Latest news with #Pandits
Pink Villa
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Ramayana: Nitesh Tiwari took help of Pandits and ancient Vashisht Yoga Shastras for script, spent 10 years in pre-production
Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana is undoubtedly one of the most-awaited and talked-about films of Bollywood. Ever since the title announcement video has been released, the excitement levels of fans are several notches higher. We all know that the post-production of Ramayana will take a lot of time, as the shooting wrapped recently and the film is set to hit the screens on Diwali 2026. But would you believe that the pre-production took almost 10 years? Ramayana's pre-production process Yes! You heard that right. We are not over exaggerating. According to the official X handle of the Ramayana film, the makers have shed some light on the pre-production of the Ranbir Kapoor and Yash starrer. It is said that Nitesh Tiwari and Namit Malhotra almost spent 10 years on pre-production, including scripting, screenplay, and dialogues for the mythological saga. Not only this, but the tweet also revealed that the makers sought help from Pandits and ancient Vashisht Yoga Shastras for scripting. So, fans can be assured that there will be a lot of authenticity in the dialogues and scripting when they see the magnum opus on the big screen. Ramayana announcement video The announcement video gives a glimpse of Ranbir Kapoor and Yash. It also confirms the cast of the film. Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, and Sunny Deol as Hanuman. The background music, composed by Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman, is surely giving us goosebumps. All you need to know about Ramayana Produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana will be released in two parts. While the first part will arrive on Diwali 2026, the second one will hit the screens on Diwali 2027. Ranbir Kapoor is playing the role of Lord Rama in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana. Ravie Dubey is cast as Lord Lakshman. Sai Pallavi is essaying the role of Goddess Sita. Yash will play the demon king, Ravana. Apart from them, Ramayana stars Amitabh Bachchan, Rakul Preet Singh, Sunny Deol, Kunal Kapoor, Arun Govil, Sheeba Chadha, Lara Dutta, and more. It also boasts a collaboration between two global music legends, A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer.
The Print
19-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Bilal Lone takes dig at brother Sajjad, joins mainstream to reclaim father's legacy
Wishing Sajjad Lone all the best in his future endeavours, Bilal Lone sought to convey a clear message to him, saying, 'Please do politics on your own strength and not exploit the ideology' of their late father. Lone's comments are seen as a veiled critique of his brother, MLA Sajjad Lone, who has been in mainstream politics for years. In an interview with the PTI Videos, Bilal Lone said that he and his brother have been on 'different political paths since 2002'. Srinagar, Jul 19 (PTI) Former separatist leader Bilal Gani Lone has entered the political mainstream, saying his primary motivation is to correctly represent the 'true legacy' of his late father, Abdul Gani Lone, which he claims has been misrepresented even 'within the family'. He said the senior Lone stood for 'non-violence' and the 'dignity of his people' and that these principles will remain at the core of his own politics. He said the People's Conference, the party founded by his father, 'died on 21 May 2002' — the day of his father's martyrdom. He vowed to pursue an 'organic' path, building his politics 'on his own strength' and steering clear of the 'politics of exploitation'. Abdul Gani Lone, a votary for a dialogue, was killed by Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists on May 21, 2002, in downtown Srinagar, where he had gone to mark the death anniversary of Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq. Lone asserted that he has no grand political vision but a simple vow to 'speak the truth', and stressed he is not in the race for any position like chief minister or MLA but is driven by a desire to 'pay back' his people. 'If the door of my house closes because of the truth, I have no problem with that,' he said, describing his new political journey as a collective effort moving at a 'snail's pace' to regain trust. Lone said that while he and his former Hurriyat colleagues 'could not do anything' for the people, his ties with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq remain strong. He called the Mirwaiz a leader of a 'very big stature' with a significant role to play, adding that he would be willing to follow him if he took a constructive political path. Bilal Lone said his decision to shift political paths is to save the youth, whom he described as the 'biggest casualty of the conflict' and added that 'violence has given us nothing'. 'Violence ne yahan par barbaadi hi laayi hai (violence has only brought disaster)' and 'finished generations' and left Kashmiris 'at the receiving end', he said. His new political narrative will go beyond the traditional focus on roads, power, and water. He plans to address the future of the new generation by talking about their education, health facilities and business prospects. Bilal Lone also said that reconciliation between Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits is essential, as the 'biggest casualty' in the Valley has been trust between the two communities. He stressed that a fresh start is necessary for the two communities. 'Kashmiri Muslims need to understand that if a Kashmiri Pandit lives in our neighbourhood, that is my duty to safeguard him, not the state,' he said while emphasising the need for sincerity and a frank conversation about past wrongs between the two communities. 'Whatever wrong has been done in the past… let us address those people. Let us go and talk to them,' he said, suggesting that if a mistake was made, an apology should be offered. PTI SKL RT RT This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Protests Over Jihad In New MA Pol Sc Syllabus
New Delhi: References to jihad, terrorism, self-determination in Kashmir and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Delhi University's revised MA political science syllabus have drawn objections from members of the university's Standing Committee on Courses. The syllabus, for implemented from the 2025-26 academic year, has already been approved by DU's Academic Council and Executive Council but awaits a final nod from the standing committee, where it was recently reviewed and sent back for revision after several faculty members voiced objections. At the centre of the objections is the elective paper, DSE 17: Politics and Ethnic Conflicts in J&K, which aims to examine "historical, constitutional and political aspects of J&K, internal and external dimensions, separatism, insurgency, migration of Pandits from the Valley, human rights and Armed Forces Special Act-related issues". The course also includes topics such as "debates on state autonomy, factors of terrorism, and secessionist politics". The syllabus features readings on India's national identity, Hindu nationalism and the politics of anxiety. Some members of the standing committee objected to the topics proposed to be taught in the paper. Another paper, DSE 51: Religious Nationalism and Political Violence, which examines the mobilisation of religious identity in political conflicts, also came under the scanner. According to its stated objective, the course seeks to understand "how religion becomes a political resource for mobilisation and contestation in different contexts, especially in multi-religious societies". It adds that "the course also interrogates the complex relationship between religion, modernity, nationalism and violence". You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi There are references to RSS in DSE 14: Identities and Political Transformation in India, which includes the organisation as part of a reading by famous French scholar Christophe Jaffrelot, a known critic of Hindu nationalism and the Narendra Modi govt. Also flagged was DSE 63: Discourses on Hindu Nationalism, which proposes to study "the core issues of Hindu nationalism which is the most contested subject of debate in the Indian politics". The syllabus engages with key thinkers and includes readings like "Essentials of Hindutva" by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. On the international front, DSE 28: Pakistan and the World includes discussions on 'Pakistan's ideological foundations and nationalism; Islam and the military; The Kashmir problem – genesis, wars, proxy war and peace process; Islamic radicalism, trans-border terrorism and Jihad', and Pakistan's evolving foreign policy, particularly in relation to India, Afghanistan and China. The inclusion of such framing in a university-level elective has also drawn pointed queries from a section of the committee. "These papers are not academic in nature. They are ideologically driven and meant to push a particular narrative. The inclusion of such content under the garb of curriculum reform is unacceptable," declared professor Harendra Nath Tiwari, a member of the standing committee. The panel has asked the political science department to revise the syllabus by removing the controversial papers and objectives. A fresh draft is expected to be presented when the standing committee reconvenes on July 1. The DU administration had earlier said the syllabus had to be reworked keeping India as the focal point of teaching. These objections come amid a wider pattern of contestation around syllabus revisions at DU. In recent months, changes to both undergraduate and postgraduate curricula — particularly under the New Education Policy framework — have faced criticism from sections of the academic community. In May, a controversy erupted over the removal of proposed papers on the Israel and Palestine conflict, issues in Kashmir and one on dating app-related suicides from the undergraduate syllabus of the psychology department.
DW
04-06-2025
- General
- DW
Kashmir: Fears dampen celebrations at Hindu festival – DW – 06/04/2025
Khalid Khan in Srinagar 06/04/2025 June 4, 2025 Hundreds of Kashmiri Hindus, commonly referred to as Pandits, participated in the annual Kheer Bhawani Mela festival — the first major religious event since the Pahalgam attack, which saw 26 Indian tourists killed.
Hindustan Times
04-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Leaders hail Kheer Bhawani mela gathering, seek Pandits' return to Valley
A large number of Hindu devotees, mostly Kashmiri Pandits, converged at Tulmulla to take part in prayers and celebrations during the annual fair at the Mata Kheer Bhawani temple in central Kashmir's Ganderbal on Tuesday. Owing to the fear perception after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, the footfall of people was less than the past few years. Leaders from different parties hailed the gathering and also called for return of Pandits to the Valley. Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha, who participated in the prayers, said this was the biggest gathering in Kashmir at any place since the Pahalgam attack on April 22. As many as 26 people, including 25 tourists, were killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam in south Kashmir in April, triggering the flight of thousands of tourists out of the Valley. Sinha said the preparations for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra were also complete. 'Amarnath yatra preparations have been completed from security perspectives as well. I request the devotees to come (in good numbers),' he said. Surrounded by Chinar trees, the Kheer Bhawani temple houses Hindu Goddess Ragnya Devi at Tulmulla village, about 27 km from Srinagar, and welcomes the biggest Hindu festival to be celebrated in the Kashmir Valley second only to the Amarnath yatra. A devotee from Srinagar, Ayush said the mela was affected owing to the threat perception after the Pahalgam attack. 'This time the number of participants are one-third of what used to come,' he said. Last year, the officials had said that 30,000 pilgrims visited while in 2023, 33,000 pilgrims had participated in the mela. The atmosphere was also reflective of the communal harmony owing to the presence of a number of local Muslims in and outside the Hindu shrine. Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah visited the shrine. 'We will continue to live in this brotherhood. We met our brothers and sisters and spread a message of happiness,' Farooq Abdullah said. 'Pandits' presence at the Mela Kheer Bhawani in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack is a befitting reply to perpetrators,' Farooq said. Mehbooba Mufti advocated for the return of Kashmir Pandits, urging for the start of political process with Pandits playing their role. 'J&K is incomplete without them,' she said. BJP general secretary Ashok Kaul said, 'It felt good seeing many people here. After the Pahalgam attack, there was a pause and people coming here filled that gap,' he said. J&K Congress chief Tariq Karra also visited the shrine and said that the people coming for the mela was a perfect answer to Pahalgam attackers. Karra said return of Kashmiri Pandits can't happen by just cosmetic measures. 'We need to politically empower them. We want their seats to be reserved for contesting the assembly elections,' he said. Local Kashmiri Muslims took care of the Kheer Bhawani shrine after the exodus of a majority of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley during the first wave of militancy in early 1990s. The temple has attracted more devotees since 2008, as the militancy waned.
