Latest news with #Balraj
Indian Express
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Funeral at Nargis' house made Balraj Sahni feel like a ‘corpse', got special permission from cops during jail time to shoot a film
The 1940s was a very tricky time for Hindi cinema. While there was one section of the moviemaking folks who made it their mission to entertain the masses during stressful times, there was another section where actors, writers and filmmakers participated in the freedom struggle in their ways. But, the struggle didn't end after August 1947. The country was in political disarray and those who had learnt to fight for their rights continued to do so for getting rid of British rule wasn't enough. Balraj Sahni, one of the upcoming actors in those days, who had worked with Mahatma Gandhi at Sevagram, lived with Rabindranath Tagore at Shantiniketan and worked with the likes of TS Eliot and George Orwell at the London office of BBC, was one of the prominent members of the Communist Party in India, and also a member of Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), where he worked with the likes of Prithviraj Kapoor and Ritwik Ghatak, found himself behind bars for participating in a protest march. After a party meeting in 1949, when the party workers took to the streets, Balraj was arrested by cops. He spent months in a prison and strangely, was allowed to shoot for a film with Dilip Kumar and Nargis during his time in prison. At this time, Balraj had appeared in a few films, and was, by no means, a movie star. In fact, a couple of weeks before this, he had signed a film called Hulchul, in which he was to star with Dilip Kumar and Nargis. He was going to play a jailor in the film and as a part of his preparation, he visited Mumbai 's (then Bombay) Arthur Road prison, not knowing that he would be housed here in the immediate future. Balraj recalled this incident in his autobiography 'My Filmy Autobiography' and shared that he spent the first two months of his jail time in Bareilly Jail. He was then given the tag of 'A class' as a prisoner, which gave him certain privileges within the prison system, and two months later, he was transferred to Arthur Road prison where the same jailor presided who earlier gave him a tour of the facility. As Balraj spent days and night locked in a jail for participating in a protest, producer K Asif, who was the director of Mughal-E-Azam, was making arrangements so Balraj could shoot for his film even during his time in prison. 'K Asif had managed to procure a peculiar order from the police commissioner. Whenever they wanted me at the studio, I might be allowed to go there under police escort,' he shared and recalled that on days when he had to shoot, other prisoners would give him lists of things that he were to bring back. Someone wanted a picture of Dilip Kumar and Nargis, and someone else wanted a pack of bidis. K Asif would make arrangements so Balraj could carry all the goods back to the prison. Even the jailor was invested in this project for Balraj was going to play a jailor on screen, and he felt like his reputation was at stake. On one such day, when Balraj reached the studio at 6 am, he got to know that the shoot had been called off because Nargis' mother had passed away. Since all the film stars were going to be there at her house, Balraj requested the inspector who was escorting him to take him to her house. He agreed, and this turned out to be a transformative experience for Balraj. 'Standing there in the midst of so many friends and colleagues, I realised that I had become almost a stranger to them. The way they were all looking at me, I might have been a corpse, which had suddenly emerged from a coffin,' he wrote and said that this was the day when he 'resolved to never leave the world of films.' After six months, when he got out of jail, he was mentally and physically exhausted. Balraj was no longer welcome to participate in Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) activities, which had become his second home by this time. 'In their eyes, I had become a traitor and a renegade. Although I was reluctant to accept the charge, it nevertheless broke my spirit. I felt I had become old in the prime of youth,' he wrote. Two years after the release of Hulchul, Balraj appeared in Do Bigha Zamin, the role that changed his life and is still considered as one of the most accomplished works by an actor in Indian cinema.
Khaleej Times
06-04-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
How Dubai Airport staff saved passenger, returned cash, helped man travel after 5 years
The safety and well-being of passengers are a top priority at Dubai International Airport (DXB). Whether assisting with medical emergencies or providing a helping hand, the team's quick actions and compassionate approach have often saved the day. Recently, DXB posted a video on its social media platform on how traffic marshals Balraj Singh and Adarsh Chandran sprung into action to help a passenger in medical distress at Terminal 1. During his shift at Area 3, Balraj noticed a passenger having trouble walking and quickly stepped in to help. As he approached, he realised the person was struggling to breathe and immediately alerted his team leader for medical support. Adarsh shared that the passenger had clutched his chest, showing signs of serious discomfort. The two marshals swiftly cleared the area, gently dispersing the crowd to give the guest space and privacy. They cordoned off the spot and stayed with him until help arrived. While narrating the incident, Balraj said he strived to go above and beyond to help passengers "so they can leave Dubai Airport happily". Adarsh said, "If you look into this incident, you can see many departments were involved — Dubai Police, DXB medical team, dnata admin staff — different department staff, but we worked here shoulder to shoulder (to help). This commitment to helping passengers was also demonstrated by duty officer (terminal operations, customer service delivery) Ahmed Abdulb, who helped a traveller take a flight after being stuck in Dubai for five years due to fear of flying. He noticed someone running around the terminal, clearly distressed. "So we approached to understand what was going on. His brother explained, 'This is the fifth time we've come to the airport. We've booked the ticket and completed all the formalities, but each time we get close to immigration, he starts to panic, says he can't breathe and refuses to travel. He keeps saying, 'I don't want to travel'." Ahmed realised that fear and anxiety were triggering this breathing difficulty. The real challenge was helping him understand that his reaction was emotional, not physical, and giving him the reassurance he needed. "Our goal was to offer emotional support and calm him down so he could feel safe and in control. To me, hospitality means making the impossible possible — doing whatever it takes to ensure the passenger feels satisfied and happy so they remember us and want to return. Later, the passenger's brother messaged Ahmed, thanking him for his support and informing him of their safe journey home. "I see all guests as family. This encourages me to help, support, and do my best to keep the operations smooth and solve any problem. In February, Dubai Police tracked down a traveller's bag containing over Dh25,000 cash at Dubai International Airport, returning it to its rightful owner within 30 minutes. Munir Said Ibrahim, an Egyptian traveller, had accidentally picked up another passenger's luggage from the baggage conveyor belt, mistaking it for his own due to its similar shape and colour. In a rush to catch a connecting flight to China within an hour, Munir realised the mistake and went to the airport police office in the arrivals hall. After receiving the report, the on-duty officer quickly formed a task force, tracking Munir's movements from the moment he entered the airport. They reviewed surveillance footage and contacted Emirates Airlines, with whom he had flown from Cairo. The investigation revealed that Munir's bag had been swapped with an Egyptian female passenger still waiting in the airport corridors for her relatives. She was unaware of the mix-up and was surprised when the police arrived, explained the situation, and returned her bag. In 2018, a first-time Pakistani visitor to Dubai was saved by a Dubai Airport employee after he suffered from a heart attack and collapsed at the airport. Talal Al Hubeishi was the operations officer whose quick thinking helped save Mohammed Sadiq's life. When Talal spotted the passenger passed out on the floor, he reacted immediately to resuscitate him by administering CPR until the paramedics arrived.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Housing pressures increase on Maui as assistance ends
Sumithra Balraj is moving back to her fire-ravaged Lahaina condominium before completing reconstruction after getting a letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency seeking $2, 300 in monthly rent for a unit that was once free since she was displaced from her housing by the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires. 'What FEMA is going to start charging for a 600-square-foot unit is more than my mortgage, which I already am struggling to pay because of the downturn, and that's on top of my HOA (homeowners association ) fees rising another $252 to $700, ' said Balraj, who worked three jobs before the fire but, as a result of Maui's economic downturn, is now down to just one as a caregiver for her partner. Balraj, who quickly exhausted the $4, 000 housing allowance provided by her insurance company, said she is grateful for the support that government and private donors have provided. But she said that she continues to struggle and worries about the community impact as her household and potentially thousands of others face profound changes to their housing support. Sen. Angus McKelvey (D, West Maui-Maalaea-Waikapu-South Maui ) said a Maui fire-related foreclosure moratorium ended Jan. 1. He said that next, on Feb. 4 a state-issued eviction ban ends, and on March 1 FEMA will begin charging rent for its direct housing program. 'The FEMA cliff is huge. Everybody was led to believe that when the continued resolution (federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery ) was passed, ($1.6 billion ) was being made available for housing until 2026. Now we are hearing that FEMA is communicating with people and saying, 'Hey, oh, no, no. You have got to pay.'' Maui United Way and its partners said it's too early to fully assess the direct impacts of the three major housing changes but that they are preparing for a surge in requests for assistance, particularly in areas such as rent support, financial counseling and homelessness prevention. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Makana Rosete, Maui United Way director of communications, events and advocacy, said in an email, 'Nonprofits across the island, including our partner agencies, are already reporting heightened anxiety and inquiries from residents worried about their housing stability.' Gov. Josh Green in a January news release called attention to the ending of the eviction moratorium on Feb. 4, and to Act 202, which begins Feb. 5 and gives landlords and tenants the opportunity to engage in free, state-funded mediation facilitated by Maui Mediation Services, before an eviction is filed in court. 'The end of the eviction moratorium marks a significant milestone in Maui's recovery, but it's essential that we provide a compassionate and structured way forward, ' Green said in a statement. Mediation is available through Maui Mediation Serv ices, which can be reached at 808-344-4255 or 808-446-0511 or at landlord tenanthelp @ FEMA told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Friday that all households in FEMA Direct Housing, whether in a direct lease unit or the Kilohana Group Site, received 90-day notification letters in November, 60-day notifications in December, and this month received 30-day notification letters informing them of the rent requirement, which begins March 1, and of the process to appeal. 'FEMA's goal is to assist wildfire survivors in moving towards their permanent housing solution and to help the Maui community to move forward on the long road to recovery, ' FEMA said. 'FEMA's programs are temporary and intended to assist households during their time of greatest need.' FEMA said rental rates, which include utilities, are based on 100 % of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's fair market rental rate for Maui along with the household's ability to pay, and range from $1, 750 for a studio to $1, 762 for a one-bedroom, $2, 309 for a two-bedroom, $3, 103 for a three-bedroom and $3, 584 for a four-bedroom. Dustin Kaleiopu, community care navigator lead at the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement's Kako 'o Maui, said Maui rents in general have been rising, and some clients have found FEMA rents higher than what they were paying before the pandemic. He said West Maui also has less multigenerational housing or family-owned rentals, which helped lower rental costs before the fire. Kaleiopu said FEMA also requires larger families to live in larger units rather than squeezing into smaller units to save money. Kaleiopu said he has been working with clients to prepare for the changes. 'There are people who have been able to pay their mortgages and save up their money in anticipation of the rent, ' he said. 'There are people like that, and then, of course, there are people that made it a 'later' problem and not a 'right now' problem, and now later is right now.' FEMA said approximately one-third of households in FEMA Direct Housing have appealed, and requests for rent reductions are processed in the order received. Balraj said she did not appeal because her FEMA direct lease ends Feb. 10, and she does not have enough money to pay for her mortgage and the assessed rent while awaiting a decision. 'The majority of households that submitted an appeal and have been fully processed have been eligible for rent reduction, ' FEMA said. 'Many households need to submit additional documentation to move their appeal forward.' Maui community housing consultant Skye Razon-Olds said she is aware of some 300 households that successfully have appealed to FEMA, including a single father with three children whose FEMA-subsidized rent was dropped to $300 from $2, 300. Jeeyun Lee, Maui United Way director of impact, highlighted the need for Maui households to advocate for their own rights internally and through qualified disaster case managers and social service programs as well as the Maui Office of Recovery and CNHA's Kako 'o Maui. Lee said that it is important 'not just to take no as no, which I think is a very difficult thing for a community that has been traumatized in the way that it has. ' Maui Economic Opportunity CEO Debbie Cabebe said in an email that MEO regularly assists people struggling to pay their rent, and the high cost of rentals versus income on Maui means the housing changes are likely to bring significant impacts. 'How can you build a life if you are worrying about whether you can pay the rent or mortgage with homelessness looming ?' Cabebe said. 'The situation remains untenable, though some temporary units that have been built have helped. More than half of Maui residents are below the federal poverty level and are cost-burdened paying more than 30 % of their monthly income on housing.' She said fire-affected families with dependent children could be eligible for the Maui Relief TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families ) Program, which offers up to $5, 000 a month for four months and up to a $5, 000 deposit. Cabebe said the county has been replenishing funds for the Maui County Rental Assistance Program, but the waitlist is long and people must provide documents showing they are able to sustain their rent after the subsidy ends. 'We can't wait (to expand housing opportunities ), or we are going to lose even more residents, which adversely impacts the entire community, ' she said. Maui County said it is setting up a Community Development Block Grant disaster recovery program that will aim to assist in permanent housing solutions. Information is available at McKelvey encouraged the federal, state and county governments to immediately work with those in FEMA's direct housing program on Maui. He said Maui's foreclosure moratorium ended with the past presidential administration, but he said the state should keep the eviction moratorium in place, especially since he believes rents were artificially inflated due to the higher day rates that were paid to short-term rental owners to get them to convert their units to longer-term housing. McKelvey said it is a misnomer that all displaced Maui residents should be ready to assume more independence. 'Some of these people lost everything and they are paying mortgages still, and their insurance is either being held up or being denied or they are getting paid pennies on the dollar, ' he said. 'Now, unfortunately, some people are like, 'Oh, they have had this support for so long that they need to start kicking in.' Yeah, if they had the ability, they wouldn't be there—but they don't.'
