Latest news with #Narain
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Hindu
India's first F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan's life to be immortalised on screen
Twenty years ago, Narain Karthikeyan made history when he became the first Indian to race in Formula One at the 2005 Australian GP for Jordan Grand Prix team and broke the glass ceiling. Now, his inspiring and pioneering journey is set to be immortalised on the silver screen through a feature film. The Tamil-language biopic, to be directed by Mahesh Narayanan, is expected to hit the screens next year. 'People understand what F1 is now after Drive to Survive (documentary series on F1 championships) on Netflix, and now the F1 movie as well. So it's great to tell the story about India's first F1 driver. To break all the barriers to get there coming from India, there is a lot of drama in it,' said Narain in a chat with The Hindu. Wild journey 'You can see how tough it is, and F1 has always been like this. It is tough to be one of the elite 20 drivers. To then break other barriers, it was tremendously difficult. However, it was exciting as well. Formula One was my dream, and I think it was a fantastic and wild journey,' added the former F1 driver who started 46 races over three seasons (2005, 2011-12). Narain revealed that the project has been in the works for the last 18 months, and he will be involved in ensuring the on-track action is filmed realistically, which will include training the lead actor in the basics of racing. 'Through this story, we want to show Indians can compete in F1. If it could be done 20 years ago, it can be done now, and hopefully, this inspires the next generation of sportspersons and racers,' said Narain.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Mahesh Narayanan to make biopic on former Indian F1 racing driver Narain Karthikeyan: 'It's about believing in yourself...'
Director is now gearing up to step into Tamil cinema and is reportedly working on a biographical drama centred around India's first Formula One driver, Narain Karthikeyan. After 's 'F1: The Movie' became a global sensation, is all set to make a racing-themed film with Narain. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now According to Variety, the film is currently titled 'NK370'. Narain spoke about getting a film made about his life: 'Motorsport gave me everything. This film gives that story to the world,' he reportedly stated. Mahesh also shared what drew him to the subject: 'Narain Karthikeyan's journey isn't just about racing. It's about believing in yourself, your country, and a dream no one else can see. That's what drew me to this story,' the Malik director said. A Look at Narain Karthikeyan's Racing Legacy 'Malayankunju' gets an OTT release date Narain Karthikeyan, who hails from Coimbatore, is India's former Formula One driver, who competed between 2005 and 2012. He was inspired by his father, Karthikeyan, a former Indian national rally champion. He participated in a variety of prestigious motorsport events, including NASCAR, Auto GP, the Super GT Series in Japan, Super Formula, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. His last stint in single-seaters concluded in 2019. Narain was conferred with the in 2010. What's Next for Mahesh Narayanan? On the work front, Mahesh is currently busy with the production of his next Malayalam film, tentatively titled 'MMMN'. The high-octane spy action drama stars in the lead and also boasts an ensemble cast. The film is also expected to feature Mohanlal in a key role, and recent reports suggest that the title may be Patriot. An official confirmation is still awaited. Kunchacko Boban, Fahadh Faasil, and Nayanthara are also set to play key roles in the film.
News18
18-07-2025
- Automotive
- News18
NK 370: Mahesh Narayanan To Direct Biopic On India's First F1 Driver Narain Karthikeyan
Last Updated: Mahesh Narayanan will direct NK 370, a feature film about Narain Karthikeyan's journey to becoming India's first Formula One driver. Filmmaker Mahesh Narayanan, known for his work in 'Take Off," 'Malik," and Locarno title 'Ariyippu," is set to direct the tentatively titled 'NK 370", chronicling the extraordinary journey of Narain Karthikeyan, India's first Formula One driver. 'Motorsport gave me everything. This film gives that story to the world," said Karthikeyan. The film follows Karthikeyan's remarkable rise from a rebellious boy in Coimbatore to the international racing circuit, overcoming class, color, and crashes to reach Formula One's pinnacle. 'Narain Karthikeyan's journey isn't just about racing. It's about belief — in yourself, your country, and a dream no one else can see. That's what drew me to this story," said Narayanan. The Tamil-language feature film is currently in development at India's Blue Marble Films. It will be produced by Faraz Ahsan, Vivek Rangachari, and Pratik Maitra. The screenplay comes from Shalini Usha Devi, who penned the critically acclaimed 'Soorarai Pottru," reports Ahsan said, 'India has some of the most dangerous roads in the world — just surviving traffic here takes skill. But what fascinated me was how someone like NK went from navigating those roads to racing at 365 km/h — a speed faster than a commercial aircraft at takeoff. I've been after Narain for years to secure the rights, and after a few honest conversations and the right team coming together, he finally said yes." The story begins with young Narain sitting on his father's lap, gripping the steering wheel of an old rally car. His father, a former national rally champion, had filled their home with engines, tools, and unrealized dreams. At five, Narain received a homemade go-kart, crashing and spinning across the driveway — particularly enjoying wet conditions that made racing more challenging. Despite his parents' concerns about the expensive sport and lack of government support, Narain's passion never wavered. After excelling in his 10th-grade exams, he convinced his parents to let him return to racing. His father modified a Maruti 800 into a training car and became his coach, as reported by At fifteen, Narain entered his first Formula Maruti race at Sriperumbudur circuit in Chennai in 1992. Starting 17th on the grid, he fell to last place early but rallied in the final 10 laps, overtaking 16 racers to finish third — announcing the arrival of India's motorsport underdog. To prove himself internationally, Narain attended the prestigious Winfield Racing School in France, where more than 30 F1 drivers had trained. As the only Indian and only brown-skinned driver, he faced racism and bullying from 20 white students from elite families. During his final test in wet conditions, he recorded the second-fastest lap time, earning recognition as 'something special." The film will showcase both his triumphs including wins in Formula Asia, British Formula Ford, and Formula 3 and his setback at the Macau Grand Prix, where he crashed at 270 km/h on the final lap while leading by six seconds. The narrative includes his romantic subplot, meeting his future wife in an elevator — a woman who knew nothing about racing but believed in him unconditionally. His redemption came when he returned to Macau, trained harder by driving dangerous mountain hairpins in Ooty, and won the race that had once destroyed his dreams. view comments First Published: July 18, 2025, 17:46 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Emergency sought to reduce judiciary to a cog in Congress's machinery
While speaking in Milan last week, Chief Justice B R Gavai stated, 'The executive cannot become judge, jury and executioner all at once.' This statement, while made in the context of putting a stop to 'bulldozer justice', is in fact indicative of a larger transformation in India's judiciary. It highlights how courts and judges today, in line with their constitutional mandate, act as unflinching custodians of India's fundamental values. More importantly, it demonstrates that they are at liberty to fulfil this duty unabashedly and without fear. It was not always so. On June 25, 1975, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency in India. The political instability, economic hardships, outright violation of fundamental rights and social unrest that characterised the period from 1975 to 1977 have been thoroughly chronicled. The genesis of the Emergency can be traced back to Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh, where Raj Narain, a socialist leader of the time, lost in the 1971 national elections. Narain filed a petition before the Allahabad High Court alleging electoral malpractices and accusing Mrs Gandhi, who was already Prime Minister, of using government machinery (including vehicles and personnel) to run her election campaign. Justice Jagmohan Lal Sinha of the High Court of Allahabad found Gandhi to be guilty under several provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Most damagingly, he barred her from contesting elections for a period of six years. The PM swiftly moved an appeal in the Supreme Court, which granted a partial stay on the High Court order. Pertinently, Narain had also approached the Supreme Court seeking the production of a document called the 'Blue Book' that contained security guidelines for the protection of the Prime Minister while travelling. He had asked the Uttar Pradesh government to produce the document in order to show Mrs Gandhi's misuse of public funds, a request that was denied stating that to do so would be against public interest. The Supreme Court sided with the High Court and called for its disclosure, also laying down the foundations for the fundamental right to information. Soon after, the President of India was compelled to misuse Article 352 of the Constitution and proclaim a state of emergency in the country citing 'internal disturbances'. What followed was a barrage of ordinances. The Constitution was also amended. The 42nd amendment restricted fundamental rights, expanded the one-time duration of President's Rule from six months to one year, amended the Preamble to include 'socialist' and 'secular' and redefined India's constitutional structure, amongst other actions. These amendments sought to create avenues to retain power and subjugate all due process. Those who criticised the suspension of civil liberties and mutilation of the Constitution were arrested en masse, with dozens of political leaders (including present-day politicians and ministers) also jailed and stripped of their rights. Naturally, India's values and freedoms, whether of the people, press or judiciary, gradually corroded. The bleakest example of this institutional breakdown remains the Supreme Court's decision in ADM Jabalpur vs Shivkant Shukla wherein the Court was tasked with deciding whether individuals could seek the judicial remedy of habeas corpus to challenge detentions during the Emergency when Article 21 of the Constitution was suspended. A 4:1 majority of the Court was pressured to abide by the government's narrative, holding that certain fundamental rights, including the right to life and liberty, could not be enforced during the Emergency. Having brazenly consolidated such unprecedented power, the government continued on its path to obliterate protocol. Justice H R Khanna was denied his rightful ascension to Chief Justice as punishment for his lone dissent in ADM Jabalpur. The government installed the pliant Justice A N Ray to the senior-most post instead. As it trampled over judicial independence, Congress sought to reduce the country's highest court to a cog in its political machinery. This period saw the starkest example of judicial servility. Consequently, the period of the Emergency continues to serve as an unequalled reminder about how Congress methodically strangled India's institutions. In stark contrast, PM Narendra Modi's 11-year track record represents a defence of and support for judicial independence. Where Congress, led by Mrs Gandhi, sought to systematically weaken India's courts, PM Modi has allowed room for judicial independence, empowerment and modernisation. This is evidenced from scores of Supreme Court decisions against the government, often on issues of consequence and contention, such as electoral finance and administrative and legislative scrutiny. Crucially, the present government's response to adverse verdicts is not interference with or dilution of the judicial process or manipulation of the Constitution's identity — it is democratic acceptance. This signals that the government is secure in its legitimacy and mandate, and not compelled to subvert, coerce or retaliate against the judiciary or admonish its officers. Any disagreement has been expressed only within constitutional bounds. While Congress aimed to consolidate and centralise power by undermining judicial authority, the government led by PM Modi has fostered a climate of autonomy, where judges operate without fear of retribution. PM Modi's leadership has thus set a new yardstick of constitutional temperament, showcasing an innate respect for the judiciary and maintaining constitutional propriety. It is a sustained affirmation of judicial independence. Today, the judiciary stands tall, reprimanding, questioning and delivering decisions with freedom. It is no longer an extension of executive will and is an independent steadfast pillar of democracy. It is essential to ensure that we remain vigilant against genuine threats to India's democracy. It is only when history is correctly understood and remembered that we will be able to protect our institutions and uphold their integrity. The writer is full-time member, Law Commission of India and vice president, Mumbai BJP
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Emergency horrible mistake, darkest period for liberty: Legal experts
The proclamation of Emergency on the midnight of June 25, 1975 was a "horrible mistake" and the "darkest period" for liberty in India's history post-independence, eminent legal experts have said. They said the 21-months period of Emergency imposed 50 years ago was a "grim watermark" in India's democratic journey and it had its most profound impact on the country's democratic institutions. "The Emergency was a horrible mistake. Its major lesson is that constitutional power should never be personalised. That is also a message to our present rulers. Tyranny is anathema. The people of India stood up against it. And they always will," senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan shared. Noted constitutional law expert and senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi said the 1975 Emergency had a political as well as a judicial dimension. In the 1976 ADM Jabalpur case , a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, by a majority of 4:1, upheld the suspension of fundamental rights during the Emergency. Live Events The majority verdict of the then Chief Justice of India A N Ray and Justices M H Beg, Y V Chandrachud and P N Bhagwati held that the right to seek legal remedy for violations of Article 21 was suspended during the Emergency. The lone dissenter, Justice H R Khanna, held that the right to life and liberty is inherent and not merely a gift from the Constitution. The 1975 judgment in State of Uttar Pradesh v. Raj Narain had preceded the ADM Jabalpur verdict. On June 12, 1975, Justice Jagmohanlal Sinha of the Allahabad High Court convicted Gandhi of electoral malpractices and debarred her from holding any elected post under the Representative of Peoples Act. The verdict is widely believed to have led to imposition of Emergency on June 25, 1975. Gandhi had won the 1971 Lok Sabha election from the Rae Bareli seat in Uttar Pradesh by defeating her opponent Narain. Narain challenged her election alleging electoral malpractices saying Gandhi's election agent Yashpal Kapoor was a government servant and that she used government officials for personal election related work. "This darkest period (of Emergency) for liberty in India's history post-independence was marked by both political abuse of constitutional powers and authoritarianism by Congress leadership under Indira Gandhi as well as ... atrocious judicial response of Supreme Court amounting to surrender before authoritarianism," Dwivedi said. He also referred to the historic judgement in the Kesavananda Bharati case. The path-breaking 1973 Kesavananda Bharati judgement on "basic structure" doctrine had clipped the vast power of Parliament to amend the Constitution and simultaneously gave the judiciary the authority to review any amendment. While Dwivedi said people's active vigilance is the only guarantee against destruction of constitutional democracy, Dhavan said power corrupts and absolute power is intolerable. "The message is -- never again, now or ever," Dhavan added. In the landmark nine-judges "Right to Privacy" Puttaswamy ruling in 2017, the bench effectively overruled the ADM Jabalpur verdict and said, "The judgments rendered by all the four judges constituting the majority in ADM Jabalpur are seriously flawed. Life and personal liberty are inalienable to human existence." When histories of nations are written and critiqued, the bench said, there are judicial decisions at the forefront of liberty. The verdict continued, "Yet others have to be consigned to the archives, reflective of what was, but should never have been." "ADM Jabalpur must be and is accordingly overruled," held the nine-judge Constitution bench. Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa said, "As someone engaged with constitutional law, I regard the Emergency imposed between June 1975 and March 1977 as a grim watermark in India's democratic journey". While terming the ADM Jabalpur case verdict as "regrettable", Pahwa highlighted the "moments of correction" including Puttaswamy judgement which recognised right to privacy as a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution. "These shifts illustrate that while constitutional setbacks are real, course correction is possible -- but only through institutional courage and public vigilance. The lesson of the Emergency is not archival; it is a living reminder that democracy must be defended daily, not just electorally, but constitutionally," he said. Advocate Ashwani Dubey said the most profound impact of Emergency was on India's democratic institutions and suspension of fundamental rights led to widespread human rights abuses. He referred to the arbitrary arrests and detention without trial during that period. "The censorship of the press stifled free expression, leading to a climate of fear and suppression of dissent. The government controlled the narrative, and any criticism was ruthlessly suppressed," Dubey said. He said not only individual freedoms were curbed, the Emergency period undermined the media's role as a watchdog of democracy.
