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Showing posts from May, 2017

Sachin: A Billion Dreams: A glorified account of an over-glorified celeb

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Like his book, Tendulkar’s biopic is a nostalgic cruise through his career As I walked out of the cinema hall after watching Sachin: A Billion Dreams, I wondered: Would I have thought differently of this biopic had I not known anything about the person it is based on? James Erskine’s documentary on one of the most celebrated cricketers in the world – one who has achieved a near-deific status in India – went along expected lines. But was that because I, like many Indians and cricket followers around the world, already knew so much about Sachin Tendulkar? How would someone living under a rock for the last quarter of a century, and did not know who Tendulkar was, have liked it? Sachin: A Billion Dreams  starts off rather nicely, showing us a naughty curly-haired boy of seven or eight years living in Mumbai’s Bandra suburb, getting up to the usual seven-or-eight-year-old boy things like annoying his neighbours with pranks. The boy then receives a cricket bat as a gift from hi...

You don't have to be a cricket fan to love 'Sachin: A Billion Dreams'

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Tendulkar comes across in the film as guileless and driven There is something about Sachin Tendulkar, something so correct and so innocent you want him to win in life even when you know he is no more the 'God' of the cricket field. The rousing farewell speech that Sachin gives at the end of this astutely emotional journey into the heart and mind of India's most celebrated Bat Man, left me dewy-eyed. This, when I know zilch about cricket and practically nothing about Sachin's exploits on the field. What I do know "and what this film is able to tell us in comprehensive strokes of revelation" is that greatness is not thrust on the great by chance. One has to break bones and crack ribs to get there. " Sachin: A Billion Dreams " is the story of a national hero who sails through every crisis with his simple philosophy of good existence and hard work. Sachin's life is blameless. He has never been in any controversy and he doesn't incite ...

Saharanpur protests herald a new phase in Uttar Pradesh's dalit politics

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BJP is making inroads among Dalits but at the same time, Dalits come together when they are attacked [People from the Dalit community hold a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday] Saharanpur, a district known for its woodcraft products in western UP, is in the news for two caste and communal incidents, involving clashes with Dalits. The ongoing  Dalit Protest  in the district, which has now reached the capital New Delhi, suggests a new phase in Dalit politics in UP, closely related to the declining fortunes of the BSP, and efforts by the BJP to bring the Dalits into the ambit of its more socially inclusive Hindutva strategy. Dalit politics has been through a number of phases in UP related to the strategies pursued by the BSP and rapid social change in the state in recent decades. In the 1990s the construction of Dalit identity by BSP leaders Kanshiram and Mayawati, promoted a radical, anti-upper caste politics, demanding self-respect and dignity. The BSP was ...

UK attack: 19 dead after explosion at Ariana Grande concert in Manchester

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The blasts reportedly went off at the end of the concert near the box office area of the venue At least 19 people have been killed and 50 injured in an explosion which is treated as a "terrorist incident", at a pop concert by US star Ariana Grande in the Manchester city in the  UK Attack  , police said today. "Police were called to reports of an explosion at Manchester Arena. So far 19 people have been confirmed dead with around 50 others injured," Greater Manchester Police said in a statement. "This is currently being treated as a terrorist incident until police know otherwise," the statement said. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud "bang" from inside the venue, which was playing host to a concert by American pop star Ariana Grande. Video footage from the scene showed bloodied victims being helped by emergency services. Also Read :  Manchester blast: Singer Ariana Grande tweets she is 'broken' and sorry Grande is safe...

Will Thalaiva take the plunge? Rajinikanth politics in Movie-mad Tamil Nadu

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Rajinikanth’s comments to his fans were as cryptic as Kamalahaasan’s comments on state politics Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Sharath Kumar, Vijayakanth…take your pick. In movie-mad Tamil Nadu, the transition from a film actor/director to politics is effortless. And, the latest chatter is about  Rajinikanth  joining politics. This is not the first time. Before the 2009 general election, a gathering of diehard Rajini fans converged at a small temple in Rajapalayam to pray that their icon get a divine message and join politics. With the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in a shambles after Jayalalithaa’s death and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam seemingly powerless in wresting power, the state is sensing a leadership vacuum. Rajinikanth, once a bus conductor in Karnataka, who then made good in Tamil Nadu’s film industry, was supposed to meet fans from April 12 to 16. This meeting, for fans to get themselves photographed with the legendary actor, would have been the fir...

More job cuts in India? Cognizant to expand local hiring in US

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Firm to prune domestic costs through initiatives such as voluntary separation Cognizant Technology Solutions plans to sharply increase local hiring in the US this year with increased demand for co-innovation and on-site presence from clients. The Nasdaq-listed technology services major said it would look at talent across local community colleges to big management universities to man different projects in the US. Last month, when the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services opened the window for applications,  Cognizant  applied for "less than half" H1B visas compared with last year. "We are evolving our workforce and delivery in the United States. Cognizant hired 4,000 US citizens in 2016, and in 2017 and beyond, we expect to significantly ramp up our US based workforce by hiring experienced professionals in the open market and by making more use of university programmes. We are shifting our workforce largely in response to clients' increasing nee...