Latest news with #Azaadi
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kolkata rock band unveils second single, blending music, history, and resistance
On August 10, Café Wisdom Tree in Kolkata reverberated with music and emotion as the five-member rock band Punch launched their second single Azaadi , a tribute to the spirit of freedom ahead of India's 78th Independence Day. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Known for their unique Indian rock sound, Punch blends traditional instruments like the sitar and flute with electric guitars, bass, and drums. Azaadi also marked a rare international collaboration for the band, as they partnered with Bangladesh-based animation artist Mir Hisham, who brought the fictional war for freedom to life through cinematic animation. The narrative portrays countries, led by India, uniting against oppressors depicted as beasts and demons, while also referencing histories of colonial rule in India, Kenya, Estonia, Latvia, and Bangladesh. The video even pays tribute to traditional Indian puppetry, with characters appearing as manipulated puppets to signify oppression. The launch evening featured the screening of the video followed by an intimate unplugged performance from Punch, supported by Backdoor Caravan, The Miliputs, and singer-songwriter Rupsha. Speaking about the launch vocalist Wriddh said, 'It was important to share the stage he with all the bands as we consciously involve fellow city musicians at all our events because Azaadi is meant to be a song for all.' Multi-instrumentalist Ayan Mukherjee explained how the band experimented sonically, saying they designed the music for a war sequence on a sitar, something he felt was new for listeners, while the flute carried 'a sweet and positive hook line' that balanced the heavy guitars. Guitarist Aritro Ghosh called the track 'the highlight of 2025 for Punch,' admitting that the challenges of making it had tested the band in many ways but ultimately brought them closer, paving the way for 'more heartfelt, fearless and intuitive music. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now ' Bassist Tamal Bhattacharjee described Azaadi as more than just a song, calling it 'the pulse of people reclaiming their spirit of freedom,' while drummer Anindya Maity likened it to 'a chiaroscuro-esque dialogue' that wove together light and dark, happiness and angst, and the joy and anguish that always accompany victories against oppression. Animator Mir Hisham reflected on the deeper emotional weight of the project, saying it was 'overwhelming' to bring to life the struggles for freedom that people around the world have endured. He expressed hope that audiences would 'grasp the meaningful message we aimed to convey.' Bringing together six Bengali artists, including Hisham from Bangladesh, Azaadi is a rare Hindi rock collaboration. The music video is already streaming online, while the audio track released on all major platforms from August 15.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Javed Akhtar Hits Back At Troll Telling Him To Celebrate Pakistan's Independence Day Instead: " Aukaat Main Raho"
New Delhi: Javed Akhtar took to X yesterday on the occasion of India's 79th Independence Day. He mentioned how India's Independence was earned after numerous sacrifices by our freedom fighters. An online troll, however, commented on the post stating that Javed Akhtar should celebrate his Independence Day on August 14, the day Pakistan does. What's Happening Lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar had a befitting reply for an online troll who tried to disrespect him by commenting on his Independence Day post yesterday. Javed Akhtar's post read, "Happy Independence Day to all my Indian sisters and brothers. Let's not forget this independence was not given to us on a platter. Today, we must remember and salute those who went to jail and those who went to the gallows for getting us Azaadi. Let's see that we never lose this precious gift." The troll commented, " Aapka Happy Independence toh 14th August hai," clearly indicating Pakistan's Independence Day. Javed Akhtar slammed the troll by replying, " Beta jab tumhare baap dada angrez ke joote chaat rahe the mere buzurg desh ki aazadi ke liye Kaala Pani mein mar rahe thay. Apni aukaat main raho (Son, while your forefathers were licking the boots of the British, my ancestors were dying in Kaala Pani for the country's freedom. Know your place)." Happy Independence Day to all my Indian sisters and brothers . Let's not forget this independence was not given to us on a platter . Today we must remember and salute those who Went to jails and those went to gallows for getting us Azaadi . Let's see that we never lose this… — Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) August 15, 2025 Javed Akhtar's Great Grandfather As A Freedom Fighter Javed Akhtar's great-grandfather, Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi (1797-1861), was a well-known Indian Islamic scholar, poet, and freedom fighter. He fought against the oppressive British rule and had a role to play in supporting the Indian Rebellion of 1857 through a fatwa. This led to him being banished to the Andaman Islands, where Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi died. Javed Akhtar's father, Jan Nisar Akhtar and grandfather Muztar Khairabadi were also poets. The themes of their work revolved around freedom, resistance and social justice. In a Nutshell
India Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Javed Akhtar claps back after troll suggests he celebrate Pak Independence Day
On India's 79th Independence Day, veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar shared a heartfelt message on X, reminding people that the nation's freedom was earned through immense sacrifices and not handed over easily. However, when a troll suggested that he should celebrate Independence Day on August 14 instead of August 15, Akhtar gave a sharp response, mentioning his family's sacrifices for India's freedom August 15, Javed Akhtar posted, 'Happy Independence Day to all my Indian sisters and brothers. Let's not forget this independence was not given to us on a platter. Today we must remember and salute those who Went to jails and those went to gallows for getting us Azaadi. Let's see that we never lose this precious gift."Soon after, a troll commented, 'Aapka happy independence to 14th August hai," implying he should mark Pakistan's Independence Day. Akhtar hit back with a strong reply. He wrote, 'Beta jab tumhare baap dada angrez ke joote chaat rahe thay mere buzurg desh ki aazadi ke liye kaala pani mein mar rahe thay. Apni auqat mein raho (Son, while your forefathers were licking the boots of the British, my ancestors were dying in Kala Pani for the country's freedom. Know your place)."Kaala Pani refers to the Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands, where many Indian freedom fighters faced harsh imprisonment under British Akhtar's family has a strong connection with India's freedom struggle. His great-grandfather, Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi, was a poet and freedom fighter who gave a fatwa supporting the 1857 revolt against the British and was sent to the Andamans, where he died. His grandfather, Muztar Khairabadi, and father, Jan Nisar Akhtar, were also famous poets known for writing about freedom, justice and resistance.- EndsTrending Reel
Mint
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
‘Apni aukat mein raho': Javed Akhtar shuts down troll who asked him to celebrate Pakistan's Independence Day
Renown lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar hit back at a troll who asked him to celebrate Pakistani's Independence Day which falls on August 14, and not India's Independence Day. On the occasion of India's 79th Independence Day, Javed Akhtar had posted on X, 'Happy Independence Day to all my Indian sisters and brothers. Let's not forget this independence was not given to us on a platter. Today we must remember and salute those who Went to jails and those went to gallows for getting us Azaadi . Let's see that we never lose this precious gift.' An X user commented on Akhtar's post in no time. "Aapka happy independence to 14th August hai [Your Independence Day is on August 14]," the post read. This prompted a reply from Akhtar, which many users called "savage". "Beta jab tumhare baap dada angrez ke joote chaat rahe thay mere buzurg desh ki aazadi ke liye kaala pani mein mar rahe thay. Apni auqat mein raho," Akhtar told the X user. This translated into, 'Son, when your forefathers were licking the shoes of the British, my elders were dying in Kala Pani for the freedom of the country. Stay within your limits.' Many on social media supported Javed Akhtar, hailing him for his response to the trolls. "Bohut badiya Jawab diya sir hatemonger ko 😃 😊 ye nahi samjhenge hamari qurbaniya [Sir, you gave a very good answer to the hatemonger. He will not understand our sacrifice]," one user commented. Some of the other comments read, 'Well said sir', "Javed saab rocked…", 'Javed Sahab never Disappoints', '…javed saahab mirzapur wale andaaz me', 'Javed sahab, aap jab bhi kuch bhi bolte hai, mujhe bada acha lagta hai.' One user even felt sorry for Javed Akhtar. He said, "Sorry you have to face this Javed sahab. We are proud of you." Another person called Akhtar's reply to the troll "savage".
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Aukat mein raho, mere buzurg desh ki aazaadi ke liye...,' says Javed Akhtar as he hits back at a troll saying he should have celebrated Pakistan's Independence day on August 14
As India celebrated its 79th Independence day on August 15, the entire country was in the patriotic mode and many celebrities also shared wishes on the occasion. Like many others, Javed Akhtar also took to his social media to express gratitude for the country's independence and also reminded people to be thankful to those who played a role in it. The veteran screenwriter wrote, 'Happy Independence Day to all my Indian sisters and brothers. Let's not forget this independence was not given to us on a platter . Today we must remember and salute those who went to jails and those went to gallows for getting us Azaadi. Let's see that we never lose this precious gift.' In reply, a troll commented, 'Aapka happy independence to 14th August hai.' Unfazed, Akhtar hit back strongly and said, 'Beta jab tumhare baap dada angrez ke joote chaat rahe thay mere buzurg desh ki aazadi ke liye kaala pani mein mar rahe thay. Apni auqat mein raho (Son, while your forefathers were licking the boots of the British, my ancestors were dying in Kala Pani for the country's freedom. Know your place).' For those not in the know, 'Kaala pani' refers to the infamous Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands, where many freedom fighters were brutally imprisoned by the British. Javed Akhtar's great-grandfather, Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi (1797–1861), was a renowned scholar, poet, and freedom fighter who actively supported the 1857 rebellion. His resistance led to his exile to the Andamans, where he passed away. Javed's grandfather, Muztar Khairabadi, and father, Jan Nisar Akhtar, also carried forward the legacy of poetry rooted in freedom, resistance, and social justice. "Get the latest news updates on Times of India, including reviews of the movie Coolie and War 2 ."
