Latest news with #KeralaPolice
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Reviews of ‘Thug Life' and ‘Housefull 5'
Around Tinsel Town >> HC hears case on Kamal Haasan's remark on Kannada; veteran actor postpones 'Thug Life' release in Karnataka After a major controversy erupted last week surrounding veteran actor Kamal Haasan's remarks on Kannada at the audio launch of his latest film 'Thug Life,' the actor's banner Raaj Kamal Films International approached the Karnataka High Court for the release of 'Thug Life' without disruption in Karnataka. The petition further added that the banner is not willing to screen the movie in the state unless an encouraging dialogue takes place with the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce. Following the same, the HC suggested that Kamal apologise for his remark and end the controversy; however, the veteran stood his ground and refused to apologise, opting not to release the film in Karnataka on June 5. The 'Vikram' star asserted he has always stood for the equal dignity of all Indian languages and remains opposed to the dominance of any one language over another. According to trade analysts, the actor is set to face a loss of ₹35 crore to ₹40 crore in gross box office revenue and a loss of ₹12 crore to ₹15 crore in producer share due to the postponement of the film's release in the state. >> Kerala Police drops Hema Committee report cases; Parvathy Thiruvothu slams CM over inaction The Kerala Police, earlier this week, decided to drop the cases that emerged from the Hema Committee's findings on sexual exploitation and the misogyny within the Malayalam film industry. According to official sources, despite repeated summons by both the SIT and the court, the survivors declined to provide statements in connection with the cases. This came just a day after actor Parvathy Thiruvothu publicly criticised the Kerala government's handling of the Hema Committee report, mocking the administration's delay in implementing reforms promised more than five years ago. Bollywood Aamir Khan confirms 'big-scale' superhero action film with Lokesh Kanagaraj, to enter production in mid-2026 Ananya Panday joins Kartik Aaryan in 'Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri' Aamir Khan says 'Mahabharata' could be his final film Diljit Dosanjh's 'Punjab 95' stuck in censor board limbo with 127 demanded cuts Dharma Productions issues statement after sexual misconduct allegations against 'Homebound' cinematographer Pratik Shah Hollywood Tom Cruise sets Guinness World Record with blazing parachute stunt in 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' Disney to lay off several hundred employees in film, TV, finance globally Luca Guadagnino in talks to direct OpenAI drama 'Artificial' for Amazon MGM Judge rules in favour of Justin Baldoni as Blake Lively's emotional distress case faces setback 'Stranger Things' Season 5 gets premiere date, split into three volumes Regional Cinema Nivin Pauly joins Lokesh Cinematic Universe with Raghava Lawrence's 'Benz' Actor Akhil Akkineni ties the knot with Zainab Ravdjee Prabhas' 'The Raja Saab' locks December release following multiple delays Tamil director Vikram Sugumaran passes away at 47 World Cinema 'One Piece' Live-Action Season 2 unveils first look at fan-favorite Tony Tony Chopper Kamal Haasan's 'Vikram' shines in Japan amid 'Thug Life' release Trailers 'Wicked: For Good' trailer shows Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande return for a grand finale at Oz 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery' teaser shows detective Benoit Blanc take on his 'most dangerous case yet.' Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell revisit the past in 'A Big Bold Beautiful Journey' trailer Jennifer Lopez steals the spotlight in trailer of Bill Condon's retelling of popular musical 'Kiss of the Spider Woman' Trailer of Noah Hawley's FX series 'Alien: Earth' drops biggest Predator crossover tease 'Frankenstein' teaser shows Oscar Isaac in Guillermo del Toro's Mary Shelley adaptation Teaser of 'Gen V' Season 2 adresses Chance Perdomo's death Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan lead vignettes of urban love stories in trailer of 'Metro In Dino' 'Maareesan' teaser shows Fahadh Faasil, Vadivelu reuniting in an intriguing road thriller Essential reading 1) Chinmayi interview on 'Thug Life' song: 'Despite praise, I feel numb' >> The singer looks back at the 'Thug Life' experience and the last few years post the #MeToo movement 2) Jafar Panahi | The auteur of dissent >> The Iranian filmmaker, whose 'It Was Just an Accident' won Palme d'Or at Cannes, says he stands in solidarity with the women who clashed with the country's orthodox moral system 3) When Kamal Haasan changed his movie's title after finding no support from Jayalalithaa >> During a controversy over the title 'Sandiyar,' Kamal tried to meet the then Chief Minister, hoping to sort out the issue; however, she did not grant him an audience immediately 4) Darshana Rajendran interview: On how acting went from being a hobby to a full-fledged career >> The actor speaks about her Malayalam play 'Bye Bye Bypass,' which she says resonated with her, as at its core lies the idea of what a home is 5) Want information about any Hindi or Tamil film song? Ask record-collector T.S. Gopal >> An encyclopedia on music and a wizard at video editing, Gopal has been documenting film songs for the past 60 years 6) Five Kamal Haasan films that courted controversies >> What sets the latest controversy surrounding 'Thug Life' apart is that, unlike past instances, the row has nothing to do with the movie itself What to watch 1) Kamal Haasan's fiery performance aside, Mani Ratnam's gangster drama 'Thug Life' shoots blanks Read the full review here 2) Housefull 5 Read the full review here 3) Abhishek Banerjee's road thriller 'Stolen' is gritty but not revelatory Read the full review here 4) The Life of Chuck Read the full review here 5) Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren preside over 'MobLand,' a messy, magnetic enterprise Read the full review here 6) Radhika Apte elevates the punk black comedy 'Sister Midnight' Read the full review here 7) Jon Hamm is riveting in the black satire series 'Your Friends & Neighbors' Read the full review here 8) 'Moonwalk' is a heartfelt tribute to the breakdancing subculture Read the full review here
Hans India
5 days ago
- Hans India
Kerala Police orders probe after two men jailed for 151 days over sugar candy mistaken as MDMA
Kasargod: In a disturbing case of mistaken identity and prolonged detention in Kerala, two lorry drivers -- Biju and Manikantan -- spent 151 days in jail after sugar candy was wrongly identified as MDMA. Following media reports and growing public concern, Kerala State Police Chief (SPC) has now ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident. The ordeal began last year when the two drivers, on a routine trip from Kozhikode to Kochi, stopped for tea in Kozhikode. 'We had just parked and were about to have our morning tea when some plainclothes men surrounded us. They said they were from the Kerala Police,' Biju recounted. The District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF), a special unit tasked with combating drug trafficking, searched their body and said they found a packet of sugar candy in Manikantan's pocket. Despite his explanation, officers insisted it was MDMA, a synthetic drug. 'When they claimed it was MDMA, Manikantan collapsed on the spot. A crowd gathered, some even recorded videos,' said Biju. Both were arrested and spent over five months in jail, only to be released after a chemical analysis confirmed that the substance was indeed sugar candy. The delay in receiving the lab report -- which should typically take 15 days -- has raised serious concerns. After their release, the drivers faced social ostracism and struggled to find employment, as many still believed they were drug offenders. In response to a formal complaint sent to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's office, the State Police Chief has now directed the Kozhikode City Police Commissioner to initiate a detailed probe, assigning the investigation to an officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police. The SPC has also sought answers on why the chemical test report was delayed, causing unnecessary and prolonged incarceration. With the case now receiving widespread media coverage, both Biju and Manikantan say they are beginning to feel a sense of relief. 'People have started to realise that we were innocent. But nothing can bring back those 151 days we lost,' said Biju. The case has sparked outrage among rights activists and civil society groups, who are now demanding accountability and compensation for the wrongful confinement.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
‘Back to School' helps over 50 children resume education
'Back to School', a project initiated by Kozhikode city police has helped over 50 children who earlier left school for various reasons to resume their studies in the new academic year. The majority of the 54 students are boys who were found out through a survey and readmitted to schools with the support of the Department of Education and various other voluntary organisations. The project, claimed to be the first such initiative in the State, became a reality under the social policing division of the Kozhikode City police. The data collected from the office of the Deputy Director of Education helped the police identify school dropouts and address their developmental needs to resume education. 'There were 68 such students who left schools in recent years for various reasons. There were financially backward kids and those who were not properly taken care of by their parents,' said V.M. Abdul Wahab, Additional Superintendent of Police and the Nodal officer of the Project. He added efforts were on to help out the remaining 14 students also to resume their education. The project coordinators confirmed that the 'Back to School' initiative would extend its support for the migrant workers' children as well. They said a survey was under way to verify the details of a few more children who reportedly left the school with a claim that their parents wanted to go back to their home States. Police sources said 'HOPE' (Helping Others to Promote Education), a scheme launched by the Kerala Police in 2017 to support the education of school dropouts with a separate learning centre and independent coaching support, was also combined with the 'Back to School' initiative. This year, seven students would be part of HOPE, they added. Under HOPE, over 500 students were fortunate to resume their studies and attend the qualifying examinations in the past. Some students passed the SSLC and Plus Two examinations, depending on the equivalency programmes implemented with the support of nine trained teachers. A former trainer associated with the project said HOPE helped over 100 students pursue various graduation courses. 'Several of them later completed technical courses and secured jobs with leading companies. Many achieved their dream job in the army. To be successful in life, we imparted training in life skills education, soft skills development, and communication,' he pointed out.
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First Post
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
Hema Committee Report: Kerala Police not to investigate sexual harassment cases as survivors fail to provide statements, actress Parvathy Thiruvothu slams Kerala CM
There are at least 30 cases that have reached chargesheet level and proceedings against those personalities are going. The names include Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, and director Ranjith read more The Malayalam movie industry took a bold and much-needed step last year when a committee by the name of Hema was established to unearth the dark side of some influential and powerful personalities of the film fraternity. A lot of cases of sexual harassment came into light. As per a report by The Hindu, the Kerala Police won't be investigating the matters further as the survivors haven't provided them with their statements. There are at least 30 cases that have reached chargesheet level and proceedings against those personalities are going. The names include Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, and director Ranjith. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Actress Parvathy Thiruvothu has now tagged the Kerala CM on her Instagram story and slammed him by saying, 'Now can we focus on the actual reason this Committee was formed. Putting policies in place to help make regulations in the industry? What is happening with that CMO Kerala? No rush eh, it has been only five-and-a-half years since the report was submitted.' In the wake of various sexual allegations cropping up against many of its members, all office-bearers of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) including its president and top actor Mohanlal, resigned from their positions last year. In a statement, the association said the administrative panel resigned as such, taking moral responsibility for the allegations. Hema Commission's report exposed some shocking revelations about the Malayalam Film Industry, known for its out-of-the-box yet relevant stories. The report was also an expose of the toxicity of the people that work there and how they had been misusing their power and clout to prey on women that have the desire to act and be on celluloid.
The Hindu
03-06-2025
- The Hindu
Hema Committee report: No headway in probes; police decide to drop cases as survivors stay silent
The Kerala Police have decided to drop the cases that emerged from the Hema Committee's findings on sexual exploitation and the misogyny within the Malayalam film industry. The move to file Further Action Dropped (FAD) reports in the 35 criminal cases follows the inability of the special investigation team (SIT) to gather sufficient evidence, compounded by the non-cooperation of survivors. According to official sources, despite repeated summons by both the SIT and the court, the survivors declined to provide statements in connection with the cases. G. Poonguzhali, Additional Inspector General of Police and nodal officer for the probe, pointed out that while the FAD reports have been filed in 21 of these cases due to a complete lack of progress, the remaining 14 cases are also likely to be dropped temporarily. 'Not permanently closed' 'These cases are not being permanently closed,' the officer clarified. 'We have incorporated provisions that allow survivors to come forward at any point, which would enable us to reopen investigations. However, in the absence of cooperation, we have hit a legal and procedural dead end.' She added that the SIT had issued three rounds of notices, and the court had also summoned the survivors thrice without any response, making further investigation impossible under the circumstances. Despite this setback, police investigations into nearly 70 other cases, registered after the public release of the Hema Committee report and survivor disclosures, are ongoing. Of these, charge sheets have already been filed in nearly 25 cases. Notably, prominent figures in the Malayalam film industry, including MLA M. Mukesh, Siddique, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, Maniyanpillai Raju and Ranjith, have been named in the submitted charge sheets. The Hema Committee was constituted in 2017 following growing demands from women in the film industry for systemic reform and protection from harassment.
