Month: September 2024

Santhy Balachandran, who made her debut with Tharangam in 2017, has acted in several films in different genres, taking on many challenging roles. This year, in particular, has been exciting for her so far, with her film Ennennum winning the International Critics Award at Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) in Switzerland and the Kerala State Special Jury Award for Female Director (for Shalini Ushadevi, director of Ennennum).The actress spoke to us about working on these projects, her Tamil film debut after the web series Sweet Kaaram Coffee, and screenwriting for an upcoming film. Excerpts:
‘A Malayalam-Tamil bilingual in the pipeline’
My next project is a Malayalam-Tamil bilingual starring Arya and a host of well-known stars from across the South Indian industries. The film is directed by Jiyen Krishnakumar and has been scripted by Murali Gopy. I’m excited to play one of the most intense characters I’ve been offered so far.
‘Ennennum excited me on a creative and intellectual level’
Ennennum is a project that excited me on a creative and intellectual level. A relationship drama set in a dystopian alternate present, the film explores how relationships — both personal and social — would be affected if we could become immortal via technology. I personally loved Shalini’s creative process. The recent international and state awards are a validation of her courage to craft a narrative that defies convention.
‘Gulmohar was one of the happiest sets I have worked in’
Not only was it a privilege to work alongside some of the legends of Indian cinema, it was also one of the happiest sets I have worked in. Rahul (director Rahul Chittella) made an effort to create an environment where the cast and crew could develop a comfortable equation. Both Gulmohar and Ennennum gave me characters that are very close to my heart, and it was a thrill to break the news of the National Award and State Award to Rahul and Shalini.
‘Working with Lakshmi ma’am and Madhoo ma’am was a gift’
Sweet Kaaram Coffee, my Tamil web series, was a special experience thanks to my wonderful co-actors. Lakshmi ma’am and Madhoo ma’am are remarkable women, and getting to share screen space with them was a gift. It was a pleasure conversing with them on everything, from acting to spirituality. Further speaking about OTT, the actress said, “The digital space has expanded the exposure and reach of actors working in regional industries. It has facilitated a cross-pollination of talent, with casting reflecting the diversity of our social fabric.”
‘Will soon get my First screenplay credit’
I will also soon get my first official screenplay credit for a movie starring Kalyani Priyadarshan and Naslen. I’ve written the additional screenplay for the project helmed by writer-director Dominic Arun. Filmmaking is a deeply collaborative medium, and with screenwriting, you get to be part of the creative process from the outset. There is something magical about watching your words transform into images and I’m excited to see where this new journey leads.

The Supreme Court of India (SC) has ruled that the mere possession of child pornographic material, even if not disseminated further, constitutes a criminal offence. The court used the legal term “inchoate crime” to describe this act, which is defined as a criminal act committed in preparation for a further offence.
In a landmark judgement, the court emphasised the importance of the doctrine of inchoate crimes in criminal jurisprudence.This doctrine addresses the legal culpability of individuals who engage in preparatory actions that precede the commission of a substantive crime.
The court clarified that the intention behind possessing child pornographic material is punishable, regardless of whether there is an actual transmission of the content. The mere act of storing or possessing such material with a specific intention is considered a crime.

What the SC bench’s 200-page judgement said

“Inchoate crimes are defined as criminal acts that are committed in preparation for a further offence. The term ‘inchoate’ itself means ‘undeveloped’ or ‘incomplete’,” a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala said.
“What is sought to be penalised under Section 15 of the POCSO is the storage or possession of any child pornographic material when done with a particular intention or purpose as stipulated in sub-section(s) (1), (2) or (3), as the case may be. Thus, the bare textual reading of the said provision makes it clear that it is the intention which is being punished and not the commission of any criminal act in the traditional sense. This in the criminal jurisprudence is known as an ‘inchoate crime’ or ‘inchoate offence’,” Justice Pardiwala, who penned the 200-page judgement, said.
The judgement also addressed the concept of “constructive possession,” which means exercising control over contraband without physically possessing it. The court ruled that even if a person does not physically possess child pornographic material but has control over it, they can still be held liable under the law.
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act provides various punishments for different offences related to child pornography. The act outlines penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment, depending on the nature of the offence.

What is the punishment

As a report news agency PTI writes, the section 15 of the POCSO Act provides different punishments of varying jail terms or fine or both:
* Section 15 (1), which deals with possession of child pornographic material, provides for a minimum fine of Rs 5,000 which may extend to Rs 10,000.
* Section 15 (2), which deals with possession of child pornographic material for dissemination, entails jail term of up to three years or fine or both.
* Section 15 (3), which deals with use of such materials for commercial gains, provides for three years to five years of jail term for first-time offenders or with fine or both.
* Repeat offenders can be awarded jail terms ranging from five years to seven years along with a fine.

NEW DELHI: The opposition on Monday tore into the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government after the accused in Badlapur sexual abuse case was killed as he opened fire in police custody. The opposition and family of the accused, both claimed the encounter was fake and demanded a judicial probe.
According to a senior police official, Akshay Shinde managed to snatch a gun from an officer and fired at officer Nilesh More, injuring him in the thigh.In retaliation, another officer returned fire, striking Shinde in the temple. He was critically injured and later succumbed to injuries.
After the encounter, the people of the city, especially women, celebrated by distributing sweets. The celebrating women justified the police encounter and welcomed it and said that today both the girls have actually got justice in the incident.
Briefing on the matter, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the incident should not be politicised.
“The accused was being taken for investigation when he snatched a police gun and fired. Police fired back and got injured and was taken to hospital. As per initial information, he (accused) has succumbed to his injuries. Let the official announcement come,” he said.
“Opposition is always raising questions on everything and this is the same opposition who said that the accused should be hanged. What will the police do to defend itself? Such politics should not be done on the issue,” he added.
Meanwhile, the family members alleged that their encounter was fake and the police carried out the encounter as a part of politics.. Akshay’s parents met him in Taloja jail this afternoon.
They claimed that their son cannot kill a mosquito, how will he fire at the police?
The leader of opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar raised suspicion about Akshay’s encounter and demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident.
“There must be a judicial inquiry into this! Akshay Shinde’s shooting is an attempt to destroy evidence?? How exactly did Akshay Shinde shoot? Were the accused Akshay’s hands not tied when he was in police custody? How did he get the gun? How can the police be so careless?” Wadettiwar said.
“In the Badlapur case, on one hand, no action is taken against the directors of the institution when they are related to BJP, on the other hand, today the accused Akshay Shinde shot himself, it is very shocking and suspicious. From the beginning we do not believe in the role of the police in the Badlapur case. We demand there must be a judicial inquiry into this matter now!” he added.
Baramati MP Supriya Sule also accused the Maharashtra government of depriving people of Maharashtra of justice and said that the incident shows there is an “absolute breakdown of law enforcement and justice system”.
“The Mahayuti Government’s approach to the Badlapur sexual assault case of two minor girls is shocking! Delay in the filing of FIR first, and now the prime accused is killed in custody! This is an absolute breakdown of law enforcement and justice system. This is inexcusable, it deprives the people of Maharashtra of justice,” she wrote on X.
Akshay was arrested last month for allegedly assaulting two girls, aged four and five, inside the school’s washroom where he worked as an attendant. While in police custody, Shinde reportedly snatched a police officer’s weapon and opened fire on officers. Several police personnel were injured during the attack. Shinde was critically wounded in the retaliatory firing and was rushed to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
In response to the growing criticism over the investigation, the Maharashtra government has established a Special Investigation Team to probe the case further. Additionally, the Bombay High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and is monitoring the investigation.

NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav on Monday raised concerns over the sale of adulterated ‘khoya’ in Mathura, demanding an inquiry into the matter. Her remarks came against the backdrop of allegations of adulteration in Tirupati Laddu prasad, which, she said, had hurt the religious sentiments of all devotees.
She criticised the food department for its inaction, saying, “Due to the failure of the food department, adulterated food and oil are causing illness to people.The department remains negligent and silent on the matter.”
Dimple also pointed to reports indicating that ‘khoya’ sold in Mathura is adulterated and urged the BJP government to initiate investigations into both cases. The source of these reports was not mentioned.
In response to concerns about food safety, the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) in Uttar Pradesh has collected 13 samples of ‘prasadam’ from prominent temples in Mathura for testing.
A political controversy has erupted in Andhra Pradesh, with chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu claiming that animal fat was used in the preparation of Tirupati laddus during the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government.
The YSR Congress Party has rejected the allegations, accusing Naidu of making baseless claims for political purposes. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), led by Naidu, has circulated a laboratory report to support its claim.
Dimple also criticised the BJP’s approach to elections, calling the “One Nation One Election” initiative a farce and accusing the party of “killing democracy.” She pointed out that elections are currently being held in Haryana, while by-elections in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh remain pending.
“All these elections could have been conducted together,” she said, adding that the BJP implements policies based on convenience.
Dimple, accusing the government of making false claims about investments, said, “Investments worth lakhs of crores of rupees are being promised, but nothing is visible on the ground,”
She also addressed the use of bulldozers, referring to guidelines from the Supreme Court, and describing the practice as “unlawful and a crime.”

NEW DELHI: Ronnie Flanagan, who has headed the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) since 2010, will retire at the end of October. His departure follows the news of ACU head Alex Marshall‘s planned retirement in November.
Flanagan has had a distinguished career. He was formerly the Home Office chief inspector of constabulary for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and also served as the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.He took over from Lord Paul Condon, the ACU’s first head, who left in 2010 after a decade-long tenure, reported ANI quoting ESPNcricinfo.
Lord Paul Condon was appointed by the ICC in 2000 to tackle the widespread issue of match-fixing in cricket. His efforts led to life bans for three international cricket captains: Mohammad Azharuddin, Saleem Malik, and the late Hansie Cronje. Condon’s work established significant safeguards to protect cricket from corruption.
As Condon’s term was ending, he warned that T20 cricket, particularly domestic franchise leagues, posed a major threat to the sport’s integrity.
His warning was proven accurate with the IPL corruption scandal in 2013. During the ICC annual conference that year, Flanagan urged cricket boards worldwide to implement stringent anti-corruption measures.
He stressed, “The need for robust laws to prosecute players, match officials, and franchise owners guilty of corrupt practices, especially in domestic T20 leagues, to prevent future scandals.”
The ICC has stated it will discuss Flanagan’s successor at its quarterly meetings in October.
As Flanagan prepares to step down, the cricket community recognizes his key role in bolstering cricket’s defenses against corruption. His contributions, along with those of his predecessor, have been vital in maintaining the sport’s integrity, although challenges continue to evolve in both domestic and international cricket contexts.
Flanagan’s leadership has been instrumental, and while the battle against corruption in cricket continues, his efforts have laid a strong foundation for the future.

Actor Pratibha Ranta says she is just grateful that she got to be a part of a beautiful film like “Laapataa Ladies“, which has been selected as India’s official entry for the Oscars 2025. The Kiran Rao-directed and Aamir Khan produced movie is set in 2001 rural India and revolves around two brides who accidently get swapped during a train journey.
Ranta played Jaya, one of the two brides, who fights societal norms to realise her dream of becoming an organic farmer.
Ranta, who made her acting debut with TV show “Qurbaan Hua” in 2020 and later appeared in the web series “Aadha Ishq”, made her debut in films with “Laapataa Ladies”.
“We were hoping for the film’s selection. Today when this news came out, I was so happy and I don’t know what to say right now. We were hoping for that. I’m so overwhelmed and happy with the response that we have received today,” she told PTI in an interview.
Nitanshi Goel played the other bride Phool, and the film also featured actors such as Sparsh Shrivastava, Chhaya Kadam and Ravi Kishan in pivotal roles.
Ranta, who hails from Shimla, said she made some of the best memories and friends during the shoot of the movie.
“The best part is the kind of friends I have made during this film, I have cherished those moments a lot. We still meet, we still talk to each other and I think it’s a beautiful feeling just to be able to connect with so many beautiful people. That’s the most beautiful thing,” she said.
The actor said she instantly connected with her character’s dream of becoming a farmer as she also comes from an agricultural family.
“I have apple orchards back home,” she said.
Ranta, who most recently featured in Sanjay Leela Bhansali‘s “Heeramandi”, shared that despite wanting to explore several genres, she also wants to portray characters like Jaya in “Laapataa Ladies”.

“I would love to be a part of a film that gives out a good message. My character should have a lot of gravity. I think that’s what I’m looking for. My character should inspire others, like Jaya. So many people were able to relate with Jaya. When It’s so similar, it motivates us. I want to do something of that sort again. I’m actually looking for very strong characters now,” she added.

A TikTok creator featured in Oprah Winfrey‘s recent town hall with US vice president Kamala Harris publicly criticised the use of her video without permission, expressing her discontent and vowing not to vote for Harris in the upcoming election.
TikTok creator Blaire Allison shared her frustrations in a video posted on Saturday, “So I got my four seconds of fame on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and of all people to be her guest, let me show you who it was,” she said, showing a clip from the town hall that aired last Thursday.In the segment, various individuals discussed the financial problems faced by average Americans and Allison’s original comments from November 2023 about the cost of living.
In her mocking imitation of Harris, Allison made it clear that she does not support the vice president’s presidential ambitions. “To my Americans: Let me make something perfectly clear, OK? I do not support Harris for president,” she said, imitating Harris. “As I stand here today, on this stage, standing on this stage today, the day after yesterday, I just want you to know, OK, how I stand and how I stand today is that I do not support Harris for president.”
Allison quickly gained traction, amassing over 2 million views on X and over 100,000 views on TikTok. In a follow-up video, she clarified that Winfrey’s team had not secured her permission to use her original clip. “I have made it very clear that I don’t support Kamala Harris, at all,” she said.
In an email to Fox News Digital, Allison expressed her disappointment and said, “I was disappointed that such a well-known talk show such as Oprah Winfrey didn’t even notify me they were using my clip,” she noted.
Allison’s original TikTok portrayed the struggles of individuals coping with rising living costs, particularly teachers and minimum wage workers. “How are people affording life right now?” she questioned in her video.
Social media users shared the TikTok creator’s rebuttal to the Winfrey interview on X, commenting how she “savages” Harris and her response to Harris was “hysterical.”