Section: Life

Dileep Raises Extortion Allegations Against Balachandra Kumar; Interrogation of Actor & Other Accused Continues

BY Chandhini R On

Actor Dileep, an accused in the 2017 female actor abduction and assault case, has raised counter allegations of extortion against filmmaker Balachandra Kumar, whose evidence led to a fresh probe being launched in the case.

The actor, who was recently also booked for allegedly conspiring to kill the investigators in the 2017 case, based on audio clips released by Kumar, claimed in a reply filed before the Kerala High Court that the latter extorted Rs 10 lakh from him on various occasions. According to the actor, Kumar had said that it was his interventions that helped the former get bail in the actor assault case and had demanded money for the same.

As per Dileep’s statement, Kumar claimed he had a close relationship with the bishop of Neyyattinkara through his wife, who is a Latin Catholic Christian. The filmmaker allegedly contacted Dileep’s brother Anoop and brother-in-law Suraj and said that through the bishop, he could inform various dignitaries, like the chief minister, various ministers and senior police officers, about the “true facts” of the case and thus bring about Dileep’s exoneration.

The actor’s statement noted that Kumar was one of the 18 visitors he had when he was in jail in 2017. It further added that a month after Dileep was released on bail, the filmmaker contacted him demanding money for facilitating his release. Kumar allegedly told Dileep that he needed the money to pay off the bishop and other persons who had aided in the process. The actor added that when he refused to pay him, Kumar threatened to call ADGP Sandhya and make allegations against him.

Following Dileep’s statement to the court, the diocese of Neyyattinkara issued a clarification on Sunday stating that their bishop Vincent Samuel had no involvement in the 2017 actor assault case. The statement from the diocese added that the bishop had no connection with the accused or the person who accused the actor.

In his statement to the court, Dileep further added that Kumar had a grudge against him as he had refused to work on a film that the director and he had discussed. His statement also noted that the digital evidence against him is unreliable. Pointing out that the police have not found the tablet which was said to be used to record the conversation between Dileep and his associates, the actor said this indicated that the evidence was fabricated. 

Meanwhile, the police have seized Dileep’s chat records with Kumar. Also, as per the high court’s order on Saturday, the actor and the others accused of conspiring to kill the policemen who probed the 2017 case, appeared before the crime branch for interrogation for the second day in a row on Monday. Their questioning began on Sunday and will continue till Tuesday. The court has ordered the prosecution to submit a report on the interrogation in a sealed cover on Thursday.

The five accused are being questioned by five separate teams under the supervision of Superintendent of Police MP Mohanachandran. On Sunday, the accused were interrogated for 11 hours.

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

Kerala HC Grants Dileep Interim Protection From Arrest, Directs Him to Appear Before Police For Questioning

BY Chandhini R On

The Kerala High Court, on Saturday, granted actor Dileep and his associates interim protection from arrest till January 27, while hearing their anticipatory bail pleas in the conspiracy to murder case. The court also ordered the accused to appear before the state police for questioning.

The Kerala crime branch had filed an FIR against Dileep and four others, for allegedly conspiring to kill police officials who investigated them, in the female actor abduction and assault case, in which Dileep is the eighth accused. The FIR was filed based on allegations raised by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar. Following this, the accused moved to the Kerala High court, seeking pre-arrest bail in the new case filed against them.

The accused have now been ordered to appear before the Crime Branch, Ernakulam on January 23, 24 and 25 for interrogation between 9 am to 8 pm. 

Justice Gopinath P, during Saturday’s hearing, noted that the petitioners shall fully cooperate in the investigation and that any violation or attempt to impede the process of investigation will be viewed seriously by the court. He added that any such violation will lead to the cancellation of the order of protection. 

He said, “There are some materials that the director-general of prosecution [TA Shaji] had shown me. I cannot reveal that. It shows that there is a possibility of investigation being influenced. It is disturbing to say the least.” 

The court observed that conspiracy to commit a crime is itself an offence and that the state is entitled to investigate it. The court added that the allegation of conspiring to kill investigating police officers is serious and it needs to be investigated. 

“Please tell your clients that I am very very serious and that any violation will be dealt with seriously. Don’t attempt anything unnecessary, don’t even think about it,” the court warned the petitioners.

Earlier, when the hearing was scheduled on Friday, the justice said that it will be better to hear the case in the physical courtroom on Saturday as the case files are bulky. 

The next hearing in the case is scheduled on January 27 and the justice has directed the director-general of the prosecution to submit the collected materials based on the investigation to the court. 

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

SC Dismisses Plea to Censor Kangana Ranaut’s Social Media Posts & Club FIRs against Her for Comments on the Sikh Community

BY Namrata Ganguly On

The Supreme Court, on Friday, dismissed a petition filed by a lawyer seeking to club all the FIRs registered against Kangana Ranaut across the country over her outbursts against the Sikh community and to censor all her social media posts.

Since October 2020, Ranaut has expressed support via social media for the three Farm Bills that were passed by the Indian parliament during the 2020 monsoon session. The bills were met with strong opposition from farmers, particularly those from Punjab’s Sikh community, who protested for more than a year on the borders of Delhi. Throughout this time, Ranaut also derided the protesting farmers and called them “terrorists,” “Khalistanis” and “anti-social elements.”

Complaints were filed over her social media posts and FIRs were registered in different parts of the country over her tweets.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision to repeal the Farm Bills in November 2021, Ranaut, whose Twitter account had been suspended, took to her Instagram page and put out inflammatory posts about the Sikh community and the protesting farmers.

Following this, an FIR was registered against the actor on November 23, 2021 under IPC section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage reli­gious feelings by insulting a religion) based on a complaint filed by the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) at Mumbai’s Khar Police Station.

On Friday, the Supreme Court was hearing a petition filed by lawyer Sardar Charanjeet Singh Chanderpal, who sought for all the FIRs against Ranaut in the matter to be clubbed and investigated by the Khar Police station in Mumbai, with a request for a chargesheet to be filed within six months and the trial to be completed in two years.

The court questioned why Chaderpal, who was neither an accused nor a complainant in the case, was filing such a plea. The court further remarked that if the accused had requested the clubbing of the FIRs, the court might consider it but would not do so “at the behest of a third party.” It also noted that the petitioner had already filed a private complaint on the matter and thus disposed his plea to club the FIRs.

In the same petition, Chaderpal also asked the court to direct the Union Home Ministry, IT Ministry, TRAI and the police authorities of different states to take preventive action on social media against the actor by censoring her posts to maintain law and order in the country.

The court also turned down this plea and said remedies for this are available under the law via the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and it was not for the court to issue such an order.

To further argument from the petitioner, citing things that Ranaut allegedly said in her social media posts, the court said, “You are doing your cause a disservice by publicising what she has said. The more you publicise it, the more you serve her cause. So please stop repeating.”

The FIRs over her statements against the Sikh community and the protesting farmers are only the latest in a series of complaints and cases Ranaut has been slapped with. Other complaints registered against the actor include two FIRs registered in West Bengal for her tweets in the aftermath of the Legislative Assembly elections in the state, a defamation case filed by lyricist Javed Akhtar, and a complaint registered against the actor and her sister Rangoli Chandel for posting hateful statements against the Muslim community.

Priyanka Chopra And Nick Jonas Welcome Baby Via Surrogacy

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas and her husband Nick Jonas have welcomed their first child through surrogacy. The couple, who have been married for three years, announced the news on Instagram.

“We are overjoyed to confirm that we have welcomed a baby via a surrogate. We respectfully ask for privacy during this special time as we focus on our family,” they wrote. The child’s name has not been disclosed yet.

A report in TMZ states that the baby is a girl and adds that their sources said the baby was born on Saturday in a Southern California hospital.

Lara Dutta, Pooja Hegde, Lilly Singh, Kal Penn, and Farhan Akhtar were among the many celebrities who congratulated the couple on the occasion.

In a Vanity Fair interview published earlier this month, when asked about her plans of having a child with Nick, Chopra had said, “They (kids) are a big part of our desire for the future. By God’s grace, when it happens, it happens.” When asked whether she would slow down on the career front after embracing motherhood, she said, “I’m okay with that. We’re both okay with that.”

Chopra and Jonas met at the grand fashion event, Met Gala, in 2017, where they represented designer Ralph Lauren. The couple were married in December 2018.

On the work front, Chopra is set to star in her first lead role in a Hollywood feature film, Text for You. She also has Citadel, a global action series franchise with spin-offs in Italy, India, Spain, and Mexico, in the works, alongside Richard Madden. Apart from this, the actor is also developing the series Sheela for Amazon, in which she will play Ma Anand Sheela, an Indian-born Swiss woman infamous for her part in the 1984 Rajneeshee bio-terror attack in Oregon.

Chopra will also return to the Indian film industry with a Hindi film, Farhan Akhtar’s road-trip movie revolving around three women, which will co-star actors Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt.

Madras HC Restrains Leena Manimekalai, Susi Ganesan from Discussing Ongoing MeToo Allegation and Defamation Case in Public

BY Anusha Sundar On

The Madras High Court, on Thursday, passed a temporary order restraining filmmaker-poet Leena Manimekalai and director Susi Ganesan from publicly discussing their respective stances in their ongoing legal battle over the #MeToo sexual harassment allegations raised by Leena against Ganesan.

This means neither of them can make any public comments on the issue on social media or speak to the press about the proceedings.

The order was passed after Ganesan, who has filed a civil defamation case at the High Court, sought an interim order restraining Leena from making public statements against him.

Earlier, Ganesan had also filed a criminal defamation case against Leena, at the Saidapet Magistrate court in Chennai, which is still ongoing.

Ganesan’s civil suit also names others such as singer Chinmayi Sripada, Twitter India, Google LLC, Meta (Facebook), Dhanya Rajendran (Editor of The News Minute), and Dhivya Marunthiah. It seeks damages and a permanent injunction restraining all those named from making any defamatory statements him.

In the suit, Ganesan has alleged that Leena, in “connivance” with Chinmayi, posted a tweet that was “defamatory enough to negatively impact” his career prospects as a “reputed filmmaker.” He added that the tweet, which was retweeted by Chinmayi, Dhanya, and Dhivya, among others, accused him and his wife of threatening actor Amala Paul for outing his alleged predatory behaviour. Amala has also accused Ganesan of sexual harassment.

The director has said that Leena’s statements are “highly defamatory, absolutely false” and intend to tarnish his reputation. He also mentioned that they “spoiled his image” with music director Ilaiyaraaja, whom Ganesan is set to collaborate with for an upcoming film. Also referring to an interview given by Leena to Dhanya for TNM, Ganesan claimed that it contained statements “detrimental” to his image.

Justice Abdul Quddhose, after hearing the arguments, concluded that “irreparable injury” could result from such public statements, if the allegations levied against Ganesan were ultimately proved to be false during the trial.

The judge thus directed that both parties shall not approach the media or publicly discuss the case, while it was still subjudice.

Kerala HC to Hear Dileep’s Bail Plea Physically on Saturday; Actor Charged With Conspiracy to Murder

BY Chandhini R On

The Kerala High Court has decided to hear actor Dileep’s anticipatory bail plea in the physical courtroom on Saturday, Bar and Bench reported. 

The Kerala crime branch had filed an FIR against Dileep and four others, for allegedly conspiring to kill police officials who investigated them, in the female actor abduction and assault case. The investigation was carried out based on allegations

raised by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar. Following this, the accused moved to the Kerala High court, seeking pre-arrest bail in the new case filed against them.

According to the report, the anticipatory bail pleas of Dileep and other accused were posted for hearing, on Friday. While hearing the lawyers’ statements before commencement of court, Justice Gopinath P said that it might be better to proceed with the case in physical court on Saturday since the case files were bulky.

He went on to explain his decision and stated,”It is not that this case is more important than others but I hear there is a counter affidavit and lots of material to go through. We can have a patient hearing and decide one way or the other.”

The prosecution, accused counsel and others did not oppose the justice’s suggestion and noted that they would also prefer to argue in physical court.

With a surge in Covid-19 cases in the state, the Kerala High Court has been functioning virtually since January 17. The court has also notified that in exceptional cases, the concerned judge can decide if they want to hear any particular case in the physical court. However, the members of the public shall be restricted. 

Meanwhile, the Crime Branch on Friday included the conspiracy to murder charge, section 302 IPC, in the case against actor Dileep and the other accused parties. The murder charge was added along with Section 120B, in the charge sheet. The report, which mentioned the inclusion of the additional charge, was submitted by MP Mohana Chandran, Police Superintendent of Ernakulam Crime Branch to the First Class Magistrate Court 1, Aluva.

Meanwhile, the Kerala police has opposed the actor’s bail plea, on Thursday. According to The News Minute, in a 68-page statement filed before the Kerala High Court, they noted that for the first time in history, a gang has been hired to commit a sexual offence along with a “criminal conspiracy to harm even the life of investigating officers.”  

The police stated that Dileep has contributed to the resignations of special prosecutors from the case, along with 20 witnesses turning hostile during its trial. They also wrote that Dileep “attempted to thwart the legal process at each and every stage of the proceedings of the case.”

Further, the police added that Dileep has approached courts with “flimsy and frivolous cases,” to try and “extricate himself from the clutches of law.”

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

Actor Siddharth Summoned by Chennai Police; Faces Defamation Case over Comment on Saina Nehwal

BY Anusha Sundar On

Actor Siddharth has been summoned by the Chennai city police in connection with a defamation case over his recent comment on badminton player Saina Nehwal in response to her tweet on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security breach incident in Punjab.

“We’ve actually received two complaints,” said Chennai Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal, on Thursday, explaining that one of these is not a criminal case but a defamation complaint. “We only need his statement,” the commissioner added, confirming that the actor has been summoned by the police.

The issue dates to early January, when Nehwal had tweeted condemning the incident in Punjab’s Ferozepur, where Modi’s convoy was reportedly blocked on a flyover, causing a security breach for a brief period of time. Retweeting Nehwal’s comment, Siddharth, in a now-deleted tweet, wrote, “Subtle cock champion of the world… Thank God we have protectors of India. Shame on you #Rihanna.”

Soon after this, prominent personalities such as actor and BJP member Khushbu and singer Chinmayi Sripada, criticised Siddharth’s tweet. The National Commission for Women (NCW) too called the actor out for his “lewd comment” on Nehwal. The NCW also termed the comment “misogynist and outrageous to the modesty of a woman amounting to disrespect and insult to the dignity of women on social media platforms” and wrote to the Maharashtra and Chennai police urging investigation and the registration of an FIR in the matter.

As the issue escalated, Siddharth posted a follow-up to his previous tweet to clarify his comment and said, “nothing disrespectful was intended.” He also subsequently issued a public apology to Nehwal.

Nehwal acknowledged Siddharth’s apology and said, “He said something about me first and then apologised. I don’t even know why it went so viral. I was surprised to see myself trending on Twitter. Happy that Siddharth has apologised.”

However, the actor has still been facing heat over the incident.

It is to be noted that Siddharth was previously booked by the Cyber Crime Wing of the Hyderabad police for his comments, based on the complaint of a social activist named Prerna over the same issue. The Hyderabad police booked the actor under Sections 509 of the IPC (insulting the modesty of a woman) and 67 of the Information Technology Act (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form).

Britney Spears’ Father Urges Unsealing All Documents in Conservatorship Case; Her Lawyer Terms the Request ‘Offensive’

BY Namrata Ganguly On

During a court hearing on Wednesday, Britney Spears‘ lawyer called her father Jamie Spears’ request to unseal all the documents from the conservatorship case “offensive” and “highly inappropriate.”

“We don’t think a father who loves his daughter would file to unseal her medical records,” the American pop singer’s lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, said.

Rosengart and Jamie Spears’ lawyer were engaged in a verbal spat during the three-hour legal battle. It was primarily regarding two issues: a disagreement over the payment of attorney fees and allegations that Jamie Spears was involved in the illegal surveillance of his daughter.

During the hearing, Rosengart claimed that his firm had “strong evidence” regarding Jamie Spears’ involvement in “very intense and potentially illegal” surveillance of the singer. This was initially brought to light in a New York Times documentary titled Controlling Britney Spears.

Jamie Spears’ attorney denied the allegations and accused Rosengart of making up false stories. He accused the latter of passing on these surveillance accusations to the media without providing any evidence to back his claims.

Rosengart countered that this was a lie and accused the opposition of making “nonsensical” claims.

In a court filing on the same day, Rosengart’s firm also revealed that it had retained an FBI special agent to conduct an investigation into Jamie’s management of Britney’s estate during the 13-year long conservatorship. The filing also stated that the investigation verified the claims in the documentary regarding the secret surveillance on the singer, which her father had carried out by hiring a security firm named Black Box.

Jamie Spears’ attorney, however, claimed that Rosengart and Spears are using the press and social media to get their side of the story out to the public, and asked the court to therefore unseal all records from the entire conservatorship case for people to hear the “truth.”

Jamie Spears’ Demand for Payment of Ongoing Legal Fees 

Meanwhile, the two legal teams are still battling it out over whether Britney must pay the legal fees incurred by Jamie when he was in charge of her finances.

New court filings from Britney’s counsel, ahead of Wednesday’s hearing, state that Jamie Spears and his lawyers took more than $36 million from the singer’s estate. Jamie even used some of his earnings as her conservator to pitch his own reality show, they further state.

These documents were filed in response to Jamie’s demand that his daughter continue to pay his legal fees despite being suspended from the conservatorship, which has since been terminated.

Rosengart’s firm further stated that Jamie Spears also “petitioned for fees to be paid to dozens of different law firms” amounting to “more than $30 million.” 

Britney Spears vs Sister Jamie Lynn Spears 

Photo Source: Silverscreen Media Library

The singer has, meanwhile, been engaged in a tussle with her sister Jamie Lynn Spears over the latter’s new memoir Things I Should Have Said.

Stating that she won’t be bullied in her sister’s memoir, which is said to touch upon their relationship and Britney’s conservatorship, the singer has sent a cease-and-desist letter to her sister.

“We write with some hesitation because the last thing Britney wants is to bring more attention to your ill-timed book and its misleading or outrageous claims about her,” reads the letter, obtained by Variety. 

The letter further says, “Although Britney has not read and does not intend to read your book, she and millions of her fans were shocked to see how you have exploited her for monetary gain.”

“Having endured a 13-year conservatorship that stripped her of civil rights and fundamental liberties, Britney will no longer be bullied by her father or anyone else. Britney was the family’s breadwinner and she also otherwise supported you. Publicly airing false or fantastical grievances is wrong, especially when designed to sell books. It is also potentially unlawful and defamatory,” the letter adds.

However, after the hearing on Wednesday, Rosengart, when asked if Britney Spears should give sister Jamie Lynn a chance to patch things up, said that he hopes “everybody gets along.”

French Actor Gaspard Ulliel Dies at 37 after Skiing Accident

BY Shrija Ganguly On

Gaspard Ulliel, the French actor, passed away on Wednesday after meeting with an accident while skiing in the Savoie region of France. He was 37.

Ulliel’s family confirmed his death to AFP. He was reportedly skiing in the Alps on Tuesday, and after colliding with another person, suffered from severe brain trauma. He was airlifted to a hospital in Grenoble, where he passed away the following day.

The actor had recently joined the cast of Marvel’s upcoming series, Moon Knight. He died just a day after Marvel released the show’s trailer online. The late actor essayed the role of Anton Mogart also known as the ‘Midnight Man’.

Born on November 25, 1984, Ulliel started performing at the age of 11, in television and drama. He earned two César Award nominations in 2002 and 2003 for the films, Summer Things and Strayed, respectively. Subsequently, he won his first César Award in 2004 for the film A Very Long Engagement. His role in the World War I drama won him the Most Promising Actor award.

Ulliel went on to achieve international acclaim with the 2007 psychological horror film, Hannibal Rising. He played the younger version of Hannibal Lector in the film, which also marked his English-language debut. In 2014, he starred in the biopic Saint Laurent, portraying the French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. This earned him a Lumières Award for Best Actor, as well as another César nomination.

He proceeded to win his second César Award for Best Actor in 2017 for his role in the drama film, It’s Only the End of the World.

Ulliel was bitten by a dog as a child and it left a scar on his face that he later said helped him, professionally and personally, as it looked like a dimple.

Apart from working in films, Ulliel was also a model. He was the face of French luxury brand Chanel, specifically its perfume line for men.

He is survived by partner and singer Gaelle Pietri and their son.

Several dignitaries and artists shared their tributes in remembrance of the late actor.

France’s culture minister Roselyne Bachelot spoke on a French television news channel and said, “Such a brilliant actor who was reaped by the sickle of death at the peak of his career. For almost 20 years, he was present in our lives with magnificent performances.”

Thierry Fremaux, director of the Cannes Film Festival, told Variety, “Gaspard belonged to this new generation of actors who were making tomorrow’s French cinema. He knew how to select his roles.”

“Heartbroken. Gaspard was benevolence and kindness. Beauty and talent. Thoughts for his family,” wrote actor and colleague Pierre Niney, on Twitter.

SC Grants Interim Protection to Poonam Pandey in 2020 Porn Film Case

BY Namrata Ganguly On

Poonam Pandey, the Indian model and actor, was granted interim protection from arrest by the Supreme Court on Tuesday in the ongoing 2020 porn film case.

The other accused in the case include Raj Kundra, businessman and husband of actor Shilpa Shetty, and actor Sherlyn Chopra.

The Supreme Court, which was hearing Pandey’s Special Leave Petition appealing the Bombay High Court’s November order denying her protection, issued notice to the prosecution for a response and ordered that no coercive action be taken against Pandey in the meanwhile.

The case dates back to October 2020, when the Cyber Cell registered an FIR based on a complaint by Madhukar Krishan Keni, a 67-year-old retired Customs and Central Excise officer, about the broadcasting of nude, erotic content on an OTT platform.

The FIR was lodged under section 292 (sale of obscene material) of the Indian Penal Code, sections 67 and 67A (transmission of sexually explicit material) of the IT Act, and provisions of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.

On November 6, 2020, over 20 people were booked by the Nodal Cyber Police, Mumbai.

In August 2021, the Bombay High Court had granted Kundra interim protection from arrest in this case, while he was in jail for a similar charge of pornography, which has been under investigation since February 2021. This protection was later extended until September 20.

In November 2021, the Bombay High Court had denied anticipatory bail to six of the accused in the 2020 pornography case, including Pandey, Kundra and Chopra, but granted them four weeks to approach the Supreme Court.

Following the order, Pandey submitted her plea for relief at the apex court. She argued that she was not a partner or owner of any of the platforms in question and the complaint against her only concerned a video of hers that was available on some of those websites. Claiming that she was a victim in the case and not an accused, Pandey also stated that all of her videos featured on porn websites were already blocked by the Indian Government back in 2015.

The Supreme Court has now granted her interim protection from arrest until a response is received from the prosecution.

Earlier, in December, the Supreme Court also granted four-week protection from arrest in this case to Kundra, who is currently out on bail in the ongoing 2021 porn film case.

Nikki Galrani’s Domestic Help Nabbed for Stealing the Actor’s Belongings

BY Anusha Sundar On

Based on a complaint filed by actor Nikki Galrani, Chennai city police, on Monday, nabbed the actor’s domestic help for allegedly stealing some of her belongings from her residence.

However, the 19-year-old, one Dhanush, was later released after being given a stern warning. No FIR has been registered against him.

Dhanush had been employed by Galrani to work at her residence in Royapettah, Chennai.

Speaking to Silverscreen India, Inspector Sivagami of D2 Anna Salai Police Station, Chennai, said, “He [Dhanush] comes from a rural background. Once he came to the city and started to work here, out of desire, he had stolen petty objects like Christmas lights and a hair trimmer.”

When he was found out, Galrani had warned him about not doing it again, the inspector added. “But he subsequently ran away with some of her belongings and the actor placed a complaint with the police. However, she asked us to only warn him, since he is very young. It would have been serious, if he had taken items like precious jewels,” the inspector further said.

Galrani’s complaint was filed on January 11, after which the police traced and picked up Dhanush at his native village near Virudhachalam, Tamil Nadu. Later, he was brought back to Chennai for questioning.

“After he was nabbed, he apologised for his behaviour and vowed never to do it again. His parents were also informed about the situation and were given a warning as well,” said the inspector.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Galrani was last seen in Raajavamsam, alongside actor-filmmaker Sasikumar. The film was recently released in theatres. The actor will next be seen with Shiva in the upcoming Tamil horror comedy film Idiot, directed by filmmaker Rambhala. She also has a Malayalam-Tamil bilingual coming up, titled The Feast. Starring Arjun Sarja, the film is said to be an action thriller.

Joss Whedon Denies Threatening Gal Gadot and Ray Fisher on ‘Justice League’ Set

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Joss Whedon, director of films including The Avengers and Justice League, has responded to multiple allegations of misconduct, denying claims from actors including Gal Gadot and Ray Fisher that he threatened them on set.

In an extensive New York magazine profile by Lila Shapiro, Whedon gave his first public responses to the allegations, which began in 2020 when Fisher shared his experiences on the set of Justice League. The actor had accused Whedon of “gross, abusive” behavior in July 2020. Whedon had overseen the reshoots, editing, and visual effects on Justice League for Snyder, who had stepped aside after the death of his daughter.

In April 2021, Fisher said, “I didn’t have any intention of playing him as a jovial, cathedral-cleaning individual. It was like he was assuming how Black people would respond rather than taking the advice from the only Black person – as far as I know – with any kind of creative impact on the project.”

In the New York profile that was published by Vulture on Monday, Whedon dismissed Fisher’s claims, saying he made the changes because the storyline featuring Cyborg didn’t work — and that he did not think Fisher had delivered a good performance. “We’re talking about a malevolent force.”

“We’re talking about a bad actor in both senses,” Whedon is quoted as saying in the New York article.

Responding to this, Fisher wrote on Twitter, “Looks like Joss Whedon got to direct an endgame after all … Rather than address all of the lies and buffoonery today — I will be celebrating the legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tomorrow the work continues.”

Whedon also denied Gadot’s allegations which stated that he “threatened” her career while working on Justice League.

“I don’t threaten people. Who does that?” Whedon told New York. “English is not her first language, and I tend to be annoyingly flowery in my speech.” Whedon said he told Gadot that she would have to tie his body to a railroad track before he would cut a scene she wanted to be removed and that Gadot misunderstood as Whedon threatening to tie her to a track instead.

However, in an email to New York, Gadot did not agree with Whedon’s version of events. “I understood perfectly,” she wrote.

In an earlier interview with Israel’s N 12 News, Gadot told Yuna Leibzon, “No. What I had with Joss basically is that he kind of threatened my career and said if I did something he would make my career miserable. I handled it on the spot,” when the journalist questioned her about reports of Whedon’s behaviour and if she was “going to let him get away with it”.

Following Fisher’s allegations, actors Charisma Carpenter, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and three others from the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer accused Whedon of bullying and abuse of power. Carpenter’s allegations included the director calling her fat after she became pregnant and asking her if she was “going to keep it.”

Whedon told New York he was “not mannerly” with Carpenter when she told him she was pregnant, but he denied ever calling her fat. “Most of my experiences with Charisma were delightful and charming,” Whedon said. “She struggled sometimes with her lines, but nobody could hit a punch line harder than her.”

The New York profile also revealed several disturbing accounts by women who had relationships with Whedon and described it as manipulation. Whedon told the magazine, “Could I have done marriage better? Don’t get me started. Could I have been a better showrunner? Absolutely. Should I have been nicer?” In the end, the filmmaker said, “I think I’m one of the nicer showrunners that’s ever been.”

Cartoonist Narayan Debnath, Creator of ‘Bantul The Great’, Dies at 96

BY Namrata Ganguly On

Narayan Debnath, the Bengali cartoonist, illustrator, writer and comics artist, died at a nursing home in South Kolkata on Tuesday morning, following a prolonged illness. He was 96.

Debnath, who was admitted to the hospital on December 24, was on ventilator support and died at 10.15 am on Tuesday, as per the official hospital report. He had suffered kidney and heart-related ailments.

Born in Shibpur, Howrah, the late cartoonist had begun his career freelancing for advertisement agencies creating movie slides and logos, after discontinuing college in his final year.

Debnath was introduced to the publishing house Dev Sahitya Kutir, in 1950, through a friend. He went on to illustrate a number of children’s books from 1950 to 1961.

He rose to popularity once he started his journey as a comics artist in 1962, with black-and-white pencil sketches of Handa Bhonda for the children’s magazine Shuktara. He moved on to creating his first sketches in colour for the famous comic strip and book, Bantul The Great, in 1965 and then, Nonte Phonte in 1969. These comics were later adapted for Bengali television under the same names and continue to be aired till date.

Debnath created over 2000 illustrations through his 60-year career, including Rabi Chobi (1961) about the childhood days of Rabindranath Tagore; Rajar Raja/Chobite Vivekananda (1962) that recreates the life of Swami Vivekananda; and Chitre Durgeshnandini (1962), which re-imagines Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay’s novel Durgeshnandini.

In 2021, the Indian government awarded Debnath with the fourth-highest civilian award, the Padma Shri. He is also the first and only comics artist in the country to receive a D Litt degree. Other awards bestowed on him include the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Banga Bibhusan.

Several actors, singers, politicians, authors, athletes, and the Indian Institute of Cartoonists paid their tributes to Debnath following his demise.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote, “Extremely sad that the noted litterateur, illustrator, cartoonist, and creator of some immortal characters for children’s world, Narayan Debnath is no more. He had created Bantul the Great, Handa Bhonda, Nonte Fonte, figures that have been etched in our hearts for decades.”

“We were proud to bestow upon him Bengal’s highest award Banga Bibhusan in 2013. His passing away is certainly an immeasurable loss to the world of literary creativity and comics. My deepest condolences to his family, friends, readers and countless fans and followers,” she further added.

Photo Source: Shilajit Facebook

Bengali actor Jeet said, “He will be in our hearts for generations to come with his legendary characters that are an irreplaceable part of our childhood. Narayan Debnath, rest in peace sir. My deepest condolences to his close ones.”

Actor Biswanath Basu took to social media to share his experience of meeting Debnath. He recalled how Debnath had told him that he would forget why he went to the market and come back home to start drawing. “You will always be remembered. I can never forget you because forgetting you will be like forgetting Bengali literature, Bengali cartoon, ignoring a Bengali life. I will try my best to leave you among the children,” he added.

“We had such a superhero within our reach, but our focus is only on Marvel, DC Comics. Narayan Debnath was actually the superhero of Bengal. Bengali and Indian literature will surely remember him,” wrote singer Sahana Bajpaie. 

Others who shared their condolences on social media included athlete Joydeep Karmakar, singers Shilajit and Anupam Roy, and actor Joyjeet Banerjee.

Debnath is survived by his two sons, a daughter and a granddaughter.

Female Actor Assault Case: Dileep Moves Kerala HC to Restrict Media Coverage

BY Ramya Ashok Kumar On

Actor Dileep, an accused in the female actor abduction and sexual assault case, approached the Kerala High Court on Monday seeking to restrict media coverage of the trial.

Filing a petition against the state’s police chief, the investigating officer and a private television news organisation, Dileep accused the prosecution and the investigation team of creating negative public sentiment against him through a media trial. The petition, filed by advocate Philip T Varghese, mentioned that an in-camera trial was mandated under Section 327 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Code for the case and noted that publishing details of it was unlawful.

According to The New Indian Express, the petition said, “They (investigating and prosecuting agencies) have sponsored and resorted to media trials as the same has no accountability and can be easily sponsored especially in a period where fake news and forms of unethical journalism are prevalent and it is easy to choose a suitable media house and use their services to propagate falsehood about the trial of the case.”

The petition also said that publishing the proceedings of the trial is a deliberate act of criminal contempt of court that hinders the administration of justice by prejudicing the trial.

The case so far

A female Malayalam actor was abducted on February 17, 2017, while she was travelling by car from Kochi to Thrissur. She was sexually assaulted and then dropped off. Soon after the incident, the first accused in the case, Pulsar Suni, the driver of the vehicle she was assaulted in, was arrested. In June 2017, Suni said that actor Dileep had conspired in the assault.

On July 20, 2017, Dileep was arrested as the eighth accused and the one who orchestrated the attack. After 85 days in jail, he was granted bail in October 2017.

In a new development in the case, in late December 2021, director Balachandra Kumar, who claims to be a former friend of the actor, alleged that Dileep had watched the video of the sexual assault at his house and added that the actor knew Suni. The filmmaker further alleged that Dileep had influenced some of the significant witnesses in the case, who had turned hostile during the trial.

Based on Kumar’s statements, a fresh probe was launched into the case.

Kumar also released certain audio clips in which Dileep and others can allegedly be heard planning to kill the investigation officers. Following this, on January 9, the Kerala Crime Branch filed a new FIR against Dileep and five others for conspiring to kill the investigators.

A new investigation team has been formed by the Kerala government to probe the case in view of these developments, and the prosecution team has filed requests for re-examination of certain witnesses and the summoning of new ones.

On Monday, following an appeal from the prosecution, the Kerala High Court allowed five new witnesses – namely, Nileesha, Kannadasan, Suresh D, Usha and Sathyamoorthy – to be summoned in the case. According to the prosecution, the first four need to be questioned to prove how the mobile phones used by the accused to commit conspiracy were obtained. The HC also allowed the request to obtain the original call detail records of the phones in question.

The court further directed the State to appoint a new Special Public Prosecutor within 10 days to complete the trial soon. Two SPPs in the case have resigned so far.

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

Ibrahim Ashk, Lyricist of ‘Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai’, Dies at 70

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Lyricist Ibrahim Ashk, known for penning songs for films like Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai and Koi… Mil Gaya died on Sunday due to Covid-19 pneumonia. He was 70.

The lyricist was admitted to Mumbai’s Meditech Hospital on Saturday after he complained of breathlessness, his daughter Musaffa told PTI.

“He was admitted to the hospital on Saturday after he became very ill. There, he was diagnosed with Covid-19. He had Covid pneumonia, which the doctors told us affected his lungs, and he had breathing difficulties. He passed away today (Sunday) around 4 pm,” she said, adding that his funeral would be held on Monday morning.

Actor Hrithik Roshan, who starred in the film Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, took to Twitter and posted his condolences. He wrote, “Thank you for touching my life with your beautiful words, Ibrahim Ashk sir.”

Ashk, an Urdu poet, has penned several popular Hindi songs like Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, Na Tum Jano Na Hum, Koi Mil Gaya, Idhar Chala Mein Udhar Chala, and Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage, among others.

Born in Madhya Pradesh, he did his post-graduation in Hindi Literature in 1974 from Indore University. Besides being a poet, Ashk also chose a career in journalism. As a journalist, Ashk worked for four years with the Daily Indore Samachar, six with Shama and Shushma magazines, and two with Sarita, a Hindi monthly magazine.

Journalist Shams Ur Rehman Alavi took to Twitter and remembered the writing of the lyricist. Along with an image of Ashk and a verse in his handwriting, Alavi wrote, “Got news that Urdu poet Ibrahim Ashk is no more. His couplet, in his handwriting: sitam ke haath mein talwaar ka zamaana hai yahi to jurat-e-izhaar ka zamaana hai [Tyranny has come armed with sword, so time to show courage in words].” He added that Ashk hailed from Badnagar in Ujjain, MP.

The poet is survived by his wife and three daughters.

Dhanush and Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth Announce Separation after 18 Years of Marriage

BY Anusha Sundar On

Actor Dhanush and filmmaker Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth have decided to part ways as husband and wife after 18 years of marriage.

In a joint statement issued on Monday, Dhanush and Aishwaryaa said, “18 years of togetherness as friends, couple, as parents and well wishers to each other. The journey has been of growth, understanding, adjusting and adapting. Today we stand at a place where our paths separate… Aishwaryaa/Dhanush and I have decided to part ways as a couple and take time to understand us as individuals for the better.”

Aishwaryaa, who is actor Rajinikanth’s elder daughter, married Dhanush, director Kasthuri Raja’s younger son, in an opulent ceremony on November 18, 2004. They have two sons, Yatra and Linga.

Professionally, Aishwaryaa and Dhanush collaborated on the former’s directorial debut 3, a psychological romantic drama in 2012, in which the actor played the lead alongside Shruti Haasan. The film shot to fame after the song Why This Kolaveri Di, sung by Dhanush, became a worldwide hit.

Both Dhanush and Aishwaryaa have collaborated with each other’s family members during the course of their careers. Dhanush has frequently worked with music composer Anirudh Ravichander, who is Aishwaryaa’s cousin, and has worked under her sister and filmmaker Soundarya Rajinikanth’s direction in Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 (2017). Aishwaryaa, on the other hand, sung the song Un Mela Aasadhaan along with Dhanush and Andrea Jeremiah for the film Aayirathil Oruvan (2010), helmed by Dhanush’s brother Selvaraghavan.

The duo have requested the media and fans to give them privacy and to respect their decision.

Dhanush, who was last seen in the Hindi film Atrangi Re, has several projects lined up, including Maaran with director Karthick Naren; the Tamil-Telugu bilingual Vaathi/Sir; Netflix’s The Gray Man, directed by the Russo Brothers; a second project with Karnan director Mari Selvaraj; the sequel to Aayirathil Oruvan with Selvaraghavan; and Thiruchitrambalam for Sun Pictures.

Aishwaryaa, meanwhile, will be directing a bilingual thriller for Lyca Productions.

Pandit Birju Maharaj Dies at 83; Tributes Pour in for the Veteran Kathak Dancer

BY Namrata Ganguly On

Pandit Birju Maharaj, the celebrated Kathak dancer and composer, died in the early hours of Monday in Delhi. He was 83.

The dancer’s grandson, Swaransh Mishra, shared the news of his demise on social media.

His granddaughter Ragini Maharaj told ANI that Maharaj had been under treatment for the past month. “He had sudden breathlessness at around 12:15 – 12:30 am last night,” she said, adding that he passed away despite being taken to a hospital within 10 minutes.

Also a Hindustani classical musician and vocalist, Maharaj was born in a family of Kathak dancers of the Lucknow Kalka-Bindadin Gharana, which includes his two uncles, Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj, and his father and guru, Acchan Maharaj. He began teaching Kathak at the age of 13, and later went on to open his own dance school ‘Kalashram’ in Delhi.

Maharaj’s contributions to Indian cinema include the two dance sequences he composed music and sang for in the Satyajit Ray directorial Shatranj ke Khilari, and his choreography for the song Kaahe Chhed Mohe in the 2002 Hindi film Devdas. He also won the National Award for Best Choreography for the song Unnai Kaanaathu (Vishwaroopam) in 2012.

He was a recipient of several other accolades too such as the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Sangam Kala Award, and Kalidas Samman. Maharaj was conferred the prestigious Padma Vibhushan by the Indian government in 1986.

Several celebrities and members of the film fraternity took to social media to pay their respects to the late dancer following the news of his demise.

Actor Madhuri Dixit Nene, who worked with Maharaj on Devdas, wrote about the lessons she learnt from him. “He was a legend but had a child-like innocence. He was my guru but also my friend. He taught me the intricacies of dance and abhinay but never failed to make me laugh at his funny anecdotes.”

“He has left behind grieving fans and students, but also left a legacy we will all carry forward. Thank you Maharajji for everything you taught me in dance along with humility, elegance and grace,” she further wrote.

Actor Hema Malini took to Twitter and said, “The nation mourns the passing of a true legend, Shri Birju Maharaj, Kathak exponent par excellence. His ghungroos were on his ankles till he breathed his last. I always admired and respected him as a giant of the medium of Kathak and will miss his presence on the firmament of dance.”

In a video message, actor Anupam Kher reminisced about meeting Maharaj often during his days at National School of Drama, when the latter used to give Kathak lessons in a neighbouring building, and paid tribute to the late dancer for his contributions to the art form.

Filmmaker Subhash Ghai shared his condolences in an Instagram post. “My first learning from Kathak dance maestro was in my college youth festival when he expressed a romantic conversation between Lord Krishna and Radha through his two eyes,” he wrote, adding that the late dancer has “given the world so much.”

Photo Source: Janhvi Kapoor Instagram

Other celebrities who shared their tributes included musician Adnan Sami, Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, actors Kamal Haasan, Kajol Devgn, Yami Gautam Dhar, Sumona Chakravarti, Hrishita Bhatt, and Janhvi Kapoor.

Maharaj is survived by three daughters, two sons, and five grandchildren.

Hema Committee Report Not Bound To Be Made Public: Kerala Women’s Commission

BY Chandhini R On

Kerala Women’s Commission Chairperson Sathidevi indicated on Sunday that the Hema committee report is not bound to be brought up before the state assembly for debate.

Her statement followed a meeting with members of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), including actors Parvathy Thiruvothu, Padmapriya, filmmakers Anjali Menon, Didi Damodaran, and playback singer Sayanora, at the government guest house in Kozhikode on Sunday.

Addressing the media after the meeting, the women’s commission chairperson said, “I learnt from the then Minister for Cultural Affairs that the [Hema] committee had not been set up under the Commission of Inquiry Act. So, the government is not bound to place it in the Assembly.” 

Headed by retired judge Hema, the committee was formed on July 1, 2017 by Kerala’s Department of Cultural Affairs in the aftermath of the Malayalam female actor abduction and sexual assault incident. Its aim was to study gender disparity, sexual harassment, and other such issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. Many women submitted testimonies before the commission, describing their traumatic experiences. A report was subsequently submitted to the government on December 31, 2019 and the WCC has been fighting to get this report made public since.

Justice Hema recently told The News Minute that the report has to remain confidential citing the need to “protect the interest of all concerned.” She added that this was not an attempt to protect the perpetrators and further said that the women who spoke to the committee were free to share their experiences of harassment in public, if they wanted to do so.

Sathidevi, meanwhile, brought up a different angle: that the committee and the government are not obligated to make the report public.

She said, however, that the government was expected to take follow-up measures based on the recommendations of the committee and stressed the need for legislation to monitor and regulate the functioning of the film industry. “Even years after the passage of the Equal Remuneration Act, disparity in wages is a reality in the industry. The commission is of the view that a production house should be given registration for filmmaking only after it sets up an ICC (Internal Complaints Committee, which is mandated by the Supreme Court). We will place these issues before the government,” she said. 

The Kerala government recently constituted a three-member committee to implement the recommendations of the Hema report. The panel consists of Chalachitra Academy Secretary Ajoy Chandran, a Deputy Secretary of the Department of Culture, and an Under Secretary of the Department of Law.

Meanwhile, members of the WCC addressed the media after the meeting with Sathidevi and expressed their disappointment on being told the contents of the Hema committee report would not be made public. Filmmaker Didi Damodaran noted that they still hoped this would happen and added that they would even go so far as to knock on the doors of concerned officials to ensure it.

Speaking about the ongoing female actor assault case, filmmaker Anjali Menon reiterated that survivors should get justice, with necessary steps taken to provide a fair trial. “In this industry, there are many unfair practices and this case is an example. We are working to ensure that this kind of incident does not happen again. We need systemic change and that’s our focus. We are hopeful that there will be change,” she said.

Alleppy Ranganath, Malayalam Music Composer & Lyricist, Passes Away at 73

BY Chandhini R On

Alleppey Ranganath, the Malayalam music director and lyricist, died on Sunday in Kottayam. According to a report by Onmanorama, the 73-year-old composer was undergoing treatment at Kottayam Medical College for Covid-19. 

Ranganath has composed over a thousand songs, both in Malayalam and Tamil. Last week, He received the ‘Harivarasanam Award’ for his contribution to devotional songs dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. He is married to B Rajasri, a classical dancer and teacher.

According to the report, he was born on March 9, 1949, at Mullakkal in Alleppy district, being the oldest son in a family of musicians. Ranganath was introduced to music for the first time, by his father, who believed that an artist must master all forms of art. This notion sparked Ranganath’s interest towards learning Bharatanatyam and classical music, at an early age.

Later in 1968, he shifted to his uncle’s house in Ponkunnam to study for acquiring the Malayalam Vidwan title, exposing Ranganath to the field of drama, for the first time. He went on to compose two songs in the play Kanaljalam, backed by People’s Arts Club at Kanjirappally, which were well-received.

After Alappuzha Redstar Theaters was founded under the supervision of Vayalar Vinayachandran, at the insistence of CPI, Ranganathan became more involved with drama. He wrote the script and songs, composed music, and directed a play named Darsanam. His claim to fame ensued after two years, when his play was also reproduced by Kottayam National Theaters. Apart from music composition, Ranganathan went on to write around 42 plays for various troupes. He eventually developed an interest towards producing background scores for films, when he moved to Chennai.

His debut film titled Jesus directed by PA Thomas was released in 1973. He produced music for at least 25 films, with his light music compositions gaining popularity among audiences. The report by Onmanorama also noted that around 250 songs composed by Ranganathan were sung by musician Yesudas. Some of the most notable songs include Shaaleena Soundaryame from Aaraante Mulla Kochumulla, Kadal Varna Meghame from Principal Olivil, and Arayaal Kuruvikal from Madakkayaathra.

Meanwhile, the Kerala governor paid his respects to the late artist, via social media. In the tweet, he wrote, “My heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of noted lyricist and music director Shri. Alleppey Ranganath. He will be remembered for the melodies which entertained audiences. May his soul attain Mukti.”

Singer KS Chithra in a condolence message, wrote, “Saddened to hear about the sudden demise of a multi faceted artist Alleppy Ranganath master. He was a music director, lyricist & dancer. I was fortunate enough to work with him for some of his films like “Aarande mulla kochu mulla”, “Captain, “Mattoru Mukham “ etc. He was a recipient of Harivarasanam award this year. Yet another loss in this pandemic. May his soul rest in heavenly peace and A thought of comfort and condolence to the grieving family.”

Prince Andrew’s Lawyers Seek to Question Sexual Abuse Victim Virginia Giuffre’s Husband and Psychologist

BY Shrija Ganguly On

Prince Andrew‘s lawyers are petitioning to interrogate his accuser Virginia Giuffre’s husband and psychologist in relation to the lawsuit that she filed against the Duke of York alleging sexual abuse.

The step comes after Andrew’s plea to dismiss Giuffre’s suit was rejected by a US court, on Tuesday. Andrew’s lawyers thus have submitted documents, according to which, they want to question Robert Giuffre and Dr Judith Lightfoot. Giuffre’s legal team, on the other hand, has sought to speak to the Prince’s former assistant.

Giuffre, one of the accusers of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, sued Prince Andrew in 2021 on the grounds that he had forced her to have sexual intercourse with him. She sued Andrew 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.”

Andrew not only denied Giuffre’s claims, but also called her grounds “legally insufficient,” and relied on a 2009 agreement between Giuffre and Epstein that settled a different lawsuit.

However, the settlement, which was revealed earlier this month, neither explicitly mentioned his name, nor guaranteed him immunity from any liability. Giuffre’s complaint did not mention the settlement either. In fact, Giuffre’s attorney had issued a statement, after the settlement was made public, and said that it was “irrelevant” to her claim against Andrew.

Judge Lewis A Kaplan of the US Disctrict Court of New York also noted during the hearing of Andrew’s petition that his immunity under the settlement in question, was ambiguous and therefore, dismissal of Giuffre’s lawsuit on the same grounds was not justified.

In the light of the aforementioned events, Andrew’s legal team has sought to question Robert Giuffre about their household finances and how he met his wife around 2002, according to the BBC report.

In addition to this, the team is keen on establishing that Giuffre “may suffer from false memories”, and also wants to examine Dr Lightfoot about the “theory of false memories”.

As the case continues to turn against Andrew, strengthened by the recent conviction of Epstein’s accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell for trafficking and sexually abusing underage girls, including Giuffre, the Buckingham Palace, on Wednesday, stripped him of his military duties and royal patronages.

In a statement, the UK royal family announced that Andrew will continue to not undertake any public duties and will defend himself in Virginia Giuffre’s case as a private citizen.

Rust Misfire Case: Alec Baldwin Turns in Cell Phone to Investigators Following Reports of Non-Compliance

BY Shrija Ganguly On

Alec Baldwin, the actor whose prop gun misfire killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the sets of the film Rust in October 2021, has turned in his cell phone to investigators, according to a BBC report.

Santa Fe’s Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the actor had turned over his device to authorities near his home in New York.

Baldwin’s step follows the police’s statement earlier in the week that he was not co-operating with the investigation.

A New York Post report, headlined Why Experts Say Alec Baldwin Hasn’t Handed Over His Phone, provided theories around Baldwin’s non-compliance with the search warrant that required him to give his phone to the police to gather data like text messages and voicemails.

In response, Baldwin released a video on Instagram rubbishing the claims of his non-compliance. “This is a process where one state makes the request of another state. Someone from another state can’t come to you and say, ‘Give me your phone. Give me this, give me that.’ They can’t do that. They’re going to go through the state you live in. And it’s a process that takes time,” he said.

“They have to specify what exactly they want. [They] can’t just go through your phone and take your photos, your love letters to your wife or what have you. I really don’t know but of course we are 1,000% going to comply with all that. We’re perfectly fine with that,” he added.

It is to be noted that while the incident took place in the state of New Mexico, Baldwin is a resident of New York state.

Baldwin’s lawyer, Aaron Dyer, maintained that nothing would come of confiscating the cell phone, but added that the actor had voluntarily handed it over.

The prop gun misfire occurred in October when Baldwin was rehearsing with the firearm on the film’s set. Apart from killing Hutchins, the incident also left director Joel Souza injured.

Since then, Baldwin, assistant director Dave Halls, and armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed have been under investigation. Halls was the one who had declared the prop a “cold gun” – production jargon for a weapon with no live rounds. Both Halls and Reed later admitted that neither had checked the gun before handing it over to the next concerned person.

Two lawsuits have been filed against Baldwin so far for negligence and unlawful conduct.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Reed sued Seth Kenney, who supplied the guns for the film, for mixing up live ammunition with dummy rounds and thus causing the misfire. In an earlier affidavit, Kenney had suggested that confusion between the two could have led to the incident. However, he had later contradicted himself and asserted that the live rounds did not come from him.

Reed’s father and veteran armorer, Thell Reed, earlier told investigators that Kenney had requested him to bring additional live ammunition for another film they were working on.

According to Sante Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza, among the evidence collected were 500 rounds of ammunition as well the antique Colt .45 revolver that Baldwin shot. The sheriff had also noted that the police suspected there were other live rounds, aside from the one that killed Hutchins, found on set.

Lata Mangeshkar Remains in ICU; ‘Difficult to Say When She Will Come Out,’ Says Doctor

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Lata Mangeshkar, the legendary singer, continues to be in the ICU after testing positive for Covid-19 last week.

The 92-year-old singer was admitted to the Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai on January 8 and is currently undergoing treatment there.

Speaking to Silverscreen India, Dr Partit Samdani, who is treating Mangeshkar, said that she is still in the Intensive Care Unit and it is hard to say when she will recover. “She is still in ICU and under observation. Recovery takes time and it is difficult for me to say when she will come out of ICU. Pray for her,” the doctor said.

On Thursday, the singer’s niece Rachana Shah had said that Mangeshkar was doing well. “Everyone’s prayers have worked. Kindly, keep our privacy in mind,” Shah further told PTI. Earlier, she had said that the singer was admitted to the ICU as she requires “constant care” due to her age.

In November 2019, the singer was admitted to the same hospital after being diagnosed with pneumonia. After her return from the hospital, she had taken to Twitter to share an update.

“I was at the Breach Candy Hospital for the last 28 days. I had pneumonia. The doctors wanted me to recover completely before going home; today, I am back home. With the blessings of God, Mai Baba, and all of your love and prayers, I feel fine now,” she had written on December 8.

Born on September 28, 1929 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, Mangeshkar entered the film industry in the 1940s as a 13-year-old and her family’s sole breadwinner following the death of her father. In a career spanning over seven decades, the singer has recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi films, besides singing in other languages including Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam. Her first recording was for the 1942 Marathi film Kiti Hasal but the song was dropped from the final cut. Her official debut in playback singing was thus with the 1947 Hindi film Aap Ki Seva Mein.

Mangeshkar’s last recorded song was the independent single Saugandh Mujhe Is Mitti Ki in 2019.

Salman Khan Files Defamation Suit Against NRI for Allegedly Lashing Out Over a Failed Land Sale

BY Namrata Ganguly On

Actor Salman Khan has filed a defamation suit before the Mumbai City Civil Court against a Non-Resident Indian named Ketan Kakkad and others alleging that they made derogatory remarks against him and his family over an unsuccessful land sale transaction.

According to Khan’s suit, Kakkad had attempted to purchase a plot of land beside the actor’s farmhouse in Panvel in Raigad district of Maharashtra but the authorities cancelled the transaction on the ground that it was illegal. Following this, Kakkad allegedly raised false and baseless accusations that Khan and his family members were behind the failed transaction.

The lawsuit further states that the actor’s team has recently come across multiple videos uploaded on the social media accounts of the defendants related to Khan’s Panvel farmhouse and adds that the derogatory comments used against Khan in these do not have a shred of truth in them.

During a hearing of the case on Friday, Khan also filed an application for urgent relief seeking to block, suspend or withdraw the social media accounts where the alleged derogatory content has been shared. The actor’s lawyer, Pradeep Gandhy, stated that false, disparaging and defamatory allegations were made in the videos, posts and tweets, causing harm and loss to Khan, his family members and his business ventures.

Along with Kakkad, the suit also names other individuals as well as social media giants like Facebook, Twitter, Google, YouTube and their Indian counterparts.

Opposing the suit, advocate Abha Singh, who was appearing for Kakkad, stated that the defendants were served the papers only on Thursday evening. She thus sought more time to go through the complaint in order to file an appropriate response to the suit.

Granting the requested time to Kakkad and others to file their replies in the case, the court scheduled the matter for hearing on January 20.

Bulli Bai Case: Neeraj Bishnoi Denied Bail; Shweta Singh & Mayank Rawat Remanded to Judicial Custody for 14 Days

BY Namrata Ganguly On

Neeraj Bishnoi, the 20-year-old who was arrested from Assam as the main creator and conspirator behind the ‘Bulli Bai’ app, was denied bail by a Delhi Court on Friday.

“The act of the accused is apparently an affront to the dignity of the women of a particular community and communal harmony of the society,” the court said.

The court further observed, “The facts disclose that accused created the app ‘Bulli Bai’ where women journalists and celebrities of a particular community, who are famous on social media, are targeted and they are projected in a bad light with an objective to insult and humiliate them by objectification.”

“A vilification campaign against these women containing derogatory content and offending material having communal overtones was run on this app made by the accused,” the court added.

On January 1, nearly 112 Muslim women found themselves listed on an online auction app, including actor Shabana Azmi, journalists such as Ismat Ara, Arfa Khanum Sherwani, Fatima Khan and Kashmir-based Quratulain Rehbar, author Saba Naqvi, poet Nabiya Khan, RJ Sayema, Pakistani Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, activist Khalida Parveen, and several other women Muslim activists who frequently voice their opinions on social media.

The app, hosted on GitHub, put up pictures of the Muslim women and their Twitter handles as part of a fake ‘online auction’ along with the caption ‘Bulli of the day’. Six months prior to this, in July last year, nearly 80 Muslim women were listed “for sale” on a similar fake online auction known as ‘Sulli Deals‘, which was also hosted on GitHub.

Complaints were registered and on January 3, the Mumbai Police Cyber Cell detained and arrested 18-year-old Shweta Singh from Uttarakhand and 21-year-old Vishal Kumar Jha from Bangalore in connection with the case. This was followed by the arrest of  21-year-old Mayank Rawat from Uttarakhand by the Delhi Police Special Cell’s Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit a day later. Lastly, on January 6, Bishnoi was arrested as the prime accused and sent to police custody for seven days.

On Friday, the court denied bail to Bishnoi on the grounds that the investigation in the case is at an initial stage and the police are still in the process of collecting evidence and identifying the involvement of other persons in this disdainful act. Considering the enormity of the allegations and the stage of the investigation, bail could not be grated, the court added.

Meanwhile, Singh and Jha were remanded to judicial custody for 14 days on Friday by a Mumbai court and both applied for bail soon after. Singh alleged that she was slapped during interrogation and the court has asked the police to investigate the allegation.

Earlier this week, Jha had tested positive for Covid-19 and on Friday, the court was informed that Rawat has tested positive as well.

Kanye West AKA Ye is a Suspect in a Criminal Battery Investigation

BY Shrija Ganguly On

Rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, is a suspect in a criminal battery investigation after he allegedly punched a fan on Wednesday night, according to a TMZ report.

Ye has not been arrested yet.

As per the report, the police said that Ye got into an argument that allegedly turned physical around 3 am in downtown Los Angeles. TMZ later reported that Ye erupted on the fan after asking him not to click his pictures. The rapper also reportedly complained of going through a tough time because of his divorce with reality television star Kim Kardashian. Ye and Kardashian ended their marriage in 2021.

Earlier in the evening, Ye was seen with actor and partner Julia Fox.

The case is being investigated as misdemeanour battery, a crime that carries a maximum jail sentence of 6 months, as per TMZ. A video of Ye, accompanying the report, shows the rapper yelling, “Did y’all say that or not? Did y’all say that or not?”

Ye left Los Angeles on Friday, reportedly to work on his upcoming album and focus on Coachella, the upcoming music festival that he will headline along with Harry Styles and Billie Eilish. Coachella is scheduled to take place in April.

Meanwhile, law enforcement sources told TMZ that it is too early for them to get in touch with Ye and his team.

This is not the first time that Ye is embroiled in a scandal. During the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, he interrupted singer Taylor Swift while she was accepting the award for Best Female Video, and declared that Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time.

In 2018, he made controversial comments about slavery during an interview. He had said, “You hear about slavery for 400 years. 400 years? That sounds like a choice. It’s like, we’re mentally in a prison. I like the word ‘prison’ because slavery is too direct to the idea of Blacks.”