Section: Life

“An Irreplaceable Talent”: Mammootty, Mohanlal And Others Pay Tribute to Late Actor KPAC Lalitha

BY Anindita Banerjee On

KPAC Lalitha, the veteran Malayalam actor, died in Kochi on Tuesday night at the age of 74. She had been undergoing treatment for liver-related ailments for a long time. 

Having made her debut in Malayalam cinema with Kootukudumbam (1969) in her early 20s, the veteran actor worked till her last days and had appeared in more than 500 films. After the news of her demise, several actors and other collaborators paid tribute to the late actor on social media.

Veteran actor Mammootty wrote in a social media post, “I have lost someone dear to me. With a lot of everlasting memories, I condole her death.”

In a lengthy post, Mohanlal also paid tribute to the late actor and wrote, “So many movies we acted together in. She was like a dear family member for everyone in the audience, as a mother, as a sister, as a loving relative. It was not an act, be it in movies, or life. She held the audience and the loved ones close to her. A few formal words are not enough to pay homage when that love fades into the cycle of time with a smile. She was an irreplaceable talent, and for Malayali and Malayalam cinema, her passing away is a pain/loss that will not heal. My Salute to Lalitha chechi.”

Prithviraj Sukumaran also mourned her death and posted, “Rest in peace Lalitha aunty! It was a privilege to have shared the silver screen with you! One of the finest actors I’ve known.”

Condoling the actor’s demise, Kerala Chief Minister Pinnarayi Vijayan in a Facebook post said “With her social commitment and social interventions, she gained a place in our hearts.”

Actor Keerthy Suresh posted an old black and white photo of KPAC Lalitha and wrote on Twitter, “Extremely saddened to hear about the passing of the legendary KPAC Lalitha aunty. My heartfelt condolences to the family.”

Dulquer Salmaan too remembered the veteran actor and posted pictures with her from their last meeting. He wrote, “My best on-screen pairing. The most love I’ve felt for a co-actor. As an actor she was magic, wearing her genius as lightly as her smile. I’ve never felt more alive in a scene cause she transcended the written word.”

Actor Manju Warrier also penned a heartfelt post and wrote, “Lost a person whom I loved like a mother. Even though I was called sister, my mother’s face is always in my heart. Although I don’t have memories of many movies together, what is left in me is her smile mixed with affection and a hug.”

Among others, Asif Ali, Sharaf U Dheen, Siddharth, Shine Tom Chacko also paid their respects to the late veteran actor.

Lalitha was born as Maheshwari Amma on February 25, 1947, in Kayamkulam, Kerala. She was popularly known as KPAC Lalitha because she began her career on the stage, performing with the Kerala People’s Arts Club. Lalitha was the recipient of two National Awards in the supporting actress category for her performances in the films Amaram (1990) and Shantham (2000). She also received four Kerala State Film Awards and was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 Filmfare Awards South.

KPAC Lalitha, Veteran Malayalam Actor, Dies at 74

BY Chandhini R On

KPAC Lalitha, the veteran Malayalam actor, died in Kochi on Tuesday night. She was 74. 

The actor had been undergoing treatment for liver-related ailments for a long time. According to an Onmanorama report, Lalitha died at her son Siddharth Bharathan’s home in Kochi on Tuesday night. 

Lalitha who acted in more than 500 films in a career spanning over five decades, was the recipient of two National Awards in the supporting actress category for her performances in the films Amaram (1990) and Shantham (2000). She also received four Kerala State Film Awards and was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 Filmfare Awards South.

Lalitha was born as Maheshwari Amma on February 25, 1947, in Kayamkulam, Kerala. She was popularly known as KPAC Lalitha because she began her career on the stage, performing with the Kerala People’s Arts Club. She also worked as a dubbing artist and lent her voice to actors Sharada and Nanditha Bose. Lalitha was also the chairperson of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, a cultural institution functioning under the Culture Ministry of the Kerala Government. Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi’s Vice Chairman Xavier Pullat had in November told Silverscreen India that Lalitha had been active in her duties as the Akademi chairman until before she fell ill. 

Apart from Malayalam films, Lalitha had also acted in Tamil films such as Kaatru Veliyidai (2017), Kireedam (2007), and Ullam Ketkume (2005) and in some television serials. She was last seen in the critically-acclaimed Malayalam comedy-drama #Home (2021). 

In October 2021, Lalitha was admitted to a hospital in Thrissur and was later shifted to Kochi’s Aster Medcity hospital. At the time, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists’ (AMMA) Secretary Edavela Babu said that Lalitha was “highly diabetic” and suffered from health-related issues due to it. He added that the doctors will decide whether to perform a liver transplant on her, based on her age and health condition.

The Kerala state government also later decided to bear the costs of the veteran actor’s medical treatment. The actor’s daughter Srikutty Bharathan had also sought help online from people willing to donate a part of their liver for the latter’s surgery.  However, over the months, her health condition deteriorated, leading to her demise.

Following her demise, several artists and technicians from the Malayalam film industry, including, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Santosh Sivan and Asif Ali, among several others paid their respects on social media.

Prithviraj in his post wrote, “Rest in peace Lalitha aunty! It was a privilege to have shared the silver screen with you! One of the finest actors I’ve known.”

Condoling the actor’s demise, Kerala Chief Minister Pinnarayi Vijayan in a Facebook post said “With her social commitment and social interventions, she gained a place in our hearts.”

KPAC Lalitha is survived by her son Sidharth and daughter Sreekutty.

Vijay Makkal Iyakkam Wins 3 Seats in TN’s Urban Local Body Elections

BY Anusha Sundar On

Several members of Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, the fan organisation of actor Vijay, contested in the recently-held urban local body elections in Tamil Nadu as independent candidates, and some of them have emerged victorious.

With the counting still in progress on Tuesday, Daily Thanthi reports that three contestants from Vijay Makkal Iyakkam have won. The victorious contestants are said to be Parvez, who contested in the fourth ward of the Pudukkottai Municipality, Mohan Raj from the third ward of Ranipet district’s Walajapet Municipality, and Velmurugan from Kumarapalayam Municipality.

As per a statement issued by the organisation earlier, members of Vijay Makkal Iyakkam contested in the polls as independent candidates without any affiliations to existing political parties or alliances.

The urban local body elections in Tamil Nadu were held in a single phase on Saturday. The polls took place across the state in over 12,500 wards across 21 corporations, 138 municipalities, and 489 town panchayats.

Actor Vijay had cast his own vote in the elections on Saturday morning at Neelankarai, Chennai.

It is notable that earlier, in October 2021, Vijay Makkal Iyakkam members also contested in the rural local body polls in the state and saw considerable success with 59 of them winning in nine districts, including Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Kallakurichi, Villupuram, Ranipet, Tirupattur, Tenkasi, and Tirunelveli. While 13 of the candidates won unopposed, the other 46 members were elected by a huge margin.

Meanwhile, on the professional front, Vijay will next be seen in his 65th film, Beast, alongside Pooja Hegde. The film, directed by Nelson Dilipkumar and backed by Sun Pictures, is set for a theatrical release in April. The makers recently released a single from the film, Arabic Kuthu, composed and sung by Anirudh Ravichander and Jonita Gandhi, which became a viral sensation.

The actor is also set to team up with Telugu director Vamshi Paidipally for a multilingual film backed by Dil Raju. This untitled film will mark Vijay’s debut in Telugu cinema.

Update:

Other members of the Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakam who won include Manimala Silambarasan from ward 16 in Ponneri Municipality and Rajasekaran of ward five in South Kodikulam municipality of Virudhunagar district.

Meanwhile, in other wards, despite coming second, a few women candidates from the party, have emerged victorious over candidates from AIADMK. Arivuselvi of ward 126 in Chennai Corporation beat AIADMK and finished second with 5,112 votes, while in Vellore Corporation’s ward 46, Kalaichelvi won 1,740 votes and came second. However, the DMK won both wards.

Sonu Sood Booked for Alleged Violation of Poll Norms in Punjab

BY Namrata Ganguly On

An FIR has been registered against actor Sonu Sood after the police received information that he was allegedly campaigning for his sister at Landeke village in Moga, Punjab on poll day.

The actor has been booked under Section 188 (disobedience to the order duly promulgated by the public servant) of the Indian Penal Code by the Moga city police.

Sood is reportedly in South Africa at present, shooting for a reality television show.

Ahead of the Punjab Assembly Polls, Sood’s sister, Malvika Sood Sachar, joined the Indian National Congress party in January. She was contesting in the elections from the Moga constituency.

At the time, the actor had stated that he would not be campaigning for his sister and added that he himself had no intention of joining politics.

Earlier this week, on the poll day, the Punjab police seized Sood’s car based on reports of “suspicious activity” being carried out at a polling booth in Moga.

The actor, however, told ANI that he had discovered that bribes were being distributed by the opposition party Akali Dal at the booths and got to know about threat calls at various poll booths, and had stepped out to “check and ensure fair elections.”  

He further denounced the confiscation of his vehicle and said that it was only a parking issue. “The Shiromani Akali Dal candidate, Barjinder Singh, alias Makhan Brar, has lodged a false complaint against me. It was only a parking issue. The vehicle was not parked correctly. There was nothing else,” Sood had told Hindustan Times.

After impounding his car, the police reportedly asked Sood not to step out of his house, and the actor was put under video surveillance.

Following this, an FIR has now been filed against Sood.

Meanwhile, on the professional front, Sood will next be seen in Prithviraj, alongside Akshay Kumar and debutante Manushi Chhillar.

Farhan Akhtar & Shibani Dandekar’s Wedding: Video of Hrithik Roshan Dancing At Ceremony Goes Viral

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Actors Farhan Akhtar and Shibani Dandekar tied the knot on Saturday, in an intimate wedding ceremony in Khandala. The couple exchanged vows instead of a traditional Marathi ceremony, with only a handful of their friends and family being invited.

Amongst the guest list were Meiyang Chang, Gaurav Kapoor, Samir Kochar, Monica Dogra, Ritesh Sidwani, Rhea Chakraborty, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Amrita Arora, and Hrithik Roshan and his family, among others. Dhandekar chose to wear a red ensemble while taking her vows, while Akhtar donned a black suit. Several videos and photos of the guests and celebrations from the venue went viral on social media.

Photo Credit – Silverscreen India Media Library

A video that was shared several times on social media, was the one where Roshan and Akhtar were seen dancing to the famous song Senorita, from their film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.

Roshan’s mother, Pinkie, took to social media to share her experience of the wedding ceremony and wrote, “It was too special, total bliss to have witnessed a marriage ceremony that was surreal, where simplicity was the key ingredient.

 

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Further, a source informed that the couple registered their marriage on Monday and will soon host a reception. “Keeping Covid-19 protocols in mind, the guest list was kept to a minimal crowd of 50. The couple will register the marriage with a court wedding in Mumbai this week and host a reception later in the month,” the source told Mid-Day. They also revealed that the actor-producer’s father, Javed Akhtar, had recited a poem for the newly-weds, at the ceremony.

Akhtar and Dandekar met on the sets of a television show, I Can Do That in 2015. The two made their first public appearance as a couple at the wedding reception of Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh in 2018. Since then, they have not shied away from expressing their love for each other via social media.

Actor Assault Case: Survivor Moves HC Opposing Dileep’s Plea to Suspend Further Investigation

BY Chandhini R On

The female Malayalam actor who was abducted and sexually assaulted in 2017 moved the Kerala High Court, on Monday, opposing actor Dileep’s recent petition that seeks to halt further investigation in the case.

Dileep is the eighth accused and alleged chief conspirator in the five-year-old case. At the end of 2021, some serious allegations were levelled against him by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar, including that Dileep had watched the video of the sexual assault at his house, that the actor knew the first accused Pulsar Suni, and had influenced some of the significant witnesses in the case who turned hostile during the trial.

Based on these allegations, a fresh probe was ordered by the trial court. The court also ordered the crime branch to submit a status report on this investigation by March 1.

Subsequently, Dileep filed a plea seeking to suspend further investigation in the case, arguing that the final report had already been filed in November 2017, with the charges framed in January 2020. He further claimed that the continued investigation was delaying the trial.

Previously, when this petition came up for hearing on February 15, the survivor had requested the court to hear her before passing an order on this matter. Following this, she submitted her statement on Monday.

In her statement, the survivor noted that the Supreme Court had, in several cases, held that the accused has no say in the matter of investigation or further investigation. Hence, she added, the accused (Dileep) has no right to challenge the proceedings of the trial court.

The survivor further said that it was necessary for her to be added as an additional third respondent in the case in the interest of justice, noting that it would otherwise lead to “irreparable loss and hardship” for her.

For a full timeline of the female actor abduction and assault case, see here.

Lyricist Lalith Anand Dies at 47; “Gone Too Soon,” Says Filmmaker Gokul

BY Anusha Sundar On

Lyricist Lalith Anand, who worked in the Tamil film industry, died at a private hospital in Chennai, on Sunday, after a long illness. He was 47.

The late lyricist made his debut in Tamil cinema with the 2009 romantic drama Adhe Neram Adhe Idam. All five songs in the film were written by Lalith.

However, he soon became known for his collaborations with director Gokul. Lalith wrote at least one song in each Gokul’s films, sometimes contributing lyrics for the entire album. They first teamed up for the director’s debut, Rowthiram (2011), which had two songs penned by the lyricist.

Later, for Gokul’s 2013 film, Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara, Lalith wrote the hit song En Veetula, featuring Vijay Sethupathi and Nandita Swetha. Subsequently, Lalith penned all the songs for Gokul’s Junga (2018) and Anbirkiniyal (2021), and two songs in Kashmora (2016).

Speaking to Silverscreen India, Gokul states that his partnership with the lyricist continued in his upcoming film, Corona Kumar, featuring Silambarasan. Lalith has written the song CSK Singangala in the film.

The filmmaker tells us that the late lyricist had been suffering from kidney issues for the last two years and was undergoing dialysis for the same. “He was admitted to VHS Hospital in Chennai about 15 days ago, where an endoscopy was performed. He later suffered a stroke and became brain dead. He was put on ventilator support, but on Sunday evening, he died of cardiac arrest,” Gokul adds.

“I feel as if I’ve lost myself. He was not just a lyricist, he has traveled along with me for a long time. He was present even during the initial stages of the script work for my films,” he says.

The filmmaker reminisces about how he got in touch with Lalith during the making of Rowthiram. “I was looking for a lyricist and happened to come across his work in other films. We soon got together and eventually, I gave him most of my songs to write. He has worked on about 85-90% of the songs in my films. He was always the greatest lyricist for me, despite the many distinguished others in the industry.”

Calling En Veetula a big hit, Gokul says that Lalith’s lyrics captured his viewpoint perfectly. “I used to call him my conscience. And despite both of us being almost the same age, he used to address me with respect. His lyrics have deep meanings but are still accessible to everyone. He deserves more acclaim and we were hoping that it would be fulfilled with the songs from Corona Kumar. Sadly, he left us too soon.”

Several other film personalities, including actors Vijay Sethupathi and Kayal Devaraj, as well as lyricists Vivek and Arun Bharathi, expressed their condolences via social media.

The late lyricist is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

Former DGP Sreelekha Admits to Doing Favours for Dileep When Actor was in Aluva Jail

BY Chandhini R On

Kerala’s former DGP R Sreelekha has admitted to doing a “few favours” for actor Dileep when he was in jail in 2017 after being arrested in the female actor abduction and sexual assault case. 

Sreelekha served as the DGP in Aluva sub-jail when Dileep, the alleged chief conspirator and eighth accused in the actor abduction and assault case, was lodged there.

In an exclusive interview with Manorama News, the retired IPS officer said she offered the actor help out of sympathy after seeing Dileep’s condition in jail. 

“What I saw in the jail was heart-rending. He was lying on a simple mat along with other prisoners. When I asked him to get up, he was shivering; he fell down as he tried to get up. He was in a very pathetic situation, unlike the actor we see on screen. I have a kind heart and I feel for anyone who suffers. I took him to the superintendent’s room. He was unable to eat or talk and so, I offered him tender coconut juice,” she said.

She further added that two mats, a blanket, and nutritional food were provided to the actor. She also said that Dileep’s ear balance problem was treated as well. “There were no other facilities given to him,” she said.

When asked if she would have been as sympathetic to any other ordinary prisoner, Sreelekha said that in a different instance, she had provided facilities for medical treatment for a prisoner (a commoner) who was beaten up by the police. 

In 2017, when reporters raised a question regarding special favours provided for Dileep in jail, Sreelekha had denied it and said that the matter would be probed. During the recent interaction, she said those allegations were raised by the media before she actually saw Dileep’s condition and took pity on him. 

Speaking about the female actor’s abduction case, Sreelekha, who was notably the first woman IPS officer in Kerala, said, “I know the story from media reports. I strongly stand by the survivor. The person who did this to her should be punished.”

Meanwhile, Dileep and his associates are also being investigated for allegedly plotting to kill the officers who investigated the 2017 female actor abduction and assault case. They recently surrendered their phones as per a court order and according to an Omanorama report, the results of the forensic analysis of these phones have been submitted to the court.

The five-year-old case is being reinvestigated after new allegations were made by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar towards the end of 2021. The crime branch will have to submit a status report on its reinvestigation to the trial court by March 1.

For a full timeline of the female actor abduction and assault case, see here.

Police Confiscates Sonu Sood’s Vehicle During Punjab Assembly Elections

BY Shrija Ganguly On

Actor-philanthropist Sonu Sood‘s car was seized by Punjab police, alleging “suspicious activity” being carried out at a polling booth in Moga.

It is unclear as to why Sood toured the constituency, with the Punjab Assembly Elections currently underway. The actor claimed that he had discovered that bribes were being distributed by the opposition party Akali Dal at the booths, and stepped out to “check and ensure fair elections”.

Sood also voiced his views on the same via Twitter and urged the Election Commission of India to take immediate action.

He further denounced the confiscation of his vehicle and said that it was a parking issue. “The Shiromani Akali Dal candidate, Barjinder Singh, alias Makhan Brar, has lodged a false complaint against me. It was only a parking issue. The vehicle was not parked correctly. There was nothing else,” Sood told Hindustan Times.

The impounding of the vehicle, which reportedly belongs to one of Sood’s acquaintances, was ordered by the election observer.

“The SUV has been impounded on the basis of suspicious activity. We have received a complaint that the SUV was making rounds near the polling booth at Landheke village. We have impounded it. Further action is underway,” Station House Officer (SHO) of city police station, Davinder Singh, told HT.

Meanwhile, Sood has been asked to not step out of his house, and has been put under video surveillance.

It is notable that Sood’s sister Malvika Sood Sachar is contesting the polls in Moga. While she joined the Indian National Congress in January, Sood has maintained that he would neither campaign for her, nor join politics.

The actor, who has predominantly appeared in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil cinema, became known for his philanthropic work when Covid-19 hit India in March 2020. He had helped thousands of migrant labourers, who were struggling to get back to their hometowns by foot, with the onset of a sudden nationwide lockdown.

He continued his social work through ‘Sood Charity Foundation’, which included providing assistance to students for online classes and organising oxygen cylinders that were in shortage, during the second wave of the pandemic. He also helped organise teams of volunteers to aid patients seeking hospital beds across the country.

On the professional front, Sood will be seen in Prithviraj, alongside Akshay Kumar and debutante Manushi Chhillar.

Kannada Actor Rajesh fondly known as ‘Kala Thapaswi’ Dies at 89

BY Shrija Ganguly On

Veteran Kannada actor Rajesh who predominantly worked in the Kannada film industry, died on Saturday, the Times of India has reported. Popularly known as ‘Kala Thapaswi’, Rajesh had acted in over 150 films.

He was 89.

The actor was suffering from breathing complications and age-related illness. According to the TOI report, Rajesh was initially admitted to a hospital in Bangalore, on February 9. He was put on ventilator after he had stopped responding to the treatment.

Born in Bangalore, on April 15, 1932, as Munichowappa, the actor later took up his stage name, Rajesh.

He was a theatre enthusiast from an early age and joined the theatre troupe Sudarshana Nataka Mandali. He had said that he grew up watching films of Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, Rajakumari BU, PU Chinnappa, TR Mahalingam, and Shivakavi. He had also said that his parents were unaware of his participation in theatre, and admitted to have attended the classes in the pretext of going to tuitions.

After his education, he worked as a typist and set up his own drama troupe Shakti Nataka Mandali. While he began with writing and directing plays, he later progressed to acting in films. It was veteran director Hunsur Krishnamurthy who gave him an acting break in the 1964 film Veera Sankalpa.

However, the turning point in his career came in 1968, with the film Namma Oru. At a time when Kannada film industry had Udaykumar, Rajkumar, and Kalyan Kumar at their peak, Rajesh went on to appear in successful films like Sri Ramanjaneya Yuddha, Bhalle Basava, and Devara Makkalu, to name a few.

In 2014, his autobiography Kala Thapasvi Rajesh Atmakathe was released and the Kannada Sahitya Parishat honoured him with Dr Rajkumar Cultural Endowment Award.

Politicians paid their tributes to the actor.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai took to Twitter and wrote, “The death of Sri Rajesh, the veteran actor of Kannada cinema, is very painful. I pray to the Lord to grant him the strength of his family to give them the peace of the soul of the lost elder.”

Former CM Siddaramaiah wrote on Twitter, “The death of veteran Kannada actor Rajesh is shocking. Rajesh, who has been my friend for a long time, is born with talent and own perseverance Growing up, all of us were amused. I am just as sad as their family members. I wish peace to his lost soul.”

Vikrant Massey Marries Long-Time Girlfriend Sheetal Thakur; Shares Pictures from Wedding Ceremony

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Actor Vikrant Massey wed his long-time girlfriend Sheetal Thakur in a private ceremony on Friday. The couple got married in the presence of their friends and family in Himachal Pradesh.

The couple took to Instagram on Saturday to share photos from the ceremony and announce their marriage. Along with the photos, Massey wrote in Hindi, “Our seven-year journey has turned into a bond for seven lives. Thank you very much for being with us.”

In the photos, the bride can be seen wearing a red lehenga while Massey appears in a white sherwani with a pink turban.

Photo Credit – Vikrant Massey Instagram

Massey’s Haseen Dillruba co-star Taapsee Pannu commented on the photos and wrote, “Finally! So, so happy for both of you!”

Actor Kriti Kharbanda also congratulated the couple and wrote, “Aap dono ko bahut bahut mubarak! (Many, many congratulations to you both!)”

Many other celebrities, including Sonakshi Sinha, Nakuul Mehta, Esha Gupta, Mouni Roy, Shilpa Rao, Sumona Chakravarti, Bobby Deol, Aahana Kumra, and Jasleena Royal, also showered the newly-wed couple with congratulatory messages.

Photo Credit – Vikrant Massey Instagram
Photo Credit – Vikrant Massey Instagram

Pictures and videos from the couple’s haldi ceremony also went viral on social media on Friday.

Earlier in the week, Pinkvilla had reported that the couple had opted for a small registered marriage at their Versova home. The couple are known to have registered their marriage on February 14, on the occasion of Valentine’s Day.

Massey and Thakur met on the sets of ALTBalaji’s web show Broken But Beautiful. They started dating and got engaged in a private roka ceremony in November 2019.

The couple purchased a sea-facing apartment in Mumbai in 2020 and have reportedly moved in there recently.

On the professional front, Massey will next be seen in the romantic crime-thriller Love Hostel with Sanya Malhotra and Bobby Deol. Directed by Shanker Raman, the film will stream on ZEE5 from February 25. Apart from this, the actor will also be seen in Mumbaikar, alongside Vijay Sethupathi. The film is directed by Santosh Sivan.

Gujarat HC: Better for Shah Rukh Khan to Apologise in ‘Raees’ Stampede Case than Face Trial

BY Namrata Ganguly On

The Gujarat High Court observed, on Thursday, that it is preferable for actor Shah Rukh Khan to apologise rather than facing trial in the 2017 case regarding the stampede during the promotions for his film Raees.

Back in 2017, when Khan was promoting his Hindi film Raees, a stampede took place at the Vadodara Railway Station leading to the death of one person. According to the  FIR, Khan was travelling from Mumbai to Delhi by train and when he reached the Vadodara Railway Station, a huge crowd had gathered to get a glimpse of the actor. Khan is then said to have waved at the crowd and thrown t-shirts and balls among them, leading to the stampede. The police had to lathi charge the crowd in order to control the situation. The incident left one person dead and several injured.

Following the incident, a local politician named Jitendra Solanki filed a complaint with the Gujarat police against Khan. An FIR was registered under Sections 336, 337, and 338 of the Indian Penal Code for endangering the safety of self or others and Sections 145, 150, 152, 154 and 155 (1) (a) of the Railways Act, 1989. The court took cognisance of the case and issued a summon to the actor.

Khan had then approached the Gujarat High Court to quash the FIR registered against him.

During the hearing of the case on Thursday, Khan’s counsel argued that the actor had not entered the platform of the railway station during the incident in 2017, and had only waved his hand and thrown the promotional material into the crowd, which was not an offence. The lawyer further argued that the person who died during the stampede was a heart patient and had died due to some other reason.

Justice Nikhil S Kariel, who was hearing the case, asked the opposition counsel if they really wanted the trial to take place with regard to the alleged offence. “Imagine the kind of chaos that would be caused, do you want that?” the judge jokingly added. 

The justice then said, “I will ask him (Khan) to send an apology letter to you. Put an end to this matter,” and adjourned the case to Thursday.

Raees is the story of a boy living in Gujarat’s Fatehpur, who gets involved in illegal liquor trading in the state with alcohol prohibition.

Kerala HC Seeks State & Centre’s Stance on Dileep’s Plea to Revoke Murder Conspiracy Case

BY Chandhini R On

The Kerala High Court, on Friday, directed the union and state governments to submit their stance on actor Dileep’s petition to quash the FIR against him in the conspiracy to murder case. The single-judge bench consisting of justice K Haripal issued the directive while considering the actor’s plea. 

The FIR in question was registered by the Kerala police on January 9, based on allegations raised by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar. Audio clips released by Kumar allegedly reveal a plot by Dileep and his associates to kill the officers who investigated the 2017 female actor abduction and assault case. Dileep is currently facing trial as the chief conspirator behind the abduction and assault of the female actor in February 2017.

Dileep and the others accused in the new FIR sought and obtained anticipatory bail from the Kerala High Court. When granting them pre-arrest bail, the court observed that there appeared to be no material to suggest that the accused had been engaged in a criminal conspiracy to target the investigating officers.

After this, on February 14, the actor moved the HC to quash the FIR against him in the conspiracy to murder case. In his plea, Dileep alleged that the FIR was “a vindictive, ill-motivated, pre-determined and malafide act executed with oblique motives.” He also claimed that the case was registered simply to fabricate evidence in the actor assault case.

Further noting that the petitioners in the case are all senior officials in the police department and thus a “fair, unbiased, non-partisan and honest investigation” was unlikely if carried out by the Kerala police, he appealed for the case to be transferred to the CBI instead, in the event of the court not quashing the FIR.

In view of this, the court has now sought the opinions of the state and central governments.

Meanwhile, Dileep had also filed another plea with the HC seeking to suspend all further investigation in the female actor abduction and assault case, in order to expedite the trial. When this plea came up for hearing on Tuesday, the survivor requested the court to hear her before passing an order. The matter is next scheduled for hearing on Monday.

For a full timeline of the female actor abduction and assault case, see here.

Actor Kavya Thapar Booked for Rash Driving, Assaulting Cops

BY Anusha Sundar On

Actor Kavya Thapar, who predominantly works in the Telugu and Tamil film industries, was arrested for allegedly attempting to manhandle police officials and verbally abusing them, after ramming her car into a stationary vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

The incident occurred around 1 am on Thursday in Mumbai’s western suburb of Juhu, according to the police.

The actor has been remanded to judicial custody and further investigation is underway, the police added.

The incident took place near JW Marriott Hotel. The 26-year-old actor lost control of her car and rammed a stationary vehicle. After the police were informed of the situation by a passer-by, a team was dispatched to the scene. Upon seeing the police personnel, the actor allegedly began to verbally abuse them and attempted to manhandle and assault them.

Subsequently, Thapar was placed under arrest and produced at the Andheri court, which then sent her to judicial custody, according to ANI.

The ANI report also adds that the actor had injured a person while under the influence of alcohol. The police have registered a case against Thapar under Sections 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), and 427 (mischief causing loss or damage) of the Indian Penal Code.

The Indian Express reports that the actor has been lodged at the Byculla women’s jail and will be held there until she is granted bail.

Meanwhile, on the professional front, Thapar was last seen in the Telugu adult comedy film Ek Mini Katha that premiered on Amazon Prime Video in 2021. She has previously appeared in the romantic Telugu film Ee Maaya Peremito in 2018 and the Tamil film Market Raja MBBS in 2019. The actor was also seen in the Hindi short film Tatkal (2013).

Brad Pitt Sues Angelina Jolie over Sale of Her Share of Co-Purchased Winery

BY Shrija Ganguly On

Brad Pitt has sued ex-wife Angelina Jolie over the sale of her share of a winery that they had purchased together back in 2008.

The two actors were married in 2014 and filed for divorce two years later. The divorce was finalised in 2019.

Jolie, who recently made her Marvel debut with Eternals, reportedly sold her share of the winery called Chateau Miraval, located in Correns, France, to a Russian oligarch named Yuri Shefler.

In a court filing, Pitt alleged that Jolie sold her share of the winery without disclosing the details of the deal to him. The actors, who appeared together in films like Mr and Mrs Smith, had reached an understanding that no decision could be made regarding the winery without mutual consent.

According to the filing, Pitt and Jolie had purchased the winery for $28.4 million, with Jolie pitching in only 40% of the amount. Pitt further claimed that he had invested more time and money in the winery, while Jolie’s efforts had diminished over time.

The court documents also revealed that Jolie had informed Pitt about her plans to sell her share of the winery in July 2021. While Pitt had agreed, in September 2021, to allow Jolie to go forward with her plan, he still wanted the details of the proposed buyer to be run by him before consenting to the sale.

Pitt told the court that it was only in October 2021 that he had learnt of Jolie’s sale to Shefler’s organisation Tenute del Mondo, a subsidiary of Stoli Group. He claimed that she had neither sought his approval, nor disclosed the terms of the deal.

In addition to seeking damages, Pitt has also alleged that Shefler’s involvement has proved to be detrimental to the functioning of the winery, and has sought to undo the deal.

Meanwhile, on the professional front, Pitt will be seen next in Babylon, alongside Margot Robbie, his co-star from the 2019 film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and David Leitch’s Bullet Train. He is also set to team up with George Clooney and Jon Watts, the director of Spider-Man: Homecoming series, for a thriller.

On the other hand, Jolie released her book Know Your Rights: And Claim Them, in 2021, that she co-wrote with Amnesty International and Geraldine Van Bueren. The book is centred around the human rights of minors.

Dileep’s Brother Summoned for Interrogation in Conspiracy to Murder Case

BY Chandhini R On

Dileep’s brother, Anoop, one of the accused in the conspiracy to murder case along with the actor, has been served with a notice to appear before the Kerala crime branch for interrogation on Monday, according to The New Indian Express. 

The case, which was registered by the Kerala police on January 9 against Dileep and his associates, relates to their alleged plot to kill the officers who investigated the 2017 female actor abduction and assault case. Dileep is currently facing trial as the chief conspirator behind the abduction and assault of the female actor.

The new FIR was filed based on allegations raised by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar and audio clips released by him.

Following this, Dileep and the others sought  and obtained anticipatory bail from the Kerala High Court in the new FIR. When grating them conditional pre-arrest bail, the court noted that there appeared to be no material to suggest that the accused had been engaged in a criminal conspiracy to target the investigating officers.

However, the court also directed the accused to appear before the crime branch for interrogation as and when required.

Anoop will thus have to appear before the crime branch on the date he has been summoned or face cancellation of his anticipatory bail. The crime branch pasted the notice on his house as he was unavailable. 

As per the TNIE report, the investigating team recently received the forensic analysis report of Anoop’s mobile phone and it was after this that the notice was issued summoning him. It is also said that Dileep will be called for interrogation after Anoop. According to the report, the investigators have also decided to question Dileep’s brother-in-law, TN Suraj. 

Earlier, the accused had turned in six mobile phones to the Kerala HC’s registry, which was later transferred to a sessions court in Aluva. The phones were then sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram for analysis. These were the phones allegedly used by the accused to plot the murder of the officers.

The fresh rounds of investigation in the case will likely be based on the forensic reports on the cell phones.

Meanwhile, Dileep recently moved the Kerala High Court seeking to quash the FIR against him in the conspiracy to murder case. If the case could not be revoked, he requested for the investigation to at least be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

With regards to the female actor abduction and assault case, Dileep had earlier submitted a plea to the HC seeking to suspend all further investigation. When this plea came up for hearing on Tuesday, the survivor requested the court to hear her before passing an order. The court posted the matter for hearing on February 21.

For a full timeline of the female actor abduction and assault case, see here.

Bob Saget’s Medical Records Temporarily Withheld after Family Files Lawsuit to Keep the Documents Private

BY Shrija Ganguly On

A US court passed an order, on Wednesday, to temporarily block the release of Bob Saget’s medical records after his family filed a lawsuit seeking to keep certain documents private.

On Tuesday, the family of the late actor and stand-up comedian filed a petition seeking to exempt from public disclosure photos, videos, audio recordings and information relating to Saget’s death in January. Citing concerns of privacy, Saget’s family said while the facts of Orange County Sheriff’s investigation into the comedian’s death could be made public, these materials, which contain sensitive information, should only be released to the family.

Saget, who was best known for his role as Danny Tanner in the ABC series Full House, was found dead in his hotel room on January 10. The 65-year-old actor, who was on his I Don’t Do Negative Comedy tour, was staying at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Orlando.

Deputies at Orange County, Florida were informed about an “unresponsive man” in a room, who was later identified as Saget. While the cause of death was not immediately disclosed, detectives said they found “no signs of foul play or drug use” in the case.

In a statement earlier this month, the family revealed that Saget had died of a head trauma. The authorities concluded that the actor accidentally hit the back of his head and the injury went unnoticed and ultimately led to his death.

Saget is survived by daughters Aubrey, Lara, and Jennifer from his first wife Sherri Kramer, and his second wife Kelly Rizzo.

Since his death, several media houses are reportedly trying to access the records from the investigation into the cause, including the autopsy report.

“Release of the records to the public would cause immediate and widespread dissemination of the records to the internet, as well as print and television media outlets, which would cause irreparable harm in the form of extreme mental pain, anguish, and emotional distress,” Rizzo and other family members said in a court filing.

A Florida judge agreed and ruled that Saget’s wife and family members have the right to seek non-disclosure of the records.

Amitabh Bachchan’s Former Bodyguard Suspended from Police Dept for Violating Service Norms

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Actor Amitabh Bachchan’s former bodyguard, Jitendra Shinde, was suspended from the Mumbai police department on Tuesday for violating service norms.

Shinde was a police head constable who was posted as the veteran actor’s bodyguard in 2015. Bachchan has been provided with X-category security, which allots him a security detail of two armed police personnel in the day and two at night.

The former constable, who worked with the veteran actor till August 2021, had been posted with the protection and security branch of the Mumbai Police.

Following allegations that he was earning Rs 1.5 crores annually, significantly higher than his salary, while he was posted to Bachchan’s security detail, Shinde was transferred to DB Marg police station in South Mumbai in August.

However, police sources had said the transfer was made in accordance with Mumbai police commissioner Hemant Nagrale’s new guidelines that no police constable would continue in the same post beyond five years.

But, at the same time, the police department also began looking into Shinde’s annual income and assets, and whether he was drawing a second salary from other sources. As per Maharashtra’s service rules, a government servant is prohibited from accepting a salary from two establishments.

This probe appears to have led to his suspension now.

Shinde had earlier told police officials that his wife runs a security agency in her name, which provides personal bodyguards to celebrities and renowned personalities.

It has now come to light that the transactions of this agency, which was also providing security to the Bachchan family, are reflected in Shinde’s bank account and not that of his wife, said a senior Mumbai Police official.

The official also stated that the authorities had found out that the constable had travelled to Dubai and Singapore four times without informing his superiors, when, according to the rules, he should have obtained permission to travel abroad.

Shinde had also purchased some properties, which he had not disclosed, the official added.

In addition to suspending Shinde, the police commissioner of Mumbai has also set up an inquiry committee headed by Dilip Sawant, Additional Commissioner of Police (South), to look into the matter further.

Malayalam Actor Kottayam Pradeep Dies at 61

BY Anusha Sundar On

Actor Kottayam Pradeep, who predominantly worked in the Malayalam film industry besides appearing in a handful of Tamil films, died during the early hours of Thursday in Kottayam, Kerala, after suffering a heart attack, according to Onmanorama.

He was 61.

Pradeep made his acting debut at the age of 40, with the 2001 Malayalam film Ee Naadu Innale Vare, directed by late filmmaker IV Sasi. He mainly appeared as a junior artist and in non-speaking roles during the initial phase of his career. The latter half of his filmography mainly consisted of comical and supporting roles. Kottayam Pradeep has appeared in over 80 films, Malayalam and Tamil combined.

In Malayalam, Kottayam Pradeep has appeared in films such as Thattathin Marayathu, Oru Vadakkan Selfie, Oru Adar Love, Godha Kattappanayile Rithwik Roshan, Appuram Bengal Ippuram Thiruvithamkoor, Welcome to Central Jail, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Aadu Oru Bheegara Jeevi Aanu, and 2 Harihar Nagar My Big Father, among others.

For the Tamil audience, he is best known for his role as Jessie’s (Trisha) uncle in the romantic film Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon. The actor also essayed the same role in the Telugu and Hindi versions of the film, Ye Maaya Chesave and Ekk Deewana Tha, respectively.

He has also appeared in Tamil films such as Raja Rani, Nanbenda, Theri, and Konjam Konjam, sharing the screen with actors Nayanthara, Udhayanidhi Stalin, Vijay, and Arya, among others.

As per the Onmanorama report, Pradeep won the Best Supporting Actor award for his various roles at the 2nd Asianet Comedy Awards 2016.

Film personalities such as actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran and producer Anto Joseph condoled the death of the actor on social media. Calling Kottayam Pradeep, a “very natural actor,” filmmaker John Mahendran also mourned his death.

Kottayam Pradeep was last seen in Pappantem Simontem Piller (2021). He will also appear in Mohanlal’s Aaraattu, which is due to release on Friday.

The late actor is survived by his wife, Maya, and two children.

Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre Reach Out-Of-Court Settlement in Sexual Abuse Case

BY Shrija Ganguly On

Prince Andrew has settled out of court with Virginia Giuffre in the latter’s sexual abuse case against him. The settlement amount remains undisclosed.

In a letter submitted to the court, on Tuesday, Giuffre’s lawyer stated that both parties had reached an agreement and requested the suspension of legal action as her team prepares to file for a dismissal of the case within 30 days.

A joint statement from the Duke of York and Giuffre further said, “Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights. Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms Giuffre’s character, and he accepted that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks.”

The development comes a few weeks after Prince Andrew sought a trial by jury in Giuffre’s lawsuit, which alleged that he had forced her to have sexual intercourse with him when she was 17. Giuffre filed her suit against Andrew in 2021 under the Child Victims Act, a New York state law that allows child sexual abuse victims to pursue claims against their abusers, even if the abuse occurred decades earlier.

The joint statement on Tuesday also mentioned Jeffrey Epstein, the late serial sexual offender who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial in a sex trafficking case. Giuffre was also one of Epstein’s accusers. She alleged that Epstein kept her as a “sex slave” and forced her to have sex with Andrew at the London home of his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, daughter of late media baron Robert Maxwell, who was recently convicted for her role in the trafficking and abuse of Epstein’s victims.

“It is known that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls over many years. Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others. He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims,” said the statement.

The settlement comes as a respite for Prince Andrew, who was stripped of his military duties and royal patronages by the British royal family in January, after the US District Court of New York turned down his plea for dismissal of Giuffre’s lawsuit.

Andrew had argued that he was immune from any liability based on the 2009 agreement between Giuffre and Epstein. However, the court noted that his immunity under the settlement in question was ambiguous, since it did not mention him explicitly.

Veteran Bengali Singer Sandhya Mukherjee Dies at 91

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Sandhya Mukherjee, the legendary Bengali singer, died on Tuesday after suffering a massive cardiac arrest. A hospital official told PTI that the 91-year-old breathed her last at 7.30 pm on Tuesday.

Mukherjee had been in the hospital since January 27. She was taken to SSKM hospital after suffering a fall in the bathroom of her south Kolkata residence. The singer had sustained a fracture in the left side of her neck due to the fall and also suffered from multi-organ dysfunction. She tested positive for Covid-19 as well.

She was put on vasopressor support and moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on Tuesday following a drop in her blood pressure, a senior hospital official told PTI. “She suffered a massive heart attack at around 7.30 pm following which she expired,” the official added.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the singer’s mortal remains would be kept at the Rabindra Sadan from noon till 5 pm on Wednesday for people to pay their last respects. She added that Mukherjee’s last rites will be conducted with full state honours, including a gun salute.

The chief minister also took to Twitter and mourned the loss of the iconic singer. She wrote, “Deeply saddened that Geetashree Sandhya Mukhopadhyay, the queen of melody in Bengal, is no more. Her departure creates an eternal void in our world of music and in the hearts of millions of her followers here and in the diaspora. I used to look up to her as my elder sister and this is a grave personal loss to me. She used to be the moving spirit in our Sangeet Akademi and we had conferred upon her Bangabibhushan (2011), Sangeet Mahasamman (2012), etc. We shall continue to pay our tributes to the departed genius.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences on Twitter and said, “The passing away of Gitashree Sandhya Mukhopadhyay Ji leaves us all extremely saddened. Our cultural world is a lot poorer. Her melodious renditions will continue to enthral the coming generations. My thoughts are with her family and admirers in this sad hour.”

In a career spanning over eight decades, Mukherjee has thousands of songs in Bengali and nearly a dozen other languages to her credit. She received the Banga Bibhusan, highest civilian honour bestowed by the West Bengal government, in 2011 and the National Film Award for best female playback singer in 1970 for the films, Jay Jayanti and Nishi Padma.

Recently, Mukherjee had refused the Padma Shri award from the Government of India, stating that it was more appropriate for a junior artiste and not someone of her stature.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law.

Tributes Pour in for Late Composer Bappi Lahiri from Film Fraternity, Cricketers, Politicians & Others

BY Namrata Ganguly On

Following the demise of Bappi Lahiri on Tuesday, celebrities from all fields, including various Indian film industries, cricketers, writers, journalists and politicians paid tribute to the late veteran singer and music composer on social media.

The health of the late musician, who had been admitted to a Mumbai hospital for a month, took a sudden bad turn on Tuesday and he died due to OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) late that night.

Known as the ‘Disco King’, Lahiri was born in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri. In a career spanning over five decades, Lahiri sung over 300 songs and composed more than 1900 songs in several languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, and Gujarati. He won multiple Filmfare awards for Best Music Director and a Lifetime Achievement Award for songs in Hindi films such as Armaan, Namak Halaal, Sharaabi, Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki, Tohfa, and Aaj Ka Arjun. He was also conferred with the Bangabibhushan Award, the highest civilian award of West Bengal.

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta, who had worked with Lahiri in the past, tweeted, “Another legend gone. Had the good fortune of working closely with him when I shot an ad for P&G and then when I worked with White Feather Films for Sanjay Gupta. Man of incredible melody and talent.”

“Bappi Da was so endearing in person. But, his music had an edge. He introduced a more contemporary style to Hindi film music with Chalte Chalte, Suraksha & Disco Dancer,” wrote actor Ajay Devgn, adding that he will be missed.

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit expressed his shock over the death of the singer, whom he termed ‘rockstar’, and wrote, “Can’t believe my next door neighbour is no more. Your music will always remain in our hearts.”

Veteran singer Adnan Sami also expressed his disbelief and said farewell to Lahiri through Hindi song lyrics. He wrote on Twitter, “He was India’s first ‘ROCK STAR’! He was full of love & generosity! Will miss him dearly… Chalte Chalte… Mere Ye Geet Yaad Rakhna… Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna… Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna… Rest in peace dear Bappi Da.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his condolences and tweeted, “Shri Bappi Lahiri Ji’s music was all encompassing, beautifully expressing diverse emotions. People across generations could relate to his works. His lively nature will be missed by everyone. Saddened by his demise.”

Expressing her shock and condolences upon Lahiri’s demise, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote, “Shocked to hear about the untimely demise of legendary singer and music composer Bappi Lahiri. A boy from our North Bengal, he rose to all-India fame and success by the dint of his sheer talent and hard work, and made us proud by his musical contributions. We had conferred on him our highest state civilian award ‘Bangabibhushan’ and will continue to remember the genius. My sincere condolences.”

The Ministry of Culture also shared its tribute on Twitter, and wrote,”His songs will echo in the hearts of music lovers till eternity.”

Photo Source: Twitter

Others who paid tribute to Lahiri included actors Siddharth Malhotra,  Akanksha Puri, filmmaker Bobby, cricketer Yuvraj Singh, poet and writer Manoj Muntashir, author and actor Suhel Seth, and several politicians.

The late singer-composer is survived by his wife Chitrani Lahiri, daughter and singer Rema Lahiri Bansal, and son Bappa Lahiri.

Bappi Lahiri, Veteran Singer-Composer, Dies at 69

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Bappi Lahiri, the veteran music composer and singer best known for popularising disco music in Indian cinema, died at Mumbai’s CritiCare Hospital on Tuesday night, PTI reported. He was 69.

Dr Deepak Namjoshi, director of the hospital, told PTI, “Lahiri had been admitted to the hospital for a month and was discharged on Monday. But his health deteriorated on Tuesday and his family called for a doctor to visit their home. He was brought to the hospital. He had multiple health issues. He died due to OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) shortly before midnight.”

Last year, the singer was admitted to Breach Candy in Mumbai in April as a “precautionary measure” after presenting mild symptoms of Covid-19.

His spokesperson had then told ANI, “Despite utmost precautions, unfortunately, Mr Bappi Lahiri has tested positive for Covid-19. He is under very good and expert care at the Breach Candy Hospital.”

Lahiri, who was known as the ‘Disco King’ of Indian cinema, had a string of blockbusters in the 1980s and 1990s, including soundtracks such as Wardat, Disco Dancer, Namak Halaal, Dance Dance, Commando, Saheb, Gang Leader, Sailaab, and Sharaabi.

Born in 1952 in Calcutta, Lahiri received his first opportunity in a Bengali film, Daadu (1972). The first Hindi movie for which he composed music was Nanha Shikari (1973). However, his breakthrough film in the Hindi industry was Tahir Husain’s Zakhmee (1975), for which he composed music and doubled as a playback singer.

In 2016, Lahiri voiced the character Tamatoa in the Hindi-dubbed version of Moana, the animated Disney hit. He also sang a song for the dubbed version of the film.

His last Hindi song titled Bhankas was for the 2020 film Baaghi 3 and his last television appearance was on the reality show Bigg Boss 15, where he had come to promote the launch of his grandson Swastik’s new song, Baccha Party.

Lahiri is survived by his son Bappa and daughter Rema.

Female Actor Assault Case: Survivor Requests HC to Hear Her Before Deciding on Dileep’s Plea Against Further Probe

BY Chandhini R On

The female Malayalam actor who was abducted and sexually assaulted in 2017 has requested to be heard by the Kerala High Court, before it passes judgement on actor Dileep’s plea to suspend further investigation in the case. 

Dileep’s advocate Philip T Varghese earlier told Silverscreen India that they had filed this petition seeking to stop further investigation in the assault case as it was holding up the trial.

In his plea, Dileep argued that further probe in the case should not be permitted as the final report had already been filed in November 2017, with the charges framed in January 2020. Further, only one prosecution witness, the investigating officer, was left to be examined, his petition noted.

Even as the trial was ongoing, a fresh probe was launched in the case this year based on filmmaker Balachandra Kumar’s allegations against the actor and his associates.

Dileep wants the High Court to declare this new probe illegal, suspend further investigation in the case, and direct the trial court to resume the trial for the 2017 case. “In the name of further investigation, what is being carried out is a series of vindictive acts by a set of police officers, including very senior officers. They also want to impose a case against the petitioner and all the other male members of his family and people who are closely associated with him,” his counsel argued.

When Dileep’s plea was heard on Tuesday, the survivor submitted an application through Senior Advocate S Sreekumar, stating that she wanted the court to hear her before deciding on the plea. Following this, the hearing was adjourned to Monday, February 21.

Meanwhile, Dileep also moved the HC on Monday seeking to quash the FIR filed against him in the murder to conspiracy case, which was registered based on Kumar’s allegations. He further requested that the investigation to be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), if the case cannot be revoked.

For a full timeline of the female actor abduction and assault case, see here.

Dileep Moves Kerala HC to Cancel FIR in Conspiracy to Murder Case or Transfer Investigation to CBI

BY Chandhini R On

Actor Dileep has moved the Kerala High Court seeking to quash the FIR filed against him for allegedly conspiring to kill the police officials who investigated his role in the female actor abduction and assault case.

If the case cannot be revoked, he has requested for the investigation to at least be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

On January 9, the Kerala crime branch had filed an FIR against Dileep and his associates in the conspiracy to murder case. The FIR was filed based on allegations raised by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar.

Following this, Dileep, who is currently facing trial as the chief conspirator behind the 2017 abduction and assault of the female actor, moved to the Kerala High court seeking anticipatory bail in the new FIR. And on February 7, the court granted him conditional pre-arrest bail, noting that there appeared to be no material to suggest that the accused actor had been engaged in criminal conspiracy to target the investigating officers.

Dileep has now again moved the HC, seeking to cancel the FIR altogether in the new case against him. His plea, filed through advocate Philip T Varghese, alleges that the FIR is “a vindictive, ill-motivated, pre-determined and malafide act executed with oblique motives.”

It further claims that this case has been registered simply to fabricate evidence in the actor assault case. The petition adds that the FIR was registered in violation of provisions of Section 154 of CrPC (information in cognizable cases) and contends that the investigation officer used false and unsigned statements that Kumar provided owing to a personal vendetta.

In the event of the court not quashing the FIR, Dileep has made an appeal for the investigation to be transferred to CBI from the Kerala State Police. He claims that as the petitioners in the case are all senior officials in the department, the Kerala Police will not carry out a “fair, unbiased, non-partisan and honest investigation.”

Meanwhile, Dileep’s advocate Varghese told Silverscreen India that they had earlier filed a separate petition, seeking to suspend further investigation in the actor abduction case. He noted that the trial in the 2017 case was halted due to continued investigation, and hence the plea was filed.

For a full timeline of the female actor abduction and assault case, see here.