Chiranjeevi fans take out rally in Vizag

Vizag: Fans of actor Chiranjeevi took out a rally from Poorna Market to Dabagardens via Jagadamba on Tuesday urging him to plunge into active politics.

M. Raghava Rao, president of Mega Star Fans’ Sangham and its general secretary P. Sarath Kumar and treasurer T.S. Dorabbai led the procession.

“We sincerely appeal to him to join politics as he is a man of commitment and has lot of love and affection for the oppressed and neglected sections. He has been doing good work through blood bank and other charitable projects founded by him,” V. Satish Kumar, a Chiranjeevi fan, said.

Former DGP to support ChiranjeeviFormer DGP to support Chiranjeevi

HYDERABAD: Tollywood superstar Chiranjeevi would get a strong supporter in M V Bhaskar Rao, former director general of police, when he launches his proposed political party next month.

"I will join hands with him. I have briefed him on the situation of backward classes in the state in the past. What he is planning to do is the need of the hour," said Rao, who flirted briefly with politics 10 years ago. "The two castes —Reddys and Kammas— that together constitute only 10 per cent of the state population, have been cornering over 50 per cent of the political power and behaving like maharajas. The political monopoly of these castes should end and make way for political and social equality," he said.

Rao, angry over the insulting treatment of the then government, resigned from his job as Director General Civil Defence in 1997 to start a political outfit, Andhra Nadu. He was then left with three years of service. Andhra Nadu fought the Lok Sabha elections in 1998 and Assembly polls the following year and lost steam. It subsequently merged with the Congress.

A strong votary of power sharing by all sections of the society, Rao does not cherish the idea of reservation and preferential treatment given to under-privileged groups. He describes sops such as Rs 2-a-kg rice as dole that is given to the African Americans in the U.S. It is this behaviour that smacks of feudal mindset which should not be accepted in a democracy like ours. "Why should you give them dole? Why shouldn’t you increase their abilities to earn decent living? It is so because the ruling classes would want to continue their political monopoly," he said.

Chiranjeevi fan is Guntur district YC chief

A day after the ransacking of district Congress office by angry Youth Congress (YC) workers over appointment of some realtors to key posts in the party, state YC president TJR Sudhakara Babu has confirmed the appointment of Dasari Kiran Kumar as Guntur district YC chief, saying that all-India YC president Ashok Tanvar has cleared the name of Kiran for the post.

Sources said though the district party leadership wanted to take action against those who led the attack, it backtracked following the intervention of Tenali MP Balasoury, who has been instrumental in installing Kiran, the Chiranjeevi Yuvatha president, as district YC chief. Party district president Muppalaneni Seshagiri Rao too provided the respite to the disgruntled youth leaders by saying that there was no need to lodge a police complaint against the party workers.

Chitchat with Prabhas

Prabhas, the young rebel star, celebrates his birthday today (October 23). For the first time he is celebrating with fans coming from all over the state. On this occasion, he met the media and shared his feelings. Excerpts from the interview with him.

Q: What are the new decisions or resolutions you have taken for this birthday?

A: No specific resolutions but I want to do more entertaining movies from now on. Personally, I have always been very silent person and not meddling in anyone’s business.

Q: You are continuously doing action-oriented movies. What is the reason?

A: I did experiment with some films. And you know the results (laughs). People like to see me in them and at the same time, I like to do such films too. When people like it, we have to cater to them. I did Chakram and Porunami for variations but they are miserably failed.

Q: Most of yours film has mother sentiment. Any special reason?

A: It is happening without design. From “Eeshwar, Chatrapathi to Yogi”, it happened accidentally but it’s not a deliberate attempt. To be frank, I don’t like sentimental movies.

Q: You have acted in 9 films so far. What is your analysis of them?

A: Chatrapati is my best film. It won me good name as artiste and as well as brought big commercial break. I genuinely believe it is the only film that I gave maximum.

Q: What are the criteria for selecting a movie?

A: I look at director and producer. It is important to have a good director and a reliable producer too. I had some bad experiences in couple of films from production side. Script is also important.

Q: Do you involve in other aspects of film?

A: I don’t involve in story discussions or anything. Once I like the story, I work according to the director. Heroine selection is also not my choice.

Q: Will you be doing a mythological role?

A: I love to do them. But it should happen. May be Rajamouli might plan this.

Q: What about acting with your pedananna?

A: My Pedananna (Krishnamraju) is planning a film with me next year. Script work is going on.

Q: Tell us about Bujjigaadu?

A: It is a complete family entertainer. It is Puri Jagannadh kind of movie. Both of us have become good friends already. I can’t say more than that. Shooting will commence from November.

Q: When are you going to get married?

A: My brother should get married first. My marriage can wait.

Q: Your favourite co-star

A: Shriya.

Q: But you did work with Trisha in three films?

A: She is the choice of my director. Not mine.

Akshaya Movies Album

Indian American student sues New York police

New York(IANS) A civil liberties group has sued the New York Police Department (NYPD) on behalf of an Indian student who was detained in July while photographing a subway station here.

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) filed the suit Thursday in the district court of Manhattan, alleging that police officers unlawfully handcuffed Arun Wiita, 26, a Columbia University graduate student.

Wiita was spotted using a digital camera near 207th Street and Tenth Avenue in Manhattan.

A resident of New Jersey, Wiita is seeking compensatory damages and reimbursement of legal fees.

"I was surprised and upset that I could be handcuffed on the street for taking a photograph," Wiita said. "What was really disheartening was that I knew this has probably happened before and that it could happen again to anyone."

"Wiita's arrest came within hours of his having embarked on a carefully planned 10-day project to photograph all 468 subway stations in New York," the lawsuit read.

"Though he was subsequently released without formal charges, Wiita was humiliated and confused by the arrest, and he believes that he was targeted in part because of his South Asian or Middle Eastern appearance," the lawsuit added. Wiita's mother is from India. He was born in the US.

Earlier this year, the police settled a suit brought by NYCLU on behalf of an award-winning documentary maker Rakesh Sharma, who was detained for filming with a handheld camera on a Manhattan street.

As a result, the mayor's office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting twice revamped its rules regarding the use of cameras on streets, parks or public property, tailoring them to apply only to potentially disruptive movie and television productions.

Police sources said officers question people photographing the city's rail infrastructure on "rare occasions", citing instances in which law enforcement officials have identified Iranian intelligence agents and suspected Pakistani terrorists taking photographs of the Brooklyn and Williamsburg bridges.

Aishwarya at Longiness Event Album