Hindi
Film artists and intellectuals march to Rashtrapati Bhavan, decry charges of India becoming intolerant
New Delhi, 7 November: A large number of filmmakes, intellectuals and artists led by vetran actor Anupam Kher – who had earlier questioned the logic of returning awards – today marched in Rajpath to Rashtrapati Bhavan to counter the protests by those who have been alleging “rising intolerance”.
Kher said the “award-wapsi” campaign was to defame the country by projecting a “wrong” picture of the situation.
A small delegation which also included Madhur Bhandarkar and some others presented a memorandum in this regard at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also meeting a small delegation this evening from amongst those who came for the march.
“India is a very tolerant country. Some people have coined the term ‘growing intolerance’. They are very few. Not every Indian thinks like that. We are secular people. We do not believe in pseudo-secularism, selective outrage or selective patriotism,” Kher, whose wife Kirron is a Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament.
“We had a meeting with a lot of writers, artistes, filmmakers and they also believe that there is no intolerance in the country… This march is a symbolic gesture on part of a lot of people over here who say India is one and free of intolerance,” the 60-year-old said.
Many filmmakers and artistes from the fraternity including Madhur Bhandarkar, Ashoke Pandit, Priyadarshan, Manoj Joshi, Abhijeet Bhattacharya, actor-director Bijoya Jena and writer Madhu Kishwar joined the march to hand over a memorandum signed by more than 40 personalities including actress Raveena Tandon.
Bhandarkar, a National Award winner, alleged that those involved in the protest over intolerance had opposed Prime Minister Narendra Modi before he was elected, which raised questions about their intention.
Kher asserted that they were not associated with any organisation or political party. “This march is led by Indians and for Indians.”
Film-maker Priyadarshan said the act of returning the awards is “childish”. He said these people should use the power of pen. Instances of intolerance have always been there. It is not something that happened yesterday.
Shah Rukh Khan never said he is returning his award, Priyadarshan said, but he said he disapproved of those critical of Khan who had said that there was extreme intolerance in the country.
The march also saw some disgruntled voices. Some National Award winning filmmakers and actresses who did not want to be named told indiantelevision.com that tjey felt let down because it was initially meant to be a march of ntellectual National Award Winners and not an Anupam Kher march.
At least 75 members of the intelligentsia have returned national or literary awards in an escalation of protests by writers, historians, filmmakers and scientists over “growing intolerance”, voicing fears that the country’s robust democracy might be “coming apart” in the current atmosphere.
The BJP-led government has dismissed the protest as “manufactured rebellion” and “politically” motivated.
“Nobody has the right to call our country intolerant. We are secular people and don’t believe in selective outrage,” Mr Kher said this morning. “I have right to go to the President and say that we don’t feel India is intolerant. These talks can’t happen only on twitter/ Facebook, they need a personal presence,” the actor has said.
The march follows the decision of a host of filmmakers, including Dibakar Banerjee and Anand Patwardhan, as well as writers and historians to raise voice against the rising intolerance under the BJP-led government and to return various government awards and honors.
Hindi
Zee5 and Applause Entertainment team up for whodunnit ‘Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa’
Rajat Kapoor directs star-studded murder mystery streaming from 10 April.
MUMBAI: Zee5 is serving up another killer collaboration and this time, the murder mystery comes with a generous side of dark humour and family dysfunction. The streaming platform has partnered with Applause Entertainment and Mithya Talkies to bring Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a fresh, twisted whodunnit written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker and actor Rajat Kapoor. The film will stream exclusively on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
The movie reimagines the classic murder mystery genre with a contemporary, darkly comic edge. It revolves around a group of friends and family who smile, drink, and celebrate together until the silence snaps and long-buried secrets spill out. The stellar ensemble cast includes Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Waluscha De Sousa, Saurabh Shukla, Chandrachoor Rai, Neil Bhoopalam, Koel Purie, Palomi Ghosh, and Rajat Kapoor himself.
This latest offering continues the successful partnership between Zee5 and Applause Entertainment, which has previously delivered diverse hits such as Mithya, Bloody Brothers, and Jab Khuli Kitaab.
&TV Business Head of hindi Zee5 and chief channel officer Kaveri Das said, “Our collaboration with Applause Entertainment has consistently delivered distinct, high-impact storytelling. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is a natural progression, reinforcing our focus on genre-led content with a compelling whodunnit premise and a strong ensemble cast.”
Applause Entertainment business head for movies Sunil Chainani added, “This film adds yet another compelling layer to our slate with Rajat Kapoor’s unmistakable voice.”
Rajat Kapoor shared, “What interested me was not just the mechanics of a whodunnit, but the emotional violence that precedes physical violence. These are people who smile at each other, but there’s so much that is not said.”
The film promises razor-sharp writing, layered performances, and simmering tension, inviting viewers not just to solve the crime but to unravel the complex relationships at its heart.
If you love a good murder mystery served with wit and emotional depth, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa looks set to be your next addictive watch. Mark your calendars, the whodunnit drops on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
