Pranab Mukherjee: Government's No. 2 is Nation's No. 1

New Delhi, July 22: During his more than four decades of public service, Pranab Mukherjee (76) elected on Sunday as India’s 13th president, was the government’s principal trouble-shooter during its most tumultuous days as he commanded tremendous respect across the political spectrum.

That eventually tilted the balance in his being named the ruling UPA’s nominee for the country’s top constitutional job as the occupant of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the imposing British-built, 340-room presidential mansion perched atop Raisina Hill.

His Congress colleagues whisper he is a Chanakya, ancient India’s fabled political conniver, but he is largely well liked for his knowledge and sagacity. He is down to earth, lives modestly, and has admitted many a time that he cannot speak polished English. For one who is supremely self-confident, he can be humble.  But he has a temper - and has more than once apologised to MPs for raising his voice inside and outside parliament.

Once a pipe smoker, Mukherjee has now quit smoking. Today he tells people to kick the habit.

He is not a movie buff but his soft corner for the silver screen was evident when, in the budget he presented in May, he exempted films from service tax, saying they contributed immensely to national unity.

“I used to see some movies earlier. But recently I didn’t have the luxury of having any time... except for one movie, watching which was, I think, a part of my job. It was on air force...Rang De Basanti,” he had famously said about the 2006 Aamir Khan-starrer that was predicated on the defence minister being shot for a supposed wrong.

He devours books, works well past midnight, and has said in a rare peek into his personal life that he was hardly able to find time for his family. His only interaction was often limited to giving his wife a goodnight peck before retiring to bed well past the usual bedtime.

He is known never to have taken a holiday, except for his annual spiritual jaunt when he has a rendezvous with his favourite deity, Goddess Durga, at his ancestral home in Miriti village in Birbhum district, about 200 km from Kolkata.

Adorning the pattabastra (robe) of a priest, Mukherjee religiously performs the rites, reads from the ‘Sree Sree Chandi’ sacred text, and fasts during the three days of Durga Puja.

His sharp memory, quick wit and persuasive skills are widely respected. In what can be called a tribute, BJP leader LK Advani once remarked that the Congress-led government would not last a day but for Mukherjee.

Consider this: He was the man the Congress - both UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh - turned to every time there was a crisis. Each time, Mukherjee rose to the occasion. Even if he did not always succeed, he left a mark, in parliamentary debates or otherwise.

His position in the party was indisputable - until June 15, when the United Progressive Alliance named him its candidate for president. He had headed 83 of the 183 ministerial decision-making groups, known as Group of Ministers.

Mukherjee has served as foreign, defence and finance ministers.

He has, over a period of 25 years, presided over cabinet meetings when the Prime Minister has been away. But the top post in the government has eluded him because of what some feel is the Gandhi family’s wariness.

This goes back to the time after Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984 when Mukherjee, a stickler for rules, is supposed to have pointed out to her son Rajiv Gandhi that convention demanded that the second in command be the caretaker prime minister till the Congress elected a new leader. That was interpreted as a sign of his vaulting ambition. Mukherjee has remained out of contention for the prime minister’s job ever since.

A persuasive orator and a formidable negotiator, Pranabda - as the Bengali bhadralok is adoringly addressed - came to acquire in his five decades of parliamentary politics traits that have earned him the admiration of even his political foes.

He is considered a walking encyclopaedia on virtually everything related to politics and governance - all due to his photographic memory of the fine print and negotiation details - that makes it difficult for any bureaucrat to hoodwink or trip him. (IANS)

Pratibha Patil's new Pune retirement home not yet ready

Pune, July 22: With her earlier choice of post-retirement home mired in controversy, President Pratibha Patil, whose term ends on July 24, will now settle down in a consideably smaller bungalow in this city, popularly known as Maharashtra’s pensioners’ paradise. The house is however not yet ready and she will temporarily move to a bungalow at 2 Tughlaq Lane in New Delhi before shifting to Pune. Raigad, a bungalow on the busy Pashan Road located between a school and a law college, is currently occupied by the Superindent of Police (Pune Wireless Division) PP Sharma, who retired earlier this year. Pune Collector Vikas Deshmukh said that although the State Government had given the go ahead to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which will refurbish the bungalow, the department is yet to revert. The bungalow is built over 2,500 sq ft on a one-acre plot. Patil had earlier selected a five-acre plot belonging to the defence forces but gave it up following a controversy. This had broken in April, when Suresh Patil, a retired lieutenant colonel of the Pune-based “Justice for Jawan”, a part of the NGO “Green Thumb” group, released details of plans to house Patil on a 260,000 square foot plot, saying it belonged to war widows. The house allotted to her now is reportedly within the specifications of the President’s Emoluments and Pensions Act. (IANS)

Kolkata celebrates Pranab's victory with tea party

Kolkata, July 22: From a tea party at a posh five-star hotel to processions on the streets, Kolkata on Sunday erupted with joy as Pranab Mukherjee was elected the country’s President - becoming the first Bengali to hold the highest office in the land. Emotional scenes were witnessed on the roads as people smeared each other with gulal, danced and burst crackers to celebrate the momentous occasion. At the State Congress headquarters Bidhan Bhavan, Bengal’s sweet delicacy sandesh was offered to all and sundry since the time it became clear Mukherjee had reached the magic figure for victory. A beaming Pradesh Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya called the day “historic”. Congress workers assembled at the office in large numbers from the morning. They hugged each other, raised slogans and celebrated. State Congress general secretary Om Prakash Mishra organised a high tea at the post Park Hotel where Congress leaders, eminent people and journalists gathered. There were loud claps when Mukherjee got a majority. The leaders present gave short speeches recalling their association with the president-elect. Leaders from ruling alliance partner Trinamool Congress and opposition Left Front were also invited, but they did not turn up. “We wanted to rise above politics and share our happiness with everyone. We don’t know why others did not come. But we don’t to get into all these now. We just want to enjoy the moment,” said Congress leader Nirbed Roy. Congress workers also brought out colourful processions in the city and also in the districts congratulating Mukerjee on his victory. (IANS)

Pranab celebrates with sandesh, laddoos

New Delhi, July 22: Motichoor laddoos, malai kulhars and the evergreen sandesh....sweets were being distrubuted galore on Sunday after Pranab Mukherjee was elected President of India. The supporters had begun celebrating early in the day in anticipation of his expected victory. Besides the sweets, the supporters who had gathered at his house were treated to khasta kachoris, dahi bhallas and idli sambhar. All the savouries at his House No 13 on Talkatora Road in central Delhi, came from Bangla Sweet House and Kaleva Sweets, both popular shops in the Gole Market nearby. While the shopowners refused to give out the quantity of sweets delivered at Mukherjee’s house, Kaleva’s owner Jawahar Lal expressed his satisfaction at being the preferred supplier of sweets for the president-elect, who is himself said to be a sweets lover.  (IANS)

BJP loses faces in Karnataka as Pranab gets more votes

New Delhi/Bangalore, July 22: The Bharatiya Janata Party was stunned on Sunday as around 16 of its legislators in the faction-ridden Karnataka unit seem to have voted for UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee in the presidential poll. Mukherjee, the veteran Congressman, got 117 against 103 votes polled by PA Sangma, who was backed by the BJP and other opposition parties. Sangma’s vote count shows that 16 BJP legislators have let him down and more so their party. The BJP, ruling Karnataka for the first time, has 119 members in the 225-member assembly, in which one seat is vacant. It also has the support of one of the seven Independents. Of the 224, only 223 were eligible to vote as one is a nominated member. All 223 voted and three votes were declared invalid after the count in New Delhi If there was no-cross voting Mukherjee would have got 98 votes, 71 of Congress and 27 of Janata Dal-Secular which had pledged support to him. It is quite possible that Mukherjee has got votes of six Independents also, which would have taken the tally to 104 if there was no cross-voting by BJP. If this is the case, then 13 BJP legislators have voted for Mukherjee as three votes have been declared invalid. The state BJP leaders declined commenting on the embarrassing development. However in Delhi, party spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said they would “look into the issue”. The value of votes polled by Mukherjee in Karnataka was 15,327 while it was 13,493 for Sangma. (IANS)

Presidential election: Break-up of votes polled

New Delhi, July 22: The break-up of the votes cast in the July 19 presidential polls in which ruling UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee emerged the winner.

Among MPs’ votes, Mukherjee bagged 527 to opposition-backed PA Sangma’s 206, while 15 votes were declared invalid. The value of each MP’s vote is 708.

There were 4,120 assembly members eligible to vote. The value of a legislator’s vote is variable depending on the population of the State the member represents.

Here is the statewise break-up of votes:

In Congress-ruled Andhra Pradesh - Pranab got 182 votes, compared to three votes for Sangma. The value of each vote is 148

In Congress-ruled Arunachal Pradesh, Mukherjee got 54 votes to Sangma’s two, with the value of each vote at 8

In Congress-ruled Assam, Mukherjee got 110 votes to Sangma's 13, with the value of each vote at 116

In Janata Dal-United-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition-ruled Bihar, Mukherjee got 146 votes, to Sangma’s 90. The value of each vote is 173

In BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh, Mukherjee got 39 votes, to Sangma’s 50, with the value of each vote at 129

In Congress-ruled Delhi, Mukherjee got 45 votes compared to 23 for Sangma. The value of each vote is 58

In BJP-ruled Goa, Mukherjee got 9 votes to Sangma’s 31. The value of each vote is 20

In BJP-ruled Gujarat, Mukherjee got 59 votes, to Sangma’s 123. The value of each vote is 147

In Congress-ruled Haryana, Mukherjee got 53 votes, to Sangma’s 29 - the value of each vote is 112

In BJP-ruled Himachal Pradesh, Mukherjee got 23 votes to Sangma’s 14 and the value of each vote is 51

In National Conference-Congress coalition-ruled Jammu and Kashmir, Mukherjee got 68 votes to 15 for Sangma. The value of each vote is 72

In BJP-Jharkhand Mukti Morcha coalition-ruled Jharkhand, Mukherjee got 60 votes to Sangma’s 20. The value of each vote is 76

In BJP-ruled Karnataka, Mukherjee got 117 votes to 103 for Sangma. The value of each vote is 131

In Congress-led UDF-ruled Kerala, Mukherjee got 124 votes, while Sangma failed to win any vote. The value of each vote is 152

In BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, Mukherjee got 74 votes compared to Sangma’s 149. The value of each vote is 131

In Congress-Nationalist Congress Party coalition-ruled Maharashtra, Mukherjee got 225 votes to Sangma's 47. The value of each vote is 175

In Congress-ruled Manipur, Mukherjee got 58 votes to Sangma's single vote. The value of each vote is 18

In Congress-ruled Mizoram, Mukherjee got 32 votes to Sangma’s 7 and the value of each vote is 8

In Congress-ruled Meghalaya, Mukherjee got 34 votes to 23 for Sangma. The value of each vote is 17

In Congress-ruled Nagaland, Mukherjee got 58, while Sangma failed to win any votes. The value of each vote is nine

In Biju Janata Dal-ruled Odisha, Mukherjee got 26 votes to 115 for Sangma, with the value of each vote at 149

In Akali Dal-BJP- coalition ruled Punjab, Mukherjee got 44 votes to 70 for Sangma, with the value of each vote at 116

In Congress-ruled Rajasthan, Mukherjee got 113 votes to 85 for Sangma, with the value of each vote at 129

In Sikkim Democratic Front-ruled Sikkim, Mukherjee got 28 votes to one for Sangma, with the value of each vote at 7

In AIADMK-ruled Tamil Nadu, Mukherjee got 45 votes to 149 for Sangma. The value of each vote is 176

In Communist Party of India-Marxist-ruled Tripura, Mukherjee got 56 votes to one for Sangma; the value of each vote is 26

In Congress-ruled Uttarakhand, Mukherjee got 39 votes to 30 for Sangma, with the value of each vote at 64

In Samajwadi Party-ruled Uttar Pradesh, Mukerjee got 352 votes, way more than Sangma's 46 votes. The value of each vote is 208

In Trinamool Congress-Congress coalition ruled West Bengal, Mukherjee got 275 votes compared to just three for Sangma. The value of each vote is 151In All India NR Congress-ruled Puducherry, Mukherjee got 23 votes to 5 for Sangma, with the value of each vote at 16

Pranab Mukherjee 713,763 votes, while Sangma got 315,987

The value of the invalid votes is 18,221

About 95 per cent of the 4,896 electorate exercised their franchise on July 19 to elect India’s 13th president at polling centres set up at Parliament House and in 30 other states and union territories.

The President is elected by an electoral college of MPs and members of state assemblies.

All MPs except those nominated to parliament are eligible to vote. There are 776 MPs. (IANS)

India has got a very able President: Somnath

Kolkata, July 22: Terming President-elect Pranab Mukherjee as one of the best parliamentarians and statesmen of India, former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Sunday said the country has got the most able man for the top job. “I am very happy for Pranab babu. He has been a great parliamentarian and statesman. I have known him for years as a fellow parliamentarian. India has got the most able person for the post of president,” said Chatterjee. “I must say Pranabbabu becoming the next President is an extra gift for all the Bengalis. I had called him a few minutes back and have congratulated him for his victory. I wish him all the very best for his new job,” said Chatterjee. The former Marxist leader had himself been a contender for the presidential post, after Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav announced his name as one of their three preferred nominees.  (IANS)

President Patil hosting At Home for ministers, judges

New Delhi, July 22: Outgoing President Pratibha Patil is hosting an At Home at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday evening - among the last few events she will be hosting before she demits office on July 24, an official said on Sunday. The At Home is to be attended by the council of ministers, senior judges and senior officials, Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson Archana Datta said. It is among the farewell ceremonies of the outgoing president, said Datta. President-elect Pranab Mukherjee will not be attending the At Home, said Datta. Mukherjee, the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA), candidate, was declared the winner after he won more than half the votes cast in the July 19 presidential poll. He beat opposition-backed PA Sangma. (IANS)

Mamata telephones Pranab to congratulate him, to attend swearing-in

Kolkata, July 22: Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday telephoned Pranab Mukherjee, who is slated to become India’s 13th President, to congratulate him and assured him she would attend his swearing-in July 25. “Yes, Mamatadi had called up Pranabbabu after it became clear that he had won the presidential election. Pranabbabu thanked her and requested her to be present during the swearing in ceremony. Mamatadi has assured him she will be be present during the ceremony,” said party MP Kunal Ghosh. Banerjee had earlier opposed Mukherjee’s candidature for the top job and had proposed former president APJ Abdul Kalam’s name for the post. But after Kalam decided against contesting, Banerjee was mum on whom her party would back until she made a dramatic u-turn and extended her support to Mukherjee. (IANS)

Achuthanandan escapes with public censure

Thiruvananthapuram/Delhi, July 22: Contrary to speculation that discipilniray action would be taken against VS Achuthanandan, Kerala’s veteran Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader on Sunday escaped with only a public censure. “Yes, some of the things that I raised have been addressed. The details of all this, you will know when general secretary Prakash Karat tells you about it. It was Karat who invited us here for the meeting and issues have been discussed,” said Achuthanandan after returning from the meeting to Kerala House in Delhi. Incidentally this is the sixth time that disciplinary action has been taken against him, with the first one way back in 1966. A party source said that he spoke in the central committee for close to 30 minutes on Sunday, where he said most of the issues were those he has been raising for a few years but the national leadership did not look into it. He also admitted that it was a mistake of his that he chose to visit the home of murdered former CPI-M leader in Kozhikode on the very same day of the Neyattinkara by-election took place in June this year. The CPI-M in Kerala has been divided between Achuthanandan and the huge majority faction headed by State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan. (IANS)

Mining baron Reddy's kin arrested in cash-for-bail case

Hyderabad, July 22: Andhra Pradesh’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Dasaradharami Reddy, a relative of former Karnataka minister and mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy in the cash-for-bail scam. The ACB announced Dasaradharami’s arrest on Sunday though there were reports that he was picked up in Tirupati on Friday night. The key accused in the case was produced before an ACB judge, who sent him to judicial custody till August 4. He was later shifted to Cherlapally Jail. Dasaradharami Reddy allegedly played a key role in bribing Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) judge T Pattabhirama Rao for bail to Janardhana Reddy in illegal mining case.  He along with Janardhana Reddy’s brother Somasekhara Reddy and Karnataka legislator T H Suresh Babu handed over cash to the other accused. The ACB has already issued lookout notices for both Somasekhara Reddy and Suresh Babu to prevent them from fleeing the country. Dasaradharami is the ninth accused arrested in the case. Three judges including Pattabhirama Rao, a retired judge, a lawyer and a man with criminal record were among those arrested so far. Pattabhirama Rao, his son Ravichandra, retired judge TV Chalapathi Rao, rowdy sheeter Yadgiri Rao, junior lawyer Aditya and Dasaradharami Reddy were arrested in the main case in which the CBI judge allegedly granted bail to Janardhana Reddy for Rs 10 crore. (IANS)

'Errant judges may not be able to abort impeachment'

New Delhi, July 22: Judges of the higher judiciary under cloud for professional misconduct may not be able to frustrate impeachment proceedings against them simply by resigning, if a Rajya Sabha MP’s constitution amendment proposal goes through.

The option of quitting ahead of the impeachment, like former Sikkim High Court chief justice PD Dinakaran and former Calcutta High Court judge Soumitra Sen, should not be availabe to errant judges, nominated Rajya Sabha member and veteran journalist HK Dua has suggested.

He has proposed amendment to Articles 124 and 217 of the constitution that deal with the establishment of the Supreme Court and appointment and removal of judges. Dua has already given notice to move the bill for amendment in the monsoon session of parliament starting on August 8. “It is a question of integrity both of the individual judge and that of judiciary as an institution,” Dua said in an interview. "“Institutional integrity, as the apex court had said while holding PJ Thomas’ appointment as central vigilance commissioner as non-existent in law, holds far more higher bench marks when it comes to the judiciary,” he said.

The constitutional provisions under Articles 124 (2) and 217 (1) provide that the resignation of a judge of Supreme Court or that of a high court becomes effective immediately after it has been submitted to the president. The existing constitutional provisions do not shackle the resignation with the pleasure of the president for it becoming effective.

Dua’s proposed amendment to the constitutional provisions is rooted in Justice Sen’s resignation just before the Lok Sabha could take up the motion of his impeachment after it was overwhelmingly adopted by the Rajya Sabha.

Similarly, chief justice Dinakaran, facing charges of land grab meant for the weaker sections of society, put in his papers while an inquiry committee headed by was looking into the allegations. Inquiry by the committee was the step just before the actual impeachment process could be taken up against him by the Rajya Sabha.

As per the Judge’s (Inquiry) Act 1986, the impeachment of judges can be done on the grounds of “proven misbehaviour” and “incapacity”.

If a judge has to be impeached then the recommendation has to be made by the chief justice of India to the president. If it is accepted then the proposal of impeachment must be introduced by 100 MPs in the Lok Sabha or 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha.

The amendment proposed by Dua to Article 124 reads: “provided also that the resignation of a judge who is facing proceedings for his removal under clause (4) or against whom any proceeding is contemplated shall be subject to acceptance by the president”. The amendment proposed by him to Article 217 is: “provided further that the resignation of a judge who is facing proceedings for his removal under clause (4) of Article 124 or against whom any proceeding is contemplated shall be subject to acceptance by the president”.

The Clause (4) of Article 124 provides for the removal of a judge through impeachment for his act of misbehaviour which includes acts of corruption or misdemeanour.

Dua said that the bill would debar errant judges of the higher judiciary who are facing impeachment proceedings get away by resigning. He said he was conscious of the fact that it was seldom that a private member bill was adopted by parliament and more so when it was a constitutional amendment. He was optimistic that his move would get support of all sections of parliamentarians as it concerned upholding the integrity of the judiciary.

Nevertheless, Dua said that his proposed amendment would compel both the government and parties in opposition to spell out their position on such a sensitive issue. (IANS)

Of Indian women changing with globalization and time

New Delhi, July 22: Sohana Badshah is a carefree rich “Bombay girl”, who moves to London to study interior designing. She falls in love with Jagdish Sachdev, a man of refined intellect. The dream match falls apart, with Jagdish blaming bad blood between the families.

Sohana returns home to discover Mumbai is full of her kind - girls with dyed brown tresses, plucked eyebrows, personalities scrubbed of distinct identities and fortunes to fall back on. She is unsure of her position in the family sweepstakes which pit her against her brother in an inheritance war.

Welcome to Bombay Girl (Harper-Collins India) by Los Angeles-based journalist-turned novelist Kavita Daswani’s new trilogy about a tale of new India that straddles several continents. It’s one of the new crossover novels that are making globalized lifestyle statements with live-in relationships and heartaches.

Daswani, a former fashion editor of the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, may not be household name on Indian bookshelves but she has made the smart Indian heroine a bestseller in the West and Southeast Asia with her previous books, For Matrimonial Purposes, Salaam, Paris, The Village Bride of Beverly Hills (Everything Happens For a Reason), Indie Girl and Lovetorn.

Daswani writes about the communities in the Indian diaspora and how they fit into the traditional institutions of marriage, families and the opportunities for women. She captures the clash of cultures between East and West - and the change.

Why Mumbai Daswani says she set her story in Mumbai “because it is the only city in India I am most familiar with, connected with”. “My acquaintance with the city began as a child during a family wedding. I used to visit the city as a child,” the writer, who grew up in Hong Kong, said. Daswani began her career as a journalist at 17.

She spoke “to people and read a lot of magazines”.

The women have changed in Mumbai, Daswani said. Daswani explores the idea of marriage, migration and freedom - in all six of her books featuring Indian women with diverging outlooks to life. (IANS)

Slums to royalty: Oprah showcases shades of India

New Delhi, July 22: From heart wrenching poverty to majestic heritage as well as the glitz, glamour and royalty, international talk show queen Oprah Winfrey has offered viewers a glimpse of different layers of India, speaking highly of its culture and value system. But the paradox between the beauty of the country and the prevalent poverty also left her “confused”.  Winfrey came down to India on a multi-city visit in this January to shoot her new show Oprah’s Next Chapter. She went to the slums, visited the Taj Mahal, socialized with Bollywood’s glitterati and royalty and tried to explore real India on the streets for the two-part series, aired on Friday and Saturday on Discovery Channel. One would have wondered if the lens of Winfrey’s cameraman would have panned over and zoomed into the country’s underbelly, but it was a balanced approach.  Winfrey sought the smiles even in the pains of the slum dwellers - and why not, she herself was born into poverty, and struggled her way up to where she stands today. Accompanied by Australian author Gregory David Roberts of best selling novel Shantaram, Winfrey visited Indian slums, where she met a five-member family living on a meagre salary. She was moved by the aspirations of the family which lived, ate, cooked and slept in a small room. She got excited upon meeting an upper-middle class, close-knit, joint family, happily living under one roof. That’s also when she dug her fingers into her first traditional Indian meal in a thali. It was a new experience, but a wonderful one for Winfrey, who was moved by the hospitality of the people. After getting a taste of India’s simple living, the 58-year-old spruced up to meet the famous Bachchan family, and from there, she headed for a star-studded bash thrown by industrialists Parmeshwar and Adi Godrej. The second part of the series saw Winfrey moving away from Mumbai, to the holy city of Vrindavan, where she visited a shelter run by V Mohini Giri’s Guild for Service, which provides safe haven, job training and dignity to more than 100 widows. Then she traveled to Agra to see the “mesmerizing” Taj Mahal. From there on, she was set to taste royalty in Jaipur.(IANS)

Asin wants to move beyond comedy

New Delhi, July 22: After featuring in back-to-back comedies - Ready, Housefull 2 and Bol Bachchan - Asin Thottumkal wants a change! She says she has no special corner for the genre and is definitely looking forward to performance-oriented roles.

Asked for the reason behind the string of comedy projects, Asin said: “I would like to change that. I have a soft spot for these universally appealing, fun, emotional stories, not that I have an affinity towards comedy as a genre. Now I am looking for more well-written roles and characters that have a scope for performance. I am looking for roles where the woma’s character is more fleshed out, but by that I don’t mean it has to be a woman-centric film.”

Luckily, all her comedy forays have been successful at the box office. However, Asin says “getting hits is great, but after a while you want to do something meaningful as well because for an actor, creative satisfaction is very important”.

The 26-year-old is on a high after the success of Bol Bachchan, in which she shared screen space with actors like Abhishek Bachchan and Ajay Devgn.

“It feels great when your film you does well and gets so much appreciation. The purpose of a film is to entertain viewers and when it achieves that, it is good,” said the actress, who has climbed the stairs of success in Bollywood after making a mark down south.

With four out of her five Hindi films being a success, Asin is quite satisfied with her journey so far.

In the southern film industry, Asin has a reputation of choosing her films carefully. But now she has date hassles thanks to her Hindi movie projects.

The actress will next be seen in action comedy Khiladi 786 opposite her Housefull 2 co-star Akshay Kumar. She is all praise for Akshay, saying “he is a fabulous co-star. We gelled together very well during the shoot of Housefull 2. He is somebody who has got the right balance of professionalism with fun. He entertains everyone and brings a smile to everyone’s face”. (IANS)

This 'iband' creates music on their palms

Mumbai, July 22: Gone are the days when a music band had to hire a truck to move expensive equipment during a concert tour. Here is a unique music band that has done away with this bulky requirement and yet dishes out foot tapping numbers at its performances.

Meet Bangalore-based Rave iBand. All members of the band are armed with iPhones and iPads and use various applications to play music as good as on actual equipment. The band is all set for its first performance in Mumbai at the Phoenix Marketcity mall in the central Kurla suburb on Monday.

Not even a year old, the newly established band has five members - founder and music director Ricky Kej, vocalist Riccha Paul, pianist Charanraj, percussionist Vanil Veigas and DJ Andy on the synthesiser.

Established in December 2011, Kej came up with the idea while waiting for a recording session to start.

“During a recording session, while I was waiting for a musician to arrive, I started to fiddle around with a couple of music applications on a friend’s iPad. In less than 30 minutes, I had created a song,” said an excited Kej. “Not only did the music sound professional, the manufacturing process of the song was entertainment too. That’s when I called a few like-minded talented musicians and created Rave iBand. Everyone in the band was as excited as I was,” he added.

Stating that this is the most fun she has had with music, Paul added that the band’s priority has always been music.

Paul is one of the most sought after Jazz/Blues/Retro singer in southern India and is also the busiest jingle singer. Having over 500 jingles to her credit, Paul has also sung for albums with Virgin Records and Universal Music of the US.

Reminiscing about his initial experience on composing music on the iPhone, Charanraj said it was difficult at first, but he adapted to it.

Charanraj is a classical and jazz pianist who has trained in London and is a Carnatic singer.

But do people always appreciate their style? Do traditional musicians buy the idea? No, says percussionist Veigas.

“We do face criticism from people, saying that we do not play on real instruments. But what is a real instrument? Anything that makes music is an instrument to me,” he said. “When the piano was first introduced, it was criticized. Then the electric guitar was criticised and so was the electronic piano. But now they are all considered to be valid instruments. Soon touch screens will be considered real instruments,” he added.

Veigas is an award-winning composer and music producer from Mangalore. He has created over 1,000 jingles, along with numerous albums and Kannada film soundtracks. The band is happy that it takes almost no time to set up before a performance.

Asked about the band's future plans, Kej said all they want to do is keep playing at as many venues as possible.

Rave iBand’s version of the chartbuster Sheila ki jawani was an instant hit on YouTube and other websites. Also popular are their Chammak challo and Summer of 69 versions, which will be played at the Mumbai show. The band uses applications like Megaphone, Shaker, Garage Band, Bebo, Solo, Ocariana, DJ Pro and Drummer to create music their way! (IANS)

Break in at Bachchan home

Mumbai, July 22: The Bachchan family had some anxious moments after a man broke into their house Jalsa. “Spent some anxious moments yesterday since we had a break in! The guy was caught and is with the police now under investigation. Seems like a professional, for he had entered the most sensitive area of the house, Jalsa,” Amitabh wrote on his blog , on Saturday. “Cops and security are in over drive now. In the end nothing is secure, irrespective of how much precaution one takes,” he added. Located in Juhu, Amitabh’s two houses, Jalsa and Prateeksha are located about one kilometre from each other. Amitabh along with his wife Jaya, son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya live in Jalsa, while his younger brother Ajitabh lives in Prateeksha.  (IANS)

Jism 3 on cards, to be in 3D

Mumbai, July 22: Pooja Bhatt’s Jism 2 is yet to hit the screens but the actress-turned-director has started working on the third film in Jism franchise, with plans to make it in 3D. “I had my script ready a long time back. I want to get it out of my system. I will make Jism 3 in 3D. It will be interesting to make an erotic film in 3D,” Pooja said. “In fact we had plans to make Jism 2 in 3D. But later we felt it would look very ahead of times,” she added. Though Pooja refuses to divulge any details on the cast of Jism 3, she says it will be bigger and better. “I don’t want to talk about the cast now. We have increased our take with Jism 2. So Jism 3 should be bigger and better. It will be a step ahead in every way,” she said, adding it will go on floors next year.  (IANS)

I'm moving at my own pace, says actor Ali Fazal

New Delhi, July 22: He was seen in a miniscule role in 3 Idiots and then featured in Always Kabhi Kabhi, which didn’t get the expected response at the box-office. But actor Ali Fazal is moving at his own pace and says he doesn’t want to burden himself with expectations. “I don’t want to build pressure on myself. At the end of the day it is that one camera or one set which eventually translates into the film. I think it’s one thing at a time right now, I really cannot be talking into the air,” Ali said. The actor considers the audience as his biggest critic and says their judgement matters to him the most. “In Bollywood, it has been great. People have been helpful. My last movie did not do that well so obviously I am not being hailed or something like that. Many people did not end up watching the movie and if the movie is not there for the audience, you have lost half the battle,” said Ali, who was last seen in Always Kabhi Kabhi. From romantic films to comedy, and working with different directors, there’s a lot on the mind of the young actor. Ali is now looking forward to the release of his new film Ban Gayi Baat, where he plays a double role. “After a while I think I have heard something which is not cheesy in any way and you can take your entire family and watch the movie easily. I sometimes get scared that I cannot walk in with my grandmother. It’s also at the same time not a mindless comedy. There is a script and story to it,” he said of the film. (IANS)

Ekta Kapoor again unhappy with censors

Mumbai, July 22: Ekta Kapoor is again at loggerheads with the censor board over her forthcoming film Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum for its adult content. The filmmaker feels “we are going backward”. Ekta has already sold the satellite rights of Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum. After The Dirty Picture was barred from TV due to its explicit scenes, she has tried to play it safe with the new film.  She says she has shot alternate scenes to avoid any objections. The censors have already told her to delete some scenes which they think are objectionable. “I don’t think that anybody would deny the fact that The Dirty Picture is a film that women should see more than anybody else. We have had ladies shows which went packed houses. There were women who came back and told us that we will never look down upon a girl who does an item number ever again,” she said. The 37-year-old filmmaker wants to fight for creativity.  “We are planning to, as an industry, get together and fight,” she said.  “There are various progresses we have made as an industry and it’s not something that we are going to take lightly. It’s a question on the basics of creativity.” (IANS)

Blessed to be singer Mukesh's grandson: Neil

Mumbai, July 22: Actor Neil Nitin Mukesh remembered legendary singer and grandfather Mukesh on his birth anniversary on Sunday and says he feels blessed to be his grandson. “Today is my grandfather Mukeshji’s birth anniversary. Cannot tell you how blessed I am to be his grandson and my father’s son. I pray to almighty that he bless me this way all my life to be born as their creation and shoulder the responsibility of being called Neil Nitin Mukesh,” he tweeted. Singer Mukesh was born in Ludhiana as Mukesh Chand Mathur, on July 22, 1923. He was popular for being the voice of legendary actor Raj Kapoor and has sung some hit songs like Sab kuch seekha humne, Kisi ki muskuraahaton pe, Kabhi kabhie mere dil mein, among others.  He died of a heart attack August 1976 in Detroit, where he had gone to perform at a concert. “My surname is Mathur. But I choose to call myself by this name. My father started the tradition by keeping his name Nitin Mukesh. So that with him his father Mukeshji’s, memories are kept alive,” Neil further posted. “I follow the footsteps to keep the memories of my father and grandfather alive through me. So I call myself Neil Nitin Mukesh. The weight on my shoulders is heavy, for their goodness, kindness and creativity is hard to match. I walk slow and steady to make sure they smile,” said the 30-year-old. (IANS)