Masala Thoughts

http://acmeitei.sulekha.com/blog/post/2011/05/sincerity-a-disease.htm

2011-05-29T02:01:00.000-07:00

http://acmeitei.sulekha.com/blog/post/2011/05/sincerity-a-disease.htm

Don’t call me!
I don’t want your pity.

Rajinkanth back with Rana

2011-03-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

Tamil superstar Rajnikanth tasted unprecedented box-office success with his latest science fiction film, Endhiran (The Robot). Playing a serious research professor who has no time even for his ravishingly beautiful girlfriend, essayed by Aishwarya Rai, he creates an android robot that is a carbon copy of him. Rajnikanth, flush with money and public accolade, has now decided to get even more ambitious. His next movie, Rana, whose shooting will begin shortly, will see him in a triple role, a notch more adventurous than his Endhiran, where he portrayed a human being and a robot.

Although the star has been a critic’s nightmare for many years, his popular appeal has been only soaring. He is undoubtedly a phenomenon that is hard to explain through rational reasoning or logic. He has followers whose numbers are far, far higher than even Bollywood icon, Amitabh Bachchan’s, and Rajnikanth’s fan clubs are significantly more than even those of the late M.G. Ramachandran, a onetime Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, who as an actor effectively used cinema as a platform to propagate his political philosophy.

Though, Ramachandran or MGR, as he was usually called, endeared in a majorly way to the masses of his native Tamil Nadu, a southern Indian State, Rajnikanth’s allure appears far more spectacular. Every time, a film of his opens, the celebration is frenzied. Giant wooden cutouts of the 60-plus actor are anointed with hundreds of litres of milk and honey, and adorned with fresh flower garlands. Pujas are performed and crackers burst, and the first show begins at 12 midnight of the opening day. There is a mad scramble for tickets, chaos and confusion, but sheer joy and solidarity.

Rajnikanth is revered beyond reproach, and he is a friend especially to the poor. Every poor rickshaw driver or bus conductor or vegetable vendor or coolie looks up to him for inspiration. The desire in them to transform themselves into Rajnikanth is obsessive to the point of madness. So, if a character that the star portrays in a movie dies, the theatre concerned will not survive. It will be burnt down or damaged. So complete, compelling and compulsive is the love for the man, who is now balding and quite unattractive to look at.

The downtrodden masses see in his a remarkable success story, a fairy tale, in fact. Born as Shivaji Rao Gaekwad in Bengaluru (Formerly Bangalore) to Marathi parents, Rajnikanth lost his mother when he was barely five, and spent much of his boyhood working as a coolie and later as a bus conductor in that city. Later, a friend and co-worker helped Rajnikanth get admission in the Madras Film Institute in the early 1970s. He got his first break in 1975 with a K. Balachander film, Apoorva Raagangal. It was only J. Mahendran’s 1978 Mullum Malarum that gave him the star tag.

Yet, years later, when P. Vasu made Kuselan in 2008, which was a remake of Katha Parayumpol, a Malayalam movie, it crashed at the box-office. So too some of his earlier works like Baba. But failures never seemed to diminish the brightness of his halo, and one reason for this is his magnanimity. Every time, a movie did not do well, he offset the losses of his producers, distributors and exhibitors by paying them from his personal funds. So, they were always willing to accommodate him.

There is another reason for Rajnikanth’s immense popularity. He is extraordinarily modest and utterly unpretentious. He does not care how he looks off the screen: all that he wears is a simple dhoti and shirt, and never hides his bald pate. This is in direct contrast to most cinema stars in India: will an Amitabh Bachchan or Kamal Hassan (another Tamil hero) ever be seen in such unflattering light? Most actors are obsessed with how they look. They have to be impeccably turned out at all times, and Rajnikanth’s humility and his ordinary appearance have helped him be one among the crowd. His admirers and others find it easy to identify with their “hero”, and this is a significant reason why Rajnikanth, despite average skills, has been able to rule the silver screen for years.

There is yet another factor working for Rajnikanth. While MGR was the face of Tamil Nadu Dravidian political ideology – which was founded and penned and propagated by the present Chief Minister of the State, M.K. Karunanidhi, and an earlier Chief Minister of the State, the late C.N. Annadurai – Rajnikanth symbolises the current disillusionment of the masses with political governance. He is disappointed with the prevailing institutional and democratic solutions, and tries to find answers outside the system. Yes, on the screen.

And, what is more, off-screen, he exhibits the disappointment by his steadfast refusal to join politics. He has for many years resisted the temptation to join a political party unlike many others of his ilk, like some Bollywood stars -- Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Shatrughan Sinha and so on.

With his off-screen image flawless, Rajnikanth has been making serious efforts to get rid of a tag that has stuck to him: all style and no substance. Some have called him a clown, but perhaps a beloved clown, who has learnt to camouflage his professional weakness through gimmicks. A trendy one is the way he flicks his cigarette in the air to catch it with his mouth, and tricks like these have grabbed the heart and imagination of the front-benchers.

Admittedly, Rajnikanth is trying to come out of that. In his latest work, Endhiran, reportedly made at Rs 150 crores (or more?), the costliest ever in Tamil cinema, Rajnikanth, wiser after the crippling losses some of his earlier films like Baba suffered, appears, at least partly, without much of his trademark gimmickry, something that made him much less of an actor than what he probably was. As scientist Vaseegaran -- engaged in a decade-long struggle to create an android robot that will not only look exactly like him, but also feel the most basic human emotions, such as love, anger and revenge -- Rajnikanth impresses to a degree. There is a lot more expectation from his next, Rana.
--- Gautaman Bhaskaran, Hindustan Times

Bill Clinton's "I Have Sinned"

2011-02-09T04:02:00.000-08:00

[This speech was delivered by President Bill Clinton at the annual White House prayer breakfast on Friday, September 11, 1998, assembled in the East Room]

Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the White House and to this day to which Hillary and the vice president and I look forward so much every year.
This is always an important day for our country, for the reasons that the vice president said. It is an unusual and, I think, unusually important day today. I may not be quite as easy with my words today as I have been in years past, and I was up rather late last night thinking about and praying about what I ought to say today. And rather unusual for me, I actually tried to write it down. So if you will forgive me, I will do my best to say what it is I want to say to you - and I may have to take my glasses out to read my own writing.
First, I want to say to all of you that, as you might imagine, I have been on quite a journey these last few weeks to get to the end of this, to the rock bottom truth of where I am and where we all are.
I agree with those who have said that in my first statement after I testified I was not contrite enough. I don't think there is a fancy way to say that I have sinned.
It is important to me that everybody who has been hurt know that the sorrow I feel is genuine: first and most important, my family; also my friends, my staff, my Cabinet, Monica Lewinsky and her family, and the American people. I have asked all for their forgiveness.
But I believe that to be forgiven, more than sorrow is required - at least two more things. First, genuine repentance - a determination to change and to repair breaches of my own making. I have repented. Second, what my bible calls a ''broken spirit''; an understanding that I must have God's help to be the person that I want to be; a willingness to give the very forgiveness I seek; a renunciation of the pride and the anger which cloud judgment, lead people to excuse and compare and to blame and complain.
Now, what does all this mean for me and for us? First, I will instruct my lawyers to mount a vigorous defense, using all available appropriate arguments. But legal language must not obscure the fact that I have done wrong. Second, I will continue on the path of repentance, seeking pastoral support and that of other caring people so that they can hold me accountable for my own commitment.
Third, I will intensify my efforts to lead our country and the world toward peace and freedom, prosperity and harmony, in the hope that with a broken spirit and a still strong heart I can be used for greater good, for we have many blessings and many challenges and so much work to do.
In this, I ask for your prayers and for your help in healing our nation. And though I cannot move beyond or forget this - indeed, I must always keep it as a caution light in my life - it is very important that our nation move forward.
I am very grateful for the many, many people - clergy and ordinary citizens alike - who have written me with wise counsel. I am profoundly grateful for the support of so many Americans who somehow through it all seem to still know that I care about them a great deal, that I care about their problems and their dreams. I am grateful for those who have stood by me and who say that in this case and many others, the bounds of privacy have been excessively and unwisely invaded. That may be. Nevertheless, in this case, it may be a blessing, because I still sinned. And if my repentance is genuine and sustained, and if I can maintain both a broken spirit and a strong heart, then good can come of this for our country as well as for me and my family. (Applause)
The children of this country can learn in a profound way that integrity is important and selfishness is wrong, but God can change us and make us strong at the broken places. I want to embody those lessons for the children of this country - for that little boy in Florida who came up to me and said that he wanted to grow up and be President and to be just like me. I want the parents of all the children in America to be able to say that to their children.
A couple of days ago when I was in Florida a Jewish friend of mine gave me this liturgy book called ''Gates of Repentance.'' And there was this incredible passage from the Yom Kippur liturgy. I would like to read it to you:
''Now is the time for turning. The leaves are beginning to turn from green to red to orange. The birds are beginning to turn and are heading once more toward the south. The animals are beginning to turn to storing their food for the winter. For leaves, birds and animals, turning comes instinctively. But for us, turning does not come so easily. It takes an act of will for us to make a turn. It means breaking old habits. It means admitting that we have been wrong, and this is never easy. It means losing face. It means starting all over again. And this is always painful. It means saying I am sorry. It means recognizing that we have the ability to change. These things are terribly hard to do. But unless we turn, we will be trapped forever in yesterday's ways. Lord help us to turn, from callousness to sensitivity, from hostility to love, from pettiness to purpose, from envy to contentment, from carelessness to discipline, from fear to faith. Turn us around, O Lord, and bring us back toward you. Revive our lives as at the beginning, and turn us toward each other, Lord, for in isolation there is no life.''
I thank my friend for that. I thank you for being here. I ask you to share my prayer that God will search me and know my heart, try me and know my anxious thoughts, see if there is any hurtfulness in me, and lead me toward the life everlasting. I ask that God give me a clean heart, let me walk by faith and not sight.
I ask once again to be able to love my neighbor - all my neighbors - as my self, to be an instrument of God's peace; to let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart and, in the end, the work of my hands, be pleasing. This is what I wanted to say to you today.
Thank you. God bless you.

Five Films I recommend for this week

2011-02-01T02:50:00.000-08:00

“Bullitt”: This is Steve McQueen cop drama, featuring genre-defining, breathtaking car chases.

“Roman Holiday”: Audrey Hepburn scored an Oscar for her first starring role in this gorgeous rom-com with Gregory Peck.

“North by Northwest”: Alfred Hitchcock’s taut thriller, with a beyond-charismatic Cary Grant.

“The Awful Truth” : Classic screwball comedy, brimming with witty banter and unmatched chemistry between stars Irene Dunne and Cary Grant.

“The Killers”: This film noir adaptation of an Ernest Hemingway story starts with a murder — and only gets more mysterious from there.

Nongmaithem Dental Clinic

2011-01-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

How do you feel when you meet a person of your hometown at a faraway place, the feeling of oneness, the feeling of belonging touches our heart and make us feel at home, and more comfortable in sharing our thoughts. In simple words we feel relaxed and more confident in speaking out our minds. They never misguide us, and we always feel more free and comfortable when we talk with someone from our home town when compared to someone from outside. But only few stand up, to help us and guide us far from home.

Dr. Priyananda Nongmaithem from Keisampat, Imphal, Manipur has been running a dental clinic here in Delhi at Jeevan Nagar, New Delhi-14 for almost three (3) years. He has named his clinic as ‘Nongmaithem Dental Clinic’, Nongmaithem, which is his surname, he has named it so that the people living here from Manipur became aware that someone from their hometown is here to listened to them and, help them in all the possible ways he can. A multi special dental clinic with all the modern equipments, specialist in crown and breeds and all other dental related problems from fracture to surgery cases. For his dedication and superb work as a dentist he has been sponsored twice by Colgate Palmolive. He is also planning for providing free dental checkups here at a regular basis.

Not only as a dentist, he has also contributed in many sport events both as a player and as a non-player as well. He has played football, sampak takrou and badminton at both state and, national level, and at present he is representing as Sampak takrou referee for Delhi state. He has also help a lot of players from his hometown by providing accommodation and financial help as well. He has also contributed by providing free dental checkups. Being a dentist and a sport person is far way different, when asked about this, he answered that his dream was always to become a great sport personality, he enter medical line to earn a lively hood as there is very less opportunities for earning a lively hood as a sport person in Manipur. Manipur in spite of one of the most sport loving state in India cannot provide all the required facilities to the players, so the players have to struggle on their own. At this point how can it be changed or improved to provide all the modern equipments and facilities, his answer was very simple,” It can only be improve when the central government supports and provides all the required facilities and encourage them as well, not only this, there are other major factors which largely make’s life harder for the players, the present chaotic atmosphere, the present law and order system all contributed a lot in crushing the players down. Economic blockade, strikes, curfew, you name it and you will find it in every corner here”. In spite of all this threats, Dr Priyananda is still trying hard to uplift the players in all possible ways, back at home(Manipur), he conduct a badminton tournament every year in his grandmother name; as ‘Leibak Leima Memorial badminton tournament “ and at present he is also trying to groom young players in all possible ways.

Well, these are all he had done so far, what’s his future plan? Is he still going to stay arm to arm with both his clinic and love of sport? He is hoping to open a sport academy at his home town Manipur that also under the supervision of the central government and, wants to provide free medical checkup to all sports person and sponsored them as well. He also wants everyone to be aware of all the dental problems and its important in human body, he said that “Our teeth is one of the most important part of our body as it helps in digesting the foods we ate, which give us energy, so everyone should at least go twice a month for dental check up”. But many people don’t have enough time to visit the dentist, so what can they do in their day to day life which can helps in protecting their teeth? “it’s easy, what you have to do is follow only six steps, which in dentist term is known as ‘Six basic knowledge’, 1; brushed your teeth twice daily, once before sleeping and once after breakfast, 2; Avoid junk foods,3;Eat fresh green vegetables,4;Don’t used tooth picks,5;Proper diet and fresh fruits and6;Gurgle and massage your gums and teeth. Well this are all that we can do on our own in our daily routines, but we should visit a dentist at least twice a month to make sure our teeth are healthy enough.

Finally, any message for the upcoming young sport players; “yes, well never lose your heart even after facing defeats, instead think for trying harder next time, never used any unhealthy stuffs, try to know your weakness and keep on improvising there, always maintain discipline, practice regularly on time and try to remain fit and healthy”. Well that was the multi talented Dr.Priyananda, hope to see more of his unending and superb skills and his love for sports as well as his love for his state in the coming days.

Excerpt from the interview taken by President [Chingangbam Prasanta]

http://acmeitei.sulekha.com/blog/post/2010/08/without-you.htm

2010-08-11T01:28:00.000-07:00

http://acmeitei.sulekha.com/blog/post/2010/08/without-you.htm

For Your Eyes Only

2010-07-16T03:29:00.000-07:00

A Critical Appraisal of “The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005.” Part I

2010-05-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 which gives protection to women from domestic violence is a step in right direction as a unique and different piece of legislation from other existing laws. By including the unmarried sisters, mothers, widows, etc. in the list of women facing domestic violence, the Act has ensured full proof protection to the harassed women and as such the Act is very significant because it is for the first time that the term ‘domestic violence’ has been widened in meaning and scope from the culture specific restriction of ‘dowry deaths’ and penal provisions to positive civil rights of protection and injunction.
The Act gives a very expansive definition to the term “domestic violence”, a term hitherto not even used in legal parlance in a bold break from prior legislations. The term ‘domestic violence’ is defined in a comprehensive way in S.3 of the Act, thereby comprising the following:
1. physical, mental, verbal, emotional, sexual and economic abuse,
2. harassment for dowry,
3. acts of threatening to abuse the victim or any other person related to her.
The Act thus deals with forms of abuse that were either not addressed earlier, or that were addressed in ways not as broad as done here. For instance, it includes in its ambit sexual abuse like marital rape which, though excluded under the IPC, can now be legally recognized as a form of abuse under the definition of sexual abuse in this Act. The definition also encompasses claims for compensation arising out of domestic violence and includes maintenance similar to that provided for under S.125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Nevertheless, the claim for compensation is not limited to maintenance as allowed by that provision. It is noteworthy that the maintenance available under this section must be in correspondence with the lifestyle of the aggrieved party. Lastly, the Act identifies emotional abuse as a form of domestic violence, including insults on account of the victim’s not having any children or male children.
The enactment in question was passed by the Parliament with recourse to Article 253 of the Constitution. This provision confers on the Parliament the power to make laws in pursuance of international treaties, conventions, etc. The Domestic Violence Act was passed in furtherance of the recommendations of the United Nations Committee on the CEDAW to which India is a party, requires national law and policy to be directed towards removing discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relationships and hence fulfils the Constitution’s pledge to prohibit discrimination through the enactment of special provisions that protect women. In addition, it makes good India’s commitments under the international human rights regime and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, 1993, to which India has time and again rededicated its commitment, calls upon states to specifically eliminate gender based violence and all forms of sexual exploitation and harassment, including those resulting from cultural prejudice. The Act encompasses all the provisions of the Specific Recommendations which form a part of General Recommendation no.19, 1992.
The Statement of Objects and Reasons declares that the Act was being passed keeping in view the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 15 and 21. Article 21 confers the right to life and liberty in negative terms, stating that it may not be taken away except by procedure established by law, which is required, as a result of judicial decisions, to be fair, just and reasonable. The right to life has been held to include the following rights (which are reflected in the Act), among others:
1. The right to be free of violence: In Francis Coralie Mullin v. Union Territory Delhi, Administrator,
The Supreme Court stated, any act which damages or injures or interferes with the use of any limb or faculty of a person, either permanently or even temporarily, would be within the inhibition of Article 21. This right is incorporated in the Act through the definition of physical abuse, which constitutes domestic violence (and is hence punishable under the Act). Physical abuse is said to consist of acts or conduct of such nature that they cause bodily pain, harm, or danger to life, limb or health, or impair the health or development of the aggrieved person. Apart from this, the Act also includes similar acts of physical violence and certain acts of physical violence as envisaged in the Indian Penal Code within the definition of domestic violence. By adoption of such an expansive definition, the Act protects the right of women against violence.
2. The right to dignity: In Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation v. Nawab Khan Gulab Khan,
The Supreme Court emphasized the fact that the right to life included in its ambit the right to live with human dignity, basing its opinion on a host of cases that had been decided in favour of this proposition. The right to dignity would include the right against being subjected to humiliating sexual acts. It would also include the right against being insulted. These two facets of the right to life find mention under the definitions of sexual abuse and emotional abuse, respectively. A praiseworthy aspect of the legislation is the very conception of emotional abuse as a form of domestic violence. The recognition of sexual abuse of the wife by the husband as a form of violation to the person is creditable, especially as such sexual abuse is not recognized by the IPC as an offence. These acts would fall within the confines of domestic violence as envisaged by the Act, though the definition would not be limited to it.
3. The right to shelter: In Chameli Singh v. State of U.P,
It was held that the right to life would include the right to shelter, distinguishing the matter at hand from Gauri Shankar v. Union of India where the question had related to eviction of a tenant under a statute. Ss. 6 and 17 of the Domestic Violence Act reinforce this right. Under S.6, it is a duty of the Protection Officer to provide the aggrieved party accommodation where the party has no place of accommodation, on request by such party or otherwise. Under S.17, the party’s right to continue staying in the shared household is protected. These provisions thereby enable women to use the various protections given to them without any fear of being left homeless.
Analysis with regard Article 14 and 15 of the Constitution of India
Article 14 contains the equal protection clause. It affirms equality before the law and the equal protection of the laws. Article 14 prohibits class legislation, but permits classification for legislative purposes. A law does not become unconstitutional simply because it applies to one set of persons and not another. Where a law effects a classification and is challenged as being violative of this Article, the law may be declared valid if it satisfies the following two conditions:
1. The classification must be based on some intelligible differentia,
2. There must be a rational nexus between this differentia and the object sought to be achieved by the law.
As a result of the ruling in cases such as Royappa v. State of Tamil Nadu, any law that is arbitrary is considered violative of Article 14 as well. This provision is significant in putting a stop to arbitrariness in the exercise of State power and also in ensuring that no citizen is subjected to any discrimination. At the same time, it preserves the State’s power to legislate for a specific category of people.
Article 15 disallows discrimination on the grounds of religion, caste, sex, race, etc., but permits the State to make special provisions for certain classes of persons, including women and children.
The Domestic Violence Act promotes the rights of women guaranteed under Articles 14 and 15. Domestic violence is one among several factors that hinder women in their progress, and this Act seeks to protect them from this evil. It indeed effects a classification between women and men, protecting only women from domestic violence, but this classification is founded on an intelligible differential, namely, gender, and also has a rational nexus with the object of the Act. Further, the Act is far from arbitrary, in that it is a well-thought and necessary attempt to curtail domestic violence and eventually vanquish it. It is to be remembered that it is generally women who are the victims of domestic violence, and not men. At this stage, it is also essential to keep in mind Article 15(3) which empowers the State to make legislation's like this for the benefit of women, thus creating an exception in their favour against the operation of Article 15(1).
The passing of the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) is an important marker in the history of the womens' movement in India, which has confronted the problem of domestic violence for well over two decades. This enactment sets free the movement from the malaise that has long plagued it, of attributing all categories of violence suffered by women within their families to ‘dowry’ and widening the scope of the term ‘domestic violence’. It acknowledges that domestic violence is a widely prevalent and universal problem of power relationships, more than the culture specific phenomenon called ‘dowry death’. More importantly, it marks a departure from the penal provisions, which hinged on stringent punishments, to positive civil rights of protection and injunction.

[Inputs: Premjit Elangbam,DHR, LLM [Advocate]

Asin Thottumkal in her second outing - LONDON DREAMS

2009-10-26T22:44:00.000-07:00

Will Asin Thottumkal be next Sridevi in Bollywood? The verdict is near. Her second outing in Hindi film, much awaited LONDON DREAMS will hit the theatre in the coming Friday. Her debut film, GHAJINI, was a run away hit, and thus she becomes much sought actress. Now LONDON DREAMS will be a very crucial film for her career. Her contemporary Deepika Padukone has able to survive after a dream debut in OM SHANTI OM, though two disaster in her credit. Her career was rescued by the success of LOVE AAJ KAL.

LONDON DREAMS will also be a very crucial film for Salman Khan after his disaster MAIN AUR MRS. KHANNA. Though he has a large fan following, he lacks consistency in delivering Box Office hits. But still he is going great, ... anytime his film will bounced back. Don't forget WANTED.

Ajay Devgn, on the other hand, is going great after his much successful ALL THE BEST. Last time, he had shared the screen with Salman Khan in HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM, and surprisingly he won the viewers heart with his excellent performance.

LONDON DREAMS has all the ingredients to become a super hit film, good star cast, good director, good musics, good locations...the final verdict will be out next week. Best of Luck.

Ajay Devgan- All the best

2009-10-21T19:14:00.001-07:00

It is not an easy job living upto expectation. BLUE created much hype but ALL THE BEST has come out much beyond the expectation. Five films old, Rohit Shetty has three consecutive hits in his kitty. Started with action flick ZAMEEN, he has created a niche in tinsel town with his later comedy flicks.
Started in early nineties, Ajay Devgan has a lot of fan following for most of his action films churned out in the early nineties. Probably he is the only "angry young man" type actor after Amitabh Bachchan, thanks to his action flicks. With brooding looks, the critics started taking him seriously in the late nineties. With two National Awards, he is also the only actor among his contemporaries who can essayed negative roles successfully.
Only in 1997 that he acted in comedy film ISHQ. But the success of the film goes to Amir Khan and Director Inder Kumar. His second outing in comedy, MASTI was also a big hit, again the credit goes to Director Inder Kumar and other actors like Viveik Oberoi, Aftab Shivdasani and Ritesh Deshmukh. His real comedy started with very successful GOLMAAL, followed by semi hit SUNDAY super hit GOLMAAL RETURNS and now ALL THE BEST. Though five of the six comedy flicks he acted are of all hits at box office, the critics accepted only from his latest ALL THE BEST. Continuously he is proving that he is a versatile actor who carry a film on his shoulder. Truly, ALL THE BEST belongs to him.
Action star Sanjay Dutt has made a name in comedy films in the late nineties. In all of his successful comedy films like Haseena Maan Jaayegi, Jodi No.1, and Ek Aur Ek Gyarah with David Dhawan, the credits goes mainly to his co actor Govinda. His true success as a comic actor comes with Munnabhai MBBS. In All The Best, his role is very pivotal, but lacks his charisma. He has gain much weight, and sometimes looks dull in the film.
Fardeen Khan is very promising in comedy flicks after the success of No Entry and Life Partner. He carries his role very well in this film All The Best too, but still he needs a solo hit to be a bankable star.

Marriage and Divorce: Remedies Under the Laws

2009-10-20T01:56:00.001-07:00

If a woman is subjected to aggressive and violent behaviour from her husband, she can end the marriage. This can be done either by executing a separation agreement with her husband, by judicial separation or by divorce.
Divorce is the complete dissolution of marriage whereas judicial separation by a court order gives the right to live apart from the husband while the marriage tie still subsists. A woman can not remarry after judicial separation but she can after divorce. But in most cases, a woman can not apply for divorce until at least one year from the date of marriage, but she can apply for judicial separation at any time.
A woman’s right to her husband’s property upon his death is not affected by judicial separation but terminates upon divorce. Choice regarding divorce or judicial separation will depend on these factors as well as on the laws set out under the matrimonial Acts that applies to a particular woman. When deciding whether or not to legally separate from her husband, a woman should bear in mind that, unless Hindu Law is applicable to her, she can not claim maintenance for herself or her children without first applying for divorce or judicial separation.
This consideration is important if a woman decides to live apart from her husband, she need to ensure that she has adequate financial support for herself and her children. A third option is to live apart from her husband through a separation agreement.
This is like a contract, where wife and her husband agree to live separately and release each other from the duties that come with marriage. As in judicial separation, marriage continues to exist. However, unlike judicial separation, one does not have to go through court proceedings to be released from marital duties – the signing of the agreement is enough.

[Inputs: Premjit Elangbam,DHR, LLM [Advocate]

Dowry Death

2009-10-13T22:48:00.000-07:00

Many women have been killed by their husbands or relatives out of greed for more dowry. To deal with this problem, the offence of dowry death was included in the IPC. Section 2 of Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 defines dowry, it means property or valuable security give or agreed to be given in connection with the marriage. Dower or Mehr is not dowry under Muslim Personal law. Gifts that are given to a woman during her marriage are not dowry. They are her own personal property and she has an absolute right over them. Dowry need not be directly given. For example, property given in someone else’s name or given by someone who is not a woman’s parent or her husband’s parents is still considered as Dowry. An agreement to give property may count as dowry even if has been negotiated between people who are not related to her.
As the earlier law was not sufficient to check dowry death, the legislature introduced stringent provisions under the Section 304B, IPC and Section 113B Evidence Act in 1986. These provisions were introduced so that the person committing such inhuman crimes on married woman could not escape liability, as evidence of a direct nature is not readily available.
The primary requirements for finding the accused guilty of an offence under S.304B, IPC, are that the death of the deceased was caused by burns of bodily injuries, which occur otherwise than under normal circumstances, within seven years of her marriage and that soon before her death, she was subjected to cruelty or harassment by the accused for or in connection with a demand for money. Unless there is evidence of dowry demand, S304B cannot be attracted.
The concept of cruelty or harassment has to be taken from the explanation to S. 498A IPC. Cruelty or harassment need not be physical. Even mental torture would in the facts and circumstances of a given case amount to cruelty or harassment under S. 498A IPC. The term ‘willful conduct’ means conduct willfully done; this may be inferred by direct or indirect evidence. In Pawan Kumar v. State of Haryana, the court held that taunting the woman for not bringing dowry and calling her ugly, amounts to mental torture. Further, if there is a quarrel a day before her death, this would constitute willful act of cruelty both within the meaning of S. 498A and 304B, IPC.
Dowry deaths occur within the four walls of the house, therefore the concept of deemed ‘dowry death’ was introduced by the 1983 amendment. In order to invoke the legal presumption under S. 113B of the Evidence Act, it is necessary to prove that the deceased was subjected to cruelty or harassment. Further, the presumption under Ss. 113B and 304B only apply if the offence takes place within seven years of marriage. The sections read in conjunction shift the burden of proof from the prosecution on the husband or his relatives of the offence. This is a departure from the normal rule of evidence and was introduced to strengthen the hands of the prosecution. The provisions of S. 113B is mandatory in nature. In State of Punjab v. Iqbal Singh, the court opines that S. 113B could be applied retrospectively as it is procedural in nature. There has to be a proximity between the incident of cruelty or harassment and the offence for the presumption of S. 113B to apply.
There can be no direct evidence available for the offence of dowry death, therefore the courts must rely upon circumstantial evidence and infer from the material available. The Court in C.V. Govindappa v. State of Karnataka held that the conduct of the husband in not trying to put out the flames and not taking her to hospital will be taken as circumstance against the husband. It is also necessary to establish that cruelty or harassment meted out to the woman was on account of the failure on her part to meet the dowry demands. Along with circumstantial evidence, the courts also rely upon the dying declaration of the deceased. The statement of the deceased regarding circumstances of the transaction, which resulted in her death, would be relevant under S. 32(1) of the Evidence Act.
Motive for murder may or may not exist but in dowry deaths, it is inherent. The courts only have to examine as to who translated it into action, as motive for dowry is not of the individual but that of the family.
Sections 304B and 498A, IPC are mutually exclusive. These provisions deal with two distinct offences. Under S. 304B, it is dowry death within the time period of seven years. There is no time limit within which the offence would have to be committed to attract the provision of S. 498A, IPC. Further, S. 498A deals with the offence of cruelty by the husband and his relatives. There is nothing in the section that excludes the application of S. 302, if S. 304B applies. Where the dowry death takes place after seven years of marriage, then the other provisions of IPC are applicable.
The offence under S. 304B can be tried by the sessions court and it is a cognizable offence. Where the complaints reveals a case of continuing offence of maltreatment and humiliation in various cities then S. 178(c) of the Criminal Procedure Code applies. Where the charge is only under one section but the ingredients of another offence are fulfilled, the court in exercise of its inherent powers under Art. 142 of the Constitution can give appropriate orders in the interest of justice.
Unlike S. 498A, S. 304B, IPC gives no space to be used in situations where the violence is not linked to dowry. Since no record is maintained and no complaints are made at the time of meeting the dowry demands while the girl is alive, it is extremely difficult to prove a dowry death under this section. The section also presumes that women are harassed for dowry only within the first seven years of marriage. Overall, this section is not likely to benefit women to deal with domestic violence. The other sections of the IPC which have been used in cases of wife murder are S. 302- punishment for murder and S. 306 abetment to suicide.

[Inputs: Premjit Elangbam,DHR, LLM [Advocate]

Domestic violence: The changing concept

2009-10-10T23:24:00.000-07:00

Domestic violence as such can also be called as Battery, Partner abuse, Spousal abuse etc. Domestic violence is a type of abuse. It involves injuring someone usually a spouse or partner. Domestic violence is a serious problem. It is the most common cause of injury to women ages 15 to 44. Victims may suffer physical injuries such as bruises or broken bones. They may suffer emotionally from depression, anxiety or social isolation. It is hard to know exactly how common domestic violence is, because people often don't report it. There is no typical victim. It happens among people of all ages. It affects those of all levels of income and education.
Domestic Violence (sometimes referred to as domestic abuse or spousal abuse) occurs when a family member, partner or ex-partner attempts to physically or psychologically dominate another. Domestic violence often refers to violence between spouses, or spousal abuse but can also include cohabitants and non-married intimate partners. Domestic violence occurs in all cultures; people of all races, ethnicities, religions, sexes and classes can be perpetrators of domestic violence.
The Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences defines violence in the social context as “the illegal employment of methods of physical coercion for personal or group ends . . . which is distinct from force or power”. . . a purely physical concept. It goes beyond the dictionary meaning of the term ‘violence’ as merely the exercise of physical force so as to inflict injury or damage to persons or property both spiritual and non–spiritual. The “illegality “and “illegitimacy” of social violence will differ on situational norms and social context. There has been overlapping between “force” and “violence”, “legitimate” and “illegal violence”, between “violence” on the one hand and “discrimination” and “oppressions” perpetuated on the female folks as a group. For all these reasons, ‘social violence’ is roughly defined as the illegal use physical, mental and social concern or use of threats for personal or group ends reflected broadly in our traditional social structure and present day developmental processes. Here, the ‘coercive’ aspects ( physical, psychological and social), ‘threats’ for harm (battering, killing, insulting, isolating, molestation and rape, eve teasing) and the ‘discriminating’ and ‘oppressive’ aspects and of violence (subjugation in different walks of life i.e. child rearing and child bearing, employment, low wages, education, health, denial of opportunities for dissent, etc.) are included.
Thus , the social violence means illegal use of force or threats for use of such force by the patriarchal social order and their agents (e.g. men) against women folks in general for perpetuating the goals of that group (e.g. men) for subjugating women physically, socially and psychologically.

[Inputs: Premjit Elangbam,DHR, LLM [Advocate]

Ignorance at its height

2009-07-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

All the photos displayed in the "Indira Gandhi Memorial" are of important and selected ones. Almost all of them carry a caption below the photographs. This make us understand the photo and its significance. Well, among the thousands of photos displayed, there is only one where Indira Gandhi dances along with Manipuri pakhang-leisha known as thabal chongba. But unfortunately, this very photo has no caption, and thus all the visitors at the memorial must be having a question.

A Few Questions

2009-06-22T18:23:00.000-07:00

The turmoil that is felt by the people of Manipur after the heinous atrocities to Dr Kishan by barbaric gangsters clearly broke free in the voice that came out at this time. “Like that he died…or like that he was killed... murdered… full stop. You must have some reasons for killing him, but I have one reason to want to make him live…. He was a good man, better than I’ve ever come across in my 25 years on earth. I have few questions to ask to you…he was a god man, inspiring many with his good ways, why did you kill such a gem of our society? Because of him people like me, my friends are here, wanting to do something good. Why did you kill him? He said corruption is the worst germ in our society for us. Why did you kill him? He learned so many good things. He had such vast knowledge. Where does it all go when you killed him? Will he ever come back? When you killed him? Why do you kill him?” lamented by Anupama Chingangbam...

[For full veiw, refer: http://thesangaiexpress.manipur.us/2009/02/20/Others/Articles.htm

http://www.e-pao.net/epSubPageSelector.asp?src=A_Few_Answers&ch=news_section&sub1=Thingnam_Kishan_killing&sub2=Kishan_Articles]

Agatha: finally a light at the end of the tunnel

2009-06-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

Well, finally our search for someone to represent our voice has come to an end.

[Photo:Irungbam Pravin, Sangai Express]