Bollywood packs its best punch with raw action

NEW DELHI, June 28: Advanced technology can make actors fly in the air, jump down high-rises and do other dazzling, dangerous stunts. But it is the old Bollywood staple that really sets the viewer’s adrenaline rushing - borne out by the success of Rowdy Rathore, another raw action entertainer that has earned over Rs105 crore.

Dabangg, Singham and Agneepath had their fair share of raw action and all did brisk business, earning Rs145 crore, Rs139 crore and Rs120 crore, respectively.

Salman’s Wanted and John Abraham’s Force also fall in the same league of films with tough and strong male leads, who make villains count stars with their kicks and punches with an result of the viewers hoot, clapp, whistle and came back for more.

Clearly, hi-tech entertainers made with mega-budgets like underwater thriller Blue and sci-fi Krrish and RA One have their place, but the masses, particularly those in the interiors, want raw, rugged action. Agrees Bollywood’s khiladi Akshay Kumar, who returned to action with the Rs 45 crore-worth Rowdy Rathore after six years.

“I personally believe that people enjoy raw action more than technology. If you use too much of technology, it will bounce back. People are very smart and understand what is real and what is unreal,” said Akshay.

“If you sit in single theatres and watch such films with the audience, you will hear people saying, ‘This is done on computer’. You can’t take your audiences for granted. So when I did my first action film after six years, I chose to do raw action. I believe in manpower and not technological power,” he said.

According to film critic Omar Qureshi, nothing works without a good story. “Essentially, bollywood is about songs, dance and drama. In between, our filmmakers were copying straight from hollywood. They have a different style of filmmaking, which does not really connect with the rawness of our interiors,” said Qureshi.

Rowdy Rathore co-producer Shabina Khan says action can be showcased in any form on the big screen, but it is of no use if it doesn’t entertain the right way. “People go to a theatre to be entertained. Today there are all sorts of action scenes - live action and special effects-created scenes. It’s not true that live action entertains better,” said Khan. Dabangg 2, Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai 2 and Shootout At Wadala are amongst the upcoming films showing plenty of raw action. And the makers are hoping that they will be laughing all the way to the bank. (IANS)

Surjeet reached home after 30 years

Attari (Punjab), June 28: After more than 30 years of incarceration in Pakistan, Surjeet Singh returned home on Thursday to a tumultuous and teary welcome from family and friends and promptly admitted that he had indeed been sent to spy for India.

Held in Pakistan on spying charges in the early 1980s, Surjeet (69) was released from Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail early on Thursday and made the road journey to Wagah, on the Pakistan side of the border, before entering his homeland.

“I was a RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) agent. No one bothered about me after I got arrested. Don’t ask me too much...,” Surjeet told reporters soon after stepping on Indian soil.

He was garlanded and hugged by family members and fellow villagers from Phidde in Ferozepur district. Dozens of camera crews and media persons jostled with each other to capture the moment. The crowds were so frenetic that Surjeet, who completed his life term in 2005, couldn’t even meet his wife Harbans Kaur. They were taken to Amritsar, where the family offered prayers at Harmandar Sahib, the holiest of Sikh shrines, in separate vehicles.

Smiling and waving to family members, friends and supporters, a tired but beaming Surjeet thanked Pakistani border officials as he walked across the zero line at the international border.

“I am very happy to return after 30 years and meet my children and family,” he said.  “Indian prisoners are treated well in Pakistan jails. Sarabjit Singh is also doing well there. I met him recently though I couldn’t meet him today before leaving. He has sent no message with me. Leave it to me, I will get him released...,” Surjeet said, referring to Sarabjit Singh, also from Punjab who has been in Kot Lakhpat jail.

Downplaying the confusion over the release, he said: “In Urdu, the way they write Sarabjit and Surjeet is almost the same. This led to the confusion. Otherwise, everyone knew that the matter was regarding my release only.” “I will never return to Pakistan again,” Surjeet said in Punjabi, his head and finger indicating a firm “no” gesture.

“I was arrested earlier for spying charges. If I return again, the security agencies might suspect that I have come for spying again.”

Surjeet said prisoners on both sides of the border should be released by the respective governments.

Dressed in a white kurta-pyjama and black turban and carrying two bags, Surjeet had been brought to the Wagah border on the Pakistan side in a prison van.  Though he had been freed, his left hand was in handcuffs. The accompanying policemen got down with him but did not open the handcuffs immediately even as he smiled and hugged his lawyer.

Once the formalities were completed, he crossed to the Attari side of the joint border checkpost, about 30 km from Amritsar, where his family and friends waited excitedly to meet him.

His son Kulwinder, holding a box of sweets, couldn’t hold back his tears. The family had given up hope of seeing him again, presuming him to be dead after he went missing near the border in Ferozepur sector in 1982.  “I was only two-three years old when he went missing. This is the biggest day of my life,” said Kulwinder.

Surjeet’s release came in the midst of the controversy and flip-flop over the release of Sarabjit Singh. (IANS)

Abu Jindal?s mother says he is innocent

Beed (Maharashtra), June 28: Claiming that her son, Abu Jindal Hamza, is not a terrorist, his mother Rehana Begum on Thursday accused the security agencies of “falsely implicating” him.

Speaking to media persons at Jindal’s hometown Beed in Maharashtra, Rehana Begum said no DNA test of herself and her husband has been done in the past five years and that the government should first match their DNA test results with Jindal to confirm his identity.

Jindal grew up in Maharashtra’s Beed district before he went to Pakistan for terror training.

Rehana Begum said that she or her family are unaware of any cases lodged against Jindal or his involvement in terrorist activities.  “We want a proper investigation to be done,” she said when asked if she was aware why he went missing following the 2006 Aurangabad arms haul in which AK-47 rifles and explosives were seized.

Jindal (30) was arrested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on June 21 after his deportation from Saudi Arabia. Jindal, who has at least 10 aliases, was one of six people who were holed up in a “control room” in Karachi and directed the audacious Mumbai attack by 10 Pakistani terrorists in November 2008. The carnage left 166 people dead.

Jindal was one of those who were heard on radio intercepts directing the terrorists to their targets in Mumbai and telling them who to kill. He had trained the killers to speak Hindi.

Jindal, an alleged member of the Indian Mujahideen group, was arrested soon after he landed at the IGIA in New Delhi from Saudi Arabia. A court sent him to 15 days’ police custody. (IANS)

Leadership tussle in Karnataka leaves CM embarrassed

Bangalore, June 28: The tussle in Karnataka’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued on Thursday as the central party leadership snubbed the beleaguered Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda and a section of legislators huddled together to devise ways to oust him.

The Chief Minister was left deeply embarrassed as the events unfolded. Gowda planned to go to New Delhi to brief the BJP leadership on the conspiracy to unseat him but was forced to cancel the trip at the last minute, party sources said.

Gowda had advanced by four hours a press meet he had called for 4 pm to release a booklet on the achievements of the four-year rule of the BJP. Gowda planned this in view of his decision to rush to Delhi to meet party leaders in the wake of the renewed bid by former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa and his loyalists to oust him.

Gowda hurriedly finished the press meet at the Vidhana Soudha, the State secretariat in central Bangalore, to go to the airport, 35 km away. However, he was in for a rude shock as he got a message from the central leaders that there was no need to rush to New Delhi.

Apparently upset over the developments, he cancelled a dinner scheduled for Thursday evening for the press corps to celebrate the BJP government’s achievements. Though the BJP completed four years in power on May 30, Gowda said he could not release the booklet listing the achievements as code of conduct was in force till the middle of this month in view of elections to the legislative council. As Gowda talked to the press, several ministers and BJP lawmakers met at Yeddyurappa’s residence here to devise ways to step up pressure on the party central leaders to remove Gowda and make Rural Development Minister Jagadish Shettar the Chief Minister.

The former chief minister and his supporters are expecting BJP general secretary in-charge of Karnataka affairs Dharmendra Pradhan to arrive here in a day or two for what they are describing as the “final exercise for leadership change”. (IANS)

Neeraj Kumar is new Delhi Police chief

New Delhi, June 28: Neeraj Kumar, a senior Delhi Police officer, was on Thursday named the next chief of the national capital’s police force.

The 1976 batch Indian Police Service officer will succeed BK Gupta, who retires on June 30, after over four decades of service.

Neeraj Kumar is at present the Delhi prisons director general.

The announcement of his appointment was made by the union home ministry here.

Before joining the prisons department, Kumar was posted as Special Commissioner of Police headquarters, Delhi Police, and was in charge of overall security arrangement for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Kumar joined Delhi Police as probationer after completing his graduation and post-graduation from St Stephen’s College in 1973 and 1975 respectively. He first served as assistant commissioner of police for Chanakyapuri in 1979.

Kumar also had a long stint in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) where he led the investigations in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.

He headed the special cell of Delhi Police as joint commissioner in 2002.

He is from the AGMUT (Arunachal, Goa, Mizoram, and other Union Territories) cadre.

BK Gupta, also from the same cadre, had taken charge from YS Dadwal in November 2010 after the Commonwealth Games. (IANS)

Sarabjit?s family on indefinite fast; meets Krishna

New Delhi, June 28: Family members of Indian death row convict Sarabjit Singh on Thursday sat on an indefinite protest at Jantar Mantar in the national capital seeking his freedom from Pakistan and asked the Indian government to intensify efforts to obtain his return back home.

Sarabjit’s family also met External Affairs Minister SM Krishna here and was assured by him that all government efforts would be made for his release from Pakistani prison.

Over 200 supporters of Sarabjit, including his close family, gathered at Jantar Mantar to demand his release.

Pakistan had done a flip-flop late on Tuesday after announcing that President Asif Ali Zardari had commuted Sarabjit’s death sentence and that he would be released. Later, the presidential spokesman said that instead of Sarabjit, another Indian prisoner, Surjeet Singh, who has been languishing in Pakistani jails for over three decades on spying charges, would be released.

Sarabjit’s sister Dalbir Kaur, who met Krishna in Delhi, said the minister had told her that “the matter has been raised with Pakistan several times and India will again take it up during the foreign secretary-level talks next month”.

He was also quoted as saying that India will not let him stay in Pakistan jail and that he will be released soon.

Krishna earlier expressed happiness over the release of another Indian prisoner, Surjeet Singh.

Sarabjit’s family claims that he had inadvertently crossed over to Pakistan in an inebriated state August 1990 and was arrested there. He hails from Bhikhiwind village along the India-Pakistan border, 280 km from Chandigarh. He was later identified as Manjit Singh and accused of planting two bombs in Pakistan which claimed 14 lives. He was sentenced to death by Pakistani courts even though his family here claimed that he was innocent.

At the Jantar Mantar protest, organized by Sachkand Nanak Dham of Ghaziabad, people from Punjab, including children, were seen holding posters that said: “Pakistan, Sarabjit ki rihahi se palte kyu (Pakistan, why the U-turn on Sarabjit’s release?).”

There was constant chanting of the hymns from Guru Granth Sahib.

Dalbir Kaur said that she had full faith in the government and its efforts in getting her brother out of prison and his return to India.

She once again reiterated her family’s appeal to Pakistan to free her brother.

“Pakistan has made a mistake and now, they will have to correct it. The whole world is watching its actions. Pakistan has to answer them. If Pakistan releases Sarabjit, it will only act as a catalyst to better ties with India,” she said. Talking of her own visits to Pakistan, Dalbir Kaur said her cause had the vast support from Pakistanis, including the media there. “Even the jailer at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat prison, where my brother is lodged, supports his release,” she claimed.

She however expressed happiness at the release of another prisoner Sujeet Singh. She said Surjeet Singh had called her up, saying he would have been happier if “Sarabjit too had been freed and expressed his support to our efforts”. The organizers of the protest said they would continue their agitation till Sarabjit is freed and returns home. (IANS)

No slanging match with Pakistan, says Krishna

New Delhi, June 28: India does not get into “any kind of slanging match” with Pakistani dignitaries, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna said on Thursday, refusing to enter into a debate with Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik over 26/11 suspect Abu Jindal Hamza. He was asked for his reaction to Malik’s rejection of Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram’s assertion of “State support” to terrorists involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, as revealed by Hamza’s confessions to Indian police during interrogation. Malik had on Wednesday claimed that Chidambaram’s remarks were a “propaganda campaign” against Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence.  (IANS)

GJM to go with Trinamool on presidential poll

Kolkata, June 28: The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha, which has three legislators in the West Bengal assembly, on Thursday said it will go along the ruling Trinamool Congress’s decision in July 19 presidential poll. “We have not decided on the issue of presidential poll. But whatever decision the ruling Trinamool Congress takes, we will support it,” GJM supremo Biman Gurung said. The move is seen as an attempt to appease Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has crossed swords with the Congress over the candidature of Pranab Mukherjee. The GJM has been campaigning for the creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland within India, out of northern districts of West Bengal. The GJM currently has three members in the 294-member state assembly. The Trinamool, the second largest constituent of the ruling United Progressive Alliance in New Delhi, is yet to announce its stand on the presidential choice after its preferred candidate, former president APJ Abdul Kalam, declined to contest. United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate Pranab Mukherjee is pitted against former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma for the presidential poll which are scheduled for July 19. Both Mukherjee and Sangma on Thursday filed their nomination papers. Banerjee has so far been firmly opposing Mukherjee’s bid for the country’s presidency. (IANS)

Sri Lanka Navy harassing Indian fishermen: Jayalalithaa

Chennai, June 28: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take up with Colombo the alleged harassment of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lanka Navy. In a letter to Manmohan Singh on Wednesday, released to the media on Thursday, Jayalalithaa said that from time immemorial fishermen from Tamil Nadu have fished in the waters near Katchatheevu. Citing the latest incident of harassment near Katchatheevu Tuesday, she asked Singh to tell the Sri Lankan government to instruct its navy to exercise restraint. According to her, 704 mechanised fishing boats went for fishing in the sea from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu on June 25. “The Sri Lankan Navy is reported to have chased the fishermen and cut the ropes and damaged the nets of 10 boats, resulting in a huge loss to the fishermen,” her letter said. She said the incident had shocked Tamil Nadu and created a psychological fear in the minds of Indian fishermen.  (IANS)

Court refuses to quash FIR against CPI-M leader

Kochi, June 28: The Kerala High Court on Thursday refused to quash a FIR registered against a CPI-M leader for a speech justifying murders, and asked police to go ahead with its investigation. Dismissing MM Mani’s petition, Justice SS Sateeshachandran condemned his speech and said his comments had shocked the society. He observed that speeches like these could kill democracy. The court also saw a video of the speech before coming out with the verdict. A former Idukki district secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, Mani had at a May 25 public meeting claimed that his party had killed four critics. Police immediately slapped a case against him. The CPI-M sacked Mani from his post. Mani urged the high court to quash the FIR. Reacting to the court ruling, CPI-M leader and former chief minister VS Achuthanandan came down on Mani. “The direction by the court is not wrong. It was the right direction by the court,” he said.  (IANS)

BJP leaders meet in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, June 28: A two-day brainstorming session of the Chhattisgarh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) began here on Thursday to decide a strategy for next year’s assembly elections. State BJP president Ramsevak Paikra said that the meeting will discuss the achievements of the state government and preparations for the elections. About 40 leaders of the party and the government including Chief Minister Raman Singh are taking part in the meet, also attended by representatives of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). (IANS)

Mumbai police want to confront Hamza with Kasab

New Delhi, June 28: The Mumbai police on Thursday again petitioned a court here for the custody of Abu Jindal Hamza, a key 26/11 suspect, so as to confront him with Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab caught alive during the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Yadav on Wednesday dismissed Mumbai police’s application seeking custody of Hamza, alias Zabiuddin Ansari. Kasab has been convicted for the terror attack and lodged in a special cell in a Mumbai jail.  (IANS)

Not enough being done to tackle drought: Experts

NEW DELHI, June 28: With several states reeling under a drought-like situation as they await the monsoon, experts have pointed out that not enough is being done to deal with the situation arising out of scanty rainfall.

Drought management, they say, assumes significance in view of changing weather patterns.

“We are not prepared to handle the effects of climate change on agriculture. It is reflected through our management of drought situation in states like Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh,” veteran agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan said.

“As the effects of climate change manifest, there will be unprecedented droughts and some areas will receive more rain.” said Swaminathan, known as the father of India’s Green Revolution.

For 2012, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has downgraded the monsoon forecast to 96 per cent from the April forecast of 99 per cent.

As per IMD standards, an average or normal monsoon means rainfall between 96 and 104 per cent of a 50-year average of 89 cm during a four-month season from June. Rainfall below 90 per cent of the average is considered to result in a drought.

While a deficit monsoon has so far not been announced, the drought-like situation in several states has already had a negative impact on agricutlture and also resulted in several farmers’ suicides.

As per data from the central government, some 109 farmers committed suicide in Andhra Pradesh till February-end in the 2011-12 fiscal. Suicides were also reported from Odisha, West Bengal and other states, mostly due to crop failure following low rainfall and inability to pay off debts.

The experts, however, point out that the government indulges only in ‘post-mortem action’, instead of planning in advance.

“Instead of indulging in post-mortem action every time, we need to plan in advance. For example, the rain-surplus years should be well utilised by storing the extra produce; doing rainwater harvesting to charge the natural water bodies and ground water, so that in rain deficit years, the effect of drought is mitigated,” Swaminathan said.

GV Ramanjaneyulu, executive director of Hyderabad’s Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, pointed out that the problem is lack of planning for rain-fed areas overall.

Rain-fed areas are the areas which depend on rains and have no irrigation. According to the agriculture department, 60 percent of India’s net sown area is rain-fed.

He also said the stress on irrigation-intensive crops post the Green Revolution and no encouragement to organic farming had added to the problem.

“These areas which are prone to drought have a particular cropping pattern of coarse grains and millets which require less water. But these crops are not promoted. Moreover, organic farming requires less water than chemical fertiliser and insecticides, but there is no subsidy for it,” he said.

A special parliament session on agriculture was also demanded by several MPs during the previous budget and winter sessions. However, the government hasn’t reacted to this so far. (IANS)

Unregistered Amarnath pilgrims cause chaos

JAMMU, June 28: Unregistered pilgrims for the annual Amarnath yatra in the Jammu and Kashmir Himalayas are causing massive problems for the registered pilgrims and for the authorities, resulting in chaos, an official said.

According to the official, the unregistered pilgrims come with the deliberate intention to make the yatra without a requisite permit.

Although the official figures released by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) showed over 31,000 pilgrims visiting the shrine, the police records show more than 60,000 pilgrims having visited the shrine.

“The mess has been created by the mismanagement, SASB’s guidelines for the pilgrims is to register themselves before embarking on the journey, with a health certificate,” observed 54-year-old Daya Ram, who returned after paying obeisance to the ‘Shivlingam’- a stalagmite of ice, revered as an icon of Lord Shiva. Last year, the pilgrimage had brought more than 633,000 pilgrims and till date, the registered pilgrims figure touched 350,000, out of which most of them were unregistered ones.

It seems the calls of the SASB and state authorities to adhere to the rules have fallen on deaf ears.

“We are very clear that no unregistered pilgrim would be allowed beyond the entry point,” a senior police official said.

“What is worse that despite shrine board’s rate list, the tent owners are charging Rs 4,000 per bed in a ramshackled tents. Community kitchen are running short of gas cylinders, hence people have started adopting austerity measures,” said Ashish Chopra of Ludhiana, Punjab.

“We see a deliberate conspiracy in that,” he regretted.

The pilgrimage will continue till August 2.

The cave shrine is situated at a height feet 3,888 meters above sea level. It has two routes leading to it.

One is from Pahalgam, about 100 km from Srinagar, and another from Baltal, 110 km from the state’s summer capital.

Pahalgam is the traditional route of about 45 km but the pilgrims these days prefer the much shorter Balta route.

An ice lingam or a naturally made stalagmite of snow considered as an icon of Hindu god Shiva is the main attraction of the cave shrine. (IANS)

Odisha board exam results posted on FB before declaration

BHUBANESWAR, June 28: The results of Odisha’s Class 10 board examination was posted on social networking site Facebook ahead of their declaration, an official said on Thursday.

The state’s Board of Secondary Education (BSE), which conducted the examination on March-April, was scheduled to declare the results at 9 am on Thursday.

The names of the top 110 students were posted on Facebook on Wednesday night, causing embarrassment to the board and the government.

The posting was found to be correct when the results were declared on Thursday morning.

“It was not leaked. The results were stolen. A probe would be conducted,” board president Satyakam Mishra saud. (IANS)

Why India must become more aware of product designs?

NEW DELHI, June 28: In India, World Industrial Design Day goes as unnoticed as a new film released without any star; yet most of us have come in touch with hundreds of products designed by industrial designers in our daily life. We have loved products, used them, abused them and hated them as much since time immemorial.

International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) has been celebrating World Industrial Design Day every year.

Industrial design propagates ideas of an inclusive and integrated collaborative approach in designing products with insight into the consumers mindset. This approach has led to many innovative design solutions and have benefited end users. Take the example of the iconic product of our time - the iPhone. It was driven by Steve Jobs but designed by Jonathan Ive of Apple Design Studio based out of Cupertino, California. Thus, iPhone truly represents an inclusive and integrated collaborative approach in designing products with an eye for details in design. The success of this has made every company worth its name in the electronic industry to take the ‘minimalistic design’ style.

Collectively, we too have imbibed these aesthetic sensibilities in spite of the fact that most Indian sense of colour is bright and vibrant. Thus, industrial design helps every culture to imbibe its artifacts and tastes. Strange it is when you see labourers in India carrying European style mobile handsets of Chinese make.

In India we have Titan which has built a considerable reputation by using design as its strength in building brand. Automobile companies in India too have realized the benefit of industrial design the most. One can ascribe the success of the Mahindra XUV500 in recent times and the buzz created by its distinctive styling to a house of industrial designers.

Yet, the common man is unaware of the nuances behind the products sold to them. The main reason for this is that the number of industrial designs produced in India is miniscule as compared to the West. This means that more and more educational institutes offering design courses are needed if we want to be known as world class design creating country. If that infrastructure of a creative talent design pool is not available, India will be known for its cheap production costs but not highly talented designers.

LG and Samsung have taken over the world market because of nurturing creative design talent. We in India, at the level of decision-makers and implementers, have to understand that the fruits of design thinking can be savoured only if we can create an ecosystem for new creations and not by reverse engineering or copying alone. (IANS)

Fires ravage 20,000 hectares of Himachal forests in two months

SHIMLA, June 28: Unusually hot and dry conditions this summer have turned the green hills of Himachal Pradesh into a tinderbox - literally. Forest wealth estimated at well over Rs 2 crore spread over 20,000 hectares has been destroyed in forest fires in just two months this year.

A forest department official said the prolonged dry spell, particularly in the mid and low hills, has led to widespread forest fires. Now, the delay in the arrival of monsoon has further aggravated the situation.

“More than 20,000 hectares of forest has been destroyed in the wild fires till date. This time the damage to forests is more than 10 times compared to last year’s loss of 1,758 hectares,” said Avtar Singh, chief conservator, Forest Protection and Fire Control.

The loss to the forest wealth this season was estimated at Rs 2.44 crore, whereas it was just Rs 43 lakh last year.

The total forest loss in 2010 was 7,654 hectares in the state, while it was 24,849 hectares in 2009.

Records of the forest department say 22 per cent or 8,267 sq km of the total forest area in the state is fire-prone. Forest officials said most fire incidents are deliberate acts. The local villagers also tend to set grasslands afire to get softer grass after the rains. In most cases, the fire from grasslands spreads to nearby forests.

Citing reports of the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Negi said 100 per cent of forest fires in the state are caused by human interference. “The state has no mechanism to restrict human activity. There is a provision under which rights of villagers can be curtailed if they fail to assist the forest department in extinguishing forest fires, but it has not been enforced,” he added. Contrary to Negi, the forest department said besides clearing fire lines and controlled fires ahead of the fire season, it’s involving the locals to counter the fires.

Chief conservator Singh said over 100 self-help groups comprising villagers have been formed in Hamirpur, Sirmaur, Shimla, Kangra, Bilaspur and Una districts, where most of the wildfire incidents are being reported. “Every day, the groups patrol the forests to check fire incidents. Such exercises have been on every year during peak summer since 2008.”

According to the Forest Survey of India report of 2009, Himachal Pradesh has 37,033 sq km of forest area, out of which 3,224 sq km is very dense forest. (IANS)

Dilip Kumar?s biography to be released on thespian?s birthday

MUMBAI, June 28: Fans of thespian Dilip Kumar are sure to rejoice at hearing this piece of news. It seems that a coffee table book talking about the life of veteran actor Dilip Kumar will be launched on December 11 this year, which marks the birthday of Bollywood’s Devdas. The book, which has been written by journalist Uday Tarra Nayar and supervised by yesteryear actress and Kumar’s wife Saira Banu, will reportedly trace Dilip Kumar’s journey from the time he came to Mumbai as Yusuf Khan and will also have rare photographs of the actor’s friends and family. Confirming the news, Saira Banu said, “So many writers had approaches us for an opportunity to write a book on Dilip Kumar. We chose Uday tarra because she is a family member and Dilip saab has known her since a long time.” Incidentally, the former actress is also said to be working on another biography based on Dilip Kumar’s life, which would be launched in 2013. (Agencies)

Ekta Kapoor to set up in-house distribution wing

MUMBAI, June 28: After making a name for herself on the small screen as well as the silver screen as a producer, it seems now that Balaji Queen Bee Ekta Kapoor is gearing up to enter the world of film distribution too. Sources claim that following the example of Yash Raj Films and UTV Motion Pictures, Kapoor has decided to distribute her ventures through Balaji. Tanuj Garg, the CEO of Balaji said, “Setting up an in-house nationwide distribution infrastructure is the next step for a company like ours that is at the forefront of content creation and marketing. This will give us greater control on the value chain, which is in line with deriving studio status.” Sources also claim that Kapoor’s maternal uncle Ramesh Sippy will be heading the distribution department and that the wing is supposed to take off in the next few months. (Agencies)

Arjun Kapoor finalized for 2 States adaptation

MUMBAI, June 28: After much speculation as to which actor would be signed up to play the male lead in the film adaptation of best-selling author Chetan Bhagat’s novel 2 States, it has now been officially declared that newbie Arjun Kapoor, who played the rustic Parma Chauhan in Ishaqzaade, has been finalized for the role by the makers. Producer Sajid Nadiadwala, said confirming the news, “I have known Arjun since the time he weighed 140 kgs. He is now a cool dude who has turned out to be a good actor and a heartthrob for millions. He is the perfect hero.’’ On his part, Karan Johar, who will be producing the film alongwith Nadiadwala, said, “Arjun is wonderful and a supremely talented addition to the young bracket of actors in the movie industry. Both Sajid and I have implicit faith in his portrayal of our protagonist.’’ Sources claim that the film is to be directed by debut director Abhishek Varman, who has worked on My Name Is Khan’ and Student Of The Year. In the past, actors like Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and till recently, Imran Khan were considered for the role of the protagonist. 2 States revolves around the love story between a North Indian boy and a South Indian girl and the culture clash that follows their plans to marry each other. (Agencies)

Delhi Court rejects plagiarism charge against Madhur Bhandarkar

MUMBAI, June 28: A Delhi court rejected an author’s plea against Hindi film director Madhur Bhandarkar for plagiarism. The court was hearing a plea by the actress-turned-author Seema Seth, who alleged that Bhandarkar had copied the plot for his film Fashion from her book El Dorado. The book was published three months before the release of the film. Sanjay Sharma, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, was quoted saying, “There cannot be a copyright in an idea or plot, subject matter, themes or legendary facts. Therefore, no direction is given for registration of the FIR.” The court, however, has given Seth a chance to bring more evidence to prove her charges on the issue. The next hearing is on August 8. (Agencies)

Sonali to make a comeback in Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai sequel

MUMBAI, June 28: The 90’s actress Sonali Bendre is set to make a comeback in the upcoming sequel to Ekta Kapoor’s Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai. Sonali has been approached for a significant role; however the actress is yet to accept the offer. The actress had taken a break from Hindi films, post her marriage to producer Goldie Behl. She was seen in a special appearance in Karan Johar’s Kal Ho Naa Ho. After a handful number of cameos in Telugu and Marathi films, this sequel could mark her return to big-ticket bollywood films. (Agencies)

Tusshar hints at third film in Kool series

MUMBAI, June 28: The trailers of sex comedy Kyaa Super Kool Hai Hum starring Tusshar Kapoor and Riteish Deshmukh, has already created waves across the industry and movie-goers, who were left rolling in the aisles with laughter while watching the prequel Kyaa Kool Hai Hum are undoubtedly waiting for the sequel with bated breath. Now, Balaji boy Tusshar Kapoor has hinted that he and Deshmukh might team up for a third film in the series as well. At a recent promotional event, Tusshar Kapoor said, “This movie will be more fun and wilder than the prequel and though Kyaa Super Kool Hai Hum is coming seven years after the prequel, we hope the connection won’t be lost as this is a new genre (sex comedy) that we are bringing and such films have not been made in the recent past. If this film goes well, me and Riteish might team up for a third film in the series too.” Tusshar Kapoor plays the role of an aspiring actor in Kyaa Super Kool Hai Hum and will be also seen mimicking his Golmaal series character in one of the scenes involving Rohit Shetty, who will be seen in a cameo in the film. (Agencies)