Shiv Sena protests in Delhi ahead of Valentine's Day

     New Delhi: Shiv Sena today took to the streets of New Delhi to protest Valentine's Day celebrations, saying it goes against the Indian culture. Sena activists raised slogans against multinationals blaming them for misleading the youth in the country and burnt Valentine's Day cards. Shiv Sena's Delhi unit chief Jai Bhagwan Goyal asked the youth to celebrate love through traditional Indian festivals instead of embracing western customs. "It is a big conspiracy by the multinational companies who are misleading the young generation of India. Shiv Sena says that if this is considered as festival of love, then there are so many Indian festivals like Eid, Holi, Diwali, Lohri and others which are celebrated to express love and affection towards each other," he said. Shiv Sena and other organisations condemn Valentine's Day as a day of shame and lust. But the growing popularity of the day in officially secular, but in the recent years India has experienced countrywide protests, which have sometimes turned violent. The vandalism has become an annual affair to prevent which unprecedented security arrangements are made. Activists regard the festivities as running counter to the cultural ethos of their societies. Saint Valentine's Day has become increasingly popular in India in recent years, led by retailers selling red balloons, velvet pillows and teddy bears to mark the festival. The protesting groups say Valentine's Day celebrations are a symbol of "cultural corruption" but that has not dampened the enthusiasm of youngsters who throng stores to buy Valentine's Day gifts and cards. The day is celebrated on February 14 every year.

Veteran actress Nadira passes away  (Go To Top)

    Mumbai: Veteran actor of films like 'Shri 420', Nadira died after a cardiac seizure at Tardeo's Bhatia Hospital, this morning. Nadira, seventy four-year-old, was hospitalized on January 2 after a paralytic stroke preceded by a lung infection. Doctors said she was also suffering from other complications and had been in coma. The funeral will be held this evening, former president of Cine Artistes Association and fellow actor Chandrashekhar said. 'Mud, Mud Ke Na Dekh' Nadira was not married and was staying alone in a flat in south Mumbai. Nadira alias Farhat Ezekiel Nadira, is best remembered for her memorable portrayal of the Hindi cinema's vamp during the 1950s and 60s. She was a Jew from Baghdad who hit the Bollywood big-time with remarkable performances in such films like 'Hanste Zakhm', 'Amar Akbar Anthony' and 'Pakeezah' among others.

    She first appeared on screen opposite Dilip Kumar in Mehboob Khan's 'Aan' (1950), and then went on to act in more than 50 films in a career spanning close to five decades. Of course, her role as the villainous 'Maya' in Raj Kapoor's 'Shri 420' where she wooed Kapoor with the evergreen club-dance number 'Mud Mud Ke NA Dekh' is the most memorable performance. The song 'Ajeeb Daastan He Yeh' picturised on the trio of Nadira, Rajkumar and Meena Kumari in 'Dil Apna Preet Parayi' is another evergreen favourite. She reigned supreme in the 1950s and 1960s and was one of the busiest actresses of her time. Although by the 1970s lead roles dried up, Nadira continued to play character roles, but with a difference. Even when she played the mother, Nadira was rarely the crying, helpless woman in white. She added rare dignity and spirit to the various roles of the mother, aunt or other older woman roles. Nadira's role in 'Julie' (1975) as the heroine Lakshmi's mother - an Anglo-Indian housewife keeping her brood together and facing crises with poise - fetched her a 'Best Supporting Actress Award'. 'Pakeezah' (1972), 'Sagar' (1985), 'Tamanna' (1997) and more recently 'Josh' (2000) are some of the movies that featured her. Her role as the wronged wife of veteran actor Shriram Lagoo in the serial 'Thoda Sa Aasmaan' is rated as one of the best television performances ever. Her closest ally in Bollywood was actress 'Nimmi' with whom she always shared a warm relationship.

TV actress commits suicide (Go To Top)

    Mumbai: Kuljeet Randhawa, a model and television actress, committed suicide by hanging herself at her residence on Wednesday evening. A maid discovered her body late at night and alerted the watchman. "It was around 8'o' clock. The maid was shouting watchman...watchman. When I went up. I found her hanging right near the front of the door. So, the next thing I did was to inform the secretary and they informed the police," said Santosh, the watchman of the society. In a suicide note, Kuljeet said she was ending her life as she was unable to cope with life's pressures. Kuljeet, a well-known face in advertising, had worked in the commercials of a large number of companies like Pepsi, Whirlpool etc. After making a name for herself in advertising, she turned to acting and hit the small screen with hit serials like Special Squad, Kohinoor etc. She became extremely popular through her role as Shaina in Special Squad and as 'Irawati Kohli' in the serial Kohinoor. Her sudden death has brought back the sad memories of the suicide by model Nafisa Joseph last year for personal reasons.

Afghanistan cartoon riot toll rises to 12 (Go To Top)

     Kabul (Afghanistan): At least four people have been killed and up to 20 injured in a violent protest in Afghanistan over cartoons satirising Prophet Muhammad. According to the BBC, Afghan Police shot into a crowd of rioters in the town of Qalat as they tried to march on a nearby U.S. military base, bringing the number of people killed in Afghan protests over the cartoons in recent days to twelve. The Ulema Council, Afghanistan's top religious body, has issued an appeal to end the rioting, saying the cartoons do not justify violence. "We condemn violence anywhere. If a non-Muslim country has mistaken or insulted Islam we should talk to them peacefully," Ulema Council member Mawli Osmani Haqtalab was quoted by the BBC, as saying.

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