Latest news with #Malu
The Hindu
08-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Quick-witted Malu
Poona, September 1942 'Fire! Fire!' shouted Malu. The 12-year-old had been alone at home and engrossed in thinking about what Baba had told her about the freedom struggle when she was suddenly jerked back to reality by the acrid smell of smoke. Baba was teaching in college right now, so Malu had to handle the situation by herself. She rushed to the courtyard and saw flames leaping from the tiny shed where firewood was stored. But when she opened the water drum, it was empty. Realising she couldn't put out the fire, she called the neighbours. Along with them came two policemen who stood there giving instructions to everyone and doing nothing themselves. Everyone was busy dousing the fire. Suddenly Malu froze in horror. Baba's table with its books, sheets of paper in neat piles, inkpot and the KEY! The one that Baba always carried but had not today! The one that should never fall into the wrong hands … like that of the police. For Baba was a freedom fighter, a trusted aide of Gandhiji or Bapu who was now imprisoned in the Aga Khan Palace in Poona. In August, he had called for the British to Quit India at the Gowalia Tank Maidan and asked people to 'Do or die' in the attempt to get swaraj. Malu's role model, Aruna Asaf Ali, had hoisted the flag of the Congress party and escaped before the police could arrest her. Baba was part of a group organising secret meetings and rallies and helping people who had gone 'underground' (which meant that they were in hiding). They printed pamphlets, held rallies, broadcast news, relayed speeches and patriotic messages over the radio. All this was prohibited and anyone caught doing this was imprisoned. Malu had seen the policemen give the table a cursory glance before they joined the others. Suppose they'd seen the key? Suppose they searched the house? Her heart racing, she put the key in her pocket and placed the cupboard key of the inner room on the table. Now, where should she hide the key? No one was paying attention to her, as they were busy bringing water to halt the spreading flames. Malu ran over to the mango tree, climbed it and jumped on to the terrace. Hidden by the parapet, she removed the stitches at the hem of her long skirt, put the key in the fold and closed the rip with safety pins. She could feel the key against her ankle. She climbed down and went to the yard and found that the fire was almost out Swiftly, she ran to the mango tree. She climbed it, and jumped onto the terrace. She hurriedly ripped open the hem of her long skirt, put the key inside, and closed it with a safety pin. She could feel the key against her ankle. It was safe! She climbed down to find the fire was almost out. She remembered the tragic story of Chauri Chaura that Baba has told her about: how the police had opened fire on peaceful protesters in the village near Gorakhpur in the United Provinces. In retaliation, the people set fire to a police chowki killing 22 policemen. Deeply grieved, Gandhiji had called off the Civil Disobedience movement saying that the people were not ready to fight by peaceful means. Just then, the policemen came up to her and asked, 'Where does your father work?' 'Fergusson College,' replied Malu. 'Oh, these colleges are hotbeds of freedom fighters who incite people to defy the government. Let's search the house,' said one policeman. They rifled through the papers on the table and one man picked up the key and looked around. 'Maybe he's hidden something important,' they said and unlocked the cupboard, flinging out clothes and even checking the pockets of Baba's khadi kurtas and pyjamas. By now, Baba had heard about the fire and come back. First, he went to look at the shed and thanked everyone who had helped. When he came into the house, he looked at his disorderly table in anger and disbelief. 'Havaldar, who gave you permission to do this? Where is the search warrant?' Baba was not tall or imposing, neither did he shout. But his sharp tone was authoritative. The policemen blustered and started stammering. No one had ever accosted them like this. They were used to employing bullying tactics to frighten people and get what they wanted. 'Leave before I tell your Commissioner,' Baba ordered them. There was a hullabaloo but soon everyone had left and the house was quiet. Baba turned to Malu and asked urgently, 'Where is my key? You know how important it is.' Malu opened the pin on her hem, took out the key and gave it to Baba. He hugged her and said, 'What a quick-witted girl you are! I would have been arrested for possessing that key. Two 'wanted' people, Ravi and Nana, are hiding there.' Malu nodded. She had seen Ai make extra chapati-bhaji for Baba's lunch dabba. The key was that of disused godown that hid a secret room and a radio transmitter. It was a safe place for freedom fighters hiding from the police. 'Thank You, Malu!' said Baba again. 'You have averted a tragedy by hiding that key. Now Ravi, Nana and I are safe.'
GMA Network
06-08-2025
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Joey Marquez recalls telling partner Malu Quintana: Don't change me, let me change
Joey Marquez opened up about the transformative power of acceptance in his relationship with his partner, Malu Quintana, revealing a core philosophy that has guided his personal evolution. On Wednesday's "Fast Talk with Boy Abunda," Joey said that the best thing about Malu is that she's very understanding, listens well, and accepted him for who he is. "Sabi ko nga sa kanya, 'Malu, don't have a mistake of changing me. Let me change. Just don't dictate the changes. On my own. Kasi one day, I will realize that I have to change,'" Joey said. He applies the same principle to Malu, saying he would not try to change her, instead allowing her to change on her own, believing this reciprocity signifies a truly committed relationship. "Doon ang ultimate time na talagang kayo na talaga," he said. When asked to offer advice for women on understanding men, Joey said that sometimes, men seek options. "Men are born polygamous by nature. Ang lalaki talaga, minsan, naghahanap. Pero, minsan kasi kumukuha lang siya ng options eh. Pero once they found the real one, kahit balibaliktarin mo 'yan, hindi na aalis sa 'yan," Joey said. Despite this, Joey said that he is now "very monogamous." "That's part of my journey, part of my learning, and part of what I am right now," he said. Joey is a proud dad to 16 children with different women. One of his daughters is Winwyn Marquez. —Carby Rose Basina/MGP, GMA Integrated News
The Hindu
03-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Registration in progress for RIFFK in Kozhikode
Delegate registration is in progress for the Regional International Film Festival of Kerala (RIFFK), to be held in Kozhikode from August 8 to 11. The festival, organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, was last held in Kozhikode seven years ago. Screenings will take place at the Kairali, Sree, and Coronation theatres in the city. The festival will feature 58 films offering a cross-section of contemporary world cinema, with five shows scheduled per day. Most of these films were screened at the 28th IFFK held in Thiruvananthapuram. The Seed of the Sacred Fig by Mohammed Rasoulof will be the inaugural film. Highlighted films include Malu (Brazil), which won the Golden Peacock award; Me, Mariam, the Children and 26 Others (Iran) by Farshad Hashemi, the director who received the Silver Peacock award; and Feminichi Fathima (Malayalam), directed by Fazil Mohammed, which won the Audience Jury Award at IFFK. In addition to Malu, films in the International Competition category are: Underground Orange (Chile), Appuram (India), The Hyperboreans (Chile), Rhythm of Dammam (Konkani), Memories of a Burning Body (Costa Rica), Linda (Argentina), Human/Animal (Spain), Elbow (Turkey), East of Noon (Egypt), Body (India), and An Oscillating Shadow (Chile). Films in the World Cinema category include: My Favourite Cake (France), In the Land of Brothers (France), Shahid (Germany), Black Dog (China), La Cocina (Mexico), Toxic (Lithuania), The Teacher (Palestine), Marco, the Invented Truth (Spain), Universal Language (Canada), The New Year That Never Came (Romania), Queer (Italy), I'm Still Here (Brazil), and I Am Nevenka (Spain). In the Indian Cinema Now category, the selections are: Humans in the Loop (Hindi), Second Chance (Hindi/Himachal), Angammal (Tamil), Aajoor (Baijika), Baghjan (Assamese), In the Name of Fire (Magahi), and Sheep Barn (Hindi). The Malayalam Cinema Today section will feature: Mayunnu Mari Varayunnu Nishwasangalil, Kamadevan Nakshatram Kandu, Girl Friends, Victoria, Watusi Zombie, Kiss Wagon, Pattth, Sangharsha Ghatana, Mukha Kannadi, Velicham Thedi, and A Pan Indian Story. Village Rockstar by Rima Das (Assamese) and Riptide (Malayalam) by Afrad V.K. will be screened in the Kaleidoscope category, while Sima's Song (Afghanistan), Holy Cow (France), and Desert of Namibia (Japan) are part of the Female Gaze section. The Festival Favourites include The Girl with the Needle, Misericordia (Portugal), The Witness (Austria), The Room Next Door (Spain), and Meeting with Pol Pot (Cambodia). The Shyam Benegal film Ankur: The Seedling will be screened as a tribute to actor Shabana Azmi. Delegate registration for RIFFK began on July 28. Registration can be done online at while spot registration is available at the Sree theatre.
New Indian Express
03-08-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Sumathi Valavu Movie Review: Outdated tropes haunt this unremarkable horror comedy
The main story unfolds in the mid-90s, when one of Malayalam's greatest horror classics Manichithrathazhu was still fresh in memory. Appu, runs a video cassette shop and is seen as the village coward. Long ago, it was rumoured that he helped a girl named Malu elope through Sumathi Valavu at night. The gossip ruined his reputation. Though Appu has always denied it, no one believes him. Since then, the curve remains feared, even by forest officials. As the village stays haunted by Sumathi's legacy, the film starts piling on subplots. There is a romance between Appu and Bhama, a teacher who first wants nothing to do with him. There is Mahesh, Malu's brother and a no-nonsense army man, who returns home to find out what happened to his sister Malu. There is also Bhadran, a local wolf in sheep's clothing who makes life difficult for everyone, especially women. You get romantic tension, a missing person angle, corrupt police, ghostly sightings, workplace harassment, school life quirks, and more. The horror slowly becomes just one strand in a noisy web of family drama and small-town conflict. Which is disappointing, because the film does have few effective spooky moments. One sequence stands out: a woman in labour is stranded near the curve at night, and the hallucinations that follow are tense and well-staged. The sound design shines here, and the visuals are timed with care. But the scene goes too far with a graphic image that feels gratuitous and forced.
Time of India
28-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Malu Kamble is redefining industrial waste as a resource for the future
When Malu Kamble walks into a room, he carries not just years of engineering expertise but also a bold belief: liquid waste is not a problem—it's an opportunity. As the Managing Director of Hyderabad-based KEP Engineering, he has made it his mission to change how industries think about waste. 'Liquid waste is no longer a burden—it's a resource,' he says with quiet conviction. And this is not just a slogan. Under his leadership, KEP Engineering has become one of the country's most trusted names in liquid waste management, helping industries shift from waste disposal to waste recovery. For years, industries treated wastewater as something to be eliminated—the sooner, the cheaper, the better. But Malu saw things differently. He saw value where others saw a problem. And he knew that with the right technology and mindset, waste streams could be transformed into something useful: clean water, recovered chemicals, even energy. 'At KEP, we don't just build machines—we offer solutions that make industries more responsible, more efficient, and more future-ready,' he explains. His approach is clear: industries must go beyond basic compliance. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Back Pain Treatments That Might Surprise You! Back Pain Treatment | Search Ads Undo They must innovate. They must transform waste into wealth. KEP's ZLD (Zero Liquid Discharge) systems are engineered with advanced technologies such as Multi-Effect Evaporators (MEE), Agitated Thin Film Dryers (ATFD), Mechanical Vapor Recompression Evaporation (MVRE), CIGAR (Condensate Integrated Gas Recovery), and Customized Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs). These systems are tailored to suit the complex wastewater profiles of diverse sectors—including pharmaceuticals, chemicals, automobiles, metals & steel, textiles, food processing, solar PV cells, and specialty manufacturing. KEP's systems are now used by companies across these industries—from small factories to large plants—helping turn toxic wastewater into reusable resources. Their ZLD systems are designed to leave nothing behind: no spills, no pollution, no waste. Behind this technology lies KEP's deep commitment to research and development. The team focuses on improving energy efficiency, lowering emissions, and reducing the lifetime cost of running a plant. But for Malu, innovation is only part of the story. What truly matters is impact. He believes industries need to think long-term. 'Fresh water is not unlimited. If we keep using it like this, there won't be enough for future generations. But if we recycle, reuse, and recover, we can change the story,' he says. His words come from experience, not theory. With more than 550 wastewater systems installed across 35 industry types, KEP's work is helping shape a new industrial future—one that's cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable. For Malu Kamble, it's personal. He doesn't just run a company—he leads a movement where engineering meets ethics, and where waste becomes hope.
