Latest news with #Gajraj
Time of India
21 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
VVIP fire team first to respond to plane crash
Ahmedabad: A special firefighting team stationed at Ahmedabad Airport for VVIP security was the first to respond to the devastating plane crash of AI 171 at Meghaninagar on Thursday afternoon. The team, originally assigned to accompany chief minister Bhupendra Patel's convoy, was already on standby near the runway when the Air India flight went down over the hostel complex housing resident doctors of the civil hospital. According to officials, the fire team was able to reach the crash site within minutes due to its proximity — less than 4km from the scene — making it the closest firefighting unit at the time of the incident. This quick response was followed by units from the Naroda Fire Station and a full brigade call that mobilised firefighting teams from across the city and beyond. In total, 61 firefighting vehicles from Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), including 34 'Gajraj' trucks with 20,000-litre capacity each, were deployed to control the blaze. Additional support came from Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation, ONGC, and nearby municipalities, bringing the total firefighting effort to over 100 vehicles. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like For all your EV needs ScottishPower Learn More Undo Officials confirmed that approximately 7 lakh litres of water was used to douse the flames and prevent further spread of the fire. "The firefighting vehicle assigned to the CM's convoy played a key role in the initial response. Its swift arrival helped us begin operations even before other city units reached the site," said a senior AMC official. "Once the scale of the crash became clear, a city-wide brigade call was issued. Teams from 19 AMC fire stations were immediately dispatched." The incident led to the temporary closure of the Ahmedabad Airport runway. Emergency medical response was also ramped up, with AMC deploying ambulances and hearses to the crash site and aiding in transporting bodies to Civil Hospital for postmortem and identification procedures. In the aftermath, AMC's Fire and Emergency Services (AEFS) submitted a detailed report to the state govt outlining the timeline of emergency response, logistical challenges, and key recommendations to improve coordination during large-scale disasters. The report is expected to guide future emergency preparedness, particularly for incidents involving critical infrastructure and densely populated areas. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Hindustan Times
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
‘Ananya Panday kamzor nazar nahi aati': Gajraj Rao reviews Kesari Chapter 2; gets reactions from her, Akshay, Madhavan
Actor Gajraj Rao penned several notes as he reviewed Kesari Chapter 2, showering praises on the cast and crew of the film. Taking to Instagram recently, Gajraj called Akshay Kumar's performance in the film "one of his bests". Talking about Ananya Panday, he defended her saying that she doesn't appear "kamzor (weak)". (Also Read | Shashi Tharoor praises Kesari Chapter 2, but feels C Sankaran Nair 'would never use the words Akshay Kumar uses') Praising the film, Gajraj said, "Loved every bit of it. An extraordinary screenplay packed with sharp, powerful dialogues. The cinematography is breathtaking, the production design top-notch, editing razor-sharp, and the music--absolutely soulful. These pillars hold the film strong and steady throughout." He spoke about how Akshay, as lawyer C Sankaran Nair, left him "vichlit (shaken)". 'Yeh Akshay Kumar ki best performances mein se ek Sankaran Nair ko inhone itihas ke panno se nikal kar screen par zinda khada kar diya bhi nazar aate hain our vulnerable bhi. Interval se pahle lajawab kaam kiya hai bina kuch zyada bole, aur climax main unka abhinay vichlit kar deta hai. Well done, Akshay Paaji (This is one of Akshay Kumar's best performances... He has taken Sir Sankaran Nair out of the pages of history and mad him alive on screen. He seems lion-hearted as well as vulnerable. Before the interval, he has done an amazing job, without saying much, and in the climax, his acting shook me).' A post shared by Gajraj Rao (@gajrajrao) Lauding R Madhavan, Gajraj wrote that he "proves yet again--some actors don't age, they evolve. Smooth, steady, and always impactful". Gajraj praised Ananya's acting skills. "Do diggaj kalakaron ke beech Ananya Panday, kahin bhi kamzor nazar nahi aatin. Unka abhinay bahut ummeed jagata hai (Between two veteran artists, Ananya Panday doesn't look weak anywhere. Her acting gives a lot of hope)." Gajraj also showered praise on the other cast members, including Regina Cassandra, Simon Paisley Day, Alexandra Moloney, Mark Bennington, Steven Hartley, Rohan Verma, Moumita Pal, Krish Rao, Atul Kumar, and Amit Sial, saying that they "all bring depth and dignity to their roles". "The British characters are perfectly cast, and every Indian supporting role is played with sincerity. Kudos to the casting team for a job done exceptionally well," he added. Gajraj wrote that director Karan Singh Tyagi "hits it out of the park—direction so assured, it doesn't feel like a debut." He 'saluted' Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla "for backing a story that isn't formulaic—no masala, no shortcuts, just solid storytelling." He concluded the post, "Please watch this saga in theatres, on the big screen — don't wait for it to come to your homes. Some stories deserve to be experienced loud and proud." Reacting to the post, Akshay wrote, "Gajraj sir, genuinely overwhelmed by your love and generosity. Thank you for seeing the soul of our story. Truly grateful." Ananya commented, "Thank you sir (folded hands emoji)." Madhavan said, "You're such a Jim in the fraternity for taking such a lot of effort for the kind words. God bless you, sir. You yourself are a powerhouse of talent and I can't wait to share screen with you." Kesari Chapter 2 is based on The Case That Shook The Empire by Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat. The film delves into the life of lawyer C Sankaran Nair and the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Hindustan Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Gajraj Rao says high ticket prices are keeping audiences away from theatres: ‘Cinema halls have become half restaurants'
The film industry is going through a tough time, as several Bollywood films, including big names and big budgets, are not doing well at the box office. Salman Khan's Eid release Sikandar also failed to meet expectations. As moviegoers continue to stay away from theatres, many within the industry have come forward to discuss what might be going wrong. (Also Read | Kesari Chapter 2 box office collection day 7: Akshay Kumar, Madhavan film rounds off first week with ₹45 cr) Actor Gajraj Rao recently shared his opinion on the situation and spoke about how things have changed over time, especially with the rise of OTT platforms. The actor also discussed what needs to change to bring audiences back to theatres, and for him, the most important factor is "ticket pricing." While speaking to ANI, Gajraj said, "Thanks to the digital revolution and OTT platforms, stories and films from around the world that we previously saw only at film festivals or in DVD libraries can now be watched at home. This is a big reason why people now have so many more options. Earlier, the choices were suddenly OTT ke baad aisa ho gaya hai ki aadha kilometre ka buffet laga hua hai, toh darshako ke liye bohot acchi baat hai ki unko duniya bhar ki kahaniyan dekhne mil rahi hain (Now suddenly after OTT it has happened that there is a buffet of half a kilometre and people can watch any content). So naturally, their expectations have also increased--they want to see different kinds of stories from us too." Further commenting on the high ticket prices in cinema halls, the actor suggested that cinema owners lower ticket prices by reducing some of the luxuries so that middle-class families can return to theatres once again. "If we want audiences to come back to cinema halls, then ticket prices need a revolutionary change... Cinema halls have become half restaurants--you're eating tacos and pizza. Cinema should feel like cinema. There should be no disturbances. Going to the movies means a good film, a good story, and tasty popcorn." "It's very important that cinema hall owners bring about a revolutionary change. Reduce some of the luxuries and cut down on the food options a bit, but please lower the ticket prices. If ticket prices go down, middle-class families will want to go to the theatre again," he added. When asked if filmmakers are no longer making good content, Gajraj said, "I believe we are too quick to blame filmmakers for not paying attention or not making good films. But do you think anyone wants to make bad films and purposely hurt their own work? No one does that. Everyone keeps trying." "Even in the 80s, 70s, and 50s, bad films were made. Good and bad cinema have always existed. Good and bad stories have always been there. Good stories are being made--I just watched Kesari 2 yesterday," he added. Kesari 2, starring Akshay Kumar, has been a bright spot amidst the struggle. The historical courtroom drama, which released earlier this month, opened to strong reviews and earned ₹7.84 crore nett on its first day, according to the makers.
