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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Aamir Khan's 'Sitaare Zameen Par' to release on YouTube Movies on Aug 1
Superstar Aamir Khan on Tuesday announced that his latest release "Sitaare Zameen Par" will be available on YouTube Movies on demand, after its theatrical run. Starting August 1, the film will stream exclusively on YouTube in India at ₹100, and in 38 international markets, including US, Canada, UK, Australia, Germany, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, among others, with pricing localised for each market. "The price point for this film is ₹100. It is a family film and I want the entire family to watch the film together. If the family of four decides to watch this film at₹. 100 then it will cost ₹25 per person. "By the time we finish our theatrical run maybe we would've reached more than a crore people but what about the remaining people? So, my attempt is to reach every person through my film," the 60-year-old actor told reporters here at a press conference. Directed by R S Prasanna, "Sitaare Zameen Par" was released in theatres across the country in June, earning over ₹250 crores and receiving praise for its heartwarming story as well as performances. "I want to take my film to every household, I want to reach out to every audience. It is up to the audience when they want to watch the film. I felt this is the right time to come up with this pay-per-view model," Aamir said. He also said that in a few days all the films produced by his banner Aamir Khan Productions will be available on his YouTube platform. The actor said he is open to the idea of showcasing films of other producers on his YouTube platform. "We are open to show the film of other producers on our YouTube channel provided our core team at AKP including me and Aparna should like the content. It is not a subscription based model but it is a pay-per-view thing." The actor said he has been trying to figure out a solution to the challenge of how to reach audiences who do not have "geographical access to theatres". "Finally the time for the perfect storm has come. With our government bringing in UPI and India becoming number one in the world in electronic payments, with internet penetration in India having grown dramatically and growing everyday, and with YouTube being on most devices, we can finally reach vast sections of people in India, and a significant part of the world," Aamir said. Billed as a spiritual sequel to the actor's critically acclaimed 2007 movie Taare Zameen Par, "Sitaare Zameen Par" follows the journey of a basketball coach (Aamir), who mentors ten differently-abled individuals. The movie is a remake of Spanish movie "Champions". Besides Aamir, the film also stars Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishna Varma, Samvit Desai, Vedant Sharma, Ayush Bhansali, Ashish Pendse, Rishi Shahani, Rishabh Jain, Naman Mishra, and Simran Mangeshkar. Genelia D'Souza appears as well in a pivotal role. Aamir also admitted that he was lying about not releasing Sitaare Zameen Par on OTT during the promotions of the film in June. I apologise that I lied to all those who asked me whether I'm releasing my film on YouTube or not. I did so because I wanted to protect the theatrical business. I'm loyal to the theatre business. Since we were experimenting for the first time, I had to unfortunately lie about it, he said. The actor said all his upcoming home production films will first release in theatres and later on YouTube as a pay-per-view model. OTT is a subscription model. I don't have any problem with OTT, but the timing of releasing our film on OTT after six to eight weeks of its theatrical run is something that I don't like. Therefore I've moved away from it. I don't think the pay-per-view model will affect theatrical business, Aamir said. I don't know what the business potential of this (pay-per-view) is because I'm doing this for the first time, he added. In a statement, Gunjan Soni, country managing director at YouTube India, said the digital launch of "Sitaare Zameen Par" exclusively on their platform is a significant step towards "democratising Indian film distribution at a global scale". "YouTube is already a key digital destination for premium content, and we're excited to offer filmmakers and content owners not only our unparalleled digital reach but also the control and flexibility to meet their audiences where they are. Today's launch is far more than a release - YouTube is laying out the red carpet for Indian cinema to stride onto the global stage," she added. Aamir is currently producing "Lahore 1947", starring Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta, and "Ek Din", featuring Junaid Khan and Sai Pallavi, both under his banner Aamir Khan Productions. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Star
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Cambodia says immediate ceasefire purpose of talks; Thailand questions its sincerity
This pool photo taken and released on July 28, 2025 by Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP) shows Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet gesturing to government officials before he departures to Malaysia for ceasefire talks with Thailand, at Phnom Penh international Airport in Phnom Penh on July 28, 2025. Thailand and Cambodia's leaders are due to meet for peace talks on July 28, as a festering territorial dispute along their shared frontier dragged into a fifth day of open combat. - AFP BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH: An immediate ceasefire in a deadly border dispute is the purpose of talks with Thailand on Monday (July 28), Cambodia's Prime Minister said, but his Thai counterpart said there were doubts about Cambodia's sincerity ahead of the negotiations in Malaysia. Monday's talks to end the deadliest fighting in more than a decade between the South-East Asian neighbours are being hosted by Malaysia, the chair of the regional Asean bloc. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said the talks were co-organised by the United States, and that China would also take part in them. Both Thailand and Cambodia accuse the other of starting the hostilities last week and then escalating them. On Monday, officials from both countries said clashes along the disputed border were ongoing ahead of the talks later in the day. "We are not confident in Cambodia, their actions so far have reflected insincerity in solving the problem," acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told reporters ahead of his departure for Kuala Lumpur. "Cambodia has violated international law, but everybody wants to see peace. Nobody wants to see violence that affects civilians." Cambodia has strongly denied Thai accusations it has fired at civilian targets, and has instead said that Thailand has put innocent lives at risk. It has called for the international community to condemn Thailand's aggression against it. "The purpose of this meeting is to achieve an immediate 'ceasefire', initiated by President Donald Trump and agreed to by the Prime Ministers of Cambodia and Thailand," Hun Manet said in a post on X as he departed for the talks. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said State Department officials would assist the peace efforts, after President Donald Trump had earlier said that he thought both leaders wanted to settle the conflict. The tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have intensified since the killing in late May of a Cambodian soldier during a brief skirmish. Border troops on both sides were reinforced amid a full-blown diplomatic crisis that brought Thailand's fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse. Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had proposed ceasefire talks soon after the border dispute erupted into conflict on Thursday, and China and the United States also offered to assist in negotiations. Anwar said he expected to chair the negotiations after being asked by the two governments to try to find a peace settlement, state media agency Bernama reported on Sunday. "So, I'm discussing the parameters, the conditions, but what is important is (an) immediate ceasefire," Anwar said. Thailand and Cambodia have bickered for decades over undemarcated points along their 817-km (508-mile) land border, with ownership of the ancient Hindu temples Ta Moan Thom and the 11th century Preah Vihear central to the disputes. Preah Vihear was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962, but the situation worsened in 2008 after Cambodia attempted to list it as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Skirmishes over several years brought at least a dozen deaths. Cambodia said in June it had asked the court to resolve its disputes with Thailand. Bangkok says it has never recognised the court's jurisdiction and prefers a bilateral approach. - Reuters
Free Malaysia Today
5 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Turkey's parliament passes contentious mining legislation
Members of the Turkish parliament vote during a session at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara. (EPA Images pic) ISTANBUL : Turkey's parliament on Saturday passed a controversial bill that opens certain agricultural lands, including olive groves, to mining activities, local media reported, despite widespread opposition. The bill, part of a broader package proposed by president Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP party, sparked protests from opposition parties and environmental groups. Farmers from across Turkey have gathered outside parliament over the past two weeks, urging the government to withdraw the draft, with some starting a hunger strike this week. Parliamentary debate on Saturday led to tensions between ruling AKP and main opposition CHP lawmakers, who spoke out against the expropriation of olive groves for mining activities, private NTV television reported. On Friday, Ali Mahir Basarir of the CHP accused parliament of acting like CEO of energy companies. 'The entire parliament has become CEO of five companies,' he said. '(Farmers) are on hunger strike, therefore, we will continue to resist' against the draft, he added. In 2023, local villagers and environmental activists occupied Akbelen forest, inland from the well-known Aegean resort town of Bodrum, to defend it from an energy company that runs a nearby coal mine. At the time, Erdogan dismissed protesters as 'marginals', saying new coal basins were needed for the country's power plants as existing reserves were close to depletion. Turkey ratified the Paris Climate Agreement in 2021. Activists say Turkey has enormous renewable energy potential and does not need to rely on coal to produce electricity.
Asahi Shimbun
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
What's behind the clashes between Thailand and Cambodia that left at least 14 dead
Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen delivers a speech during his visit to a border site of Preah Vihear province, near the Cambodia-Thailand border, in Cambodia, June 26, 2025. (AKP via AP) BANGKOK--Armed clashes have broken out between Thailand and Cambodia in long-disputed border areas, rapidly escalating months-long tensions. The fighting included gunfire exchanges and shelling and rocket fire, which Thai authorities said killed a Thai soldier and 13 civilians and wounded 14 soldiers and 32 other civilians. Thailand responded with air strikes. It was the second armed confrontation since a Cambodian soldier was shot dead in May and a major escalation that came hours after the two countries downgraded diplomatic relations following a land mine explosion that injured Thai soldiers. Clashes are ongoing in at least six areas along the border, the Thai Defense Ministry said. The first clash Thursday morning happened in an area near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple along the border of Surin and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province. A Cambodian provincial official said clashes resumed there again early on Friday morning. Here's what to know about the dispute between the two Southeast Asian neighbors. The dispute flared in May after armed forces of Thailand and Cambodia briefly fired at each other in a relatively small, contested border area that each country claims as its own. Both sides said they acted in self-defense. One Cambodian soldier was killed. While the countries said afterwards they agreed to de-escalate the situation, Cambodian and Thai authorities continued to implement or threaten measures short of armed force, keeping tensions high. Thailand added tight restrictions at the border with Cambodia that stopped almost all crossings except for students, medical patients and others with essential needs. On Thursday, Thai authorities announced they were sealing the border entirely. Cambodia also banned Thai movies and TV shows, stopped the import of Thai fuel, fruits and vegetables and boycotted some of its neighbor's international internet links and power supply. Nationalist passions on both sides have inflamed the situation. Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office July 1 to be investigated for possible ethics violations over her handling of the border dispute following a leaked phone call with a senior Cambodian leader. In the June call, Paetongtarn referred to Cambodian former Prime Minister Hun Sen as 'uncle' and criticized Thai military leadership, remarks framed by critics as disrespectful to national sovereignty. Hun Sen was succeeded by his son Hun Manet in 2023 but remains influential as Senate president. He was a longtime friend of her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, a popular but divisive former prime minister, but they became estranged over the border dispute. The leaked call sparked widespread outrage and protests. Paetongtarn's Pheu Thai party-led coalition also weakened when its second-largest partner, the Bhumjaithai Party, withdrew support, citing her perceived softness toward Cambodia. Paetongtarn has apologized and argued her comments were a negotiating tactic. Her ally, former Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, was appointed acting prime minister. Border disputes are long-standing issues that have caused periodic tensions between the two neighbors. Thailand and Cambodia share more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) of land border. The contesting claims stem largely from a 1907 map drawn under French colonial rule that was used to separate Cambodia from Thailand. Cambodia has been using the map as a reference to claim territory, while Thailand has argued the map is inaccurate. The most prominent and violent conflicts have been around the 1,000-year-old Preah Vihear temple. In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded sovereignty over the temple area to Cambodia. The ruling became a major irritant in bilateral relations. Cambodia went back to the court in 2011, following several clashes between its army and Thai forces that killed about 20 people and displaced thousands. The court reaffirmed the ruling in Cambodia's favor in 2013. Cambodia has again turned to the international court to resolve the border disputes but Thailand has rejected the court's jurisdiction.
Malay Mail
24-07-2025
- Climate
- Malay Mail
‘Burnt alive': Sudden wind shift kills 10 workers battling wildfire in western Turkiye
ISTANBUL, July 24 — A wildfire killed at least 10 forest workers and rescuers yesterday who were battling to douse the flames near Eskisehir in western Turkey, the authorities said. Agriculture minister Ibrahim Yumakli said the fire killed five forest workers and five rescuers. Local lawmaker Nebi Hatipoglu and news website BirGun had earlier said 11 had died. High temperatures and strong winds have fanned the wildfire between Istanbul and the capital Ankara since Tuesday morning, with the spread threatening homes and forcing the evacuation of several villages. The victims were wrong-footed when the flames suddenly changed direction, causing them to be 'burnt alive', according to BirGun. Twenty-four workers were caught in the 'brusque evolution of the flames' of whom 14 were being treated in hospital, minister Yumakli told broadcasters on Wednesday evening. 'Unfortunately, we have lost five forest workers and five (rescuers),' he added. Hatipoglu, a deputy from the ruling AKP party, wrote on X there were 'no words to describe our grief'. Turkey has been sweltering since Sunday under temperatures between six to 12 degrees Celsius above the seasonal norms and several fires have been declared. Scientists have long warned that burning fossil fuels is making extreme weather events such as heatwaves more likely and more intense. — AFP
