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Posts tagged opposition
Aamir Khan’s co refuses to let Oppn use Peepli Live song
Jul 11th
Bharati Dubey | TNN (BOMBAY TIMES; July 11, 2010)
Mumbai: Official sources from Aamir Khan Productions have denied any possibility of letting political parties use a song from the coming film, Peepli Live.
“It will not lend itself to political use. The song in question is part of the story of the film, which is a humorous take on urban and rural divide that exists in India; inflation is a general issue,’’ a spokesperson for the production house said on Saturday. “Aamir Khan Productions also maintains a strictly apolitical stand. There is no question of allowing the song to be used for political campaigns.’’
Opposition parties, mainly the NDA, had contacted Aamir Khan Productions, asking them for the permission to use the song, Mehngai Dayan—the lyrics are about how inflation is eating into the happiness of people—for election campaigns in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The song, in its rural style, complains about the hike in petrol and diesel prices.
The Congress had gone filmy the similar way last year, when it adopted the Oscar-winning Jai ho as its anthem before the general elections. However, the party has now called the Oppostion’s bid to procure the Peepli Live song as a political gimmick. Rajiv Shukla of the Congress said, “The BJP wants to take political advantage of everything, including films.’’
Jai Ho was not the first time that Bollywood was used by political parties. Chak De was used by the Congress unit of Gujarat in 2007 before the state election there. Lyricist Sameer said, “I had written a parody of the song, Chor Bazari from Love Aaj Kal for chief minister Ashok Chavan for his election campaign. Most people connect with films and music. That is perhaps why political parties try to rope in artistes and songs.’’
The lyricist recalls how his father, Anjaan’s song from Don, Khaike Paan Banaraswala, was used by the Congress to promote none other than Amitabh Bachchan during the 1984 election campaign in Allahabad.
SRK in middle of controversy once again, courtesy Lux Cozy
Feb 20th
By Bollywood Hungama News Network, February 20, 2010 – 12:48 IST
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No sooner that the controversy around SRK’s comments on Pakistani cricket players has settled down, the actor finds himself in yet another controversy related to the IPL.
This time round, it’s the courtesy of inner wear brand Lux Cozy, of which, SRK is the recently appointed brand ambassador. The story goes that, since SRK is the brand ambassador of the said brand, it was rest understood as to they will be sponsoring the uniforms for Khan’s T-20 team Kolkata Knight Riders, besides a monetary angle of course. All was well so far. Now the twist in the tale is that the Lux Company is owned by the Todi brothers (Ashok and Pradip). They are the same Todi brothers who were charged with apparently leading to the suicide of computer graphics designer Rizwanur Rehman, a Muslim, after he married Ashok Todi’s daughter Priyanka, who was a Hindu by religion.
This news had made it to the national headlines and remained atop for quite sometime. This ‘sponsorship’ move by SRK for KKR with the said brand has not been taken kindly by many. That’s the reason why it has sparked anger in many people’s heart. Not just that, since it has a religious pinch to it, a few religious bodies too have come in the forefront to express their opposition. In the lieu of all this, there has been a meeting that has been arranged which will include artistes, actors, dancers, writers, performers and also a few prominent names express solid opposition to the controversial tie-up.
Watch this space for further development on this issue.
BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM
Shiv Sena wants SRK films out of theatres
Jan 30th
DEMANDING APOLOGY: MLA Eknath Shinde (centre) led sainiks to a Thane mall where they staged a protest against Shah Rukh Khan
Nitin Yeshwantrao | TNN (THE TIMES OF INDIA; January 30, 2010)
Thane: The Shiv Sena’s Thane unit on Friday ordered a ban on all Shah Rukh Khan movies in the city and “appealed’’ to owners of multiplex and single-screen theatres not to put up posters of the actor and his next release, My Name Is Khan.
Sena leader and local MLA Eknath Shinde, who led a group of sainiks to Eternity Mall in Thane on Friday, said the star owed an apology to the nation and their party chief Bal Thackeray for his remarks on the exclusion of Pakistan players from the IPL-3.
Shiv Sena mouthpiece, Saamna, has carried an article expressing resentment against Shah Rukh—owner of Kolkata Knight Riders—for his reported statement in favour of Pakistani cricketers. The mouthpiece also criticised the actor for his objection to Bal Thackeray’s opposition to Australian cricketers; the leader wanted a ban on the Aussies in Mumbai following the attacks on Indians in Australia.
“Balasaheb had opposed the entry of Australians to the state to protest against the attacks on Indians in Melbourne. As a nationalist, he echoed the sentiment of scores of Indians. For Khan, however, all this is a business deal and about more profits. But we will not allow Australians to play in the state,’’ Shinde said.
Shah Rukh was not available for comment.
The Kolkota Knight Riders owner had expressed his reservations against boycotting Pakistani players from IPL-3 and had said he was eager to buy Pakistani all-rounder Abdul Razzak for his team. But he also said he would not prefer to stick his neck out and would go with the tide.
Shah Rukh’s statements triggered a reaction among Sainiks who mobbed Eternity Mall on Friday and shouted slogans against him. They also tore a poster of him and, in a meeting with multiplex management, “advised’’ them against screening of his films. “The actor seems to have a soft corner for Pakistan when the whole world has watched how 10 LeT gunmen from Pakistan unleashed terror on Mumbai last year,’’ Shinde told TOI.
The government rushed to Shah Rukh’s help with minister of state for home Ramesh Bagwe saying, “Should the actor approach the state, we will provide him with additional security cover.’’ The minister said Shah Rukh was merely voicing his opinion and he was entitled to his views. “If the Sena takes law in their hands, they will invite stern action,’’ Bagwe said.
Theatre managements hope that the Sena will soften its stand. “There is no Shah Rukh movie playing now and his new release is slated for the second week of February. Hopefully, the issue will be resolved by then,’’ a manager of a multiplex said.
Crack down on Sena, Congress tells state
New Delhi: The Congress on Friday asked the Maharashtra government to get tough with the Shiv Sena for threatening actor Shah Rukh Khan for his willingness to hire Pakistani cricketers in his Kolkata Knight Riders for the forthcoming series. “To deal with such threats, law should take its own course,” said party spokesman Manish Tiwari. He added that such threats by the Sena were a clear breach of the established norms and a provocation. Regretting that some political parties had scant respect for the country’s secular ethos and diverse culture, Tiwari said, “They want to communalise everything.” TNN
