods appear silent, but there seems to be a significant degree of uneasiness engulfing the highlands. The economic hardships of people, the lack of investment in the area. Both Vaughn and Marcus realize that the place isn’t as welcoming as they thought it’d be.

While hunting, Vaughn sees a deer, lines it up, and shoots, but the bullet accidentally hits a young boy, who happens to be camping in the woods along with his father. Things turn even murkier when Marcus, in his bid to protect Vaughn, ends up shooting the boy’s father.  Then begins a game of cat and mouse wherein Vaughn and Marcus try almost all tricks in the bag to cover their crime.

The Good:

The Locations:

The film’s story is pretty simple. It doesn’t have anything extraordinary, but what stands out in the entire film is the execution. The locations where the film has been shot are beautiful. Another striking feature of the locations happens to be the fact that they do look spooky and secluded. The locations had a certain degree of tension to the overall scenario.

The Storyline

The story might be simple, but it’s quite gripping. Kudos to the film’s writer for adding a pinch of salt and pepper to a cliché suspense thriller. All the ingredients seem to be in place. There’s a perfect blend of suspense, drama, tension, and adrenaline-pumping action. The writers have stuck to the basics and have nailed it, literally. The story is tightly-knit and nothing feels unnecessary. Also, the 100-minute runtime doesn’t feel long and keeps the viewer hooked and guessing.

The Performances:

Take nothing away from the hard work put in by all the actors. The likes of Jack Lowden, Martin McCann, and Tony Curran have pulled off stellar acts to give us one of the finest thriller films of the decade. The actors haven’t relied on dialogues, but on facial expressions. The fear and uncertainty, both of which form the heart and soul of the film, can be clearly seen on the lead pair’s face. There’s no fancy make-up stuff. The faces of all the actors narrate stories. As a viewer, you can feel the tribulations both Vaughn, as well as Marcus, are going through after they accidentally murder the child and his father.

The Dichotomy, the Emotions, and Everything in Between

Throughout the course of the film, there’s an uncanny uneasiness that a viewer can feel. There comes a moment in the film when both Vaughn and Marcus think “Should we confess, or should we not?” There happens to be tension and uncertainty brewing everywhere. Vaughn, in particular, is adamant on keeping the secret covered. He fears for his unborn child and his wife. The mental and emotional toil both of them are subjected to makes one develop a softer side for them. (Come on, you have to feel sad for them. After all, they didn’t murder the boy and his father intentionally. It was an accident. They were at the wrong place at the wrong time, to say the least.

Economic Problems

Logan (Tony Curran) tells Vaughn and Marcus about the economic problems their village happens to be facing. There seems to be a severe dearth of investment in the area. Marcus promises to bring business and investment into the village. The locals happen to be well aware of the economic prosperity Marcus can bring in the area. The director hasn’t stretched the issue too much. He’s left it wide open and moves on to concentrate on the characters.

The Bad

Just about nothing. The film stays true to its purpose. It doesn’t go haywire even once. Also, the climax happens to be quite inevitable but take nothing away from the way it has been executed. I hope there aren’t any spoilers in this review. The film makes for a great binge watch. Miss it at your own risk.

The post Calibre, With All Its Thrills And Spills, Makes For A Great Binge-Watch appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

आज़ादी के 10 साल बाद 1957 में देश में खेती और किसान की बदहाली दिखाती फिल्म ‘मदर इंडिया’ को दर्शकों ने बहुत सराहा। जहां साहूकार जो अमीर है, किसान को कर्ज़ की मार के नीचे दबोचता हुआ दिखाई देता है। जहां एक किसान परिवार का मुख्य सदस्य खुदकुशी के लिए मजबूर होता है, एक मां अपने दो बेटों को गरीबी के कारण खो देती है और यह साहूकार किसान की पत्नी को जिस्मानी हवस की नज़र से देखने में भी नहीं हिचकिचाता है। इसकी मात्र एक वजह है कि साहूकार अमीर है और किसान उसका कर्ज़दार।

इस फिल्म ने अमीरी और गरीबी में बढ़ती हुई खाई को भी बखूबी दिखाया है, जहां इसी गरीबी की निराशा से किसान का बेटा बिरजू बचपन से जवानी तक साहूकार से नफरत करता है। बिरजू का स्वभाव हिंसक होता जाता है, वहीं साहूकार से बदला लेने के लिये उसकी इच्छा और तीव्र होती जाती है। एक दिन वह बंदूक उठाता है और डाकू बन जाता है और साहूकार का कत्ल करता है।

फिल्म का अंत हम सब जानते हैं, जहां एक मां अपने बेटे का कत्ल इसलिए कर देती है क्योंकि वह इसी गांव की बेटी, साहूकार की बेटी को उठाने के लिये अमादा होता है। यहां फिल्म में खलनायक के रूप में बिरजू के उभरकर आने की मुख्य वजह गरीबी की निराशा और कमज़ोर होना दिखाई देती है।

इसके पश्चात भी इसी तर्ज़ पर कई फिल्में आई हैं, जहां गांव, किसान से हटकर कहानी मज़दूर और शहर में दिखाई देती है। मसलन यश चोपड़ा की फिल्म ‘दीवार’, जहां विजय के किरदार में अमिताभ बच्चन हर तरह के गैर कानूनी काम करने से पीछे नहीं हटता। हां, यहां विजय के किरदार में इसका बचपन, जवानी दोनों ही गरीबी से होते हुए निराशा की चरम सीमा पर है लेकिन इस फिल्म का एक मशहूर संवाद जहां विजय कहता है, “मेरे पास गाड़ी है, बंगला है, बैंक बैलेंस है, क्या है तुम्हारे पास”, इसकी वजह मसलन गरीबी, निराशा से ज़्यादा शहर की चमक धमक दिखाई देती है।

इसी तर्ज़ पर संजय दत्त की फिल्म ‘वास्तव’ में रघु एक बेरोज़गार है, जहां एक हादसा रघु को एक गैंगस्टर के रूप में उभार देता है। पैसा, ताकत सबकुछ है उसके पास। हिंसक मानसिकता से रघु अपने परिवार को अपने गले में पहने हुए सोने के हार को भी दिखाता है, जहां उसका अभिमान सोने के वजन “25 तोला” कहने से पीछे नहीं हटता।

वहीं फिल्म ‘राम लखन’ में पैसों की लालसा में लखन के किरदार में मौजूद अनिल कपूर को भ्रष्ट बनने में कहीं कोई कमी नहीं दिखाई देती है। वह वर्दी में है, जवान है, पढ़ा लिखा है, इतना कमाता है कि एक ईमान की ज़िन्दगी इज्ज़त से सर उठाकर बसर कर सकता है लेकिन पैसों का लालच उसे भ्रष्ट बना देता है। वहीं ऐसी कितनी फिल्में आई हैं, जहां कॉलेज के विद्यार्थी जो पढ़े लिखे हैं, पैसों की कमी भी नहीं है और ना ही कोई निराशा है और ना जीवन में अत्याचार लेकिन फिर भी कॉलेज की कैंटीन में लड़ते हुए दिखाई देते हैं, फिल्म ‘शिवा’ इसका उदाहरण है।

फिल्म मदर इंडिया, दीवार, राम लखन, वास्तव इत्यादि में हिंसा, पैसा और मां तीनों मौजूद हैं। मदर इंडिया में एक मां अपने बेटे का कत्ल करती है, वही वास्तव में हिंसा से उभरकर आता रघु, खुद हिंसा की चपेट में इस तरह होता है कि अपनी ही मां से मौत की भीख मांगता हुआ दिखाई देता है।

खैर ये फिल्में हैं, जहां कहानीकार को एक सामाजिक दृष्टिकोण से फिल्म का अंत करना होता है लेकिन इसी समयकाल में हमारे ही समाज में कितने दबंग पहले हिंसा को अपनाकर नाम कमाते हैं, जहां वह जनता में लोकप्रिय भी होते हैं और बाद में राजनीति का सफर शुरू करके हम पर ही राज करते हैं। मसलन हिंसा को समाज आज अपनी परवानगी दे रहा है।

लेकिन राम जन्मभूमि के बाद कई ऐसी फिल्में आई हैं, जहां आंतकवाद की रूपरेखा में एक मज़हबी इंसान को खलनायक दिखाया गया है। अगर मदर इंडिया का बिरजू, दीवार का विजय और राम लखन का लखन, गरीबी, पैसों की कमी, अशिक्षा, मसलन मूलभूत अधिकारों की कमी के कारण खलनायक बनता है तो मुल्क का शाहिद जो आंतकवाद की ओर प्रेरित होता है उसके जीवन में मौजूद गरीबी, अशिक्षा, निराशा, मूलभूत सुविधाओं की कमी को फिल्म का दर्शक क्यों नहीं समझ रहा?

समाज में मौजूद धर्म और मज़हब की खाई इसकी एक मुख्य वजह है लेकिन इसी धर्म और मज़हब में यह जो अंतर बनाया गया है उन कारणों को समझने के लिये हर नागरिक को व्यक्तिगत विश्लेषण करने की ज़रूरत महसूस ज़रूर होनी चाहिये। शायद तब ही हम एक बेहतर समाज की नींव रख सकते हैं।

The post कैसे फिल्मों में बदलती गईं हीरो के खलनायक बनने की वजहें appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Sara Ali Khan requested for a role in Simmba now Rohit Shetty requested Sara Ali Khan for her two-year-old brother Taimur’s help in promotion of the film. Is it chance? It seems the film director cannot make run in the race of attaining the Rs 200 crore marks without thinking about the little Taimur. It is practically a demonstrated fact that Taimur is here, there and everywhere in the dazzle of social media.

The importance of the kid has considerably amplified with his antics and lovely pictures on the social media. His lots of frolics and actions make him even more attention-grabbing at his time in all around the world. It takes everybody praising him for his adorable moments year by year. He has stood out against what was happening in the rest of the world at the time.

That’s why Rohit Shetty was requesting Pataudis’ most junior scion to come and jump into the film endorsement just the way he would please to do. He has become a favourite with paparazzi without a doubt. The film director pointed out that he would keep Sara requesting to let Taimur wear at least Simba T-shirt for just one day. After all, it is an unconditional promotion of his eighth film. He said meri film ki opening lag jayegi.

It seemed that Shetty was not completely convinced about the Box Office success of the recently released Hindi film as he asked for Sara to engage her little brother in the film’s marketing. Taimur is like those few performers who have grown so quickly, and so publicly, during their short run from December 20, 2016, to January 2019.

Just imagine when a successful film director approaches him at such a little age for lending his valuable support that could exactly change the prospect of his film success like the Indian cricket team’s marvellous hits on the Australian pitch. As everyone knows the film, an official remake of Telugu hit Temper, is about a cop without any pangs of conscience.

The post Sara Requested For A Film, Rohit Shetty Asked For Taimur’s Help appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

I had just woken up and was getting ready to go to work when suddenly one of my roommates said to me:

‘Hey, listen to this song man, it’s like the best song you would have ever heard in your life.’

As I held the mobile phone in my hand, anticipating an awesome song, the video was still getting buffered. My eyes went to the name of the song below the video, ‘Selfie maine le li aaj’. Before I could ask my friend what the song was about and who sang it, the video started.

How I felt for the next 1 minute of my life is probably how Oberyn would have felt while the Mountain crushed his head (all those who don’t watch Game of Thrones, well the feeling isn’t good).

I struggled to get back to my normal senses as my friend started laughing. He said, “what man, this video has got more than 3 million views.”

It was so hard for me to grasp what my friend had just said. How can something like that get so many views?

It was yet another ‘Cringe Video’ which had gotten viral thanks to the enjoyment the people get by seeing someone humiliate herself in front of the world and also the availability of JIO sim.

Just like the videos of Taher Shah and Rebecca Black made big, Dhinchak Pooja’s song has scaled the heights of stardom on the internet. But do why people like these ‘cringe videos’?

We can all agree that Dhinchak Pooja’s singing isn’t the reason behind her success.

Several studies have been conducted and the results show that people, in general, like to see someone in awkward and embarrassing situations. They derive pleasure from the humiliation of others. They appeal to the human psyche in a way that one cannot help but watch and share, making them spread through the web.

We like to make fun of people, to judge them for they are doing, to laugh at them when they screw up, and ‘cringe videos’ gives us the perfect ingredient to do all of the above. We are Dhinchak Pooja popular due to our need for ridiculing her.

For every laugh of yours, she is earning money. For every video of hers you share to make fun of her in your WhatsApp groups, she is earning money.

Some even say that these videos give them inspiration. Dhinchak Pooja’s ‘I don’t care what you think about me’ attitude is what makes her popular.

Although I highly disagree with this, it does sound inspiring to see someone with no real talent doing exactly what she wants to do. All the people making fun of Dhinchak Pooja for making videos like that should understand this: she is doing what she loves and making lakhs of rupees out of it.

How many of us can say that about our jobs?

After reaching the office that day, I probably showed that video to five different colleagues of mine. That day I realized something, maybe Dhinchak Pooja is not making fun of herself, maybe the joke’s on us.

The post Success Of Dhinchak Pooja: The Joke’s On Us appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

We have been constantly influenced by the jaw-dropping attires of celebrities, their hairstyles or particular clothing style have been replicated by fans and common folks alike since generations. This is just our way of relating to celebrities or is it because it is trendy? Probably the latter. And why are they considered as trendsetters? Well, maybe because we consider them as superior beings, don’t we? Constantly scrolling down their Instagrams or watching their interviews on repeat. Celebs gain a huge following, their each and every act is magnified, criticised and loved alike. Every time celebrities spoke about their challenges, we felt a bit closer to them. Maybe they are not superhuman after all, maybe they are just like us.

Here are the few times when celebrities made us feel that perhaps, we are not alone.

1. Deepika Padukone opened up about her battle with depression: 

“I woke up one morning just feeling empty you know like this pittish feeling in my stomach that I was telling them that I get this pittish feeling in my stomach. I woke up like feeling directionless, I didn’t know where to go, I didn’t know what to do and I had these bouts of feeling so low that I would just start crying at the drop of the hat.” 

No one in the industry had talked about mental illness openly before her and this interview drew a lot of attention towards mental health and a rising consensus towards working for a healthier mind. She also started a foundation, The Live Love Laugh Foundation in 2015 to help people open up and deal with mental illness.

2. Sara Ali Khan opened up about her teenage victory over PCOS:

PCOS is a lifestyle disorder which affects 1 out of every 5 Indian women. In fact, I personally am battling with the same. She narrated her ordeal of weighing 96 kgs during her college days on Koffee With Karan; Sonam Kapoor Ahuja has also mentioned her struggle with the disorder. Netizens showered all their love and admiration for her after this. If they can fight it, so can you!

You can see the video here.

3. Yo Yo Honey Singh recently shared his ordeal with bipolar disorder:

Irrespective of our music preferences, the rapper must be commended for speaking boldly of his bipolar disorder. Our society lives in a blurry idea about mental health. He was on a break for around a year and recently let his fans know about his struggle with the disorder.

“It was scary. One year had passed and I wasn’t responding to medicines, until a fourth doctor from Delhi treated me. At one point, I thought I would live in this darkness forever. I had cut myself off from everyone. I didn’t come out of my room, forget stepping out of the house. I had a beard and I didn’t get a haircut for months. For someone who has performed in front of a crowd of 20,000, I was scared of facing 4-5 people. That’s what bipolar disorder does to you.” 

4. Anushka Sharma and her ongoing fight with anxiety:

In a response to a tweet, Anushka bravely spoke about the normalcy of anxiety and her constant endeavour to obtain a better version of herself.

“I have anxiety. And I’m treating my anxiety. I’m on medication for my anxiety. Why am I saying this? Because it’s a completely normal thing. It’s a biological problem. In my family there have been cases of depression. More and more people should talk openly about it. There is nothing shameful about it or something to hide. If you had a constant stomach pain, wouldn’t you go to the doctor? It’s that simple. I want to make this my mission, to take any shame out of this, to educate people about this.”

5. Ileana D’Cruz opened up about body dysmorphic disorder, anxiety and depression:

In an interview she said, “I have really emotional moments and it’s something I only realized recently. I’d wake up sometimes and I’d just cry, and I’m thinking of the most hopeless scenarios, and then I’m like ‘why am I thinking about that?’ There’s one voice in my head saying ‘you’re being stupid, you don’t have to be so upset about it, you have a great life’ and then the other part is like ‘no, you’ve got this not working for you, you’ve got that not working for you.’ So it’s just two little voices in my head fighting each other constantly, and it can be really bad.”

She has always been vocal about her body image and her constant struggle with meeting up demands of society. This is something that every person needs to hear, that you are strong as you are!

“And there’s no such thing as a perfect body type – they go on about how the hourglass is the perfect body type, then the next year it’ll be the athletic type. What are you going to do, change your body type every year? Just be happy, be healthy.”

Our favourites in Hollywood have also taken to the media to sensitise about their mental illness or biological disorders. I cannot emphasise enough on the importance of looking out for signs in people, listening to them, simply hearing someone cry out helps. I have not mentioned the names of many people here, people who are facing struggled of an equal capacity.

While I type this someone out there is silent yet screaming for help; all you need to do is open your eyes. We lost many cherished people in the past due to their never-ending battle with depression, themselves, society and life.

Celebrities are people, just like us.

All we need to do is, spread love and happiness. Support each other in tough times and for real, let’s be human!

The post 5 Times Celebrities Spoke Fearlessly About Their Health Struggles appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Lucky Ali- the man of the ’90s, every time you hear his voice, it evokes nostalgia, over and over again.

I was perhaps born a decade later. It all started with Anjaani raahon mein tu kya doondhta phire, and since then all I ever wished for, was to transcend back in time, to buy his album and play it on the radio while going on long drives. His songs rescued the trapped minds of the generation, teaching them you-only-live-once. His songs taught an entire generation that ek din bikharna yahan….

Bollywood failed in acknowledging him, his talent was brushed aside.  I wonder whether we lost a gem in the materialistic, mad rush for money. I stumbled upon a video by Girliyapa and one of the main characters said, “Raat ko khali sadak pe, thandi thandi hawa pe, sau ke speed mein, bina kisi signal ke, pahadon ke andar, taaron ke neeche, it is like you are in a Lucky Ali music video”. As the decades pass by, I fear he would be lost in the galaxy of the undiscovered classics. But, as John Keats said, “A thing of Beauty is a joy forever,” and Mr Ali has been the beauty embellishing our lives for years now.

Every time you listen to his music, you feel a sense of belongingness. Belongingness not a to a person, belongingness not to a place, but to a time that has passed by. He taught us to seek and crave, not for someone else, but for thyself. He inspired an entire generation to travel and explore the infinite possibilities of the universe. He taught us what ‘wanderlust’ truly meant. This generation has limited wanderlust to Tinder and Instagram; the true essence was on understanding your inner self, which got lost in the millions of photos flooded with #wanderlust.

Do you ever see or hear something which makes you cry? You do not even know why you are crying, you just sit there speechless trying to make sense of the world? That is what this man has done to an entire generation. Every time I have felt alone, his voice has strengthened me to go on, pyaar ko manke hi chalte jana, dekha hai aise bhi, kisi ko aise hi, apne bhi dil mein kuch basaye hue kuch irade hai, dil ke kisi kone mein bhi kuch aise hi vaadein hai… everything is white noise, and at the end of the day, all you have is yourself and the people closest to you.

The current Bollywood songs boast of remixes and remakes of the golden eras. My heart aches as I see his youthfulness transforming into a man who has lived and inspired a generation to live!

From the one-sided love stories of O Sanam, Gori teriaankheinkahe to the self-discovery of Dekha hai aisebhi and Safarnama, his words echoed Kitni haseen zindagi hai yeh, na tum jano na hum….

We shall never have anyone like him.

The post In A World Full Of Remixes, We All Need A Lucky Ali appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Before bombarding you with my earth-shattering ideas and opinions, let me tell you that I happen to be a big fan of Dystopian literature. It thrills me to the core when I get my hands on a dystopian graphic novel or watch a film having a dystopian plot. With the contemporary world facing problems such as unemployment, political unrest, insecurity, etc., the concept of dystopia has no longer remained just a part of fiction.

Back in 2005, when I was a school-going chap, released one of the most influential dystopian thrillers in the history of cinema (at least, I would like to believe so). ‘V for Vendetta’, directed by James McTeigue, took us into the 2030s, giving us a glimpse of the dark and dingy streets of dystopian London. A cinematic representation of Allan Moore’s graphic novel, the film beautifully portrayed rebellion and revolution in order to overthrow autocratic regimes.

Starring Hugo Weaving and Nathalie Portman as V and Evey respectively, the film was so influential that today the Guy Fawkes mask has become a perpetual symbol of rebellion against totalitarian governments and injustice. Today, the internet, as well as the social media, runs berserk with countless Guy Fawkes images whenever the idea of a protest or an uprising is brought to light. The film, with its gripping story line, makes sure that you don’t lose interest. It is one of those films which keeps you hooked and guessing right till the very end.

Here’s a look at all the factors that led to the film’s success

A Refreshing Change:

Hollywood has, for long, been associated with the Captain Americas, the Hulks, the Logans, and the Venoms. Indian audiences get attracted to the superhero genre quite effortlessly. At a time when the Superhero genre was overpowering the Indian audiences, ‘V for Vendetta’ came as a breath of fresh air. It took us through a fictitious autocratic society wherein people were governed using surveillance systems. It further gave us ample reasons to respect and admire democratic governments. A country shouldn’t run according to the will of only a few, it should function according to the will of its citizenry.

The Element Of Fear:

Rebellion became a way to liberate the masses. The movie tells us that fickle-minded governments can only be overthrown if people break the shackles of fear. It made people realize that giving in to their fear only makes oppressive governments stronger. It is because fear is the ultimate tool used to control the masses. It further brought to light the tricks governments play to instill a sense of fear amongst the masses. V, disguised as  William Rockwood, tells Chief Inspector Finch about the planned attack carried out by Adam Sutler’s party. He tells him how fear became the ultimate tool of Sutler’s party.

A Fictional Representation of Real-World Problems

‘V for Vendetta’ is nothing more than a piece of fiction, but the problems portrayed are pretty much real. Autocratic governments, like the one in North Korea, have snatched away the vox populi and commit severe human rights violations. Wars and political unrests have dismantled countless African nations. Autocratic regimes have denied freedom of speech and expression. Those found ‘guilty’ are being executed. Political scenarios have become as complicated as they possibly can. Many countries (Syria for instance) have been destroyed and crippled. Dystopia is no longer just a piece of fiction. It has turned into a shocking reality.

V, the titular character and the film’s leading protagonist, beautifully sums up the need to overthrow  oppressive governments when he says:

Deconstructing V

V, the film’s titular character, is undoubtedly the perfect protagonist. He is a deeply-learned man who also happens to be a skilled martial artist. He is a skilled swordsman as well. Nothing that he does is a matter of chance. He is not someone who’d leave loose ends. All that he does is carefully planned.

Well, I must admit V’s revolutionary speech reminds me of Mark Antony’s speech from William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. His ideology is simple: Only a revolution can overthrow autocratic governments, and that a revolution would succeed only if there are enough people standing beside you. His arguments are highly rational and his grammar and diction are as good as William Shakespeare’s. He rightly nurtures the belief that fairness, justice, and freedom are not merely words, they are perspectives.

Furthermore, one could easily figure out that V had developed a soft corner for Evey Hammond. He fell in love with her and confessed the same before dying.

So, to top it all, ‘V for Vendetta’, with its tight storytelling and excellent performances, doesn’t only provide the viewer with entertainment. It also makes the viewer learn a few important lessons.

The post A Journey Through Dystopia: Revisiting V For Vendetta appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

“Spider-Man into the Spider Verse” is an animated movie that was released in the year 2018. It is based on the superhero character from Marvel Comics. The idea of the animated movie was first conceived in the year 2014, announced in the year 2015, and the other ‘Spider’ members of the team kept adding up over time. The new age techniques of Sony Pictures have been combined with traditional hand drawn animation to have a book-like experience on screen. According to Dundee Contemporary Arts, the whole film took about 140 animators to manifest itself.

As the story goes, there is a boy name Miles Morales, a New Yorker, like any of the other kids in town. One fine day he comes across a chemically-engineered spider. As in all of the other movies of the Spider-Man franchise, the spider bites Morales, and he starts noticing significant changes in himself. But Miles, as of now, does not know he has become a Spider-Man, until, suddenly, there are webs that won’t stop firing out of him. He somehow manages to open a chain of parallel universes which connects him to the much-loved Peter Parker and another Peter Parker. But this does not end here. He goes on to meet more people who serve as alternate Spider man in the connected parallel worlds who are however connected with each other.  Miles comes across Peter Parker who is long dead. However this Peter Parker does not belong to this universe. He comes from a place situated somewhere else in the multiverse. With the help of Peter Parker, Miles Morales will become a savior, the Spider Man.

The movie concentrates not on one but five different Spider people. With many Spider people there are many possibilities, but the movie still beautifully pays more attention to Miles Morales.

In the end, the audiences find Miles teaming up with five different Spider people on his mission to save the world and also to fulfill Miles’ spider-inflicted destiny.

The Verdict

The movie is illustrated beautifully, the animation is stunning, and the sound track is amazing as well. Its soulful songs really touch the listener’s heart. The script, the punchlines, and the dialogues are thoughtfully written in an attempt to make a place in the viewer’s heart. It is a tough competitor for the award category of the Best Animated Feature to be given out at the annual Academy Awards.

According to Emily Yoshida of the New York Magazine and Vulture, the movie is “an infectiously fun take on comic bookishness“. It is the first movie in the animated genre which is different, style wise, from what is commonly seen in the superhero movies.

The movie comes with plenty of emotional moments and the characters develop strong personal bonds. Many of the moments occur between scenes full of action. One of the most mesmerising scenes of the movie is where the original Spider Man is preparing the new Spider Man to take over, teaching him how to do the Spider Man swing. The diablogue “Double tap to release, and swap it out again” brings a thrill to the whole movie-watching experience.

The film explores the diverse arenas not being self-conscious and that is what works the most for it. The characters are dynamic and substantial. They are the ones that spread the colors of emotions on the canvas of readers heart. Out of the seven films that have come out in the past 16 years of the Spider Man franchise, this film has been deemed the best one so far by all top reviewers. It pays a tribute to the whole 16-year-old legacy with its unique storylines and distinct characters.

The characters are here to leave a mark. They come with their own emotional touches and humour, which is a heavenly mixture. The camera-work and animation are nothing less than award-worthy. The movie is on the list of the best superhero movies ever made.

The sound track seems a bit underrated and is amalgamated with a touch of realism. The music is similar to what Miles Morales would usually listen to, and is thus incorporated in a way that it seems like a realistic part of the movie and so remains underrated.

Conclusion

To sum things up, the whole movie is a delight. It will be close to the heart, for both kids and adults. Basically, the movie is for anyone and everyone who is a Marvel fan and a Spider Man fan. The whole movie-watching experience is amazing. It is a perfect blend of touching emotions, funny and witty moments, and a strong yet emotional protagonist.

Here’s an exciting tip for the viewers: do not forget to be patient and watch the movie right till the end of the credits.

Featured Image source: YouTube.

The post Spider Man: Into The Spider Verse Is The Best Film In The Entire Franchise appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.

Though crowd puller Salman Khan along with his two brothers was present at the Kapil Sharma Show his aged father drew the viewers’ attention till the time he was responding to Kapil’s queries. Laughter, emotions and reminiscences were what dominated the whole show. Even Punjab politician Navjot Singh Siddhu could not resist himself from uttering praising words for the film Sholay’s one writer.

What made it even more interesting were lots of references by Salim Khan. He remained quite honest in revealing every fact regarding his sons’ archness. He did not shirk from telling their long sleep. On Salman’s marriage when comedian Bharati in her parental character put some beautiful girl in a yellow dress, he talked about kindly postpone it till the next day. However, she did not relent and produced the girl before him. The situation was quite very funny.

Not only he narrated his past days’ stories but also described other values of life. In very simple words he expressed how he left interest in the acting. Two incidents were enough to prove his points. One was his failure in action of swallow and other was shoe tucked into his feet. It was not the most upright position as he slept in pain. He created just enough interest in his talk. He not only gave us attention but admiration as well on Sunday night. His three sons were also listening hm seating on the sofas arranged at the spacious set.

Out of several anecdotes he recounted before the audience one was about the good time. Being a keen cricketer he came into contact of Mushtaq Ali, a famous cricketer of the country. He told him when the time favours a man the ball falls just on the spot where the bat rests. On the change in human nature after attaining reputation one answers differently. He presented a soft example of how the film Sholay’s one small character behaved on the phone. Describing the drinking habits of the friends he stated that it was kind of like taking up drinking to soothe a sickly liver. One said the moment his ordinary-looking maid-servant looked beautiful he stopped consuming the intoxicating drink.

The post Just Sharing The Joy With Salim Khan On A TV Show appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.