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Bhumi speaks up for gender-neutral performing arts awards

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Hours after Brian May, the guitarist of the British rock group Queen, slammed the decision of the Brit Awards management to do away with gender-specific awards, Bollywood actress Bhumi Pednekar came out in support of the move, saying that it is time human beings started celebrating artistes irrespective of the gender they belong to.

The Brit Awards, which celebrate the best in British and international music, have replaced Best Male/Female Solo Artiste of the Year and Best International Male Solo/Female Solo Artiste of the Year with two gender-neutral categories — Best Artiste and Best International Artiste of the Year, respectively.

Pednekar, who is known to articulate her opinions on gender and environmental issues, says that society needs to be more open to the reality that’s unfolding each day.

Batting for inclusivity, Pednekar said: “I have always felt that gender must not be important to determine the value of an artiste’s skill or creation. Artistes should be celebrated solely because of their body of work and not by how they choose to identify themselves.”

Almost echoing the sentiments of the best-selling ‘genderqueer’ English Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Sam Smith’s concern that the award categories ruled out non-binary artistes like him, Pednekar said: “People are identifying with diverse genders and we just can’t turn a blind eye to this reality.”

Pednekar praised the Brit Awards management for “doing away with gendered awards” and said: “We have to ensure that our society acknowledges gender diversity. I laud the Brit Awards. It is a step in the right direction and shows across the world will soon follow suit.”

She added a note of caution, saying the journey towards more inclusivity must not come at the price of representation. “We should also keep in mind that while we try to be more inclusive, it should not lead to less representation or less inclusion of genders in a world that is governed by the binary lens. That would be counterproductive to equality.”

Most recently, the Berlin Film Festival awarded its first-ever gender-neutral Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance to Maren Eggert for her role in the German sci-fi romance, ‘I’m Your Man’.

The Gotham Awards, which will be held on Monday, November 29, also announced that their best actor and best actress prizes will be combined into a single lead performance category.

Bollywood

Mumbai Crime Branch Issues LOC Against Lawrence Bishnoi Aide Harry Boxer For Threatening Actor Ranveer Singh

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Mumbai: The Mumbai Crime Branch issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Harichandra alias Harry Boxer, a key alleged member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, in connection with a threat issued to Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh. The action follows a preliminary investigation into a threatening voice note and extortion demand received by the actor’s manager, police officials confirmed, Media reported on Saturday.

According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, the voice note was sent from an American phone number and demanded a ransom of Rs 20 crore. In an earlier development, Mumbai Police sources had indicated that the actor allegedly received a death threat along with an extortion demand of Rs 10 crore from members linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

A senior police official said the threatening message was received on the WhatsApp number of Ranveer Singh’s manager. The sender identified himself as ‘Harry Boxer’ in the audio message. Following this, the Crime Branch sent the voice note for verification to agencies in Punjab and Haryana, while also initiating official communication with US authorities to gather technical details related to the foreign number used to send the threat.

During the preliminary probe, investigators found that Harry Boxer, described as a close aide of the Bishnoi gang, allegedly sent the voice note. Initial findings suggest that the voice in the message matches that of Boxer, although officials stressed that further corroborative evidence is being collected to conclusively establish his involvement.

Police sources further revealed that the threatening message was sent shortly after a recent firing incident outside the residence of filmmaker Rohit Shetty, raising concerns about a possible pattern of intimidation linked to high-profile personalities.

In response to the threat, security arrangements around Ranveer Singh’s residence in Mumbai have been tightened as a precautionary measure. The Crime Branch has recorded the statement of the actor’s manager and continues to examine digital and forensic evidence related to the case.

Officials clarified that while no formal FIR has been registered so far, a preliminary inquiry is underway. Further action will be decided based on the outcome of ongoing verification and evidence collection, police confirmed.

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Bollywood

Actor Ranveer Singh Receives Death Threat, Rs 10 Crore Extortion Demand Linked To Bishnoi Gang

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Mumbai : Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh has allegedly received a death threat and an extortion demand of Rs.10 crore from members of the Bishnoi gang, according to Mumbai Police sources.

A senior Mumbai Police official said the threat was sent via a voice note from an American number. The Crime Branch has initiated contact with the concerned agency in the United States through official protocol to obtain details about the number used to send the message.

During the preliminary investigation, the Mumbai Crime Branch found that one of the close aides of the Bishnoi gang, identified as Harry Boxer, allegedly sent the voice note threatening the actor and demanding Rs.10 crore. The voice message was reportedly received on the WhatsApp number of Ranveer Singh’s manager.

Primary findings of the Crime Branch suggest that the voice in the note matches that of Harry Boxer. However, officials said further evidence is being collected to substantiate the claim.

According to investigators, the threatening voice note was sent after the recent firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence. The message was received on the manager’s mobile phone following that incident.

After the threat surfaced, security around Ranveer Singh has been tightened. The Crime Branch has recorded the statement of the actor’s manager and is continuing its inquiry.Police officials clarified that no FIR has been registered in the matter so far, but a preliminary inquiry has been initiated.

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Salim Khan hospitalised following complaints of swelling

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Mumbai, Feb 17: Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan of Salim-Javed, has been rushed to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. His elder son, Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, daughters Alvira Khan Agnihotri and Arpita Khan and the actor Aayush Sharma were seen arriving at the hospital.

Salman left the shooting in Madh Island and went to meet his father. Reportedly, Salim Khan has complained of swelling.

Salim Khan celebrated his 90th birthday in November last year, which coincided with the demise of Dharmendra.

Salim Khan moved to Mumbai in the 1950s and initially worked as a film extra and supporting actor in Hindi cinema. His acting career was limited, but it led him to scriptwriting. In the late 1960s, Salim Khan partnered with Javed Akhtar, forming Salim–Javed, one of the most influential screenwriting teams in Indian cinema. Between 1971 and 1982, they wrote a series of commercially successful and culturally influential films, including ‘Andaz’, ‘Seeta Aur Geeta’, ‘Zanjeer’, ‘Yaadon Ki Baaraat’, ‘Deewaar’, ‘Sholay’, ‘Trishul’, ‘Don’, and ‘Kaala Patthar’. Their work helped establish the template of the Hindi commercial film driven by strong narratives, dialogue, and a central male protagonist.

Salim Khan was primarily responsible for story development and screenplay structure within the duo. Their scripts significantly shaped the careers of actors such as Amitabh Bachchan. After the partnership ended in the early 1980s, Salim Khan continued to write independently but with fewer releases. He is the father of actors Salman Khan, Arbaaz Khan, and Sohail Khan, and film producer Alvira Khan Agnihotri is his daughter. Salim Khan has received multiple industry honors for lifetime contribution to Hindi cinema, including Filmfare and IIFA recognition for Salim–Javed’s body of work.

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