News and Views

After its premiere about a month back at the Toronto International Film Festival, The Sky is Pink is set for a worldwide release on 11 October, 2019.

The film is based on the real-life story of Aditi (Priyanka Chopra) and Niren Chaudhary (Farhan Akhtar) and their daughter Aisha (Zaira Wasim), who was diagnosed with a serious immune deficiency that eventually dictated the course of her life and her entire family.

Director Shonali Bose, who made the brilliant film about a girl with cerebral palsy, Margarita with a Straw, here focuses on the love story of Aisha’s parents and how their marriage and lives get affected while tending to their daughter.

Three elephants were handed over by the Kanchi Mutt to the founders of Tree Foundation in 2016, to give them a happy home closer to their habitat, in a chain-free facility at Marakkanam, Tamil Nadu. Their happy stint was cut short in three-and-a-half years after a court order ruled that a ‘chain-free’ facility was in clear violation of the Captive Elephants’ Guidelines. Forest officials used brute force to relocate these elephants to a facility in Trichy. Do you believe elephants don't deserve to live chain-free? Watch the full story here.

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Three elephants were handed over by the Kanchi Mutt to the founders of Tree Foundation in 2016, to give them a happy home closer to their habitat, in a chain-free facility at Marakkanam, Tamil Nadu. Their happy stint was cut short in three-and-a-half years after a court order ruled that a ‘chain-free’ facility was in clear violation of the Captive Elephants’ Guidelines. Forest officials used brute force to relocate these elephants to a facility in Trichy. Do you believe elephants don't deserve to live chain-free? Watch the full story here.

A closer look at ‘Bhagwa’ and ‘Hinduvaadi’ music – with its upbeat Bhojpuri tunes and views running from thousands to lakhs – exposes how it has begun to make use of lyrics and imagery that promote enmity among religions.

Take, for instance, Lucknow-based singer Prem Krishnanshi’s song, with the lyrics, “Hindu Ka hai Hindustan, Da#@! jao Pakistan. Hindu ka hai Hindustan, mu@#! jaao Pakistan. (Hindustan belongs to Hindus, pimps and Muslims [referred to with a communal slur] go to Pakistan.” This video has over 70 lakh views on YouTube.

While this is just one example, there are many more such ‘hate’ videos. Alongside the hate speech, there is also hate imagery in these songs – of swords, sticks, threatening stills of people being lynched, being brutally beaten, the demolition of Babri Masjid. Many such similar themes have been deployed. Despite that, the three singers The Quint profiled have never had a case of hate speech slapped against them.

We interviewed these Uttar Pradesh-based singers to understand their way of thinking. Why they had chosen such lyrics? Why this loud hatred of Muslims? And since when did spreading hate become a form of entertainment?

Host: Aishwarya Iyer

Watch the video version of this story here.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A closer look at ‘Bhagwa’ and ‘Hinduvaadi’ music – with its upbeat Bhojpuri tunes and views running from thousands to lakhs – exposes how it has begun to make use of lyrics and imagery that promote enmity among religions.

Take, for instance, Lucknow-based singer Prem Krishnanshi’s song, with the lyrics, “Hindu Ka hai Hindustan, Da#@! jao Pakistan. Hindu ka hai Hindustan, mu@#! jaao Pakistan. (Hindustan belongs to Hindus, pimps and Muslims [referred to with a communal slur] go to Pakistan.” This video has over 70 lakh views on YouTube.

While this is just one example, there are many more such ‘hate’ videos. Alongside the hate speech, there is also hate imagery in these songs – of swords, sticks, threatening stills of people being lynched, being brutally beaten, the demolition of Babri Masjid. Many such similar themes have been deployed. Despite that, the three singers The Quint profiled have never had a case of hate speech slapped against them.

We interviewed these Uttar Pradesh-based singers to understand their way of thinking. Why they had chosen such lyrics? Why this loud hatred of Muslims? And since when did spreading hate become a form of entertainment?

Host: Aishwarya Iyer

Watch the video version of this story here.

Did the makers really need to throw in the whole “desh khatre mein hai, terrorist pakdo (Our country is in danger, catch the terrorists)” angle just to make us drool over Hrithik and Tiger’s bulging muscles? From the Arctic Circle to Morocco we hop, skip and jump everywhere to keep an eye on our eye candy! That’s director Siddharth Anand’s plan for us.

What stayed with me after War got over is the slow-motion entry of Hrithik Roshan. Throughout the film Roshan ensured that he holds our attention with his Greek God features.

Sometimes from a ball of fire, sometimes from collapsing buildings, sometimes from rubble and sometimes even from the wreckage of an aircraft - Hrithik shows up all hale and hearty! Isn’t that what a hero is supposed to do?

Of course! The other thing one can’t miss is when Tiger Shroff, bang in the middle of a fist-fight, pauses to tear up his t-shirt, reveals his six pack abs, looks satisfied and then returns a volley of punches. Bhai body toh dikhani padegi na?

Listen to the podcast for the full review!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did the makers really need to throw in the whole “desh khatre mein hai, terrorist pakdo (Our country is in danger, catch the terrorists)” angle just to make us drool over Hrithik and Tiger’s bulging muscles? From the Arctic Circle to Morocco we hop, skip and jump everywhere to keep an eye on our eye candy! That’s director Siddharth Anand’s plan for us.

What stayed with me after War got over is the slow-motion entry of Hrithik Roshan. Throughout the film Roshan ensured that he holds our attention with his Greek God features.

Sometimes from a ball of fire, sometimes from collapsing buildings, sometimes from rubble and sometimes even from the wreckage of an aircraft - Hrithik shows up all hale and hearty! Isn’t that what a hero is supposed to do?

Of course! The other thing one can’t miss is when Tiger Shroff, bang in the middle of a fist-fight, pauses to tear up his t-shirt, reveals his six pack abs, looks satisfied and then returns a volley of punches. Bhai body toh dikhani padegi na?

Listen to the podcast for the full review!

'But if one is fated to be motherless, how is one to get a mother?' When Manu Gandhi lost Kasturba — her dear Ba — she was shattered. When she'd entered the Sevagram ashram in Wardha in 1942, she'd just lost her mother. Now again, she was alone. But there was a difference. She was no longer a girl, she was a woman — with opinions and rebellions of her own.

This is a special three-part series by The Quint on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birthday on 2nd October. This podcast is based on Manu Gandhi's diaries, written from 1943 to 1944. These diaries have now been released by Oxford University Press in the form of a book called "The Diary of Manu Gandhi" by Oxford University Press.

You can listen to episode 2 of the series here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7382938-the-diary-of-manu-gandhi-how-bapu-s-grand-niece-fought-for-india-s-freedom-and-went-to-jail

You can listen to episode 1 of the series here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7381345-the-diary-of-manu-gandhi-meet-bapu-through-the-eyes-of-his-grand-niece

'But if one is fated to be motherless, how is one to get a mother?' When Manu Gandhi lost Kasturba — her dear Ba — she was shattered. When she'd entered the Sevagram ashram in Wardha in 1942, she'd just lost her mother. Now again, she was alone. But there was a difference. She was no longer a girl, she was a woman — with opinions and rebellions of her own.

This is a special three-part series by The Quint on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birthday on 2nd October. This podcast is based on Manu Gandhi's diaries, written from 1943 to 1944. These diaries have now been released by Oxford University Press in the form of a book called "The Diary of Manu Gandhi" by Oxford University Press.

You can listen to episode 2 of the series here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7382938-the-diary-of-manu-gandhi-how-bapu-s-grand-niece-fought-for-india-s-freedom-and-went-to-jail

You can listen to episode 1 of the series here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7381345-the-diary-of-manu-gandhi-meet-bapu-through-the-eyes-of-his-grand-niece

Featuring a fully-immersed performance by Joaquin Phoenix as the lead, Todd Phillips’ Joker is a gripping portrayal of one of the most popular comic-book villains that will ultimately become Batman’s nemesis. Arthur Fleck is a man tormented by his inner unsettling feelings. As he struggles to make a living as a clown, he finds his hero in talk show host Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro) whom he begins to idealise.

After Heath Ledger immortalized the Joker in his Oscar-winning performance in Dark Knight, Phoenix obviously had a tough act to follow. But with his career-defining performance in the Todd Phillips’ directorial, Phoenix certainly proves his remarkable skill and genius.

Written by Todd Phillips and Silver Scott, the Scorsese universe (King of Comedy and Taxi Driver) Joker exists in is dark and brutal. The Joker uses his laugh to register his protest and, in a twisted way, cope with his unbearable life that is devoid of a safe sanctuary. He tends to his sick mother (Frances Conroy) and faces up virtually everyday to his unfulfilled dream of being a successful stand up comedian.

Listen to the podcast for the full review!

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