Latest news with #Mani
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
KC(M) to seek more seats in upcoming Kerala civic body polls
Kottayam: Kerala Congress (Mani) will be seeking more seats in the upcoming civic body polls, said party chairman Jose K Mani. He ruled out reviewing the party's political alliance and played down LDF candidate's loss in Nilambur byelection stating that it wasn't a mandate against govt. KC(M)'s state secretariat meeting to assess the situation post-Nilambur bypolls was held at the party headquarters here on Friday. Speaking on the occasion, Mani said his party was politically entitled to contest more seats in civic body polls. KC(M) assigned respective district presidents to discuss the matter with the LDF leadership in each district, he said. The party is taking the civic body polls with utmost seriousness and will be assigning state-district leaders to strengthen the work right from panchayat wards, he added. Mani dismissed reports of talks being held with UDF. He said the statements about widening UDF surfaced due to its lack of confidence. "Nilambur election results cannot be seen as a political mandate for UDF. The result from a constituency where UDF has deep roots won't affect the possibilities of LDF govt's continuation after the next elections," he said. LDF accepts Nilambur results and will improve its activities, he added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like One of the Most Successful Investors of All Time, Warren Buffett, Recommends: 5 Books for Turning... Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Click Here Undo "KC(M) will be appointing an expert committee to conduct a comprehensive study on the needs of farmers and people living on hillsides. A manifesto that is prepared will be submitted to LDF," he said. The meeting found fault with Congress for wild animal attacks. "The obstacle to finding a permanent solution to wildlife attacks is the Forest and Wildlife Protection Act, which was enacted in 1972 when Congress was in power at Centre. State govt's move to enact a legislation to protect the lives and property of people from wildlife attacks should be expedited. Popular issues such as land title in hilly areas and issues of farmers who cannot cut trees from their own land should be resolved in a timely manner by coordinating various govt departments. Immediate steps should be taken to increase welfare pensions for the weaker sections. Steps should be taken to increase the support price of rubber to Rs 250 per kg," said Mani. The meeting, chaired by Mani, was attended by minister Roshy Augustine, vice-chairmen N Jayaraj, MLA, Thomas Chazhikadan, general secretary Stephen George, MLAs Pramod Narayan, Sebastian Kulathungal and former MLA Johnny Nelloor.
The Hindu
20 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Kerala Congress (M) to demand more seats from LDF in local body polls
The Kerala Congress (M) State secretariat, which met here on Friday, has decided to press for a larger share of seats from the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the upcoming local body elections. Asserting its political claim, the meeting entrusted district unit presidents with the task of initiating seat-sharing discussions with LDF leadership at the district level. The party also reviewed its grassroots election preparations and decided to intensify ward-level campaigns. To bolster these efforts, special responsibilities will be assigned to both district and State-level leaders. Fundraising strategies to support campaign activities were also evaluated during the session. Addressing the meeting, party chairman Jose K. Mani remarked that the United Democratic Front's (UDF) recent calls for front expansion reflect a deeper crisis of confidence. He dismissed the notion that the outcome of the Nilambur by-election could be seen as a political mandate for the UDF. On Nilambur verdict 'Nilambur has long been a UDF stronghold. This verdict does not in any way diminish the LDF's prospects for continued governance,' he said. 'We will take the outcome in stride and work to further improve the performance of both the government and the front.' To address the pressing concerns of farmers and high-range communities, the party will constitute an expert committee for a comprehensive study. A policy manifesto based on its findings will be presented to the LDF. Mr. Mani also pointed out that the biggest legislative obstacle in resolving human-wildlife conflict is the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, enacted during Congress rule at the Centre. He urged the State government to fast-track legal reforms, within constitutional limits, to safeguard the lives and property of people in affected regions. He further emphasised the need for timely resolution of land deed disputes in high-range areas, removal of restrictions preventing farmers from felling trees on their own land and other grassroots grievances through coordinated inter-departmental action. The party also called for urgent steps for a hike in welfare pensions for vulnerable sections and the implementation of a support price of ₹250 per kg for natural rubber. The meeting, chaired by Jose K. Mani, was attended by Minister Roshi Augustine, Vice Chairmen N. Jayaraj and Thomas Chazhikadan, and other senior leaders.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Ram Gopal Varma reveals he and Mani Ratnam don't like each other's films: 'He didn't listen to one idea of mine'
Filmmakers Ram Gopal Varma and Mani Ratnam are among the most renowned names in both South Indian and Bollywood cinema. In a recent interview with the MPower Podcast, RGV revealed that he and Mani don't like each other's films and explained why a future collaboration between them is unlikely. Ram Gopal Varma reveals why he and Mani Ratnam can't collaborate. RGV revealed that he is not really a fan of Nayakan and said, "Mani Ratnam doesn't like my films, and I don't like Mani's films. That's our relationship. Nayakan, for me, Kamal's performance was fine and some moments were good too, but overall as a film, I didn't like it. Not about Nayakan, Mani didn't influence me. Who influenced me was K. Balachander. In fact, recently I was watching one Tamil/Telugu film of his and I was surprised to see how similar my cuts are. Obviously, because I learned from him. The editing part, dialogue is so similar to mine, which means it came from there." Despite this, Mani and RGV collaborated on Gaayam and Thiruda Thiruda as co-writers, and Dil Se as co-producers. Talking about the collaborations, RGV said, "We like each other as people. I think we both wanted to make our own films. He didn't listen to one idea of mine, and I didn't listen to one idea of his. So we made our own films. He has got his unique way and I have my own style. So I think two creatively strong-minded people collaborating, it can't happen." Mani Ratnam and Ram Gopal Varma's recent and upcoming films Mani recently reunited with Kamal Haasan for the film Thug Life. The film, which also featured Trisha Krishnan, Ali Fazal, T.R. Silambarasan, Abhirami and more, failed to make a mark at the box office, collecting only ₹ 97.25 crore worldwide. The filmmaker is yet to announce his new project. Ram Gopal Varma, on the other hand, will be directing a movie titled Syndicate. Announcing the film, the filmmaker claimed that it would be "the biggest film ever" and vowed that it would "wash away all my cinema sins." Explaining the plot, he said that Syndicate would be about "a terrifying organisation which threatens the very existence of India."
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
‘Violence in cinema is a reflection of society'
You mentioned showing the film to Mani Ratnam and that he had a suggestion... I showed the film to both Mani (Ratnam) sir and Kamal sir. But the first person I screened it for was Joshiy sir. When the film was about 60% complete, I sought his feedback, and it proved valuable. Later, I showed the full version to Mani sir and Kamal sir. Interestingly, both of them pointed out that a scene I had removed would have added value to the film. I took their suggestion and reinstated the scene, which synced well with the rest of the film. After re-editing, I showed it to Karthik Subbaraj, who suggested another possibility, leading to one more round of editing. That version ultimately became the final cut. Do you think Pani didn't get the recognition it deserved? Many top directors, distributors, and producers from the Tamil industry appreciated the film, saying it should have done better at the box office. Perhaps it's destiny, but I believe our system played a role. Some people find it difficult to accept my success, having seen me struggle as a junior actor earning `50. Now, my salary is significantly higher and it's hard for them to digest that fact. The film was a labour of love, with 18 edit versions. It was a huge risk, with a big budget and newcomers. But I'm grateful it paid off. Had it failed, my career would have taken a massive hit. I invested two years of my life and `18 crore. I feel it deserved more appreciation. Did people close to you hesitate to appreciate the film? Don't you think the movie would have received a better response had the director's name been different? That's worth considering. As for the controversy with a reviewer, it's disheartening that no one stood up for me. And the media didn't give me a chance to share my side of the story. The villain in Pani was particularly intense and memorable. Have you ever met such a person in real life? I haven't met anyone exactly like that, but I've encountered many people with that shade of personality. I've seen people committing grave crimes over trivial matters. The character in Pani reflects that mindset... someone who doesn't care about consequences. You are known for your action sequences. How much do you enjoy doing action scenes? For me, action scenes are an extension of acting. I focus on the context, characters, and overall scene dynamics. Before performing an action sequence, I consider all these factors. When Joshiy sir cast me in Porinju Mariam Jose, I was surprised and had to rise to the challenge of doing an action sequence. The scene was shot in my hometown, with around 3,000 people watching, which added to the pressure. But I grew up watching fights. So it was easy for me... Have you encountered a fight in your real life? I've been beaten up and I've beaten up others too (laughs). There's a general perception that violence is increasing in films... Violence in cinema is a reflection of what's happening in society. People are getting bored with routine narratives. And they are in fact enjoying intense content. But if we're asking whether films are influencing real life, I'd say look around. The reality is far worse. While researching for Pani, I came across incidents that shook me. In one, a six-year-old was stamped to death near my own neighbourhood. Now, which film do we blame for such brutality? We're living in a time when violence is embedded in everyday life. In this context, I strongly believe the police need to take tougher action. The respect and fear that people once had for the police have eroded. Today, criminals show no remorse. They live comfortably in jail, eating chapatis and chicken, while schoolchildren are served kanji (gruel) and cereal. Harsh as it may sound, I believe such criminals should be dealt with firmly, even eliminated. Whether that belief is right or wrong, I don't know. Talk is that Joju's movies are dark. How do you view that? (Laughs) Some people call me 'Depression Star'. Such comments were made on stage too.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Jose K Mani urges Centre to reform Wildlife Act
Kottayam: Kerala Congress(M) chairman Jose K Mani emphasized that resolving human-animal conflicts requires amendments to the Wildlife Act by the central govt. Speaking on Saturday, the Rajya Sabha MP highlighted the Centre's inaction despite repeated requests from the Kerala state govt and MPs. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Mani pointed out a critical contradiction in the Wildlife Protection Act: while shooting wild animals entering human settlements isn't technically illegal, the forest department files non-bailable cases against those who do so. He stressed the need for clarity on this matter. The MP called for a central directive allowing the elimination of wildlife threatening human lives. Despite meeting with Union minister Bhupender Yadav (Environment, Forests and Climate Change) alongside other MPs to discuss this directive, no action has been taken by the central govt thus far. PTI
