I have seen too few movies and my knowledge of cinema can be written on the back of a postal stamp! .. .. I googled to find out details of that villain in Chandramukhi, who fights with Rajnikanth and later read he had a significant role in Kallazhagar movie too. .. .. and this actor I could hardly recognize ! but they are the ones who deserve great adulation ! We waited endlessly for one to enter politics – he backdropped and is busy shooting; another entered but is busy acting on road ! .. . we were so engrossed on how an actor comes for voting ! another one crafts his way from political heirdom, to cinema to ensure that he is seen more by the people to candidature - are these the heroes ! – why do we adore them ?? and spend our hard-earned money, while they earn in crores, mostly do not pay taxes but nurse political ambitions.
Much has been spoken about the economic impact of Covid – perhaps it has affected all industries – hitting hard, daily wage earners more. The glitz and glamour industry too claims badly affected. Across the world and to varying degrees, cinemas and movie theaters have been closed, festivals have been cancelled or postponed, and film releases have been moved to future dates or delayed indefinitely. Back home, there were chinnathirai shootings and film shooting and relases too – even at the height of pandemic, theatres slowly opened with 50% capacity – later when some big actor’s films were scheduled, people with their clout ensured that Govt allowed 100 per cent seating in halls. With so many Cricketers like Shikhar Dhawan, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Jaydev Unadkat and foreigners like Brett Lee, Pat Cummins, Nicholas Pooran donating huge sums, we have not heard anything from the actors who mint crores of rupees with every release of theirs !
Sometime back villain actor Sonu Sood tested COVID-19 positive making many worred because this has proved to be a superhero amidst the pandemic. Last year when the situation worsened and there was a complete lockdown, Sonu Sood had helped hundreds of daily wage workers to commute back home. He arranged transportation, food and even flight journey. He had also helped several COVID-19 positive patients to organize beds and safe places to isolate themselves. Sonu Sood is truly a superhero indeed. Recently, there was news of his helping a woman suffering an acute infection airlifted from Nagpur to Hyderabad by a Bengaluru-based extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) air ambulance team. He has repeated this help to another villager in Jhansi by name Kailash Agarwal. Kailash Agarwal has tested positive for Covid-19 four days ago and his oxygen saturation levels is between 60-70. When the relatives of Kailash tried to admit him to the hospital, there are no beds available. When this reached Sonu on twitter, he ensured that Agarwal was moved from his home to Jhansi Airport to Begumpet by air ambulance and by road ambulance to Hyderguda Apollo Hospital. Oh, what a man !!
Today read about another hero – this time from Karnataka - Actor Arjun Gowda is, as his social media status says, ‘Fulllll Busy’, with the role he has chosen to play off-screen. For the past 10 days, the 27-year-old Mandya-born actor has been driving Covid-19 patients to the hospital and also taking the bodies of those who didn't survive the disease for their last rites. The trigger for him was the death of the elderly woman who supplied milk to them every day. She died of Covid and he heard that when her grandson tried to arrange for an ambulance to take her body from the hospital to the crematorium, they were charged Rs 12,000. “This disturbed me a lot,” says Gowda, who has acted in films such as Odeya, Rustum, and Yuvarathnaa. Gowda then approached Project Smile Trust and volunteered to be a driver. Although the situation is painful, Gowda feels a sense of satisfaction in being able to help people. A staunch believer of Lord Shiva, Gowda has visited Kashi several times. “I have a lot of friends at Manikarnika Ghat, whom I have assisted during the performance of last rites,” he says. Arjun wears PPE suit, has isolated himself from his family and has lost track of how many Covid tests he has undergone. Based on the experience of the last 10 days, Gowda just has one thing to say to people: “Maintain your health with good food, focus on fitness and think positive.” – oh what a Man !
The Madras high court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to actor Mansoor Ali Khan who apprehended arrest in connection with a case registered against him for spreading misinformation against Covid-19 vaccine. However, Justice M Dhandapani directed the actor to pay Rs 2 lakh to the Tamil Nadu health secretary to purchase Covishield as a condition for bail. The issue pertains to statements made by Mansoor Ali Khan before a private hospital where comedian Vivek was admitted after he suffered a heart attack on April 16.
Khan alleged that Vivek had suffered a heart attack only because of the Covid-19 vaccine that he took on April 15. The video of the actor making such statements went viral in social media. Subsequently, based on a complaint filed by a health officer of the Chennai Corporation, the Vadapalani police registered an FIR under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 505 (1)(b) (intent to cause fear to the public) of the IPC besides invoking provisions of the Epidemics Act and the Disaster Management Act. According to Mansoor Ali Khan, the statement he made at the entrance of the private hospital was due to an emotional outburst and was never intended to hurt anyone. “The interview should never be taken by the authorities to be the one capable of creating panic and confusion among the members of the public,” he added.
Cheap politics ! and craving for publicity just another small time failed actor is doing dirty tricks on Twitter.
The world goes on – let us look only at the positives
With regards – S. Sampathkumar1.5.2021
