Shobha Gurtu (1925–2004) was an Indian singer in the light Hindustani classical style. Though she had equal command over pure classical style, it was with light classical music that she received her fame, and in time came to be known as the Thumri Queen, and for the 'Abhinaya' sung in her full-throated voice.
Provoked is a 2006 British biographical drama film, directed by Jag Mundhra. It stars Aishwarya Rai, Naveen Andrews, Miranda Richardson, Robbie Coltrane, Nandita Das and Steve McFadden. The film is loosely based on the true story of Kiranjit Ahluwalia, who unintentionally killed her abusive husband.
Sehar is a 2005 Indian crime drama film directed by Kabeer Kaushik, starring Arshad Warsi and Mahima Chaudhry, Sushant Singh and Pankaj Kapur. The film depicts organized crime in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, and how the State Police worked to tackle it. It shows the turbulent journey of Ajay Kumar, a newly appointed 31-year-old SSP of Lucknow, played by Arshad Warsi, instrumental in bringing together a group of committed police officers under the aegis of Special Task Force.
Laila Rouass is a British actress. She is best known for her portrayals of Amber Gates in Footballers' Wives (2004–2006) and Sahira Shah in Holby City. She has also starred in Primeval and Spooks and been a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, in which she finished fourth.
Nandita Das is an Indian actress and film maker. She has acted in over 40 feature films in ten different languages. Das appeared in the films Fire (1996), Earth (1998), Bawandar (2000), Kannathil Muthamittal (2002), Azhagi (2002),Kamli (2006), and Before The Rains (2007). Her directorial debut Firaaq (2008), premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and travelled to more than 50 festivals, winning more than 20 awards. Her second film as a director was Manto (2018). Based on the life of 20th Century Indo-Pakistani short story writer Sadat Hasan Manto, the film was screened at Cannes Film Festival in the "Un Certain Regard" section. In September 2019, Das produced a two-minute Public Service Announcement music video India's Got Colour. The music video is about the issue of colourism and urges the audience to celebrate India's diversity of skin colour. Her first book, 'Manto & I', chronicles her 6-year long journey of making the film. She wrote, directed, produced and acted in a short film called, Listen to Her, that sheds light on the increase in domestic violence and overburden of work that women have been facing during the lockdown. Also sought petition seeking the commutation of the death sentence handed out to Ajmal Kasab.
Waqt is a 1965 Indian Hindi-language Bollywood drama film directed by Yash Chopra, produced by B. R. Chopra and written by Akhtar Mirza and Akhtar-Ul-Iman. It was included in the British Film Institute's long list of films in consideration for its top ten of Indian films award. Released in India on 30 July 1965, the film stars an ensemble cast of Sunil Dutt, Raaj Kumar, Shashi Kapoor, Sadhana Shivdasani, Sharmila Tagore, Balraj Sahni, Achala Sachdev, Rehman and Madan Puri. It pioneered the concept of Hindi films with multiple stars.
Welcome to Sajjanpur is a 2008 Indian Hindi comedy film directed by Shyam Benegal and starring Shreyas Talpade and Amrita Rao in the lead roles. The film is by noted Parallel cinema director, Shyam Benegal, marking his return to comedy after filming Charandas Chor (1975). Even though Benegal is responsible for other films in the parallel cinema genre, this film was one of his mainstream Bollywood films. It was a remake of the 1977 film Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein. The film was both critically and commercially successful.
Jagmohan "Jag" Mundhra was an Indian director, producer, and screenwriter, best known for his early career as an American exploitation film writer-director.
The Gurjar agitation in Rajasthan were a series of protests in Rajasthan state, India, during 2008, and in later years. Violence erupted in the state of Rajasthan on 23 May 2008 when police fired on protesters belonging to the Gurjar caste who were demanding a Special status under India's reservation system. In retaliation, the protesters lynched a policeman in the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan. In response, police shot at protesters as they tried to damage railway lines and government property. At least 15 were killed on the spot.
Saadhika Randhawa, also known as Saadhika, is an Indian actress. She has mainly appeared in Hindi language Bollywood movies and has also worked in several regional language movies including in Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi & Bhojpuri movie industry.
Firaaq is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language drama film written and directed by Nandita Das. It is set one month after the 2002 violence in Gujarat, India and looks at the aftermath in its effects on the lives of everyday people. It claims to be based on "a thousand true stories". Firaaq means both separation and quest in Arabic. The film is the directorial debut of actress Nandita Das and stars Naseeruddin Shah, Deepti Naval, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Inaamulhaq, Nassar, Paresh Rawal, Sanjay Suri, Raghubir Yadav, Shahana Goswami, Amruta Subhash and Tisca Chopra.
Ravi Jhankal is an Indian television, stage and film actor, mostly known for working in Shyam Benegal's films, including Welcome to Sajjanpur (2008) and Well Done Abba (2010) and for the role of P. V. Narasimha Rao in Pradhanmantri . He is also part of Surnai, Mumbai-based theatre group.
Bhanwari Devi is an Indian social-worker from Bhateri, Rajasthan, who was gang raped in 1992 by men angered by her efforts to prevent a child marriage in their family. Her subsequent treatment by the police, and court acquittal of the accused, attracted widespread national and international media attention, and became a landmark episode in India's women's rights movement.
Bhanwari Devi was a 36-year-old auxiliary nurse midwife.
Vishaka and Ors. v State of Rajasthan was a 1997 Indian Supreme Court case where various women's groups led by Naina Kapur and her organisation, Sakshi filed Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the state of Rajasthan and the central Government of India to enforce the fundamental rights of working women under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India. The petition was filed after Bhanwari Devi, a social worker in Rajasthan, was brutally gang raped for stopping a child marriage.
Phoolan Devi is a 1985 Bengali action movie directed by Ashok Roy and produced by Rajeev Kaul. This movie was loosely based on the life of Indian bandit turned politician Phoolan Devi. The film was released in Hindi under the name Kahani Phoolvati Ki'. Popular hero of the Bollywood movies, Joy Mukherjee played the role of main antagonist.
Virata Parvam is a 2022 Indian Telugu-language period romantic action drama film written and directed by Venu Udugula, and produced by Suresh Productions and SLV Cinemas. The film stars Sai Pallavi and Rana Daggubati while Priyamani, Nandita Das, Naveen Chandra, Zarina Wahab, Easwari Rao, and Sai Chand play supporting roles. Set in Telangana region in the 1990s amidst the Naxalite movement, the film tells the story of Vennala (Pallavi), a young woman who is in pursuit of her love with Ravi Shakar (Daggubati), a Naxal leader.
The Pararia mass rape was an incident of caste-based violence that affected several regions of Bihar, India, between the 1980s and 1990s. The incident took place in the village of Pararia, located 30 km (19 mi) from the temple town of Deoghar. Women from 26 families were gang-raped by a group of the Bihar Police Force. The victims were Yadav, a caste classified as Other Backward Class.
Pushpa Impossible is an Indian television drama series produced by Jamnadas Majethia under Hats Off Productions. The series stars Karuna Pandey Vaidya in the title role and premiered on 6 June 2022 on Sony SAB and digitally streams on SonyLIV.
