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Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
FIR filed against Shweta Menon for obscenity ahead of AMMA elections, colleagues call it ‘politically motivated'
The AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) elections are right around the corner, and it seems that the nomination withdrawals aren't the only drama the people will be getting. A first information report (FIR) has been registered against Shwetha under Section 67 A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 on charges of making financial gains through her roles in movies having alleged vulgar and obscene content. Blessy, the director of Shweta's Kalimannu, weighed in on the situation and expressed his confusion over the entire case. He told Manorama, 'Kalimannu went through the censor board and was certified. I don't understand how something that wasn't considered obscene back then has suddenly become an issue now.' The film in question featured Shweta's actual childbirth, and the director admitted that it's possible the scene might have made some people uncomfortable. 'Back then, it must have created a certain anxiety in people, about Shweta's pregnancy, about how vulgar it could get. I don't know. It depends on how people think. Some even threatened to burn down theatres. But after the movie was released, those same people had nothing to say. Their reactions only stemmed from a very ugly mindset.' He added that 'people can choose for themselves if the case is politically motivated or not.' ALSO READ | Sandra Thomas alleges Mammootty urged her to drop KFPA case; claims producers' association chief acts like megastar's 'house-help': 'Mohanlal's people have…' Actor Maala Parvathi has also voiced her support for Shweta Menon, calling the case 'a power tussle that is sacrificing a woman.' While Maala declined to comment further, she stated in an online post that the initial attacks were directed at actor Kukku Parameswaran, who is contesting for the post of General Secretary of AMMA, and that the focus has now been deliberately shifted onto Shweta. It's worth noting that if Shweta and Kukku are elected, they would become the first women in AMMA's history to hold the positions of president and general secretary, respectively. Shweta is contesting against veteran actor Devan, while Kukku is running against Raveendran. The race for these key posts narrowed to two candidates each after several actors, including Baburaj and Jagadeesh, withdrew their nominations.
Hans India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
98-yr-old freedom fighter shares her vision for India's future
VIJAYAWADA: On the anniversary of the 1942 Quit India Movement, a pivotal moment in India's struggle for Independence, a 98-year-old freedom fighter, Manorama, shared her experiences and perspective on the state of the nation today. At 98, her words and thoughts remain as vibrant and resolute as ever, offering a unique and invaluable perspective on India's past and present. Manorama, the eldest daughter of renowned Gandhian and atheist philosopher Gora, was just 14 years old when she was arrested for defying colonial laws during the Quit India Movement. She was sent to Vellore Jail, where she happily served a six-month sentence as a 'C-Class' prisoner. After her release, Manorama continued her activism. She trained in nursing at a Kasturba Trust Centre and dedicated herself to serving people in slums. At the invitation of Mahatma Gandhi, she and her father spent time at his ashram in Sevagram, where Gandhi himself taught her how to spin khadi on a charkha. Her dedication and demeanor earned her praise from the Mahatma. Manorama was a revolutionary woman who broke with her orthodox family background to marry in India's first-ever caste-free wedding, an event held at Gandhi's ashram in the presence of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. After her marriage, she and her family lived for many years in a poor neighbourhood in Vanapamula village. She also dedicated 35 years to managing a girls' hostel in Gudivada, a facility inaugurated by Dr B R Ambedkar. During a recent interview on her 97th birthday, Manorama reflected on the current state of India. She lamented that despite gaining independence from foreign rule, the nation has yet to truly 'wake up' from its apathetic slumber. She expressed deep sadness over the persistent sexual assaults on women and the fact that Mahatma Gandhi's dream of women being able to walk alone at midnight without fear has not been realised. Manorama stressed that a truly developed country is one where women live without fear and as equals to men. She believes that societal transformation is rooted in an individual's self-conduct. Today, she continues her work through the 'Maarpu Trust,' an organisation she founded to promote women's empowerment and safety. Manorama is described by many as a living embodiment of the combined ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr BR Ambedkar - a true jewel of India's history.
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Are Character Actors Disappearing from Tamil Cinema?
Manorama in the 1990 film 'Nadigan'. Pic credit: Stills Gnanam Thirty-five years after the hit film's release, Khusbhu, who was hailed the star of P Vasu's 'Nadigan', still believes Manorama was the real hero. 'As the strict aunt, she had the audience eating out of her hand. She outshined the rest of us on screen.' That was the time, says Khushbu, when Tamil cinema was defined not just by its stars, but by its unforgettable character actors, a glaring void in present-day scripts. In the 1960s it was S V Ranga Rao, V S Raghavan, S V Subbaiah and T S Balaiah who were remembered for their memorable roles as father, father-in-law and sometimes playing characters for period films. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai Then came Thengai Srinivasan as Sri Ramachandramurthy, the opinionated eccentric boss in 'Thillu Mullu' (1981), Poornam Viswanathan, the loyal village officer Shankara Sastri in 'Ore Oru Gramathiley' (1987) and Delhi Ganesh as the educated Hindi-speaking sidekick Iyer in 'Nayagan' (1987) who didn't just support the story but gave it depth and meaning. Scripts were tailor-made to showcase their talent and they approached roles with precision, which made their innings longer across industries. In today's films, there's a hero who occupies most of the screen space, a blood-thirsty villain, and a heroine who is often reduced to nothing more than eye candy. Although actors such as Saranya Ponvanan, Urvashi and M S Bhaskar have managed to get screen space, their potential remains untapped. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Brain tumor has left my son feeling miserable; please help! Donate For Health Donate Now Undo by Taboola by Taboola Urvashi and Saranya aced it in 'J Baby' (2024) and 'Conjuring Kannappan' (2023), while Bhaskar stole the show in the 2023 film 'Parking'. Travelling with the script throughout is a challenge, says film critic Balu. 'Malayalam director I V Sasi had a huge cast in his films. Now, films have a limited cast and space has shrunk for character roles,' he says. 'Until a couple of decades ago, Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan would recommend involving veterans such as Nagesh, Ravichandran and Pandari Bai. But that was just a phase. Today's filmmakers work with barely six characters as movie making is a costly affair with inflated salaries,' says Balu. In between intense or violent scenes, it was the character actors that provided humour, relief or reassurance to the audience that all was well. 'Now, weapons have replaced people,' says filmmaker Chitra Lakshmanan. 'When was the last time one noticed who played the parents? Only recently, films such as 'Tourist Family' and 'Thalaivan Thalaivii', both of which released this year, and 'Once More' (in the pipeline) have given importance to character roles. 'When we watch a movie, we should be able to carry good memories. If we want the industry to grow, our movies need to touch the soul,' says Chitra Lakshmanan. But some in the industry don't agree that supporting roles are fading. 'Character actors such as Thambi Ramaiah, Kali Venkat, Munishkanth, Mottai Rajendran and Anand Raj are busy doing films,' says producer G Dhananjayan. 'The audience is spoiled for choice. As for actresses, Simran, Devadarshini, Deepa Shankar, Sriranjani and Vinodhini Vaidynathan have made a world of difference in terms of taking the storyline forward and making films feel complete.' Sarath Kumar's 'Por Thozil' (2023) got him well-deserved recognition, says Dhananjayan. 'He is not the hero in '3 BHK' (2025) either but his screen presence left an impact. Sathyaraj and Radhikaa too are taking up projects that give them character roles.' He believes that versatile actors attract directors. 'Decades ago, Simran was one of the top actors. In 'Tourist Family', it was her role as a mother that stood out. Directors today are looking for character artists. But in the end, faces in posters are what attract audiences. Our biggest issue now is getting people to step out of their homes and watch movies in theatres,' says Dhananjayan. Film critic Vamanan says the answer lies in emotion-based content. 'Family-based scripts are passe. Crime-based content dominates. There's no time to build on a person's character and emotions. This generation has no time. Sensationalising violence has taken prominence because it gives instant gratification.' When Manorama changed the formula When her days of being a comedy queen started to diminish in the late 1980s, Manorama transformed her image to play a mother, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, aunt and grandmother. Director K Balanchander gave her a unique and difficult task in 'Unnal Mudiyum Thambi Angayarkanni' (1988) where she played Kamal Haasan's sister-in-law. It is said the director asked her not to be Manorama, emphasising that 'not a shred of her old formula acting' should peep into her role as Angaryarkanni, who had to pacify a judgmental father-in-law (Bilahari Marthandam Pillai) played by Gemini Ganesan against Kamal as (Udhayamoorthi) for his playful attitude Email your feedback with name and address to
Time of India
24-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Beauty creams, boy drama and matrimonial ads: Inside one woman's search for Mr. Right in Kerala
A wife complained to her husband: 'Our new neighbour always kisses his wife when he leaves for work. Why don't you do that?' Her Husband replied: 'How can I? I don't even know her.' All of us are acquainted with numerous marriage memes and jokes. One of the popular jokes I have heard is: Marriage is a three-ring circus: engagement ring, wedding ring, and suffering. As a girl born into a traditional Syrian Christian family in Kerala, I was introduced to the idea of marriage probably from when I burst out of my mother's womb. It was built up through insinuations from grandparents and relatives. The first sign of a pimple in my teens caused such a consternation resulting in ocean loads of creams and countless visits to the beauty parlour. When my weighing scales tipped the balance to the heavier side, my grandfather remarked, 'Don't eat too much. Nobody will marry you if you become fat'. Things came to a head when I stopped performing in my 11th grade. My father exploded,' If you don't study, I will get you married'. I looked up at him and replied, 'Thank you very much.' Not following up on his threat, he sent me to college where I had a blast for four years as the college belle enjoying the boys' attention and getting adequate envy of girls. My parents didn't let this continue. 'Enough is enough,' I was told one fine morning, and was brought back home to 'settle down with a husband'. My mother declared, 'We will have to push you into the marriage market'. Marriage market? As a business graduate, I was acquainted with the stock market, commodities market, equities market, vegetable and fruit market – even fish market which is what our town often looks like – but Marriage market? The marriage market This was new and mysterious to me. I soon learned the hard way that the marriage market also functions like any other market subject to market fluctuations and vagaries in demand and supply. For instance, the 'demand' is pretty much based on product quality – in this case is the prospective bride or groom. According to the laws of economics, I was supposed to be snapped up like hot cakes, but life often does not follow the principles of economics. My parents started out with the good old newspaper advertisement in the reputed Malayala Manorama. I still remember my first time in the Manorama office trying to come up with a catchy yet crisp advertisement so as to not shore up a large bill. The next Sunday we were bombarded as the phone rang non-stop. With so many to choose from, it became a laborious process to separate the chaff from the grain. My parents then decided to move with the times, and explored the fledgling online matrimonial websites. They prepared a nice profile of me, put it up on the website and, with bated breath, waited for the responses. Again, we were inundated with the huge inflow. I realized that Indian matrimonial websites were a very lucrative business model with the ever-expanding marriage market. It is the Indian version of Hitch. For those who are not acquainted with the movie Hitch, Alex "Hitch" Hitchens is a professional "date doctor" who coaches men in the art of wooing women. The online matrimonial websites helped but without success, unlike Hitch. I could relate to Katrina Kaif in Namaste London as she saw several prospective grooms. As time wore on, the profile my mom had created got leaner and leaner. Her predicament can be best summed up by Bishop Chrysostam, the head metropolitan of the Mar Thoma church, known for his impeccable sense of humour. A couple went up to the bishop to help find a bride for their son with a list of attributes they were looking for: that she must be beautiful, qualified, well-behaved, a good homemaker and God-fearing. The bishop looked at them and said, 'If such a girl existed in the Mar Thoma church community, I wouldn't have become a bishop!'. All I can say is that the search continues, and one day I hope to get my Hrithik Roshan , so that I don't end up like the bishop. Authored by: Zarine Susan George If you too have a soul-touching story to share, then send it to us at: soulcurry@ Snakes in the White House? Melania Trump's EXPLOSIVE Text About Ivanka & Jared REVEALED
Time of India
08-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Community offers ‘shramdaan' for Manorama river's revival in Gonda
Lucknow: The rejuvenation of Gonda's Manorama river has kicked off with a massive community-led 'shramdaan', reflecting the state govt's commitment to restoring traditional water bodies. This initiative embodies Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's vision to revive ecologically and culturally vital rivers across Uttar Pradesh. The Manorama river, stretching 115 kilometres, originates from Tirre Tal in Gonda and flows into the Kuwano river in Basti district. According to ancient texts, the river is named after Manorama, the daughter of sage Uddalak, and holds spiritual significance as it flows near Makhoda Dham, a revered site. The campaign commenced in Sisai Bahlolpur village, Itiyathok block, where more than 200 individuals — including villagers, youth, gram pradhans, public representatives and NGOs from Pandri Kripal, Itiyathok, Rupaidih, and Mujehna blocks — participated. Their collective involvement underscored the focus on public partnership in environmental conservation. DM Neha Sharma said, "The Manorama river is not just a water source, but a symbol of our cultural memory and co-existence with nature. Its revival is linked to the pride of Gonda, and both the administration and public share the responsibility of carrying this mission forward." A senior official confirmed that a comprehensive plan was drawn up to revive the river. This includes desilting, removal of encroachments, and restoring the natural water flow between Gonda-Balrampur Road and Tadi Lal village. JCBs and Pokland machines were deployed to begin the initial cleaning work. To enhance biodiversity and restore greenery, native trees such as peepal, neem, and pakad will be planted along the riverbanks. The forest department has been tasked with plantation activities, while the irrigation department will assess the river's course and technical structure. A coordinated system involving multiple departments has been put in place to ensure smooth execution. Officials stated the initiative is being structured as a community-led movement. Gram panchayats, social groups and volunteers are being encouraged to participate in what is envisioned as a campaign for water conservation, ecological revival and cultural awareness.
