Tag: bollywood in kashmir

Briefing April 30-May 6, 2023

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_POONCH
Remains of the ill-fated army truck that went up in flames after suspected militants attacked it in Bhata Dhurian area in Mendhar (Poonch) on April 20, 2023. Six soldiers were killed and one survived injured.
Jammu and Kashmir Police have detained six persons after questioning nearly 200 people in Poonch following April 22, attack on an army vehicle in which five soldiers were killed. The operation involving various security agencies in the Bhata Durian belt is still in progress. The agencies investigating the attack have narrowed their focus on two militant handlers based in Pakistan, Rafiq Nai and Habibullah Malik, who are believed to have played a key role in the attack. Both men were designated as militants by the Indian government last year, and their involvement in the recent attack underscores the ongoing threat posed by militants operating from across the border in Pakistan.
Asserting that the attack was carried out with active local support, Dilbagh Singh, the Police Chief said a native, Nasir Ahmad has provided shelter and logistics to attackers. The massive crackdown has triggered outrage after Mukhtar Hussain Shah, a resident of Nar (Mendhar) consumed poison and died by suicide over alleged harassment and torture. Before committing suicide, he had recorded a video.
Singh said the attackers were supplied arms through drones. Three persons formally arrested include Gursi residents- Nissar Ahmad, Farid Ahmad, and Mushtaq. The Poonch Rajouri region is emerging as a challenge. Only six army men were killed in militancy violence in Kashmir since October 2021 as against 21 in Poonch and Rajouri districts during the same period.
School Education Department has directed private schools operating from Government land to admit 25 per cent of their students from weaker sections of society.
KUPWARA
A Kashmiri Imam, who led taraveh prayers during Ramzan 2023, was gifted an Umarh package by the village in north Kashmir.
For Muslims within and outside Kashmir, Ramzan, the Muslim month of fasting, is the era for protracted prayers, charity, and self-introspection. Most of the mosques ensure they have a Hafiz-e-Quran who will lead them in Taraweh prayers and once the month concludes these Imam’s are honoured. Residents of Mareed Mohalla in Kupwara thought out-of-box. Instead of paying him in cash or gifting him worldly valuables, they recognised Maulana Bilal Ahmad Nadvi’s contribution by sending him on Umrah. This was a surprise to the Imam, too. This first-of-its-kind gesture has the potential of becoming the new fashion statement of the faithful, naysayers say.
The government is providing land free of charge in favour of BSNL for saturation of 4G mobile services in all the 303 uncovered villages across Jammu and Kashmir.

HANDWARA
Police arrested a couple in Handwara on April 25, 2023, for running a prostitution racket. Photo:JKP
In yet another shocking event, the Jammu and Kashmir Police uncovered a prostitution ring in the Reshipora, Kupwara. Police said they conducted a raid on a house leading to the arrest of Shabir Ahmad War, his wife and three more people. This is the fourth such scandal in the last few weeks that has come to light in Jammu and Kashmir, with similar operations having been uncovered in Srinagar outskirts including Bagh-e-Mehtab and Nowgam area, and another in Jammu Jewel Chowk. It is immediately not known what pushes individuals to prostitution.
11 Gujaratis were arrested for taking Gandola for a ride with a fake ticket. Earlier a Mumbai tourist group went to jail for the same offence.
MUMBAI
Bollywood flick, Pathaan poster showing the lead actors including Shahrukh Khan, John Ibrahim and Deepika Padukone
Bollywood’s heartthrob Shahrukh Khan has set Kashmir abuzz with excitement as he returned after 11 years to shoot for his upcoming film Dunki. Directed by Raj Kumar Hirani and co-starring Tapsee Pannu, the movie scenes were filmed in the stunning locales of Sonamarg and Pulwama. He also did some shopping in Srinagar but at the S airport, he was mobbed by fans.
Khan’s arrival for a few days has boosted the morale of the administration that recorded 300 film shootings in 2022. LT Governor Manoj Sinha said the region is experiencing a resurgence of the Bollywood era of the 1980s when many films were shot in the area due to its breathtaking beauty. For Shahrukh Khan, his return to Kashmir is a nostalgic one, having shot Jab Tak Hai Jaan in the region back in 2012. Bollywood has always been in love with Kashmir. The only difference from the 1980s is that the government was not incentivising the Bollywood shooting as it is being done big time in 2020.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha laid the foundation stone of Kashmir Medical College and Super-Speciality Hospital being developed by Milli Trust, Delhi, a 100-bed Rs 525-crore project that will have 150 MBBS seats and provide jobs for 2,000 people.
SAMBA
A government employee was arrested for allegedly raping a woman under the guise of being a tantrik. The accused lured the woman to his house on the pretext of healing her skin disease through “magical powers” and then raped her. The police have identified the accused as Subash Chander of Rarian Ramgarh village and a case has been registered against him. The accused is currently behind bars.
Rekha Sharma, chairperson, National Commission for Women (NCW), has revealed that in 2022, women trafficking in Jammu and Kashmir have increased by about 15.26 per cent but it is “just the tip of an iceberg”
BHADERWAH
A group photograph showing the scholars, farmers and representatives of industry in CSIR-IIIM interaction in Pulwama. The photograph was taken in the lavender farm on June 13, 2022
The Chenab Valley’s mini-Kashmir is purple these days as farmers have switched from traditional crops to lucrative lavender cultivation. Over the past decade, lavender cultivation has expanded from 10 kanals of land to about 4000 kanals, with around 2500 farmers now engaged in it. A single lavender plant bears flowers for 15 years and needs little maintenance, and its oil is used in a variety of products, including soaps, cosmetics, perfumes, and medicines.
Bharat Bhushan, one of the first farmers to switch to lavender farming in the region, found that he earned four times more profit from lavender than from traditional maize farming, and he gradually converted his entire 10 kanals of farmland to a lavender farm. After Bhushan’s video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016, the Aroma Mission was launched in Jammu and Kashmir, providing free lavender plants to farmers. The program has been a great success, with 500-600 farmers switching to lavender farming and 1000 kanals of land being brought under its cultivation. Modi acknowledged the region’s effort in his Mann Ki Baat.
KPDCL has 700 positions vacant
DUBAI
Safina Nabi
Kashmir journalist Safina Nabi has won the second prize in the Outstanding Contribution to Peace category of the Fetisov Journalism Award for her article titled “How Kashmir’s half-widows are denied their basic property rights.” The article sheds light on the plight of countless women in Kashmir who have been cut out of inheritances and left to fend for themselves after their husbands disappeared and could never be traced. Women whose husbands have disappeared but not yet been declared dead are referred to as “half-widows” by in Kashmir.
Last week, more than 1200 flats were inaugurated for migrant Kashmiri Pandit migrants under the Prime Minister’s package.
KOKERNAG
A government-run school in Kokernag has performed abysmally as only one of its 25 students in the eighth class passed the examination. The Middle School Khokarpora Adhal Vailoo is now the focus of an investigation. It caters to the requirements of the weaker sections but failed in imparting education.
Of 9700 water bodies in Jammu and Kashmir, more than 76 per are ‘in use’. Almost 48.6 per cent of water bodies are privately owned leaving only the remaining 51.4 percent to public ownership.
SOIBUG
NIA official on a piece of land that was attached by it in a terror funding case.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) attached two houses of sons of banned Hizb-ul-Mujahideen’s chief Syed Salahuddin. Shahid Yusuf lives in Soibug and Syed Ahmad Shakeel in Rambagh Srinagar. NIA spokesperson said they “had been receiving funds from abroad from the associates of their father and overground workers of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.” Their properties were attached under Section 33(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the NIA said. In August 2018, the NIA arrested Shakeel, who was working as a lab technician at SKIMS Soura. In August 2022, the administration sacked Salahuddin’s third son Syed Abdul Mueed, Manager, IT, Jammu Kashmir Entrepreneur Development Institute.
Srinagar Tulip Garden which attracted 375 thousand tourists was open for 33 days, unlike 21 days in 2022.
JAMMU
LG Manoj Sinha inaugurated 576 residential accommodations for PM Package Employees on Wednesday, April 26, 2023.
Days after Padma Bushan awardee, Muzaffar Hussain Baig said the assembly election can take place after the general election across India, LG Manoj Sinha said his administration wants Panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir to be held on time. He maintained that three-tier Panchayati Raj System is working very well under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Panchayats will be completing their five-year term in November-December this year and elections to them will have to be conducted in October-November. Polls to Panchayats were held in November-December 2018 after nearly four decades in Jammu and Kashmir during President’s Rule after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) withdrew support to Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP Government in the erstwhile State.

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#Briefing #April #30May
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

May 2, 2023
1980’s Bollywood Era Returning To JK: LG Sinha

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SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said that 1980’s like wonderful era of Bollywood is returning to Jammu and Kashmir with the support of the people.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function in Sumbal, LG Sinha, said that over the years around 300 movies have been shot in Kashmir.
Addinf further he said, ” Yesterday famous Bollywood director Rajkumar Hirani came to meet me and Shah Rukh Khan is also in the Valley for movies shooting, which is the testimony of ground situation here.”
LG Sinha said the wonderful era of 1980’s is returning to Jammu and Kashmir with the support of the people.
“Returning of Bollywood will help in employment generation and improve the economic condition of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said. (KNO)

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#1980s #Bollywood #Era #Returning #Sinha
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

April 27, 2023
Globalised Content

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With the internet offering people the superhighway of information and knowledge, youth living in the pre-digital periphery are getting virtually cosmopolitan by watching their choice of global content, reports Babra Wani
Boys Over Flowers, the Korean sensation that is basically a romantic comedy involving a poor girl and four brats
In 2014, Saba’s cousin showed her a Korean drama Boys Over Flowers. She enjoyed it to the last second of the episode. Owing to no access to the internet back home, she could watch the series. She lacked a laptop and a smartphone. Time passed normally, but Saba could not forget that episode.
“Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was hooked on that drama,” Saba said, almost a decade later. “I wanted to watch every episode of it.”
When Covid19 confined people to the four walls of their homes, Saba suddenly became a time-surplus person, who now was fortunate enough to have high-speed internet and a personal laptop too.
Having nothing better to do, she logged in to her laptop and started streaming the Korean drama online.
“The content is very addictive”, said Saba as she recalled herself binge-watching the entire series, episode after episode. Currently pursuing her master’s at the University of Kashmir, Saba recalled how she used to recharge add-ons internet packs for extra data to watch dramas. Watching the series that is credited for creating the Korean Wavein Asia triggered an insatiable desire in Saba to keep exploring and watching other Korean dramas and web series. “In a period of a few months, I have completed more than a hundred Korean dramas, movies, and web series.”
Globalised Content
For decades, the only source of entertainment in Kashmir used to be the state-run Doordrashan. Generations grew up consuming the hilarious content of Nazir Joshs and Shaadi Lal Kouls. They have a fervent following in the senior generation to this date.

As the decades progressed, the Joshs and Kouls were slowly replaced by the Western star casts. Millennials began dictating the production and consumption of content. Even if the language barrier was there, subtitles provided an easy route to understanding different linguistic realms. Characters like The Professor from the popular Spanish series, The Money Heist and Player 456 from The Squid Game found global acceptance. They became symbols of globalization.
Shadi Lal Koul (L) on the sets of a TV serial. Koul, a popular Kashmiri actor, died July 2020 after fighting a serious disease for a long time.
Rakshanda Altaf, an agriculture student, is also an avid fan of Korean content. Off late, she is enchanted with Japanese and Chinese dramas.
“I actually began watching Korean dramas during Covid19 lockdown and then I shifted to Japanese and Chinese content,” she said, “I love how their dramas and the content is concise and you know maximum a series will last is for some 50 episodes, unlike Indian dramas which are spread across generations.”
For Mahek, a student at the University of Kashmir, the introduction to the world of K-dramas was through her peers. In 2017, when she was in school, she started watching Cinderella and the Four Knights – a drama with four handsome leads. She said her friends found themselves attracted to the series.
Downloading the series in her pen drive from her friend’s laptop, marked the new normality. An avid consumer of Indian soap operas, Mahek changed. The Korean content lacked a match with what she was consuming earlier. “I gave up on watching Indian serials.” For Mahek, it was the storyline, the content and the cast of the series which attracted her interest. Slowly, she started watching Chinese and Thai content as well.
The Hallyu Craze
Not only that, Mahek also began downloading Korean language learning apps to learn the language and tried making Korean friends as well. “I have downloaded tons of apps to learn more about Korean culture. I know a few words as well, like oppa, which means older brother, or Saranghae. which means I love you. Every K-drama watcher will be familiar with these words,” Mahek said. For her and many other Hallyu fans the Korean culture, language and everything related to Korea looks intriguing and exciting.
For the unversed, Hallyu is a popular China-origin term used for the Korean wave, when in the 1990s people outside Korea first learned about Korean content. Then slowly it was in 2012 when Psy’s (a Korean singer) Gangnam Style became a worldwide hit and then with the emergence of BTS, which holds the title of the world’s biggest boy band and Blackpink, an all-girls group, the Korean entertainment industry became a worldwide phenomenon.
Not Just Korean
The profile of consumers of such content ranges from teenagers to adults in their late twenties and early thirties. Hafsoah Ahmed, who is currently pursuing her doctorate degree, started off by watching the famous American series, Friends. From there, she digressed towards anime.
“It was the quality and the quantity of the content that first attracted me towards the series. The acting, the direction, the presentation, everything is A1 in the international series,” Ahmed said. “I like how the information and the content of the message of the series are put across. How it is presented and addressed.”
Hafsoah thinks she is an introvert and not so “outdoorsy” so she just spent all her time watching these international series.
Dramas like Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Gray’s Anatomy became quite popular among Kashmir youth at the beginning of the year 2020. However, it was not just in 2020 back in 2019 as well when the internet was shut down in Kashmir, people especially youth relied on foreign series and movies to keep themselves entertained.
The Ertugrul Era
In 2020, the Turkish series Ertugrul became a massive hit among Kashmiris across all age groups. It is a period drama detailing the struggle of Turkish herdsmen to have their own state against the interests of the crusaders, Mongols and Seljuks. At one point in time, this series was the sole big factor behind the mass sale of hard drives and storage devices.
A scene from Diriliz Urtugrul, the popular Turkish period drama showing the main charceters – Urtugrul, Haleema and Hayme Hatun
Soon, the Ertugrul’sKayiTribe-inspired skull caps were flooding the market. The fame of Ertugrul also resulted in an increase in the viewership of some other Turkish dramas and series. Kurulus Osman, a spin-off of the Ertugual series also saw an overwhelming response from the Kashmiri audiences. People still continue to watch the Ertugrul series. A Kayi tribe theme-based restaurant was also opened in one of the areas in Srinagar’s Shehr-e-Khas.
Perhaps the Turk entertainment sector barely knew the potential for their content in Urdu and Hindi speaking belt in South Asia. With Ertugrulcreating new milestones, now every Turkish drama has a must Urdu edition.
Pakistani Drama Fans
In Kashmir, Pakistani dramas always had a bigger audience. While the millennials comprise the majority of the audience for Korean, Chinese and other dramas, Pakistani dramas owing to the use of the Urdu language have a bigger demographic as their consumers. Pakistani dramas enjoy a lot of fondness and popularity amongst the population of Kashmir. For many people, watching family soap operas is one way of helping kids pick up Urdu speaking.
Shabnam, a woman in her mid-forties began watching Pakistani dramas and series in 2016 when her daughter got access to the internet and a mobile phone for the first time. “My daughter showed me a Pakistani movie and then we began watching a drama and then we saw another drama and then another and that is how we began consuming Pakistani series,” she said.
Earlier it used to be the state-owned TV in Islamabad to telecast the dramas. Now there are scores of channels and a lot of internet space that is consuming Pakistan content, especially the drama.
The popularity of Pakistani suits and clothing among Kashmiri women can be attributed to Pakistani shows. Several Kashmiris also pick Pakistani names of their favourite characters for their children.
The Psychology Behind
Why do Kashmiri people prefer watching foreign web or TV series over domestic serials? Wasim Kakroo, Consultant Clinical Psychologist at the Centre for Mental Health Services at Rambagh Srinagar said it has its own psychology.
“Foreign content can offer a sense of novelty and excitement that may be lacking in domestic serials. When young people are exposed to new and different cultures, they may feel a sense of intrigue and curiosity that motivates them to explore further. This desire for novelty and exploration is a fundamental human trait, and it can be particularly pronounced during adolescence when young people are seeking to establish their identity and place in the world,” Kakroo said
“Foreign content may provide a sense of escapism from their stresses. Since Kashmiri youth feel frustrated by the political turmoil and unemployment, they feel overwhelmed or stressed. Watching characters who live in different countries, speak different languages, and have different customs can transport viewers to a different world, allowing them to temporarily forget about their own problems.”
The OTT Factor
The rise of over-the-top (OTT) and streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, Asiaflix, Viki Rakuten, and MX Player also made it completely easy for the distribution of worldwide content in Kashmir. Its popularity is an outcome of the high-speed internet. India has access to the cheapest internet prices in the world. This is a huge enabler.
An Allied Market Research report suggests the OTT industry was valued at US $ 97.43 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach US $ 332.52 billion by 2025.
The OTT platforms have a huge basket from SciFi to romantic comedies (romcom) to action to horror to period dramas. They are democratic as they cater to different needs of people and consumers regardless of gender, age, ethnicity and nationality.
The emergence of OTT has resulted in cultural exchange as audiences become more and more interested in foreign cultures. “Consuming content from across the world is not only passing time but also exposing one to different cultures and places around the world,” Hafsoah said. “The cultural exchanges and the globalization of media has also resulted in cultural homogenization and heterogenization.”
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#Globalised #Content
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

April 6, 2023
Sanjay Dutt Heads To Kashmir To Resume Shoot For ‘Leo’, His Tamil Debut

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SRINAGAR: Sanjay Dutt was spotted at Mumbai airport on Saturday, en route to Kashmir for the shooting of Lokesh Kangaraj’s upcoming movie Leo, starring Thalapathy Vijay and Trisha. He has been selected to portray the antagonist in the film, which will also serve as his debut in Tamil cinema.
Sanjay Dutt is scheduled to shoot for Leo in Kashmir for the next couple of weeks. The actors Mysskin and Gautham Menon have already finished filming their parts in the movie. The Kashmir schedule of ‘Leo’ has involved around 500 artists, and the current shoot is projected to wrap up by the end of March.
As per the reports from India Today, fans are waiting to see what Lokesh Kanagaraj churns out this time, especially after the hype he had created with his Lokiverse films- Kaithi and Vikram. Now, the excitement has just leveled up as the team welcomed Sanjay Dutt.
In the action movie “Leo” the actors Trisha, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Sarja, Gautham Menon, Mysskin, Priya Anand, Mansoor Ali Khan, Sandy, and Mathew Thomas will be seen in crucial roles and the movie will be released on October 19, 2023.

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#Sanjay #Dutt #Heads #Kashmir #Resume #Shoot #Leo #Tamil #Debut
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

March 12, 2023
Alia and Ranveer Spotted Shooting In Kashmir

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SRINAGAR: Pictures of Alia Bhat and Ranveer Singh emerged from the hill station of Gulmarg where the duo is busy shooting for their upcoming movie, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani.
The crew is currently in Kashmir to shoot a romantic number in the snow capped mountains of Kashmir. The shooting of film is in its final stages and the crew is expected to wind up by March 10.
As per media buzz, the song will be a tribute to the late film maker Yash Chopra, who Karan idolizes. Ranveer and Alia will recreate the looks of Sridevi and Rishi Kappor from the film Chandini directed by ace director Yash Chopra in late 1980’s.
The film which is being directed by Karan Johar also stars Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, and Shabana Azmi and is produced by Dharma Productions. The film is slated to release on July 28, 2023.

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#Alia #Ranveer #Spotted #Shooting #Kashmir
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

March 6, 2023
Briefing February 12-18, 2023

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BARAMULLA
Kashmir folklore has always talked about Kruhun Sheen, the black snow, as a mark of disbelief and a complete topsy-turvy of natural systems. The fact is there has been black snow around for the last half of the century in Kashmir. The soot that the industrial states of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi have been generating would fly and deposit over the glaciers in south Kashmir. Over the years it has been the major factor in the depletion of the glaciers and a key indicator of the climate change impact. Kashmir’s weather systems have historically remained impacted by the Western Disturbances in which the winds bring all the pollution from the Middle East and parts of Europe and pour it over Kashmir. The latest report is that last week the snow was seen as dusty and yellowish. The weatherman in Srinagar, now having access to better technology, said that it was the impact of dust that flew from Afghanistan and Pakistan and got missed with snow! Kashmir is becoming a casualty of real, virtual and climatic globalisation.
Of the sanctioned 3140 border bunkers in Rajouri, 2782 are almost ready for use.
REASI
In a game-changing development, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) revealed that it has discovered 6.9 million tons of lithium reserves in the Reasi mountains near Salal Haimana village. This reserve will fundamentally shift the global ranking of Lithium-rich countries with India now emerging from nowhere to the second position after Chile. The gold of the IT-driven system, Lithium is the powerhouse linked to almost everything from a pacemaker to a cell phone and to an electric car. This is expected to boost the IT-manufacturing investments in India that have already started with Apple setting up a huge phone-making facility in India. How the discovery will help Jammu and Kashmir shall remain a question for the future when the formal process of extracting the vital mineral starts. Right now Australia is the major Lithium supplier to the world.
Against the sanctioned strength of 4985 village defence groups (VDG), 4,153 have been constituted.
KUPWARA

In Kashmir’s harsh winters, Asphyxia has remained a major killer. Desperate to stay warm, people pluck every hole in the room and put on heating devices that deplete oxygen and the people die. That is exactly what happened to the UP family in Krakpora village. Five members of Majid Ansari’s family were declared dead last week when they were driven to the hospital. It was the annihilation of the Bijnore family including the husband, wife and their three children, including the youngest member who was born recently and was yet to be named.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the number of drug abusers includes Cannabis 1,36,000, Opioids 4,47,000, Cocaine 1,000 and 1000 Amphetamines type stimulants. Jammu and Kashmir witnessed the registration of 743 drug peddling cases in 2017, 680 in 2018, 918 in 2019, 933 in 2020 and 1324 in 2021.
ANANTNAG
Eleventh grader, Hanaya Nisar was conferred with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) 2023 for winning a gold medal at the third World SQAY Martial Arts Championship held in Chingju, South Korea in October 2018. It is India’s highest civilian honour for children.
Two civilians and 25 security personnel were killed in militant attacks across Jammu since August 5, 2019.
JAMMU
LG, Manoj Sinha presented a piece of Basholi Panting to visiting Prime Minister on April 24, 2022, at Samba.
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Jammu has authorised a programme for the Geographical Indication (GI) certification of nine items from erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state for submission to the Human Welfare Association in Varanasi. These items being submitted for GI include Basohli Paintings, Basholi Pashmina Woolen Products (Kathua), Chikri Wood Craft (Rajouri), Bhaderwah Rajma (Doda), Mushkbudji Rice (Anantnag), Kaladi (Udhampur), Sulai Honey, Anardana (Ramban), and Ladakh Wood Carving(Ladakh).
2022 saw 111 anti-militancy operations in Jammu and Kashmir in which 187 militants were killed.
JAMMU
CBI
Federal investigator CBI detained a lecturer at the Government Polytechnic College in Jammu and the Chief Accounts Officer (KAS) of the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation in connection with Rs. 2.3 lakh bribery. CBI said the lecturer was being used by the accounts officer for extracting money from a person whose payment bill was with the officer. The arrest was an outcome of the trap.
Two girls were rescued alive in an avalanche that hit Manzgund village of Gurez
PATTAN
Rivalries within professionals can sometimes be interestingly intriguing. In a Pattan hospital when a junior doctor was busy carrying out the surgery, the senior got into the theatre and allegedly abused him. This stunned the staff and almost put the patient at risk. The reason: the senior did not want any procedure to take place without his knowledge. What is right and wrong will be decided by an investigation ordered by CMO, Baramula. Meanwhile, authorities have banned two doctors from doing any private practice across Jammu and Kashmir. The two doctors, Dr Zafarullah, Assistant Professor (ENT) and Dr Shafaqat Ahmad Lone, Associate Professor (ENT) of Government Medical College Baramulla were accused of referring patients from Government hospitals to Private Hospitals for availing treatment under AB PM-JAY and AB PM-JAY SEHAT Scheme.
The cost of the Haj package in 2023 is expected to be about Rs 50,000 less in comparison to 2022.
JAMMU
Non-irrigated land at Vilgam. KL Image
Jammu and Kashmir’s administration has banned the sale of agricultural land belonging to individuals who are missing for the last seven years. This was done on basis of the police enquiry that suggested the use of these incomes into subversion. Now revenue officials will have to declare a landowner not present and not in occupation on formal records. People holding their immovable properties will have also to be mentioned and will continue to harvest these lands. No revenue papers in these lands can be issued by the revenue officials to prevent their sale. Though the orders will not be applicable to the immovable property of people who have migrated, the order is silent about tens of thousands of people – mostly professionals, who are working overseas and are technically not present.
Of 33,426 Gazetted and Non-Gazetted positions in Jammu and Kashmir government, Lok Sabha was informed that 25450 vacancies stand filled by December 2022.
LONDON
A review into the British government’s scheme set up to prevent terrorism has flagged the radicalisation of UK Muslims over Kashmir and “potentially toxic” pro-Khalistan extremism as some of the areas of growing concern and made recommendations for improvements to tackle Islamist extremism as the “primary threat” to the country, reports in media said. The report said Pakistan is impacting UK Muslim communities when it comes to “inflaming anti-India sentiment, particularly around the subject of Kashmir”. Commissioner for Public Appointments William Shawcross presided over the review.
DELHI
In a veiled jibe at Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled his Ekta Yatra in 1991 that concluded with the tricolour unfurling in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk at the peak of militant threat. “Those who came back from Jammu and Kashmir recently must have seen how easily you can go there. I too had gone on a yatra to J&K with the resolve to unfurl the Tricolour at Lal Chowk,” Modi said. “Terrorists had put up posters and said, dekhte hain, kisne maa ka doodh piya hai jo Lal Chowk aake Tiranga phehra paaye. That day on January 24, at a public rally, I had said, ‘terrorists pay heed. On January 26, sharp at 11 am, I will reach Lal Chowk without security and a bulletproof jacket. Faisla Lal Chowk pe hoga kisne apni maa ka doodh piya hai’. Then I unfurled the Tricolour at Lal Chowk.” Modi said Kashmir has changed after the reading down of Article 370 and tourism is on a historic rise. He said theatres are also running houseful in Kashmir and separatists are nowhere to be seen now.
SRINAGAR
It was an interesting happening. A traffic cop intercepted a car near Tagore Hall and fined him Rs 2000 for some violation of the rules. Infuriated, the “victim” promised a response. Within an hour, he returned to the spot with his bulldozer – he was an SMC driver handling a bulldozer for removing encroachments and dismantling a booth from which the traffic cops were operating. These booths are technically encroachments but practically these are important spots for the cops. This triggered a mess and after a lot of controversies, the police registered a case and arrested three SMC officials who were later bailed out by the court.
SRINAGAR
SKUAST-K’s 15 students have secured Innovation Grant Funding Support as seed money from Jammu and Kashmir Science, Technology and Innovation Council. They are mentored by the university’s Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (SKIIE) Centre and Team IDP. They will use the grants for validating the proof of concept and turning their ideas into viable marketable products.
MUMBAI
Bollywood flick, Pathaan poster showing the lead actors including Shahrukh Khan, John Ibrahim and Deepika Padukone
Effectively and surely, the tinsel town is reviving its Kashmir love story. At a time when Shah Rukh Khan’s flick Pathaan is ruling the box office, Bollywood actors Deepika Padukone and Hrithik Roshan are in Kashmir. They are shooting Fighter. Directed by Siddharth Anand Fighter also involves other actors including Anil Kapoor, Karan Singh Grover, and Akshay Oberoi for decisive roles. The movie is planned to hit the theatres on January 25, 2024. In Kashmir, the actors will be seen in and around Dal Lake and Pahalgam to capture some action arrays and scenes of a song. The movie Fighter is anticipated to be India’s foremost aerial action franchise which will enact and display the bravery, slaughter, and patriotic sentiments of the Indian Army. Now Karan Johar is flying Alia Bhat to Srinagar – cancelling Switzerland, for shooting Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani.
SRINAGAR
Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi Reviews Security Situation In Kashmir
Lt General Upendra Dwivedi, the Northern Command chief said they are ready to give a befitting response to any Chinese aggression in Ladakh. Addressing the Northern Command Investiture Ceremony, the General said that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has brought forth many lessons such as the employment of disruptive and dual-use technologies. “On the LAC, our response to Chinese attempts to unilaterally change the status quo was a swift, undaunted and synergised action by the Indian Armed Forces. Any adverse aggressive designs or attempts will definitely be met with appropriate posturing of Forces and a strong intent with complete synergy among the three services,” he said. “I assure you that the LAC in Eastern Ladakh is being dominated by physical patrolling and through technical means and our territorial integrity is being ensured.”

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#Briefing #February
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

February 13, 2023
Pathaan: Brainless Entertainer

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Shah Rukh Khan’s flick, Pathaan tells the same old ‘Kashmir story’ that Bollywood has always showcased, with or without the bikini, reports Fahd Khan
Bollywood flick, Pathaan poster showing the lead actors including Shahrukh Khan, John Ibrahim and Deepika Padukone
Bollywood film Pathaan which is literally minting money revolves around an ex-army man turned RAW agent. He is the Pathaan, the main protagonist of the flick played by Shah Rukh Khan. The Star cast includes John Abraham, who plays Khan’s arch-rival, Jim, the main villain. Deepika plays the role of an ISI agent Rubayi. The film tells the audience about how an amendment in the Indian constitution is infuriating its neighbour, Pakistan.
The film begins with the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 and its effects on a Pakistani general who, in an effort to exact revenge on India, hires the former RAW agent turned dreaded devil, Jim to carry out the mission of destroying India. Jim feels betrayed and dejected since his family was killed as a result of the terror organization holding him captive and torturing him during one of the missions he was leading as the government of India failed to give the ransom amount. Jim is joined by Rubayi, an ISI agent who works with him to complete the mission.
Pathaan, Jim, and Rubayi travel quickly across several nations to carry out their respective missions of destroying and saving the worlds they believe in.
Superstar Returns
The movie marks the return of the superstar Shah Rukh Khan to the big screen after a hiatus and his comeback is quite enough to pull the audience to the theatres. Shah Rukh Khan, who has been the heartthrob of Bollywood fans for his portrayal of Rahul and Raj in the romantic Yash Raj and Karan Johar directorials, finds his new place in the action genre. His evocative eyes and chiselled body manage to salvage the poor script and screenplay.
Pathaan is an ambitious and most hyped film of the year, thanks to the boycott gang for the free publicity. When the teaser and trailer of the film were released, it promised to be an out-and-out action film and provides what it had promised. For a long time in the pre-interval, the audience wonders about what is going on. Be it the high-octane action scenes on the streets of Dubai, or the flashbacks, people are unable to connect to the story as the movie is fast-paced.
Bad Story

The story is a hackneyed, idea that has bored people already. However, there are a couple of emotional scenes post-interval like the touching Afghanistan flashback sequence where Pathaan gets his name and the one where he saves India from the disaster. Betrayal and apologies like the typical Bollywood movies, the screenplay is loose and predictable at many points. Interestingly the hero and the villain, both are equally powerful which we hardly find in Indian movies. Both perform some never seen high-octane action scenes on a train and are a delight to watch. If Pathaan punches his villain, the villain punches him back. Salman Khan’s cameo as Tiger is the USP of the film, the whole theatre
turns into a stadium when you see two of the biggest superstars in one single
frame. Both perform some never seen high-octane action scenes on a train and are a delight to watch. The action scenes seem to be inspired by the Bond series or Tom Cruise’s Top Gun Maverick.
Shah Rukh Khan has played his part extremely well. Every time the screen lights up with his brilliant acting when he appears on the screen and he is looking more handsome than ever at 58. His dialogue delivery and emotions can be felt by the viewers.
It seems as though John Abraham was destined to play Jim because of his tough demeanour, muscular build, and eyes filled with vengeance. In some scenes, particularly the final one, one feels sorry for Jim and thinks that he should have been rescued. Nobody in Bollywood other than John could have provided the Pathaan with fierce competition. John as Jim gave the finest performance of his career.
Alluring Performance
Deepika as Rubayi has a certain allure of her own, and her action moments with Pathaan and Jim create a strong impression. She also shines in the emotional scenes and is at the hottest best. Her character may be seen to be inspired by Black Widow and many other female Hollywood characters.
Siddharth Annand’s direction is average. He has focused more on the action, and grandeur rather than quality and story. The film has been made on a huge scale; more than Siddharth’s previous film War. The director has not been able to do justice providing the star cast he had. There are a number of shortcomings in the story rather than good moments. Scenes like Pathaan beating Russian forces single-handedly is hardly digestible. The Afghanistan episode in the climax of the film is also predictable.
Shah Rukh Khan whose Red Chillies VFX company is known to have revolutionized Bollywood in terms of VFX and CGI fails terribly in Pathaan. Its VFX is done by Yash Raj itself and is too shabby. In many of the scenes, one could easily trace the shot having been filmed on the green screen but the fast pace prevents the general masses from locating the technical issues.
Film’s two songs – Besharam Rang and Jhoome Jo Pathaan make one groove to the music as its plays, credit goes to Vishal-Shekhar. Satchith Paulose’s cinematography is spectacular as they have captured the essence of exotic locations of France, Spain, and Russia.
Casey O’Neill, Craig Macrae and Sunil Rodrigues’s action is the highlights of the film and matches the global standards. The editor Arif Sheikh has tried to keep the film fast-paced and crisp.
The background music by Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara is the film’s soul that keeps one hooked to the seat. The BGM on villains’ entry encourages people to download the music.
On the whole, Pathaan is a brainless entertainer. Shah Rukh Khan fans who see his return after four years will watch it regardless of whether it has a plot or not. Given the situation in which the Depika’s bikini created such a huge fuss seems far-fetched as Pathaan supplements and compliments what the government did in Kashmir and how it wants to be conveyed.

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#Pathaan #Brainless #Entertainer
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

February 8, 2023