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A Mumbai Court rejects Salman’s plea with costs in Libel case against neighbour

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In a huge loss of face for Bollywood actor Salman Khan, a Mumbai court has rejected his interim plea for a ‘gag order’ in a defamation suit against his NRI neighbour, along with costs.

The verdict of Bombay City Civil and Sessions Court Judge A.H. Laddhad, rejecting Salman’s plea against his neighbour Ketan R. Kakkad, with social media giants like Google, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, Sandeep Phogat, Paras Bhat and Ujjwal Narain as parties, was pronounced on March 23 and the detailed order came out on Wednesday.

Judge Laddhad rejected Salman’s notice of motion awarding costs to Kakkad and disposed of the matter.

Referring to the alleged utterances against Salman by viewers on social media, the court said the plaintiff failed to explain that these pertained to him or how they related to him.

The judge also said on perusal of some of the social media posts/videos transcripts, he found that they were not “entirely not defamatory per se”.

The court referred to some of the posts like “rapists of nature”, “white terror”, “loot-atyachara, “naked dance by Miya Salman Khan”, “mega-corruption” etc. purportedly tweeted by Kakkad, and statements by some journalists comparing Salman with the Taliban, how the actor was “mafia”, “bully terrorising the locals”, “fudging records”, etc. that were produced by the actor’s team.

In contrast, the verdict noted that Kakkad had placed on record evidences like complaints and show-cause notices to Salman about the allegations of encroachments by the latter in his Panvel property, the 100-acres Arpita Farms, in public interest as a “whistle-blower”.

Incidentally, Kakkad has already complained about these to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other bigwigs in Maharashtra, but had got no respite nor allowed to enter his property which is adjacent at a higher level with Salman’s Arpita Farms since the past few years.

At the preliminary stage of the defamation suit, Judge Laddhad found Kakkad’s plea of justification as more probable than Khan’s prima facie case, as the former had come with specific material to defend himself.

The order mentions issues raised by Salman against his neighbour like building a gate to block Kakkad’s entry to his property to which there was no denial, accusing the actor of “raping mother nature” with illegal constructions on Arpita Farms, keeping wild animals illegally and more.

Plus, there were claims of links with the mafia ‘D-Company’ and keeping a “gang” of absconding don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar on his property, speculation of drug/child trafficking, organ trafficking, dead body found on his property, using explosives, influencing officials to stall Kakkad’s works, attempting to “communalise” the issue and connect Sushant Singh Rajput’s death with Khan’s Panvel property.

The verdict speaks of Kakkad’s social media statements of 265 acres of land sold to one company, political links extending to Dubai, Bahrain, grabbing not only his (Kakkad’s) money but of thousands of other NRIs, how Salman had invited former BJP Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar though Kakkad’s complaint against the actor was pending, comparisons with Emperor Babur or Emperor Aurangzeb, but the court said it was not clear nor was Khan’s name mentioned.

On the Rajput death episode, the court said that Kakkad was expressing his opinion but he had not named Salman, his farmhouse or that the actor was involved in the (Rajput) death case.

During the hearings, the judge noted that the social media giants and the others had pleaded how they were unnecessarily dragged into the Kakkad matter by Salman though they had nothing to do with both the parties and had sought their names to be deleted, as the case became one of the most avidly-monitored globally.

Stung by the contentions of Salman, Kakkad later indicated that he is contemplating filing a counter-defamation case against the actor and is seeking legal advice in the matter.

Bollywood

Subhash Ghai shares how Aamir Khan brought dignity to Hindi cinema with his film ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’

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Mumbai, July 4: Veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai took to social media to shower praise on Aamir Khan for his continued efforts to elevate the stature of Hindi cinema.

Lauding his decision to release ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ in theatres and hold off on its OTT release for six months, Ghai called it a move that brings “dignity to Hindi cinema.” In his heartfelt note, the director expressed his happiness at how exhibitors across the country honoured Aamir as a “brave filmmaker” for supporting the big-screen experience and showing deep respect for theatrical business.

Sharing a photo featuring Aamir Khan, Subhash Ghai wrote on Instagram, “Dear Aamir. You have done it again to bring dignity to Hindi cinema with your heartwarming film in cinema halls n pledging not to show it on small screen for six months. M glad that all India exhibitors honoured you as a brave film maker yesterday for respecting the business of big screens theatres too. Congratulations n blessings. @muktaa2cinemas @pvrcinemas_official @inoxmovies @cinepolismx @zeecinema @muktaartsltd.”

The makers of the Aamir Khan starrer have decided not to release the film on OTT platforms. The Multiplex Association of India had applauded the move, and Aamir Khan Productions later expressed their gratitude for the support. Sharing MAI’s statement on their official Instagram account, the production house wrote in the caption, “Grateful for the overwhelming love and support MAI (red heart emoji).”

In the statement, Kamal Gianchandani, who served as the President of MAI, had said, “Aamir Khan has always been a filmmaker who puts the audience first. His decision to bring Sitaare Zameen Par exclusively to cinemas is a significant show of confidence in theatres and the shared magic of the moviegoing experience. Indian exhibitors thank Aamir Khan for standing by theatres. As we continue to welcome audiences with renewed energy and world-class films, Sitaare Zammen Par will remain a shining example of cinema’s resilience and its irreplaceable magic.”

“Sitaare Zameen Par,” which also stars Genelia D’Souza, was a sequel to the 2007 hit film “Taare Zameen Par.” Directed by RS Prasanna, the sports drama hit theatres on June 20.

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Ranvir Shorey criticizes MNS workers for assaulting a Gujarati shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi

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Mumbai, July 3: Bollywood actor Ranvir Shorey took to social media to strongly condemn the actions of MNS workers who allegedly assaulted a Gujarati shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi.

Expressing his outrage, the actor called the incident shameful and unacceptable. He also tagged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in his post. The ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ actor took to his X handle to post a video that captured members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) allegedly attacking a restaurant owner in Mumbai’s Mira Road area over his inability to speak Marathi. Expressing his anger, Shorey described the incident as “disturbing” and voiced serious concerns about the current state of law and order in Maharashtra.

The actor tweeted, “This is sickening. Monsters on the loose, looking for attention and political relevance. Where’s L&O, @CMOMaharashtra @Dev_Fadnavis ?.” Ranvir also hit back at trolls in the comments section of his post, giving a sharp and fitting response to those who tried to criticise him. One user asked the actor, “Since how many years you now live in Maharashtra? How much effort have you taken to learn Marathi?”

In his reply, Ranvir Shorey said, “First, I’m not answerable to a hateful anonymous troll like you for any of these questions. Second, you’re really dumb if you think beating people up will make them learn and speak a language. And finally, if you do want to bring attention to the issue, there are more positive & constructive ways to bring about change, or even protest for political mileage, instead of beating hapless citizens who’re just trying to make a living!”

A video that went viral on social media showed a group of men visiting a shop to buy food. The situation turned violent when they allegedly attacked the shop owner for not speaking in Marathi. The men were seen wearing scarves associated with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

The incident took place in Bhayander, located in Maharashtra’s Thane district. It occurred shortly after the state government rolled back its decision to enforce a three-language policy, which had sparked criticism from the opposition.

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Singer Rochak Kohli shares how AI is empowering musicians

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Mumbai, July 3: Singer and composer Rochak Kohli, who is best known for his song, “Pani Da Rang,” believes that artificial intelligence is not a threat to musicians but a powerful tool that can enhance creativity.

In an exclusive interview with media, the singer shared his thoughts on the evolving role of AI in music. Kohli said he regularly uses AI for generating musical ideas, exploring new instruments, and staying updated with global trends. Rochak even admitted to creating videos using AI for his independent channel, adding that he sees it as a helpful resource rather than something to fear.

“I see AI as a tool—nothing more, nothing less. I use it quite a bit myself. Whether it’s for musical ideas, discovering new instruments, or global trends, it’s very useful. I’ve even made videos using AI on my independent channel. Rather than a threat, I think AI is empowering musicians.”

When asked about the growing remix trend in today’s music industry and whether he prefers original compositions or finds them risky, the singer shared, “Original compositions bring true satisfaction. When there’s a demand for a remix, we carefully consider the song, the reason behind it, and whether it adds value. Nowadays, people don’t accept remixes the way they did a decade ago, and I think that’s a positive shift—original music is finally getting its due.”

Talking about his new album, “Aap jaisa Koi,” Rochak stated, “I’ve composed two songs in this album—Jab Tu Sajan and Dhuaan Dhuaan, which is an intense track. The sequence of songs was a deliberate choice. We used a part of Jab Tu Sajan as a bridge into Dhuaan Dhuaan to ensure the emotional flow remained seamless and cohesive for the listener.”

Rochak Kohli added, “After a long time, I had the opportunity to work on a project where music played a pivotal role. Our first song, Jab Tu Sajan, was shot in a very unique style. It felt really good to see music being given its due importance again.”

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