Latest news with #Mukhopadhyay
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
2024 KIFF film caught in censor crosshairs
1 2 3 Kolkata: A Bengali film, screened at Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) last year and based on what happens when relics of an ancient temple get unearthed underneath a mosque before an election, has been caught in a censorship row. Verbal observations have been made about scenes with a cow and dialogues referring to Hindus. While the director alleged that CBFC has not revealed in writing the reasons for delaying the censorship certificate, sources at the censor office say protocol has been followed and the film has been sent to the chairman keeping the director in the loop. Arka Mukhopadhyay's 'Kalponik' stars Rajatava Dutta, Shahidur Rehman and Satakshi Nandy. The application to CBFC was submitted on June 6 with a verbal request to view the film as soon as possible so that it can be released on the decided date by the producers. "A board was formed and the film was viewed on June 22," Mukhopadhyay said. According to the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, time limits are applicable for certification under various circumstances. Going by this, a maximum of 48 days are required before a certificate is issued. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like So sánh mức trượt giá: Hợp đồng tương lai (CFD) Bitcoin vs Ethereum IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo No production house is supposed to announce a film's release date before it gets the certificate in hand. A June application can never target a July 11 release date if CBFC has to follow its protocol. Besides, it is not keeping into account that there could be disagreements over cuts. "An examining panel has watched the film. A show-cause notice has been sent to the director with recommendations for sending the film to the revising committee," said a source. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata But repeated calls, messages to regional officer of CBFC did not yield any response. According to Mukhopadhyay, CBFC's oral hearing had observations on three scenes. Though the film touches upon subjects like how parties are deliberately confusing mythology and history in contemporary India, no observations were made regarding this during hearing. "Neither was anything mentioned about how the film targeted the right wing," Mukhopadhyay said. But there was an observation about a scene where a teacher in a remote Bengal village asks her students their language, country and religion. "To this, the students mention Hindi, Hindusthan and Hindu. At the hearing, it was told that you won't play the film only in Kolkata. In non-Bengali speaking localities, people might get offended if they watch this portion," Mukhopadhyay said. The second observation was regarding a cow scene where a journalist, in her attempt to stay ahead of the game, stages a photo shoot where a cow is shown being perched up on a tree. The third observation is Dutta's monologue at the end. "For the cow scene, my inspiration was footage of a journalist standing neck deep in the floods to get exclusive footage. At the hearing, CBFC had observations about why I do not yet have a certificate from Animal Welfare Board of India. Though nothing was mentioned about the cow, my team member at the hearing didn't get a good vibe. Everything was verbal. I am in the dark and despite repeated emails, I do not have anything in writing about the concerns they raised," Mukhopadhyay added.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Time of India
Cops quiz vice-principal, may question union head
Kolkata: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the gang rape questioned the vice-principal of the college after the call record details of prime accused Monojit Mishra revealed a call went to her a day after the crime. "However, the content of that conversation remains unclear to us. Whether Mishra confessed to the crime is something we want to know from her. We also want to know if he wanted to know about the survivor's movements or her exact address," said a police source. When contacted, TOI did not get any response from the vice-principal. The SIT is also gearing up to question the general secretary of the college, a second-year student. According to the FIR, on the day of the rape, when the complainant was preparing to go home, the GS was with her. They both walked together to the college gate to go home. However, one of Mishra's associates, Zaib Ahmed, told them: "Brother is calling, there's something to discuss about the (TMCP) unit." You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata After that, the survivor was with the GS from 4 pm to 7:30 pm. Around 7:30 pm, the GS told her: "I am stepping out for a bit. I will return shortly." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo However, the complainant did not see her return till late into the night. "I will speak where it is appropriate," was the short answer from the GS when questioned by the media. "We are seeking five answers from her. One, where was she headed to. Two, why did she promise to return? Three, if so, why she failed to return. Four, Pramit Mukhopadhyay is extremely close to her. Hence, we want to know if she acted on instructions from either Mukhopadhyay or Mishra. Finally, we want to ascertain if she called up the survivor to know if she reached home safely," said an officer. Ahmed and Mukhopadhyay reportedly told cops that Mishra targeted the girl from the day she enrolled in her first year. He frequently talked about her. However, after various attempts failed to elicit a response, Mishra planned the assault. The other two students joined him in this scheme. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
They survived ice ages and hunted mammoths; so why did the Neanderthals suddenly disappear? Now a physicist blames something in the sky
Neanderthals have long puzzled scientists. These ancient relatives of modern humans thrived across Europe and parts of Asia for hundreds of thousands of years. But around 40,000 years ago, they disappeared, just as Homo sapiens spread across the same regions. What really caused their extinction remains one of human evolution's biggest mysteries. Now, a new and unusual theory suggests that space weather, not climate, competition, or disease, may have played a decisive role. A recent study by Dr. Agnit Mukhopadhyay, a space physicist from the University of Michigan , proposes that a powerful cosmic event known as the Laschamp excursion might have played a part in the Neanderthals' decline. The findings were published in the journal Science Advances. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Eat Ginger Everyday for 1 Month This is What Happens Tips and Tricks Undo The Laschamp event occurred about 41,000 years ago, when the Earth's magnetic poles temporarily flipped. During this brief reversal, the planet's magnetic field, which normally protects us from cosmic radiation, dramatically weakened for several centuries. Mukhopadhyay argues that this weakening may have exposed the Earth's surface to much higher levels of ultraviolet (UV) and cosmic radiation, particularly in some parts of the world. Live Events Radiation as a Hidden Killer? The core of the hypothesis is that Neanderthals, already living in small, isolated populations, may have been more vulnerable to this radiation than Homo sapiens. The study claims that Homo sapiens had tighter clothing, used red ochre as UV protection, and took shelter in caves helping them survive the radiation. Neanderthals, in contrast, might have lacked these protections. Computer simulations in the study even show that auroras, a sign of increased solar activity, might have been visible across much of the world during this time, proof, the author argues, of the heightened radiation environment. While the theory is bold and imaginative, many experts are skeptical. Researchers José-Miguel Tejero and Montserrat Sanz Borràs, writing for The Conversation, point out that the idea rests on shaky archaeological evidence. For example, it assumes that Neanderthals didn't wear fitted clothing. While it's true that no sewing needles have been found at Neanderthal sites, there is clear evidence that they processed animal hides and likely wore functional garments using other techniques, such as tying hides with leather cords or splinters. In fact, genetic studies of lice suggest that humans, possibly including Neanderthals, were already wearing clothes over 200,000 years ago. The absence of needles doesn't prove the absence of clothes. The study also claims that Homo sapiens used red ochre as sunblock. While experiments show that ochre can somewhat block UV rays, this claim is also disputed. Ochre was widely used by both Neanderthals and modern humans, often for symbolic or cosmetic reasons. There is no solid evidence that either group used it primarily for sun protection. Neanderthals are known to have used ochre for over 100,000 years. In one example, a painted scallop shell found in a Neanderthal cave in Spain shows their symbolic use of pigments long before Homo sapiens arrived in Europe. Most scientists believe that multiple factors caused the Neanderthals' disappearance. These include, interbreeding with Homo sapiens (evident in modern DNA), smaller populations that were more vulnerable to decline, limited long-range hunting tools, unlike the projectile weapons used by sapiens, Changing climate, and possibly, competition for resources. In this broader context, Mukhopadhyay's theory appears too narrow. Critics note that there is no archaeological evidence of a sudden, global collapse of Neanderthal populations tied to the Laschamp event. If radiation were such a major factor, it would have also harmed Homo sapiens populations living outside caves in sunny Africa, which doesn't seem to have happened. A Caution Against Oversimplification The Neanderthal story is complex. These early humans were not primitive brutes. They developed tools, built shelters, made symbolic objects, and survived in extreme climates for hundreds of thousands of years. They even lived through earlier magnetic reversals, such as the Blake event 120,000 years ago. Mukhopadhyay's theory adds an intriguing piece to the puzzle, but it's far from conclusive. So, did a shift in Earth's magnetic field doom the Neanderthals? Probably not. While the Laschamp event may have had some environmental impact, there's no strong evidence that it caused Neanderthal extinction . The theory suggests that the disappearance of Neanderthals was likely due to a mix of climate, biology, and human interaction.
Indian Express
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
A cold case, a TMC leader's film debut, and a burning question: What happened to Manisha Mukhopadhyay?
It is one of the most famous cold cases in West Bengal. One fine day in early September 1997, senior Calcutta University (CU) official Manisha Mukhopadhyay disappeared without a trace, leaving behind an elderly mother who believed her daughter's disappearance was linked to her proximity to Left Front bigwigs at the time and never gave up looking for her. Now, over a quarter of a century later, the story of Mukherjee's disappearance is set to come to the big screen in director Arindam Sil's next film Karpoor (Camphor) starring Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Kunal Ghosh and Bratya Basu, a state minister. While people involved in the film said Ghosh's character was loosely based on then CPI(M) state secretary Anil Biswas, one of the most powerful leaders at the time, Ghosh told The Indian Express, 'It is based on a political thriller. I am acting as the state secretary of a political party. But that doesn't mean that I am playing Anil Biswas. This is my debut film, and I asked Arindam to tutor me in the art of acting.' Mukhopadhyay was the assistant controller of examinations at Calcutta University, and this resulted in her proximity to frontline CPI(M) leaders at the time. According to her mother Chinu, who later moved court alleging that her daughter had been murdered, the CU official knew many secrets, and this was the reason for her disappearance. According to reports at the time, on the day of her disappearance, Mukhopadhyay was on her way from the city's Bhowanipore area to visit her parents in south Kolkata and got into a cab with her husband and nephew. After her husband alighted from the cab on the way, the CU official and her nephew continued on their way, but a few yards down the road, Mukhopadhyay told her nephew to get down from the taxi. He initially refused but eventually got down near the city's Golpark area, and the taxi sped away. That was the last time anyone saw Mukhopadhyay. The police struggled to make much headway, and the investigation subsequently stalled. Two years later, after Chinu Mukhopadhyay found some photographs among her daughter's belongings, the police again reopened the case. This time, the police received several reports of Mukhopadhyay being sighted, from an ashram in Purulia to Bodh Gaya to Assam. But no solid lead materialised, leaving the probe faltering again. Before entering politics, Ghosh was a political reporter and editor and, according to people in the TMC, used to be close to Anil Biswas. 'Kunal da was very close to many CPI(M) leaders, including Anil Biswas, and he saw Biswas closely. So, he is an ideal choice for the role,' said a senior TMC leader. Bratya Basu, the state education minister, will play a detective who investigates the case.
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Film with TMC netas to tell story of Calcutta University official Manisha Mukhopadhyay, who vanished like 'karpoor' in CPM era
KOLKATA: One of Bengal's enduring "political" mysteries - the 1997 disappearance of a senior Calcutta University official believed to have been close to seniors in the erstwhile Left Front regime - is going to come alive on silver screen, with several senior netas from other side of the political spectrum playing pivotal roles. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The storyline of the film 'Karpoor (Camphor)' revolves around the sudden disappearance of CU assistant controller of examinations Manisha Mukhopadhyay in Sept 1997. She left behind an elderly mother, who kept looking for her before giving up. Mukhopadhyay's appointment to a key post in the state's biggest university, her "proximity" to frontline CPM netas some of whom survive till this day and her sudden disappearance - just like camphor (karpoor in Bengali) - came to be seen in academic and political circles as representing the total politicisation of the education sys-tem under the LF regime. Politicians - from the party now in office in Bengal - play key roles in the film, adding to the chatter around the film. Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh plays the all-powerful state CPM secretary, Anil Biswas, and state education minister Bratya Basu enacts the role of a former homicide section officer-in-charge posted at Lalbazar, the Kolkata Police headquarters. "The movie bears a resemblance with an interesting case. The retired police officer recounts how he probed the case and the obstacles he faced," Basu said about his role. Actor Saheb Chattopadhyay plays a character having "shades of" current LF chairman Biman Bose but TMC spokesperson Ghosh's performance as the soft-spoken, mild-mannered Biswas - credited for CPM's durability and its all-steamrolling "party machinery" - may be the most keenly watched. Ghosh has often expressed his admiration for Biswas's political acumen. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'Crime thriller rooted in real political event' Different theories floated around Mukhopadhyay's disappearance with occasional reports of her being spotted in Nepal, Goa, and a temple near Purulia's Ayodhya Hills. The movie, based on Dipanwita Roy's novel 'Antardhaner Nepathye (Behind the Disappearance)', will trace the circumstances behind her disappearance and the probe," director Arindam Sil said. Eight months of research, involving documents, court papers and interviews, led Sil to believe the CU official left "the trail of a scam involving incredible amounts of cash". Bundles of mark sheets were allegedly found at her home. A CPM veteran flagged her disappearance in 1997, the case was reopened in 1999, but then closed for lack of evidence amid allegations that some CPM seniors had "blocked the probe". "This is the time for idea- and concept-driven movies and this subject has several layers and unanswered questions," said producer Firdausul Hasan. "The Bengali audience's tastes have evolved with exposure to international films and diverse content, and 'Karpoor' - being a crime thriller rooted in a real political event - fits the bill. Our approach will not sensationalize the subject. It will offer viewers a layered exploration of social, political and psychological complexities. " CPM leaders differ. "It is a political ploy to tarnish the party's image. The case was shut long ago and the allegations were found to be baseless. Trinamool leaders should focus more on the current flaws in the system rather than dig up the past," said CPM veteran Rabin Deb.
