Section: Life

Academy to Review Will Smith’s Actions at Oscars 2022

BY Shrija Ganguly On

The Academy’s Board of Governors has scheduled a review meeting on Wednesday to discuss the incident of actor Will Smith slapping comedian and presenter Chris Rock during the Oscars on Sunday.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the decision to carry out a formal review of the incident was reached a few hours after Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson got on an emergency call, on Monday.

Shortly after this, the Oscars’ curators released a statement that read, “The Academy condemns the actions of Mr Smith at last night’s show. We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law.”

While the nature of action to be taken against Smith remains undisclosed, the actor will most likely not have his Best Actor Oscar revoked.

Smith earned his first-ever Oscar for his lead performance in the film King Richard, shortly after he walked on stage and struck Rock across the face for making a joke aimed at his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.

Photo Credit: Twitter

Cracking a joke on Pinkett’s shaved head, a result of her medical condition alopecia areata, Rock had said, “Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see it, all right?”

Smith not only struck Rock on the face, but also yelled at Rock to leave his wife alone, after returning to his seat, to which the comedian said he was just making a “GI Jane” joke.

However, Smith once again shouted, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth.” Rock then said he was “going to” and concluded the tiff by saying, “That was the greatest night in the history of television.”

Even though Smith apologised to the Academy and his fellow nominees in his acceptance speech, he did not extend any apology to Rock himself at the event. “I want to apologise to the Academy. I want to apologise to all my fellow nominees,” said Smith, tearing up during his acceptance speech.

His apology to Rock came hours later, on Instagram. Admitting that his behaviour was unacceptable and inexcusable, he said that a joke about his wife’s medical condition was too much for him to bear and he reacted emotionally. “I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness,” he added.

Earlier, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to Variety that Rock had declined to file a police report against Smith.

The incident became the most-talked about part of the Oscars evening and social media has been abuzz with all sorts of views on it.

Photo Caption: Collage of tweets on the Academy’s post; Credit: Twitter

A Twitter user wrote, “Imagine if Will Smith got up, picked the mic or whatever from Chris Rock and talked about his wife’s condition and how medical conditions shouldn’t be made fun of. Violence wasn’t the way. He could’ve also waved a hand and signalled him to stop.”

Another user wrote, “A man committed violence against another man and then everybody cheered him and acted like it was okay. Is that not a textbook definition of condoning violence?”

Others opined that Smith’s action was justified. “He responded to verbal abuse/violence. Do you defend someone making fun of people with horrible medical conditions? Would you stand up for your loved ones being treated like shit? Do you understand the concept of social consequence?” wrote a user.

Some netizens dug out Oscars’ history of honouring men like Harvey Weinstein, Roman Polanski, and Woody Allen, among others, who have been accused of sexual assault and harassment.

While the Academy released a statement immediately after the incident on Sunday, stating that it does not condone violence of any form, the organisation was criticised for not handling the situation better. Some also noted that honouring Smith with an Oscar soon after the occurrence was equal to supporting his actions.

Vinayakan Apologises for Misogynistic Remarks at ‘Oruthee’ Press Meet; Co-Star Navya Nair Reacts

BY Chandhini R On

Actor Vinayakan recently took to his social media handle to apologise for passing misogynistic remarks during the press meet for the Malayalam film Oruthee. 

He admitted that the language he had used towards one of the female journalists present was derogatory. He said that he did not mean to hurt anybody personally and apologised for his statements. 

On Wednesday, at the press meet organised by Oruthee’s team, Vinayakan had expressed his ignorance about the #MeToo movement and said, “What is MeToo? I don’t know! Is groping a woman called MeToo? Let me ask: if I want to have sex with a woman, what should I do?” He had also pointed to a woman journalist in the crowd and said, “If I want to have sex with that woman, I will ask her.”

The actor was criticised by the public, politicians, and members of the film industry for his remarks.

Meanwhile, several people on social media questioned his co-actor Navya Nair’s silence regarding the incident. Nair was also present at the press meet.

On Sunday, she finally addressed the media and spoke about the incident. Noting that she did not expect such a thing to happen, Nair said, “Each individual has their way of reacting to an issue. I was unable to react at that point. Now, he has apologised for what he had said. At that time, I had difficulty in expressing my reactions, but I tried to take away the mic from him several times. I was unable to do anything beyond that.”

When reporters continued to prod her on why she did not react, Nair told them that she is ready to seek an apology for everything that happened that day if that would solve the issue. “What he did was wrong and even you (media persons) could have reacted. We were gathered there for the promotion of Oruthee. But unfortunately, the questions and answers went to another level, which I did not expect,” she added.

Nair also noted that even though a man had made such remarks, it was only the woman who was being questioned again. “There were many men present there, but you all are only questioning me. I am coming back to cinema after ten years, so please let me celebrate that. Don’t make it difficult for me with more questions.”

Earlier, reacting to Vinayakan’s remarks, filmmaker Kunjila Mascillamani too had mentioned that this issue should be discussed by everyone and not just the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) or even only women in the community. She said that opinions should also come from men, who are a predominant part of the film industry.

Oscars 2022: Lata Mangeshkar Featured on ‘In Memoriam’ Web Page, Dilip Kumar Overlooked

BY Shrija Ganguly On

The Academy featured late Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar in its ‘In Memoriam’ segment on the Oscars website, on Sunday, but overlooked actor Dilip Kumar, who also passed away in the last year.

The 94th edition of the Academy Awards was held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, and saw Sian Heder‘s CODA (Children of Deaf Adults) take home the Best Picture award, Best Adapted Screenplay honour, and Best Supporting Actor for Troy Kotsur.

During the event, tributes were paid to members of the film fraternity who had died in the past year, such as actors Sidney Poitier, Betty White, Michael K Williams, Ned Beatty, William Hurt, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, composer Stephen Sondheim, filmmakers Peter Bogdanovich, Ivan Reitman and Jean Marc-Vallee.

While Mangeshkar’s name did not appear alongside the aforementioned names in the five-minute clip that was played during the live event, she was featured on the Oscar website. Kumar’s name, on the other hand, was absent from the web page as well.

However, while Mangeshkar’s absence in the live event was noted, Kumar’s exclusion skipped notice.

A user wrote, “Why was the Indian Nightingale Lata Mangeshkar omitted from Oscars tribute? She is a legend! Bizzare and inexcusable!”

Another user wrote, “The amazing world-record setting Lata Mangeshkar (who passed away from Covid) sang more songs for more movies than shown in all Oscars combined. Yet, the Oscars 2022, In Memoriam did not see it fit to honor her even with a mention. Sometimes, I think, colonialism still lives on.”

Mangeshkar, fondly known as the ‘Nightingale of India’, died of COVID in February. She was first admitted to the hospital on January 8, after testing positive for the virus. Although she showed some signs of improvement at first, her condition worsened and she succumbed to multiple organ failure on February 6.

Kumar, on the other hand, passed away in July 2021, after suffering from a prolonged illness.

Female Actor Assault Case: Crime Branch Retrieves Deleted Data from Dileep’s Phone

BY Chandhini R On

The Kerala crime branch has reportedly retrieved the data that was erased from actor Dileep’s phone, which was submitted as part of the ongoing investigation in the 2017 female actor abduction and sexual assault case.

In February 2017, a female actor, who predominantly works in Malayalam and Kannada cinema, was abducted and sexually assaulted by a gang of men in a moving car en route to Kochi from Thrissur. 

Dileep is currently under trial as the chief conspirator behind this incident and under investigation for allegedly plotting to kill the officers involved in that case. He and the others accused of the latter conspiracy were ordered to submit their phones as evidence earlier this year.

However, the crime branch’s investigation earlier revealed that a cyber expert named Sai Sankar had aided in deleting some data from Dileep’s phone before it was submitted to the court. This included WhatsApp calls, chats, phone call records, and personal information. The police had seized the laptop allegedly used by Sankar to wipe out the data from the phone. 

Sankar, who had earlier claimed that crime branch officials had harassed him into giving a statement against Dileep, reportedly confessed during his interrogation that the actor had asked him to delete data pertaining to court proceedings in the case.

The officials further stated that Sankar confessed that Dileep had asked him to remove the data from his phone so that it could not be recovered. But, Sankar had saved crucial data from the phone before erasing it and this has seemingly enabled the police to retrieve it. No details of the data recovered has been revealed except that it included some WhatsApp chats.

Meanwhile, Dileep will appear before the crime branch on Monday for further interrogation in the actor assault case. This marks the third time the actor is being brought in for questioning. He was earlier summoned for inquiry after a further probe was ordered, at the end of 2021, based on filmmaker Balachandra Kumar’s allegations. 

The recent summons follows the allegation by the prosecution that the accused had illegally accessed the memory card containing visuals of the sexual assault, which was in court custody. While this allegation was first raised by the survivor, the prosecution later filed a report before the Additional Special Sessions Court confirming the illegal access of the memory card.  

The actor is likely to also be questioned about the new findings in the case with respect to the data retrieved from his phone.

 

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

Will Smith Slaps Chris Rock over Joke on Wife Jada Pinkett; Apologises to Academy but Not Chris Rock

BY Namrata Ganguly On

Actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock during the 94th Academy Awards 2022, on Sunday, after the latter made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, actor and Smith’s wife, being in GI Jane 2 because of her shaved head.

“Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see it, all right?” said Rock referring to Pinkett’s shaved head.

Smith, who later won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in King Richard, walked up to the stage, struck Rock across the face, and then returned to his seat without saying a word. After sitting down, he told Rock to leave his wife Pinkett alone, to which the comedian said he was just making a “GI Jane” joke.

However, Smith once again shouted, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth.” Rock then said he was “going to” and concluded the tiff by saying, “That was the greatest night in the history of television.”

Back in 2018, Pinkett had revealed that she was diagnosed with alopecia areata, a condition that causes sudden loss of hair. Since then, she has often discussed the challenges and struggles of hair loss on several social media platforms.

A few minutes after his confrontation with Rock, while accepting his first-ever Oscar, Smith apologised to the Academy and his fellow nominees. However, he did not extend any apology to Rock himself.

“I want to apologise to the Academy. I want to apologise to all my fellow nominees,” said Smith, tearing up during his acceptance speech.

Smith drew a parallel between what happened at the event with him and his role in King Richard as the father of tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams. “Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family. In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what god is calling on me to do and be in this world. Making this film, I got to protect Aunjanue Ellis (his co-star), who is one of the strongest, most delicate people I’ve ever met. I got to protect Saniyya [Sidney] and Demi [Singleton], the two actresses that played Venus and Serena.”

“I’m being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people. I know to do what we do, you’ve got to be able to take abuse. You’ve got to be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business you’ve got to be able to have people disrespecting you. And you’ve got to smile and you’ve got to pretend like that’s okay. Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams.”

Smith also extended his gratitude towards actor Denzel Washington, who comforted him, along with actor Tyler Perry, during the commercial break following the tiff. “Thank you, D. Denzel said a few minutes ago, ‘At your highest moment, be careful, that’s when the devil comes for you,’” Smith said.

The Los Angeles Police Department later confirmed to Variety that Rock had “declined to file a police report” against Smith.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also issued a statement on the incident, stating that it “does not condone violence of any form.”

JK Rowling Slams Vladimir Putin For Referring to Her in His Comments on Cancel Culture

BY Shrija Ganguly On

JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter book series, has spoken out against Russian President Vladimir Putin, when he had referred to her during his speech on the West’s cancel culture.

The author went on to denounce Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Friday and wrote, “Critiques of Western cancel culture are possibly not best made by those currently slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance, or who jail and poison their critics,” and added the hashtag #IStandWithUkraine,” Rowling stated, also tagging an article by jailed critic Alexei Navalny.

At a televised meeting, from Friday, Putin spoke about the cancellation of Russian literature from textbooks and programs in western countries, especially in the US.

He went on to refer to the author, and said, “JK Rowling, the children’s writer, whose books are published all over the world was cancelled recently, just because she didn’t satisfy the demands of gender rights.”

Earlier, Rowling had come under fire for her controversial remarks on the trans community. Her problematic ideas with respect to gender came to the forefront, after she tweeted an opinion piece on menstrual hygiene in June 2020 and took a dig at the use of the inclusive phrase “people who menstruate.”

In a subsequent tweet, she then went on to say, “If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased.” Her statements drew criticism from several quarters and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) organisation termed them as “anti-trans comments”. A self-proclaimed Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF), someone who believes trans women should not be categorised as women, Rowling has continued to express opinions against trans people, despite receiving backlash on social media platforms.

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, through a three-pronged attack. The step garnered international criticism of Russia with economic sanctions levied on the country.

Netflix, the global streaming giant, has suspended its service in Russia in protest over the ongoing conflict.

Earlier, Google-owned YouTube barred Russian channels from earning ad revenue on the video streaming platform. Soon after, major Hollywood studios such as Warner Bros, Disney, Sony, Paramount Pictures, and Universal Pictures also distanced themselves from Russia, halting the release of their films in the country.

Director Vivek Agnihotri Faces Police Complaint Over “Bhopali Means Homosexual” Remark

BY Shrija Ganguly On

A police complaint has been registered against Vivek Agnihotri, director of The Kashmir Files, in Mumbai, after his controversial comment “Bhopali means homosexual” during an online media interaction.

Agnihotri’s comment, drew criticism from Rohit Pandey, a journalist and celebrity public relations manager hailing from Bhopal, who has currently filed an FIR for defamation and other charges, at the Versova police station in Mumbai.

Pandey claimed that Agnihotri has reportedly insulted and shown disrespect to his native place by “willingly, wantonly and maliciously calling Bhopalis as homosexuals” in a press interview.

A clip featuring the director’s remarks went viral, on Friday, ahead of his arrival at the city for a film festival.

“I have grown up in Bhopal, but I am not a ‘Bhopali’. The term ‘Bhopali’ has a different connotation to it, which I will explain to you privately. You can ask any Bhopali. If someone refers to one as Bhopali, it generally means they are homosexual, a person with Nawabi inclinations,” Agnihotri had told an online media channel.

Consequently, Agnihotri was trolled on social media and was called out by politicians and netizens, alike.

Congress leader Digvijay Singh wrote on Twitter, “Vivek Agnihotri ji, this might be your personal experience. This is not the experience of an ordinary Bhopal resident. I have been associated with Bhopal and Bhopalis since 1977, but my experience has not been so. The influence of company has an effect, wherever you may live.”

The Kashmir Files is a Hindi drama film that released on March 11 and is based on the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandit community from the Kashmir valley in the 1990s. It features an ensemble cast of actors Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty Darshan Kumaar, Pallavi Joshi, Prakash Belawadi, Puneet Issar, and Atul Srivastava, among others.

Moreover, the film has been heavily promoted by the ruling BJP government and has been declared tax-free in many states across the country. Being one of the highest-grossing Indian films during the pandemic, the film has collected over Rs 200 crores since two weeks of its release.

‘Future Will Not Forgive if Hema Committee Report is Not Published’: Writer T Padmanabhan Tells Kerala Govt

BY Chandhini R On

Veteran writer T Padmanabhan urged the Kerala government to publish the Hema committee report while speaking at the closing ceremony of the 26th International Film Festival of Kerala on Friday. 

The 91-year-old writer told the state government, “If the Justice Hema Committee Report is not made public, then future Kerala will not forgive you. Time is running out. Necessary steps mentioned in it should be implemented and culprits should be punished.”

He noted that this year’s festival holds significance not just because films directed by women were screened, but on the inauguration day, the actor who survived the 2017 assault case was a special guest. He hailed her as “an undefeated woman” and recalled the non-stop standing ovation that she received while entering the stage.

About her abduction and assault, Padmanabhan said, “Whoever has done the mistake should be punished, they may be a big person but they don’t deserve even a bit of mercy.” He further added that those who have made mistakes cannot rule as superstars forever.

Noting that Kerala is ahead in many aspects compared to other states and continues to progress, he added, “However, we should think about the safety of women in many fields, especially in workplaces.”

He pointed out that while women have been in various fields of cinema through the years, it was only after the 2017 assault case that many similar incidents started coming to light. Speaking about the Justice Hema Committee, he said that the panel, consisting of the retired judge and two other women, had collected proofs after many sittings, over two years, and spent over two crores to complete its report. But this report has not seen the light yet.

“This government has tackled many bigger hurdles easily. This would not be a herculean task,” he said.

Padmanabhan is a Malayalam short-story writer who has been the recipient of several awards, including the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, the highest literary award of the Government of Kerala. He has written over 190 short stories. Some of his popular works are Prakasam Parathunna Oru Penkutty, Oru Kathakrithu Kurishil and Makhan Singhinte Maranam. In 2018, he was conferred the Honoris Causa Degree of the Doctor of Letters by Mahatma Gandhi University.

Responding to his speech, Culture Minister Saji Cherian reiterated that legislation will be drawn up, based on the recommendations in the reports of Adoor Gopalakrishnan and the Hema committee, to ensure the protection of women in the Malayalam film industry. 

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 female actor abduction and sexual assault incident. It aimed to study gender disparity, sexual harassment, and other such issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry.

Many women testified before the commission, describing their traumatic experiences. A report was subsequently submitted to the government on December 31, 2019.  Since then, one of the fights of the Women in Cinema Collective has been to get the Hema Commission report published. 

Earlier, Kerala Women’s Commission Chairperson Sathidevi said that the Hema committee had not been set up under the Commission of Inquiry Act. So, the government is not bound to make the report public. Saji Cherian also said the same, but ensured that the State would draw up legislation based on its recommendations.

Meera Mithun Arrested on Non-Bailable Warrant for Failing to Appear in Court in Case over Casteist Slur

BY Anusha Sundar On

Tamil actor Meera Mithun was arrested on Friday by the cyber-crime wing of Chennai Police for non-cooperation in the case against her for uttering a casteist slur, a source in the know confirmed to Silverscreen India.

The actor failed to appear in legal proceedings for the case, thus prompting a Chennai city court to issue a non-bailable warrant against her.

In August 2021, the Chennai Police had registered the case against Meera, based on a complaint lodged by Vidhuthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader and former Member of Parliament Vanni Arasu with the cyber cell. The complaint was made after a video surfaced on social media in which Meera is seen making casteist remarks against individuals belonging to the Scheduled Caste community in the Tamil film industry, along with her friend Sam Abhishek. Vanni Arasu’s complaint sought their arrest under seven sections of the Prevention of Atrocities Act.

Subsequently, Meera and Sam were charged under Sections 153 (maligning and provoking any individual knowing that it is likely to cause offence of rioting), 153A(1)(a) (promoting disharmony or feelings of enmity on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste or community), 505(1)(b) (circulating any statement, rumour, or report, which is likely to cause fear or alarm in any section of the public), 505 (2) (statement or report that will promote enmity, hatred, and ill-will between groups on the ground of religion, caste, community, etc) of the Indian Penal Code, and several sections of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

Meera was arrested and later released on bail. However, the actor had not appeared for the subsequent trial in the case, according to our source. She also did not comply with her bail condition, which required her to sign in at the police station every week. Hence, Chennai’s civil and sessions court issued a non-bailable warrant against Meera and the cyber-crime wing arrested her on Friday.

The actor was produced before the court after her arrest. Judge Ali, who heard the case, ordered the police to continue the interrogation and produce Meera before the court again on April 4.

Meera, who has appeared in films such as Thaanaa Serndha Koottam and Yennanga Sir Unga Sattam, shot to fame after participating in the Tamil reality show Bigg Boss Season 3. She is known for getting embroiled in controversies. In the past, she has levelled nepotism allegations against Tamil actors Vijay and Suriya, among several others.

Dalit Activist Mrudula Devi, Filmmaker Kunjila Mascillamani Condemn Vinayakan’s Misogynistic Remarks on #MeToo

BY Chandhini R On

Dalit activist Mrudula Devi, who earlier accused actor Vinayakan of verbal harassment, has now condemned the misogynistic remarks on #MeToo that he made during the press meet of Oruthee. 

Speaking in a panel discussion on News 18, Devi said that #MeToo is an ethical and collective movement where individuals share their encounters of harassment seeking solidarity. “And actor Vinayakan has disrespected it. Not just Vinayakan, but anyone who talks like this about #MeToo is wrong,” she added. 

In the press meet, Vinayakan expressed his ignorance of the #MeToo movement. “What is MeToo? I don’t know! Is groping a woman called MeToo? Let me ask: if I want to have sex with a woman, what should I do?” he said.

Vinayakan also pointed to a woman journalist in the crowd and said, “If I want to have sex with that woman, I will ask her.”

Following this incident, the actor was criticised by the public, politicians, and members of the film industry.

Reacting to this, Devi said that #MeToo aims to alert society about those who engage in sexual abuse and harassment, and it is our responsibility to identify and correct them.  She added that #MeToo is not learnt through any curriculum. The awareness is spread by individuals, women and queer communities, who have had first-hand experiences of such difficulties. 

When Devi was asked if Vinayakan spoke in such a way because of his ignorance and deep-rooted patriarchy, she said even many Dalit intellectuals are unaware of such matters. 

“Many say he has come up to this position after going through many hardships and hence some leeway should be given to him. This is not Dalit solidarity. An offence is an offence, be it Dalit or anybody. When he was first accused of #MeToo, if Dalit intellectuals and the general public had educated him about this, he would have not made such remarks,” she added. 

In 2019, Devi had filed a police complaint accusing Vinayakan of speaking to her inappropriately, when she had called him to talk about a function that she was attending.

Filmmaker Kunjila Mascillamani also took part in the panel debate. She noted that a healthy concept like sex education is just coming up in India and is not in full swing yet. In this scenario, it is very dangerous when such wrong information is passed on in public, especially to youngsters.

She added that this issue should be discussed by everyone and not just Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) or even only women in the community. She said that the opinions should also come from men, who are a predominant part of the film industry.

Man Succumbs to Injuries After Filmmaker T Rajendar’s Car Runs Over Him, Driver Held and Granted Bail

BY Anusha Sundar On

Tamil actor and producer T Rajendar‘s car driver was arrested and granted bail, after his vehicle reportedly ran over a physically challenged pavement dweller in Chennai on Friday, a police official from the Pondy Bazaar Traffic station tells Silverscreen India.

The victim, Munusamy, who was being treated at the Royapettah Government Hospital, subsequently succumbed to his injuries. While the accident took place on Friday night at around 8.30 pm, CCTV footage of the accident began to surface on the internet, in the last few days. The footage showed Munusamy crawling at a road juncture and was run over by Rajendar’s car, when it took a right turn. The vehicle was an Innova, that was registered under Rajendar’s son, actor Silambarasan’s name.

Speaking to us, the police official says, “The accident took place on March 18. The victim was already injured in his legs. He was seen crawling on the road. The driver, Selvam, was in charge of the vehicle and the incident took place at Elango Salai in the Teynampet area, when Rajendar was taking his granddaughter to the children’s hospital in that area. There was a sharp corner and since the vehicle could not see the crawling man, he was run over.”

The official further says that post the accident, the victim was taken to the Royapettah Government Hospital by 108 ambulance, after Rajendar had called and arranged for transportation. However, the man later succumbed to his injuries.

An FIR was registered and the driver was booked under Section 304 (a) of the Indian Penal Code (causing death by negligence not amounting to murder). “The vehicle had insurance and it is confirmed that it is not drunk and drive case. The driver was arrested and he is out on bail. All the legal procedures have been taken appropriately,” the official adds.

Female Actor Assault Case: Kavya Madhavan Likely to be Interrogated after Dileep

BY Chandhini R On

Actor Kavya Madhavan, wife of actor Dileep, is likely to be summoned for interrogation in the female actor abduction and sexual assault case, according to Asianet News.

In February 2017, a female actor who predominantly works in Malayalam and Kannada cinema was abducted and sexually assaulted by a gang of men in a moving car en route to Kochi from Thrissur.

Dileep is one of the main accused in the case and is under trial as the chief conspirator. He was recently issued a notice to appear for questioning before the crime branch on Monday and it is said that Madhavan will be summoned after his interrogation. 

Earlier, the first accused in the case, Pulsar Suni, had revealed that his ‘Madam’ was Madhavan. Suni said that he had sent the memory card that contained the visuals of the survivor to the Kochi office of Laksyah, a boutique owned by Madhavan.

According to the Asianet report, the investigation into Madhavan’s role in the case was dropped due to lack of evidence.

However, at the end of 2021, the case gained momentum after filmmaker Balachandra Kumar made some serious allegations against Dileep and his associates. He said that Dileep had watched the video of the sexual assault at his house and was connected to Pulsar Suni. Kumar further stated that the actor had influenced some of the significant witnesses in the case, who later turned hostile during the trial. 

Kumar also alleged that a ‘VIP’ had handed over the tablet device containing visuals of the assault and added that Madhavan was at home when this happened. 

Following Kumar’s allegations, a fresh probe was launched by the police in the case.

Further investigation has revealed that the ‘VIP’ was Dileep’s friend Sharath, a hotelier in Aluva. Earlier this week, Sharath was questioned for almost three hours, during the course of which the investigators got some leads involving Madhavan. She is, therefore, expected to be quizzed regarding this after Dileep’s interrogation on Monday.

Meanwhile, in his upcoming interrogation session, Dileep will likely be questioned about the allegation that he illegally accessed the memory card containing visuals of the sexual assault, which was in court custody. He will also be quizzed about certain Whatsapp chats retrieved from his phone, which reportedly show that he had tried to influence the witnesses.

It may be noted that the investigating team has been ordered by the Kerala High Court to conclude the probe by April 15.

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

Bengali Actor Abhishek Chatterjee Dies at 58

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Abhishek Chatterjee, the Bengali actor, died on Thursday at his residence in Kolkata. He was 58.

While the exact cause of his death has not been officially revealed, reports state that Chatterjee died of a massive cardiac arrest. The late actor had reportedly complained of uneasiness in the stomach on Wednesday, during the shooting of a non-fiction show, and was later administered saline at his Prince Anwar Shah Road home.

Bharat Kaul, another Bengali actor and Chatterjee’s friend, told Anandabazar Online, “Abhishek first fell ill on Tuesday due to food poisoning. He was taken home after shooting for sometime, in the same condition. He also came to film the reality show Smart Pair of Star Jalsha on Wednesday. His blood pressure suddenly dropped to 60. He was immediately given black coffee. We sent him back home around 2.30 pm. That was our last meeting.”

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to Twitter and expressed her grief over Chatterjee’s demise. “Sad to know of the untimely demise of our young actor Abhishek Chatterjee,” she said. “Abhishek was talented and versatile in his performances, and we shall miss him. It is a great loss for our TV and film industry. My condolences to his family and friends,” she further wrote.

The mayor of Kolkata Firhad Hakim also tweeted condolences, saying, “Deeply pained by the untimely demise of talented and young actor of our Bengal film industry Abhishek Chatterjee. A strong personality both on-screen and off it, he will be missed (by) us and his countless admirers and followers.”

Chatterjee made his debut in the Bengali film industry with Pathbhola in 1986. Directed by Tarun Majumdar, the film starred him alongside Prosenjit Chatterjee, Tapas Paul, Sandhya Roy, and Utpal Dutt in the film.

Throughout his career, the late actor was seen in several popular films like Toofan, Mayer Anchal, Maryada, Amar Prem, Sabuj Saathi, and Papi.

Recently, he had started working in Bengali television shows and was starring in the Star Jalsha serial Kharkuto.

Chatterjee is survived by his wife and daughter.

Salman Khan Denied Interim Relief in Defamation Suit Against NRI

BY Anindita Banerjee On

The Mumbai City Civil Court on Wednesday refused interim relief to Salman Khan in his defamation suit filed against Ketan Kakkad and others, alleging that they had made derogatory remarks against him and his family, over an unsuccessful land sale transaction.

In January, Khan had filed an application for urgent relief seeking to block, suspend or withdraw the social media accounts where the alleged derogatory content had been shared. The actor claimed that false, disparaging and defamatory statements were made through a series of videos, posts and tweets, that caused harm and loss to him, his family members and his business ventures.

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

Kakkad’s attorney, Abha Singh, opposed the interim relief sought by Khan on Wednesday, arguing that her client’s statements revolved around facts about Khan’s property, which could not amount to defamation. She argued that it was a land dispute under the garb of a defamation suit.

Further, Singh alleged that Khan’s counsel had approached Kakkad offering him money to give up the Panvel land and that the present suit was filed after Kakkad had refused the offer.

Along with Kakkad, the suit also named other individuals and social media giants like Facebook, Twitter, Google, YouTube and their Indian counterparts. Counsel for these platforms also opposed the relief stating that they had no control over what was posted by users on their platforms. It was also pointed out that scanning through all the content on their websites to remove defamatory remarks against Khan was “unreasonable and meaningless.”

After hearing all arguments, the judge rejected relief to Khan and stated that the reasons for rejection would follow in an order.

Actor Vinayakan Criticised for Misogynistic Comments on #MeToo at ‘Oruthee’ Press Event

BY Chandhini R On

Actor Vinayakan, who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema, has been criticised for his misogynistic comments at a press meet organised by the team of the recently-released Malayalam film Oruthee, on Wednesday.

The team had called the press meet to announce a sequel to Oruthee. Those present included director VK Prakash and actors Navya Nair and Vinayakan.

While speaking at the event, Vinayakan expressed his ignorance of the #MeToo movement. “What is MeToo? I don’t know! Is groping a woman called MeToo? Let me ask: if I want to have sex with a woman, what should I do?” he said. 

When media persons tried to explain the concept to him, he went on to say that he had had physical relationships with ten women in his life. “I asked those ten women if they would like to have a physical relationship with me. If this is what you mean by MeToo, I will ask it again,” he said.  

Further, Vinayakan pointed to a woman journalist in the crowd and said, “If I want to have sex with that woman, I will ask her.”

It is to be noted that Vinayakan’s remarks come a week after the Kerala High Court ordered production houses and film bodies in the Malayalam industry to set up Internal Complaint Committees (ICC) as per the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) PoSH Act, 2013.

Vinayakan’s remarks on the #MeToo movement and consent have been criticised by several actors and technicians across the Malayalam film industry, including filmmaker Kunjila, actors Parvathy Thiruvothu and Rima Kallingal.

Kunjila’s piece criticising Vinayakan’s statements and educating readers about consent was widely shared by social media users.

Meanwhile, actor Hareesh Peradi, while condemning Vinayakan’s statements in a Facebook post, also took a jibe at the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) for not speaking out about the incident. He remarked that the organisation and its progressive supporters would have not kept silent if someone from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) had said this.

On the other hand, Rima, in an Instagram story, questioned, “Why is it always the WCC that needs to respond and enrage at such insensitivity? Do the 99% of men who make up this industry have nothing to say?” She also noted that Vinayakan’s remarks and the journalists laughing at them are partly responsible for women not opening up about the abuse they face.

Congress leader Shanimol Usman, in a Facebook post, called out the statements made by Vinayakan. Noting that he is a good actor, she said his views on women are distorted.

Vinayakan won Kerala State Award for his performance in Kammatipaadam in 2016. Aside from acting, he is also known for composing music. He has acted in films like Maanthrikam, Stop Violence, Vellithira and Thottappan.

Earlier, in 2019, Dalit activist Mrudula Devi S had filed a police complaint accusing Vinayakan of speaking to her inappropriately, when she had called him to talk about a function that she was attending. The activist had also submitted an audio recording of her conversation with the actor, along with her complaint. The case was registered by the Kalpetta police, who later released Vinayakan on bail, after recording his statements.

In a Facebook post shared by Mrudula, which was removed later, she had said that while she admired Vinayakan for speaking up for the female actor who was abducted and assaulted in 2017, in reality, he was no different from the perpetrators of that horrendous act. “I personally experienced his anti-woman mentality,” she had added. 

Rapper MC TodFod Who Died on Sunday Had 2 Heart Attacks in 4 Months, His Mother Reveals

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Dharmesh Parmar aka MC TodFod, the rapper who died on Sunday at the age of 24, had two heart attacks in the last four months, his mother revealed in an interview.

In the interview with Dainik Bhaskar, his mother said that Parmar had his first heart attack four months ago when he was in Ladakh with his friends. However, it was only after his second heart attack that the family got to know about his condition. “He underwent heart surgery as well, but he never used to rest. He was crazy about rap and loved music more than his own life. My child is now gone, and I could not do anything to save him,” she said.

Talking about his last days with the family, she mentioned that the rapper celebrated Raksha Bandhan a day before Holi, when he left for his work trip to Nashik. “Perhaps he knew he was not going to return home. He has two younger sisters. I do not know what came to his mind, but he celebrated Rakhi, not just with his sisters, but also his aunt’s daughters,” she said.

TodFod was a part of Mumbai’s hip-hop group Swadeshi. Post his death, the group took to Instagram and wrote, “Our Brother Dharmesh Parmar aka MC TodFod passed away on 20th of March in the afternoon. He died due to a heart attack while playing hacky sack. Post mortem reports have stated that he died because of high blood pressure that caused the attack. In these difficult times, we request everyone to respect his family and friends’ privacy. Keep him in your prayers.”

In 2019, TodFod was one of the several Indian hip-hop artists who were invited to be a part of Zoya Akhtar’s film Gully Boy. He even contributed a verse to the song India 91 in the film.

TodFod’s last performance was with his band on Saturday in Sandhan valley as a part of an art and music festival.

Actor Amanda Bynes Released from 9-Year Conservatorship

BY Shrija Ganguly On

Actor Amanda Bynes was released from a nine-year long conservatorship, on Tuesday, by a California judge who noted that the “grounds for establishment of a conservatorship of the person no longer exist.”

Bynes was first placed under the conservatorship in 2013, after she allegedly set fire to the driveway of a home in Thousand Oaks, Los Angeles. She was subsequently put on an involuntary psychiatric hold, after which her mother was granted full conservatorship the following year.

Her assets, however, were not a part of the conservatorship and were being overseen by her father.

On February 23, Bynes had filed a petition to end the conservatorship and had also filed a capacity declaration, the day before. As a resident of the state of California in the US, she was legally bound to provide updated information on her mental health.

The filed petition also included reports from her psychiatrist and lawyer, which stated that her mental health issues had improved and that she was no longer required to stay under the conservatorship.

The judge who released her from the conservatorship on Tuesday noted that Bynes had demonstrated the competency to manage her own affairs, including her mental health and other medical treatment.

The judgment comes a few months after the end of the conservatorship of pop singer Britney Spears in November 2021.

However, contrary to Spears’ case which had turned into a prolonged, bitter fight, Bynes’ parents were supportive of her decision.

The attorney of the actor’s mother Lynn Organ had earlier said, “This conservatorship that Lynn brought has always been intended to be temporary, and Lynn is extremely happy and thrilled and proud of Amanda and ready to terminate this conservatorship based on the hard work Amanda has done.”

Amanda Bynes started her career as a child artist in the Nickelodeon series All That. She went on to have a successful film career, starring in hits like She’s the Man and Hairspray. However, she has been out of the spotlight for more than a decade. Bynes was last seen in the 2010 comedy Easy A, alongside Emma Stone.

Disney-Owned Hulu, ESPN, Disney+, NatGeo Denounce ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill as Staff Stage Walkout Protest

BY Shrija Ganguly On

Disney-owned companies, namely Hulu, ESPN, National Geographic, and Disney+, denounced Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill on Tuesday, even as employees of the media giant continued their protest over the parent company’s lack of action.

The statements from the Disney subsidiaries followed the week-long virtual protests by employees, that started on March 15 and culminated in a walkout staged at all the major Disney-owned offices, to demand action against the recently-passed legislation.

Known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, the legislation limits discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools. Disney has drawn criticism for previously having donated money to all sponsors of this bill and for subsequently not taking a strong stand against it.

Although, CEO Bob Chapek apologised to Disney’s LGBTQ+ employees, via an email on March 12, and announced that the company would pause all political contributions in Florida, Disney’s staff organised the walkout to pressure Disney into permanently pulling funding from the supporters of the bill as well as commit to an actionable plan to protect employees from such legislation in the future.

The walkout was held at the offices of Lucasfilm, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disneyland, and Pixar.

Actors Mark Ruffalo and Kerry Washington voiced their support for the walkout on Tuesday.

In a statement on Twitter, Washington condoned Disney’s actions and wrote, “I wholeheartedly support the LGBTQIA+ employees, and stand with them in this walkout today.”

Ruffalo responded to Washington’s tweet, and wrote, “Standing proud and in solidarity with our LBGTQIA+ family!”

Earlier, Marvel Studios was the first Disney-offshoot to denounce “all legislation that infringes on the basic human rights of the LGBTQIA+ community,” last week.

Streamers Disney+ and Hulu followed suit and released similar statements this week.

Sports channel and streamer ESPN added in its statement, “We’ll continue to partner with organisations that support the LGBTQIA+ community, be accountable where we fall short of expectations, and never stop telling stories about LGBTQIA+ athletes,” and shared stories of athletes from the community in subsequent Twitter posts.

Meanwhile, as part of an earlier statement condoning Disney’s soft response to the bill, Pixar employees had asserted that the Chapek’s promise of support “rang hollow” when executives at Disney have been actively been censoring LGBTQIA+ content in Pixar films.

Following this, Disney recently restored a same-sex kiss scene in the upcoming Pixar film Lightyear.

Court Rejects Kangana Ranaut’s Plea Seeking Permanent Exemption from Appearing in Javed Akhtar Defamation Case

BY Namrata Ganguly On

The 10th Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Mumbai, on Tuesday, rejected actor Kangana Ranaut’s plea seeking permanent exemption from appearing in the criminal defamation case filed by veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar against her.

The defamation case traces back to November 2020 when Akhtar had filed a complaint against Ranaut, alleging that she had made defamatory remarks about him during an interview with Republic TV, after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput on July 14, 2020. In the interview which aired on July 19, 2020, Ranaut had said that some of the senior members of the Hindi film industry, including Akhtar, were part of a “gang” that was against “outsiders.”

The court has till date granted the actor 13 exemptions, as per Akhtar’s submissions.

Ranaut has also received several warnings of arrest from the Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court for failing to make an appearance.

On December 13 last year, Akhtar had moved the court seeking a non-bailable warrant against the actor, for not appearing before the court in the case, alleging that she was making ‘deliberate attempts’ to delay the proceedings.

Less than a month later, in January, Ranaut was granted another exemption from appearance by the Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

During the hearing on Tuesday, Ranaut’s counsel stated that the actor was preoccupied with her professional commitments which makes it difficult for her to appear for the hearings as she has to travel to different domestic and international locations.

Further, Ranaut’s counsel stated that Akhtar is in the habit of recklessly making such applications, despite full knowledge that “it is not Ranaut who has been delaying the proceedings of this court in any manner whatsoever, but has instead specifically requested to proceed in the matter through her advocate.” The actor’s representative also pointed that more than a year has gone by and the court has not decided on her application for the permanent exemption.

Akhtar’s counsel, meanwhile, argued that there were days when the actor had sought exemption on the grounds of ill-health whereas her Instagram stories or posts had showed this excuse to be false. He further said that her presence is necessary before the court in order to frame charges and record the plea.

After hearing the arguments, the court rejected Ranaut’s petition for permanent exemption, but assured her that specific requests for the same would still be considered.

Completion of Office Building is Our Primary Focus, Say Nadigar Sangam’s Newly-Elected Office Bearers

BY Anusha Sundar On

The newly-elected office-bearers of South Indian Artistes’ Association (Nadigar Sangam), including actors Vishal, Karthi, Nasser, and politician Poochi Murugan of the Pandavar Ani, have stated that their main focus is to complete building their new office that has been stalled for years.

On Sunday, the long-awaited counting of the ballots took place for the association’s elections that were held in 2019. The Pandavar Ani, led by Nasser, emerged victorious and the actor was announced as the organisation’s new Chairperson, with Vishal taking on the General Secretary role, and Karthi that of the Treasurer. Poochi Murugan and Karunaas were elected as Vice-Chairpersons.

Addressing the media at a press meet on Tuesday, the newly elected office-bearers said that their main focus was to complete constructing their office building in Chennai. The construction began in April 2017 and was scheduled to be finished by the end of the three-year term of Nasser, Vishal, and Karthi in October 2018. However, the construction faced delays due to encroachment cases filed in court and the building still remains incomplete.

“Our intention is to turn everyone’s attention towards the Nadigar Sangam building. It won’t just be a regular building, but will be like a heritage, cultural centre. We are going ahead with achieving that,” Vishal stated on Tuesday.

Nasser added, “We have assumed our positions today and our main focus is the building. It has withstood different weathers, time, and the costs have increased as well. As it is our primary focus, we have been laying out the plans for the budget and working on its logistics. We will begin with the work soon.”

Vishal revealed that 60% of the construction has been completed, but the budget has risen by 30%, owing to stalling of the work for nearly 2.5 years. About Rs 20-22 crores would be needed, he added.

RockFort Entertainment announced during the press meet that it would contribute a sum of Rs 5 lakh for the construction.

Vishal also spoke about plans to use the income from the completed building to aid the lives of theatre artists who have been affected by the pandemic.

Treasurer Karthi said that they would need at least three months to make a plan for the 1,35,000 square feet building, given the pandemic situation. “There are no workers and the entrance is yet to be finished. The election had stalled the work. We need to get the necessary workforce again as well as the funds for it,” the actor said.

When asked about the organisation’s approach to problems faced by actors during the theatrical releases of their films, such as PMK’s recent appeal to theatres to not screen Suriya’s Etharkkum Thunindhavan, Karthi, Suriya’s younger brother, said that the association will extend legal support in such cases.

The office bearers mentioned that legal aid will also be extended to actors who are subject to defamatory remarks in YouTube videos.

Female Actor Assault Case: Dileep to be Interrogated on Monday by Crime Branch

BY Chandhini R On

Actor Dileep, who is accused in the 2017 female actor abduction and assault case, has been issued a fresh notice to appear for interrogation before the crime branch on Monday. 

The actor was first asked to appear at Aluva Police Club on Thursday. However, he requested a postponement citing prior engagements on that day. Following this, the interrogation has been rescheduled for Monday. 

The investigation follows the allegation that the accused had illegally accessed the memory card containing visuals of the sexual assault, which was in court custody. While this allegation was first raised by the survivor, the prosecution later filed a report before the Additional Special Sessions Court confirming the illegal access of the memory card.  

In the upcoming interrogation session, Dileep will likely be quizzed about this. Further, Whatsapp chats retrieved from the actor’s phone reportedly show that he had tried to influence witnesses in the assault case and hence he will be questioned about that as well. 

In February 2017, a female actor who predominantly works in Malayalam and Kannada cinema was abducted and sexually assaulted by a gang of men in a moving car en route to Kochi from Thrissur. 

After almost five years, the case gained momentum again at the end of 2021 when some serious allegations were levelled against actor Dileep – one of the accused and the supposed mastermind behind the attack – by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar. The latter alleged that Dileep had watched the video of the sexual assault at his house; that the actor knew the first accused in the case, Pulsar Suni; and that Dileep had influenced some of the significant witnesses in the case who later turned hostile during the trial.

Following this, the survivor sought further investigation in the case, and the court ordered a fresh probe.

Dileep had earlier filed a petition at the Kerala High Court seeking to suspend this continued investigation. In March, dismissing Dileep’s plea, the HC said that the investigating agency can continue with its probe and directed that the investigation be concluded by April 15. 

Meanwhile, the actor is also under investigation for allegedly conspiring to kill the police officers who probed him in the 2017 actor assault case. In late January, he was questioned by the crime branch for three consecutive days in connection to this new charge.

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

Salman Khan’s Blackbuck Poaching Case Transferred to Rajasthan High Court

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Rajasthan High Court, on Monday, approved the transfer of two petitions in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case that involves actor Salman Khan. The pleas in the case will now be heard by the High Court, instead of the Jodhpur District and Sessions court.

One of these was Khan’s challenge of his five-year conviction in the case relating to the hunting of two blackbucks. This plea was filed at the District and Session Court on April 5, 2018. Another petition by the state, which challenged Khan’s acquittal in a case under the Arms Act, had already been pending in the same court.

Meanwhile, the state had also challenged the acquittal of five others, namely actors Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelam, and Tabu and a local resident. This petition had been pending at the Rajasthan High Court.

All three pleas will now be heard by the High Court itself.

“After a brief hearing, Justice PS Bhati granted permission to transfer the two petitions to the high court, where one petition by the state is already pending. Hearing of all these cases will now take place at one place, which will save valuable time,” said Khan’s counsel HM Saraswat.

During the shooting of the Hindi film Hum Saath Saath Hain in the forests near Jodhpur in 1998, Khan was booked by the Rajasthan police for allegedly killing two blackbucks in Bhagoda ki Dhani, located in Kankani village. He was charged under section 9/51 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

His co-actors on the film, Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelam, and Tabu were also charged under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and under Section 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code. However, they were later acquitted.

Two other cases were also registered against Khan for hunting chinkara in the outskirts of Ghora Farm House and Bhavad village. A fourth case was registered against Khan as well, under the Arms Act for keeping a weapon under an expired arms license.

In 2016, he was acquitted of all charges due to the lack of evidence. However, after the state government moved the Supreme Court challenging his acquittal, the Jodhpur court convicted him and sentenced him to five years of imprisonment in 2018. He is currently out on bail.

Gayathri AKA Dolly D Cruze, Actor & YouTuber, Dies in Road Accident

BY Anusha Sundar On

Gayathri, popularly known as Dolly D Cruze, the Telugu Actor and YouTube personality, died in a road accident in Hyderabad, on Friday. She was 26.

Gayathri met with the accident when she was returning home after attending a Holi party. The actor was with a friend named Rathod, who was driving the car. Her friend lost control of the vehicle and hit a divider, causing the vehicle to turn over. Both of them succumbed to injuries as a result. While Gayathri was declared dead on the spot, her friend was rushed to the hospital, where he subsequently died, too.

Further, the road accident reportedly also involved a pedestrian, a 38-year-old woman, who passed away on the spot, after getting caught beneath the vehicle. The incident is said to have taken place in the Gachibowli area of Hyderabad.

Gayathri was a popular face on Youtube, owing to her channel Jalsa Rayudu. The channel hosts Telugu web series, skits, and other content.

Hailing from the Narayanpet district in Telangana, the actor has also appeared in the web series Madam Sir Madam Anthe.

Aside from this, Gayathri, who had a good social media following on Instagram with more than 60,000 followers, has also worked as a model for clothing lines and designers, photos of which she shared via her account on the platform.

Telugu actor Surekhavani, who played the role of Gayathri’s character’s mother in the series Madam Sir Madam Anthe, confirmed the actor’s death through her social media page. Mourning the untimely demise of the actor, she wrote, “How could you leave this mom! Had really the best times together… Still I can’t believe this!”

Sharing a photo of her co-star, she further added that it was too early for the actor to leave them and beseeched her to “come back,” adding, “Love you forever!”

Forensic Expert Connected to Actor Dileep’s Case, Charged for Cheating & Embezzlement

BY Chandhini R On

Cyber forensic expert Sai Sankar, who is accused of helping actor Dileep in deleting digital evidence in the conspiracy to murder case, has been charged for a cheating and embezzlement case.

A complaint was filed by Minhaj from Kozhikode at Nadakkavu police station in September 2020. However, a case was not registered at the time as he couldn’t provide sufficient information. 

According to complainant, Sankar had embezzled Rs 45 lakh after promising to deliver electronic goods for cheap prices. The cyber expert had told Minhaj that the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) auctions confiscated goods and that he could get them for cheaper rates. Minhaj’s complaint further states that he had cheated at least three others in a similar manner. It may be noted that the incident happened between 2019 and 2020.

Dileep and his associates have been accused of allegedly plotting to kill police officers investigating the 2017 female actor abduction and assault case. As part of the probe in the case, the forensic department is scrutinising phones submitted by the accused to the Kerala high court registry.   

Recently, forensic experts identified that a particular laptop that was used to delete evidence, belonged to an accused in a cheating case. Further investigation revealed that Sankar was involved in the deletion of data and his laptop was also seized by the police. On Saturday, Sankar’s wife was questioned by the crime branch, as the laptop used by Sankar was in her name. 

It was discovered that Sankar had rented rooms from January 29 to 31 at two luxury hotels in Kochi, where he had wiped data from the phones currently under scrutiny. He had also reportedly visited the residence of Dileep’s lawyer, accessing Wi-Fi from there as well as the hotels. Data such as WhatsApp calls, chats, phone calls and personal information are said to have been reportedly erased from the phone.

Though Sankar was summoned for interrogation, he did not appear citing Covid-19 symptoms and had sought permission to come in person, after 10 days. Meanwhile, Kerala police have been on the lookout for him, after gathering intel that he is in Ernakulam, while his family was unaware of his Covid-19 claims. 

Sankar had earlier filed a petition at Kerala High Court stating that the crime branch officials had harassed him into giving a statement against Dileep. In response, the court strictly directed officials of the crime branch to not summon Sankar for questioning without prior notice.

Mumbai Court Dismisses Kangana Ranaut’s Plea Alleging Magistrate’s Bias in Javed Akhtar Defamation Case

BY Namrata Ganguly On

A sessions court in Mumbai, on Sunday, has rejected actor Kangana Ranaut‘s transfer plea that alleged bias of the Magistrate in the ongoing defamation case filed against her by Hindi film lyricist Javed Akhtar.

The latest plea marks the seventh unsuccessful attempt by the actor to transfer it to a different judge in the case.

The defamation case dates back to November 2020, when Akhtar had filed a complaint against Ranaut, claiming that she had made defamatory remarks about him, during an interview with Republic TV after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput by suicide. In the interview that aired on July 19, 2020, Ranaut mentioned that some of the senior members of the Hindi film industry, including Akhtar, were part of a “gang” that was against “outsiders.”

Earlier in January, Ranaut had moved the Mumbai Sessions Court challenging the Magistrate Court’s dismissal of her plea that seeked transfer of her extortion case against Akhtar.

In December 2021, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrates Court had dismissed the actor’s plea of this complaint, on grounds of alleged bias of the Andheri Magistrate hearing the defamation case. Ranaut had also sought to transfer, saying that she did not wish to proceed with her extortion complaint, before the same judge.

The extortion case came up during a hearing in September 2021, in the ongoing defamation case when Ranaut had finally appeared in person before the court for the case, after receiving several warnings of arrest from the Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court for failing to make an appearance.

Following the hearing, Ranaut filed a counter complaint, where she had claimed that during the controversy with actor Hrithik Roshan in 2016, Akhtar had invited her and her sister Rangoli Chandel to his house, forcing her to give a written apology to Roshan. She also mentioned that Akhtar had allegedly threatened her with dire consequences, if she refused to do so.

Earlier this month, on March 8, when the Sessions Court rejected the actor’s transfer plea for the sixth time, the court also turned down another plea filed by her to transfer her cross-complaint against Akhtar outside of Andheri, Mumbai.

During Sunday’s hearing in the defamation case, the court reportedly said, “Moreover, mere allegation that there is apprehension that justice will not be done in the given case, alone does not suffice. In absence of any material demonstrating the apprehension that justice will not be done, without any bias, such application for transfer cannot be entertained. Therefore while assurances of fair trial needs to be respected, plea of transfer of case should not be entertained on mere apprehension.”