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India Today
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
This is golden time of cinema: Chunky Pandey on changing times in film industry
Veteran actor Chunky Pandey, known for his effortless charm and comic timing, recently opened up about how much the film industry has evolved over the years - especially when it comes to preparation and the science behind filmmaking exclusively with India Today, the 'Aankhen' actor said, 'Yeah, every day is a surprise. Today, what surprises me the most is that actors do a lot of preparation for movies. That's very surprising - earlier, they didn't really prepare. Now, it's a very good thing. I mean, I've also started preparing for films now.'advertisementThe actor, who has seen the industry transition over decades, reflected on how filmmaking has become more meticulous and calculated. 'There's a lot of effort. I wouldn't say just effort, but there's a science behind making movies today,' he explained, adding, 'In our days, too, there was a science - but that science was fun. Everything happened on the sets. We experimented. I do miss that era.' Despite the nostalgia, Chunky remains optimistic and excited about the current cinematic landscape. 'This is the golden time of cinema - there are so many options today. There's big cinema, OTT, television, Instagram, YouTube. I think this is the best time to be around. You can be sitting in Kolkata and become a star.'When asked if there was one film which he would like to re-release for today's audience, he said, 'Vishwatma'(1992). I love that film, it's my favourite of my own films.'advertisementChunky was recently seen in 'Detective Sherdil' which stars Diljit Dosanjh, Boman Irani, Diana Penty among others.
News18
2 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
'Why Send Water To Punjab? Did They Help Us?': Omar Abdullah On Indus Water Diversion Plan
Last Updated: Omar Abdullah made it clear that Jammu and Kashmir should prioritise its own needs first Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday firmly opposed a proposal to divert surplus water from the Union Territory's rivers to Punjab. Abdullah's remarks came in response to reports that India is planning to channel excess water from three western rivers of the Indus system—Chenab, Jhelum, and Ravi—from J&K to Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan through a proposed 113-km-long canal. Speaking to the media at a press conference, he made it clear that Jammu and Kashmir should prioritise its own needs first. 'Why should I send water to Punjab?" Abdullah said. 'I will never permit this. Let us use our water for ourselves first… There is a drought-like situation in Jammu." He further stated, 'Punjab already had water under the Indus Water Treaty. Did they give us water when we needed it?" The Chief Minister also referred to the decades-old water-sharing dispute between Punjab and J&K, particularly over the Shahpur Kandi barrage project in Pathankot. Although an agreement was signed in 1979, the project only moved forward in 2018, after intervention by the central government, India Today reported. ' Kitne saal unhone humein rulaya (They made us cry for so many years)," Abdullah stated. The central government is reportedly working on a plan to fully utilise India's share of water under the Indus Waters Treaty. A feasibility study is ongoing for a 113-km inter-basin canal that will connect the Chenab River to the Ravi-Beas-Sutlej system. This canal would divert surplus water from Jammu and Kashmir to Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. The project is expected to integrate with 13 existing canal systems across these regions and eventually feed into the Indira Gandhi Canal—India's longest canal—helping redistribute water to drier areas. First Published: June 20, 2025, 17:16 IST
India.com
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Sitaare Zameen Par Box Office Day 1 Prediction: Aamir Khan starrer gets off to a slow start, earn Rs…
Superstar Aamir Khan's most anticipated film, Sitaare Zameen Par , has finally hit the theaters. Helmed by R.S. Prasanna, this film is a sequel to the 2007 blockbuster, Taare Zameen Par . As per the early reviews, the film is receiving a positive response from audiences and critics, which can be a game-changer for Aamir Khan. Early estimates predict that Sitaare Zameen Par is expected to open with big numbers. Early Prediction For Sitaare Zameen Par As per India Today, Trade analyst Taran Adarsh has mentioned that the film can show its huge growth on the word of mouth. He said, 'The box office run currently depends on word-of-mouth. Since the promotion for the film is very light, now the film's success depends only on Aamir Khan's face value. For the opening weekend, it could be around Rs 30 crore.' He further added, 'Since it's a sequel to Taare Zameen Par, and the 2007 film did really well in its time, I hope Sitaare Zameen Par works well for Aamir. While the film's numbers won't go beyond Taare Zameen Par, it should at least touch a success limit, unlike his recent movies,' Meanwhile, as per early estimates shown by trade website Sacnilk, by this time, Aamir Khan's starrer has earned Rs 1.68 crore (more to be earned). According to Sacnlink, tickets for morning shows worth 1.15 lakhs have been sold for 9542 shows of the Hindi version of Sitare Zameen Par. While tickets worth Rs 2.73 lakhs have been sold for 163 shows of the Tamil version. The tickets for 342 shows of the Telugu version cost Rs 9.84 lakhs. After all this, the advance booking of the film has earned up to Rs 6.88 crores. More about Sitare Zameen Par Sitaare Zameen Par features Genelia Deshmukh and includes ten newcomers: Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishna Varma, Samvit Desai, Vedant Sharma, Ayush Bhansali, Ashish Pendse, Rishi Shahani, Rishabh Jain, Naman Mishra, and Simran Mangeshkar, along with Dolly Ahluwalia , Brijendra Kala and Gurpal Singh in pivotal roles.
India Today
6 hours ago
- Health
- India Today
Struggling to Focus? Meditation might help—All you need to know
In today's fast-paced world, where everything happens in a flash, people's attention spans are shorter than ever. Studies indicate that attention spans are rapidly shrinking, with individuals struggling to maintain focus on tasks that demand even moderate effort. The primary culprits are stress, constant digital distractions, and the overwhelming volume of information we are exposed to daily. India Today spoke with her to get deeper insights on how meditation impacts focus in the age of distraction. By Mrs. Aditi Shrivastava, Senior Teacher of Transcendental Meditation (TM) and Academic Advisor for Consciousness at Maharishi University of Information Technology (MUIT)advertisementWHY MEDITATION IS THE ANTIDOTE TO DISTRACTIONMeditation is a valuable tool for enhancing concentration and mental function. It helps individuals become mindful, present, and better equipped to manage the work at hand. As pressures from contemporary living rise, the capacity to concentrate becomes a key driver of productivity, making meditation a crucial skill for both personal and professional HIDDEN COST OF MULTITASKINGWith most people juggling multiple tasks, multitasking is often mistaken for efficiency. However, research shows that it reduces productivity by nearly 40%. Stressful environments compound this, leading to anxiety, fatigue, and mental blockages. Meditation, by contrast, allows the mind to reset and operate from a calm, expansive state—making deep focus more natural. Meditation isn't just a spiritual or ancient ritual—it is backed by neuroscience. It activates the prefrontal cortex, responsible for critical thinking and attention. It also increases grey matter in regions that handle learning and memory. Studies from Harvard have shown that nearly 47% of a person's day is spent distracted—something meditation helps dramatically reduce by anchoring awareness in the BENEFITS OF MEDITATION FOR IMPROVING CONCENTRATIONadvertisementMeditation enhances focus by quieting internal distractions. It boosts alpha wave activity, which is linked to a calm yet alert mind. It stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress hormones and promoting a relaxed state conducive to concentration. With regular practice, it also helps regulate emotions like frustration and anxiety, allowing mental clarity to emerge. Over time, meditation improves neuroplasticity, empowering the brain to focus better and adapt to challenges.'Meditation allows the mind to transcend the noise and settle into stillness, which is where true concentration is built,' says Shrivastava. 'It clears away the mental clutter, giving rise to natural alertness.'HOW TO INCORPORATE MEDITATION INTO YOUR DAILY ROUTINEStarting a meditation practice doesn't have to be overwhelming. Begin with a short, consistent routine. Choose a style that resonates—be it mindfulness, visualisation, focused attention, or Transcendental Meditation (TM). Understanding the impact of meditation in your daily life can fuel your motivation to continue.'The key is consistency, even if it's just for a few minutes a day,' says Shrivastava. 'It's about choosing a practice that aligns with your mind's nature. TM, for instance, is effortless and deeply restorative.'ALTERNATIVE PRACTICES FOR BETTER FOCUSBesides meditation, complementary practices like yoga asanas, mudras, and pranayama can improve memory and concentration. Simple habits—like mindful walks or short meditation breaks between work—can prevent burnout. A balanced lifestyle involving good sleep, nutrition, and mental wellness further supports sharper cognitive concentration is more essential than ever in our distraction-heavy lives. Meditation trains the mind to experience deeper awareness, expanding its potential for productivity and peace. Whether you choose TM, guided visualisations, or breath-focused practices, a daily routine is key to unlocking long-term benefits.'Concentration is a learnable skill, and meditation is the training ground to cultivate the mind's infinite capabilities,' Shrivastava Watch
Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
This Salman Khan and Rani Mukerji-starrer was reportedly funded by Chhota Shakeel, ensuing scandal exposed Bollywood-underworld nexus
In the late 90s and early 2000s, the Mumbai underworld made inroads into the world of films. The connection between the mafia and the Hindi film industry dates back to the 1960s, when Haji Mastan would often be seen socialising with the biggest stars of that era, such as Dilip Kumar and Sanjeev Kumar. Later, when Dawood Ibrahim became the most feared gangster in Mumbai, his associates were known to pressure film stars into doing movies for them. The attempt was to convert black money into white. The Bollywood-underworld nexus was properly exposed during the making of the 2003 film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, directed by Abbas-Mustan and starring Salman Khan, Preity Zinta, and Rani Mukerji. Preity was the only one who testified against the underworld in the ensuing trial, while all other witnesses turned hostile. At a 2018 India Today event, she reflected on the scary experience. 'For the record, if I knew that everyone was going to back out, I also would have. It was a scary time in my life. I should have been protected. Whatever I said in court was on TV ten minutes later,' she recalled, making a reference to her colleagues turning hostile, and going on to mention the assassination attempt on filmmaker Rakesh Roshan's life. Also read – The producer of an Amitabh Bachchan film was kidnapped in broad daylight by Pathan mafia; Dilip Kumar got the investigation started She continued, 'I don't think there was anything happening on that set. But there was definitely fear going around. Because Rakesh ji (Roshan) had been shot. Everyone was paranoid. People would keep their phones switched off, worried that they will get a call.' She added, 'I was fine till they were scaring me, but once they started abusing, I lost it. I can take stress, but not people abusing me. I learnt that if you get a call from +92, don't pick up! Luckily I was famous. Had I not been, it would've been tough. They all said why did you have to be the one to do all this?' But my way of thinking was different. I didn't have a family, I didn't have children.' Because of her testimony, several individuals involved in the film were arrested. Chhota Shakeel's henchman Anjum Fazlani, who was arrested in connection with the case, was acquitted in 2010. 'Even Salman Khan, who had deposed before the court in March could not identify Fazlani, and he was declared hostile,' the accused's lawyer, Prakash Shetty, told Hindustan Times. During the trial, Salman is said to have suggested that he may or may not have met Fazlani, but couldn't recall. In 2003, the Special Court in Mumbai convicted financier Bharat Shah and sentenced him to a year in prison. But Shah walked free because he'd already spent 14 months in custody. His co-producer Nazim Rizvi was reportedly the man who was sent by Chhota Shakeel to sign Salman and other stars for the film. Salman would later go on to testify that he wasn't under any pressure. According to journalist Hussain Zaidi's book Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia, Rizvi made many unsuccessful attempts at getting Salman on board, and Fazlani was assigned the job only because Rizvi failed. Based on the information that the Mumbai police accessed by tapping the phones of suspects, it was discovered that the underworld had code names for Bollywood personalities. Bharat Shah was 'BS', Salman was 'Pehelwan', and Shah Rukh Khan, who managed to give Rizvi the slip several times, was 'Hakla'. Also read – When Anurag Kashyap was kidnapped by a gangster after Satya: 'Unhone khana khilaya…' Zaidi wrote in his book, 'Rizvi also would regularly visit Salman and say politely, 'Excuse me, Salman Khan. Could you please speak to Shakeel bhai?' The muscular movie star did not take him seriously at all and snubbed him regularly. Rizvi was very often dragged kicking and screaming to the gates and kicked off the set by the security guards there.' After Rizvi failed one too many times, Fazlani was sent to secure Salman's services. 'Fazlani walked in and handed the phone over to Salman, telling him that Shakeel was on the line and wished to speak with the actor. Salman took the phone and found himself backed into a corner, with no possible way to deny Shakeel his demands. Salman was forced to work in the film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke . Shakeel funded it, pumping 15 crore rupees into this first venture. It was later established that Salman, Rani, Abbas-Mustan, and the others had participated in the film under duress as their lives were in danger and so, they were not detained further, nor were charges filed against them,' Zaidi wrote. The release of Chori Chori Chupke Chupke was delayed due to the investigation, but the movie was eventually released in theatres some months later. It earned moderately positive reviews, which singled out Preity's performance as a sex worker-turned-surrogate. According to Zaidi, Chhota Shakeel pumped Rs 15 crore into the project, via Bharat Shah and Rizvi. According to a Guardian report, Rizvi was also accused of trying to kill Hrithik Roshan, who was code-named 'Chikna', and his producer father Rakesh, code-named 'Takla'.
