Koena Mitra alleges Twitter is shadow banning her for her opinions

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Koena Mitra alleges Twitter is shadow banning her for her opinions

Actress Koena Mitra has a serious allegation against the microblogging platform Twitter. She claims Twitter is shadow banning her account and suspending her followers drastically.

“Many of my followers call me and message me on WhatsApp complaining that their accounts are being suspended or banned for no reason and they don’t get to see my tweets on their timeline,” claimed Koena to IANS.

Offering a possible explanation, the actress added: “Actors should be politically correct but when it comes to voicing my opinion on something I tend to choose sides at times, even on political topics. When I see riots or chaos or a debate, instead of being diplomatic I choose sides when I feel like. I think they don’t like it.”

Koena also shared the figures by how much she claims her follower count has reduced over the past couple of years.

“All of a sudden I have lost 300 followers overnight, I have lost almost 2 lakh followers in just 10 days over time. I used to have around 755K followers in 2018 which dropped to 2 lakh-something. They don’t let my follower count cross 2,60,000 or 2,80,000. The moment it crosses this figure, it gets reduced to 2,60,000. This has happened with me many times not just once. I have lost over five and a half lakh followers since 2018,” she informed.

Koena, who is followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official account on Twitter, feels, voicing her opinions on political topics irks the Twitter management, which tries to lower her reach on the platform.

Asked if the actress has raised a complaint with the Twitter customer service team, she replied: “I have spoken to Twitter directors and employees and have exchanged emails. But they have tried to avoid the whole thing by beating around the bush saying your followers have stopped following you. But that is not true, because I have spoken to several followers of mine. Also, some of them have been extremely rude and arrogant in their behavior with me.”

The actress also pointed at the recent fake social media follower scam that was being probed by Mumbai Police. She said: “My followers are genuine. So many celebrities allegedly pay to buy fake followers. How come Twitter does not remove their followers? Because they get money out of it? They lack principles and ethics. It is a simple business.”

With Koena admitting that she tends to take sides when it comes to voicing an opinion on political topics, and being followed by the Prime Minister and several politicians on Twitter, the obvious question that comes to the mind is does the actress plan to join politics actively anytime soon?

“I haven’t thought about it honestly. Right now I have no plan of joining politics. I don’t know what I am going to do in 2021. I have certain work commitments right now. I have a short film which I was supposed to shoot in April, it got delayed due to the pandemic. Let’s see if we can roll in December,” the actress concluded.

Chelsea Handler recalls the time she was ghosted by NY Governor

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Chelsea Handler recalls the time she was ghosted by NY Governor

Comedian Chelsea Handler has opened about the time she was ghosted by New York governor Andrew Cuomo after they made plans to go on a date.

Handler made the revelation on a talk show “The View” when she was asked about what happened between her and the politician.

“I did have a conversation with Cuomo a few months ago, and I did ask him out on a date, and he did say yes. Then, I never heard from him,” she replied.

She then requested the show’s host and her co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, and Ana Navarro, to do a “follow up” with Cuomo when he stops by on the show on the next episode, reports aceshowbiz.com.

“I do want you to follow up on something for me, ladies if you don’t mind,” she quipped.

Handler described Cuomo as a “big, Italian hunk” who showed “real leadership” during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“He’s like, ‘Wear a mask’. I’m like, ‘I’ll wear a mask. I’ll put a mask on every part of my body! I wanna flatten your curve, and you can flatten my curve’!” she said.

Handler has been open about her soft spot for the politician.

Earlier this year, when Cuomo shared a “reminder” on Instagram for “younger people” to wear masks, Handler dropped a flirty comment which read: “Reminder: I want you to govern me.”

Current India U-16 batch can qualify for U-17 FIFA WC, says Vikram Singh

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Current India U-16 batch can qualify for U-17 FIFA WC, says Vikram Singh

Former India U-16 team captain Vikram Partap Singh believes that the current batch under head coach Bibiano Fernandes is better than his own batch that was 90 minutes away from direct qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup two years ago.

“I have seen the current U-16 team and I believe that they are better than us and if they keep performing the way they have been, then they can qualify for the (U-17) World Cup,” Vikram said in a chat with AIFF TV.

“There is so much work being done on the youth level. I feel that our U-16 teams will keep qualifying for the AFC Championships every time, and hopefully, we could play a World Cup very soon. The current batch has such good control over the ball, it is just amazing to watch them,” Vikram, who had led the India side to the quarterfinals of the AFC U-16 Championships 2018 in Malaysia, added.

Reflecting on his formative years in football, Vikram said the fact that India was hosting the U-17 World Cup in 2017 motivated him to work hard to make his way up the ranks.

“It was always a dream to represent India in a World Cup. So when I heard that India will be hosting the U-17 World Cup, I was really excited,” the youngster said.

“I used to train with Amarjit (India’s captain at the FIFA U-17 World Cup) in Chandigarh and I got really motivated when I saw that he was selected for the World Cup squad,” he added.

Vikram went on to be selected for the India U-16s later on and led the team that progressed past the likes of Indonesia, Iran, and Vietnam from the group stage to the quarterfinals, where they faced the Korea Republic.

Om Puri honoured at India International Film Festival of Boston

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Om Puri honoured at India International Film Festival of Boston

Late actor Om Puri was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the third India International Film Festival of Boston (IIFFB 2020).

The Best Feature Film Award went to the Malayalam film “Kaanthi”, which narrates the story of a blind tribal girl and her mother’s attempts to get treatment for the girl. The film showcased the love between the mother and daughter as well as bureaucratic woes.

The Best Actor (male) in a feature film award went to Victor Bannerjee for his portrayal of a priest in “Josef: Born In Grace”. The Best Actor (Female) award was given to Shylaja Ambu who played the part of the tribal mother in “Kaanthi”.

The Best Short Film award went to the Iranian film “Better Than Neil Armstrong”, while “Baitullah” was adjudged Best Film With A Social Cause.

The three-day event included personalities like Luke Mendes, Brahmanand Singh, Sushant Singh, Danish Renzu, Tanuja Chandra, Saleel Shriniwas Kulkarni, Mikhail Musale, and Swanand Kirkire. Several topics like drug use, the mafia, Bollywood as judged by the media, and the future of Indian cinema in the Covid era, were discussed.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was accorded to the late Om Puri and received by his wife Nandita Puri. Another highlight of the festival was a conversation with chef Vikas Khanna, recipient of the “Pride of India Award”.

The film festival, based in Boston, USA, was held virtually this year, from October 16 to 18.

“I was very nervous at the start but then eventually we felt comfortable. It was very different and sometimes difficult, doing a virtual film festival, but it was a new way to learn,” said IIFFB founder and festival director Razia Mashkoor.

Talking about the festival, judge Rohit Chandra said: “Although our annual film festival is typically in person, the virtual format allowed us to organize several Zoom panels, bringing together Bollywood icons and film lovers alike to debate salient film-related topics. The virtual format also allowed the viewer to enjoy IIFFB’s film selections from the comfort of their own homes.”

To this, another judge Suraja Menon Roy Chowdhury shared: “The breadth of creativity displayed, as well as the topics showcased in the submissions, was impressive. With film entries from 11 countries, we were able to glimpse different cultures as well as appreciate the talent present in both independent and commercial cinema globally. This was truly an International Film Festival!”

The dates for the next edition of the film festival were also announced. Next year, the festival is scheduled to be held from September 24 to 26.

Shraddha on being cast in ‘Nagin’ film: It is an absolute delight

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Shraddha on being cast in ‘Nagin’ film: It is an absolute delight

Shraddha Kapoor says it is her absolute delight to star as the shape-shifting serpent protagonist in the film version of Nagin.

The actress has been signed for a three-film franchise based on the popular tale-series Nagin, to be directed by Vishal Furia and produced by Nikhil Dwivedi.

“It’s an absolute delight for me to play a Nagin on screen. I have grown up watching, admiring, and idolizing Sridevi ma’am’s ‘Nagina’ and ‘Nigahen’, and always wanted to play a similar role rooted in Indian traditional folklore. It’s like playing an iconic character, which has always been so fascinating for the audience,” said Shraddha.

Essentially a love story, the makers plan to have spectacular Visual FX. The date of the release is yet to be finalized.

Priyanka Chopra in Hollywood rom-com with Celine Dion, Sam Heughan

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Priyanka Chopra in Hollywood rom-com with Celine Dion, Sam Heughan

Priyanka Chopra Jonas stars with Grammy-winner Celine Dion and actor Sam Heughan in an upcoming romantic drama, tentatively titled Text For You.

“So excited to kick start this amazing movie with such incredible people! Jim Strouse, Sam Heughan, Celine Dion. It’s my honor. Let’s goooooo,” Priyanka tweeted while sharing the screenshot of the announcement.

Written and directed by Jim Strouse, the film is an English remake of the German-language film “SMS Fur Dich”, based on Sofie Cramer’s novel, reports variety.com.

According to the storyline, Priyanka’s character is a heartbroken woman who has just lost her fiance. In her attempt to send constant messages to her fiance’s old number, she will connect with a man across town suffering from a similar heartbreak. Celine Dion’s music aims at connecting the two and give them the courage to take a second shot at love.

Heughan is best known for his role as an actor and producer in the hit series “Outlander”. He was recently seen in the Vin Diesel-starrer comic book flick “Bloodshot” and in the action-comedy “The Spy Who Dumped Me”, co-starring Mila Kunis, Kate McKinnon, Justin Theroux, and Gillian Anderson.

“So excited to be joining this incredible cast,” wrote Heughan on Instagram.

Priyanka will next be seen in the film adaptation of “The White Tiger”, which she has also executive produced, and “We Can Be Heroes”, directed by Robert Rodriguez. She is currently developing an untitled comedy with Mindy Kaling and Dan Goor, and also working on Russo Brothers’ “Citadel” and “The Matrix 4”.

‘Shotgun Wedding’ for Jennifer Lopez, Armie Hammer

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‘Shotgun Wedding’ for Jennifer Lopez, Armie Hammer

Hollywood stars Jennifer Lopez and Armie Hammer will co-star in the upcoming action-comedy, Shotgun Wedding.

The film casts Lopez and Hammer as Darcy and Tom, who are gearing up for a destination wedding. The twist comes when their entire wedding party is taken hostage, reports variety.com.

“‘Til Death Do Us Part’ takes on a whole new meaning in this hilarious, adrenaline-fueled adventure as Darcy and Tom must save their loved ones — if they don’t kill each other first,” read the description.

Jason Moore directs the film and production are expected to begin next year. The screenplay is by Mark Hammer and Liz Meriwether.

Lopez returns with this film after her 2019 hit, “Hustlers”, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination. Her upcoming roster also includes the wedding comedy “Marry Me”, and “The Godmother”, a crime drama about the rise and fall of late drug lord Griselda Blanco.

Hammer returns after the success of “Call Me By Your Name”. He will also be seen in the remake of “Rebecca”.

FB India’s controversial public policy head Ankhi Das quits

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FB India’s controversial public policy head Ankhi Das quits

Facebook India’s controversial public policy head Ankhi Das is leaving the company with immediate effect “to pursue her interest in public service”, the social networking giant announced on Tuesday.

“Ankhi has decided to step down from her role on Facebook to pursue her interest in public service. Ankhi was one of our earliest employees in India and played an instrumental role in the growth of the company and its services over the last nine years,” Ajit Mohan, Vice President, and Managing Director, Facebook India, said in a statement.

The resignation comes after a Wall Street Journal report on August 14 said that the top leadership at Facebook’s India office refused to apply the company’s own rules to politicians from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), despite clear violations of Facebook’s policies against incitement to violence, hate speech and misinformation.

Das reportedly “told staff members that punishing violations by politicians from Mr. Modi’s party would damage the company’s business prospects in the country.”

Following the report, the Congress raised the issue of what it calls “unholy nexus” of the ruling BJP with Facebook and WhatsApp.

Mohan said that Das “has been a part of my leadership team over the last two years, a role in which she has made enormous contributions.”

“I have decided to step down from Facebook after long service to its mission of connecting people and building communities to pursue my personal interest in public service,” Das said in a post.

Last week, deposing before the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on personal data protection Bill 2019, Das was asked how much funds are spent by the social media giant on data safety, according to sources.

The executives were also questioned on the quantum of Facebook’s revenue as well as the profit they are making in India.

Das, who was recently alleged to have ignored hate speech on its platform, along with other representatives, gave a detailed presentation.

Last month, Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had written a hard-hitting letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, blaming the Facebook India management of alleged bias against people supporting the right-of-center ideology.

The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 empowers the government to ask companies for both anonymous personal and non-personal data.

Budding composers Javed-Mohsin on creating retro album for Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari

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Budding composers Javed-Mohsin on creating retro album for Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari

The composer duo of Javed-Mohsin has composed popular songs like Ding dang in Munna Michael and Pal in Jalebi. They are now back with the album of the upcoming comedy, Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari.

“Composing the entire album was interesting and challenging. It was a huge opportunity for us, as these days composers don’t get the chance to compose the entire album because of the multi-composer trend. So, when we got the chance to compose and design the entire album, we jumped at the opportunity because it gave us a chance to explore different genres,” said Mohsin.

The film is a satirical comedy-drama set in the nineties and narrates the story of a wedding planner at a time the mobile phone and the internet did not exist. Creating retro songs for the current upbeat market was a challenge, said Mohin.

” ‘Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari’ is based in the nineties and the makers were certain that they wanted the flavor of that decade in the songs, with a commercial twist. The era was filled with commercial songs, one-on-one kind of songs. There’s an item song, a club song, a chase song, a romantic song, and a promotional track. That makes it a complete album,” Mohsin added.

“We have worked really hard to design the whole album by using different live instruments. It took us around five months to complete the process, keeping the authenticity of the film. The sound that will be out soon is going to be larger than life. We are sure that listeners will enjoy every song in the album. They are also lyrically very strong,” they concluded.

Directed by Abhishek Sharma, the rom-com stars Diljit Dosanjh, Manoj Bajpayee, and Fatima Sana Shaikh in the pivotal roles.

Rapper Raja Kumari releases first Hindi single

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Rapper Raja Kumari releases first Hindi single

Grammy-nominated Indian-American rapper and songwriter Raja Kumari has released her first all Hindi track, titled Shanti. She dedicates the song to the people of her motherland.

“Shanti” is the Hindi version of her previous English track “Peace”, originally co-written by Raja Kumari and her long-time collaborator Elvis Brown. The new Hindi version has been penned by Charan.

“When I first released ‘Peace’ in July 2020, I felt the world needed to hear me speak in a different vibration. The song is written as an affirmation for good vibes, positive energy, and the removal of toxicity in your life,” said the rapper.

“As the song grew among my fans, I realized its power and how it connected us all. It inspired me to go deeper within myself, and do something I have never done before. ‘Shanti’, the Hindi version of ‘Peace’, is my first song completely sung in Hindi and I dedicate it to my motherland and all my fans around the world. I hope you enjoy the song as much as I enjoyed making it for you,” she added.

Reflecting on her personal transition over the past few months, the rapper-songwriter said: “In the music industry, you can get swept up in a lot of the devils that can accompany levels of celebrity, and I’ve found peace in meditation, yoga, sound healing, and more. I was chasing ‘the good life’ in ways that weren’t deeply fulfilling; they were only surface level.”

“After some personal reflection and growth in the last few months, I’ve learned how to find internal peace in ways that help me and not by trying to please everyone around me. I’m spending more time with nature and enjoy the rhythm and timing of it, which has influenced my music and brought new inspiration to my art. I’ve become vegan and started studying astrology. I’ve been practicing meditation and learning the power of breathwork and how proper breathing can have such an effect on your outlook,” she added.

The rapper also shared that through her “Peace Project” she wants “to help inspire people to find their own path to a good life”.

“Life can be enjoyable when you manifest. People can re-connect by self-care — conscious cooking, meditation, and nature bathing. This time doesn’t have to be darkness — it can be a time of great inspiration and renaissance for us all,” she added.

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