Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Rains disrupt train service, traffic system in Karachi
Updated at: 2015 PST, Wednesday, July 07, 2010 KARACHI: The weather in Karachi turned pleasant on receiving intermittent downpours in various areas of the metropolis while traffic jams and power outages were reported in many parts of the city as rain water caused a number of feeders to trip, Geo News reported Wednesday.Maximum rain, 43 mm, was recorded at Sharea Faisal. Governor Sindh Dr. Ishrat-ul-Eban Khan directed the concerned authorities to take necessary steps in the wake of monsoon rains. Rains started this afternoon, totally disrupting the traffic system while many part of the city suffered power outages as, according to KESC spokesman, rain water caused 30 feeders to trip. Train service was also affected as heavy rains lashed the city. According to Met Department’s chief meteorologist Muhammed Riaz, the eastern parts of the city including Clifton, Tariq Road, Nazimabad, Saddar, Gadap Town and Orangi Town began to receive showers. According to Met Department, the recent rain spell will continue intermittently during the next 24 hours. Meantime, power supply in Hub and Hyderabad was suspended. The streams on the RCD Road in Hub started overflowing. The low-lying areas and rain rivers were inundated with downpours couple with gale-force winds in Hub and its suburbs, posing great problems to the local residents. Besides, Hyderabad also received from light to heavy rains, which caused the power supply cut-off. The sweltering weather got more intense with no winds after light rains. |
Top Indian Naval officer dies in accidental firing
| Updated at: 1227 PST, Wednesday, July 07, 2010 NEW DELHI: The third senior most officer of the Indian Navy was killed in an accidental firing during a training session at its southern Naval base in Kochi on Wednesday. The Navy has ordered a Court of Inquiry (CoI) into the accidental death of Rear Admiral SS Jamwal, who was the Chief-of-Staff of the Southern Naval Command in Kochi. As per reports, SS Jamwal was shot dead in an accidental firing when the officers of the Southern Naval command were being trained in the firing range of INS Dronacharya in Kochi. The tragic incident has come as a major shock for the Naval forces and a CoI probe is likely to throw light on the sequence of events leading to the death of Rear Admiral Jamwal. |
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'Only Harbhajan can emulate me' - Murali
Muttiah Muralitharan has singled out Harbhajan Singh as the only bowler capable of emulating his record feat in Tests. Murali, the leading wicket-taker in Tests and ODIs, who will retire from the longest format later this month, also said the decline of Tests and 50-over cricket meant slow bowlers would struggle for survival.
"I think only Harbhajan can do this," Murali, who currently has 792 wickets, told PTI. I don't know how old is he and how long he will continue. But he is the only one who can achieve this feat in Test cricket." Harbhajan, 30, has bagged 355 wickets in 83 Tests to date.
Murali said it would get increasingly difficult for spinners to set the kind of records he has. "In the current scenario Test cricket is dying. One-day cricket does not have bright future. Only Twenty20 is going to survive. So it will be difficult for any slow bowler to survive so long," he said.
Murali's success was a significant factor in the turn in Sri Lanka's fortunes as a Test-playing nation, but they were unable to win a Test in India, South Africa or Australia during his 18-year career. The absence of a win in either of these countries during his career, Murali said, remained his biggest regret. "I have achieved everything that an international cricketer can dream about. I have only one regret that I could not win in India, South Africa and Australia. But one cannot get everything in life."
Murali is just eight wickets away from reaching 800 wickets, and said reaching that landmark would mark a satisfactory end to his Test career. "I don't run after records. I have the world record in my name. Although if I could get eight more wickets, it will be a good way to end. I am sure I will be able to do that in one match. If not, no worries," he said.
When asked who was the toughest batsman he bowled to, Murali said: "If we talk about the consistency, then no other batsman can match Sachin [Tendulkar] and [Brian] Lara. They are the best against whom I have bowled. I had to put in extra effort against them. I am happy that I will be able to bowl Sachin in my last Test."
Murali said he is yet to decide whether to participate in the 2011 World Cup, but was available for the IPL. "I have not given it a thought yet [about the 2011 World Cup]. I cannot say that it is off my radar but I will think about this. After that I will be able to say something about participating in the tournament," he said. "I want to continue playing in the IPL till the franchise (Chennai Super Kings) needs me."
? ESPN EMEA Ltd.
"I think only Harbhajan can do this," Murali, who currently has 792 wickets, told PTI. I don't know how old is he and how long he will continue. But he is the only one who can achieve this feat in Test cricket." Harbhajan, 30, has bagged 355 wickets in 83 Tests to date.
Murali said it would get increasingly difficult for spinners to set the kind of records he has. "In the current scenario Test cricket is dying. One-day cricket does not have bright future. Only Twenty20 is going to survive. So it will be difficult for any slow bowler to survive so long," he said.
Murali's success was a significant factor in the turn in Sri Lanka's fortunes as a Test-playing nation, but they were unable to win a Test in India, South Africa or Australia during his 18-year career. The absence of a win in either of these countries during his career, Murali said, remained his biggest regret. "I have achieved everything that an international cricketer can dream about. I have only one regret that I could not win in India, South Africa and Australia. But one cannot get everything in life."
Murali is just eight wickets away from reaching 800 wickets, and said reaching that landmark would mark a satisfactory end to his Test career. "I don't run after records. I have the world record in my name. Although if I could get eight more wickets, it will be a good way to end. I am sure I will be able to do that in one match. If not, no worries," he said.
When asked who was the toughest batsman he bowled to, Murali said: "If we talk about the consistency, then no other batsman can match Sachin [Tendulkar] and [Brian] Lara. They are the best against whom I have bowled. I had to put in extra effort against them. I am happy that I will be able to bowl Sachin in my last Test."
Murali said he is yet to decide whether to participate in the 2011 World Cup, but was available for the IPL. "I have not given it a thought yet [about the 2011 World Cup]. I cannot say that it is off my radar but I will think about this. After that I will be able to say something about participating in the tournament," he said. "I want to continue playing in the IPL till the franchise (Chennai Super Kings) needs me."
? ESPN EMEA Ltd.
BRAD PITT AND ANGELINA JOLIE PRAISED BY PAKISTAN
They’re one of the most generous couples in Hollywood, and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie received a personal phone call from a world leader to thank them for their generosity.
According to reports, Pakistan President, Asif Ali Zardari, called the couple to express his gratitude for their gift of $1 million to people displaced by anti-Taliban military operations in the country's northwest.
The “Changeling” actress has been the goodwill ambassador for the UNHCR since 2001, and announced the $1 million gift on World Refugee Day. She's said she pledged the aid to displaced Pakistanis because of the relative newness of the crisis in Pakistan.
The couple has been jointly running the Jolie-Pitt foundation, which made the gift last week
How to look young and glowing in 5 SIMPLE STEPS.
As we all want to make sure we have a glowing skin and we look youthful sometime we forget the very important things in life which naturally helps us look good and beautiful.
1.Express less
Express less doesn’t mean don’t express your emotions for other or don’t tell your loved ones you love them, however for young and glowy look it is very important that your heart is happy, your not upset and you are not always angry and expressing anger towards others. This is the reason to ALWAYS make sure you are less stressed and your not expressing anything which will make you upset.
2. Sleep proper e.g. take naps
It is very important to sleep well because lack of sleep can cause puffy eyes and dark circles as well as that lack of sleep can stress you even more which will cause not inner happiness.
3. Drinks lots of water
To look youthful, beautiful and glow-full it is very important for us to drink lots of water, at least 8 glasses of water because human body are just like plants they need water to keep healthy and fresh.
4. No smoke/alcohol
I am not going into details what smoking/alcohol causes to our body as well all know what smoking does to us e.g. lung cancer, bad breath and heart attacks however if you want to look young it is very important for you to stop smoking and drinking alcohol because it takes away the youth from you as well as that natural glow we humans have.
5. Keep away from the Sunlight
This is very important for all of us, men or women to keep away from the sun. Even if you are in the sun make sure before you leave your house you apply sun lotion otherwise you age faster then you should, also Sunlight triggers the body to make its own vitamin D, which is crucial not only for strong bones and healthy teeth, but for keeping the immune system healthy too. So if you want to look all glow-yy and youthful then you will have to apply sun lotion on before you leave your house.
This iPhone 4 Diamond Edition is Unlocked, White in Color and Costs $20,000
This iPhone 4 Diamond Edition is Unlocked, White in Color and Costs $20,000
This all new Diamond coated special edition iPhone 4 is certainly for no ordinary individual. These types of special phones are for those who like to distinguish themselves from the rest. They believe in that special touch of class.
Last year we saw a 3.2 Million dollars iPhone 3GS Supreme from Stuart Hughes of Liverpool, England, who was the designer behind the world?s most expensive phone. This ?iPhone 3GS Supreme?, by Goldstriker International was created with 271 grams of 22ct solid gold, with the front bezel housing 136 flawless diamonds.
This year with the arrival of iPhone 4, we saw a Swiss registered company Gresso, who offered Apple iPhone 4 with a unique wooden back panel. This back panel was made of 200-year-old African Blackwood while the Apple logo on back was made with 18 karat Gold. This limited edition iPhone 4 model, both for male and Female carries price tags of US $3,000 and $3,500 respectively, and will be available in December.
But the story does not end here. Designer Stuart Hughes has now once again come up with an excellent piece of iPhone 4 dubbed as the iPhone 4 Diamond Edition, which can truly be called as acombination of art and technology. Glued with diamonds, this US $20,000 white, unlocked iPhone 4 will also include a leather wallet made from ?real Ostrich foot? that can hold up to four credit cards. This diamond encrusted white iPhone 4 beyond any doubt is the ultimate in fashion. Interestingly, the 32GB white model of iPhone 4 Diamond Edition is already available for purchase when the original white from Apple still isn?t available yet. Since only 50 of these limited edition devices are to be made, if you have all that extra cash floating around, you don?t want to miss out on this one. [via Engadget]
Last year we saw a 3.2 Million dollars iPhone 3GS Supreme from Stuart Hughes of Liverpool, England, who was the designer behind the world?s most expensive phone. This ?iPhone 3GS Supreme?, by Goldstriker International was created with 271 grams of 22ct solid gold, with the front bezel housing 136 flawless diamonds.
This year with the arrival of iPhone 4, we saw a Swiss registered company Gresso, who offered Apple iPhone 4 with a unique wooden back panel. This back panel was made of 200-year-old African Blackwood while the Apple logo on back was made with 18 karat Gold. This limited edition iPhone 4 model, both for male and Female carries price tags of US $3,000 and $3,500 respectively, and will be available in December.
But the story does not end here. Designer Stuart Hughes has now once again come up with an excellent piece of iPhone 4 dubbed as the iPhone 4 Diamond Edition, which can truly be called as acombination of art and technology. Glued with diamonds, this US $20,000 white, unlocked iPhone 4 will also include a leather wallet made from ?real Ostrich foot? that can hold up to four credit cards. This diamond encrusted white iPhone 4 beyond any doubt is the ultimate in fashion. Interestingly, the 32GB white model of iPhone 4 Diamond Edition is already available for purchase when the original white from Apple still isn?t available yet. Since only 50 of these limited edition devices are to be made, if you have all that extra cash floating around, you don?t want to miss out on this one. [via Engadget]
Kangna`s always on time!
Stars have to be dragged out of their beds to come to the studios. But Kangna Ranaut is different. Director Milan Lutharia says that if Kangna is called for an 8 am shift she’s there at least an hour earlier.Recently, the light boys and unit hands of Once Upon A Time in Mumbai were pleasantly surprised when Kangna’s swank car drove into the studio compound simultaneously with the generators and the light trucks.
The unit didn’t even have a chair to offer their heroine because they were yet to unpack, but Kangna wasn’t ruffled. When she realised that she was very early, she spent the time walking around the shooting spot... unperturbed by the number of people staring at her. Of course hero Ajay Devgn was truly concerned, but when he realised that Kangna was enjoying her space, he just let her be.
Hrithik to star in new-age Agneepath!
Anyone would think that Abhishek Bachchan would be the natural choice to play Amitabh Bachchan's role in a "Agneepath" remake. However, Hrithik Roshan has been roped in to play the part in the new-age "Agneepath", while Mithun Chakraborty's award winning character has been completely done away with."When the idea of re-making 'Agneepath' came to producer Karan Johar, he right away locked in on Hrithik Roshan. It was a commitment to the actor, who is very keen to give his own interpretation to the character," a source revealed.
In fact, it was presumed by a very large section of the entertainment industry that Abhishek would play the eponymous part of Vijay Dinanath Chauvan. And Jaya Bachchan would play Vijay's mother, played with brilliant poignancy by Rohini Hattangadi in the cult orignal directed by the late Mukul Anand.
However, contrary to popular opinion, Abhishek was never offered the role in the remake.
"Hrithik will play it closer to Al Pacino in 'Scarface' than Mr. Bachchan in 'Agneepath'," says a source.
"Agneepath", it would be recalled, was deeply influenced by "Scarface". The remake, written and directed by debutant Karan Malhotra purports to pay homage to "Scarface".
While refusing to discuss the cast, producer Karan Johar says: "All I can say is that my 'Agneepath' is radically different from the 'Agneepath' that my (late) father (Yash Johar) produced. We've completely done away with the south Indian character played by Mithun Chakraborty in the original."
With that information, Mithun's dreams of seeing his son Mimoh cast on the role he originally played also goes up in flames.
Karan Johar's "Agneepath" would be a solo act featuring Roshan Jr, who will experiment with the rasping dialogue-delivery that Big B had attempted in the original 1990's gangster film.
Many thought that it was his gravelly way of speaking in "Agneepath" that made the movie a hit. But, Hrithik is determined to prove all the self-appointed soothsayers wrong.
"My father was very proud of Agneepath. I hope I don't let him down with my version of the film. Amit-ji had won the National award for it, it's a tough act to follow for any actor," Karan says.
Bips joins Twitter
After Aamir Khan, Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu is the latest celebrity to join microblogging site Twitter.The actress, whose username on Twitter is "bipsluvurself", announced her entry saying, "Hello guys! late entry in twitterverse but nevertheless am here now. A big thank you to all my fans for helping me become who I am today."
"I am happy to be here and hope I get to share my experiences better with you all now. But, I need to hear from you all too," she added.
Bipasha got a warm welcome from her "Lamhaa" co-star Kunal Kapoor.
"If you are wondering why its suddenly getting so hot on twitter, its cause Bipasha is now on @bipsluvurself.. Phew, the temp (temperature) is really rising!!"
Karan Johar wrote: "BIPASHA BASU @bipsluvurself on twitter 2day!!!
Priyanka Chopra wrote: "Welcoming one of the most wonderful and gorgeous people I have met... The stunning Bipasha basu!! Encore guys!!! @bipsluvurself."
Ajay Devgn wrote: "Everyone, please welcome @Bipsluvurself to Twitter! Welcome aboard, this space is addictive."
Sunidhi Chauhan wrote: "The beautiful Bipasha Basu is here.. Follow her! @bipsluvurself. Hi Bipasha welcome on Twitter! Big hug."
Jewellary designer Farah Khan Ali wrote: "Lets welcome my friend and an absolute sweetheart Bipasha Basu @bipsluvurself to our tweet world. Love you Bips. "
SRK`s bungalow are a part of our heritage
When the country’s wealthiest resident Mukesh Ambani decided to build a private house on a 60-storeyed vertical palace in Mumbai, architect Hafeez Contractor couldn’t help remarking, “In any other city, he would have 10 to 15 acres to himself. In a congested city, he wants to go high up and enjoy the view.”High-rise apartments are rapidly taking over from colonial bungalows in most metros. The whole of Juhu scheme and parts of Pali Hill, Bandra, the hub of Bollywood in the glam city of Mumbai, will soon become casualty to real estate greed. “Veteran actors Dilip Kumar and Manoj Kumar’s bungalows are likely to be razed,”says Vikas Dilawari, a conservation architect. Says Saira Banu, “We have three bungalows, one of which Dilipsaab is redeveloping.” Actor Ranbir Kapoor recently confirmed that his home, the iconic Krishna Raj bungalow that has been a landmark in the Pali Hill neighbourhood for decades, will be razed and in its place will come up a 14-storey structure that will house his parents on the lower three floors and him on the uppermost three.
With most of the areas controlled by the government’s masterplan, bungalows in Delhi may have a longer life. Says A G K Menon, convenor, INTACH, Delhi, “Mumbai doesn’t have such a complex and detailed plan, and there is no scope to expand unlike Delhi. There’s a lot of pressure on Mumbai since it’s a commercial centre.”
However, Sanjiv Srivastava, senior vice-president, National Real Estate Development Council, Delhi, maintains, “Villas and bungalows should not be allowed simply because these consume more land and help very few people.”
Essentially, it is the temptation to capitalise on the real estate prices that is luring many, causing bungalows to vanish from leafy environs. At times, there are many heirs, like in music composer late Naushad’s property at Carter Road, Bandra, leading to sub-division and redevelopment. Says conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah, “Only those bungalows that come under the heritage list and are protected by law will survive. Real estate prices are soaring. Bungalows on Prithviraj and Aurangzeb Road in Delhi cost anywhere between Rs 150 and Rs 300 crore!”
Commercial centres are replacing bungalows in the Central part of Kolkata (Park and Camac Street) where real estate prices are zooming. Explains Kolkata-based architect Anjan Mitra, “People are bypassing laws and the municipal corporation isn’t helpful.” With absolutely no heritage regulation, the situation is graver in the garden city of Bangalore. Says INTACH’s Satyaprakash Varanasi, “Bangalore has become a city of immigrants who lack pride in heritage buildings.”
Pune, too, has lost many heritage treasures in the last few years. Bungalows of illustrious families like V Shantaram’s, that were laid out at Prabhat Road, Bhandarkar Road and around Koregaon Park area in the 1930s, have been converted into highrise apartm e n t s . Sharada Dwivedi, well-known historian who has managed to restore a few heritage sites in Mumbai, says, “Temptations are far too high. The owners of privately-owned heritage bungalows should be provided incentives for preservation.”
Unfortunately, Mumbai, the first city to get its heritage legislation in the country, has lost maximum splendour. Taraporewala Mansion, the heritage bungalow with elegant domes and intricate stonework that was once home to renowned writer, late Mulk Raj Anand, was razed to build Mittal Grandeur, a high-rise in Cuffe Parade; a similar Colaba heritage bungalow, Buckley’s Court met with the same fate. And now, the last bastion, Kilachand House in south Mumbai, may have to share its grounds with high-end residential flats.
Well, all is not lost, it seems. When industrialist Yash Birla proposed converting the landmark Birla House on Malabar Hill into a 44-storey highrise, last year, the heritage panel shot down the redevelopment proposal considering the historical and architectural importance of the bungalow that was frequented by Mahatma Gandhi on his visits to Mumbai. And as far as privatelyowned bungalows are concerned, it has now become each individual’s choice.
Raavan`s 1,700 pirated copies seized
New Zealand customs has intercepted a shipment of over 1,700 pirated copies of Mani Ratnam’s Raavan, thus preventing an Auckland-based Indian video hire business from hijacking the release of the film.According to a newspaper report, Raavan, which had its worldwide premiere on June 18, grossed $60,000 on its opening weekend in New Zealand, the third highest for a Bollywood movie in the past year.
The lawyer acting for the film’s distributor, Claire Tompkins of intellectual property law firm James and Wells, said her client received an anonymous tip-off about the shipment arriving on the film’s opening weekend on June 18.
She filed a Copyright Customs Notice that allowed customs frontline officers to be on the lookout and detain any pirated copies coming in. This resulted in the shipment being found and held that weekend.
The importer has since chosen to forfeit the goods rather than face being sued by the official distributor.
Sonam`s skull frenzy!
Goth queen’, ‘biker chic’ and ‘punk rocker’ are words you might not associate with Bollywood’s immaculately dressed fashionista, Sonam Kapoor.But it seems that the leggy lass has recently developed a fashion fancy that tilts slightly towards the evil side. And what may this obsession be? Skull clothing and footwear. Spotted on the actress during her I Hate Luv Storys promotions were a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti Toe-Ring Skull Sandals and Alexander McQueen Skull Print Flats. She was again spotted wearing a skull tee at the film’s screening in Mumbai.
The skull sandals were the first to make an appearance with a simple grey dress, followed by the ballerinas with a slightly dressy LBD when she was in Delhi recently. The second time around, playing on the contrast between casual and chic, the ensemble didn’t strike quite the right note. And those who say that the actress seldom repeats her buys would have to eat their words, as she was spotted wearing the Zanotti sandals again on her return from another IHLS promotion in Allahabad.
But the Kapoor babe is not the only skull fan in Bollywood. Twinkle Khanna has also been spotted on previous occasions sporting Alexander McQueen skull clutches. So while Twinkle’s outfits may not have sparkled, the two skull handle clutches sure do strike the right note. And it seems that Bollywood can’t get enough of this ‘deadly’ trend, as Malaika Arora Khan seems to have the same clutch in silver.
`Working with Ranbir is addictive`
Besides a link with Kareena Kapoor , Saif Ali Khan and Ranbir Kapoor have another factor in common. And the ‘link’, if we may call director Siddharth Anand that, is in a dilemma - his loyalty to the two stars, both pretty perfect for the films that he makes.Both Ranbir and Saif stars are very close to Siddharth. In fact before Siddharth did two back-to-back films Bachna Ae Haseenon and Anjaana Anjaani with his childhood friend Ranbir, he’d done his first two films Salaam Namaste and Tara Rum Pum with Saif. So close were the two that the young director had vowed he would never make a film without Saif.
Spoken too soon! Ranbir and Bachna Ae Haseenon changed Siddharth’s priorities, much to the possessive Saif’s dismay.
Says a source, “Saif and Siddharth Anand were quite a team. And Saif had many ideas about how they could collaborate further. Then Siddharth’s family friend and childhood -buddy Ranbir came into the picture. Even Ranbir and Siddharth’s parents are friends. In fact the two are so close that Ranbir broke his one-film-onedirector rule and did two films with him.”
But then Siddharth is also very close to Saif and was troubled by the fact that he had alienated Saif for Ranbir.
Says the source, “After doing one film with Ranbir, Siddharth wanted to cast Saif and Ranbir together in the film to be produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. But that didn’t work out. Siddharth instead ended up making Anjaana Anjaani with Ranbir and Priyanka for Sajid.”
Siddharth admits working with Ranbir is addictive. He is already scripting a third film for Ranbir. But before that, a moral obligation gravitates Siddharth towards another film with Saif.
Says Siddharth, “Yes, working with Ranbir is addictive. Once you work with him you want to work over and over again. But Saif is also a favourite, and he’s also a close friend. So yes, I’m doing a film with Saif early next year, followed by another film with Ranbir.”
Having said that, Siddharth Anand seems to be caught in a perennial dilemma. Both Saif and Ranbir are his close friends and the twain shall never come together.
Remember Ranbir’s resolution to do only solo starrers? Saif too needs to consolidate his position as a solo hero. To tear away from Ranbir and do a film with Saif would be a tough call for the director.
Taliban trains 'monkey terrorists' to attack U.S. troops!
Afghanistan's Taliban warlords have developed a bizarre way to deal with foreign forces: they have trained monkeys who love to eat bananas and peanuts to be killers.
Taliban forces have taught monkeys how to use the Kalashnikov, Bren light machine gun and trench mortars. They also teach them how to identify and attack soldiers wearing U.S. military uniforms.
Ironically, the idea of training monkeys to fight was first invented by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. The CIA in the Vietnam War initiated a program that used the peanuts and bananas as prizes to train some "monkey soldiers" to kill Vietnamese in the jungle, according to a report by British media on June 27, 2010.
It is reported that these monkey soldiers are mainly composed of macaques and baboons hunted at an early age in the jungle and sold to the Taliban. These monkey babies who lost their mothers are sent to a secret Taliban training base one-by-one to become killer monkeys. Taliban militants use a series of rewards and punishments to gradually teach them how to use the lethal weapons.
Recently, a British journalist went to Pakistan and Afghanistan border of Waziristan?s tribal region where he witnessed a few of the monkey soldiers armed with an AK-47 rifle and Bren light machine gun. Taliban militants in the past have strictly kept the program secret.
However, Taliban leaders have recently taken the initiative show monkey soldiers to tourists of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area. Apparently, the Taliban look on monkeys as "propaganda tools."
"If a person who loves animals knows the monkeys may be injured in the war, they might pressure the government to force the withdrawal of western forces in Afghanistan," said one Taliban insider.
A senior U.S. military source confirmed the existence of the Taliban monkey soldiers, military experts call armed monkeys "monkey terrorists."
American news broadcast showing indian map with text of south africa
American news broadcast :rolf:
This is an American news broadcast. (check the map)
?and they wonder why they can?t find Bin-Laden ?
This is an American news broadcast. (check the map)
?and they wonder why they can?t find Bin-Laden ?
Peepli [LIVE] (2010) ** Exclusive Full Information **
CAST
NATHA - Omkar Das Manikpuri
BUDHIA - Raghubir Yadav
RAKESH - Nawazuddin Siddiqui
DHANIYA - Shalini Vatsa
AMMA - Farrukh Jaffer
NANDITA - Malaika Shenoy
DEEPAK - Vishal Sharma
PHOTOGRAPHS - Lalit Nene
CREW
Writer & Directer - Anusha Rizvi
Producer - Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao
Co-Producer - Ronnie Screwala
Associate Producers - Zarina Mehta, Deven Khote, Siddharth Kapur
Co-Director & Casting Director - Mahmood Farooqui
Director of Photography - Shanker Raman
Editor - Hemanti Sarkar
Sound Designer - Hari Kumar Pillai
Sound Mixing Engineer - Anup Dev
Production Designer - Suman Roy Mahapatra
Costume Designer - Maxima Basu
Make-up - Vikram Gaikwad
Publicity Designer - Sukanya Ghosh
Background Music Composer - Mathias Duplessy
Song Composer ‘Des Mera’ - Indian Ocean
Song Composer ‘Chola Mati Ke’ - Nageen Tanvir (Original Gond Tribal tune of Mandala Dist.M.P.)
Song Composer ‘Sakhi Saiyyan’ - Bhadwai Village Artistes
Lyrics- ‘Des Mera’ - Sanjeev Sharma
Additional Lyrics ‘Des Mera’ - Swanand Kirkire
Lyrics -‘Chola Mati Ke’ - Gangaram Sakhet (Chattisgarhi Folk Poet, Raipur)
Lyrics- ‘Sakhi Saiyyan’ - Bhadwai Village Artistes
Line Producer - Alan McAlex
Executive Producer - B. Shrinivas Rao
Charted Accountants - Bimal Parekh & Co.
DIRECTOR'S NOTE ( Anusha Rizvi )
I am an accidental filmmaker. I neither trained nor ever wished to make films before the story of Peepli Live came to me in a flash. Some stories have a tendency to appear in the most unlikely places, this one appeared when I was watching a TV news capsule on farmers in India, some five years ago. It is a different matter that it took me one whole year to write and rewrite the script and to decide whether I wanted to direct it! But there it was in its entirety and something needed to be done about that. I was immensely fortunate therefore that Aamir Khan took this unconventional film on board without any hesitation and has supported it to the hilt.
I was clear from the beginning that the film had to grow outwards from the people and the village rather than being an imposition of an outsider’s vision. I wanted to capture reality rather than to create it. I am overwhelmed and humbled by the hard work that the entire unit, including all the background artists, put into achieving that. The lightmen who stood for hours as policemen, to the media extras who ran for hours on end for that perfect shot, the set decorators who fed the animals, this film is their achievement and I am proud of being part of their team. And this to my mind will always remain the strength of this film, the people in it and behind it.
Peepli Live is a personal film. And I say this with full recognition of the fact that the script that was written and the film that was made is from an outsider’s point of view. Born and brought up in New Delhi, I am an outsider to the rural scene. Yet the characters are people who I have known and interacted with, laughed with or laughed at, eaten, observed and sang with. These are people that I have known in a deeply personal sense and in that sense this film is almost a sum total of my politics, personal and professional.
None of this would have been possible without Mahmood, my husband and co-director and key collaborator from the first stage to the last, in what has been a very long journey for us both.
PRODUCER'S NOTE ( Aamir Khan )
In the year 2004–5, I was shooting for a film called Mangal Pandey, also called The Rising. While I was working on this film, I kept being pestered by some girl called Anusha Rizvi to read her script called The Falling. At first I thought that someone was just trying to be cheeky. But the requests kept coming and were very sincere. While I am in the middle of something I don’t usually like to look at scripts but this time for some unknown reason I decided to give it a shot. So I called her and she read out her script to me.
From the time that the narration began I was drawn into it. I found it to be very funny and at the same time very heartbreaking. Very engaging, entertaining and enlightening, but a very unusual script for Indian cinema. In other words, it was right up my street.
Anusha and her team have done a superb job of putting on screen what was on paper. And I am very happy and proud to be associated with such a fine film.
Only now it’s called ‘PEEPLI LIVE’.
This is the first of the films that I have produced with the hope of entertaining a world audience. It’s a world that I am unfamiliar with... and scary. Let’s see how it goes.
SYNOPSIS
Natha a poor farmer from Peepli village in the heart of rural India is about to lose his plot of land due to an unpaid government loan. A quick fix to the problem is the very same government’s program that aids the families of indebted farmers who have committed suicide. As a means of survival Farmer Natha can choose to die!!! His brother is happy to push him towards this unique ‘honor’ but Natha is reluctant. Local elections are around the corner and what might’ve been another unnoticed event turns into a ‘cause celebré’ with everyone wanting a piece of the action. Political bigwigs, high-ranking bureaucrats, local henchmen and the ever-zealous media descend upon sleepy Peepli to stake their claim. The question on everyone’s lips - “Will he or Won’t he?” As the mania escalates what will be the fate of Farmer Natha; nobody seems to care how he really feels?
FULL MUSIC INFORMATION
MATHIAS DUPLESSY ( BACKGROUND MUSIC COMPOSER )
Mathias Duplessy is a music composer and a multi-instrumentalist, and shuttles between Paris and Mumbai. Mathias has composed music for a number of films including Ze film, Mona Saber, Hymne à la Gazellea and Bombay Summer, among others. He performs year-round on the international jazz and world music forums along with Sophia Charaï, Bevinda, Monica Passos, Ameth Male, and Sara Alexander. Mathias specializes in Guitar, the “Morin Khuur” (Mongolian Cello), and Throat-singing.
INDIAN OCEAN ( SONG COMPOSER / PERMORMER, DES MERA )
19 years and five albums later, Indian Ocean is a band which is the true voice of contemporary India. With a rich mix of folk, jazz and contemporary world music, this versatile group of four truly connects to every citizen of the world using the language which is universal and knows no boundary, the language of music. The band has performed in over fifty countries in all five continents. Known for creating political music, they have worked sporadically in films and are proud to be associated with Peepli Live.
NAGEEN TANVEER ( SONG COMPOSER / SINGER, CHOLA MATI KE )
Daughter of Indian theatre stalwarts Habib and Moneeka Tanvir, Nageen Tanvir has trained extensively in Hindustani classical vocal music. Her music experience also spans a practical knowledge of the folk and tribal traditions of North and Central India, specifically the musically rich region of Chattisgarh. As a member of the famed Naya Theatre, she has been involved in creating music for many of their internationally known productions.
BADWAI VILLAGE ARTISTES ( SONG COMPOSERS / PERFORMERS, SAKHI SAIYYAN )
The village musicians of Badwai are part-timers who make music during festive or ritual occasions. A motley group of school teachers, farmers and other servicemen, they create music by using basic instruments and simple, traditional folk tunes. The song they present in the film was a truly homespun take on the plight of poor farmers set against international inflation. The song was recorded live on location in one night and no changes have been made to it since. This is the first time they have appeared in a film.
NATHA - Omkar Das Manikpuri
BUDHIA - Raghubir Yadav
RAKESH - Nawazuddin Siddiqui
DHANIYA - Shalini Vatsa
AMMA - Farrukh Jaffer
NANDITA - Malaika Shenoy
DEEPAK - Vishal Sharma
PHOTOGRAPHS - Lalit Nene
CREW
Writer & Directer - Anusha Rizvi
Producer - Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao
Co-Producer - Ronnie Screwala
Associate Producers - Zarina Mehta, Deven Khote, Siddharth Kapur
Co-Director & Casting Director - Mahmood Farooqui
Director of Photography - Shanker Raman
Editor - Hemanti Sarkar
Sound Designer - Hari Kumar Pillai
Sound Mixing Engineer - Anup Dev
Production Designer - Suman Roy Mahapatra
Costume Designer - Maxima Basu
Make-up - Vikram Gaikwad
Publicity Designer - Sukanya Ghosh
Background Music Composer - Mathias Duplessy
Song Composer ‘Des Mera’ - Indian Ocean
Song Composer ‘Chola Mati Ke’ - Nageen Tanvir (Original Gond Tribal tune of Mandala Dist.M.P.)
Song Composer ‘Sakhi Saiyyan’ - Bhadwai Village Artistes
Lyrics- ‘Des Mera’ - Sanjeev Sharma
Additional Lyrics ‘Des Mera’ - Swanand Kirkire
Lyrics -‘Chola Mati Ke’ - Gangaram Sakhet (Chattisgarhi Folk Poet, Raipur)
Lyrics- ‘Sakhi Saiyyan’ - Bhadwai Village Artistes
Line Producer - Alan McAlex
Executive Producer - B. Shrinivas Rao
Charted Accountants - Bimal Parekh & Co.
DIRECTOR'S NOTE ( Anusha Rizvi )
I am an accidental filmmaker. I neither trained nor ever wished to make films before the story of Peepli Live came to me in a flash. Some stories have a tendency to appear in the most unlikely places, this one appeared when I was watching a TV news capsule on farmers in India, some five years ago. It is a different matter that it took me one whole year to write and rewrite the script and to decide whether I wanted to direct it! But there it was in its entirety and something needed to be done about that. I was immensely fortunate therefore that Aamir Khan took this unconventional film on board without any hesitation and has supported it to the hilt.
I was clear from the beginning that the film had to grow outwards from the people and the village rather than being an imposition of an outsider’s vision. I wanted to capture reality rather than to create it. I am overwhelmed and humbled by the hard work that the entire unit, including all the background artists, put into achieving that. The lightmen who stood for hours as policemen, to the media extras who ran for hours on end for that perfect shot, the set decorators who fed the animals, this film is their achievement and I am proud of being part of their team. And this to my mind will always remain the strength of this film, the people in it and behind it.
Peepli Live is a personal film. And I say this with full recognition of the fact that the script that was written and the film that was made is from an outsider’s point of view. Born and brought up in New Delhi, I am an outsider to the rural scene. Yet the characters are people who I have known and interacted with, laughed with or laughed at, eaten, observed and sang with. These are people that I have known in a deeply personal sense and in that sense this film is almost a sum total of my politics, personal and professional.
None of this would have been possible without Mahmood, my husband and co-director and key collaborator from the first stage to the last, in what has been a very long journey for us both.
PRODUCER'S NOTE ( Aamir Khan )
In the year 2004–5, I was shooting for a film called Mangal Pandey, also called The Rising. While I was working on this film, I kept being pestered by some girl called Anusha Rizvi to read her script called The Falling. At first I thought that someone was just trying to be cheeky. But the requests kept coming and were very sincere. While I am in the middle of something I don’t usually like to look at scripts but this time for some unknown reason I decided to give it a shot. So I called her and she read out her script to me.
From the time that the narration began I was drawn into it. I found it to be very funny and at the same time very heartbreaking. Very engaging, entertaining and enlightening, but a very unusual script for Indian cinema. In other words, it was right up my street.
Anusha and her team have done a superb job of putting on screen what was on paper. And I am very happy and proud to be associated with such a fine film.
Only now it’s called ‘PEEPLI LIVE’.
This is the first of the films that I have produced with the hope of entertaining a world audience. It’s a world that I am unfamiliar with... and scary. Let’s see how it goes.
SYNOPSIS
Natha a poor farmer from Peepli village in the heart of rural India is about to lose his plot of land due to an unpaid government loan. A quick fix to the problem is the very same government’s program that aids the families of indebted farmers who have committed suicide. As a means of survival Farmer Natha can choose to die!!! His brother is happy to push him towards this unique ‘honor’ but Natha is reluctant. Local elections are around the corner and what might’ve been another unnoticed event turns into a ‘cause celebré’ with everyone wanting a piece of the action. Political bigwigs, high-ranking bureaucrats, local henchmen and the ever-zealous media descend upon sleepy Peepli to stake their claim. The question on everyone’s lips - “Will he or Won’t he?” As the mania escalates what will be the fate of Farmer Natha; nobody seems to care how he really feels?
FULL MUSIC INFORMATION
MATHIAS DUPLESSY ( BACKGROUND MUSIC COMPOSER )
Mathias Duplessy is a music composer and a multi-instrumentalist, and shuttles between Paris and Mumbai. Mathias has composed music for a number of films including Ze film, Mona Saber, Hymne à la Gazellea and Bombay Summer, among others. He performs year-round on the international jazz and world music forums along with Sophia Charaï, Bevinda, Monica Passos, Ameth Male, and Sara Alexander. Mathias specializes in Guitar, the “Morin Khuur” (Mongolian Cello), and Throat-singing.
INDIAN OCEAN ( SONG COMPOSER / PERMORMER, DES MERA )
19 years and five albums later, Indian Ocean is a band which is the true voice of contemporary India. With a rich mix of folk, jazz and contemporary world music, this versatile group of four truly connects to every citizen of the world using the language which is universal and knows no boundary, the language of music. The band has performed in over fifty countries in all five continents. Known for creating political music, they have worked sporadically in films and are proud to be associated with Peepli Live.
NAGEEN TANVEER ( SONG COMPOSER / SINGER, CHOLA MATI KE )
Daughter of Indian theatre stalwarts Habib and Moneeka Tanvir, Nageen Tanvir has trained extensively in Hindustani classical vocal music. Her music experience also spans a practical knowledge of the folk and tribal traditions of North and Central India, specifically the musically rich region of Chattisgarh. As a member of the famed Naya Theatre, she has been involved in creating music for many of their internationally known productions.
BADWAI VILLAGE ARTISTES ( SONG COMPOSERS / PERFORMERS, SAKHI SAIYYAN )
The village musicians of Badwai are part-timers who make music during festive or ritual occasions. A motley group of school teachers, farmers and other servicemen, they create music by using basic instruments and simple, traditional folk tunes. The song they present in the film was a truly homespun take on the plight of poor farmers set against international inflation. The song was recorded live on location in one night and no changes have been made to it since. This is the first time they have appeared in a film.
How to deal with negative people
Negative people can often be very mean and selfish in their remarks. The golden rule is to learn to ignore what they say completely.
- Before they start talking, it's a good idea to start the conversation on a positive note and avoid topics that even skim the edges of anything negative.
- Do not make the mistake of asking them, "So what's up" Chances are that there's a lot in their case and they are about to unload it all on you.
- Focussing on all the good things in your life is a good way to deal with the negativity heaped by them.
- You are not responsible for the person's problems in life. Do not make them your own, even though you are an attentive listener. Don't feel guilty about someone else's mess-ups.
- If a person is hurt, chances are that he might want to see you hurt too. So, avoid falling for the trap when he or she tries to get a reaction out of you by hurting you anyhow.
- Empathise, but be firm in telling the person that it's about time that they start being more positive in life. Or subtly put across the name of a self-help book on positivity and recommend it to the person.
- Before they start talking, it's a good idea to start the conversation on a positive note and avoid topics that even skim the edges of anything negative.
- Do not make the mistake of asking them, "So what's up" Chances are that there's a lot in their case and they are about to unload it all on you.
- Focussing on all the good things in your life is a good way to deal with the negativity heaped by them.
- You are not responsible for the person's problems in life. Do not make them your own, even though you are an attentive listener. Don't feel guilty about someone else's mess-ups.
- If a person is hurt, chances are that he might want to see you hurt too. So, avoid falling for the trap when he or she tries to get a reaction out of you by hurting you anyhow.
- Empathise, but be firm in telling the person that it's about time that they start being more positive in life. Or subtly put across the name of a self-help book on positivity and recommend it to the person.
Abhay Deol's embarrassing moment
Abhay Deol was recently at the receiving end of embarrassment while shooting for his film ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA in Spain.
According to sources, the director of the film Zoya Akhtar suddenly decided to include a shot in the film in which all the three leading men of the film - Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol go shirtless.
While Hrithik and Farhan were game for this idea and even removed their shirts, Abhay was embarrassed at the thought of going shirtless.
The reason is easy to understand. While Hrithik and Farhan have great bodies to show, Abhay lacks one. The actor felt embarrassed to show his ordinary looking body. Finally the shot was canned and Abhay was seen wearing a vest while Hrithik and Farhan displayed their six packs.
Punit Malhotra Brings Shame to Dharma Productions!
Bringing shame to the Dharma Productions is none other than its newest "family" member Punit Malhotra. Unable to digest any criticism against his film, the director has apparently assigned his family to rat out and publicly defame anyone who dares to criticize I Hate Luv Storys. A well-known writer to an award winning novel has found himself being publicly attacked by family members of Malhotra when he decided to dedicate his status on Facebook to the film. The writer expressed that he did not enjoy the film and in fact walked out during the intermission. After dozen of his friends agreed with him, a family member to the director who happened to be a common friend to the writer added that his views were hardly credible and blasted him for giving him his opinion on the film. As a paying audience, the writer expressed that he is allowed form any judgment on the film. It was then that another family member got involved and decided to bring down the writer by calling his book "crassy" among many other names. Fans and readers to the novel took immense offense to this outburst by Punit's family members and took it upon themselves as they responded to the director's family members.
And it doesn't end there. Shobhaa De too has found herself being attacked for her criticism of the film. In her review of I Hate Luv Storys, the popular novelist called the film "plain unimaginative" and wondered how producer Karan Johar "approved of such a script." She also added if she did see the director of the "excruciating pointless film" she would "spank him." Malhotra and actress to the film Sonam Kapoor were not too thrilled with her criticism and in an act of rebuttal the director tweeted, "Guys pls don't take Shobha De seriuosly. She's a fossil who's getting no action and going through menopause. So just for her...Ma'am I AM WAITING TO BE 'SPANKED' IN PUBLIC... Ha ha ha" Very soon later, leading lady Sonam retweeted his comment. Of course, no one was surprised when the tweets were deleted only moments later.
Definitely unprofessional and very un-Dharma Productions like behavior from Malhotra and his Chela's. Wonder what producer Karan Johar has to make of this.
Germany-Spain preview
There will be at least one European representative in the Final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, after Germany and Spain go head-to-head in the second semi-final on Wednesday evening. The match gives the Germans the opportunity to avenge their defeat to a Fernando Torres goal in the final of UEFA EURO 2008. No less than 19 survivors from that game – eight Germans and 11 Spaniards – will be on show in Durban, yet much has changed since that night in Vienna.
La Roja have struggled at times to produce the same majestic football that swept them to the European title, while Joachim Low’s revamped unit are unquestionably the form side of the competition. Die Nationalmannschaft have been winning new fans with their adventurous approach and earning praise from even the most seasoned of observers, Franz Beckenbauer among them. “Germany have never played like this before,” said an admiring Kaiser after his compatriots had seen off Argentina in the last eight.
The match
Germany-Spain, Semi-Final, Durban, Wednesday, 7 July, 20.30 (local time).
While no side has scored more goals in the tournament than Germany’s 13, the statistics show that Spain have done more attacking than anyone. If those two pieces of information are anything to go by, this should be quite a match. The Germans have been nothing short of spectacular in South Africa. After putting four past Australia in the group phase, they clicked into top gear in the Round of 16, overwhelming England 4-1 with their rapid counter-attacking style and then put another four past Argentina in the quarters.
Though Spain have reached a semi-final for the first time ever, they have been unable to match the exacting standards they have set for themselves in recent times, reproducing their eye-catching possession football only sporadically. Victors by a single goal in their last three games, the European champions can justifiably point to some massed defences as the reason for their reduced creativity, but there will be no excuses for a lack of spark come kick-off time on Wednesday.
All the indications are that Vicente del Bosque will keep faith with the XI that started against Paraguay, which means a reprieve for the misfiring Torres, who has yet to score. As for opposite number Low, his most pressing problem is to find a replacement for the suspended Thomas Muller, with Piotr Trochowski, Toni Kroos and Cacau all in the frame.
Players to watch
Miroslav Klose v David Villa
The leading marksman at South Africa 2010 with five of his country’s six goals, the Spanish striker is just one away from joining Raul as La Roja’s top scorer of all time. No less important to his team than the in-form Villa, Klose is closing on another record. The German forward needs to find the back of the net one more time to draw level with Brazil’s Ronaldo as the leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup finals history with 15 goals. One behind the Spaniard in the South Africa 2010 charts, Klose has not given up hope of making off with the adidas Golden Boot as well.
The stat
3 - The number of times the two sides have faced each other in FIFA World Cup matches. Germany have yet to lose, winning 2-1 at England 1966 and Spain 1982 and forcing a 1-1 draw at USA 1994.
What they said
“Spain are the favourites to my mind and their team play is just amazing. They don’t have one Messi, they have several, and they don’t make many mistakes either, unlike England and Argentina. We need to force them to make errors,” Joachim Low, Germany coach.
“We haven’t come this far to finish fourth. We are going to fight hard against Germany to reach the Final, which is our one and only objective. We’ve reached a landmark for Spanish football by getting past the quarter-finals, but we know the Germany match is the most important in our history, even more so than the EURO 2008 final in Austria,” Iker Casillas, Spain goalkeeper and captain.
Voice of the fans
“Each match is a different story. Every team Spain have played against so far have defended, which is what teams who fear us do. It will be different against Germany though. There will be more space and whoever controls the midfield will have every chance of winning. This is going to be the game of the World Cup, the Final played one game early,” FIFA.com user oficus 11 (Spain).
Have your say
Can Miroslav Klose and/or David Villa make history in Durban?
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