Aamir Khan attends Time magazine's celebratory dinner in NY

Aamir Khan, who has been named among the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine, celebrated the achievement on 23^rd April 2013 in New York. Khan will grace the September edition of the magazine. The actor is currently shooting for ‘Dhoom 3’ in Mumbai.

Music legend from India Academy award-winning musician A R Rahman describes Aamir Khan as a "straightforward" man and a "man of his word" in a "world of false diplomacy and evasiveness" in a profile written by him. Rahman further avers there that besides commercial success, Khan’s movies also display a sense of social responsibility by tackling vital themes like poverty and education.

Praising Khan’s first ever TV show, 'Satyamev Jayate', Rahman wrote, “'Satyamev Jayate' is "part journalism and part talk show" and confronted India's deepest social ills, from sexual abuse to caste discrimination. Khan's debut TV show was not intended to provide solutions but to ask hard questions that the society is often reluctant to address.”

Some of the other names amongst the influential persons in the world listed by the prestigious Times Magazine are – US President Barack Obama, Pope Francis, Vrinda Grover, Chris Christie, Jennifer Lawrence, Steven Spielberg, Miguel and Christina Aguilera.

I am open to everything – Esha Gupta

Esha Gupta

The sexy “Jannat 2” heroine Esha Gupta recently said – I am open to everything. She can sizzle in an item number, she can do an off-beat film or can present herself as a sex siren in a full commercial movie, because she wants to experiment now that in which role her talent fits best.

The Model-turned-actress made her Bollywood debut with "Jannat 2" opposite Emraan Hashmi, the serial kisser. Besides that, she is also lucky enough to work under directors like Vikram Bhatt and Prakash Jha in "Raaz 3D" and "Chakravyuh" respectively.

The 27-year-old former Miss India said "I am open to doing everything. I am open to doing an off-beat film. I am open to do a full-on commercial film, I am open to item songs...because I have just started I want to see where I fit," in an interview.

Esha becomes a ‘first choice’ of the directors because the beautiful actress trusts in hard work rather than any other cheap means. In her words, "If you are focused and hardworking, they will accept you well."

The three films-old talented diva of Bollywood has recently shot a special song for director Punit Malhotra's "Gori Tere Pyaar Mein" and also signed her next film with Vishesh Films.

Abhishek owes his success to wife Aishwarya

Aishwarya & Abhishek Bachchan

When it comes to the lead male character playing a gay, Abhishek Bachchan started the trend in ‘Dostana’ and it was a big success. Perhaps, keeping in view that talent of junior Bachchan he was offered a double role in ‘Bol Bachchan’, where one of the roles was a gay.

Bachchan’s talent was recognized for the second time and recently he won the best actor comic award at the TOIFA for his funny role in “Bol Bachchan”. Yet Bachchan was excited enough to dedicate the award to wife Aishwarya Rai and also thanked the entire cast and crew of the film for believing in him.

For wife Aishwarya, Bachchan said, “I would like to thank my family for firstly having me because things wouldn’t have worked without that. I really owe this to Aishwarya and the love and support she has given me. She makes me the person that I am.”

Abhishek thanked the film’s director Rohit Shetty and co-star Ajay Devgn for having faith on him and said, “Bol Bachchan’ is very, very special film to me and I stand here in front of you humbly receiving the award”.

Abhishek, who also performed at the event, said it was a long due gig for his fans in the city.

Interesting Pics

Love is Blind. Cow & Woman

Calf is to love....A scene from Rajasthan

Long Hair

Jhoti (Ground Art) on the eve of Godess Laxmi Puja in Hindu 'Margasira' month in Odisha

Banana 

Unauthorized Construction of Hotel in Puri

While construction of an unauthorized Hotel is going on at the sweet water zone area in Puri, no authority is there to check and restrain the hotel authority from the construction. As per RTI information, the PKDA has disapproved the plan, but still the construction is going on and now in the finishing stage.

In the above matter Jayanta Kumar Das, the RTI activist who has received the necessary documents and information in lieu of the Right to Information Act, informed as follows:

“I want to inform you that one unauthorized construction  of permanent structure(hotel) is going on very rapidly in Sweet water Zone of Baliapanda (Near Sea Shore), Puri on Plot No.184/205 & 184/206, Kisham- Ghara Bari, Khata No.11, Mauza- Baliapanda, Tahasil- Puri, P.S- Puri Town, Dist- Puri (Annexure 08A & 8B, Patta of the Plots) without  any plan approval  from the Puri Konark Development Authority (PKDA) since three years, as per the information received from PKDA & Puri Municipality to my RTI Applications dated 20^th Nov 2012 & 06. 12.2012 respectively, 

PKDA had received one building plan approval File No. 126/2010 dated 14.5.2010 in the name of Siba Krishna Chatterjee, Secretary, Haranath Tatwa Pracharini Sabha but PKDA refused to approve the Plan in its Letter No. 265 dated 28.1.2011 because this zone is banned (Sweet Water Zone) for any construction as per the Press note released by Housing & Urban Develop Department Vide letter No. 29462 dated 30.09.2000.”

“Puri Konark Development Authority has completed its formality by filing one Unauthorised Construction Case against one Siba Kumar Chatarjee (Secretary of Haranath Ashram) and the U.C.Case No. 03 of 2010, dated 23.4.2010.”

“Though the Sea Beach Police Station was also informed by PKDA to take necessary action to stop the unauthorized construction in its Letter No. 512 dated 18.5.2010 but the then Sea Beach IIC Inspector Amulya Dhar never took any initiative over this issue knowingly.”

“I have intimated  to Puri collector, Principal secretary of Housing And Urban Development department, to the Editor of reputed Odia News Papers by email & Speed Post regarding this unauthorized construction with documentary proof on 16^th&17^thJan 2013 but none of them respondent to my complaint.”

“Without the involvement of corrupt government officials like Puri Police, PKDA, Puri Collectorate, Puri Municipality & Puri Public Health Division (PHD) this type of unauthorized construction cannot be carried out openly.  For your kind information I am going to file Public Interest Litigation in Odisha High Court regarding this matter soon, this news is not yet published by any local reporter till date.”

In this circumstance, the concerned authority should now move on to check and award appropriate punishment (under law) to the construction in charge/company.

‘Ishaqzade’ Kapoor is Comfortable with Parineeti

With Parineeti I share a certain amount of comfort level and if I go out for lunch and dinner with her, so what? – asks Arjun Kapoor, the ‘Ishaqzade’ actor. But is that all? Recalling the famous dialogue of ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ that says, ‘Ek Jawan Ladka aur Ladki kabhi friend nehin ho sakte’, the relation can expected to be more than just sharing comfort level. Isn’t it? Kapoor has already hogged headlines thanks to his alleged link-ups, his relationship with his co-stars though he is only one film old.  

Arjun Kapoor & Parineeti Chopra in 'Ishaqzade'

Utkal Divas was observed as Black Day by KKD

Koshal Kranti Dal (KKD) observed ‘Utkal Divas’ as ‘Black day’ in Balangir on 1^st April 2013. In the evening the party hoisted a black flag in front of the Collector’s office amid picketing against Government of Odisha.

On 1^st April KKD organized a massive protest (with unique style) to protest ‘Utkal Divas’, the foundation day of the state of Odisha. The protestors went in a rally in the town holding the effigy of ‘Utkal state’ as a corpse. 

The rally started from Kacheri chowk and passed through the main road, Patna chowk, Daily market, PP Academy and reached at Bhagirathi chowk where the speakers alleged that western Odisha has been intentionally neglected while Eastern Odisha is growing at the cost of this koshli region in their speech. They argued that Odisha govt. has conspired to keep the Koshal spoken areas as backward regions, for which observation of ‘Utkal Divas’ is not acceptable.

The meeting was followed by tearing of the map of Odisha into two pieces to symbolize bifurcation of the mother state into two parts. 

Later, the effigy of ‘Utkal State’ was burnt as a token of protest. KKD Central President Pramod Mishra, President of Koshli Ekata Manch Gorekhnath Sahu, Balangir district President Bharat Prusti and Raghunandan Singh joined the protest.